Food advice please

tiggys

I am keeping below my calorie goal ..... well most of the time!! I generally eat fresh foods, egg natural yogurt, fresh fruit & veg, lean meat and not a lot of red meat. Fish every now and then. Not too much cheese. Trying to drink more water, cut right down on diet coke. Now my question ... does it do any harm for me to eat the naughty stuff (ice cream, odd biscuit and a few crisps) small amounts every day (1 biscuit, a few crisps, 100g ice cream) as long as it is within my goal. Or should I only have them on the odd day? 1-2 days a week.

Does anyone have an opinion on protein powder or do you think you get enough protein as long as we eat the right foods. When should you eat protein?

Oh yeah and last question. All the bad press about eggs and cholesterol .... how many should we eat.

Sorry, I know lots of questions but there are so many different articles and different advice out there, I figured that my friends on the same journey as me and are getting the results are the ones to listen to.

Thanks in advance!

fitgirl4life

I'm not a nutritionist by any means, but here's what's worked for me. I believe in everything in moderation, and that as this is a lifestyle and not a diet, it has to be do-able every day. I follow the 80-20 rule. If I'm good 80% of the time, I can be naughty 20% :laugh: .

So, I do allow myself daily treats, but I keep them to 10% of my overall calories. So if you're on 1400 calories/day, then 140 of those calories can, in my opinion, be allocated to whatever treats you like! And of course within your overall calorie limit.

One day a week I splurge on whatever I like: pizza, ice cream, wine, whatever. All in one meal sometimes!

As for protein powder, my opinion is that if you're eating a balanced diet, with eggs, dairy, and lean meats/fish, you don't need additional protein. Unless you are trying to build up lean body mass, then you'll need extra protein. I'm about to start doing that myself. I'm not a fan of protein powders though. These can be used as a supplement, when you're short of time, but I would use it sparingly and always try to eat the real thing! Nothing beats real sources of protein.

Finally, I can't comment on the whole egg/cholesterol issue, I'm not sure myself. As you know, we eat plenty of egg whites, those are cholesterol free! I eat about 2-4 whole eggs week and have no issues with cholesterol.

Hope that helps!

ladypurgatori

I wonder the same things.. I just love my whole milk with a passion and I would rather give up something else to keep it! I hope it doesnt hurt me in the end, its only a cup a day. I would think that certain treats would be ok.. try working them off afterwards.

AsaThorsWoman

I wonder the same things.. I just love my whole milk with a passion and I would rather give up something else to keep it! I hope it doesnt hurt me in the end, its only a cup a day. I would think that certain treats would be ok.. try working them off afterwards.

Drink whole milk... the fats in it are essential and great for you. Eat butter and egg yolk too.

I do, and I've lost almost 30 lb.