Basic Food Rules

Sweetsour3232
Sweetsour3232 Posts: 3
in Food and Nutrition
I am fairly new to dieting. And when I say fairly, I mean I started yesterday. Anyway! I would like a solid list of foods that are good to take in for weight loss and foods to avoid when trying to lose weight. Just a general list of common foods! Thanks!

Replies

  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    One serving of Peeps = ok

    20 servings of Peeps = not ok

    Everything in moderation, IIFYM.
  • barbelle
    barbelle Posts: 8 Member
    bump
  • Dino_bacon2112
    Dino_bacon2112 Posts: 341 Member
    One serving of Peeps = ok

    20 servings of Peeps = not ok

    Everything in moderation, IIFYM.

    Peeps are never ok IMO (I think they're nasty) but replace it with M&Ms and we're cool.

    OP, there are never any foods that you MUST eat to lose weight, nor are there foods that you absolutely cannot eat. Do a forum search for IIFYM, set your macros on MFP, check out the group Eat, Train, Progress, and you're set.
  • Dino_bacon2112
    Dino_bacon2112 Posts: 341 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

    This thread is a great starting place. Check it out, make sure you understand everything and off you go!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Basically, food rules....

    But srsly, there are no devil foods...I eat desert every night...ice cream, pie, cake, cookies, etc...you just eat them in moderation and fit them into your calorie goals...the particular food itself is not to blame for your weight.

    You should get as much nutrition as possible with your diet...lots of veg, a couple servings of fruit, lean proteins and healthy fats. ..but yeah, you can have some jelly beans if they fit your calories and macros. Don't ignore that FAT part...people tend to have a bad relationship with dietary fat because they think fat makes you fat...it doesn't...fat is an essential nutrient and if you don't get enough your hormones get all whack and it makes it even harder to lose weight, not to mention the mood swings and everything else.

    Weight control is all about energy balance. A calorie is a unit of energy just like a watt or an amp or whatever. Your body requires XXXX calories per day to maintain your weight...most of these calorie requirements are just to keep you alive and your organs functioning, etc. The rest of your calorie requirements come from day to day activities and exercise (as well as digestion, etc).

    When you consume less than your body needs to maintain weight, you lose weight as your body has to consume fat to replace the energy you are not consuming. Your fat stores are just back up energy stores. MFP's calorie goal includes a deficit from your estimated NEAT maintenance...your NEAT is your Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis...your day to day...it doesn't include exercise. Thus you will note that MfP will give you add'l calories when you log exercise. Yes....you're supposed to eat them back...you just have to make sure you're not overestimating your burn as is often the case here.

    Calorie counting is a game of precision so you need to be as accurate as possible. This can be tedious as it requires weighing and measuring pretty much everything that goes into your mouth and then logging it. Most people who just "eyeball" servings underestimate their intake by as much as 20-30% and it reason #1 why we get so many, "it just doesn't work" threads.

    Be as precise as possible and hit your calorie goals and exercise for fitness...you'll be fine.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Eat the food you like in portions that fit into your plan.

    In other words, no foods are off-limits.

    Log all your food here, study your food diary and learn what works. It's what we all had to do.

    Here: these are great:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Here's what I try to do:

    Eat more foods from the outer edges of the grocery store (produce, meat, dairy, eggs) and less of what's in the middle of the store (processed foods, soda, boxed stuff).

    But naturally, everything in moderation. If you cut out EVERYTHING you'll set yourself up for failure.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Basic food rules. Weigh everything. Make sure you cook meat thoroughly. Wash your fruits and vegetables. Log everything you eat.

    That's it.
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
    your 5 a day = good
    junk = bad
    take away & ready meals = junk
    Really you didn't know???
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    your 5 a day = good
    junk = bad
    take away & ready meals = junk
    Really you didn't know???

    I beg to differ. I have some decent results that say you don't have to cut out "junk" as you put it. Doesn't mean that's all I eat, but I still eat things you would probably classify as junk.
  • Sashoi
    Sashoi Posts: 295 Member
    Everything in moderation but I shouldn't be giving advice I eat candy like everyday lol
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    Eat the food you like in portions that fit into your plan.

    In other words, no foods are off-limits.

    Log all your food here, study your food diary and learn what works. It's what we all had to do.

    Here: these are great:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    ^This is how I've lost weight and this is how I plan to keep living it.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    wait whats a serving of peeps?

    Oh OP the only food rule that ever works for me is to measure it and log it. Buy a scale and some measuring cups.
  • Dino_bacon2112
    Dino_bacon2112 Posts: 341 Member
    wait whats a serving of peeps?

    Oh OP the only food rule that ever works for me is to measure it and log it. Buy a scale and some measuring cups.

    Everyone I know eats them by the row... or the package.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    Eat the food you like in portions that fit into your plan.

    In other words, no foods are off-limits.

    Log all your food here, study your food diary and learn what works. It's what we all had to do.

    Here: these are great:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    +1

    There is no set of specific foods you need to eat/avoid to lose weight. Count calories, measure out portion sizes and you'll succeed. It really is as simple as that :smile:
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    your 5 a day = good
    junk = bad
    take away & ready meals = junk
    Really you didn't know???

    Nope.

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