Diets? Help!!

[Digital Becca]

Maybe there's some health buffs on here, cuz I'm sure not one...My food intake has been McDonalds, Burger King, and all sorts of Junk Food.

I feel like a whale...well, my bf disagree's, but I'm not happy with how I look. So I read up some stuff, and made a diet. This is hard for me, trying to choose things I might like, and hopefully make it less than what I currently eat.

My calculations are that I need to eat around 2100 calories a day. If anyone knows much about diets and such, advice would be appreciated. And I will be drinking at least 1 gallon of water and 1 glass of milk a day.

Breakfast – 9am

2x egg = 180
1 Glass of 2% milk = 120
1 cup oatmeal = 100
1 Banana = 200

= 600

Lunch – 12pm

Chunky Soup = 280
1 ham and cheese sandwich = 352
1 Apple = 65

= 697

Snack – 3pm

1 cup carrots = 52
4 Celery sticks = 64

= 116

Supper – 6pm

Chicken Breast (Skinless) 6 oz = 187
1 cup medium brown rice = 218
1 cup cooked green beans = 44
1 tsp Margarine = 60

=509

Snack – 8pm

1 Nectarine = 60
1 Yogurt = 100

= 160

Total: 2082  

[Ska Hippie]

I've done a little studying on the subject..
Sorry if I'm not about to be much help lol, but this is what I've come to know..

Eat healthy food, don't eat more than you need to fill you up, & feel free to sneak in a little sanity treat every now & then.
Get some exercise (walk an hour a day, 3 days a week kind of thing).
Get enough sleep.
Worry more about health than appearance ~ You'll thank yourself for it.

I personally don't see the sense in counting calories, or going on any sort of restricted diet like that (ex: carbs, etc)
One year, "professionals" are saying to count calories; the next year, you should count carbs.
After a few years, you realize nobody has a clue because everyone's body is different.
Everything is good for you, just as everything is bad for you ~ Moderation is key
3nodding

[/rambling]
4laugh

 

[Vivid Fizz]

It really is all about moderation and exercise. You should be able to eat anything that you want if you watch your portions and do some sort of physical activity.

When I had a desk job, before I learned of my deployment, I did a lot of calisthenics and wore leg weights everywhere beneath my pants. I also ate at McDonalds everyday but opted for their salads, wraps, and yogurts over the burgers, chicken nuggets, and fries. I also switched my sodas out for water. It was a great way to maintain my weight loss.

However, when I was first loosing weight to get in the military I ran three times a day and cut sugars and white flour from my diet entirely. I wouldn’t pair certain foods together either, like meats and carbohydrates, and I drank a lot of water. Fruit became a major part of my diet then as did yogurt and through that I lost my first 20lbs in the first month of my dieting.  

[Digital Becca]

I've tried so many things though...When I'm home I usually eat mircowave foods, and sometimes junk food...

You think if I cut out the really bad stuff I'll lose weight? Heart problems run in my family, and I'm techniquelly obese as it is...so this is about my own health. I need to lose at least 100lbs...

The bad things, well:

I drink at least 2L of pop a day
We order pizza every other day
I eat McDonalds/Fast food every other day, especially if I work a 9 hour shift

I have a feeling that if I cut out those things I might start losing weight.  

[Madame_Fluffy]

I saw this show on TLC - a show called 'I can make you thin!' And watching the show, you think 'Nah, this'll never work, it's way too easy'. But trust me, it actually does work (I lost about 2 pounds after the first week by following the steps he gave).

He names four key things that'll guarentee to help you lose weight if you keep them in mind.

1 - when you're hungry, eat (if you're hungry and you try to ignore the hunger pains, when you finally do eat, you'll binge - meaning you'll eat far too fast and far too much than you really should be).

2 - eat what you want (denying yourself things you like to eat only makes you want to eat them more, until it's the only thing on your mind and you - again - end up binging. So, if you have a craving for something, eat that - but have it in smaller portions).

3 - be conscious of what you eat (chew your food slowly, and savor the food. It usually takes about 20 minutes for your body to tell you it's full; so by taking your time and chewing each bite at least 20 times a piece, your stomach gets a chance to feel full).

4 - when you're full, stop. (by eating slowly, your stomach gets a chance to tell you it's full. When you find you feel even a little full - as in, that earlier need to eat has passed - stop. If you have food left over, put it away for later.

He also suggested at least 15 minutes of cardio a day - which you can get by simply walking. smile  

[Digital Becca]

This is very helpful. Thank you.  

[Angel Of Sol]

I have been over weight my whole life. I am smaller now then I was in high school. I found eating 3 healthy meals a day and 2 or 3 healthly snacks in between meals helped. Also, drinking plenty of water too. Walking is great exercise as well. I would like to lose another 100 lbs also, specially before April 2009. I am going to be a bridesmaid at my brothers wedding. Also, losing weight slowly, like 1 - 2 lbs a week stays off better and longer then the quick fix diets. Just something to keep in mind.  

[Sarah_Jones69]

No fast food....thats all I gotta say.  

[ThisEmptySoul]

Coming from a guy, I'm not sure how much this advice will mean to you but I'll offer it anyway.

If you have time, go on walks. It's hard to get motivated to do so, I know. But if you can convince a friend and/or your mate to go with you, then it won't seem like so much of a chore.

Pay attention to your surroundings and make notes of how far stores, work, and restaurants are to you. If they are a mile or less away, just walk. Depending on how fast you walk, you might be able to make it to a place 1 mile away in about 20 minutes without straining yourself.

The diet you have written there seems like it would be hard to follow and maintain over an extended period of time, especially if you're eating the same foods everyday. If your diet is something you can't maintain, then it will not work very well. It is better to continue eating the foods you like, but take the time to enjoy them by chewing more and eating slowly.

Cutting out the fast food would certainly be a big help. I have no idea what they really make that stuff out of, but it has a lot more fat, sugar, and calorie content than the same dishes would if you made them at home. Not to say you have to stop eating fast food altogether, but you will have to eat out a lot less often than every other day if you're serious about losing weight.

If you're going to eat salad, do not eat the McDonald's salad. That isn't even a salad and it's not going to fill you. A salad would be a large dinner plate piled with vegetables. This could actually be so filling you can't finish it, and yet have less calories than what someone would usually consider a "filling" meal. Adding chick peas will give you the protein you want if that's a concern of yours (and will also make it more filling without adding much fat).

Also, unless you prefer the taste of margarine, I would suggest using butter. Margarine usually has trans-fat which is worse for your health than the saturated fat in butter.  

[Kylsum Hikaru]

every oen hear is saying watch what you eat...to tell the truth its not really that acurate....all you have to do is burn the cals.. that you take in...i am a martial arts student i burn alot of cals doing my practices...i have to be able to run a mile a day...but i can easly do that....and guess what i have the same diet plan buger king mc donalds...i just burn off every thing i eat....you know your one step ahead of the game...you know what cals. your taking in...so now you know how much you have to burn....do alot of cardeo exercise that burns tons of fats and keeps you in a lean sexy body...now by no means am i a meat head but i am fit....it doesnt matter what you eat...it really doesnt.....what matters is how you burn it off  

[AvilesC]

truthfully most diets are bull. the fact is your body can take in whatever you whant as long as you moderate yourself. dont eat only junk food basicly. try and get as much healthy food as possible. also dont assume healthy food is only steamed rice and brocly. alot of food that suposidly isnt good for you actualy is not to bad for you. the key is excersize. as long as your doing excersize preporsional to what your eating then your fine. also back to the food DONT EAT ONLY JUNK. just because your body looks good dont meen your body is healthy. always keep in mind your health befor your looks.  

[0Brutal-Beauty0]

There is a FREE weight-loss site called sparkpeople.com. I lost 20 pounds on their program. All you need to do is eat food that is good for you and exersize. They'll help you figure everything out, I PROMISE!! Plus they have forums too, all people trying to reach a weight goal. It works. Hands down. xd And good luck!!  

[Taxi Mama]

Your sample diet is fine, but you'll need to vary it or it'll be boring & oppressive. Counting calories is fine, but the bulkier stuff (vegetables & whole grains) will keep you full & satisfied longer. Don't forget to take a multivitamin and extra vitamin C, so your restricted intake doesn't hurt your health!

Friends can really help, especially if you're living with somebody who's gonna eat the stuff you shouldn't. One who will go on walks with you, one who will take a midnight phone call, and one who will bring you a vegetable plate when you're trapped at home with 3 pizzas. Even on-line buddies can give you a "go girl" or "shame shame" as needed!

If you have some money to spend on this effort, you could join Curves; it's keeping me on track because it's fun, easy, and full of ladies who "get it". I was on Weight Watcher for a couple of years, but I hated their scale obsession. Curves is more about being strong and healthy; when you want to know your fat %, they'll calculate it for you, but it's private and never the focus.

GOOD LUCK!!!  

[otakuskater]

make portions of the food you'll eat. no appetizers. drink a glass of water or two before you eat.

main menu: a baked potato or a piece of bread, a cup of boiled vegetables, a slice of meat or fish fillet

dessert/snacks: a glass of sherbet *fruit shakes made using blender* or slices of fruits

as for exercise, do you have a favorite sport that you play during PE class? if you do, continue it as an exercise when you get home.

check your weight every week. by the time you loose weight or your weight meet your normal goal *meaning the average weight depends on your height* maintain it by continuing these steps religiously. if you want to go back to your favorite foods, for example a bag of junk food, do not consume the whole of it. just eat portions as well.

if you also have a family doctor, you can also seek advice. he/she can tell the differences between a healthy diet and crash diet. healthy diet gives you energy, but crash diet can make you weak.

good luck, have fun, enjoy!

sources: medical book *that my pa kept in his library*, family doctor and skating friends.  

[Lady_Niqui]

Alot of the advice youre getting here is pretty good. I'm not the biggest fan of exercise myself but I do want to be healthy so since I live about 15 mins walk from work I walk to work everyday, saves some gas too. I cut soda out of my diet but you might not want to go cold turkey if you drink alot of soda. My dad is addicted to pepsi, he cant go 3 days w/o it or he gets these massive migranes probably b/c of sugar and/or caffiene. So try lessening the amount over time. Another thing you can do is set your kitchen up for quick and easy cooking. Pre-chop your vegetables for example and store them in sandwich bags so you can just grab when youre making something to eat. There's tons of tips about quick meals online if you dont have time or ideas on what you could do.
Another thing is keep healthier snacks nearby. Like trail mix that has peanuts, raisins, and m&ms or dried fruit in it. That's how I keep my bottomless pit of a husband from eating all the groceries in a week. sweatdrop I have 3 snack jars on the counter just for him.
And another thing you could do is get your boyfriend involved smile Do something fun like going for a walk, rollerblading, riding a bike or even dancing. The more you enjoy it the more likely you'll stick with it and you even get the perk of spending time together.
Final suggestion, (never tried this one but I've heard it works) write down everything you eat for a week. Not only will this make you think about what youre putting in your mouth but how much.