Is this healthy?

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Replies

  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    It seems like a lot of the people responding have never been in school, or have been out for a very long time. :) College schedules are wacky and it's a challenge to eat at normal times. I would usually opt for a bagel with cream cheese in the morning because it was calorie-dense and would keep me full until the evening when I finally had a break from classes (I didn't like eating in class because I feel like it's rude and distracting to the other students). Nowdays I feel like I need to consume food constantly and can't imagine how I went for 12 hours stretches without a bite to eat, but if it works for you then stick with what you're doing!

    She's in high school..not in college.

    ETA: I understand college students have hectic lives. but their are a lot of college students on MFP that are successfully balancing out their schedules with their meals. They understand the importance of getting their nutrition - especially those struggling to lose weight or even maintain fitness.

    Excuses are excuses. There is always a way to take control and take care of yourself.
  • SenshiV
    SenshiV Posts: 131 Member
    Well, you guys have said enough and very useful stuff so what to add? Just hope this leave this member thinking hard about it and not to continue with what some stuff can't be done.

    Lot's of luck!
  • CarlieeBear
    CarlieeBear Posts: 325 Member
    [/quote]



    Also, I COULD bring a lunch to school, but we are expected to lug around quite the load all day, and I'd have to look into some special pack, so my lunch isn't a pile of squished mush by lunch time! That's a good suggestion, I haven't really thought of that, as it was never really relevant to me in the past.

    I've seen how much kids carry with them at school and I get that, but I also see kids carrying food to class as well. Don't you have a locker? I've yet to see a HS without lockers. You could keep your lunch in your locker until it's time to eat.

    Also...you will eventually need to learn self control when it comes to tempting cookies. Do you have friends you eat with that you can ask to encourage you to not eat them? I also think that a lunch with cookies is better than no lunch at all.
  • vizsla99
    vizsla99 Posts: 66 Member
    I think the fact you are aware of what you're eating, and tracking it, is a GREAT first step. The fact this site allows you to track and log accurately is a HUGE part of success. Figure out what works for you and your lifestyle. Everyone has given great suggestions and input, but at the end of the day none of us are walking in your shoes.

    If you have to hit fast food - try leaner stuff like a McDonald's grilled chicken sandwich with mustard instead of mayo or one of their southwest grilled chicken salads with an extra chicken breast.

    I cook a lot of stuff ahead on a foreman with Mrs Dash so I don't get all the sodium of processed foods like in fast food. You could precook one of those and slap it between a whole grain bun with some mustard and it wouldn't matter if it got squished :)

    Good luck and keep up the progress!
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    Going without lunch isn't bad or even breakfast or even supper. Please people it's called fasting and is in fact GOOD for you. He knows he's not making the best food choices but will make small changes slowly as it suits him. He's probably not eating enough calories and should find some stuff to add to it. But the eating breakfast and then not eating until after school isn't the unhealthy part of what he's doing. Dude do some research on fasting. You may find it actually suits you best and with adding some more caloires to your daily routine, then making better choices by adding in fruits and veggies, I think you'll find life to be good and your diet working wonderfully.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Going without lunch isn't bad or even breakfast or even supper. Please people it's called fasting and is in fact GOOD for you. He knows he's not making the best food choices but will make small changes slowly as it suits him. He's probably not eating enough calories and should find some stuff to add to it. But the eating breakfast and then not eating until after school isn't the unhealthy part of what he's doing. Dude do some research on fasting. You may find it actually suits you best and with adding some more caloires to your daily routine, then making better choices by adding in fruits and veggies, I think you'll find life to be good and your diet working wonderfully.

    So the 17 year old kid should fast?
  • delyn356
    delyn356 Posts: 145 Member
    I think maybe you should try to eat a little more fore breakfast? Egg whites & fruit really isn't all that much. I would recommend oatmeal! Even though you mentioned you don't get hungry until 3pm, it will still keep you satisfied for awhile, and it will help to add in more nutrition to your diet.

    If you're set on getting fast food after school, I would at least cut out the soda or ice tea. Diet soda isn't good for you at all (I LOVE diet coke, but I cut it out...I drink it maybe once every 2 months or so now when I absolutely crave it), and the tea probably has a lot of sugar.

    Like other people mentioned, I would try to pack a lunch. Maybe you shouldn't bring money to school that way you're not tempted to buy cookies. Also, is there anywhere else you can eat other than the cafeteria? When I was in high school we were able to eat outside in a courtyard, so if I brought my lunch & went straight there, I was able to avoid any temptation of buying junk.

    One last note, incorporate more veggies & fruit! I didn't really like vegetables that much in HS either, but I kept on trying to eat them & eventually my tastes changed, and I love veggies now. Good luck!!!
  • his_kid1
    his_kid1 Posts: 177 Member
    What if you start by having a more substantial breakfast, and bringing a snack for your lunch period (bag of almonds and dried fruit wouldn't get squished at all). Then, if you drive, have another healthy snack in your car, so you're not as tempted to stop on the way home, and then have a good, balanced dinner?
  • dangerxbadger
    dangerxbadger Posts: 396 Member
    I think the fact you are aware of what you're eating, and tracking it, is a GREAT first step. The fact this site allows you to track and log accurately is a HUGE part of success. Figure out what works for you and your lifestyle. Everyone has given great suggestions and input, but at the end of the day none of us are walking in your shoes.

    If you have to hit fast food - try leaner stuff like a McDonald's grilled chicken sandwich with mustard instead of mayo or one of their southwest grilled chicken salads with an extra chicken breast.

    I cook a lot of stuff ahead on a foreman with Mrs Dash so I don't get all the sodium of processed foods like in fast food. You could precook one of those and slap it between a whole grain bun with some mustard and it wouldn't matter if it got squished :)

    Good luck and keep up the progress!

    Basically this. Everyone has to start somewhere, and at least you're logging. Try to bring small snacks with you to school so you don't crash your metabolism, and also be aware that the raspberry iced tea from Wendy's is PACKED with sugar and other crap, so you might want to recalculate that 800 calories to somewhere around 1300.
  • rosiereally2
    rosiereally2 Posts: 539 Member
    I think some good advice has already been given, so I'll just add that you should track your milk along with your cereal if you are looking to get accurate calorie counts. I wish you the best of luck!
  • mfoy94
    mfoy94 Posts: 228 Member
    It seems like a lot of the people responding have never been in school, or have been out for a very long time. :) College schedules are wacky and it's a challenge to eat at normal times. I would usually opt for a bagel with cream cheese in the morning because it was calorie-dense and would keep me full until the evening when I finally had a break from classes (I didn't like eating in class because I feel like it's rude and distracting to the other students). Nowdays I feel like I need to consume food constantly and can't imagine how I went for 12 hours stretches without a bite to eat, but if it works for you then stick with what you're doing!

    you literally make your own schedule in college as far as classes go. After that eating can easily be a priority...
  • Sweet_Pea0107
    Sweet_Pea0107 Posts: 90
    EVERYONE: the op is uneraged (17yrs old). I don't think it is responsible to be giving kids diet advice. My advice: sparkteen.com
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
    Since you know what you should be doing, I am going to offer more prosaic advice, look at these:

    http://www.laptoplunches.com/

    for a relatively hassle free way to carry your lunch without ending up with a crushed mess. Even if you don't end up eating at your lunch time, make THAT the option instead of the 3 pm stop at Wendy's. Personally, I was never one to eat that early in the day, and I am still not.

    And you need to get your parents involved to plan out healthy well portioned and balanced dinners, there are all kinds of ways to "sneak" veggies into cooked meals.

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