Which one here should we get rid off?

These came from inside our refrigerator. Which can I get rid off and which ones are healthy to keep?

http://s29.postimg.org/6nsyz97bp/diffproducts.jpg

Thanks,

V

Replies

  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
    Why do I get the feeling that if I go to that URL I'll get a virus?
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
    Edited: tried to post the photo and couldn't do it. Maybe you should just list the products: butter, cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc.


    I don't eat dairy, so I would personally toss all of them.

    I think it's better to avoid nonfat products (often has extra sugar to make it taste better) and margarine (trans fat).

    You can Google "good fats" and get a lot of info. We need some fat in our diet, but unsaturated fat like olive oil is better for you than saturated fat (see the label on the products for saturated fat content).

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats
  • mungowungo
    mungowungo Posts: 327 Member
    It all depends on context. There are so many different versions of healthy on this board.

    Some people would consider the margarine unhealthy because of the partially hydrogenised oil and it's made in a factory - some the butter because of the saturated fat content.

    Strawberries are a fruit (healthy) but they are in syrup - a lot of sugar - some people don't think you should eat that much - others eat whatever they want if it fits in with their calories and macros.

    {Note - there are products there that I simply don't recognise as they don't have them here so I can't go through each one individually.}

    Or you could keep it all and use it up (I absolutely hate waste) unless you don't like to eat it. If there is anything there that you don't like throw it away. No point eating things that taste bad to you just because you think they are healthy.

    PS the only thing I can absolutely tell you is that if any of them are out date or growing mould then they are not healthy and you should chuck them out.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Making inclusion or exclusion criteria on singular food items is usually meaningless without considering the entire diet.

    Ice cream can be a welcome addition to some diets and a poor choice in others.

    On it's own, it's just ice cream.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I wouldn't consider any of those foods "bad." Well, except nonfat cottage cheese because it's gross. :laugh:

    Instead of focusing on individual foods, focus on your overall diet. Try to make it 80% nutrient dense foods that meet your macros and micros. Then use the rest as discretionary calories for foods you enjoy. I use mine for ice cream and cookies. :flowerforyou:
  • sklebar
    sklebar Posts: 117 Member
    Everything except the ricotta cheese, cottage cheese and unsalted butter.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    I don't have to look at the picture to agree with the poster that said "anything past the expiration date."
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I think it's better to avoid nonfat products (often has extra sugar to make it taste better) and margarine (trans fat).
    The majority of margarines no longer contain trans fats
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Everything except the ricotta cheese, cottage cheese and unsalted butter.

    whats wrong with cottage cheese?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Making inclusion or exclusion criteria on singular food items is usually meaningless without considering the entire diet.

    Ice cream can be a welcome addition to some diets and a poor choice in others.

    On it's own, it's just ice cream.

    this!
  • JONZ64
    JONZ64 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Making inclusion or exclusion criteria on singular food items is usually meaningless without considering the entire diet.

    Ice cream can be a welcome addition to some diets and a poor choice in others.

    On it's own, it's just ice cream.

    this!

    Ditto!
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    I think it's better to avoid nonfat products (often has extra sugar to make it taste better) and margarine (trans fat).
    The majority of margarines no longer contain trans fats

    This is great news! I've got some Kroger margarine in my fridge
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    If I were you, I'd use that ricotta cheese to make lasagna, then eat it in moderation. Then, if I had a bunch of the lasagna left over, I'd freeze it into individual servings to eat later.
  • v1rt
    v1rt Posts: 8
    Thank you everyone for all your thoughts. The problem is that there is so much information on the web and it makes us so confused.

    Today, I was looking at whole grain bread and one of the ingredient says in bold "WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR". I remember reading from somewhere that wheat is not good for us. However, the name of the product is confusing. I read that whole grain is really good. This is conflicting. What do you think?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Thank you everyone for all your thoughts. The problem is that there is so much information on the web and it makes us so confused.

    Today, I was looking at whole grain bread and one of the ingredient says in bold "WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR". I remember reading from somewhere that wheat is not good for us. However, the name of the product is confusing. I read that whole grain is really good. This is conflicting. What do you think?

    I think you should only eliminate a food from your diet if that food causes you personal issues, such as binge eating, or perhaps you have an allergy or intolerance to a specific food item.

    Beyond that I would suggest that you simplify your diet and your lifestyle by not worrying about whether or not you have to eliminate a particular food, or whether or not you can eat some cake on occasion.

    A practical application of this would be to structure your diet such that you eat mostly whole and nutrient dense foods and if you want to, you can leave a small portion of calories to eat "not nutrient dense" foods like ice cream and other things too. So for example, get your fruits and vegetables in, eat a varied diet with lots of whole foods, and enjoy some junk food if you like as long as you don't let that dominate your diet.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    In general no food is bad for you.

    Wheat is not good if you are reactive to gluten. Soya if you are reactive. dairy if you are reactive, eggs like wise. Fresh fruit and veg is good for you unless you are salicylate sensitive.

    All the very best for finding out what works best for your body and your family.
  • v1rt
    v1rt Posts: 8
    I think you should only eliminate a food from your diet if that food causes you personal issues, such as binge eating, or perhaps you have an allergy or intolerance to a specific food item.

    Beyond that I would suggest that you simplify your diet and your lifestyle by not worrying about whether or not you have to eliminate a particular food, or whether or not you can eat some cake on occasion.

    A practical application of this would be to structure your diet such that you eat mostly whole and nutrient dense foods and if you want to, you can leave a small portion of calories to eat "not nutrient dense" foods like ice cream and other things too. So for example, get your fruits and vegetables in, eat a varied diet with lots of whole foods, and enjoy some junk food if you like as long as you don't let that dominate your diet.

    Got it. The reason I started this post is because I'm trying to figure out what food is preventing me from getting rid of the fats around my stomach/waist. I lift heavy 5x a week but my cardio is minimal. I think my body fat is like 12% I can feel my abs but it shows only a little.
  • v1rt
    v1rt Posts: 8
    In general no food is bad for you.

    Wheat is not good if you are reactive to gluten. Soya if you are reactive. dairy if you are reactive, eggs like wise. Fresh fruit and veg is good for you unless you are salicylate sensitive.

    All the very best for finding out what works best for your body and your family.

    So looks like I can eat anything since I don't have any allergies. However, I'll have to monitor my calorie intake to make sure if within my daily target.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    I think it's better to avoid nonfat products (often has extra sugar to make it taste better) and margarine (trans fat).
    The majority of margarines no longer contain trans fats

    Not necessarily entirely true, especially on any foods sold in the United States. Foods here can have as much as half a gram of trans fat and still be labelled as 0 grams, and partially hydrogenated oils are the biggest culprits in adding trans fat to foods (which a lot of foods here contain to one degree or another). That adds up if you eat a lot of processed foods with partially hydrogenated oils. In other words, if partially hydrogenated oils are listed in the ingredients, there's trans fat in the product, even if the label claims otherwise. So always check the ingredient list.

    http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm373939.htm
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    In general no food is bad for you.

    Wheat is not good if you are reactive to gluten. Soya if you are reactive. dairy if you are reactive, eggs like wise. Fresh fruit and veg is good for you unless you are salicylate sensitive.

    All the very best for finding out what works best for your body and your family.

    So looks like I can eat anything since I don't have any allergies. However, I'll have to monitor my calorie intake to make sure if within my daily target.

    I think so! :)
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    I think you should only eliminate a food from your diet if that food causes you personal issues, such as binge eating, or perhaps you have an allergy or intolerance to a specific food item.

    Beyond that I would suggest that you simplify your diet and your lifestyle by not worrying about whether or not you have to eliminate a particular food, or whether or not you can eat some cake on occasion.

    A practical application of this would be to structure your diet such that you eat mostly whole and nutrient dense foods and if you want to, you can leave a small portion of calories to eat "not nutrient dense" foods like ice cream and other things too. So for example, get your fruits and vegetables in, eat a varied diet with lots of whole foods, and enjoy some junk food if you like as long as you don't let that dominate your diet.

    Got it. The reason I started this post is because I'm trying to figure out what food is preventing me from getting rid of the fats around my stomach/waist. I lift heavy 5x a week but my cardio is minimal. I think my body fat is like 12% I can feel my abs but it shows only a little.

    Dietary fat, in and of itself, has no effect on your fat stores and in fact, insulin is the bigger influencer of abdominal fat storage when calories are equal and not in a surplus.

    If you're looking to tweak your diet to shed the last of your fat, you should probably take a look at your carb intake. Carbs are one of the things that people like bodybuilders will tweak the most when doing bulk/cut cycles.
  • v1rt
    v1rt Posts: 8
    Dietary fat, in and of itself, has no effect on your fat stores and in fact, insulin is the bigger influencer of abdominal fat storage when calories are equal and not in a surplus.

    If you're looking to tweak your diet to shed the last of your fat, you should probably take a look at your carb intake. Carbs are one of the things that people like bodybuilders will tweak the most when doing bulk/cut cycles.

    Here is one of my completed daily log. What do you think?

    Screen_Shot_2013_12_16_at_1_29_00_PM.png
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    As long as you eat less than you burn you will lose bodyfat.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Dietary fat, in and of itself, has no effect on your fat stores and in fact, insulin is the bigger influencer of abdominal fat storage when calories are equal and not in a surplus.

    If you're looking to tweak your diet to shed the last of your fat, you should probably take a look at your carb intake. Carbs are one of the things that people like bodybuilders will tweak the most when doing bulk/cut cycles.

    Here is one of my completed daily log. What do you think?

    Screen_Shot_2013_12_16_at_1_29_00_PM.png

    I think you eat a ton of carbs (but that's in part just me, as I do well on a third of that). :laugh:

    That said, if you're still finding your measurements and/or weight changing, then you may not need to do anything at all, since most healthy individuals can lose weight just fine on a caloric deficit, regardless of macros. A little patience goes a long way, in that regard.

    However, you do have a lot of wiggle room in your carb intake, so you could try reducing your carbs and increasing your protein and/or fat and see how it works for you, if you wanted. Always keep in mind, though, that fat is an essential nutrient, so make sure you're getting enough, even if you go the lower fat route.

    Here's an article that interviews a number of bodybuilders on their diets. For the most part, they generally sit at about 200g of carbs, though a couple go as low as 50g (that one in this case cycles).

    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/shredded-cutting-diet-plans-eating-tips-freaky-physiques.html

    It may also be beneficial to play with a low-carb or carb-cycling program like Carb Nite to help reduce your fat levels. Bear in mind, though, that you may have to reduce the weight of your lifting working sets to compensate for the less glycogen, especially in the days before a carb-up day.

    You may even be able to do straight keto, but the effects of that on muscle are a bit more controversial in the strength circles. The bodybuilders will also tell you that keto diets are catabolic, though studies suggest otherwise (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1373635/). Regardless, a ketogenic diet is arguably one of the best ways to lose fat, so it may still be an option, depending on your other goals besides the fat loss. This also has the same effect on working sets for a while as carb cycling, though studies suggest that the body ultimately switches energy substrates away from glycogen and to fat. Like a runner changing forms, though, you might have to take a couple steps back at first, until you adjust.

    The bottom line is - don't be afraid to experiment. Try something for a month and see the effects it has on your body and whether it moves you toward your end goal. If not, then try something different. Regardless of what your chosen macronutrient spread is, try to get your calories from more whole food sources. So, with regard to the originally posted picture, I'd ditch the margarines and "buttery spreads" in favor of the real butter, at least. The butter comes with nutrients that your body can use and can absorb better than what's in the manufactured stuff. Other than that, keep the ricotta and cottage cheese as it suits your macros (and maybe choose the full fat versions over the low fat ones; again, IIFYM).
  • v1rt
    v1rt Posts: 8
    As long as you eat less than you burn you will lose bodyfat.

    Looks like I'm not doing enough cardio then. Most of the exercise I do is lifting. I do sprint but 2x a week. However, I stopped for almost 3 weeks now since it's extremely cold outside.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    As long as you eat less than you burn you will lose bodyfat.

    Looks like I'm not doing enough cardio then. Most of the exercise I do is lifting. I do sprint but 2x a week. However, I stopped for almost 3 weeks now since it's extremely cold outside.

    Or just eat a bit less?
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
    Keep everything in date!! It's a waste to chuck all that good food. Just control your portion sizes.
  • v1rt
    v1rt Posts: 8
    I think you eat a ton of carbs (but that's in part just me, as I do well on a third of that). :laugh:

    That said, if you're still finding your measurements and/or weight changing, then you may not need to do anything at all, since most healthy individuals can lose weight just fine on a caloric deficit, regardless of macros. A little patience goes a long way, in that regard.

    However, you do have a lot of wiggle room in your carb intake, so you could try reducing your carbs and increasing your protein and/or fat and see how it works for you, if you wanted. Always keep in mind, though, that fat is an essential nutrient, so make sure you're getting enough, even if you go the lower fat route.

    Here's an article that interviews a number of bodybuilders on their diets. For the most part, they generally sit at about 200g of carbs, though a couple go as low as 50g (that one in this case cycles).

    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/shredded-cutting-diet-plans-eating-tips-freaky-physiques.html

    It may also be beneficial to play with a low-carb or carb-cycling program like Carb Nite to help reduce your fat levels. Bear in mind, though, that you may have to reduce the weight of your lifting working sets to compensate for the less glycogen, especially in the days before a carb-up day.

    You may even be able to do straight keto, but the effects of that on muscle are a bit more controversial in the strength circles. The bodybuilders will also tell you that keto diets are catabolic, though studies suggest otherwise (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1373635/). Regardless, a ketogenic diet is arguably one of the best ways to lose fat, so it may still be an option, depending on your other goals besides the fat loss. This also has the same effect on working sets for a while as carb cycling, though studies suggest that the body ultimately switches energy substrates away from glycogen and to fat. Like a runner changing forms, though, you might have to take a couple steps back at first, until you adjust.

    The bottom line is - don't be afraid to experiment. Try something for a month and see the effects it has on your body and whether it moves you toward your end goal. If not, then try something different. Regardless of what your chosen macronutrient spread is, try to get your calories from more whole food sources. So, with regard to the originally posted picture, I'd ditch the margarines and "buttery spreads" in favor of the real butter, at least. The butter comes with nutrients that your body can use and can absorb better than what's in the manufactured stuff. Other than that, keep the ricotta and cottage cheese as it suits your macros (and maybe choose the full fat versions over the low fat ones; again, IIFYM).

    This is quite an awesome post! I wasn't aware I was taking a lot of carbs. Maybe, I'll do this. I'll eat tons of carbs so I gain mass and muscles and then reduce carbs like what you said above once I want to start cutting.
  • v1rt
    v1rt Posts: 8
    Keep everything in date!! It's a waste to chuck all that good food. Just control your portion sizes.

    Will do! :)