Changing Diet? Help?

Hey all,

Just looking to see if anyone can offer some advice here. Pretty much, I've been going to the gym for the last four or five weeks now, and I know that if I want to really accomplish anything, I'm gonna have to change my diet.

Thing is.. I really like my food, and I've no will power at all.


I don't have any kind of eating routine at all. I eat anything and everything and tend to eat a lot of sweets, etc. during the day, more-so out of boredom than anything else.


So anyway, as someone who eats a lot of crap food, my original plan was to try and switch over slowly from sweets and stuff and instead start eating more fruits (mostly bananas and apples). Dunno how effective it'd be though.



Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone out there has been in similar position (I assume most have?) and if so, what diid you do to change over to a better, healthier diet?


I know a few people whose plan was to just wake up one day and give it up altogether, but such people usually give up after two or three days, so I thought I'd just post on here and hear from other people who might actually have a proper diet and see what worked for you and what backfired on you, etc.


So yeah.. any advice appreciated.



Thanks

EileenG

For me, it's easier to go cold turkey than to try to do a gradual switchover. Have a major clean out, dump all the sweets, biscuits and other junk in the house (or give to some local kids) and do a major shop for stuff that you like but which will help you meet your goals.

If you have sweets in the house, you'll eat them. It's not even about will power, it's just one of those things.

If you are used to eating out of boredom, it might be worth stocking up on some chewing gum while you are improving your diet.

Start planning meals. Eat breakfast, and get up ten minutes earlier to make eggs or porridge or something similar. Toast is not a good brekkie, you need some protein to start the day.

Something like fish and salad is an easy lunch. Just open a tin and buy a bag of washed greens.

Steak, chicken, fish and lots of veggies at dinner. Some rice or potatoes are optional, but should not be the basis of your meal.

Things like nuts, seeds, cottage cheese, yogurt, fruit are good snacks. Don't go overboard on fruit. Bananas tend to run to about 100 calories each, so half a dozen bananas in a day can send your cals higher than you expect. At the moment, the shops are full of strawberries and other berries which are a fraction of the calories, and taste much better.

shooterMac

Frozen fruit is cheap at aldi/lidil and makes a great snack or smoothy.
My smoothy is just frozen fruit, water and a spoon of peanut butter(optional).

Load up on the greens/veg, peas,broccoli etc, practically no cals and great for fillers I replaced potatoes with the veg.

Lunch for me is brown bread + turkey, onions and lettus, no mayo/butter.

Do not drink fizzy drinks or fruit juice as they tend to be nothing but sugar.
(try the shake above instead)
Forget diet fizzy drinks with food also they can really pack on the cals when mixed with carbs (something about fooling your brain into producing stuff

look it up). Although I hear they are fine in moderation, just not with food.
-try water instead.

I don't eat many potatoes anymore either (personal choice).

Stay off potatoe wedges and as much convinience food as possible.

Try not to buy breaded chicken etc, those breadcrumbs + binding agent is a real fat magnet.

I have problems with all the above at weekends when drink is involved but I don't punish myself about a moment of weakness.

Just be more aware of what's going in and dont eat for the sake of it.

It does take time to get used to.

Hope this helps.

Zamboni

Weekly shopping tip.

There are only three main food aisles in a supermarket.

Fresh vegetables
Meat
Frozen Vegetables

These are the aisles where your trolley should be 90% loaded.

OP the best thing to do is get a photo of someone you want to look like. Eat what you want for a day, go to the gym, remember the photo and try and run for 30 minutes, lift heavy whatever tickles your fancy - work your butt off.

Then when you go back into the changing room, ask yourself how you did and where you want to get, take your top off, look in the mirror and if you're happy with what you see then great - if not (which would be the case I presume otherwise you won't be posting here), it really should give you the motivation to get yourself sorted out.

I'm a grump at the moment and probably will be until I get myself back into the shape I was in before I went off travelling for the year - I've gained FAT and my fitness has gone to sh*t. Not a good place to be. I've got sports I play and hobbies I do back home that can put my ass right back in it's place if i get too big for my boots but I won't, because I'm not happy with myself right now - this is what spurs me on and should do the same for you too if you have the desire which I think you do but just don't know it yet.

I'm home on wednesday, I'll probably join a gym thursday (or wednesday depending when my flight gets in from China) and I'll work out. I'll be disgusted, I know I will be. It's just waiting to happen. Kick in the ass for me = I'll be even more pis*ed off = spur me on yet again.

Then I have football training that week also, new team, haven't played in over a year casually with my mates and haven't played competitively (for a league, in a team) in 7 years when I was 17 - I'm going to get my ass handed to me. Literally. I'm hoping there will be a few lads I can be fitter than - I doubted though, there a very good level and have been pre training for the last few weeks and they won their league this year so they're a good team - Prob won't get near first team until ... who knows. = That will spur me on.

Then I have Krav Maga training to go to, the guys I were training with have all been training since (I assume) - I'm joining the same level I was at before (covering all sorts of moves really) and I haven't sparred/punched things/practiced high kicks whatever in a year so I'm going to get my ass kicked - literally by guys technically better than me.

Don't even get me started on mountain biking in Wicklow - I'm heavy so I suck up hill and I mountain bike with a mate who is not much more than 5'8, about 9/10 stone and is light and nimble on his feet - and flys up hills either cycling or running - I'm 4/5 stone heavier and it's tough training with him.

The only thing I can kick ass in at the moment is Skiing (2 months in NZ) and guess what - no skiing in Ireland so I'm going to be grumpy all the time in my sports and hobbies for the forseeable future.

I'm rambling now - my point is this, you need something to motivate you to get your ass in shape before you fall off the wagon completely. If you were a Siberian Husky, I'd use food treats - but you're a human so you need to find that inspiration, something that will fuel your passion to get in shape. If you have a purpose and a passion for being in shape, it's easier to attain.

Think about this for a second - I told you already I'm grumpy, how bad am I going to be when I start doing all my sports and activities and am knackered and not doing well in them ? I'm going to be on a rampage because they're a huge part of my life and I suck at them. Do you think I'm going to go home when I'm that annoyed and eat junk because I already SUCK at things I'm normally good at ??? HELL NO.

Learn from this - do something about it. The only way is up for you - just focus and do it.

Thanks for the replies and advice guys.

I'll start taking note of what I eat from now on and see if I can turn things around. Entrepreneur, hopefully things will get back on track for you. You seem to live an extremely busy/healthy life.

Hey no problem, not extremely busy - try to be healthy - just time management really.

I'm starting a business when I'm home which will be sucking my time also but I'll still fit everything in - not to mention mates etc. Just plan it well, you'll be alright. USe the picture thing, it works...