Is this a healthy well rounded lunch ?
Avocado_Angel
Posts: 2,362 Member
Hi iv really been getting into this health and fitness thing recently and am really trying to focus on quick and healthy meals, don't mind making the odd complicated dish but for quickness much prefer the quick and easy ones. That's where salad fits in nicely...
So most lunchtimes I'l prepare this;
150g mixed salad leaves
Tin of tuna steak in brine
Half yellow pepper
8 baby plum tomatoes
Garlic clove
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
Might substitute the fish with chicken from time to time. So what ya think is this a decent lunch? I'm trying to lose weight and tone up.
So most lunchtimes I'l prepare this;
150g mixed salad leaves
Tin of tuna steak in brine
Half yellow pepper
8 baby plum tomatoes
Garlic clove
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
Might substitute the fish with chicken from time to time. So what ya think is this a decent lunch? I'm trying to lose weight and tone up.
1
Replies
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Its fine as a snack, but I would probably get hungry 1 hour after eating this.. And why honey?
You can add some carbs!1 -
Also I dont think its necessary to add 2 tbsp olive oil, maybe try just one or half..
I eat my salad without any sauce at all, because I see oil on salad as a waste of calories and fat!
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Sounds decent. Could add some carbs, could add a glass of milk or something to get all the food groups. But decent enough
Sounds like a lot of oil though? Personally I like my oils spread more throughout the day. But it's a salad dressing so sometimes that much is okay. A little salt and pepper in the dressing might make it a bit tasty too.1 -
Anyone else shocked the lunch didn't include avocado given the OP is Avocado_Angel? I would use avocado instead of all/some of the olive oil.5
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Also I dont think its necessary to add 2 tbsp olive oil, maybe try just one or half..
I eat my salad without any sauce at all, because I see oil on salad as a waste of calories and fat!
Olive oil is a very healthy fat. Dietary fat doesn't make us fat. In fact it's an essential macro. Several vitamins are fat soluble....we need fat in our diets to absorb them (A, D, K, & E).
Plenty of people eat a high fat diet and lose weight.4 -
One meal shouldn't be taken out of context of the rest of your diet really. Losing weight and toning up is about a calorie deficit and hitting the gym.5
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Also I dont think its necessary to add 2 tbsp olive oil, maybe try just one or half..
I eat my salad without any sauce at all, because I see oil on salad as a waste of calories and fat!
Olive oil is a very healthy fat. Dietary fat doesn't make us fat. In fact it's an essential macro. Several vitamins are fat soluble....we need fat in our diets to absorb them (A, D, K, & E).
Plenty of people eat a high fat diet and lose weight.
very true, but if extra calories can be avoided with a similar taste/satiety level why not save them?0 -
I eat something similar. Sometimes I add chopped apple and shredded cheese. I also sub tuna for ham or chicken and/or add some cooked egg whites. You can alter the veg and dressing to keep things interesting. My big salads usually come in around 300 ish calories and are huge. No problem staying full on it.1
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300 calories in just the oil and honey. Not something I'd choose.0
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RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »300 calories in just the oil and honey. Not something I'd choose.
This is my thought. OP, if you like it, it fills you up, and helps you meet your nutritional needs within the context of the day, then go for it. For me, 300 calories on dressing wouldn't be worth it every day for lunch.
That doesn't meant it won't work for you, it just wouldn't work for me.2 -
Also I dont think its necessary to add 2 tbsp olive oil, maybe try just one or half..
I eat my salad without any sauce at all, because I see oil on salad as a waste of calories and fat!
Olive oil is a very healthy fat. Dietary fat doesn't make us fat. In fact it's an essential macro. Several vitamins are fat soluble....we need fat in our diets to absorb them (A, D, K, & E).
Plenty of people eat a high fat diet and lose weight.
Im counting my macros so I prefer to use my limited fat grams somewhere else
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extra_medium wrote: »Also I dont think its necessary to add 2 tbsp olive oil, maybe try just one or half..
I eat my salad without any sauce at all, because I see oil on salad as a waste of calories and fat!
Olive oil is a very healthy fat. Dietary fat doesn't make us fat. In fact it's an essential macro. Several vitamins are fat soluble....we need fat in our diets to absorb them (A, D, K, & E).
Plenty of people eat a high fat diet and lose weight.
very true, but if extra calories can be avoided with a similar taste/satiety level why not save them?
Fine as long as you eat some fat with the meal... as another poster said, eating a salad with no fat at all means you aren't going to get the benefit of the vitamins A, D, K, & E.0 -
Avocado_Angel wrote: »Hi iv really been getting into this health and fitness thing recently and am really trying to focus on quick and healthy meals, don't mind making the odd complicated dish but for quickness much prefer the quick and easy ones. That's where salad fits in nicely...
So most lunchtimes I'l prepare this;
150g mixed salad leaves
Tin of tuna steak in brine
Half yellow pepper
8 baby plum tomatoes
Garlic clove
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
Might substitute the fish with chicken from time to time. So what ya think is this a decent lunch? I'm trying to lose weight and tone up.
If you like it and it helps you meet your goals for the day it is decent.
If you like salads there are lots of ideas of what to include-http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10270725/things-to-go-in-salads/p11 -
300+ calories of oil and honey wouldn't do much for me personally.2
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Avocado_Angel wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »300+ calories of oil and honey wouldn't do much for me personally.
But I thought all calories arnt made equal ? My thinking was that olive oil is healthy, and including it in a healthy salad was a good plan for losing weight. I don't tend to snack through the day, so just have breakfast lunch dinner and a smoothie.
My calorie intake for the day is usually pretty good in fact I'm sometimes well under it and have to eat something else just for the sake of it so I don't really find the 300+ calories make that much of a dent. Plus I workout most days and am on the go.
I am a novice really and not into counting macros and anything too in depth atm. Just hoping to shift some extra weight and eat healthy
If it works for you, that's great. I think people saying 300 cals in dressing wouldn't work for them. Me, I use very little dressing and add more stuff. I'd rather eat food than "waste" calories on oils. Or rather, I wouldn't "waste" my calories on oil dressing. I could drown my salad with 300 calories of balsamic reduction or lemon poppy seed dressing.2 -
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I dont want to be rude but there is a reason why you need to lose weight (and probably its about your eating habits)
And you can eat your olive oil, just maybe a bit less than 2 tbsp in 1 meal
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Sounds similar to my dinner. If the honey and balsamic is for a dressing you may consider what I do and use a thicker balsamic glaze. It's sweet, tasty and goes a long way for 35-40 cals/15ml
ETA: I spray my salad with 3 seconds of Kirkland canola oil spray and toss, I save a ton vs "drizzling" olive oil with better coverage. I prefer to get my fat from chocolate but that's just me :P6 -
Avocado_Angel wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »300+ calories of oil and honey wouldn't do much for me personally.
But I thought all calories arnt made equal ? My thinking was that olive oil is healthy, and including it in a healthy salad was a good plan for losing weight. I don't tend to snack through the day, so just have breakfast lunch dinner and a smoothie.
My calorie intake for the day is usually pretty good in fact I'm sometimes well under it and have to eat something else just for the sake of it so I don't really find the 300+ calories make that much of a dent. Plus I workout most days and am on the go.
I am a novice really and not into counting macros and anything too in depth atm. Just hoping to shift some extra weight and eat healthy
All calories are equal in that a calorie is a unit of measure. Some people find that using lots of calories on salad dressing would leave them hungry and that's why they're questioning it. But the ultimate test is whether or not it works for you and if it does, there's no reason why you should change it. Olive oil and honey will provide you with fat and carbohydrates. There's no "wrong" way to meet your macronutrient needs as long as they aren't crowding out other things that you need.3 -
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Avocado_Angel wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »300+ calories of oil and honey wouldn't do much for me personally.
But I thought all calories arnt made equal ?
Calories in one sense are all equal: ultimately your body counts it primarily as food. The basis on MFP is calorie deficit. Yes, things like protein and fiber and such all do matter...but in the end it is eating less than you burn that matters.
Now, saying that, eating in certain ways do promote weight loss more than others. For example, I learned high protein keeps me full longer than high carb. It's easier for me to lose that way since I'm not hungry. But if I eat the same amount of calories, I still lose weight.
Also, olive oil is a better-for-you fat. But calorie wise it could be melted bacon, peanut oil, vegetable oil, or whatever and calorie wise it is about the same.
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Avocado_Angel wrote: »I was off the wagon for a while, alcohol, takeaway meals and chocolate oh and crisps and fizzy juice. I wasn't exercising either so I piled on quite a bit. I could probably reduce the oil content but i was just doing a bit of research apparently 2 tablespoon of olive oil a day can help prevent heart disease, I'l probably stick to adding it. But it's gave me food for thought the calories are quite high just from dressing
Being at a healthy weight will do more to reduce your risk for heart disease than eating two tablespoons of olive oil per day. So if the olive oil makes it easier for you to meet your goals, I wouldn't cut it out. But if you're eating it just for the health benefits, I would consider reducing it. If you have a limited calorie budget, it's a lot to be spending on oil. If you're eating an avocado per day, you're already getting lots of fat to help support your health.1 -
Sounds about right. My lunch today is a salad with a cup of lettuce and 1/4 cup of tomatoes, and a sprinkling of cheese and salt along with a slice of buttered oatmeal bread toast. Plus a cookie1
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