What is there left to eat?!

AmberMagdalena

Trans fats, cholesterol, carbs, sodium. Calories, fat, sugar, soy.

All are things I personally should cut or dramatically reduce from my diet. But I'd like to know, whats left besides leafy greens? How would I obtain adequate nutrition???

Trans fats include:
Butter, baked goods, breakfast cereals, animal fats, dairys, oils and shortening.

Cholesterol:
Eggs, dairy, animal meats, sponge cake

Carbs (all the good stuff):
bread, pasta, baked goods, fruits, potatos, cereals, oats, beans, candies

Sodium (and sodium rich):
Cured meats, canned/jarred foods, some frozen foods, cased meats, fruit and veggie juices, salad dressings

High calorie:
Now, thats just common sense

fat:
Chocolate candies, Trail mix Cheese sauce , Ricotta cheese made with whole or part skim milk ,Chicken pot pie
Pie , Condensed milk Homemade white sauce , Ribs , Macadamia nuts, pecans and cashews, Potato salad
Au Gratin potatoes, Hash brown potatoes, Cheesecake, Spinach souffle
Baked beans with franks, mayo, salad dressings


Sugar:
Baked goods, fruits, some veggies, white flour, soda, potato products, energy/meal bars, candies, cereals, ice cream and desserts, white sugar.


Soy:
Cerals, whole wheat products, many asian foods, crackers/tortilla chips. pizzas, breakfast foods



Seriously, how many "fake sugar" and other carcinogenic products can I eat before even the radiation from 3 mile island can't help me?!

nanberube

Fresh fruits and veggies, chicken (w/o skin), fish, pork (fat cut off), and eggs in moderation. Whole wheat grains and breads for fiber and skim or low fat milk and yogurt. Weigh and measure everything and you should do well with weight loss and nutrition. It takes time, dedication and patience to eat right. If you spend more time preparing the meal than eating it, then it is probably a healthy choice.
Healthy eating is a life style change that is not easy, but worth the rewards. We've become too accustom to fast food choices in and out of the home. Eat slowly and make meals relaxing "me" or "family" time and you will think less about food and more about more what really matters in your life. Good luck and remember you friends on MFP are here for you.

AmberMagdalena

thanks! I like that!

amaczu

Just because they're listed under carbs doesn't mean they're bad!

Beans are excellent for you, but calorie dense. They have protein too! Oatmeal and other whole grains are great breakfast foods because they are SLOW carbs that take a while to digest, are very fiberous, and provide energy that lasts. A bowl of oatmeal in the morning is a perfect breakfast!

Eat egg whites instead of the whole egg to avoid all that cholesterol. I snack on hard-boiled egg whites throughout the day...some days I'll eat as many as 7 egg whites without eating a single yolk (I mash the yolk up and give it to my birds :] ). Eat lean meats (poultry) to get the protein you need...you're gonna have SOME cholesterol in your diet, it's unavoidable! That's why exercise is really pushed as a way to keep your good cholesterols up.

Here's what I eat almost on a daily basis:
Oatmeal, Egg whites, chick peas (beans), salad greens, chicken breast (boneless/skinless). I snack on cucumbers, egg whites and sometimes on 100-calorie snack baggies. My calorie limit is between 1200 and 1300 per day, and it's not that hard!

Here's what I avoid: Pasta, breads, potatoes, ice cream, candy, cookies, chips

Ariyasnow1

It is truly up to -you- on how strict you want your diet/lifestyle to be. You don't have to be a slave to what some diet(or someone) tells you on what you can or cannot eat. Do your own research and experiment with what lifestyle you feel most happy with.
I personally believe in eating only natural and organic foods and staying away from processed/packaged stuff that’s normally loaded with chemicals and sweeteners (dosn't sound very health huh?). I still get sugar through eating organic fruit and I still get fat and cholesterol through eating organic meats and oils.

Good luck!

immacookie

Trans fats include:
Butter, baked goods, breakfast cereals, animal fats, dairys, oils and shortening.

Cholesterol:
Eggs, dairy, animal meats, sponge cake

Real butter, olive oil, milk, most yogurts, most real cheeses, etc. do not have ANY trans fat! It's the artificial "substitutes" that typically contain the trans fat.

A little healthy cholesterol in your diet is actually good for brain health and overall cell function... dietary cholesterol in your food does not typically directly correlate to blood cholesterol levels. Again the key here is "healthy"... eggs, dairy if you tolerate it, etc. vs. processed dinners, fast food, etc.


Real food is infinitely better than all the convenience boxed, processed and snack crap out there. Real food (including real butter) is something your body knows. :smooched: :smooched: :smooched:

nanberube

Another good way to keep your cholesterol in check is to add flax seed to your diet. You can sprinkle it on anything and it adds no flavor to the food. I like having a fresh fruit salad with fat free vanilla yogurt and flax seed for breakfast. It raises the good cholesterol, lowers the bad, and keeps you regular. What great benefits from such a little seed.:laugh:

myukniewicz

Don't let all the "what to eat - what not to eat" stress ya out girl.

Your body NEEDS carbs. Carbohydrates are you bodies number ONE energy source. However, remember that not all carbs are created equal! Stay away from the "bad ones" such as the highly processed, refined sugars.
Eat : whole grains, legumes, brown rice ect.

Other things that you should eat to keep down your cholesterol, and sodium (remember the American Heart Association recomends 1500mg of sodium a day, and yes it can be done, because I do it every day.)
- FRESH or FROZEN veggies, no canned stuffed. The canning process not only adds a butt load of sodium, but pulls out a lot of the nutrients in the veggies.
- FRESH fruit, nothing in "syrups" because you are just asking for extra-sugar and junk you don't need.
- Lean meats, chicken (no skin, please), ground turkey ect.
- Eggs! Don't give up eggs, the cholesterol may be shocking in them, however and egg a day will NOT raise your blood cholesterol. Eggs are only an issue for people who are diagnosed with cholesterol issues. Eggs have a huge amount of protein and nutrients your body needs. (however, i do like my plain egg whites too!)
- Beans! Full of fiber, and protein. (NO CANNED! SODIUM IS KILLER)

phenrichs

Let me see if I can put my philosophy into words. I try to look at it in a way so as to keep in from getting too complicated.
All of the things you listed are fine to eat if you just monitor the portions and amounts. There is no need to completely cut out foods just limit your intake of the stuff that is obviously causing issues, like candy or soda.
I just try to make better choices like getting whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta and brown rice instead of the normal stuff I used to get.

The reason is (as far as I have picked up on) the less a food item is processed (meaning closer to nature) the easier it is for the body to digest which means it is also easier to be burned off with exercise. That is why things like your leafy greens and meat are better. It does get tricky at first.
Here is something I did that really helped me out. Make out a normal grocery list like you would even if you weren't trying to eat better. Then take that to the store and actually compare the different options for each item on your list. For most of them there is probably a more whole grain, or % lean, or even organic (although I haven't gone that far) choice that you can make. Of course this gets easier now because fresh produce is in season and becomes cheaper so now is a good time to study.

AmberMagdalena

Thank you everyone for you wonderful advice and support!!!

mynameisuntz

Nothing is bad in moderation. Some things just ought to be moderated higher than most.

Nothing inherently wrong with protein, fat, or carbs. Unless you have some sort of intolerate/resistance, like insulin resistance.

immacookie

Another good way to keep your cholesterol in check is to add flax seed to your diet. You can sprinkle it on anything and it adds no flavor to the food. I like having a fresh fruit salad with fat free vanilla yogurt and flax seed for breakfast. It raises the good cholesterol, lowers the bad, and keeps you regular. What great benefits from such a little seed.:laugh:

If you are buying whole flax seed make sure you are grinding it first, or just buy found flax seed. Your body can not absorb all the goodness from the whole seeds, they need to be broken down a little for the most benefit!