what do you consider a "normal" diet?

naasface

well? like what is a good amount of calories to eat a day and what?
I know the food pyramid is a good guide. But in your opinion what's a normal diet?? like breakfast,lunch,dinner?

EileenG

Not sure I understand the question. Do you mean normal for me, normal for the average Irish person, normal for an athlete?

Attol

A typical day for me would be :

Breakfast: Skip this a bit more than I should but when I do have it it's a smoothie or eggs or toast.

Lunch: Wheatfree pasta with carrots, broccoli, spinach, quorn "chicken" pieces
Or a stirfry with random vegetables, whatever was leftover from dinner the night before

Dinner : Vegetarian lasagne, stirfry, chicken marinaded in something or other, vegetarian or normal spag bol.

I have about 2 takeaways or restaurant meals a week on average.

For snacks I have smoothies, filter coffee with skimmed milk and 2 sugars, a handful of jelly sweets, popcorn, crisps like Skips or Nik Naks.

EDIT: Forgot to add: I put cheese on *everything*

I'm not the healthiest of people but I've lost 8kg over the past 6 months or so. Just learn to read the nutritional info on the backs of packets and it'll be easier to make little changes to make your diet healthier.

rubadub

naasface wrote: »

I know the food pyramid is a good guide.

Actually many would say it is not. The pyramid was developed in the US and there were strong financial interests behind it. Basically it overemphasises the need for grains, which would lead to support for the agricultural grain business.

You can actually survive with no carbohydrate at all (e.g. grains, bread, sugar) but fat and protein are essential for survival. But if you look at the low fat ad campaigns you might think fat is the devil!

EileenG

Yeah, I reckon you have to be young and active and in the whole of your health to eat according to the food pyramid. If you are overweight, pregnant, breastfeeding, older, injured or diabetic, it's a disaster for you. Too much grains and simple carbs, not nearly enough protein.

Do you realise that according to the food pyramid, you only need 45g of protein a day? And 230g of carbs? That's seriously screwy.

My typical day would be something like:

Breakfast: mushroom omlette.

Lunch: fish and vegetables, maybe some brussel sprout or other soup.

Dinner: Steak or chicken or fish, lots of vegetables.

Snacks: cottage cheese, 99% chocolate, nuts, seeds.

brianthebard

EileenG wrote: »

Yeah, I reckon you have to be young and active and in the whole of your health to eat according to the food pyramid. If you are overweight, pregnant, breastfeeding, older, injured or diabetic, it's a disaster for you. Too much grains and simple carbs, not nearly enough protein.

Do you realise that according to the food pyramid, you only need 45g of protein a day? And 230g of carbs? That's seriously screwy.

I heard a nutritionist on the radio state that is what we should be eating, in fact she thought we needed more carbs! Can't remember the name, just remember the quackery...

EileenG

Because people are made of sugar and flour.... No wait, that's gingerbread men. Human people are made from protein and fat and bone and a small amount of glycogen.

I spent years eating according to the Food pyramid, and no matter how much exercise I did, I was always fat. It wasn't until I cut back on the carbs and ate more protein, fat and veggies that I lost weight.

RacoonQueen

EileenG wrote: »

And 230g of carbs?

It's insane the emphasis a lot of people, especially of the older generation, put on carbs. You DON'T need potatoes/rice/pasta etc with every meal. :rolleyes:

My typical day:

Brekkie: Bowl of bran flakes/porridge/shredded wheat.

Lunch: Chicken salad or a roll JAMMED with chicken/ham salad and LOTS of tomato. Usually have a couple of pieces of fruit with it as well and a packet of snack a jacks if I'm feeling naughty.

Dinner: Don't always eat a 'dinner' as I train in the evenings, but it's usually a pork chop or fish with lots of veg and some potatoes(note this meal is only eaten when mum cooks for me, I get LOTS of potato but I don't eat it all :pac: ) Chicken stir fry is one of my faves too for after a run or a good protein rich omlette with LOTS of tomato.

I'd happily live on a diet of tomato.

Snacks...mostly fruit, maybe the odd biscuit or sweet(singular) I work in a hospital and we get lots of presents from patients when they go home so being good is VERY hard. Usually have a litre of water before work then drink at least two litres during the day...then some more before and after my evening run/workout. I badly need to review my diet and start keeping a diary as I don't think I eat anywhere near enough on a normal day.

El_Dangeroso

I think that nutritionist on the radio would have an embolism if she took a look at my diet today:

Breakfast: Scrambled egg with 4 egg yolks and 2 whites with double cream. Usually two slices of bacon and sausages, but this morning it shall be turkey bacon and chicken sausages

Lunch: Don't bother, still full from brekkie, maybe a few squares of green and blacks 70% or a handful of almonds or a babybell.

Dinner: Beef bourguignon made with red wine, stock, brandy, carrot, celery, butter, pearl onions, tomato paste and a bouquet garni cooked for 7 hours in my slow cooker. Topped with a dollop of creme fraiche.

Supplements: MorEPA Omega 3 fish oil and 4,000IU Vitamin D3 and a multivit.

No clue on the calories, I'm guessing about 1800 - 2000, 60% of which from saturated fat, and I've never felt better.

white apples

Brekkie: porridge, muesli & banana or fruit n fibre and a cup of tea

lunch: sambo or salad

dinner: fish and veg / salad

I've cut down on carbs recently, stopped eating them with my main meal. Intended on doing it for 2 weeks but after doing it for 2 weeks now I don't even want them with my meal, leave me feeling bloated but unsatisfied. I'd rather fill up on veg or salad. Recommend trying it as I never thought I'd be like that. Can't give up on the bread at lunch tho!

cozmik

Low-carb Diets Can Affect Dieters' Cognition Skills

ScienceDaily (Dec. 11, 2008) — A new study from the psychology department at Tufts University shows that when dieters eliminate carbohydrates from their meals, they performed more poorly on memory-based tasks than when they reduce calories, but maintain carbohydrates. When carbohydrates were reintroduced, cognition skills returned to normal.

...

"The brain needs glucose for energy and diets low in carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory, and thinking."

Journal reference:
Danci et al. Low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets. Effects on cognition and mood.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211112014.htm

El_Dangeroso

Sigh Cosmik, at least read the study before you post it.

1. The study lasted a few weeks, everyone feels a bit rough when first few weeks of a low carb diet (this is right before you become flooded with energy, sleep better and generally feel the best that you have in years), this of course would extend to cognitive ability.

2. From the article:

"But low-carb dieters responded better than low-calorie dieters in the attention-vigilance tasks.

This last result is consistent with previous studies that found people on high protein or high fat diets showed short term improvements in attention."

What? So the study has mixed results, yet they interpret that one way.

3. "The brain needs glucose for energy" lol! How can someone who hasn't even heard of gluconeogenesis call themselves a nutrition scientist?

Is there anyone else on boards that has had the exact opposite of this study happen them when they control their carbs, that is if you have enough braincells to use a computer? :pac:

EileenG

For what it's worth, I make a point of being in ketosis if I have to do a study module or an exam, as I know from experience that I do better that way. My memory is better, I can concentrate, hell, even my spelling is better.

I've got a game called "Brain Genius 2" on my mobile, it's a sort of knock-off of Brain training. I've timed myself doing various types of mental exercise on it, and I'm always faster on low carb.

As Neddas said, that study couldn't be called in depth, it looks as if the low carb women were only actually on the low carb diet for a week, which isn't nearly long enough for adaptation to any new way of eating.

cozmik

neddas wrote: »

Sigh Cosmik, at least read the study before you post it.

...

Is there anyone else on boards that has had the exact opposite of this study happen them when they control their carbs, that is if you have enough braincells to use a computer? :pac:

There are two types of sarcasm. There's playful sarcasm, and there's rude and obnoxious sarcasm. Guess which sarcasm you were using?

neddas - try to post with some maturity because your sarcasm will not help someone listen to what you actually have to say.

corkcomp

the low carb vs normal or high carb debate could go on for ever but at least the low carb approach seems to be working for the people posting pro low carb stuff and the opposite works for me, e.g. I have always found it easier to concentrate during exams after two big bowls of porridge! I like to eat big portions of food and I was to eat the same quantity of food made up of more fat and protein I would probably hit 5000Kcal / day!!
I know LOADS of people who eat low carb religiously and when they have a cheat day or finally break out they go completely over the top .. IMO someone is lot less likely to rush out and eat a couple of chocolate bars after a bowl of porridge vs scrambled egg

TerrorFirmer

My normal diet would be:

Breakfast: Huge bowl cereal (corn flakes or bran flakes) and 3 slices brown toast
Snack: A packet of tic tacs
Lunch: A chicken and cheese sandwich
snack: A bar of some description, varying from a tiny milky bar to a yorkie
dinner: something chicken based, normally without carbs other then accompanying sauce and some milk
snack: Few biscuits or crackers/few sweets

I simply can't cut out the late night snacking, it's the worst. The other snacks I eat during the day I don't mind, they're hardly killer.

g'em

cozmik wrote: »

Low-carb Diets Can Affect Dieters' Cognition Skills

Maybe I'm missing it, but the does the article actually state what it measured "low-carb" to be? Low carb can be <200g per day (which is 'low' compared to a 'normal' Western diet) or it can be sub-30g (ketogenesis inducing) carbs per day.

I agree with neddas here, there are definitely a lot of mixed messages, lots of holes and no really conclusive answers in the study.

EileenG

Each to their own. What I do find is that on low carb, I eat at least twice as much veg as I do when I'm eating carbs. I probably eat about the same amount of meat or fish, but I really fill the plate up with all sorts of vegetables that I'd never have even considered eating while I was also eating rice and pasta.

Today, for instance, I have already eaten big portions of fennel, black brussel sprout tops, mushrooms and garlic scallions, and I've got some baby spinach ready to go.

El_Dangeroso

cozmik wrote: »

There are two types of sarcasm. There's playful sarcasm, and there's rude and obnoxious sarcasm. Guess which sarcasm you were using?

neddas - try to post with some maturity because your sarcasm will not help someone listen to what you actually have to say.

Ah Cosmik, you know I'm just teasing, my sarcasm was intended to be playful, I regret it didn't come across that way.

But c'mon, you completely hijacked that thread with that study. I've never said that there is a one size fit's all approach. You take umbridge if I dare mention that composing your diet mostly of carbs is unhealthy in the long run (which I haven't said for aaages, I'm trying to be less militant lol!) but you think it's ok to completely rubbish my way of eating with no context whatsoever..

naasface

thanks for the replies exactly what im looking for. you know when u have those days where u feel like ur eating waaaay more than the average person? this has put me at ease .