Would oatmeal porridge be bad for me?

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Replies

  • flatlndr
    flatlndr Posts: 713 Member
    I have porridge for breakfast most days and am losing about 2lbs a week. It's one of my favourite meals because there are lots of different healthy toppings you can add so it doesn't get boring. As long as you are accurately calculating the calories and nutrition in it, I don't think it would slow your weightless down.

    Thats great news :) Do you eat pasta, bread, potatoes and the like during the rest of the day? Do you usually react to carbs or high GI?

    Hi,
    In addition to porridge in the morning, I have small amounts of whole grains at lunch and dinner ... e.g. a piece or two of whole wheat bread at lunch, a small serving of brown rice, whole wheat pasta, or quiona at dinner. Feel free to have a look at my food diary for some ideas.
    As our goals are similar, please do send an FR.
    Cheers.
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
    Instant oats (adding hot water) are more finely milled than traditional oats so are higher GI and more likely to adversely affect blood sugar. Anything carby already part chewed for you (ie processed/finely milled) is likely to affect blood sugar - likewise baked potatoes are much higher GI than new potatoes as the starch aletrs in the oven.

    I microwave the largest flake oats I can in 3mins and add Stevia +/- fruit.

    I do though hold off brekkie until 9ish despte getting up at 0530 as it wouldn't keep me going til lunch otherwise, regardless of being lower GI.
  • Miasen
    Miasen Posts: 31
    Don't have your stats but chances are you are not eating enough "1200 calories" always raises alarms in my head...
    Carbs do not make you fat - carbs are good and you need carbs!
    Your rapid weight loss is due to depletion of glycogen storages with all the water that comes with it - ratio of loss of fat vs. LBM is more than likely leaning towards LBM loss which is not a real weight loss IMO.

    Yes, by all means, the day you decide to eat those oats you will put up weight purely because you have not eaten any but realistically, you will be filling your muscles back up with glycogen and increase your water levels.

    Really? O_o I was at a lower intake, but raised it cause of safety concerns. Now you are telling me 1200 might not be enough either? And "not eaten any", i do eat? I also don't feel to tired or that im lacking energy, wich i feel i would if i ate to little?

    I know carbs don't make "general you" fat, but carbs do make "specifically me" fat. Carbs gives me intense addiction-like cravings. Even if the sugar i crave wouldnt make me fat, the cravings themselves is a plight to live with. Not having them at the moment is lovely :)

    what's your age, height, weight, BF% (if you have it) and activity level (how many days and what you do)?

    Thank you :) Im 33, female, 176 cm and weigh 120 kg (5'7 and 264 lbs). I have been extremely inactive. This week i started walking, and I will keep doing that. About 1-2 hours for 3 days/week.

    I have found a balance in what im doing now, in that im not really struggling and i dont feel the need to become more extreme. Both have been a serious problem for me in the past, so this is a very coveted balance for me.
  • Miasen
    Miasen Posts: 31
    I have porridge for breakfast most days and am losing about 2lbs a week. It's one of my favourite meals because there are lots of different healthy toppings you can add so it doesn't get boring. As long as you are accurately calculating the calories and nutrition in it, I don't think it would slow your weightless down.

    Thats great news :) Do you eat pasta, bread, potatoes and the like during the rest of the day? Do you usually react to carbs or high GI?

    Thanks :) my daily diet is about 50% carbs. When I eat bread I have a slice about 35g and it's always at least 50% wholemeal. With regards to potatoes and pasta I LOVE both but at the moment I am not eating them very often (maybe once a week for each) because they just don't seem to be filling enough for the calories.

    Thanks, very interesting :) I would be at about the same carb intake if i were to start with the oatmeal :)
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    I have assumed that im loosing due to calorie deficit, altough it might be a combination of that and not eating that much carbs.

    You're losing because of the calorie deficit, that's how energy out exceeding energy in works.
    Porridge would be at aprox the same cal, but with a significant amount more carbs. If low amount of carbs aids my weightloss, porridge would slow it down.

    I'll have a bowl of porridge with a handful of nuts or a banana, and perhaps some syrup, prior to going out for a long run or cycle. It's fuel.
  • Miasen
    Miasen Posts: 31
    No it's fine, as to how your particular body responds to carbs/ GI the only way you're going to try is by experimenting.

    However oatmeal isn't the only healthy breakfast option, for example you could try Greek yogurt with fruit,, which would be easy to take to work and has lots of protein to keep you full for longer.


    You are right, experimenting is probaly the only way to really know. I might wait for the next plateu, and give it a try then :)

    Just go for a low carb hot cereal.

    Such as....

    http://www6.netrition.com/sensato_high_fiber_hot_cereal.html

    I found something similar and just ordered that, can't wait to try it out.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    one serving of quaker instant oatmeal is like 250 calories….

    LOLZ I can't even believe this is a real thread …

    OP - just eat in a deficit and you will lose ..if you want oatmeal eat it, if not have something else….
  • Miasen
    Miasen Posts: 31
    one serving of quaker instant oatmeal is like 250 calories….

    LOLZ I can't even believe this is a real thread …

    OP - just eat in a deficit and you will lose ..if you want oatmeal eat it, if not have something else….

    If you had read the thread maybe you would have had a little more insight into why im asking.

    Seriously, questioning if it's a real concern for the OP must be one of the low-points of health related forums.
  • flatlndr
    flatlndr Posts: 713 Member
    No it's fine, as to how your particular body responds to carbs/ GI the only way you're going to try is by experimenting.

    However oatmeal isn't the only healthy breakfast option, for example you could try Greek yogurt with fruit,, which would be easy to take to work and has lots of protein to keep you full for longer.


    You are right, experimenting is probaly the only way to really know. I might wait for the next plateu, and give it a try then :)

    Just go for a low carb hot cereal.

    Such as....

    http://www6.netrition.com/sensato_high_fiber_hot_cereal.html

    I found something similar and just ordered that, can't wait to try it out.

    Hi Mia,

    For comparison, you can find the nutritional information of plain oats here: https://www.google.co.uk/#q=oats

    Set the serving size to 1 cup, and divide the figures by two ... I usually have half a cup serving.
    As far as I know, I don't think there is any sugar in plain rolled oats either.

    Cheers
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    If you think one bowl of porridge is a risk, I'd say you are treading on dangerous ground of disordered thinking. You mentioned you had a past of extremes. "I'll get fat on an isocaloric but 'carby' food" is not good thinking. Warning! A banana will not make you fat,a bowl of porridge will not make you fat. Eating too many calories will.
  • Miasen
    Miasen Posts: 31
    If you think one bowl of porridge is a risk, I'd say you are treading on dangerous ground of disordered thinking. You mentioned you had a past of extremes. "I'll get fat on an isocaloric but 'carby' food" is not good thinking. Warning! A banana will not make you fat,a bowl of porridge will not make you fat. Eating too many calories will.

    Thank you for your concern, I'll keep it in mind!

    I don't think the calories in a bowl of porridge will make me fat, but i have/had concerns about the overall effect. I will try it tough, see how it works out for me :)
  • Rosie_McA
    Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
    I have porridge for breakfast most days and am losing about 2lbs a week. It's one of my favourite meals because there are lots of different healthy toppings you can add so it doesn't get boring. As long as you are accurately calculating the calories and nutrition in it, I don't think it would slow your weightless down.
    Totally agree. Porridge has been one of my main "finds" since I started on MFP. Especially at this time of the year the appeal of something hot for breakfast (or lunch in fact) is a nice option. Adding different fruits makes it both more interesting and filling. My current favourite is organic porridge with blackberries and apple. I sprinkle a teaspoon of cinnamon on it and only make it with water and just a splash of milk. Tastes great and the calories are pretty low. Sometimes I mix the oats with freshly brewed black coffee instead of water (I am a caffeine addict after all!).
  • toronto_j
    toronto_j Posts: 206 Member
    Nothing wrong with oatmeal as far as I know, I grew up eating it as did my parents. But if you're looking for another similar option, you can make porridge out of quinoa.
  • ashenriver
    ashenriver Posts: 498 Member
    I premake a batch of oatmeal (steel rolled oats not the quick oats), I can put everything from fresh/frozen fruit, nuts, coconut, almond butter, spices, etc.

    I will then heat it up at work in the microwave sometimes I will add greek yogurt to it.

    Delicious and filling (with the added protein)
  • ab_1203
    ab_1203 Posts: 88 Member
    Oatmeal porridge is an excellent food. They are a good source of carbs for when you wake up and fibre, nothing wrong with them at all. Anyway, to me, its all about cals in cals out anyway but there is nothing wrong at all with oatmeal.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    one serving of quaker instant oatmeal is like 250 calories….

    LOLZ I can't even believe this is a real thread …

    OP - just eat in a deficit and you will lose ..if you want oatmeal eat it, if not have something else….

    If you had read the thread maybe you would have had a little more insight into why im asking.

    Seriously, questioning if it's a real concern for the OP must be one of the low-points of health related forums.

    I questioned the seriousness of your post, because you asked if eating Oatmeal will make you stop losing weight, which is a ridiculous thing to ask. No, eating oatmeal will not hamper weight loss if you are in a deficit. If you are eating in a surplus AND eating oatmeal, then you will gain, but guess what? The gain will be from the caloric surplus and not the oatmeal.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    one serving of quaker instant oatmeal is like 250 calories….

    LOLZ I can't even believe this is a real thread …

    OP - just eat in a deficit and you will lose ..if you want oatmeal eat it, if not have something else….

    If you had read the thread maybe you would have had a little more insight into why im asking.

    Seriously, questioning if it's a real concern for the OP must be one of the low-points of health related forums.

    I questioned the seriousness of your post, because you asked if eating Oatmeal will make you stop losing weight, which is a ridiculous thing to ask. No, eating oatmeal will not hamper weight loss if you are in a deficit. If you are eating in a surplus AND eating oatmeal, then you will gain, but guess what? The gain will be from the caloric surplus and not the oatmeal.

    I've interpreted most of the thread as demonstrating the fairly common confusion over carbs. Many of the marketed diets demonise carbs for various reasons and the anti carb faction on here are a reasonably vocal minority with a persecution complex.

    There is nothing inherently wrong with any food group in isolation, indeed all are required for an effective diet. Many of the threads here are variants on "is x bad", which probably reflects lack of understanding rather than anything else.

    Notwithstanding that the behaviours discussed don't suggest a particularly sustainable relationship with food.

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