Best way to eat?

mskimberlee

As many of us on here, I've tried and tried to get rid of the baby weight (He's five LOL). I loose and gain, loose and gain. I love to exercise, but I also LOVE to eat! I exercise 5 to 6 days a week, but I don't eat right. Could you all share the best way to eat? Weight watchers, Low fat, low calories, protien, count calories, cut all carbs, no fruit, yes fruit, cheese, no cheese, low fat dairy, no dairy? What is the best way to eat? I want to get serious here! PLEASE, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to great suggestions and a great way to eat and FINALLY, FINALLY LOOSE!!!!! I haven't been consistent on MFP, either, so I know I need to follow through with that! THANK YOU!!!!

Contrarian

Eat enough to hit your calorie goal every day. If you work out, eat more. Choose fewer processed foods when possible.

It's that simple.

Iwillbemeagain

Your story is the same as mine and my daughter is 3, Its all about calorie counting,....

taso42

Eat enough to hit your calorie goal every day. If you work out, eat more. Choose fewer processed foods when possible.

It's that simple.

In before all the weird stuff. Well done, Contrarian.

Chellski

Hey there, im in the same boat, but am studying nutritional medicine.. my suggestion would be eat variety... try to make you food look like a rainbow! DONT cut carbs as carbs are macronutrients and are required by the body in large amounts.
here are the guidlines for optimal nutrition:
* eat foods as close to their natural state and as fresh as possible
* cook your meals from scratch wherever you can rather than using pre prepared ingredients
*eat a variety of foods, especially plant based foods and those that are in season. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colours is a good way to start, try to make your food look like a rainbow. also eat foods with different flavours, colours and textures. aim to eat at least 30 different types of food a day
* always wash fruit and vegetables before cooking or eating
* eat foods that are high quality
* consider organic foods may be a healthier choice
* use cooking methods that retain the nutrients in the food. Grilling, steaming, baking, stir frying and eating some raw are healthier than deep frying or boiling
* ensure a good intake of plant based foods such s fruits,vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes herbs and spices.
* moderate your intake of saturated fats, salt,alcohol, refined sugars, processed foods and caffeine
* avoid old nuts as these can grow moulds and the oils may become rancid
* avoid burnt food, including meats that are blackened, burnt toast or other burnt food
* avoid organ meats, whilst these may be rich in nutrients they may also contain unwanted substances such as drugs, hormone, or pesticide residue particularly when they are eliminative organs like the liver or kidneys
* avoid foods with a lot of additives, preservatives and colourings
* eat protein at every meal. in fact make sure all the essential nutrients are provided in each meal
* drink at LEAST 1.5-2 litres of water a day
* learn to rotate foods to provide variety and ensure you are not eating the same type of foods every day
* remember to enjoy eating, take pleasure from preparing wholesome meals that you will enjoy eating. food is nourishment for life. Digestion starts in your brain so think about what you are going to eat and eat it slowly
*chew your food more
*partake in regular aerobic exercise..at least 1/2 an hour to an hour a day
*drink the juice of half a lemon or apple cider vinegar in warm water on waking or soon after
* enjoy your food and remember that good nutrition and health is about balance and variety

know that was a mouthful but i hope it helped? feel free to add me

mskimberlee

Chelksi Thank you!!! I will add you as I will have many questions! Thanks for the list, I will print it out and keep with me. So, as long as you eat correctly, do you think that there is a need to count calories? Or do you think that you can eat what you want as long as it's healthy? Thanks again!!!

ansonrinesmith

COUNT calories! I think you'll be amazed how many calories in are in foods that many people consider healthy!
Estimating or keeping track in your head, is just a path towards failure.

Chellski

well i still count calories as i think to lose weight u need to at least be conscious of this, but when you are eating whole foods its much harder to over eat as they are soo filling etc. but once you have lost the weight and are maintaining if u follow good nutrition guidlines u shouldnt need to count calories

mskimberlee

So you can't eat as much as you want as long as it's healthy? You really should stay in a certain calorie range? I had lunch with my friend and she said don't eat dairy or carbs, only good fats and you can eat as much as you want. There is so much information, bad and good out there! I just don't know where to start!!!!

taso42

So you can't eat as much as you want as long as it's healthy?

Nope.

You really should stay in a certain calorie range?

Yep.

I had lunch with my friend and she said don't eat dairy or carbs, only good fats and you can eat as much as you want. There is so much information, bad and good out there! I just don't know where to start!!!!

Start by counting calories. Hit the target MFP gives you. And definitely don't take any advice from that friend of yours.

pseusie

Honestly, the calorie target has been the most helpful thing for me. I've done Weight Watchers in the past, and it can be a really good program, but I never had ANY handle on how much I was getting of anything: calories, fat, fiber, etc. Being able to see those numbers and think about how they add up over the course of the day just makes my food choices more straightforward.

Chellski

Basically any diet that tells you to not eat or largely restrict any kind of nutrient (especially MACRONUTRIENTS, which proteins and carbs are) is something you should steer clear of. You can eat what you want, but you have to get to a point where you want healthy things, plus its NEVER good to over eat so its kinda common sense i guess. Calorie counting is helpful as portion sizes now are WAY out of control. calorie counting helps you to see what you NEED and make you take a second look/thought before you eat for no reason. Plus to lose weight you do need to stay in a certain calorie range as otherwise it will convert to fat and be stored, and its important to not under eat as well as your body will then go into starvation mode and start storing all the fat it possibly can

mskimberlee

Thanks everyone! What are some breakfast ideas, this is my hardest meal, but the most important!

pseusie

Right now, I'm doing a lot of eggs-- omelets with broccoli, cheese, and turkey, or breakfast tacos on low-cal Mission tortillas. The protein keeps me full for a long time.

I also like whole wheat English muffins with a little peanut butter and jelly. Oatmeal is a good go-to, and it's quick.

Sidesteal

Thanks everyone! What are some breakfast ideas, this is my hardest meal, but the most important!

<--- I don't start eating until late afternoon typically.

What's critically important mskimberlee, is for you to establish a moderate but not-too-aggressive calorie deficit, find a good macronutrient intake, and by the end of the day, hit it. Then do it again the next day, and keep going. Throw in some resistance training.

Then in 3 months when you look in the mirror and go "rawr!", you'll think to yourself: "Man I'm sure glad I didn't worry about all that other bullsh*t. Good thing my man Sidesteal hooked me up with a simple and effective plan. And I wonder where he got those jammy-pants?"

Yakisoba

Eat enough to hit your calorie goal every day. If you work out, eat more. Choose fewer processed foods when possible.

It's that simple.

That.

And with chopsticks.

mskimberlee

What's critically important mskimberlee, is for you to establish a moderate but not-too-aggressive calorie deficit, find a good macronutrient intake, and by the end of the day, hit it. Then do it again the next day, and keep going. Throw in some resistance training.

LOL Sidesteal, what is macronutrient? I'm a runner,(have been for years) and I swtich off with the eleptical some days, I don't do resistance training. I know! What are some good resistance training exercises?? Digging the jamies bahahahahaha..

bbbbb33333

I would recommend using your hands, or silver ware.

normusnonaliam

<--- I don't start eating until late afternoon typically.

What's critically important mskimberlee, is for you to establish a moderate but not-too-aggressive calorie deficit, find a good macronutrient intake, and by the end of the day, hit it. Then do it again the next day, and keep going. Throw in some resistance training.

Then in 3 months when you look in the mirror and go "rawr!", you'll think to yourself: "Man I'm sure glad I didn't worry about all that other bullsh*t. Good thing my man Sidesteal hooked me up with a simple and effective plan. And I wonder where he got those jammy-pants?"

i do wonder where you got those jammy-pants...

solid advice. as always.

mskimberlee

Thank you, that's pretty straight forward and makes sense!

Sidesteal

What's critically important mskimberlee, is for you to establish a moderate but not-too-aggressive calorie deficit, find a good macronutrient intake, and by the end of the day, hit it. Then do it again the next day, and keep going. Throw in some resistance training.

LOL Sidesteal, what is macronutrient? I'm a runner,(have been for years) and I swtich off with the eleptical some days, I don't do resistance training. I know! What are some good resistance training exercises?? Digging the jamies bahahahahaha..

Macronutrients are protein/carbs/fats. It's critical that you stay very near your calorie intake for the day, while hitting your targets for p/c/f.

As far as weight training goes, I'd recommend contacting a trainer at your gym to learn the basics. Lift heavy, hit macros, look secksy. Win.

mskimberlee

LOL!!

mskimberlee

What's critically important mskimberlee, is for you to establish a moderate but not-too-aggressive calorie deficit, find a good macronutrient intake, and by the end of the day, hit it. Then do it again the next day, and keep going. Throw in some resistance training.

LOL Sidesteal, what is macronutrient? I'm a runner,(have been for years) and I swtich off with the eleptical some days, I don't do resistance training. I know! What are some good resistance training exercises?? Digging the jamies bahahahahaha..

Macronutrients are protein/carbs/fats. It's critical that you stay very near your calorie intake for the day, while hitting your targets for p/c/f.

As far as weight training goes, I'd recommend contacting a trainer at your gym to learn the basics. Lift heavy, hit macros, look secksy. Win.

Perfect! I will get on that gym membership! I have equipment at home, but I really wanted to try Zumba, and now heavy weights!

mskimberlee

I would recommend using your hands, or silver ware.

OMG, LOL, now that's funny! I still have the giggles!

Sidesteal

There's an underlying point that I didn't get to among my trolling, but I'll go ahead and say it here since my signature vanished and it used to be in there.

Don't complicate things. Don't bother eliminating half of the foods you like or trying this or that diet technique/etc. Don't worry about when to eat your carbs or if you can have a bedtime snack or whether you should count the sugar in your strawberry and cancel it out with the fiber in you shoe. Don't bother worrying about how often you eat or how frequently or whether you should set an alarm so that you can have a snack at blah blah BULLCRAP... It's all complicated *kitten* that you shouldn't bother with because it just doesn't matter (if you're diabetic, speak up).

Hit.
Your.
Calories.
And.
Macros.
By end of day.

Do this consistently and good things will happen especially if you lift and exercise a bit.. If you stall out or get stuck or have problems doing this, then you can look at slightly more fancy things but until then, don't make a mess out of something so simple.

Not easy, simple.

Rachiepie6

Eat enough to hit your calorie goal every day. If you work out, eat more. Choose fewer processed foods when possible.

It's that simple.

Try to eat foods with high nutrional value. Fresh fruit and veg, fresh meats etc. Wholemeal/Brown instead of White.
Note that I said try

Oh, and I recommend eating slower, smaller and more frequently.

mskimberlee

There's an underlying point that I didn't get to among my trolling, but I'll go ahead and say it here since my signature vanished and it used to be in there.

Don't complicate things. Don't bother eliminating half of the foods you like or trying this or that diet technique/etc. Don't worry about when to eat your carbs or if you can have a bedtime snack or whether you should count the sugar in your strawberry and cancel it out with the fiber in you shoe. It's all complicated bullcrap that you shouldn't bother with.

Hit.
Your.
Calories.
And.
Macros.
By end of day.

Do this consistently and good things will happen especially if you lift and exercise a bit.. If you stall out or get stuck or have problems doing this, then you can look at slightly more fancy things but until then, don't make a mess out of something so simple.

Not easy, simple.

My problem is not exercising!!! I love it! My problem is that I love to eat! I figure if I run 5 miles I can eat whatever I want, and I CAN'T!! So, I NEED willpower and this site!!!! Thank you!

mskimberlee

[Try to eat foods with high nutrional value. Fresh fruit and veg, fresh meats etc. Wholemeal/Brown instead of White.
Note that I said try
Thanks!

HMonsterX

Don't complicate things. Don't bother eliminating half of the foods you like or trying this or that diet technique/etc. Don't worry about when to eat your carbs or if you can have a bedtime snack or whether you should count the sugar in your strawberry and cancel it out with the fiber in you shoe. Don't bother worrying about how often you eat or how frequently or whether you should set an alarm so that you can have a snack at blah blah BULLCRAP... It's all complicated *kitten* that you shouldn't bother with because it just doesn't matter (if you're diabetic, speak up).

Soooo true.

DON'T OVERCOMPLICATE IT!

Make a calorie deficit.

Hit your macro targets (Fat, protein, etc.)

Find some activity you enjoy that gets your heartrate up.

Lose weight get fit.

All these low carb/cut this/don't eat that/etc are simply means to the same end. Calories in < calories out.

I figure if I run 5 miles I can eat whatever I want, and I CAN'T!!

You can, and arguably should, eat enough to counteract those calories you burned, so you keep only a small deficit.