I guess that whatever you choose has to be doable for you or it won't work. There's no point in saying that you will "eat clean" if it really isn't possible, it just won't work.

My personal way is to eat anything I want within the calories, but not to have too much processed stuff. If its a really busy day, we may have sausage and chips (low fat version!) but if I have time I'll cook from scratch.

The diet has to fit in with your lifestyle. I hope that helps a little?

Suzanne

I'm very similar to you in that I like structure and having everything planned out for me.

So what works for me is to pre-plan my entire day food-wise. I enter all my food for the day first thing in the morning and it takes all the guess work out. It makes it less easy to stray from the plan since I like structure. I also find that I eat on a more consistent schedule, like every 2-3 hours, when I have my food all entered for the day.

I've been straying from the plan these last few weekends and that has gotten me into major trouble and I've gained some weight back.

For the most part, I eat clean (my diary is open so feel free to take a look). I make a lot of things from scratch (salad dressings, etc). Many people think it's time consuming but it's really not. I mean, it takes me literally 2 minutes to make a quick vinagreitte for a salad. It takes 15 minutes to roast some veggies in the oven.

This lifestyle -does- have structure. Every day you have a set number of calories and very specific macros to reach. Not only that, trying to eat as healthy as possible should be the main concern. If you do research on foods with healthy fats, carbs, protein, fiber, etc. it could better help you design very good and healthy meals.

I personally have trouble reaching my carb intake, and find that sweet potatoes are a VERY good source, with generous amounts of carbs and fiber. Not to mention a nice sweet treat. I weigh everything I eat, otherwise I tend to under-estimate it, especially when it comes to sweet potatoes and meats!

For a good source of fats, fiber, and protein, you should check out Chia Seeds. If you have trouble eating so much food, ONE tablespoon of Chia Seeds is 60 calories, and you can make a Chia pudding out of them. I tend to add them to my vanilla protein shakes (that, or flaxseed). I also like to add Greek Yogurt to my shakes, for thickening and protein.

Oatmeal is also a very high calorie, filling, good source of carbs, protein, and fiber. I use Stevia as a sweetener to avoid extra sugars, and I add 1/2 c. greek yogurt for extra protein here, too. Oatmeal is very versatile and can be changed into many different flavours for breakfast (plain, apple-cinnamon, peanut butter, chocolate, you get the idea!).

Ground turkey meat with some melted cheese mixed in is also a delicious semi-high calorie meal for the amount you can eat. Of course, you can do whatever you want with it, but it's something I'm loving right now.

My sweet "treats" are home-made macadamia nut cookies baked with whole wheat flour (sometimes I add in dark chocolate- only sometimes, though!). They're extremely delicious and remind me of my all-time favourite cake: The cookie cake! They aren't flat and hardened like a regular cookie. Instead, they keep volume and are cake-like. They're about 60 cals each, so I usually have 3-4 throughout the day. Of course, this is a treat for me. It's pretty healthy, honestly!

CLTA (or a BLTA) sandwiches are also decently high in calories, for what it is. Use wheat bread, 1/4 avocado, 2-3 oz of chicken breast (or a few slices of bacon), lettuce, tomato, and you've got nearly a 400 cal lunch for just a sandwich.

I'll admit that coming from a 700 cal diet up to a 1600 cal diet has been a difficult learning experience for me. I'm still extremely full and feel like I'm eating all the time, but I am finding good ways to "sneak" in healthy calories without feeling like I've overeaten.

Just know that you should NOT eat "everything and anything" just to fill up your calories. A treat now and then is certainly alright, but take this as a life-changing learning curve towards finding healthful foods to maintain your new way of eating.

If you try to focus on your macros then it puts a few more parameters on you so you won't necessarily be able to eat cupcakes for breakfast.

This. I've started on focusing on my protein macro and find that if I think about how much I'm getting each meal, especially if I can plan most of the day ahead of time, then I'm not freaking out at 10pm that I need a protein shake to get the #s up.

I am by no means a "clean eater" (I eat Lean Cuisines almost daily for lunch) but I try to add fruits and veggies whenever I can and I've started eating almonds and greek yogurt for snacks, as opposed to store-bought granola bars, cookies, etc. Find what works for you!