Your thoughts on my food diary?

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new2canada
new2canada Posts: 119 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Can someone please give me some advice on my food diary and what I need to change? thank you!

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  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
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    Increase your protein intake to at least 0.8g per kg of body weight, preferably to 1.2-1.4g per kg of body weight.

    Eat more of everything (increase your calorie goal), unless you are very, very, very tiny and literally laying down all day.
  • new2canada
    new2canada Posts: 119 Member
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    I don't do a lot of exercise though, probably 40 mins 4 days a week of jogging or long walks
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
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    I don't do a lot of exercise though, probably 40 mins 4 days a week of jogging or long walks

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

    Go there and do the calculation. That is the number of calories your body needs each day to survive laying down doing absolutely nothing. You know, for normal organ and brain function.
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
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    It appears you also have only 12 lbs to lose, so it's going to come off slowly anyway. That is, if you want retain as much lean body mass as possible. I recommend setting your MFP goals to lose 1/2 lb per week. Aim for this goal every day you don't exercise, and when you log exercise, eat all of those extra calories it adds to your goal.
  • Touchdown73
    Touchdown73 Posts: 39 Member
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    Drop the wheat and oats. Add in lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, and healthy fats.
  • stephv38
    stephv38 Posts: 203 Member
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    Drop the wheat and oats. Add in lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, and healthy fats.

    I agree with this. Without knowing your goals and what it is you are struggling with in your food intake, I would say your diary looks very much like what mine used to. Carb heavy but seemingly very healthy! I subbed a scrambled egg with spinach and cottage cheese for the oatmeal and banana. I sub lettuce leaves for bread and add an extra slice of meat. I dont eat crackers.... I find this helps my cravings and gives my body good lean protein.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    Increase your lean protein - have some little and often starting with breakfast, increase non starchy vegetables and low sugar fruits to nine different servings in the full rainbow of colours (green, blue/ purple, red, orange/ yellow), there is a lot of repetition of white or pale coloured produce - you can have nine servings of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables for the same sugar content of one banana!

    Increase your healthy fats especially those from oily fish, aim to keep processed/ refined/ junk to a maximum of 10% of daily calories. I don't agree you need to drop the grains because currently these are a key source of minerals for you, simply get a better balance to stabilise your blood sugar and give your body all the nutrients it needs.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    You aren't eating enough
  • FitForLife81
    FitForLife81 Posts: 372 Member
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    Also drop the prepackaged stuff and opt for more fresh fruits and veggies and lean meat. A lot of the frozen lean cuisines and lipton pouches are high in sodium and really are not that great for you!
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    You are eating far too little. You need to eat at least double your protein and up your healthy fats from things like avocado, nuts, seeds, good oils, dairy.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    If you want, check out this link by MFPer Heliotsdan - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It'll give you a detailed walkthrough on finding your TDEE and calculating what you should be eating.

    Also, if you are worried about the calorie intake, I also suggest you read this thread that has numerous people who met their goals and are maintaining. Some for years and they also provide their calorie intake and how often they work out.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/816542-let-s-hear-it-for-maintainenance
  • GuybrushThreepw00d
    GuybrushThreepw00d Posts: 784 Member
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    Ditch the ready meals, eat more protein.
  • healthylife56
    healthylife56 Posts: 32
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    more calories. more protein.
  • xilka
    xilka Posts: 308 Member
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    Great advice already given.
    Everything I was going to say has been said -
    more protein, lose the oats and banana, eat more eggs,
    EAT MORE in general - but make it protein instead of carbs,
    and eat more REAL food - ditch the Cambell's and make real soup.
    Make a big batch once a week, so you don't have to cook all the time.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    so much more protein...like half your body weight in protein. If you bump the protein up, (you can actually change the settings manually) and stay in your calorie goals, everything else will fall into place. You can have carbs- just make them a carb with fiber. Fruit has fiber. Oats have fiber. Once you hit 30 grams of fiber, you only absorb 20% of what you eat.

    To sum up:
    Up the Fiber
    Up the Protein
    Stay within your calories

    Really, eat whatever you want that fits in that plan. Once you get the hang of it you can start experimenting more. For now, make it easy on yourself. Calories in, Calories out- fiber and protein just keep you full the longest.
  • tbetz1
    tbetz1 Posts: 48 Member
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    Your sodium intake is fairly high in my opinion, eat less processes food, but more calories.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    On balance you are coming up short of your calorie target. This is plainly obvious without asking the forum
  • ihateroses
    ihateroses Posts: 893 Member
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    Question is, what are you having problems with?

    Are you looking for advice because you are hitting a plateau?

    Are you looking for advice because you are hungry all the time and want to feel more full?

    Are you looking for advice because you are bored with what you eat?

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