All the experts have different opinions

super_monty

Only really just started reading the forums really. I wanted advice on carbs, fats, protein and how much in should.
Lost about 20lbs so far and want to take it further the whole carb thing is confusing the hell out of me everyone seems to be an expert but with often very different ideas.

At the moment am trying to eat as clean as can with the typical follwing meals
Breakfast - weatabix with fresh blueberries and strawberries

Lunch - omlette or chicken / ham salads with tomatoes, cheese spinich or lettuce , sping onion

Dinner - home made lean meat and veg soup or lean meat , veg and carbs yes carbs usually new potatoes or white rice

Snacks - apples , blueberries , cherrys, straeberries with fat free natural yogurt or rye crispbreads with marmite or cheese.

I also eat a about 3 peppers and onions each week.

Are there any serious flaws there?

auzziecawth66

I would stay away from anything white and processed (white rice, white pasta) but other then that it seems like you are eating a fairly well balanced, maybe a bit more veggies, but like you said everyone has different opinions. The key is to eat in a sustainable way for you, pick a healthy way to eat that you can live with, that's what's more important that all this low carb/no carb/ no fat etc crap.

to_the_surface

Don't take any advice from the interwebs as "expert". It's just opinions.

Keep things simple. If things begin to sound complex or too hard to understand they probably are.

Guess no need to worry too much about particular foods/recipes nor to stick to a limited group of foods/recipes as you may likely grow bored of the same routine.

Do not approach it as diet, more as modifying/adjusting current habits to a new lifestyle.
Favor natural foods over processed foods.
Drink plenty of water.
Watch quantities/portion control.
Keep it balanced including carbs, protein and fats. Your body needs all three of those.
Include some form of exercise. Keep in mind that about 80% of weight loss results are due to eating habits and only 20% to exercising.


I'm sure people can add more one liners to this list.

super_monty

I have been burning approx 1100 calories a day I try to do 5 days a week.
Never thought of white rice as processed, any ideas for alternatives?

wewon

I have been burning approx 1100 calories a day I try to do 5 days a week.
Never thought of white rice as processed, any ideas for alternatives?

Brown.

debbiestine

try red quinoa instead of white rice.

WendyTerry420

Don't take any advice from the interwebs as "expert". It's just opinions.

Keep things simple. If things begin to sound complex or too hard to understand they probably are.

Guess no need to worry too much about particular foods/recipes nor to stick to a limited group of foods/recipes as you may likely grow bored of the same routine.

Do not approach it as diet, more as modifying/adjusting current habits to a new lifestyle.
Favor natural foods over processed foods.
Drink plenty of water.
Watch quantities/portion control.
Keep it balanced including carbs, protein and fats. Your body needs all three of those.
Include some form of exercise. Keep in mind that about 80% of weight loss results are due to eating habits and only 20% to exercising.


I'm sure people can add more one liners to this list.

Sounds like great advice for diet newbies like me!

I would add to measure/weigh your food. I was shocked when I first started paying attention. And then I was more shocked to find out that eating smaller portions didn't cause me to be hungry. I was just confused about the difference between feeling full and being "stuffed."

WendyTerry420

I have been burning approx 1100 calories a day I try to do 5 days a week.
Never thought of white rice as processed, any ideas for alternatives?

Brown.

Brown rice also has nutrients in it not found in white rice. I have been having trouble getting my kids to eat brown rice though. They think it tastes funny.

taso42

what does this come out to in terms of calories and macros? let's see that diary...

dsjohndrow

Everyone responds differently to carbs and proteins. It depends on your age, body type, and probably a hundred other things.

What matters is that you choose a starting point (I happen to think MFP is carb heavy), and adjust it based on honest logging and results. YOu need to watch out for sodium, fiber and that sort of thing too. It's hard to balanced with processed foods.

The food seems OK, but here is where I am at. If it has an ingredients label, I am probably not going to eat it unless it is a whole grain bread. And that would be rare.

If you are here to lose weight, stick with the calorie counting. If you are trying to get a healthy lifestyle, learn how to read labels.

super_monty

I have been burning approx 1100 calories a day I try to do 5 days a week.
Never thought of white rice as processed, any ideas for alternatives?

Brown.

Brown rice also has nutrients in it not found in white rice. I have been having trouble getting my kids to eat brown rice though. They think it tastes funny.U

I have tried brown rice no matter how long I cook it it's always rock hard.

wewon

I have been burning approx 1100 calories a day I try to do 5 days a week.
Never thought of white rice as processed, any ideas for alternatives?

Brown.

Brown rice also has nutrients in it not found in white rice. I have been having trouble getting my kids to eat brown rice though. They think it tastes funny.U

I have tried brown rice no matter how long I cook it it's always rock hard.

LOL!

Its trickier because it still has the fiber.

I have to cook it in more water for 50 minutes instead of 20 minutes like white rice.

tigersword

I have been burning approx 1100 calories a day I try to do 5 days a week.
Never thought of white rice as processed, any ideas for alternatives?

Brown.

Brown rice also has nutrients in it not found in white rice. I have been having trouble getting my kids to eat brown rice though. They think it tastes funny.

Brown rice also has phytonutrients that prevents the body from absorbing the nutrients in the brown rice. White rice is actually better absorbed from a nutritional standpoint. I occasionally eat brown rice if I need extra fiber, but that's its only real nutrition advantage.

carriempls

I have been burning approx 1100 calories a day I try to do 5 days a week.
Never thought of white rice as processed, any ideas for alternatives?

Brown.

Brown rice also has nutrients in it not found in white rice. I have been having trouble getting my kids to eat brown rice though. They think it tastes funny.

Try mxing them together! Start with mostly white rice and over time increase the amount of brown. This will allow them to get used to it and eventually you'll be able to switch fully.

Overall your diet looks good. Few processed foods and quite healthy.
The white/brown rice is a minor thing (to me) but one worth working towards.

auzziecawth66

Uncles Ben long grain perfection brown rice cooks up great almost like minute rice. It's been my favorite change, I use to be a minute rice addict lol.

runfatmanrun

Like auzzie said, the key is sustaining. The info you provided looks good but can you eat that way during your entire weightloss timeframe? If you answer yes, then it works for you and have fun. If no, then change it. The brown/wild rice, quinoa, farro, etc. are all better options than white rice but good luck finding those if you go out for sushi or most other oriental food restaurants. And remember portion control.

And I am not an expert just a previously fat man with an opinion.

MoveTheMountain

I have been burning approx 1100 calories a day I try to do 5 days a week.
Never thought of white rice as processed, any ideas for alternatives?

Brown.

Brown rice also has nutrients in it not found in white rice. I have been having trouble getting my kids to eat brown rice though. They think it tastes funny.

Brown rice also has a lot more fiber than white rice. It tastes different by itself, but you can't even tell if you eat it with things like curries.

I would also say, watch the fruit intake. Fruit is great, but it's also very high in sugar, and you can accidentally take in a lot more calories (and carbs) than you intended to. Ie, it's probably not a great idea to snack on fruit all day long. Try to add some protein instead.

Captain_Tightpants

You are correct, there is no consensus of opinion on the optimum balance of the three macronutrients (carbs, fats and protein).

The closest thing to a consensus among experts is that high protein is pretty good for you (unless it is contraindicated by a medical condition you have)

The rest is up to what you believe and/or what you find works for you after experimentation. I found a 40/30/30 percent mix (40% of cals from carbs, 30% of cals from fat, 30% of cals from protein) is a nice balance for me. Other people like to split it up in different ways.

Don't stress too much about macros. Just keep your eye on the big picture: energy in < energy out = weight loss.

Prettyinpaisley

I think it's fantastic that you want to learn about nutrition, but there's no one size fits all answer.

There are a lot people on the internet with opinions. Some people have opinions that are grounded in facts. Some people will share opinions that only work in certain instances. I believe in taking most advice with a grain of salt (But not if you're watching your sodium - har har).

That being said, there are some REALLY good books out there written by some people who have done extensive research. I just finished "In Defense of Food" and it's great! It's a comprehensive look at the way we've been approaching foods and eating over the past few decades. I really recommend it.