Weight loss...

Millionyearsecho

Hi, I'm John, new guy here!
I weight 350lbs(6'3", 22 yo) and I really want to strt losing weight.
I have started to walk daily , I do 1.5km to bus, then 1.5km to university, 1km between classes, 1.5 to bus, 1.5km to home.

Which isn't so bad, considering I did nothing for the last few years, but my problem is really...I need to know what to eat.
I'm a student, so I need to be able to prepare my meals the day before or during the weekend and I'd not caring eating the damn same thing everyday if i had to. I just want to eat well and not too much(although, i'm always starving. :I )


What should I do? If someone had a good meal plan, that'd be great. (I eat breakfast around 6h20 AM) and I'd back home at around 20 pm(So I'd obviously need to bring lunch and snacks to school. )

Thanks all, after 8 yrs of being overweight, I really want to get healthy again.

my_2_cents

First suggestion I have is to get a fitbit or similar exercise tracking device. Don't get a wrist one as it doesn't track when you are carrying things, and you likely carry books lots.

Link that device to your MFP account and it will tell you exactly how many calories to eat for your weight loss goal. I'm down 46 lbs and I'm rarely hungry, I eat pizza and drink Pepsi almost daily. Remember, the more you change the harder it will be to maintain for your lifetime. Eat the foods you like and find easy to prepare, just choose the brands and serving sizes that fit your calorie goals. I've switched to thin crust pizza, and tried several brands to get one that tasted good and had the least calories etc. Other than that, measure everything is the best advice I have. Get yourself a digital food scale, they're usually $15-30 and weigh every serving to the nearest gram. Only use a measuring cup for pourable liquids, everything else gets weighed.

zericaaaaa

Welcome!! okay so you can eat whatever you'd like, but just make sure its the right portion sizes. but since we only get to work with a certain amount of calories daily, a few of my go-to items are-
-egg whites, green peppers and salsa for breakfast
-grilled chicken/turkey burgers
-pretzel crisps for a snack- you can have 35 of the mini ones for 110 calories!
-allll veggies and fruits. pb2 with celery ends up being like 50 calories
-fiber one brownies/fiber one anything haha
-sandwich thins instead of regular bread
-bagel thins

Need2Exerc1se

I would try googling "weight loss meal plans for students". I'm sure there will be many for you to look through.

covens04

The key is doing whatever works, and being able to sustain it. You don't have to be perfect everyday. It's about long term goals. I would of course use MFP for logging all foods. Most people have open diaries so you can see what works good wise.

The next thing is setting goals and choosing a workout plan. Choose one that you will enjoy and can help get you started. I would do short term and long term goals. This helps you to continually look forward!

Third is just stay positive. Stay connected and ask for help if you need it. Hope this helps.

Kalikel

Six miles a day after doing nothing is fantastic. Bravo.

Everyone should see a doctor when beginning a weight loss journey. He can give you a ballpark on what weight you should be and how many calories a day to eat, tell you what food you should or shouldn't be eating and follow your progress. Just follow his advice and you'll be healthier and thinner.

Seeing the doctor is the smartest and easiest way to go about it, but most people prefer to take the more complicated route, lol.

Healthy foods - you can google it - half of everything is fruits and veggies. Lean, white meats, poultry. Tuna and other fish (I don't eat fish and don't know about that). Low or no-fat dairy. Whole grain breads.

funchords

Start logging. If you're feeling like there's too many things to think about, then just focus on two weeks of logging. The purpose is to get better each time at finding the items in the database and estimating how much you are eating. You have to master logging before anything else will predictably work.

Learn to estimate your food as best as you can. You know what a quarter pound (4 oz) hamburger patty looks like? That's a good guide. If you're on the metric system, figure out what a 100 grams looks like. Block cheese is another good visual guide.

If you eat in a help-yourself cafe, use a small plate. Big plates promote accidental overeating. When choosing between small, medium, or large -- always small and always only one. My personal rule is that I can have a small portion of anything I want, and if I want more, I can go back. This is better than getting an extra portion and feeling obligated to clean my plate.

Eat slowly. Small bite. 30 chews. If eating with friends, secretly let them pace you -- always endeavor to finish slower than your friends.

I am almost never hungry. Always have a good amount of protein in your meals and snacks: nuts, greek yogurt, and hard boiled eggs -- these travel pretty well, too.

During the weekend, print and look at your logs. Circle anything that seems surprisingly high in sugar, fat, or carbos. Also note any days where you are under your protein goals. Remember especially good choices so you can repeat them. Make mental notes.

Millionyearsecho

Wow, thank you for the amazingly fast answers, it's all very appreciated!
I wondered, what is a good breakfast that'S healthy? I usually take a large bowl of cereals with a banana, every morning.
This week I bought a 3.25% fat milk, but normally I drink skim milk in my cereals. Would that be good? What's a good alternative?

Sorry I have so many questions at the same time, I never looked at what I was eating up until now.

I need to bring 2 snacks at school, any suggestions?

I'm going to log everything I eat up until now.

bshot1

Wow, thank you for the amazingly fast answers, it's all very appreciated!
I wondered, what is a good breakfast that'S healthy? I usually take a large bowl of cereals with a banana, every morning.
This week I bought a 3.25% fat milk, but normally I drink skim milk in my cereals. Would that be good? What's a good alternative?

Sorry I have so many questions at the same time, I never looked at what I was eating up until now.

I need to bring 2 snacks at school, any suggestions?

I'm going to log everything I eat up until now.

Apple cinnamon oatmeal and a banana sounds pretty good for breakfast. Snacks, air popped popcorn (you can do it in the microwave with a brown paper bag, just chuck some kernels in there) and maybe something like carrots if that's your thing.

funchords

,
I wondered, what is a good breakfast that'S healthy? I usually take a large bowl of cereals with a banana, every morning.

There is no protein there. You will feel good for about two hours and then be hungry. Add a 3-4 ounces of egg, Greek yogurt, or a lean meat.

This week I bought a 3.25% fat milk, but normally I drink skim milk in my cereals. Would that be good? What's a good alternative?

Compare the MyFitnessPal entries between the skim milk and the 3.25% fat milk. You will see that the 3.25% milk has 50% more calories, all of them fat calories. I would stick with the Skim Milk long term, especially since you're used to it.

I need to bring 2 snacks at school, any suggestions?

How many calories in each snack? Make sure each snack has some protein, otherwise you'll be hungry again soon.

botch74

Get a fitbit and cut out pre processed foods. Go for a weight plan of 1 to 1.5 lbs a week. Eat as much greens as you like. Be patient.

Millionyearsecho

I'll add 1 or 2 hard boiled eggs next to my cereals, and for the snacks, I brought with me today a almondbutter and Jam with no added sugar. Would that be good as a snack? (I don't use peanut butter cause i'm allergic to peanuts. )

heartimpelled

so awosome to make this info thx all

funchords

I'll add 1 or 2 hard boiled eggs next to my cereals, and for the snacks, I brought with me today a almondbutter and Jam with no added sugar. Would that be good as a snack?

Both sound like solid choices if they fit your caloric needs. If after a few days, you're finding that your consistently over or under your goal, you can add or subtract from these choices.

Millionyearsecho

I keep busting "fat" in the number of allowed grams, yet I have no idea what to cut down on. Is that a priority to watch or should I just focus on calories( I know it's obvious I should be careful with fat, but I bust becuse of almond butter and eggs. )

funchords

I looked at your diary. The almonds and almond butter are part of your going over the number. The good news is that the fats that these foods provide are mostly good fats.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats

The other news here is that fats are 9 kcal per gram, where carbs and protein are only 4 kcal per gram -- when you choose to eat a food higher in fat, you're eating about half as much food as you would than if you chose a food low in fat. Since you're eating good fats, this is neither good nor bad news, but it gives you an option: If you are not feeling satisfied with the amount of food that you're eating, you might want to look to swap out something you're currently eating that is higher in fat for something higher in protein or carbohydrates. You'll eat more food but not more calories.

Millionyearsecho

Thanks! THis makes a lot of sense and i'm glad it's not too bad of a thing. Also, since we're on the subject, do you have any suggestions that I could take for replacing almonds/almonds butter if I ever need to swap fat for proteins? I'm a bit clueless about all of this. Thank you very much!

Millionyearsecho

Thanks! THis makes a lot of sense and i'm glad it's not too bad of a thing. Also, since we're on the subject, do you have any suggestions that I could take for replacing almonds/almonds butter if I ever need to swap fat for proteins? I'm a bit clueless about all of this. Thank you very much!

funchords

Let's consider the almonds because I think you're making a sandwich with the almond butter.

Almonds, 50g ... 288 calories

Instead, make that 25g (a bit less than 1 oz.) of almonds (144 calories) and add 250g (yes 250g, about 9 oz.) of Mixed Fruit (Strawberries, Pineapple, Honeydew, Cantaloupe, Blueberries, Grapes) ... about 10x more food than the 25g of almonds and only 80 calories.

(You might be asking "How can I eat so much more at fewer calories?" and it's because fruit has a high amount of water in it and carbs are 4 calories per gram instead of fat which is 9 calories per gram.)

kommodevaran

Why would anyone want to or need to eat 250 grams of fruit at one time? Why is it a good thing to be stuffed? Fat is not the enemy, too many calories is. We need a lot of different nutrients every day. Eat something from every food group every day.

funchords

Why would anyone want to or need to eat 250 grams of fruit at one time? Why is it a good thing to be stuffed? Fat is not the enemy, too many calories is. We need a lot of different nutrients every day. Eat something from every food group every day.

250 grams is the size of 1.5 fruits -- so half of an apple, half of a peach, and a few strawberries will get you a nice fruit salad that weighs 250 grams.

OP weighs 350 lbs. -- big person, larger appetite right now, and is likely used to larger portions before feeling full. It takes a few weeks of smaller meals to feel satiated with less.

But the purpose of this illustration was also to show the difference between a small amount of dense food high in fat (almonds) and another choice, in this case fruit. Please note that I didn't suggest eliminating his fat intake, just showing options.

kimny72

If you are just starting out, I would suggest not getting too hung up on WHAT you are eating, instead focus on how much you are eating. Trying to slot each food into "Yes eat that" and "No don't eat that" can be confusing and overwhelming and you don't need that!

I am no expert, but the first thing I did was for a week I ate the food I normally would, paying attention to serving size, and logged EVERYTHING. This made it really easy to see where all the calories were coming from and what I needed to work on. There were a lot of foods that I liked to eat that when I stuck to the serving size and ate less, I realized I wasn't "stuffed" when I was done eating, and I still didn't get hungry again for several hours. Win! But I also saw other foods that I just ate out of habit that were using up a lot of my calories and were easy to replace with lower cal options.

This will be a journey - you don't have to get it all right in the first week, and you will never be "perfect"! Just keep tweaking until you find what works for you. Good luck :happy:

socalkay

You could got to the MFP blog and type in various search terms for meal and snack ideas:
http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/?s=snacks

Fitbits sound like very useful and beneficial devices but I personally cannot afford one at this time. It occurred to me that, as a student, a Fitbit might have to sit on your wish list for a time as well. I just wanted to point out that a Fitbit is not a prerequisite to using the site tools or losing weight.

roswald78

You can also find a lot of amazing and simple recipes at www.skinnytaste.com and www.organizeyourselfskinny.com

I personally poach (boil) boneless skinnless chicken breast at the beginning of the week and portion it out in 8 ounce portions. This allows me to use it in recipes or eat it stand alone. When I eat it by itself, I add salsa on the side with some fruit and mini tortilla chips. Make sure you are drinking a lot of water as well. I personally cut out soda completely, but that was by personal choice. I was a 48 ounce a day diet pop drinker and I found it make me crave sweets even more.

My go to foods during the week:

-Dole Shakers made with V8 Fusion Energy
-Boneless skinless chicken breast
-Apples
-Watermelon
-Bananas
-Babybel Light cheese
-Salsa
-Mini tortilla chips
-fresh veggies, normally celery and carrots
-Clubhouse Multigrain mini crackers
-Campbell's Homestyle Light soups
-Iceberg lettuce
-Chef Salads w/fat free dressing
-Subway Club sandwiches (I get a 12 inch and make 2 meals out of it and I use honey mustard, no mayo)
-Basic chicken salad recipe from Organize Yourself Skinny
-Nickles Light Wheat Bread

I do agree that portioning first is the key and then the calories. If you cut too many too soon, you are going to feel like you are starving all the time. When I first started my journey way back before MFP, I used Weight Watchers, unofficially. I find this much easier. The key is to log everything you eat, even if it takes you over. This will help you find patterns.

Also, I walk 3 times a week 2-3 miles each time and bowl in a league twice a week. It sounds like you are on the right track walking where you can

GiveMeCoffee

Here's some good information to help you out, take some time to read over the links

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

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

Fitbits are nice, but not necessary. I got one after I lost 100 lbs just as a way to make sure I kept up the activity level I was going for.

You don't need to cut anything out, except for excuses, overeating, and sitting on the couch too much. Good luck

Millionyearsecho

Wow I'm really amazed at all your quick and very nice answers! It's really great to have found such a great website and community.
As for me, well it has been 5 days now, I keep logging everything, it's a daily habit. While the fitbit is far too expensive for my student's budget, I still bought a food scale and I use it with everything I eat, it helps me focus on more on what exactly i'm eating, what it represents and to handle portions better. Up to now, I haven't have any cravings and my greatest achievement yet is that I can go through one whole day without the feeling of being "starving". I'm not reaching my usual "I'm too full, mean's I have eaten enough" and yet, i'm not hungry. To me that's a real big deal cause I used to be always hungry and eat huge portions so I'd be satiated for a long while(or so I thought. )
Let see how it goes for the next few day, I'm really taking this seriously, haha.

kommodevaran

I still bought a food scale and I use it with everything I eat, it helps me focus on more on what exactly i'm eating, what it represents and to handle portions better. Up to now, I haven't have any cravings and my greatest achievement yet is that I can go through one whole day without the feeling of being "starving".

I do that too! I'm getting more and more confident that I've eaten enough and right when I see it "in print". I can manage the slight feeling of hunger before meals. The craving is harder to handle, but I almost never get it anymore, because I'm well nourished :bigsmile:

I'm not reaching my usual "I'm too full, mean's I have eaten enough" and yet, i'm not hungry. To me that's a real big deal cause I used to be always hungry and eat huge portions so I'd be satiated for a long while(or so I thought. )

I used to think and do exactly this! Never believed in the concept of "portion" :ohwell: and it didn't occur to me that the stuffed and heavy feeling after a meal meant that I had eaten more than I needed, and that too much really was bad for me :noway:

funchords

Congrats on buying the scale! Sounds like you're making a great start!