What are the Best meals for getting started and any tips?

bbvdcfsg86

I’m 5’8 200 lbs and I’m trying to lose fat and build muscle

bbvdcfsg86

I had a stroke 2 years ago and I am trying to bounce back. I am 23

briscogun

Sorry to hear about your stroke, I hope you are doing much better!

As far as your diet goes, you can eat anything you like as long as it fits into your calorie goals. Most people try to eat quality foods that are more "calorie friendly" instead of junk, but that is up to you. Lean meats, eggs, vegetables, fruits, etc. Whatever you like that meets your goals.

Now, as far as losing fat AND gaining muscle at the same time, this is more problematic. By restricting your calories in order to lose fat, you do not have the EXTRA calories you would normally need to BUILD muscle. See the problem? Now, dieting alone (no exercise) will cause the body to lose fat AND muscle, so a lot of people (me included) will do a weight training program in order to help maintain and tone muscles during a fat loss cycle, but there will be very little pure muscle GROWTH. IN order to do both simultaneously you would do something called "body recomposition", which is where you eat just ever so slightly below maintenance and workout out to build muscle, but this is a VERY SLOW process that takes months or even years to see results. That is why most people will focus on the weight loss first, then try to add muscle later (or do some weight training during a loss cycle to keep and maintain the existing muscle).

I hope some of that makes sense! Good luck on your journey!

AnnPT77

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10943468/what-are-the-best-meals-for-getting-started-and-any-tips

Best meals?

Any foods you enjoy eating, that add up to the right number of calories, and keep you full and happy most of the time. Since you have a goal to build muscle, too, then ideally those foods will deliver ample protein and overall good nutrition, too.

What foods are those? Really, no one else can tell you, because tastes in food, and which foods keep us full, vary individually. It's good to experiment, and it's OK if some of the experiments don't work out (even if over-eating results occasionally). As long as you keep working at it, learning from the things that don't work and trying something else, you'll gradually dial in your personal best plan.

If you're not sure what to eat, the MFP blogs have lots of recipes you can look at, try some that sound good.

The recipe section is here:

https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/category/meal-planning-recipes/

Also, in the Food and Nutrition or Recipes part of the Community, people share what they eat - though I'd note that their goals may differ from yours. You can look around there, but here are a couple of busy threads as an example:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/823358/what-do-your-meals-look-like-show-me-pictures

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10846119/what-s-did-everyone-have-for-breakfast

A good option is to start logging what you eat now, and notice things that "cost" a lot of calories, but aren't as important to you for staying full and happy, plus don't make a good contribution to nutrition. Those are easy cuts, if we reduce portion size or frequency of those foods, maybe even drop them altogether if they're not important enough for those calories. Even changing cooking methods can reduce calories: More roasting, grilling or steaming/poaching, less frying, for example.

If you use your diary actively, you can dial in a way of eating that is manageable - fairly easy and happy - for you, and that also gradually takes you toward your goals.

The "remodel your eating" approach is what I did to lose from obese to a healthy weight in a bit under a year, and to stay at a healthy weight for 9+ years since. (I admit I'm not heavily muscled, not really my goal, but I think I'm doing OK on that front for a li'l ol' lady. 😉😆.) This was my weight loss eating plan:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm

No one approach works for absolutely everyone, so maybe that wouldn't suit you. I'm sure others will offer their ideas.

Best wishes for success!

csplatt

I find I am more successful at counting my calories when I have more separates than soups / casseroles. Although I may combine it all together after it’s all prepped. For example, last night I had chicken, rice, cauliflower rice and roasted sweet potatoes. I weighed and cooked it all separate from each other then mixed it together. This can be an extra step (and extra dishes) if you are cooking for your family but need to pull yours out so you can have an accurate count of your own grams / ounces, but I’ve gotten really quick at that and it doesn’t really bother me. My family will get a pot of noodles to share — for example — but I’ll make 2 ounces for myself in a smaller pot and wash it real quick.

I have also learned to put up with being hungry while I cook. I won’t waste away in a single hour. I used to snack a lot while prepping dinner. I try to channel that now into enjoying and being excited about the meal I’m making and waiting on. I actually appreciate and savor it more that way, which I didn’t expect.