need some help with nutrition!

jamieannmcgee
jamieannmcgee Posts: 18
edited October 1 in Food and Nutrition
i dont exactly know how to go about starting a healthy diet! so far ive only had breakfast today, and i just had scrambled eggs with some ketchup. what do you guys recommend or have found helped. its lunch time and im stumped. i dont know what to eat. i have a really good george foreman grill to help get some of the fat off my food. can everyone share some recipes, or ideas on how to cook things, what a healthy diet should consist of, what i should be eating to help shed weight, what could help gain muscle, etc? thank you so much!

Replies

  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    You can never eat enough vegetables. Eat lean proteins. Healthy fats are your friends (nuts, olives, avocados). If eating healthy is new to you, eat lots of fruit, too...

    skinnytaste.com has very good, well tested recipes.

    While you're losing it is very difficult to put on muscle. Your best bet is to fuel your body with healthy foods to minimize muscle loss while you are losing fat.
  • thank you so much! what would be lean proteins? meats and stuff? are there certain meats i should avoid?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Try to focus in whole foods. What I mean is food in it's most natural (unprocessed) state.

    Fruits, veggies, whole grains, meats, and dairy are all good - just contol your portion size. Since you are new, you might log in "regular" food for a couple of days. This may help you see areas that need improving - and areas to leave alone. Don't try to change everything all at once - it can be overwhelming.

    Welcome!
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    thank you so much! what would be lean proteins? meats and stuff? are there certain meats i should avoid?

    Since I don't eat meat I would first recommend plant based proteins such as beans, lentils and quinoa. But those that do eat meat I think fish and chicken are good choices.

    And I second what TeaBea said! Unprocessed food - and don't try to change your whole diet at once. Just keep making improvements!
  • thank you both so much! its a good thing my dad just went on a fishing trip and brought back a ton of blue fish!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    thank you so much! what would be lean proteins? meats and stuff? are there certain meats i should avoid?

    Most cuts of meat are very lean - it's processed & ground varieties you have to watch.......these can be fatty. White meat (chicken) is leaner than dark meat. The skin is VERY fatty.

    Ground meat is usually marked 85%, 90%, etc, you want the highest percentage (fat free). Very lean hamburger is called top sirloin.

    Other ground (processed) meats - hot dogs, sausage, etc. - these are typically VERY fatty. Bacon = fat (almost). Read the labels.

    For dairy you want to look for reduced fat, or fat free on the label. 2% milk is fairly high fat but the name sounds low fat!!(?). Dairy products are great - but cheese portions are tiny! Be careful here.
  • wow! thanks. thats good to know! fish is lean right? because i was planning on making some tonight for dinner!
  • limismith
    limismith Posts: 156 Member
    Try to focus in whole foods. What I mean is food in it's most natural (unprocessed) state.

    Fruits, veggies, whole grains, meats, and dairy are all good - just contol your portion size. Since you are new, you might log in "regular" food for a couple of days. This may help you see areas that need improving - and areas to leave alone. Don't try to change everything all at once - it can be overwhelming.

    Welcome!

    I could not agree with this more. I sometimes make the mistake and trying to have a "healthy day" without being prepared and end up starving standing in front of the fridge for an hour before settling on takeout because I can't wait to eat any longer.

    If you want to try to fix something healthy at home, do the fresh/unprocessed route for now, but it might take a couple of days to get yourself situated. Don't get discouraged if you go over your limits/goals for today. I was shocked how some of my fav foods ranked - even the "healthy" ones!!!

    Just do a little better today than you did yesterday, and dedicate yourself to making tomorrow even better. After a few days you'll be rocking the healthy food scene!
  • Strive2BLean
    Strive2BLean Posts: 300 Member
    It's simple. A healthy diet consisits of fresh fruit and vegetables,whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat bread/wraps , lean proteins such as chicken, fish, turkey, lean cuts of beef, or pork (although I don't eat red meat), low fat dairy like cheese, yogurt, eggs. Roasting, broiling or baking or steaming foods is how they should be cooked. Stay away from fried foods and processed foods which are always high in sodium & calories, and usually low in nutrients. If you stay in your calorie range and incorporate exercise and eat these foods you will lose weight. That's how I eat and it works and is HEALTHY. Hope this helps.
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