can someone look over my food diary???

venessa25
venessa25 Posts: 8 Member
edited December 18 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, was wondering if anyone could take a look at my food diary and give me ideas on what I need to remove from my diet please!!!
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Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Fast food. You eat out a lot. So do I - but if your weight loss is stalled that's where I would start...
  • ebaise
    ebaise Posts: 2 Member
    I would be happy to look, but by no means am I an expert and could use some advise myself....especially since I went like 500 calories over my limit today :( I am willing to help any way I can though!
    Ok I looked and agree with what most of what everyone else is saying. Sometimes even if I stay within my calories I wont lose weight until I finally realized/admitted to myself it is also about what I am putting in my body not just what the calories add up to. One thing I stay away from is processed/fast foods as much as possible. Hang in there!
    Emily
  • duhblond
    duhblond Posts: 138 Member
    Fast food is the killer, you might want to try smaller portions (calorie intake) at one sitting. So you would eat less, but more often.
    Best of luck to you.
  • I only went back three days and I saw: Olive Garden, Chik-Fil-A, Doritos, and SONIC (eegads!). I would suggest not eating out so much. You're on the right track with the oatmeal breakfasts, but you need more protein!

    I'm not sure if you aren't logging everything or if because you're eating a lot of processed foods, you hit your calorie limit and stop eating. While technically you can still lose weight, you're missing out on SO many health benefits.

    If you start slowly, you can eliminate fast food and then replace it with things you can assemble yourself (even if to start you buy pre-made chicken. It isn't ideal, but it's a start!). Then when you're used to eating a more balanced diet, you can focus on "cleaning" it up.

    You definitely need less sodium-laden stuff and more roughage! Get veggies in there, more whole grains, and protein!
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    What's your height? Curious what your BMR is.
  • aminakhan1980
    aminakhan1980 Posts: 105 Member
    Agreed with the other posters. You may consider changing your diary settings to show sodium. You will be surprised how much sodium is in the stuff your eating. It doesn't cause fat gain, but it does cause a tremendous amount of water retention, which may be why the scale isn't moving. Just a thought. Good luck!
  • HalMcFarland
    HalMcFarland Posts: 5 Member
    Try eliminating all dairy (yogurt, milk, cheese) and grains (anything with gluten - i.e., bread, breadsticks, pasta). Look into a Paleo diet food choice lifestyle.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    Also, off the bat it seems like you consume very little protein.
  • jenn_may
    jenn_may Posts: 154 Member
    Learn to cook. Preparing your own food makes you aware of what you are putting in there and you will reduce your sodium, sugar, and calories. Wish you all the best.
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
    ummmmm, seriously? OK, assuming you are serious...I'm sorry to be harsh but you have too much fast food, restaurant food, junk food. You have some meals totaling 1000 calories. You have to eat lean meat, reduced fat dairy, lots of vegetables, and some fruit and whole grains. You calorie allotment should be spread throughout the day, 3 meals and 2-3 snacks of similar proportions, composed of real food. Most of what you eat should come from the grocery store. Shop the outer edges of the store - produce, meat, dairy; there's very little you should need/eat from the middle aisles. Plan your meals ahead of time, and eat real healthy food.
  • addict3
    addict3 Posts: 48 Member
    Fast food is the killer, you might want to try smaller portions (calorie intake) at one sitting. So you would eat less, but more often.
    Best of luck to you.

    What I was gonna say ^^^^.
    Try to eat more meals and snacks during the day with healthier choices. The eating out is bad, especially if you get to the 800-1000 cal meal. Snacks should be healthier like maybe some jerky, nuts (almonds), chicken, hard boiled egg, fruit with greek yogurt dip etc.. When you work snacks more often, try to have some kind of protein in order to keep you satisfied and keep up the energy. You are not that far away, you seem able to go without for long periods of time which tells me you can do it, just don't deprive yourself and keep the motor running. Hope this helps
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    As others have said, chill on the fast food. It's not terrible on the occasion and it is understandible to need the convenience, but that is where meal planning comes in. Your calorie intake is fine, but suffice to say it is mostly crap.

    Fruit? While fruit is good for you, it still is a simple carb. You get lots of nutrients out of it but you should be switching up your carb intake, not lowering it, but changing what builds it. You'll find you can eat more that way. So have a few servings of fresh fruit, but have MORE servings of veggies and whole grains. If you don't like many veggies (like me), find ways to eat them where you will. Green Giant steamers have many options with just enough seasoning and olive oil in some options it all tastes delicious.

    Speaking of whole grains, I love oats, but oatmeal can get f*cking boring. You might feel the same.

    Go to Costco, grab some unique stuff you maybe have never tried, Quinoa, sweet potato fries, find a whole wheat bread loaded with good grain and no crap.

    Instead of Taco Cabana? You live in Austin for *kitten*'s sake, if you need your fix go to Torchy's Tacos. Their food is fresh, there are plenty of healthy options and it is all incredible. You will wonder why the hell you ever went to Taco Cabana in the first place. Try their fish tacos (Mr. Orange and Mr. Pink), or the Green chile pork. Good protein and fresh, healthy ingredients.

    You can thank me for your foodgasm you have there later.

    Don't try this all at once btw, you will be more likely to b*tch out of it if you are having to unbreak a bunch of habits or feel you are "giving up" a ton of stuff you like.
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Try eliminating all dairy (yogurt, milk, cheese) and grains (anything with gluten - i.e., bread, breadsticks, pasta). Look into a Paleo diet food choice lifestyle.

    Oh yes, let's take someone who clearly doesn't cook much, likes convenience and simple carbs and try to convince them to give it all up at once and eat like "Gronk" would...or whatever.
  • gungho66
    gungho66 Posts: 284 Member
    Here is my take, I think you should eat more protein and less carbs also try and keep your fat intake at around 20% , more healthy fats than saturated. Also you might want to eat more smaller meals but more frequent say 5 meals of 300 to 350 calories and have them consist of a protein , a fibrous carb and starchy carb ( tilapia filet, sweet potato , and spinach salad) . Try and stay away from the doritos and candy and try an apple or some carrots. I think all things are good in moderation but first you need to develop a lifestyle change and then work those goodies in later once you build a solid foundation. just some thoughts and good luck.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Try eliminating all dairy (yogurt, milk, cheese) and grains (anything with gluten - i.e., bread, breadsticks, pasta). Look into a Paleo diet food choice lifestyle.

    Oh yes, let's take someone who clearly doesn't cook much, likes convenience and simple carbs and try to convince them to give it all up at once and eat like "Gronk" would...or whatever.

    Seriously... The only healthy items she has in her diary and the suggestion is to get rid of them?! Nice thought but not likely realistic.
  • Mellie13
    Mellie13 Posts: 424
    Try eliminating all dairy (yogurt, milk, cheese) and grains (anything with gluten - i.e., bread, breadsticks, pasta). Look into a Paleo diet food choice lifestyle.

    I was going to say just about the same thing! I would at least cut down on those complex carbs that give no nutritional value like breadsticks, etc. I agree with eating Paleo which is basically meat, fruit and veggies!
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    I'm more of a lucky charms guy , I would have to put a pile of sugar on the toasted O's. so I would swap the toasted O's with some lucky charms.
  • venessa25
    venessa25 Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks guys for all the input, I guess I was trying to fool myself into thinking I could eat anything if I stayed under my calorie limit. I don't cook very much because I work all day and go to school I know excuses ..excuses ...well for breakfast I love my oats and yogurt ...is that very bad... I guess where I need help is lunch and dinner..
    I did try that pre cooked chicken but to be honest it had a funny smell and I didn't like it . Thanks everyone I do feel very bad now about all my junk food. By the way I seriously started trying to eat under my calorie goal about 3 weeks ago , I started at 160 and this morning I weighted 154 and I am only 5'1. I just feel that with all this counting calories, walking and zumba, I should be seeing better results.
  • :smile: I would try to cut back on your carbs a lil bit if you can. That may help and up your water intake. Keep it up though your doing great!! I always do really well during the week and then reward myself one day a week for a free day to eat what i want. The funny thing is when I go out to eat I'm still trying to make good choices cuz you get use to eating that way. Maybe that would work for you 2.
  • missigus
    missigus Posts: 207 Member
    I'm not an expert, but I guess i'm gonna say the same thing that most people have here. The thing that jumps out the most, is the amount you eat out. You have A LOT of hi fat, sodium laden foods on there. I realize not everyone has time to make elaborate meals especially if you're trying to go to work, have kids, etc. If your pressed for time buy some easy healthy options you can take with you. Grab an apple or banana from the house and a packet of oat meal you can make at work or have as a snack. Greek yougurt or regular yogurt with almonds, dried fruit, and a sprinkle of granola is a lunch or breakfast thats convenient, or soup. If you eat out for lunch as part of your business or whatever, go for salads with grilled chicken and low cal dressings, or grilled fish. Snacks should be things that are healthy and filling most of the time, not saying you can't ever indulge, but I like to eat popcorn, or a bowl of high fiber cereal, protein bar, fruit, sometimes a skinny cow ice cream sandwich if I feel like I need a treat. All are fairly low cal, filling, and have nutrative benefits. Except skinny cow...obviously.

    The other thing that jumps out from the 4 days I looked at was that you lack dairy or calcium products. But maybe you take a calcium supp? You also need more protein, and plain old veggies. You seem to do well with fruit, but remember fruits have more calories generally than veggies. I know it's hard making all these changes at once, and thinking ahead, but it will get easier! :wink:
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    Try eliminating all dairy (yogurt, milk, cheese) and grains (anything with gluten - i.e., bread, breadsticks, pasta). Look into a Paleo diet food choice lifestyle.

    Dairy is healthy, DON'T get rid of it! It is a GREAT source of protein, AND calcium. Especially if you are woman, don't not eat dairy unless you have a medical condition that prevents you from doing so!!

    Gluten is NOT bad unless you have a medial condition against it as well. Unrefined grains are REALLY good for you. If you are eating alot of processed/refined (as in, WHITE breads) then yes cut down on those, but KEEP the whole grains.

    JEEZ. Extremist fad dieters :noway:
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Realistically you can eat crap as long as it is at a deficit and still lose.

    Now will you feel a night and day different if bit by bit you start making changes to what you put in you? Absolutely.

    Eat a complete protein, just once, twice, and see how you feel. I noticed you mentioned in other threads having headaches ,feeling tired etc. I guarantee that if you tried eating some different food items you would see much of that change.

    If you want easy recipes, ideas for grocery lists etc, hit me up.
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    Realistically you can eat crap as long as it is at a deficit and still lose.

    Now will you feel a night and day different if bit by bit you start making changes to what you put in you? Absolutely.

    ^THIS

    Let's celebrate knowledge!!!!:drinker:
  • Thanks guys for all the input, I guess I was trying to fool myself into thinking I could eat anything if I stayed under my calorie limit. I don't cook very much because I work all day and go to school I know excuses ..excuses ...well for breakfast I love my oats and yogurt ...is that very bad... I guess where I need help is lunch and dinner..
    I did try that pre cooked chicken but to be honest it had a funny smell and I didn't like it . Thanks everyone I do feel very bad now about all my junk food. By the way I seriously started trying to eat under my calorie goal about 3 weeks ago , I started at 160 and this morning I weighted 154 and I am only 5'1. I just feel that with all this counting calories, walking and zumba, I should be seeing better results.

    The oatmeal and yogurt is great! But maybe try Greek rather than light N fit (light N useless, in my opinion. Hardly ANY protein!). Throw an egg in there too to up your protein. Get a skim latte with no syrups for some milk if you need something on the run.

    I don't like the smell of the precooked chicken either. Have you tried poaching chicken breasts? You can do a bunch at once and they'll keep for a couple of days in the fridge. I just use water/broth and whatever spices I want. They turn out really well.

    If you have free time on the weekends, you could reserve some time on Sunday as preparation day. I'll cut up veggies and make big pots of things like soups, beans or curried lentils (my fav!) to last me a few days into the week. Boil a bunch of eggs. Portion out nuts into snack bags to take with you.

    It's hard being on the go and eating healthy, but you can do it!
  • DestroyTheOpposition
    DestroyTheOpposition Posts: 444 Member
    Try only eating what can be grown or animal. Sounds weird. I do that about75% of the time. So no breads, pastas. I eat veggies, corn and potatoes are fine. Meats and fruits. Snacks are nuts, granola, jerky, fruits, or trailmix. Good luck. Kick the fast food... its only hurting you in the end.
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Try only eating what can be grown or animal. Sounds weird. I do that about75% of the time. So no breads, pastas. I eat veggies, corn and potatoes are fine. Meats and fruits. Snacks are nuts, granola, jerky, fruits, or trailmix. Good luck. Kick the fast food... its only hurting you in the end.

    Nice thought, but a bit silly, more primal crap

    Girl like's sandwhiches...why not suggest that stuff that grows, being like..mixed with water, and like..heated..and HOLY CRAP BREAD IS BLOWING MY MIND.
  • neurogirl
    neurogirl Posts: 706 Member
    So, my first concern is seeing that you have alloted yourself 1200 calories, so it would be helpful to know your height and BMR first. However, just off the bat after looking at about 4 days of food, seems that you eat one very high calorie meal in a day (at least) and have a lot of snacks and fast food that are high in calories, and low in nutritional value. I also noticed that you go over calories regularly. The major flaw is planning. I'm not going to tell you to completely stop eating out (although, cutting back would be a great start), but at the very least, plan your meals a little ahead of time.

    Behavioral change does not happen quickly or easily. I'm not going to say that you need to stop having all of the foods you have on your profile either. However, swapping choices and just trying to get withing your calorie limit is a first step (and with a few trips and falls along the way while you're trying to get things in order).

    If you happen to have a smart phone, I suggest getting the MFP App. It's free and works great. I have a very hectic schedule at times, especially on days that I have oodles of errands after my work day. I find that if I need to eat out (i.e., too late to eat when I get home, blood sugar dropping even after I have my healthy snacks in my purse, etc.) I am still able to plan a meal that fits within my calorie, fat, carb, and protein limits simply by spendin 5 minutes on the MFP App before going to my final munching destination.

    Secondly, it does appear that protein is lacking in your diet,and likely fiber. Although oatmeal is great for fiber and keeping you full, that's only one meal in the morning. Increasing fiber and protein in your diet will help with keeping you full longer, and overall are much healthier than Sonic burgers (even though the occassional burger is delish :tongue: )

    Thirdly, there are only a few veggies I saw (a salad from Chick-Fil-A) and a few fruits first thing in the morning. The great thing about veggies is you can have a lot of them, they are nutritious, and filling. Best of all, they take up very few calories and make you feel (and look) great! I would strongly suggest you increase your vegetable intake to feel full and to up your nutritional value (even if just a few baby carrots in your purse). Make your own 100 calorie or less snacks ahead of time on your day off, and keep them stuffed in your fridge for a quick snack you can grab and take with you.

    Lastly, although a lot of people are not into convenience foods, there are a lot of semi-convenient recipes you can make ahead of time and microwave that are MUCH healthier for you than the foods you have listed on you diary. For instance, there is a low fat healthy version of chicken pot pie from Pillsbury.com that is delish and filling. Plus it's only about 200 to 300 calories a serving (depending on which one you make) with low sodium. Highly recommended (make it myself so I don't have to cook the next day because the left overs are THAT good). Plus it incorporates a lot of fresh vegetables.

    Most importantly, remember that learning to eat better and adjusting your diet is going to take time. Be patient wth yourself, but realistic too. Even if you know you have gone over your calories, write everything down. Don't forget to congratulate yourself for your accomplishments, and keep moving forward. Most people would be afraid to ask for advice on fear of being ridiculed and talked down to for the way they eat, but it takes a lot of insight to realize when we need to ask for help. Good luck! I'm sure you'll get a lot of advice and get yourself in the right direction.

    Cheers! :drinker:
  • InvidiaXII
    InvidiaXII Posts: 315 Member
    Just as a nutrition tracking suggestion, I wouldn't use one of the spaces on trans fat. It's not in most foods anyway, and it looks like you never go over a couple grams on any given day. I suggest tracking either fiber or sodium-- making sure you get enough fiber and not too much sodium is worthwhile. Good luck!
  • ambitious01
    ambitious01 Posts: 209 Member
    well the sugar is up there. I had to cut my sugar in half to get myself back on track. As far as the carbs, I believe that's alright as long as you are burning it.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Thanks guys for all the input, I guess I was trying to fool myself into thinking I could eat anything if I stayed under my calorie limit. I don't cook very much because I work all day and go to school I know excuses ..excuses ...well for breakfast I love my oats and yogurt ...is that very bad... I guess where I need help is lunch and dinner..
    I did try that pre cooked chicken but to be honest it had a funny smell and I didn't like it . Thanks everyone I do feel very bad now about all my junk food. By the way I seriously started trying to eat under my calorie goal about 3 weeks ago , I started at 160 and this morning I weighted 154 and I am only 5'1. I just feel that with all this counting calories, walking and zumba, I should be seeing better results.

    Oh do I know that!! Worked full-time, school at night. I ate every meal away from home. It's tough but it can be done. "Junk food" is sooo much easier! Luckily the only thing by my school was subway and starbucks! One thing that helped me was to pack a cooler. I could fill it w/healthy stuff to eat all day. I just have a small igloo softside I got at Target (like this one: http://www.target.com/p/Igloo-Soft-Sided-Cooler-Blue-8-25-Quarts/-/A-13273928#?lnk=sc_qi_detailbutton) and then some of the freezer gel packs to keep your stuff cool all day.

    Then add fruit, veggies, greek yogurt, salad, individual tuna cups, nuts, low-fat deli ham, triscuits, low fat cheese or laughing cow wedges, etc. If you have a microwave at work or school you can expand your options. The cooler really did wonders for me and kept me away from the fast food joints! I try to have a lot of easy to grab things I can toss in the cooler so I don't have to do a lot of prep during the week. If you can do some cooking on the weekend to take leftovers that's always good too.

    And I totally agree - Pre-cooked chicken is gross and scary sometimes.
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