Am I Being Unhealthy (Rate My Diet)

Hey everyone!

I'm new here but have been using the app for a while. I'm just looking for some advice regarding nutrition as I feel like I'm flitting back and to on different trends and there's so much information out there!

Basically I used to be reasonably large and have lost weight as I grew up however due to being stupid in youth I just starved myself... This resulted in me losing a lot of muscle and keeping the fat so I guess I'm what people would call "skinny fat". This is only made worse by being 6"3 so I looked super skinny! Just for a guide my weight hovers between 10.5 stone and 11 stone.

I've been working out pretty much every week with weights and walking a few miles a day while eating a surplus to try and build some muscle which worked reasonably well for a while and I definitely notice a little difference. In regards to what I've been eating I feel like I'm being unhealthy even though I'm following "healthy advice" but I'm sure if this is just a fear of getting fat again!

Here's what I've been eating:
Morning -
  • Black coffee (no sugar)
  • Protein Shake - 1 cup of unsweetened Oat Milk, 1 banana, 20g natural peanut butter, 5g Chia Seeds, 20g Hemp Protein, 5g Raw Cacao Powder, 30g Rolled Oats.

Lunchtime
  • 2 roasted chicken breasts, 4 cherry tomatoes, 100g broccoli, 100g sweetpotato, 1 spring onion

Snack
  • Apple or Clementine
  • 160g unsweetened Skyr, 10g Hemp Protein, 20g Rolled Oats, 15g Walnuts

Dinner
  • 2 roasted chicken breasts or 250g mince beef or pork. 1 cup of brown rice, half a pepper, 4 mushrooms

If more protein is needed
  • 2 eggs scrambled, dash of semi skimmed milk

This is the average of what I'm eating currently, I use plenty of spices and herbs to mix up the flavours and overall I'm happy with the variety but I guess I'm just looking for pointers. Although I've seen many places online that "100% peanut butter" is heart healthy I'm aware that is high in calories. Is that shake okay to have everyday? I've been having one every day and am starting to worry I've made some terrible mistake and have been clogging my arteries over the past year :D

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate any advice!
H
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Replies

  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    edited October 2020
    Peanut butter contains healthy fats. I put one tablespoon in my protein shake.
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
    Speaking of clogged arteries... you do need healthy fats, especially Omega-3 for heart and neuro health. See that you get some fatty fish in your diet or supplement.
  • 4Phoenix
    4Phoenix Posts: 236 Member
    edited October 2020
    @griefburrito This is such a subjective question. My healthy lifestyle is the very different from yours. There is a variety of expert opinions and advice. I use data and strategies to give me feedback on the results of my daily efforts and reflect on improvements. Do the research, trust yourself, experiment and release what isn't working for you. Wishing you the best of health!
  • Dante_80
    Dante_80 Posts: 474 Member
    edited October 2020
    @griefburrito
    The above example is pretty good. Running this through a nutrient tracker gives me a deficiency in Folate, Vit D, E and Calcium, as well as a big surplus of cholesterol, manganese and niacin (B3). Generally speaking, this is a pretty balanced diet, and you can certainly use this long term. Your macros splits are around equal (30-35% each), your calories around 2750 with all options.

    Try to squeeze in some unsweetened almond milk, lentils/beans and some more broccoli to fill the blind spots. And consider taking a Vit D. supplement (1000IU is always a good idea, especially if the climate where you live is not very sunny).
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
    edited October 2020
    It's fine to have a surplus of water-soluble vitamins (like C) in your diet - you just pee out the excess. It's the fat soluble ones you have to avoid overdoing. Read the label carefully on your multivitamin and decide if it's giving you the things you're short on. It most certainly won't have Omega-3. @Dante_80 What are you using for tracking nutrients?
  • Dante_80
    Dante_80 Posts: 474 Member
    edited October 2020
    @Dante_80 What are you using for tracking nutrients?

    A professional NAS suite called Nutritics. I don't want to get flagged for advertising though (especially since I'm not even affiliated in any way with it, my nutritionist was simply nice enough to grant me limited access).

    For personal use I utilize a tracker like MFP (called Cronometer)

  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
    Thanks @Dante_80
    I may look into it. I've been wishing MFP tracked a wider array of nutrients.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,958 Member
    Hey everyone!

    I'm new here but have been using the app for a while. I'm just looking for some advice regarding nutrition as I feel like I'm flitting back and to on different trends and there's so much information out there!

    Basically I used to be reasonably large and have lost weight as I grew up however due to being stupid in youth I just starved myself... This resulted in me losing a lot of muscle and keeping the fat so I guess I'm what people would call "skinny fat". This is only made worse by being 6"3 so I looked super skinny! Just for a guide my weight hovers between 10.5 stone and 11 stone.

    I've been working out pretty much every week with weights and walking a few miles a day while eating a surplus to try and build some muscle which worked reasonably well for a while and I definitely notice a little difference. In regards to what I've been eating I feel like I'm being unhealthy even though I'm following "healthy advice" but I'm sure if this is just a fear of getting fat again!

    Here's what I've been eating:
    Morning -
    • Black coffee (no sugar)
    • Protein Shake - 1 cup of unsweetened Oat Milk, 1 banana, 20g natural peanut butter, 5g Chia Seeds, 20g Hemp Protein, 5g Raw Cacao Powder, 30g Rolled Oats.

    Lunchtime
    • 2 roasted chicken breasts, 4 cherry tomatoes, 100g broccoli, 100g sweetpotato, 1 spring onion

    Snack
    • Apple or Clementine
    • 160g unsweetened Skyr, 10g Hemp Protein, 20g Rolled Oats, 15g Walnuts

    Dinner
    • 2 roasted chicken breasts or 250g mince beef or pork. 1 cup of brown rice, half a pepper, 4 mushrooms

    If more protein is needed
    • 2 eggs scrambled, dash of semi skimmed milk

    This is the average of what I'm eating currently, I use plenty of spices and herbs to mix up the flavours and overall I'm happy with the variety but I guess I'm just looking for pointers. Although I've seen many places online that "100% peanut butter" is heart healthy I'm aware that is high in calories. Is that shake okay to have everyday? I've been having one every day and am starting to worry I've made some terrible mistake and have been clogging my arteries over the past year :D

    Thanks for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate any advice!
    H

    Don't overthink it. You're doing fine. Train smart, eat well, rest, recover and repeat.

  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    If you want to learn more about how to eat well and nutrition in general, check out Harvard School of Public Health's Nutrition Source, especially their "Healthy Eating Plate." https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,950 Member
    Speaking of clogged arteries... you do need healthy fats, especially Omega-3 for heart and neuro health. See that you get some fatty fish in your diet or supplement.

    fish are not the only food source of omega-3s.
  • Dante_80
    Dante_80 Posts: 474 Member
    There are three ω-3 PUFAs. ALA, EPA, and DHA. ALA is mainly found in plant oils, and the other two are commonly found in marine oils. The fish themselves don't produce EPA and PHA PUFAs, they take it from phytoplankton and marine algae.

    Our body can synthesize EPA and DHA using ALA, but has no way to make ALA. However, the ability to make the longer-chain omega−3 fatty acids from ALA may be impaired in aging, so for some people marine oils (via fish) are essential.
  • Dante_80
    Dante_80 Posts: 474 Member
    That is correct, I forgot about them and was wrong. As I said, the fish themselves don't produce EPA and PHA PUFAs, they take it from phytoplankton and marine algae.

    So, going to the source would be even better!
  • cyaneverfat
    cyaneverfat Posts: 527 Member
    You could get powdered peanut butter. I also wonder about adding more fruits and veges?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited October 2020
    Dante_80 wrote: »
    There are three ω-3 PUFAs. ALA, EPA, and DHA. ALA is mainly found in plant oils, and the other two are commonly found in marine oils. The fish themselves don't produce EPA and PHA PUFAs, they take it from phytoplankton and marine algae.

    Our body can synthesize EPA and DHA using ALA, but has no way to make ALA. However, the ability to make the longer-chain omega−3 fatty acids from ALA may be impaired in aging, so for some people marine oils (via fish) are essential.

    The fish oils aren't essential, we can get them from algae like the fish do.

    Edit: Never mind, I see this was already noted by someone else.
  • jtechmart
    jtechmart Posts: 67 Member
    Your diet looks very good to me. It's similar to how I eat. There is almost no processed foods and no added sugars. Plus you are getting healthy whole grains and protein sources. I eat a bit more plant foods than you do (mostly fruits), but still, it looks great to me.

    For what it's worth, I've been eating this way for most of this year. I once had a doctor tell me I will have to take cholesterol medicine the rest of my life. I got my blood work done a few weeks ago (new doctor), and not only did everything come back normal, but I was removed from all medications. And I'm in my early 50s. The only deficiency from blood work was vitamin D. So, after you eat this way for a while, let your doctor and test results be the best guide. If this way of eating is new, you may be surprised at how well your test results come back.

    But, from what I can see, your diet looks very good. There are small tweaks you can make such as avoiding burnt meat, getting more fish, using unsweetened peanut butter, etc... But those are small tweaks.

    One tip: your smoothie/shake looks great! I eat a similar one, but I add 1 cup of frozen organic blueberries. Blueberries are a super food, and it adds plenty of flavor as well. Banana + blueberries + peanut butter = awesomeness.