does this look like a good daily menu?
larovers
Posts: 100
I am starting with a personal trainer program at my gym. They have a group of people doing this type of diet (see posted below) and we will do that and workout (weights and cardio) six times a week for 8 weeks. They said they have seen incredible results in a short time (they had a group last time that lost 60 inches in all for 5 people....I guess that is good?) I think the workout program looks great however I am questioning the diet as it is REALLY boring and tasteless with no added fat or sugar. I know that is super healthy but I am worried I will not be able to stick to it. The macros of a typical day are: carbs: 26%, fat 30%, protein 44% and around 1800 calories and we must eat every 2-3 hours (so six times a day). I am a 42 year old female and have about 80 lbs to lose so I want to take this seriously but also know I have a hard time sticking to an eating program when it is super restrictive. In the past when I lost weight successfully it was more because I ate what I wanted in the proper portions (I tend to eat WAY too much but I eat very organic/clean all the time, just like to add real butter, or honey to things sometimes). I am also not sure if these macros are healthy. I feel a carbs: 40%, fat 30%, protein 30% would give me more energy but please prove me wrong as I want this to work. The personal trainer is not a licensed nutritionist and this is always why I hesitate taking nutrition/diet advice from personal trainers. Oh and on top of this i need to take: Green tea extract (which not sure i need since I drink a lot of green tea each day), L-carnitine, Krill oil (i take fish oil but they are saying Krill is better), and I can take CLA if I want (optional) . Here is a typical day, let me know if this looks good:
Meal1: 5 scrambled egg whites, 1 cup of plain oatmeal, 1/4 cup of berries
Meal 2: : 8 oz. lean meat, 4 oz. sweet potato, 1 cup greens
Meal 3: Plain whey powder with water, 3 rice cakes with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter
Meal 4: 1 cup plain fat free Fage yogurt, 1.5 oz almonds
Meal 5: 5 oz. Lean Meat, 2 cups of greens
Meal 6: 1 scoop of Casein powder with water
I KNOW this is so healthy but it is also so plain....let me know your thoughts.
Meal1: 5 scrambled egg whites, 1 cup of plain oatmeal, 1/4 cup of berries
Meal 2: : 8 oz. lean meat, 4 oz. sweet potato, 1 cup greens
Meal 3: Plain whey powder with water, 3 rice cakes with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter
Meal 4: 1 cup plain fat free Fage yogurt, 1.5 oz almonds
Meal 5: 5 oz. Lean Meat, 2 cups of greens
Meal 6: 1 scoop of Casein powder with water
I KNOW this is so healthy but it is also so plain....let me know your thoughts.
0
Replies
-
I would kill myself if I ate that every day /:
Why have unflavored powder? Why PLAIN oatmeal? The calorie difference would be very small, and it could be a whole lot more interesting and taste yummier.0 -
I think you have good reasons to be skeptical, and your choices sound a lot better. Just go with your gut feeling.0
-
I am starting with a personal trainer program at my gym. They have a group of people doing this type of diet (see posted below) and we will do that and workout (weights and cardio) six times a week for 8 weeks. They said they have seen incredible results in a short time (they had a group last time that lost 60 inches in all for 5 people....I guess that is good?) I think the workout program looks great however I am questioning the diet as it is REALLY boring and tasteless with no added fat or sugar. I know that is super healthy but I am worried I will not be able to stick to it. The macros of a typical day are: carbs: 26%, fat 30%, protein 44% and around 1800 calories and we must eat every 2-3 hours (so six times a day). I am a 42 year old female and have about 80 lbs to lose so I want to take this seriously but also know I have a hard time sticking to an eating program when it is super restrictive. In the past when I lost weight successfully it was more because I ate what I wanted in the proper portions (I tend to eat WAY too much but I eat very organic/clean all the time, just like to add real butter, or honey to things sometimes). I am also not sure if these macros are healthy. I feel a carbs: 40%, fat 30%, protein 30% would give me more energy but please prove me wrong as I want this to work. The personal trainer is not a licensed nutritionist and this is always why I hesitate taking nutrition/diet advice from personal trainers. Oh and on top of this i need to take: Green tea extract (which not sure i need since I drink a lot of green tea each day), L-carnitine, Krill oil (i take fish oil but they are saying Krill is better), and I can take CLA if I want (optional) . Here is a typical day, let me know if this looks good:
Meal1: 5 scrambled egg whites, 1 cup of plain oatmeal, 1/4 cup of berries
Meal 2: : 8 oz. lean meat, 4 oz. sweet potato, 1 cup greens
Meal 3: Plain whey powder with water, 3 rice cakes with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter
Meal 4: 1 cup plain fat free Fage yogurt, 1.5 oz almonds
Meal 5: 5 oz. Lean Meat, 2 cups of greens
Meal 6: 1 scoop of Casein powder with water
I KNOW this is so healthy but it is also so plain....let me know your thoughts.
Why the 6 meals? if you like to eat bigger meals, you could just eat 2-3 larger meals and shoot for the same macros0 -
I don't know...think it could be like a sugar detox but I am afraid I may go nuts and just binge or something because I will feel like it is so boring and tasteless. I have to keep a journal and show it to them each week . I do not understand why if I just followed the same calorie level (1800 calories) and just ate a bit more the way I like (more seasoning and stuff) why it would not work the same. I am not a sugar addict. I just eat too much ( I eat very healthy overall, just way too much) in general and do not work out enough....as to why I need to lose weight.0
-
I don't think I would let a personal trainer design my eating program. That sounds way too restrictive. You have to find what works for you, but to me, I would tire of the bland food in about 24 hours. Plus, I could not eat on a specific schedule, but that's me.
If you have been successful losing while learning portion control/moderation - why wouldn't you do that? That's what you'll have to do once you reach goal weight. You don't intend to eat like this forever do you?
ETA: Sugar detox is the buzzword of late. There is no way you will eliminate all the sugar from your diet - nor should you. Sounds like a lot of rules designed to make you feel like you're doing something - other than spending money on their program0 -
I don't know why 6 meals, maybe to keep me from being hungry? I read somewhere that the 6 meal a day thing is sort of a thing of the past (think I read that in Jillian Michaels book as she said it caused people's blood sugar to go nuts and never gives the digestion system a rest). and that 4 meals were better. It looks like I would be STUFFED and I know protein is a good satisfying macro. I guess I should ask, are these macros good for losing weight?0
-
I would kill myself if I ate that every day /:
Why have unflavored powder? Why PLAIN oatmeal? The calorie difference would be very small, and it could be a whole lot more interesting and taste yummier.
^This
I would kill myself also!
Here's a good question for you, is this something you could see yourself eating for the rest of your life? They may see "incredible results in a short time" but what happens down the road when they stop following this diet because it is boring and there are not a lot of options?
Remember, slow and steady wins the race!0 -
no I do not need to eat like this the rest of my life, and would never do so. I think they just said they had a lot of success with people losing a lot of inches in 8 weeks (they did not say weight, they focus on inches).0
-
I would kill myself if I ate that every day /:
Why have unflavored powder? Why PLAIN oatmeal? The calorie difference would be very small, and it could be a whole lot more interesting and taste yummier.
I assume the berries could go in the oatmeal so it isn't plain anymore.
I would add something like almond butter to the oatmeal, ditch the rice cakes because they are nasty, add an apple or pear or some kinda fruit instead. Eating 6 times is just annoying, combine some it to make it 2-4.
The macros look good. I need more carbs when I work out harder so maybe talk to your trainer about that if you feel you need more energy after a week or so?0 -
I am starting with a personal trainer program at my gym. They have a group of people doing this type of diet (see posted below) and we will do that and workout (weights and cardio) six times a week for 8 weeks. They said they have seen incredible results in a short time (they had a group last time that lost 60 inches in all for 5 people....I guess that is good?) I think the workout program looks great however I am questioning the diet as it is REALLY boring and tasteless with no added fat or sugar. I know that is super healthy but I am worried I will not be able to stick to it. The macros of a typical day are: carbs: 26%, fat 30%, protein 44% and around 1800 calories and we must eat every 2-3 hours (so six times a day). I am a 42 year old female and have about 80 lbs to lose so I want to take this seriously but also know I have a hard time sticking to an eating program when it is super restrictive. In the past when I lost weight successfully it was more because I ate what I wanted in the proper portions (I tend to eat WAY too much but I eat very organic/clean all the time, just like to add real butter, or honey to things sometimes). I am also not sure if these macros are healthy. I feel a carbs: 40%, fat 30%, protein 30% would give me more energy but please prove me wrong as I want this to work. The personal trainer is not a licensed nutritionist and this is always why I hesitate taking nutrition/diet advice from personal trainers. Oh and on top of this i need to take: Green tea extract (which not sure i need since I drink a lot of green tea each day), L-carnitine, Krill oil (i take fish oil but they are saying Krill is better), and I can take CLA if I want (optional) . Here is a typical day, let me know if this looks good:
Meal1: 5 scrambled egg whites, 1 cup of plain oatmeal, 1/4 cup of berries
Meal 2: : 8 oz. lean meat, 4 oz. sweet potato, 1 cup greens
Meal 3: Plain whey powder with water, 3 rice cakes with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter
Meal 4: 1 cup plain fat free Fage yogurt, 1.5 oz almonds
Meal 5: 5 oz. Lean Meat, 2 cups of greens
Meal 6: 1 scoop of Casein powder with water
I KNOW this is so healthy but it is also so plain....let me know your thoughts.
Since the PT isnt a certified nutrionist, he/she is working out of scope of practice. Meal #2 looks good, everything else looks small. I eat 2-3 big meals per day and do just fine.0 -
it also seems like this personal trainer is VERY tough (she said NO cheating) so I am afraid she will kill me if I do not eat her method. Her workouts are incredible so I am excited about that part but the eating part , I am afraid I am going to get so bored I go on a binge.0
-
Bleurgh, looks boooooring!! There's no way I could stick to that diet long term, and if you can;t stick to something long term then you really have to question whether it is worth doing in the first place. Weight loss and then maintenance should be about a life-long lifestyle change, not a temporary one.0
-
The macros of a typical day are: carbs: 26%, fat 30%, protein 44% and around 1800 calories
I didn't calculate it, but I have a really hard time believing the food list you gave below will have that macro percentage and calorie total. The fat macro is the one that seems to be off the most.
IMHO those macros and calorie totals would be OK but the food list needs some tweaks.0 -
Meal1: 5 scrambled egg whites, 1 cup of plain oatmeal, 1/4 cup of berries
Meal 2: : 8 oz. lean meat, 4 oz. sweet potato, 1 cup greens
Meal 3: Plain whey powder with water, 3 rice cakes with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter
Meal 4: 1 cup plain fat free Fage yogurt, 1.5 oz almonds
Meal 5: 5 oz. Lean Meat, 2 cups of greens
Meal 6: 1 scoop of Casein powder with water
This looks like something someone trying to prepare for a show prep would eat. Believe me I've eaten this way, and you'll have to either tweak it to your liking or convince yourself food isn't meant to be enjoyed. It seems pretty low in flavor so maybe use spices or a tiny bit of something low calorie to spice it up? It's not impossible, but it's a total mental war for me when I totally cut everything but the basics out.0 -
Most personal trainers really are clueless about nutrition and just add to the bro science. If just ignore it and have a more sensible diet which actually is interesting and has flavour.0
-
I'd be leery. Losing weight is not about deprivation it's about moderation. It's not about meal timing or a certain amount of meals, it's about calories in/calories out. It's not about plain and blah it's about yummy!
I'd say no to the diet and just eat what you like in moderation while keeping to your certain macros that YOU want to keep to.0 -
agreed - healthy but boring!
this is how my day has been:
Breakfast:2 quorn sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms0 -
I have always had a hard time on low carb diets. I always feel exhausted so that is why I was worried. One time I did the zone diet years ago with the macros of 40-30-30 and I felt awesome and lost a ton of weight. I sort of want to aim for that but do not want to go off their program. I am mainly going there for motivation to workout since I have been sitting on my butt too much (obviously). My husband had colon cancer the past two years and I had two miscarriages. I used to be SUPER fit and thin but I let stress eating and non activity from being a caregiver (and not taking care of myself) make me fat. Now I want to take care of myself again and get ripped!0
-
Blech! So plain and boring!
I have no issue with multiple small meals instead of 3 big meals. My breakfast and dinner is usually 400-550 calories each and I have to "meals" in the middle of the day, one at 12:30 and one at 3:30, that add up to about 500 combined. If I ate a bigger lunch with no snacks, I'd be hungry in the mid-afternoon. Plus, multiple small meals are good for your metabolism, I hear, and prevents overeating.
HOWEVER, why is everything so plain? Plain oatmeal - gross! Plain yogurt - yuck! Plain protein powder with plain rice cakes - GAG! The most important thing about eating healthy, to me, is to do what works for you. If this were me, I'd need flavor or it would be a near certainty that I'd fail.0 -
it also seems like this personal trainer is VERY tough (she said NO cheating) so I am afraid she will kill me if I do not eat her method. Her workouts are incredible so I am excited about that part but the eating part , I am afraid I am going to get so bored I go on a binge.
When I started on MFP, I had about 140 pounds to lose. I am down to my last 40 or so pounds. I did it by eating the foods I enjoy, but I have worked very hard to learn moderation and how to meet my calories/macros each day. It was hard work, but I am going on 22 months of doing this. I can almost do it in my sleep. I haven't binged in months. I started lifting weights and running (2 things I now enjoy). I never would have made it this far with someone watching over my every move (again this is me).
It sounds like the trainer has been watching a lot of The Biggest Loser. That doesn't always turn out that great in the long run. Whatever you decide - best of luck. You have a long road ahead of you - but you will get there, if it's what you really want. :flowerforyou:0 -
no I do not need to eat like this the rest of my life, and would never do so. I think they just said they had a lot of success with people losing a lot of inches in 8 weeks (they did not say weight, they focus on inches).
shoot for the same macro and calories and eat what you want, sorry but the fitness coach is not likely a registered dietician so unlikely to be qualified in that aspect of the loss. The inches are coming from exercise and restrained intake, the protien keeps the loss more focused on the fat than the muscle
It's a means of justifying program cost IMO
Try the menu if you like but if it means you blow out due to the frustration it lost it's impact,0 -
Healthy but i agree it's a bit bland
i'm trying 3 protein based meals with a little treat each day:
breakfast: 2 quorn sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes
lunch: 2 egg omelette with peppers and mushrooms and a big side salad
dinner: 2 chicken breasts and brocolli
treat: 2 M&S chocolate teacakes (75cals each)
I'm still under my 1200 calories for the day0 -
Go for it!
Just be aware that the sweet potato contains plant based phyto testosterone. If you start getting irritable, mood swings, hot flashes, cycle problems etc etc etc ask the trainer about omitting it.
I started eating 1/2 a sweet potato when I started Paleo. I started feeling totally aggressive and hot all the time. Finally I realized it was that sweet potato being taken regularly affecting my hormones!
Testosterone does increase metabolism, help burn fat, and increase energy, so I say go for it!
If it's too much or unbalanced advise your trainer. Those things are like the magic bullet for men, and can be for women as well, just be aware of the changes in case you aren't liking them.
If it's working for everyone at your gym, it would probably be great for you, also.
:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:0 -
Go for it!
Just be aware that the sweet potato contains plant based phyto testosterone. If you start getting irritable, mood swings, hot flashes, cycle problems etc etc etc ask the trainer about omitting it.
I started eating 1/2 a sweet potato when I started Paleo. I started feeling totally aggressive and hot all the time. Finally I realized it was that sweet potato being taken regularly affecting my hormones!
Testosterone does increase metabolism, help burn fat, and increase energy, so I say go for it!
If it's too much or unbalanced advise your trainer. Those things are like the magic bullet for men, and can be for women as well, just be aware of the changes in case you aren't liking them.
If it's working for everyone at your gym, it would probably be great for you, also.
:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
Interesting perspective, thank you for all the info0 -
And this is why I never listen to personal trainers about food and diet.... the only eating plan that can be followed is one that you can sustain for the rest of your life.
But then again I firmly believe that trainers want you to go off their unrealistic food plans that they set for people. While on the plan, people lose drastically, are happy with the results and then when they stop eating that way. They gain it all back. Then they run back to pay the personal trainer trainer more $$. Round and round on the hamster wheel!!0 -
What does everyone think of the supplements: Green tea extract (I told her I was sensitive to caffeine and she said there was no caffeine in them???? ), L-carnitine, CLA, the Casein power,
Are they good?0 -
Here's what I notice: You have a lot of questions and concerns, mostly about how and why this trainer has created this meal plan. You also make a point of mentioning that she is unlicensed and not an expert in nutrition. You further mention that she is really strict and you are afraid she will kill you. (Yes, an exaggeration, but still.) These are all red flags to me and I am guessing there is a bit of money involved. I believe I understood you to say that she boast of a total group success rather than the average per person rate of success. This is important and is still only an average.
You said that you had success before by creating your own meal plans that had much more variety and interest. You also said that her workouts seem fantastic. Maybe there is a program by which you can only do her workouts. Or find a different trainer entirely.0 -
The macros of a typical day are: carbs: 26%, fat 30%, protein 44% and around 1800 calories
I didn't calculate it, but I have a really hard time believing the food list you gave below will have that macro percentage and calorie total. The fat macro is the one that seems to be off the most.
IMHO those macros and calorie totals would be OK but the food list needs some tweaks.
I put it in myfitness pal and calculated it several times and this is basically what it came out to. I did not believe it either but that Is what it is.0 -
I take everything a PT says with a grain of salt, and I don't put salt in or on anything!0
-
Here's what I notice: You have a lot of questions and concerns, mostly about how and why this trainer has created this meal plan. You also make a point of mentioning that she is unlicensed and not an expert in nutrition. You further mention that she is really strict and you are afraid she will kill you. (Yes, an exaggeration, but still.) These are all red flags to me and I am guessing there is a bit of money involved. I believe I understood you to say that she boast of a total group success rather than the average per person rate of success. This is important and is still only an average.
You said that you had success before by creating your own meal plans that had much more variety and interest. You also said that her workouts seem fantastic. Maybe there is a program by which you can only do her workouts. Or find a different trainer entirely.
good points. I do have a lot of questions (I asked her all the same ones yesterday too but they are serious about this eating plan! ) but the price is GREAT for 8 weeks of intense training (only comes down to like 16 dollars a session) and her workouts are great. I cannot get this discount if I do not do it with the "group". I had no idea the eating plan would be like this until I went to the group session. Was a little shocked about it.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 427 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions