Advice pleasseeeee for my food/Nutrition

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LlostInSpace
LlostInSpace Posts: 54
in Food and Nutrition
I've recently found that I have been going over mainly my sugar intake by quite a lot, but I feel I am not eating as much as before and I have been trying to have more foods like beans/kidney beans, veg and some fruit.

I like to have alpen for breakfast but I find that with the milk I drink (Whole milk for nutrition) it turns out as nearly 400 calories! Just for breakfast! (I'm on a 1200 cal)

I'm a student at the moment so I pretty much take easy food normally tinned beans/kidney beans.

So I'm just wondering of anyone can help me out/make any suggestions or anything?

Any help would be really appreciated!! :)

Replies

  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
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    I'm a BIG fan of Almond Milk - for 1 cup you're looking at 40calories. I recommend the 'vanilla' flavour. Also, could be that the fruit that you're eating is high in sugar content. Which, if that is the case, you're okay. I would likely primarily for those unhealthy sugary foods and try to remove them.
  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
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    PS - if you open up your food journal, people will be able to look at what you are eating and help you :)
  • jmc827
    jmc827 Posts: 16 Member
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    What gpizzy said, especially the almond milk!! I love cereal but the calories in milk were killing me, so i switched to the unsweetened vanilla!
  • SunKissed1989
    SunKissed1989 Posts: 1,314 Member
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    Open up your diary to the public for a more in-depth 'analysis' of your food.

    Based on what you've said though, have you tried Alpen with no added sugar? That could help reduce your sugar levels (and calorie levels for that matter, not sure how much though). I wouldn't worry too much about sugars from fruit though. Mostly processed sugars from sweets should be watched really.

    As for milk, I'm a semi-skimmed milk fan (2% in the US I think). I had Alpen (no added sugar) with semi-skimmed milk this morning and that came to 231 calories (based on a 45g serving of Alpen). Added a small banana to that and came to just under 300 calories.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    Unless you're diabetic or have particular medical reasons to track your sugar, it isn't really a dealbreaker in the equation. If we're making recommendations, calculate your BMR and don't eat less than that.
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
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    First of all, you could probably stand to up your calories a bit. Go to fat2fitradio.com to determine your TDEE. That is the number of calories required to maintain your current weight. Then subtract 20% from that to get your calorie limit for weight loss. As for the food, I'm a firm believer in "all things in moderation". However, I don't eat fast food, or canned or boxed food. I also try to avoid anything with added sweeteners. The more natural the food is, the better it is for you. Eat lots of lean protein, fruits and veggies, complex carbs. You should be fine. And be active. Good luck to you.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Diary isn't public...hard to assess. If your sugars are coming primarily from fruits and veg, don't worry about it...it's the refined/added sugar that you should watch. That doesn't mean go crazy with fruit...a couple of servings per day is good...up your veg intake to 4-5 servings per day. Whole grains have more nutritional value than refined white flour, white rice, etc...much more calories coming from fiber rather than sugar. If you're worried about the calories in the milk, cut it back to 2% or 1% rather than whole milk. If you are vitamin D deficient (one of the reasons some people drink whole milk) do a supplement for that. I drink 1% and it's about 100 calories per 8 oz serving. I don't do it so much for the calories as much as cutting saturated fats from meat and dairy as per my doctor.

    I personally believe in limiting refined/added sugar (doesn't mean I don't have any)...but in reality, unless you have or are at risk of an underlying medical condition, it's really not that big of a deal. Manage you macros not you micros...you will find that when you manage your macros...in this case carbs...the sugar and everything else just falls into step. I have a 40c/30p/30hf macro ratio and it has really helped improve my blood work.
  • Lightbulb1088
    Lightbulb1088 Posts: 189 Member
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    I use 1/2% milk, lowfat, it is 90 cals for 1 cup
    My sister also uses the Almond milk with Vanilla and she loves it.
  • amyann2
    amyann2 Posts: 69 Member
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    I would consider cutting to 2% milk at least. If you buy organic you won't notice as much of a taste change. The protein and calcium and vitamins will be there but with half the fat.

    I would try to cut that sugar intake gradually (I agree with those who say don't worry as much if it comes from fruit... but I WOULD make sure I eat at least twice as many veggies as fruit in general). You may find, as I did, that you start to enjoy sweet stuff less as your taste buds change a bit. I do not like sweets nearly as much as I used to. There are so many other wonderfully interesting tastes out there!
  • chels0722
    chels0722 Posts: 465 Member
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    Naturally occurring sugars in milk (lactose) do not count towards your daily intake of sugar. 10% or LESS of your total calorie intake should come from added sugars. But naturally occuring sugars, fructose, lactose, etc... do not harm you in any way.

    EDIT: I would also recommend almond milk. I mostly just love the flavor, but it is a lower calorie source calcium.
  • tormontoya1
    tormontoya1 Posts: 1
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    I ma a college kid o and try to stick to eating really simple foods. Cereal with milk and berries for breakfast, tuna with veggies for lunch, and a nice hearty dinner
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
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    Don't fret too much over a 400 calorie meal. It's not bad-- especially if you're eating something that satisfies you until lunch and working out as well. I don't think the milk is a problem but if you are worried about it, you can try out soy/ almond milks-- most have good nutritional value and save on the calories. If you want to try it, I'd get a small container first-- I started drinking those alternatives because I dislike the taste of milk so if you do like the taste of milk, you might not enjoy these alternatives. My main concern is my sugar intake, so I cut back on fruits and load up on vegetables whenever I can; for example instead of an apple for a snack, I'll find a lower sugar fruit (berries tend to be a good option, just check around the database on MFP) otherwise, I'll have one or two cups of broccoli with hummus and that cuts out a ton of sugar without sacrificing nutrients. I also cut out sugary drinks which helped tremendously.
  • Lightbulb1088
    Lightbulb1088 Posts: 189 Member
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    Also try fruits Like, Strawberries, Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries. They are higher in fiber, so they fill you up more.
  • LlostInSpace
    LlostInSpace Posts: 54
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    Thankyou everyone!!!
    What is macro? (Sorry if its a silly question)
    I definitely want to try almond milk I've heard a lot about it! :)
  • SunKissed1989
    SunKissed1989 Posts: 1,314 Member
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    Thankyou everyone!!!
    What is macro? (Sorry if its a silly question)
    I definitely want to try almond milk I've heard a lot about it! :)

    Your macros are your carbs, fat, sat fat, protein etc:smile:
  • kellyf_83
    kellyf_83 Posts: 20
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    yes to unsweetened almond milk! i was a HUGE milk lover before- it was the hardest thing for me to give up. now i dont miss it. in fact, last time i went to have a little, it tasted too rich. my husband makes us a special recipe of cereal that we eat almost every day. we put berries on it or a little honey. and we use either unsweetened chocolate/vanilla/or vanilla coconut almond milk. super good and super filling. and its a lot lower in calories. :)
  • LlostInSpace
    LlostInSpace Posts: 54
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    Your macros are your carbs, fat, sat fat, protein etc:smile:

    Thankyou!! :)

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