Foods to eat, to avoid?

rantynaru
rantynaru Posts: 9
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
All that hype on yahoo news ! And the internet with dangerous diet suppliments that make you sick....

What is good food to eat? How many servings a day?
Not good food?

I try not to drink sodas. I drink a lot of water with some lemon in it for flavor *tap water is so nasty* and try not to eat sweets. I had one candy bar the other day cause I couldn't stand it. Take 5 candy bar.
I had two rootbeers in the last week *one right now but its watered down from melted ice*.

Help?!

I work as a cashier at Cracker Barrel, we stand up for 4hours or more a day, running and bagging things, checking out customers from eating and retail items, answering the phone and not sitting down much....ect and Ive found Ive gained 5 extra pounds in the last week!!

Replies

  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    The best foods to eat don't come from packages...I am still working on this myself, but that's a good place to start!
  • rea1980
    rea1980 Posts: 93 Member
    I would look at the rest of your diet. Are you spreading out your calories throughout your day or are you eating most of them at one time? How is the sodium content of the food you are eating? If you are eating a lot of food from work, how is it prepared or how are you preparing your food, because the preperation of healthy foods can make them worse for you than a candy bar.

    Make sure you know your BMR and have your settings are correct in MFP so that it can calculate your your calories correctly. Are you trying to loose weight by just diet or are you getting regular exercise too?
  • reneepugh
    reneepugh Posts: 522 Member
    It's hard to work in a restaurant and lose weight. You know, for a week I just logged everything I ate and I found out very quickly what was better to eat and had fewer calories. Once you log your food for a while it will help you tremendously. I try to eat more veggies than i'm used to . I also have been trying to make over half of my plate veggies. It seems to help. Also, I'm a coffee drinker and it seems to fill me up so that I don't eat as much during the day. Good luck!
  • emmacomeau
    emmacomeau Posts: 11
    Here is a link of nutrition basics. http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/

    Any easy way of putting it is that every plate of food you eat should be half veggies/fruits. They other half should be split between protein and carbs (which should be whole grain if possible). Stay away from fried foods (which must be hard if you work at Cracker Barrel, most of their food is so bad for you).

    A candy bar once in a while isn't going to kill you, but look at the label and see how much fat and sugar is in there and eat better for the rest of the day. I would steer away from them during the first few weeks of your weight lose plan though, since they are only going to hold you back. Soda is literally a FOUNTAIN of sugar. Flat out - don't drink it. If you want a soda, try club soda or diet. I find that sometimes I just want bubbles and that helps a lot. The same for a lot of juices and coffee drinks. A lot of hidden calories and sugars in those drinks that people just don't realize is there.

    You seem to have a sweet tooth, so make sure your food diary is tracking sugar. I think you have to turn it on under settings. Good luck!
  • jujubean1992
    jujubean1992 Posts: 462 Member
    maybe your activity level is too high. i work at a papa johns and i'm on my feet for upwards of 7 hours a day. i found that i wasn't loosing weight before joining MFP from not eating enough! you just have to mess with your settings and figure out what works. give each change a week to see if it's working.
  • rantynaru
    rantynaru Posts: 9
    I would look at the rest of your diet. Are you spreading out your calories throughout your day or are you eating most of them at one time? How is the sodium content of the food you are eating? If you are eating a lot of food from work, how is it prepared or how are you preparing your food, because the preperation of healthy foods can make them worse for you than a candy bar.

    Make sure you know your BMR and have your settings are correct in MFP so that it can calculate your your calories correctly. Are you trying to loose weight by just diet or are you getting regular exercise too?


    I don't eat food at work.
    I bring a breakfast whole grain strawberry or blueberry bar to work with me. Or fruit snacks with real fruit juice. What is MFP/BMR?

    Cracker Barrel is too expensive and way too greasy /country fried everything. Heckky No.

    I also bring a peanut butter honey on wheat toasted sandwich with me.
    The only thing I do is drink sweet tea cause its free and the water is tap and nasty tasting.
    I cannot eat sometimes at work, we have a 15 min break if we work 5 hours or more and 30 min break if we work 8 or more.
    They have salad there too, plain salad with carrot/tomato/ ice burg lettuce with dressing of your choice. None fat free though I don't think.
    Then I get home and have a meal, like dinner and water with lemon juice in it.

    reneepugh:

    Veggies? Okay. Canned or fresh veggie tables?
    Potatoes okay to eat? Baked?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/healthy-eating-without-the-hassle?
  • rantynaru
    rantynaru Posts: 9
    Here is a link of nutrition basics. http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/

    Any easy way of putting it is that every plate of food you eat should be half veggies/fruits. They other half should be split between protein and carbs (which should be whole grain if possible). Stay away from fried foods (which must be hard if you work at Cracker Barrel, most of their food is so bad for you).

    A candy bar once in a while isn't going to kill you, but look at the label and see how much fat and sugar is in there and eat better for the rest of the day. I would steer away from them during the first few weeks of your weight lose plan though, since they are only going to hold you back. Soda is literally a FOUNTAIN of sugar. Flat out - don't drink it. If you want a soda, try club soda or diet. I find that sometimes I just want bubbles and that helps a lot. The same for a lot of juices and coffee drinks. A lot of hidden calories and sugars in those drinks that people just don't realize is there.

    You seem to have a sweet tooth, so make sure your food diary is tracking sugar. I think you have to turn it on under settings. Good luck!

    I don't eat there, thank god because sometimes the smell of greese in the kitchen makes me want to GAG.
    Thanks.
    Whole grains, fruits and veggies.
    What about penut butter?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Yes to peanut butter, especially if it's all natural. Avoid anything wtih trans fat or too much added sugar. Nuts are healthy food full of good healthy oils, protein and fiber.
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    I drink Celestial Seasonings herbal fruit teas... I just sun brew it...
  • mislove68
    mislove68 Posts: 240
    my best suggestions about food is sodium. Like if I am going to buy chicken brests I look at the sodium first, some have 200mg some have 45mg. The chicken with 200mg was probably injected with stuff including salt water to make it look more plump. The more sodium something has the more processed and unhealthy it is.

    Also make sure you are eating alot of protein like 100g.
  • rantynaru
    rantynaru Posts: 9
    Okay.
    Thanks.
    Watch the sodium/salt.

    Okay.

    Thank you so much, you are all so nice.
    : 3
    Cool. Sun brew is best with out sugar.
    I liek green tea with ginseng and citrus.
  • rainunrefined
    rainunrefined Posts: 850 Member
    http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/healthy-eating-without-the-hassle?

    This is a great link! Although I personally consume more protein and water than they recommend.
  • Sarahmeridith
    Sarahmeridith Posts: 298 Member
    Something that helps me eat right is I only eat things that I have to actually make, nothing premade(excluding cereal, fruit things like that). Even got rid of the microwave that way Icant eat any pre made food that has a lot of preservitives. It also helps to make sure you measure your food to make sure you are eating proper servings. Amd dont forget about "hidden" calories (spices, cooking oil, ect..)

    Good Luck, you can do it!!
  • Thriceshy
    Thriceshy Posts: 708 Member
    The foods I avoid tend to be the heavily processed, high in sodium, high in carbs stuff. That doesn't mean I never eat them--I had a vat of homemade icecream the other morning. But it means that I keep my calories, fat, and sodium within a certain range, and I pre-plan what I'll be eating so I can have things I want (even "bad" things) without throwing myself off track. I look for ways to "recreate" more processed foods to bring the calories and carbs down (like homemade macaroni and cheese with low carb pasta or homemade red sauce without a ton of sugar). I include veggies with every dinner now, and not just one serving most nights. I have fruit pretty much every day. If I absolutely MUST have pizza, I get a smaller, "personal" pizza (or, if I've the time, MAKE one) so that there are no leftovers and there's no opportunity to turn it into a calorie-fest.

    I drink a lot of water. A LOT, and it makes a difference in how I feel. Many say it helps you lose weight, and I can imagine that might be true.

    One rule a lot of folks use that I like? Have what you want, but make sure that half your plate is covered with vegetables. Not butter or cheese sauce-soaked veggies, but nice raw or steamed vegetables. Then eat those first, before you move to your starches and meats. It really is hard to totally blow a diet when you stick to the "water and veggies" rules.

    And gosh, yes, Sarah is right on the mark with MEASURING! Always measure, always weigh, make sure you really know how much of what is going into you!

    Kris
  • schaffk
    schaffk Posts: 7
    Anybody heard anything about African Mango?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/healthy-eating-without-the-hassle?

    This is a great link! Although I personally consume more protein and water than they recommend.

    It is a great site, but remember it's just basic guidelines and we humans are not 'one size fits all'. Probably no too many hit the guidelines exactly.
  • SoCalSwimmerDude
    SoCalSwimmerDude Posts: 507 Member
    Something that helps me eat right is I only eat things that I have to actually make, nothing premade(excluding cereal, fruit things like that). Even got rid of the microwave that way Icant eat any pre made food that has a lot of preservitives. It also helps to make sure you measure your food to make sure you are eating proper servings. Amd dont forget about "hidden" calories (spices, cooking oil, ect..)

    Good Luck, you can do it!!

    Got rid of your microwave?! Blasphemy! ::throwing stones:: :laugh: But I have to agree w/ the oil part. Olive Oil can be good for you, but man does it bump up my calories when cooking dinner.
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