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Meals plans--help needed
mstofabulous
Posts: 14 Member
I am trying hard to loose 30 lbs, I am working out daily but feel my meal plans are not working for me. can anyone help me with some tried and true meal plans.. I am totally desperate, hence the sincere plea for help.
Also I am not sure this is the correct place for this post so if its not maybe some one can direct me...pleeeeese
Also I am not sure this is the correct place for this post so if its not maybe some one can direct me...pleeeeese
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Replies
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What type of meals are you eating today? Why do you feel they aren't working?
Weight loss is about a calorie deficit, no special plan needed. Are you weighing and measuring your food? Logging everything? I lost 30 lbs and continued to eat all the same foods in moderation.0 -
Thanks for that. I do weigh my food. I even bought a scale for my office, just so I have it in case I have to dash in the morning. I try to plan my meals carefully.. I love food the log here and use it daily. I guess I have to be a little more patient... thanks again..
PS. I guess its because I always seem to be hungry...0 -
There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.0
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There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
So what happens to people who work 3rd shift? They shouldn't eat after 7?
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mstofabulous wrote: »Thanks for that. I do weigh my food. I even bought a scale for my office, just so I have it in case I have to dash in the morning. I try to plan my meals carefully.. I love food the log here and use it daily. I guess I have to be a little more patient... thanks again..
PS. I guess its because I always seem to be hungry...
If your hungry then try to hit your protein and fat goals, they keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Also you can fill up on low calorie options, munch on carrot sticks, sugar free jelly, zero noodles, pickled pretty much anything.
You can also google full meal plans, search for 1200 calorie meal planner or what ever calorie amount you are eating at.0 -
There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
What happens if you eat after 7pm and don't drink green tea etc?0 -
You don't need to avoid or eat any specific foods. How many pounds per week is your goal set at? If you went for 2 lbs per week, that is pretty aggressive for having 30 lbs to lose, so try changing it to 1 lb to give yourself more calories. And as others have mentioned, many people find making sure they are getting enough protein and fat helps them to feel satiated on an appropriate amount of calories. Good luck!0
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There is going to be some trial and error until you figure out what works for you. I ended up adding more protein/fat to my diet and bulking up meals with low cal veggies. Maybe exchange a carb heavy snack for deli meat and cheese or a hard boiled egg.mstofabulous wrote: »Thanks for that. I do weigh my food. I even bought a scale for my office, just so I have it in case I have to dash in the morning. I try to plan my meals carefully.. I love food the log here and use it daily. I guess I have to be a little more patient... thanks again..
PS. I guess its because I always seem to be hungry...
I also found that prelogging my days helped me figure out how to meet my calorie target for an entire day instead of getting to dinner and realizing that I only had 158 calories left.
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ValerieMartini2Olives wrote: »There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
So what happens to people who work 3rd shift? They shouldn't eat after 7?
Before you go to sleep, your organism is working a lot slower. That's why it's not recommendable to eat in the evening. That is the point. Of course, if you're just beginning your day when most of the people are ending it, you should do reverse, because you will burn the energy at work. The simple tip is: don't eat a few hours before you go to sleep.0 -
Protein helps with making you feel full. I suggest for snacks anyways... pre-prep them by placing them in containers and putting the calories for that portion/ how much is in there. This really helped me with learning portion control. Also, if I felt like snacking in front of tv, then I had that container and no more... (so no accidental eating a bag of chips).
I am currently trying a new method of buying groceries, since some how we end up with a lot of snack foods. Anyways, planning meals based on what ingredients are already in my house, such as if we have most of the stuff for chicken noodle soup, then I will buy the remaining ingredients I need and no more. (It helps if the kids and spouses aren't at the store with you). It also makes me use up the veggies and fruit and lowers our grocery bill. Thus far it has been working.0 -
As long as you have a calorie deficit, the time of day or night you eat does not matter for weight loss.
Measuring your food with a scale is helpful. Log as accurately as you can.
I find pre-logging my whole day to be one of the most helpful things I have done. You might try that.
You can have whatever food or drink you want as long as you eat the right number of calories. You don't have to radically change your diet, follow a special meal plan or drink any teas or shakes to lose weight.
Adding more vegetables to meals is great because they have nutrients and fiber as well as usually being low calorie. Eat smaller portions of higher calorie foods and increase the portion sizes of lower calorie foods. Protein, fats and fiber will help you to feel full and satisfied.
Regular exercise is good for you and can get you some extra calories but is not necessary for weight loss.0 -
As long as you have a calorie deficit, the time of day or night you eat does not matter for weight loss.
Measuring your food with a scale is helpful. Log as accurately as you can.
I find pre-logging my whole day to be one of the most helpful things I have done. You might try that.
You can have whatever food or drink you want as long as you eat the right number of calories. You don't have to radically change your diet, follow a special meal plan or drink any teas or shakes to lose weight.
Adding more vegetables to meals is great because they have nutrients and fiber as well as usually being low calorie. Eat smaller portions of higher calorie foods and increase the portion sizes of lower calorie foods. Protein, fats and fiber will help you to feel full and satisfied.
Regular exercise is good for you and can get you some extra calories but is not necessary for weight loss.
Agree with all of this.
OP, if you haven't taken the time to read the Helpful Thread posts at the top of each forum section you really should. In particular, I like this one:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p10 -
ValerieMartini2Olives wrote: »There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
So what happens to people who work 3rd shift? They shouldn't eat after 7?
Before you go to sleep, your organism is working a lot slower. That's why it's not recommendable to eat in the evening. That is the point. Of course, if you're just beginning your day when most of the people are ending it, you should do reverse, because you will burn the energy at work. The simple tip is: don't eat a few hours before you go to sleep.
Meal timing has nothing to do with weight loss. Your body doesn't operate on a 24 hour clock.0 -
ValerieMartini2Olives wrote: »There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
So what happens to people who work 3rd shift? They shouldn't eat after 7?
Before you go to sleep, your organism is working a lot slower. That's why it's not recommendable to eat in the evening. That is the point. Of course, if you're just beginning your day when most of the people are ending it, you should do reverse, because you will burn the energy at work. The simple tip is: don't eat a few hours before you go to sleep.
What is your source for this claim? We burn calories all the time, even when we're sleeping.0 -
I'm a planner/pre-logger.
The easiest thing for me is to make 1-2 veggie-rich, low calorie one pot meals every weekend (curry, stew, chili, soup, etc) label and freeze into portions. Those are my "grab and go" lunches or my backup if I ever need it. I have about 3 months to eat those.
For dinners, my family sits and decides what we're going to make/eat. Everybody has input, and it's based off of our schedules (for example Mondays my husband cooks because we're home late, and Thursdays are busy so they're almost always choose your leftover day) and also what we have on hand. We post this on the fridge and I grocery shop based on the meals for the week along with whatever basics we need. The leftovers for dinners are ALWAYS fair game to pack for lunch.
For my breakfasts, I typically make one dish on Sundays so I can warm and eat quickly before workdays. I like crustless quiche, egg muffins, or some kind of egg bake, and I can have a filling breakfast in 2 minutes.
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what helped me past cravings was embracing vegetables. Cut out white flour and processed foods. Try to eat things with one ingredient. Ex, egg,potato,barley,etc.Try new things, dates are a sweet that stops my sweet tooth. I would find it near impossible to eat more than 6 at one sitting.look at your friends diary, mine is open feel free to look. I have moved to a more plant based diet over the last year and feel better, but there are no rules or best way. The only mandatory to lose weight here to to journal daily and honestly with accurate portions. Good luck!!!0
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I am trying a new meal plan and find it is quite effective for me. I used to think as long as I have calorie deficit I am good to go, but actually the it is also about nutrition balance. Pay attention to carbs& fat& sugar & protein while you are controlling calories intake. Fruits are no longer our best friends since they have too much sugar &carbs, and high GI will make you hungry more quickly if you take it as a snack. Try to avoid packed processed food, like a protein bar, since it has way too much sugar. Generally speaking, eat food which is high in GI, low in carb& sugar & calories, like vegetables. Try to get nutrition from the raw food. When you are having a meal, always finish your protein first, then vegetables, then things like bread or rice.
Hope this will help you.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »ValerieMartini2Olives wrote: »There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
So what happens to people who work 3rd shift? They shouldn't eat after 7?
Before you go to sleep, your organism is working a lot slower. That's why it's not recommendable to eat in the evening. That is the point. Of course, if you're just beginning your day when most of the people are ending it, you should do reverse, because you will burn the energy at work. The simple tip is: don't eat a few hours before you go to sleep.
What is your source for this claim? We burn calories all the time, even when we're sleeping.
Yes we burn calories even when we're sleeping, but as I already said, a lot slower than during the day and during our everyday activities. A lot was written about this topic, but this is just one of the links where you can read about it: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/negative-effects-eating-before-bed-3027.html Of course nobody is forcing you to follow this tip, if eating before going to bed is not linked to weight gain in your case.0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »ValerieMartini2Olives wrote: »There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
So what happens to people who work 3rd shift? They shouldn't eat after 7?
Before you go to sleep, your organism is working a lot slower. That's why it's not recommendable to eat in the evening. That is the point. Of course, if you're just beginning your day when most of the people are ending it, you should do reverse, because you will burn the energy at work. The simple tip is: don't eat a few hours before you go to sleep.
Meal timing has nothing to do with weight loss. Your body doesn't operate on a 24 hour clock.
It's not about the 24 hour clock, it's about how fast does your body burn calories while you sleep.0 -
RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
What happens if you eat after 7pm and don't drink green tea etc?
You can find my opinion of why it's not good to eat before you go to sleep. It's just a tip you can or don't have to try. Green tea is a great antioxidant and can help in losing weight. http://authoritynutrition.com/green-tea-and-weight-loss/0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »ValerieMartini2Olives wrote: »There are some general tips you can follow: Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
So what happens to people who work 3rd shift? They shouldn't eat after 7?
Before you go to sleep, your organism is working a lot slower. That's why it's not recommendable to eat in the evening. That is the point. Of course, if you're just beginning your day when most of the people are ending it, you should do reverse, because you will burn the energy at work. The simple tip is: don't eat a few hours before you go to sleep.
Meal timing has nothing to do with weight loss. Your body doesn't operate on a 24 hour clock.
It's not about the 24 hour clock, it's about how fast does your body burn calories while you sleep.
But the point is that weight loss is based on total calorie deficit over time. In order to lose 1 lb/week one needs to create a deficit of 3,500 cals over the course of the week. Eating food before bed one night or even every night doesn't get stored as fat just because you are getting ready to go to sleep...0 -
I am trying a new meal plan and find it is quite effective for me. I used to think as long as I have calorie deficit I am good to go, but actually the it is also about nutrition balance. Pay attention to carbs& fat& sugar & protein while you are controlling calories intake. Fruits are no longer our best friends since they have too much sugar &carbs, and high GI will make you hungry more quickly if you take it as a snack. Try to avoid packed processed food, like a protein bar, since it has way too much sugar. Generally speaking, eat food which is high in GI, low in carb& sugar & calories, like vegetables. Try to get nutrition from the raw food. When you are having a meal, always finish your protein first, then vegetables, then things like bread or rice.
Hope this will help you.
As long as you have a calorie deficit, you ARE good to go for weight loss.
There's a lot of fuss in your post that is completely unnecessary for weight loss. Great if it works for you, but it's just not necessary.
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Don't eat after 7 p.m. Your portions should be the size of your palm. Avoid sugar and alcohol, as well as fried and fast food. In the morning eat eggs, oatmeal or whole grain bread with honey. For lunch and dinner try to eat more veggies. Drink lots of water, as well as green tea (2-3 cups a day). Do your cardio 3 times a week.
Nothing you've written here is necessary or even sufficient for weight loss. In fact, I could follow those guidelines and easily gain weight....many others have, I'm sure. Perhaps these things make maintaining a calorie deficit easier for you, but the bottom line that matters to anyone else is a calorie deficit.
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