Struggling with a healthy diet

blueviolet20

Hey there...I've been using this site for a while, and during my time using it, I've yet to see any progress. My weight has been stuck between 160 and 165 (for the most part) since November/December, and I'm wondering what I can do about it. I wasn't very consistent with using the site between November and January, but in February, I started using it consistently, and I started exercising consistently about 3 to 4 weeks ago. The thing I'm struggling with now is maintaining a healthy diet. I'm almost always within my calorie range, but with other ranges, not so much. I'm worried this is affecting my weight loss efforts, and that I'm either eating too much or not enough. I haven't seen any changes in my body since I began working out. How can I improve my diet so that I'm able to see better results? My diary is open, so feel free to look and critique as you like.

Kat120285

Eat as clean as possible. Fruit, veggies, lean proteins, no processed foods, all natural foods. Make sure you drink a lot of water and definitely make sure you're getting enough calories for the amount that you exercise.

ruthie3110

My diet isn't amazing so I feel al ittle bit of a hypocrite here, but one thing that jumped out at me immediately was your sodium intake!
You seem to have a lot of a certain type of ham, is it a deli meat? That is really high in sodium, and bumps it up a lot, especially on days you have it twice.
One day I noticed you had gone over on everything except protein, when really that's the only one that I would recommend going over as the mfp standard settings set protein too low IMO.
Also, I noticed you don't always eat back y our exercise calories. That may make a big difference.

Hope this helps.

blueviolet20

My diet isn't amazing so I feel al ittle bit of a hypocrite here, but one thing that jumped out at me immediately was your sodium intake!
You seem to have a lot of a certain type of ham, is it a deli meat? That is really high in sodium, and bumps it up a lot, especially on days you have it twice.
One day I noticed you had gone over on everything except protein, when really that's the only one that I would recommend going over as the mfp standard settings set protein too low IMO.
Also, I noticed you don't always eat back y our exercise calories. That may make a big difference.

Hope this helps.

Yeah, it does....I know I eat a lot of sodium...I just don't know how to fix it. Mainly because I don't have much access to low-sodium foods at the school cafeteria, and at home, I have a hard time bringing up the idea of low-sodium foods and healthier foods to my fiance. But, that's probably my own mental block. The ham is a deli meat, yes. Is there any way that I can eat cleaner on a budget? And, I'm still struggling with the exercise calories, mainly because I don't believe that my HRM is very accurate.

Kat120285

The foods I buy aren't too expensive. I litterally for the most part just eat fruit, veggies, some all natural greek yogurt here and there, 100% all natural, whole wheat toast, and so on. I actually find it so much cheaper then when my boyfriend and I buy junk. Also, when you eat as clean as possible, the nutrients pretty much take care of themselves. I have only gone over sodium once, my sugar is usually over but I don't worry about it because it basically all comes from my fruit. I certainly don't worry about my fiber being over as MFP has it set too low anyway. I usually go over protein as MFP has that pretty low and I could go in and change it but I don't bother haha. Calories for exercise is always a tricky situation. It's never down to the calorie accurate. Before I got my stationary bike that allows for weight input and also has a built in HRM, I went to a website where you put in your weight and it gives you an estimate. Emphasis on estimate as it can't account for how intense you brought it during your work out.

blueviolet20

Thanks for the advice. I'm looking at some clean eating grocery lists so I can get an idea of what I should search out when I'm shopping.

Kat120285

Thanks for the advice. I'm looking at some clean eating grocery lists so I can get an idea of what I should search out when I'm shopping.

Awesome!! It makes a world of difference =]

3LittleMonkeys

I agree, your sodium and sugar is way high.

The eggs, do you make them at home? Or is that at the cafeteria? Can you make them yourself at home?

3LittleMonkeys

My food diary is viewable. I am not 100% clean eater, but I am working that way.

PS - Yesterday I was way under my calories. That is not normal for me. :laugh: Had to do with being mad at my husband, so I went to bed instead of eating. Plus I worked out and had extra calories to spare.