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For DMarie and other healthy eaters - healthy eating part deux
So I'm working on losing weight. A lot of it. 50 lbs by the time I'm done. I'm down 14 pounds now in about 5-6 weeks which I know is great progress but I really want to keep it up and ensure I am more on the high end of the 2 pound a week, really see if I can get it closer to 3 pounds.
I work out now 5 days a week - two days with a trainer (60 min), one day kickboxing (60 min), one day zumba (60 min) and one day HIIT on the treadmill (30 min)
I eat generally the same amount of calories but only really track them 2 or so times a week and it generally is 1350 - 1400 calories. I really want to eat super healthy though. I know that the better I eat the better I feel but I don't know a ton about nutrition beyond the 101 stuff. So here's a general outline, let me know if you have suggestions for improvement - my trainer has encouraged me to do the whole 6 meal a day thing and says I need to eat as early as possible so I wake up at like 6:45 but don't eat breakfast until 7:45. Each "meal" is like 150-250 cal
Meal 1 - one egg, reduced fat cheedar cheese, turkey sausage, english muffin
Meal 2 - blueberry greek yogurt
Meal 3 - half a grilled chicken breast marinated in jerk sauce, baby carrots or grape tomatoes
Meal 4 - chocolate protein bar (pure protein - very low in sugar, like 2 g)
Meal 5 (before workout)- this is the only thing that really varies - steak, fish, shrimp or spaghetti w/ meatballs with a vegetable
Meal 6 (post workout)- some kind of fruit- pineapple, melon, strawberries
I also allow myself one square of 86% dark chocolate a day - 60 cal, 6 g fat, 1 g sugar
Any tweaks to make it healthier? Lose weight faster?
Re: For DMarie and other healthy eaters - healthy eating part deux
Meals 1, 2, 3 look good
Meal 4, why a protein bar? Maybe substitute with a cleaner protein option? Almonds, hummus and veggies, etc.
Meal 5 looks fine
Meal 6 instead of fruit I would do something with protein. Your muscles need protein to build and repair.
Your diet (or least what you wrote) looks a little light on veggies. Maybe add tomatoes or spinach to meal 1.
Also, you are doing great with losing weight but remember that this is a lifestyle change. People who drop weight really quickly often gain it back faster than those who lose weight slowly. A very rigid diet/exercise plan can be hard to maintain.
3/12 5 mi -- 49:22 Pace: 9:52
5/1 Half Marathon -- 2:11:22 Pace: 10:01
5/22 10k -- 56:29 Pace: 9:00
5/24 3.6 -- 29:03 Pace: 8:18
7/10 15k -- 1:44:46 injured Pace: 11:14
10/29 5k -- 28:24 Pace: 9:04
You have already lost nearly 30% of your 50 lb goal.....so losing 3 lb per week going forward from this point is very aggressive. A more realistic goal is 1-2 lbs per week and I would bet your personal trainer would back me up on this.
And kudos to you for losing what you have so far and being proactive about your health.
I would only recommend losing 1-2 pounds a week.
As for your meals, I am more of a "clean eater." I prefer non-processed foods. I eat a ton of veggies!
In the morning, I eat oatmeal with almonds, flax seeds, cinnamon and almond's milk. I will also eat a chobani yogurt cup, too.
After that, I generally eat fruit as a snack half-way through the morning. I eat organic, locally grown fruits that include, strawberries, blueberry, raspberries, black berries, pears, kiwi, persimmons,grapes etc... I vary them so I am not eating the same thing day after day.
For lunch, I would something like a mixed green salad with walnuts, goat cheese, red wine vinegarette dressing, with dried cranberries, flax seeds, almonds, bell peppers, brocolli, kale, rainbow chard.
Afternoon snack: I eat almond (or cashew) butter bread with a pear, persimmon, carrots or something like that. Non-processed trail mixes.
Dinner: I have this amazing veggie, gluten-free pizza recipe that if fabulous. I add goat cheese or whatever veggies/fruits I want!
I try to limit my "animal ingredients" though. And I stay away from GMO foods, too.
My main staples are veggies, nuts/seeds, and fruits.
They see us rollin'...they be hatin'.
No, definitely don't cut out the fruit. Maybe do the almonds with some fruit for meal 4 and then put the protein heavy meal instead of the fruit.
I wouldn't do an egg because then that is 2 eggs a day which is a lot for your cholestorol. Do you like hummus or chick peas? Chocolate milk?
3/12 5 mi -- 49:22 Pace: 9:52
5/1 Half Marathon -- 2:11:22 Pace: 10:01
5/22 10k -- 56:29 Pace: 9:00
5/24 3.6 -- 29:03 Pace: 8:18
7/10 15k -- 1:44:46 injured Pace: 11:14
10/29 5k -- 28:24 Pace: 9:04
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
For me, I just focus on eating lots of veggies, lean protein, and fiber. The fiber + protein is the best combo I've found for staying full (I'm one of those people who is hungry all.the.time)! I opt for whole-wheat versions of carbs whenever possible and usually double the veggies in whatever recipes that I make for dinner. I looooooooove cheese, so I use a lot of cheese in my cooking, but I go for 2% cheese and skim milk whenever possible. I make cream sauces with milk + flour instead of heavy cream. I don't eat out very frequently. Very little in the way of processed foods--no Hamburger Helper or frozen dinners here!
It strikes me as odd that your heaviest meal is right before your workout--that would make me sick! But if it works for you, go for it. Personally, I'd eat a high-protein snack before the workout (hummus with veggies, nuts, greek yogurt, apples or celery + peanut butter, etc.) and the meal afterwards.
Your meal 1 is identical to my daily breakfast.
They see us rollin'...they be hatin'.
I try not to eat a very large portion before I work out but it's the one meal I try to make like an "actual meal" because it's when my son and I sit down to eat.
Oh, and I don't know if you remember this but I posted something about my diet back when I first joined the board and that I wasn't eating breakfast and you recommended this so I've been eating it ever since!
I think more protein after your workout.
The meal pre-workout is kind of heavy. I'd do a complex carb and a piece of fruit maybe. Like a piece of whole wheat toast with all natural pb and half of a banana. That way you have plenty of energy but you aren't weighed down.
Great job on your weight loss!
Sorry to sound dense but what is a complex carb? I don't like pb or bananas...
Sorry to sound dense but what is a complex carb? I don't like pb or bananas...
Oh sorry! Just something that is whole wheat/whole grain basically not white. 100% whole wheat bread is an example.
What about something like 1/2 of a whole wheat bagel thin with a thin spread of cream cheese and strawberries?
Good job on the weight loss!
Your plan looks pretty good. My advice is to add veggies wherever you can. Sneak them into any sauces, snack on them between meals, sneak spinach into smoothies. I love to slow roast veggies in the oven (onions, peppers, mushrooms) in balsamic vinegar, olive oil and spices. I eat that with hummus on a whole grain wrap or whole grain bread. It is delicious, filling and you can seriously get 3-4 servings of veggies in easily because they shrink down so much from roasting.
I also love smoothies. My favorite is almond milk, frozen mixed berries a fresh banana and scoop of peanut butter or a little protein powder ( I use a vegan protein powder that tastes so good). It also make for a very portable snack or light breakfast.
You'll get into a routine and it will get much easier.
I eat Paleo for the most part. Basically all I eat is veggies, a little bit of fruit, meat and eggs. I eat 5 meals a day, and each meal I have 1 serving of lean meat (or eggs) and at least a cup of veggies.
It's DEFINITELY not the answer for everyone!! Haha. I feel great, and I have been losing weight. I stick to it about 90% of the time. It's something that I feel like I can maintain for the most part.
BUT Regarding what YOU are eating, it looks like maybe you should be eating MORE. 1300-1400 doesn't seem like enough with all of the exercise you are doing.
On days where you do a lot of work with resistance definitely try getting some good healthy protein within 1-2 hours of your workout.