clean up my diet

christina_x

I'm looking to improve my diet and become healthier....and lose weight :-P. I've joined the gym, but think my diet has to be looked at. An example of my daily diet is:

Breakfast: apple, banana and natural yoghurt/ mullar rice

Lunch: mixed veg and aromat, small soup and an apple

Evening: 2 slices of brown toast and flora

you seem to be afraid of food.

Breakfast: Eggs. Or Greek Yoghurt & berries. Or some salmon. Or some mackerel
Lunch: A load of vegetables or a fresh salad. Healthy portion of meat
Dinner: Eat more of the same as Lunch.

You need to eat to lose weight. It seems weird but you really do. If you're under-eating (Which you clearly are), you will have no energy to do anything and your body will simply go into self-preservation mode.

Eat enough real food to keep you satisfied. Do some exercise. Sleep well.

Be patient with your progress. A long straight path is an easier journey (though longer) than a windy clifftop.

hollypink

OP, I was logged into myfitnesspal when I read your post so out of curiosity, I entered your daily food example into it and it gave me 687 calories :eek: That may not be entirely accurate because I don't know what kind of yogurt or soup you're having but nonetheless, it shows you are eating way too little. Are you not ravenous all the time?

This post might be useful to summarise what to eat (I wouldn't get too hung up on the 5-6 meals bit but apart from that). The whole thread is here If you use myfitnesspal.com to track your food, it will calculate your daily calorie needs according to your goal (I guarantee it will be higher than 700 calories!).

christina_x

Thanks guys. Yeah see I feel like I'm gaining weight rapidly, and I get scared and frustrated because I'm being pretty strict with myself.

I will have a look at the link that was left. And with breakfast I eat in work as I'm a student nurse, so we generally don't eat breakfast until 9, and then I'm limited to what I can make for breakfast, you know?

An I lacking in anything nutrition wise or eating too much of the wrong thing?

Stench Blossoms

christina_x wrote: »

I will have a look at the link that was left. And with breakfast I eat in work as I'm a student nurse, so we generally don't eat breakfast until 9, and then I'm limited to what I can make for breakfast, you know?

Eat something before you go to work? Or bring something with you?

thegreatiam

christina_x wrote: »

Thanks guys. Yeah see I feel like I'm gaining weight rapidly, and I get scared and frustrated because I'm being pretty strict with myself.

I will have a look at the link that was left. And with breakfast I eat in work as I'm a student nurse, so we generally don't eat breakfast until 9, and then I'm limited to what I can make for breakfast, you know?

An I lacking in anything nutrition wise or eating too much of the wrong thing?

Are you gaining weight on the diet you posted? or is that diet recent?

If you have a limited amount of time then prepare your food. You can make a 'egg bake' which will last a few days in the fridge and can be warmed up in the microwave or eaten cold, so its good for busy people.

Cook minced chicken/turkey/beef or pork with onions and peppers
And some diced chicken breast/bacon (your choice)
take off heat and move to a bowl
Add spinach or cabbage
add any herbs you fancy
whisk 6-18 eggs. (depends on how many days or how big you want it, i mix 18 eggs and it does me for around 10 portions)
put the eggs into a casserole dish add the other ingredients bake until the egg is firm all the way through.

Let it cool and slice into portions, place in the fridge it'll be good for a good few days.

It's also 100% flexible, you cant really mess it it up. add chilli, cheese, different veg, more or less meat etc what ever you have in the house.

Pop a slice in a tupaware in the morning and microwave it when you get to eat, or eat it cold

It has a good balance of protein, fat and carbs for breakfast and a lot of vitamins and iron (spinach) so you won't feel tired. If you feel it needs more of something else then simply add it.

christina_x wrote: »

An I lacking in anything nutrition wise or eating too much of the wrong thing?

Yes, your lacking almost everything.

You need a balanced diet which you don't have youre eating almost 100% carbs, your dinner is basically nothing. there is almost no nutritional value in bread
Your breakfast is basically sugar, which is why you feel hungry and tired a few hours later and your lunch is too. you need some protein and fats.

Aim to get a portion ( at least the size of your hand) of meat or fish in every meal, this will help keep you full. Aim to eat 2 veggies with every meal, this will give you energy and vitamins to keep you functioning.

If you get hungry on the go, you are probably working long hours, you can snack on a small handful of nuts, a piece of fruit or any vegetables. Carrot sticks in the workstation for eg.
If youre going to the gym that day have an extra banana or apple about an hour before.

As far as any one type of food you should or should not eat there is none. just dont eat too much of any one thing, aim for a mixture/balance.
try to eat natural food, not processed. if its made in a factory then its probably bad for you or contains something that is or they have taken something out of it. read the box, more than 5 or 6 ingredients, or just a bunch of letters and numbers put it back.
Eat fresh fruit and veg and real cuts of meat from a butcher

the world wonders

christina_x wrote: »

Yeah see I feel like I'm gaining weight rapidly, and I get scared and frustrated because I'm being pretty strict with myself.

christina_x wrote: »

...687 calories...

You have a serious life-threatening illness and you should see a GP as soon as possible.

christina_x

the world wonders wrote: »

You have a serious life-threatening illness and you should see a GP as soon as possible.

Thanks for your concern, but I am pleased to say I do not suffer from anorexia nervosa. I am a size 12, no lanugo, no ammenhorea, I am not near a BMI of 18, nor do I have a distorted body image. I meet no criteria for the DSM, so I can confidently say that I do not suffer from a serious mental illness. Not that I came here for a comment here on my mental state anyhow.

For the helpful replies, thanks guys I will make changes and have been reading threads. Today I had/will have:

Breakfast: porrage and a banana
Lunch: salad with iceberg lettuce, red peppers, sweet corn, spring onion and some thousand island dressing, and a kiwi

Dinner: cod and mixed veg

Snack: I was bold and grabbed a biscuit on the run

hollypink

christina_x wrote: »

For the helpful replies, thanks guys I will make changes and have been reading threads. Today I had/will have:

Breakfast: porrage and a banana
Lunch: salad with iceberg lettuce, red peppers, sweet corn, spring onion and some thousand island dressing, and a kiwi

Dinner: cod and mixed veg

Snack: I was bold and grabbed a biscuit on the run

If you found some of the replies helpful, why are you still eating so little? That lunch in particular is miniscule with no protein or healthy fats.

listermint

hollypink wrote: »

If you found some of the replies helpful, why are you still eating so little? That lunch in particular is miniscule with no protein or healthy fats.

Yeah try some Salmon or Tuna in the Salad, or turkey if you dont like fish.

If you don't eat enough food you will not lose weight.

See post #2

If you don't eat enough food, you will get sick.

See post #2

If you don't eat enough food you will have no energy for any form of exercise.

See post #2.

Seriously, seriously, seriously. Eat more, a lot lot more. If you are eating less than 1200 kcals a day as a student nurse (on your feet for much of the day I imagine) you are far far below a safe level. Your "day" had no more than 900 cals unless your portion sizing was massive.

Eat more good food and be satisfied, nourished, healthy and you will lose weight in a gradual and safe manner.