Finding it hard to know what I can and can't eat.

sineadwb
sineadwb Posts: 3
edited December 18 in Health and Weight Loss
I've never had to watch what I eat before, but since putting on a considerable amount of weight (going from 7 and a half stone to 12 stone) I have decided to get healthier and lose the weight I have gained.
I'm going to start Zumba classes next week to ease myself in to a fitness regime, and so I can lose the weight gradually and safely. When I get used to being more active I plan on doing some weight training at my local Gym.
I haven't a clue what to eat, how many carbs I should be eating and all the rest of it! I'm 5'1 and I'm a vegetarian. so I'm not sure what I should do about protein.
I am finding this whole thing very daunting and confusing.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thank you in advance.
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Replies

  • skypie02
    skypie02 Posts: 15
    http://www.beyonddiet.com/bd/landing?food=avocado

    Use this as a basic concept not for the ad part of it! Most of your foods you should be eating in the raw if you are trying to accomplish fat burning. Beans are a good source of protien and are very good for you, just start calculating your food you eat and you will see what amount of protein it has in it then you can try to focus on what you allow yourself to eat and enjoy that will be good for your diet. Try not to eat as many carbs because they turn to sugar in your body and can also make you gain weight. Drink lots and lots of water and I go to Zumba 4 times a week and am going to train to be an instructor on June 9th! I LOVE it and hope you do as well, besides that it burns a lot of calories! Make sure you stretch before and after class!!! :smile: Goodluck!!!
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
    There's no rules but obviously healthy food will allow you to eat a lot more than junk food will.

    I'm vegetarian and I get my protein from eggs and legumes mainly along with tofu and vegies. Personally I don't worry about carbs etc (although I know loads of people on here will think saying that is a heresy). I watch the calories and eat 'clean' around 80% of the time (and the other 20% is cereal, cheese and bread) and figure that everything else will work itself out.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    As a vegetarian, you should be doing some serious research into the alternative ways to get nutrients commonly found in meat products. If you aren't a vegan, dairy products such as milk and cheese will be good sources of protein. You should also look into "complete proteins" which contain all the essential amino acids. Egg yolks and quinoa are good examples of these. Also keep an eye on nutrients such as iron and vitamin B12.
  • jlriffle
    jlriffle Posts: 3 Member
    45-65% of your calories should be from carbs (non-refined (whole grains, veggies, fruits) choices are best. cook all pasta al dente for lower glycemic load)
    10-30% from protein (tofu, egg whites, sunflower seeds, kidney beans are great sources for veg.)
    20-35% fats (healthy ones like oils from nuts, flax seed, olive oil, avocados)

    As a vegetarian, your protein sources are "incomplete," so be certain to obtain protein from varried sources so as to "complete" them during the day (pair red beans with rice, eat an egg, eat some sunflower seeds, just mix it up)

    Also keep in mind, that the fat in our bodies needs oxygen to be "burned." Low impact cardio with burn more fat than an intense workout (the intense workout will help with cardiovascular greatly), so mix your zumba class with a little mild to moderate aerobic exercise of some sort (walking).
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Unless you have a reason otherwise (e.g. diabetic) then you should try to get at least 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass (guestimate = 100g), and 0.35g of fat per lb of total body weight. After that - pretty much eat what you want from a macro perspective. I find setting your macros at 45% carbs, 30% fat, 25% protein a pretty good estimate to get those thresholds.

    I am a vegetarian also and find it hard to get enough protein, mainly because I do not cook. Good sources are:

    - cheese
    - eggs
    - beans
    - yoghurt (greek is best)
    - quinoa
    - lentils
    - 'fake' meat
    - peanut butter (not much 'bang for your calorie buck' but good to use if you also need to top up on fats)


    Try to make up as much as possible from 'real food' but if you need to top up, just have protein powder.

    As @Jorra mentioned, keep and eye on your nutrients. I find fortified cereals (weetabix, special k etc) are actually a good source or iron and other nutrients.
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    Simple...Eat what you want to eat...
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Use MFP as it's designed. It calculates how many grams of fat, carbs, and protein you need.
  • AngelsDream4Peace
    AngelsDream4Peace Posts: 116 Member
    Use MFP as it's designed. It calculates how many grams of fat, carbs, and protein you need.

    I am not saying it does or doesn't but does it have a setting for vegetarians?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Use MFP as it's designed. It calculates how many grams of fat, carbs, and protein you need.

    I am not saying it does or doesn't but does it have a setting for vegetarians?

    No, but why would they be different than for non-vegetarians?
  • dorothyharden
    dorothyharden Posts: 6 Member
    It really is very simple if your goal weight is 110 lbs then reduce your daily caloric intake to 1100calories a day. Eat a nice balanced diet of foods you like and try to eat something every 5 hours so you don't get terribly hungry. It really is as simple as decreasing caloric intake and increasing activity to lose weight. This app will enable you to track your calories and keep them down to under 1100. A rule of thumb is if you want to decrease your weight you can eat calories that equal your goal weight X 10.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    It really is very simple if your goal weight is 110 lbs then reduce your daily caloric intake to 1100calories a day. Eat a nice balanced diet of foods you like and try to eat something every 5 hours so you don't get terribly hungry. It really is as simple as decreasing caloric intake and increasing activity to lose weight. This app will enable you to track your calories and keep them down to under 1100. A rule of thumb is if you want to decrease your weight you can eat calories that equal your goal weight X 10.

    The estimation is actually multiplying your -current- weight by 10. Not goal weight.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    Use MFP as it's designed. It calculates how many grams of fat, carbs, and protein you need.

    I am not saying it does or doesn't but does it have a setting for vegetarians?

    No. Follow MFP recommendations, just don't eat or log any meat. Vegetarians bodies are no different from anyone else's, they need the same things to function.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    It really is very simple if your goal weight is 110 lbs then reduce your daily caloric intake to 1100calories a day. Eat a nice balanced diet of foods you like and try to eat something every 5 hours so you don't get terribly hungry. It really is as simple as decreasing caloric intake and increasing activity to lose weight. This app will enable you to track your calories and keep them down to under 1100. A rule of thumb is if you want to decrease your weight you can eat calories that equal your goal weight X 10.

    No, no.no, no, no.

    There is a reason MFP warns you when you are under 1200.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    If it has a nutrition label, it usually isn't good.

    Canned black beans, frozen vegetables, frozen fruit, frozen fish, meat, chicken, all oils, yogurts, cheeses, milk, etc. C'mon man.

    EDIT: Ignore the meat/fish. Forgot this is a veg. thread. The rest still stands though.
  • papastu
    papastu Posts: 737 Member
    It really is very simple if your goal weight is 110 lbs then reduce your daily caloric intake to 1100calories a day. Eat a nice balanced diet of foods you like and try to eat something every 5 hours so you don't get terribly hungry. It really is as simple as decreasing caloric intake and increasing activity to lose weight. This app will enable you to track your calories and keep them down to under 1100. A rule of thumb is if you want to decrease your weight you can eat calories that equal your goal weight X 10.


    (I swear some of these responses sound troll-like)


    in reply to the OP , if you use MFP and do it correctly it does everything for you
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    If it has a nutrition label, it usually isn't good.

    Lol, no.

    However, if it comes in a box, it MIGHT be something that you MIGHT want to eat less of as you change your eating habits (crackers, pasta, pancake mix, sugary snack bars, etc)
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    Also, vegetarian protein suggestions: Tofu, Tempeh, Seitan, Edamame beans, actually lots of beans, Greek yogurt, adding Nutritional yeast to eggs or sauteed veggies or popcorn.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    Also, vegetarian protein suggestions: Tofu, Tempeh, Seitan, Edamame beans, actually lots of beans, Greek yogurt, adding Nutritional yeast to eggs or sauteed veggies or popcorn.

    Aren't yeast technically animals?
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    If it has a nutrition label, it usually isn't good.

    No label
    Sshoppers-Donut-001.jpg

    Labelled
    popeye_spinach.jpg
  • isweatglitter
    isweatglitter Posts: 134
    If it has a nutrition label, it usually isn't good.

    No label
    Sshoppers-Donut-001.jpg

    Labelled
    popeye_spinach.jpg
    .


    Burnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

    Nice one!
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    Aren't yeast technically animals?

    No... yeast are fungi.
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    Also, vegetarian protein suggestions: Tofu, Tempeh, Seitan, Edamame beans, actually lots of beans, Greek yogurt, adding Nutritional yeast to eggs or sauteed veggies or popcorn.

    Aren't yeast technically animals?

    Ok I can't tell if this is a real question or snark, but the answer is no, yeast is not an animal or an animal by-product: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutritional_yeast
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    Let's play it off as snark. <_<
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    Let's play it off as snark. <_<

    :D

    The obnoxious *kitten* (aka yeast) like to contaminate my cell culture media. I think they DO have a brain. I can see them plotting under the microscope. So that makes them kinda like animals. Only smarter.
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    Let's play it off as snark. <_<

    :laugh: Done and done.
  • VictorW2
    VictorW2 Posts: 18
    I am amazed at all the insights on here about weight loss, eating correctly and exercise. Thanks for all your input !
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    If it has a nutrition label, it usually isn't good.

    Canned black beans, frozen vegetables, frozen fruit, frozen fish, meat, chicken, all oils, yogurts, cheeses, milk, etc. C'mon man.

    EDIT: Ignore the meat/fish. Forgot this is a veg. thread. The rest still stands though.

    haha those things are processed, the meats... aren't the best quality, and vegetables either. fresh is best.

    EDIT: I don't know if you're srz or not. But agree to disagree with your nutritional label semantics.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    If it has a nutrition label, it usually isn't good.

    Canned black beans, frozen vegetables, frozen fruit, frozen fish, meat, chicken, all oils, yogurts, cheeses, milk, etc. C'mon man.

    EDIT: Ignore the meat/fish. Forgot this is a veg. thread. The rest still stands though.

    haha those things are processed, the meats... aren't the best quality, and vegetables either. fresh is best.

    EDIT: I don't know if you're srz or not. But agree to disagree with your nutritional label semantics.

    When I eat food with nutritional labels, I start throwing up, they make me sick.

    2iqzn0h.jpg
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member

    2iqzn0h.jpg

    Whatever the hell that thing is, is happy, because it eats NATURAL FOOD NO NUTRITION LABEL ON WATERMELON.

    It's frozen watermelon.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    If it has a nutrition label, it usually isn't good.

    Canned black beans, frozen vegetables, frozen fruit, frozen fish, meat, chicken, all oils, yogurts, cheeses, milk, etc. C'mon man.

    EDIT: Ignore the meat/fish. Forgot this is a veg. thread. The rest still stands though.

    haha those things are processed, the meats... aren't the best quality, and vegetables either. fresh is best.

    EDIT: I don't know if you're srz or not. But agree to disagree with your nutritional label semantics.

    When I eat food with nutritional labels, I start throwing up, they make me sick.

    Do you drink milk?
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