I don't really know what I can and cannot eat. Please help

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I've got a new mindset where I need and want to lose weight. I have about 130 pounds that I need to lose. My problem is, is that I don't really know what I am suppose to be eating, and what i'm suppose to avoid (besides breads, pasta and potatoes.) I know I can have lots of fruits and veggies. What other items would be good to eat on to lose weight? :smile:
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  • mr_mitch
    mr_mitch Posts: 176 Member
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    its more about quantity and moderation that cutting out entire foods.

    let my fitness pal calculate your calorie requirements to lose the desired amount of weight and then log your food accurately to stick to it
  • Brooke20091
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    Thank you Mr_Mitch
  • 0Amra
    0Amra Posts: 24 Member
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    You can eat whatever you want. The trick to weight loss is taking in fewer calories than your body burns in a day. Without knowing your current weight and height it's impossible to tell you how many calories a day that is, but if you accurately input that information into MFP along with your goals, it should spit out a recommended daily calorie goal that will at least give you a place to start.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    You can eat: what fits your calorie and nutrient goals.

    You cannot eat: Nothing, really. Don't starve or deprive yourself, that always leads to failure.

    Eat sensibly. Eat what you like (Yes, even bread and potatoes) and just try to keep the less healthy stuff in moderation. Try to fill most of your diet with fruits, veggies, and lean meats, but the occasional ice cream cake or taco bell run never hurt anyone. Follow MFP's calorie goals (assuming you've set yours up correctly), try to add some exercise in, and you'll do great :)
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Eat: Food
    Don't Eat: Non-Food things

    Seriously - you don't need any crazy restrictions to lose weight. Eat to your calorie goal and then stop. With that said - somethings will make you feel fuller longer and you might want to eat them - for example a big plate of broccoli is going to fill you up more than the same amount of calories in jelly beans. Some things have more nutritional value - for example greek yogurt has more nutrients (protein, calcium) than like a rice cake). But as far as losing weight - calories in/calories out.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    porkbrainsbig.gif
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I've got a new mindset where I need and want to lose weight. I have about 130 pounds that I need to lose. My problem is, is that I don't really know what I am suppose to be eating, and what i'm suppose to avoid (besides breads, pasta and potatoes.) I know I can have lots of fruits and veggies. What other items would be good to eat on to lose weight? :smile:

    What are you allergic to?
    Don't eat that.

    What do you hate?
    Don't eat that.

    Focus on eating nutrient dense foods like veggies, fruit, meats, etc and fill the rest of your calories with foods that you like as long as you stay under your calorie goal.

    Check out this thread.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?
  • mydeloo78
    mydeloo78 Posts: 328 Member
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    Start just by tracking what you are eating now, and trying to stay under your calories requirements. Do some research on eating healthier foods (staying on the perimeter of the grocery store, foods with limited ingredients), then start to experiement with new foods. Make it a gradual change. There's a lot of conflicting information out about healthy eating. My personal thoughts: eat food as close to their natural state as possible (grew in the ground, on a tree, had a mother) and a little bit of what you like won't hurt you, you just can't do it all the time (there are no "bad foods" only foods you can't control). For example I love potato chips, but I can't control them so I stopped eating them, however I do have ice cream probably once a week. Keep asking questions!!
  • k0lie
    k0lie Posts: 9
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    From what I've learned: avoid heavily processed foods like packaged snacks and white bread. Avoid "low-fat" or "low-calorie" foods that over over processed and have little nutritional value. Try to eat food that you enjoy, especially fruits and vegetables. Stick with lean meats, like turkey or fish, over heavier red meats like beef and pork. Avoid sugary drinks and snacks. Complex carbs are good, like wheat breads and some starches that take longer to break down in your body and therefore keep you full longer. The biggest one for me — avoid TRANS fat. Other types of fat can be healthy in moderation, but trans fat found in fried foods, many "snack" foods like chips or cookies, and baked goods that use high levels of margarine or butter.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    The Healthy Eating Plate and associated pages at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/
    are a good place to start to learn about WHAT to eat.

    How much to eat varies with each of us, depending on our gender, age, size, activity level and goals.

    Go to the "Getting Started" forum on MFP and you'll find a bunch of pinned items that will give you good info.

    Finally, you may want to tell us what your gender, age, size, activity level and goals are and some of the old hands around here can help you decide what to do.

    Technically, in answer to your question, there is nothing you "cannot eat." Some things are better to eat than others for different people in different amounts at different times.

    Feel free to message me if you want someone to help steer you to your "peeps" who share goals with you. I'm an obese, 60+ year old sedentary woman. What works for me may well be terrible for you.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Don't need to avoid anything except overeating.
  • amwbox
    amwbox Posts: 576 Member
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    You can eat whatever you want, including pasta and b reads, etc. Anything at all. I recently lost 4 lbs in a week while subsisting mostly on fried eggs, baked potatoes, and chocolate cake.

    The key is determining the calories contained in whatever your eating, and eating little enough to keep the calories under the limit.

    You can eat things like celery and cabbage pretty much all you want, since they are so calorie light. Potatoes on the other hand you have to eat LESS of. You don't have to eliminate anything entirely.

    You need to carefully weigh your food and be very aware of the calories you eat. Don't worry so much about what your eating, but the calorie value and the quantity of it.
  • yesterdayusaid2morrow
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    I'm going to echo others here and share a few words that changed my life...you can literally eat whatever you want, just not as much as you want. If course it's good to focus on whole grains, veggies, lean protein/legumes, and fruit, but if you want to lose weight the only thing you really HAVE to do, is create a caloric deficit eating foods you enjoy. :) Good luck!
  • beezipper
    beezipper Posts: 18 Member
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    Do you have the ability to speak with a nutritionist? It's usually a really eye-opening experience for people and not too expensive for a couple of appointments where you can make a plan.
  • ascott45
    ascott45 Posts: 1 Member
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    I have to agree if you can speak to a nutritionist, but in general eat "real" foods. The less they are processed the better MFP will help with percentages of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Lean cuts of meat,fish, chicken. I found the book "The Ab Diet" a great book. It's not a diet but healthy eating. It has some great filing low cal recipes in it too. I'm a believer is the 3meals and 3 snacks. I feel fuller and actually eat less. There are a lot of factors in weight loss and calories in don't always equally calories out. I don't get real exact with my calorie counting, but you may want to. It's surprising when you think you have a cup of cereal and you really have 1.5 cups. By making good voices on meals you can really feel full and satisfied. I also pick a day that is my splurge day. Usually Saturday. That way if I'm craving something I tell myself I can have it Saturday. Most of the time I don't want it when Saturday comes. Also the splurge is controlled not eat what ever you want. Good luck with your journey. Check with your health insurance, they may have some resources available to you also.
  • Brooke20091
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    Thank you everyone for your responses and help! I thought if I went on a diet that I would have to cut out 90% of what I normally ate ,so I was lost on knowing what to do. lol. Now I have a better understanding. I am new to MFP (first day) so I am trying to figure out what all it does :) Thanks again
  • nikkihk
    nikkihk Posts: 487 Member
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    I eat anything i want that fits in my calories goals... I've had cake, McDonalds, Arby's and Salads all in the same week. Just budget for your day and stick to it. There is nothing you "shouldn't eat" except maybe a full tub of crisco... cuz that's gross... but I mean if it works into your diet? Even cookies and donuts are A-okay! HOWEVER, make sure to balance that with some green stuff.
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,659 Member
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    I eat everything ....... within reason.

    Years ago I used to consume loads of bread, pasta & potatoes ..... and junk food & fast food. Nowadays it's lean meats, poultry, fish ...... lots of veggies ...... some dairy, grains & fruit ...... and lots of water :drinker:

    But if I do want spaghetti for dinner (which I just ate, btw) I make sure it fits within my daily calorie goals ...... and I exercise more so there will be NO guilt.

    Best of luck to you !
  • stephe1987
    stephe1987 Posts: 406 Member
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    You can eat what you want, just not as much of it as you're used to eating. It's about portion control.

    Use MFP to log calories and try to reach your macros or at least get something into each group for nutrition. Staying under your calorie goal is good too because you can use the extra points for 6 days to know how much to go over by on your 7th/cheat day.

    I recommend eating approximately 80% healthy and 20% indulgence. Don't deprive yourself but at the same time don't overdo it on the high-calorie junk food or you won't meet your goals.

    The reason some people say to stay away from certain things is because they have a lot of calories and low nutritional value. You want to avoid these foods, as well as sugary drinks, because they won't help you lose weight. They won't make you feel full so it'll be easy to go over your limit.
  • justapuss
    justapuss Posts: 1 Member
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    I'm just starting out myself but have been told by a dietician to stick to the following guide lines:-
    * 1200-1500 cals per day
    * reduce salt and sugar intake
    * avoid high fat and fried food or eat sparingly.
    * Eat plenty of veg and salad plus some fruit
    * Eat plenty of protein ( it increases your metabolism)
    * Eat frequently ( about every 3 hours to keep your metabolism pepped up)
    * Drink plenty of water
    * Don't eat for a couple of hours before bedtime
    * move about more even if it is only doing extra chores at home or taking a walk, the more you move the more cals you will burn but don't go from being completely sedentary to doing 2 hours of gym overnight as you could injure yourself.

    GOOD LUCK :)