Diet advice?

Wanderer2010

Hi people, Im trying to lose about 2.5 to 3 stone to reach my ideal weight and I have taken up walking about 3-4 times a week briskly at about 30 minutes a time to increase my activity. My diet isnt the best though but Im not great with cooking etc. Most of my excess weight is on my belly and chest. Im 33, male, 6ft 2 and pushing 18stone. I get terrible cravings for Coke, bread and crisps though so going cold turkey isnt an option now. Just looking for a bit of advice regarding new foods to try or food to substitute what I eat, heres a typical weekday:
Breakfast: Bran flakes and 2 slices brown toast with cheese spread
Mid Morning: Bowl of porridge, Apple juice
Lunch: Brown bread sandwich, either chicken or ham and cheese in it, some crisps, coke.
Dinner: Plate of sandwiches (brown!) with ham, crisps, water. (Or Pizza)
Snacks: Hunky Dory crisps, Galaxy.

Weekend:
Breakfast: Yoghurt
Lunch: Sausages, Bacon, Bread with cheese, Coke and packet crisps.
Dinner: Same as lunch mostly with chocolate as snacks.

My job is sedentary so I dont get much activity during the week, any advise regarding improving my health as currently i have very powerful cravings for white carbs and particularly Coke every day?

ck83

The main thing that strikes me is the bread! You could cut down on that a lot. And your portion sizes... Do you weigh out your porridge, cereal etc?
A plate of sandwiches for dinner is probably not the best idea... You'd find a stir fry with rice or an omlette something a bit more filling.
Obviously you could try substituting some of the crisps and chocolate with healthy options like fruit. Or you could swap the hunky dorys for walkers baked, or snax.
And the coke... The only way is cold turkey!

tmc86

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

I get terrible cravings for Coke, bread and crisps though so going cold turkey isnt an option now.

My job is sedentary so I dont get much activity during the week, any advise regarding improving my health as currently i have very powerful cravings for white carbs and particularly Coke every day?

I'm sorry but I'm going to be blunt here and say that you're going to have a problem if you won't tackle the coke, bread and crisps. Judging by your diet these are the three things that are contributing most to your weight.

You always have a choice and if you are committed to losing the weight you'll have to manage these cravings and cut down significantly on those 3 things.

I understand it's easier said than done but if you gave yourself a week or two of replacing these with healthier and higher protein foods I think the cravings will go. If cold turkey is too difficult just gradually reduce your intake of them. It's prob the sugar from the coke that you're craving but these will go once you cut out the coke.

Also I think you're eating too much for the exercise you're doing. If you cut down on your meal sizes and especially the bread then you will see a change. You should be eating a calorie deficit to lose the weight.

In the stickies there are details on working Out your calorie needs etc so take a look and see what works for you.

Also in relation to food substitutes you could snack on fruit and nuts instead of choc and crisps. Eat lots of veg and protein in your meals such as chicken, fish, red meat etc limit your white carbs like pasta and bread and you could replace with brown rice, Cous Cous etc

Best of luck!

ck83

You also probably don't need two full breakfasts. You could replace one of those with a yoghurt or done fruit.