Need some diet advice

[Saad290]

Hi guys,

I need some help:

I've started going to the gym again, but what I can't get right is what I eat every day. I really have no meal plan and I just eat whatever I can get but I eat less now. I've added apples and almonds into my diet but whenever I get hungry, I just can't feel full without eating properly. Whenever I eat more than normal, though, it results in my weight being increased.

So, can you guys please tell me what I should do about this?

What are foods that I can eat as much of as I want and it wouldn't affect my weight negatively?

Are fruits like apples and cantaloupe good to add into my diet daily and can I rely on them to eat as much as I want whenever I get hungry?

Thanks.

[Tucane]

If you want to lose weight, you can't eat too much of any food. It might be physically hard to overeat on something like apples, but too many of them will hinder your weight loss. Everything you eat in a day will add up... and most people aren't aware of how much they actually put into their mouths.

Accept the fact that it is uncomfortable to lose fat, you will feel hungry or uneasy/restless at times... that's the nature of it.

You should read the sticky threads on nutrition.

[InfiniteTricks]

Hi guys,

I need some help:

I've started going to the gym again, but what I can't get right is what I eat every day. I really have no meal plan and I just eat whatever I can get but I eat less now. I've added apples and almonds into my diet but whenever I get hungry, I just can't feel full without eating properly. Whenever I eat more than normal, though, it results in my weight being increased.

So, can you guys please tell me what I should do about this?

What are foods that I can eat as much of as I want and it wouldn't affect my weight negatively?

Are fruits like apples and cantaloupe good to add into my diet daily and can I rely on them to eat as much as I want whenever I get hungry?

Thanks.

When I cook at home the meals I end up making feel like too much sometimes. ~280g of chicken breast, a cup of brown rice, and a serving or two of broccoli will fill me up pretty well. That all only comes out to around 500 calories or just under. (CORRECTION: 621cals according to MFP with some cheddar for the broccoli)

For variety I'll most likely just be switching up the protein/carbs and adding fats here and there, I'm not the most creative cook so keeping it simple.

When you mention you can't feel full without "eating properly", what is "eating properly" to you?

[Ukiyo3k]

When I cook ~260g of chicken breast, a cup of brown rice, and a serving or two of broccoli comes out to around 500 calories or just under.

No it doesn't.

[MeadxHole]

No it doesn't.

Not too far off?

[Y2ok]

When I cook at home the meals I end up making feel like too much sometimes. ~260g of chicken breast, a cup of brown rice, and a serving or two of broccoli will fill me up pretty well. That all only comes out to around 500 calories or just under.

I would say that's more like 700 calories instead of 500. Isn't it?

[InfiniteTricks]

I would say that's more like 700 calories instead of 500. Isn't it?

Checking MFP it's coming in around 620cals, 280g "HarvestLand - Boneless Chicken Breast" (296cal), "Success - Brown Rice (Boil in Bag)" 1 Cup (180cal), Broccoli 2 cups(62cal), if I add some cheddar for the broccoli that adds another 85cals or so.

Depending on the chicken breast being used that can go a bit lower, got some normal ones instead of the thin cut this time. I was probably thinking about just chicken and rice for the ~500 or under.

The lunch I brought today for work is coming out to 453cal, 258g of the same chicken breast (273cal), same cup of brown rice (180cal).

[adigiro1]

Sounds like you need to start tracking your food in an app. try out MyFitnessPal, in order to lose weight you need to know what and how much your putting in your body. Otherwise you're just winging it and you'll spend all your time spinning your tires.

I attached a typical day of mine and also some sources of protein you can use. I usually eat green beans or broccoli as my side for dinner.

What to eat (this is a short list, obviously there are plenty of other foods out there to eat)
- high protein meats: Chicken, turkey, steak, pork, and canned tuna (watch your weekly tuna limit due to mercury poisoning). If you find you are having issues with protein intake by just eating, which you shouldn't, you can always supplement protein powder.
-Veggies: Broccoli, Spinach, Asparagus, and Brussels sprouts
-Items with unsaturated fat: Avocados, olives, peanut butter, nuts, and seeds
-For carbs: Rice, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

[Saad290]

If you want to lose weight, you can't eat too much of any food. It might be physically hard to overeat on something like apples, but too many of them will hinder your weight loss. Everything you eat in a day will add up... and most people aren't aware of how much they actually put into their mouths.

Accept the fact that it is uncomfortable to lose fat, you will feel hungry or uneasy/restless at times... that's the nature of it.

You should read the sticky threads on nutrition.

I've read the nutrition stickies but I really can't find useful or relevant information there. I'm a total beginner and I want something easier than that. I do understand you though, I know I can't have the same eating habits as I used to have before I started going to the gym, but I did read somewhere that there were foods that basically you can feel easy about eating and that you could eat "more" of, and they would have no negative effect on your weight. I guess I was just looking for some food recommendations that would be good for me and that I could add into my daily eating routine.

When I cook at home the meals I end up making feel like too much sometimes. ~280g of chicken breast, a cup of brown rice, and a serving or two of broccoli will fill me up pretty well. That all only comes out to around 500 calories or just under. (CORRECTION: 621cals according to MFP with some cheddar for the broccoli)

For variety I'll most likely just be switching up the protein/carbs and adding fats here and there, I'm not the most creative cook so keeping it simple.

When you mention you can't feel full without "eating properly", what is "eating properly" to you?

Nice, thanks!! Is it easy to add stuff like broccoli and brown rice into your meal every day? Also, why does it have to be a chicken "breast"? I'm thinking I should add the same items into my meals as well, since I really am very clueless right now.

Sounds like you need to start tracking your food in an app. try out MyFitnessPal, in order to lose weight you need to know what and how much your putting in your body. Otherwise you're just winging it and you'll spend all your time spinning your tires.

I attached a typical day of mine and also some sources of protein you can use. I usually eat green beans or broccoli as my side for dinner.

What to eat (this is a short list, obviously there are plenty of other foods out there to eat)
- high protein meats: Chicken, turkey, steak, pork, and canned tuna (watch your weekly tuna limit due to mercury poisoning). If you find you are having issues with protein intake by just eating, which you shouldn't, you can always supplement protein powder.
-Veggies: Broccoli, Spinach, Asparagus, and Brussels sprouts
-Items with unsaturated fat: Avocados, olives, peanut butter, nuts, and seeds
-For carbs: Rice, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

That's very helpful, thanks! I'll see if I can add any of those items to my meals, and yeah, I do already use MyFitnessPal, but just haven't been doing so lately because I got tired of tracking every day.

Thanks a lot for making that list! So, if I wanna know how much carbs and protein etc. I need daily, I should go to the nutrition forum? Is there an easy explanation to it that you could give right now?


Thanks a lot guys! I'm so excited now!

[InfiniteTricks]

Nice, thanks!! Is it easy to add stuff like broccoli and brown rice into your meal every day? Also, why does it have to be a chicken "breast"? I'm thinking I should add the same items into my meals as well, since I really am very clueless right now.

It definitely is pretty easy, I cook a decent batch of broccoli or rice at once so I can put some away and just heat it up later for the next meal. I do need to add some variety to my veggies admittedly, but one step at a time. It doesn't necessarily have to be chicken breast, the other guy adigiro1 made a nice list of mix/match ingredients. I just prefer chicken breast since I'm not fond of fatty meats, I like lean, dry protein for some reason.

I like to fill in the fats with some oil or nuts, sliced avocado is my favorite.

[adigiro1]

That's very helpful, thanks! I'll see if I can add any of those items to my meals, and yeah, I do already use MyFitnessPal, but just haven't been doing so lately because I got tired of tracking every day.

Thanks a lot for making that list! So, if I wanna know how much carbs and protein etc. I need daily, I should go to the nutrition forum? Is there an easy explanation to it that you could give right now?

Thanks a lot guys! I'm so excited now!

No not the nutrition forum,calculate your TDEE here: https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting-calculator (also lots of good addtl info here). This will roughly give you your macros and cals per day. Protein should be right around 1g per pound, you may have to adjust a little bit. Then calculate your fat and carbs. I do around 50/30/20 split protein/fat/carbs. Personally I think the carbs are a bit high on the calcualtor for anyone who is entering a cut, but for maintaining and bulking it is fine.


"Although this calculator is a great tool, it's not perfect. Keep in mind this is just an estimate. Furthermore, many of us overestimate, underestimate, or flat-out lie about how much we weigh or exercise. Even if you were honest with the calculator, it doesn't mean the number will be 100 percent accurate. Whatever number the TDEE calculator gave to you is a starting point—not a law for you to abide for the rest of your life.

Your TDEE is how many calories you expend every day. If you want to lose fat, try to eat about 15-20 percent less than you burn.

Once you've established your daily calorie intake, we suggest initially tracking your weight on a weekly basis. This will help determine if you need to adjust your calorie intake to optimize your fat-loss or gain goal"

[sunsean]

Hi guys,

I need some help:


What are foods that I can eat as much of as I want and it wouldn't affect my weight negatively?

I've read the nutrition stickies but I really can't find useful or relevant information there. I'm a total beginner and I want something easier than that.

I do already use MyFitnessPal, but just haven't been doing so lately because I got tired of tracking every day.

Not to be too harsh, but you need to toughen yourself up a bit (mentally) if you want to be successful in fitness and fat loss. There's no easy quick fix. It takes time, patience, and will power - read the stickies, the info is there, if you can't understand it then you won't get very far. You need to at least understand the basics like protein and calorie counting.

Celery is about the only food I'm aware of that you can eat as much of you want and not get fat. Get rid of that mindset. There is no "secret" food you can eat as much of you want of...you need to learn to say "no" to cravings and to live with being hungry sometimes. You'll also need to put in the effort to track calories...if you "got tired of tracking" before you really even started then that doesn't say much about your work ethic or dedication.

Good for you for being excited, but it's not going to happen for you, you need to put in the time and effort.

[adigiro1]

Celery is about the only food I'm aware of that you can eat as much of you want and not get fat.

Just looked it up, couldn't believe what I read



*That's a lot of celery


By most definitions, a whole head of celery is a stalk and a single “stick” from the stalk is a rib

[dawnmarie92]

Not to be too harsh, but you need to toughen yourself up a bit (mentally) if you want to be successful in fitness and fat loss. There's no easy quick fix. It takes time, patience, and will power - read the stickies, the info is there, if you can't understand it then you won't get very far. You need to at least understand the basics like protein and calorie counting.

Celery is about the only food I'm aware of that you can eat as much of you want and not get fat. Get rid of that mindset. There is no "secret" food you can eat as much of you want of...you need to learn to say "no" to cravings and to live with being hungry sometimes. You'll also need to put in the effort to track calories...if you "got tired of tracking" before you really even started then that doesn't say much about your work ethic or dedication.

Good for you for being excited, but it's not going to happen for you, you need to put in the time and effort.

YES to all of this. You get what you put in. Losing fat only happens when you are in a calorie deficit. It's hard to be in a calorie deficit eating processed foods (you get hungry and malnourished). Even eating whole foods I still get hungry. I have to burn off my energy reserves (fat) if I want to lose weight and yes it is uncomfortable. You have to want it. Otherwise you won't get anywhere.

[sunsean]

Just looked it up, couldn't believe what I read



*That's a lot of celery


By most definitions, a whole head of celery is a stalk and a single “stick” from the stalk is a rib

Haha yep. I believe the science is that you expend as much or more energy chewing and digesting the celery as you absorb from it, hence being able to eat as much as you want without weight gain. But who wants to eat plain celery? But it's great when you just NEED to chew on something. Celery with peanut butter is one of my favorite cutting snacks.

[sunsean]

YES to all of this. You get what you put in. Losing fat only happens when you are in a calorie deficit. It's hard to be in a calorie deficit eating processed foods (you get hungry and malnourished). Even eating whole foods I still get hungry. I have to burn off my energy reserves (fat) if I want to lose weight and yes it is uncomfortable. You have to want it. Otherwise you won't get anywhere.

Amen sister

[Saad290]

It definitely is pretty easy, I cook a decent batch of broccoli or rice at once so I can put some away and just heat it up later for the next meal. I do need to add some variety to my veggies admittedly, but one step at a time. It doesn't necessarily have to be chicken breast, the other guy adigiro1 made a nice list of mix/match ingredients. I just prefer chicken breast since I'm not fond of fatty meats, I like lean, dry protein for some reason.

I like to fill in the fats with some oil or nuts, sliced avocado is my favorite.

I started eating veggies and brown rice today, and I ate enough that it kept me full for the whole day. That feels good but obviously my weight went up. Is that because I gained weight or because I was full? Kinda confusing.

No not the nutrition forum,calculate your TDEE here: (also lots of good addtl info here). This will roughly give you your macros and cals per day. Protein should be right around 1g per pound, you may have to adjust a little bit. Then calculate your fat and carbs. I do around 50/30/20 split protein/fat/carbs. Personally I think the carbs are a bit high on the calcualtor for anyone who is entering a cut, but for maintaining and bulking it is fine.


"Although this calculator is a great tool, it's not perfect. Keep in mind this is just an estimate. Furthermore, many of us overestimate, underestimate, or flat-out lie about how much we weigh or exercise. Even if you were honest with the calculator, it doesn't mean the number will be 100 percent accurate. Whatever number the TDEE calculator gave to you is a starting point—not a law for you to abide for the rest of your life.

Your TDEE is how many calories you expend every day. If you want to lose fat, try to eat about 15-20 percent less than you burn.

Once you've established your daily calorie intake, we suggest initially tracking your weight on a weekly basis. This will help determine if you need to adjust your calorie intake to optimize your fat-loss or gain goal"

I got 2018 calories, 148g of Carbs, 205g of Protein and 67g of Fat. I'll try to keep these in mind when I track my calories and macros with the MFP app.

Thanks dude.

Not to be too harsh, but you need to toughen yourself up a bit (mentally) if you want to be successful in fitness and fat loss. There's no easy quick fix. It takes time, patience, and will power - read the stickies, the info is there, if you can't understand it then you won't get very far. You need to at least understand the basics like protein and calorie counting.

Celery is about the only food I'm aware of that you can eat as much of you want and not get fat. Get rid of that mindset. There is no "secret" food you can eat as much of you want of...you need to learn to say "no" to cravings and to live with being hungry sometimes. You'll also need to put in the effort to track calories...if you "got tired of tracking" before you really even started then that doesn't say much about your work ethic or dedication.

Good for you for being excited, but it's not going to happen for you, you need to put in the time and effort.

You're right about it all. I am trying to make a proper mindset towards this, but it's been a year and I keep losing that. I've just started again and I'll try harder this time around hopefully.

Can I eat to my full as long as I am within my calorie deficit? I'm keeping it below 1750 calories while tracking with MyFitnessPal.

YES to all of this. You get what you put in. Losing fat only happens when you are in a calorie deficit. It's hard to be in a calorie deficit eating processed foods (you get hungry and malnourished). Even eating whole foods I still get hungry. I have to burn off my energy reserves (fat) if I want to lose weight and yes it is uncomfortable. You have to want it. Otherwise you won't get anywhere.

So I have to stay hungry when I'm eating and never eat to my full - is it only then that my body will burn the fat that it stores?

Thanks guys!

[InfiniteTricks]

I started eating veggies and brown rice today, and I ate enough that it kept me full for the whole day. That feels good but obviously my weight went up. Is that because I gained weight or because I was full? Kinda confusing.

If you weighed yourself not too long after eating, it's possible all the food still being digested caused the number to go up. I normally weigh myself every day in the morning after a shower and bathroom use. It's hard to tell if you're really losing weight from just a few days of scale information, I would look at a trend over a week or two to gauge how my calorie deficit is doing.

For example my weigh-ins for the week have been these:

5/31: 217.4 (lbs)
6/01: 217.2
6/2: 219.2
6/3: 218
6/4: 220.6
6/5: N/A (no log for this day, probably forgot)
6/6: 215.6
6/7: 214.6

There's definitely some fluctuation in there from something, water retention, maybe I ate junk food one evening, but it's looking like a downward trend for me. I'm gonna keep my TDEE goal where it has been for the past week, and see what this next week looks like. If I stagnate or don't lose weight/gain a bit, I'll drop another 100 calories or add in cardio on my lifting days.

[Saad290]

If you weighed yourself not too long after eating, it's possible all the food still being digested caused the number to go up. I normally weigh myself every day in the morning after a shower and bathroom use. It's hard to tell if you're really losing weight from just a few days of scale information, I would look at a trend over a week or two to gauge how my calorie deficit is doing.

For example my weigh-ins for the week have been these:

5/31: 217.4 (lbs)
6/01: 217.2
6/2: 219.2
6/3: 218
6/4: 220.6
6/5: N/A (no log for this day, probably forgot)
6/6: 215.6
6/7: 214.6

There's definitely some fluctuation in there from something, water retention, maybe I ate junk food one evening, but it's looking like a downward trend for me. I'm gonna keep my TDEE goal where it has been for the past week, and see what this next week looks like. If I stagnate or don't lose weight/gain a bit, I'll drop another 100 calories or add in cardio on my lifting days.

Alright, I'll start logging my weight and compare it every week. I did gain another pound, though, so I guess I'm eating too much. Do you think eating too much while staying in a caloric deficit can have negative effects on our weight?

Thanks again for the awesome advice. Are you trying to lose weight too? Where did you start from, and what is your goal weight? Also, do you workout, or just maintain a diet?

[CommitmentRulz]

I did gain another pound, though, so I guess I'm eating too much. Do you think eating too much while staying in a caloric deficit can have negative effects on our weight?

What? You can't eat over your TDEE and under your TDEE at the same time.

[sunsean]

Can I eat to my full as long as I am within my calorie deficit? I'm keeping it below 1750 calories while tracking with MyFitnessPal.



So I have to stay hungry when I'm eating and never eat to my full - is it only then that my body will burn the fat that it stores?

Thanks guys!

It's not about being "full" or "hungry." It's really just math. You have a set # of calories (TDEE or maintenance) that your body requires to maintain the same weight. Eat LESS than this number to lose weight, eat MORE than this number to gain weight. It gets more complicated from there, but that's the basis of thermodynamics and energy balance (weight management).

As far as satiety, your appetite will usually adapt to whatever feeding schedule you stick to after a couple weeks; so if you start hungry at the beginning, that feeling will gradually decrease until your body adapts to the "new normal."

[Tucane]

If the foods you choose to eat are low-calorie ones, then you are likely to be able to eat until you are full.

Still, you need to keep track of everything so you don't go above your daily calories, as that is what matters.

[InfiniteTricks]

Alright, I'll start logging my weight and compare it every week. I did gain another pound, though, so I guess I'm eating too much. Do you think eating too much while staying in a caloric deficit can have negative effects on our weight?

Thanks again for the awesome advice. Are you trying to lose weight too? Where did you start from, and what is your goal weight? Also, do you workout, or just maintain a diet?

What CommitmentRulz said, you're not really "eating too much" unless you eat over your TDEE. It's ok to eat until you're full, as long as the meal you're eating fits in without going over your TDEE, if you're trying to lose weight.

I am losing weight myself too, yup, in the grand scheme of things I was 260 at some point. I think I meandered down to 245 somehow. 245 was my starting weight at the beginning of this year, I followed a keto diet for about 2 months, and picked up weightlifting.

I've been following the GZCLP program ever since 3x a week, just recently started sticking to a solid calorie deficit. Goal weight is 180 for now, will probably extend it once I get there.

[Saad290]

Well, I am tracking with MyFitnessPal, and according to it, I'm not eating above 1710 calories at all, so why did I all of a sudden go from ~246 lbs to around 248 lbs, and it's staying there?

I find that I can easily keep myself full the whole day and still keep myself below 1710 calories. So if MFP says I'm not going past my TDEE then why am I still gaining weight? Is it just a matter of being full or not? Did I track them wrong?

@InfiniteTricks: Is there a fitness program that isn't as intensive? I like doing the cardio machines (stationary bike, treadmill, elliptical) and for weights, I do only the machines (chest press machine, lat pull-down, long-pull machine etc.). I'm terrible at squats and dead-lifts right now, but I hope to learn them as well once I become leaner. But the thing right now is that I follow no programs and I just do whatever I please to do. Would following a program be much better for me?

Thanks for the replies guys. I feel much wiser now!

[Aldrin16]

If you want to lose weight, you can't eat too much of any food. It might be physically hard to overeat on something like apples, but too many of them will hinder your weight loss. Everything you eat in a day will add up... and most people aren't aware of how much they actually put into their mouths.

Accept the fact that it is uncomfortable to lose fat, you will feel hungry or uneasy/restless at times... that's the nature of it.

You should read the sticky threads on nutrition.

Your correct, but just to add some information, the OP must know also the difference between Craving and being Hungry =)

[Manila209]

Sounds like you need to start tracking your food in an app. try out MyFitnessPal, in order to lose weight you need to know what and how much your putting in your body. Otherwise you're just winging it and you'll spend all your time spinning your tires.

I attached a typical day of mine and also some sources of protein you can use. I usually eat green beans or broccoli as my side for dinner.

What to eat (this is a short list, obviously there are plenty of other foods out there to eat)
- high protein meats: Chicken, turkey, steak, pork, and canned tuna (watch your weekly tuna limit due to mercury poisoning). If you find you are having issues with protein intake by just eating, which you shouldn't, you can always supplement protein powder.
-Veggies: Broccoli, Spinach, Asparagus, and Brussels sprouts
-Items with unsaturated fat: Avocados, olives, peanut butter, nuts, and seeds
-For carbs: Rice, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

1500 calories? How tall are you dude? Im 5 foot 4 and 1500 cals isn't easy even with high satiety foods.

[Manila209]

Well, I am tracking with MyFitnessPal, and according to it, I'm not eating above 1710 calories at all, so why did I all of a sudden go from ~246 lbs to around 248 lbs, and it's staying there?

I find that I can easily keep myself full the whole day and still keep myself below 1710 calories. So if MFP says I'm not going past my TDEE then why am I still gaining weight? Is it just a matter of being full or not? Did I track them wrong?

@InfiniteTricks: Is there a fitness program that isn't as intensive? I like doing the cardio machines (stationary bike, treadmill, elliptical) and for weights, I do only the machines (chest press machine, lat pull-down, long-pull machine etc.). I'm terrible at squats and dead-lifts right now, but I hope to learn them as well once I become leaner. But the thing right now is that I follow no programs and I just do whatever I please to do. Would following a program be much better for me?

Thanks for the replies guys. I feel much wiser now!

No weight loss=no caloric deficit

First law of thermodynamics..

You're either not measuring correctly by under over estimating your caloric intake or have cheat days that u dont count.

Either way, you're not on a deficit. It's as simple as that.

[Tucane]

Your correct, but just to add some information, the OP must know also the difference between Craving and being Hungry =)

Yeah I agree, I guess it's just another part of the learning that comes with the territory... cravings are results from habit by either allowing or disallowing foods, whereas hunger is based on energy storage and hormones... the interplay between the two affects ones dietary choices.

[Saad290]

No weight loss=no caloric deficit

First law of thermodynamics..

You're either not measuring correctly by under over estimating your caloric intake or have cheat days that u dont count.

Either way, you're not on a deficit. It's as simple as that.

Well I did eat some caramel popcorn at the cinema 2 days ago and I did have a seekh kebab then too, which is like 150 calories. But still MyFitnessPal tells me I kept it below or close to 1710 calories, so what did I do wrong?

[Tucane]

Well I did eat some caramel popcorn at the cinema 2 days ago and I did have a seekh kebab then too, which is like 150 calories. But still MyFitnessPal tells me I kept it below or close to 1710 calories, so what did I do wrong?

If you have calculated everything correctly, while staying below your caloric target, you have done nothing wrong. It takes some time for your body to respond.

Now you need to stay consistent over 2-3 weeks or so, you'll most likely lose some weight in that time. If you don't, you'll need to adjust to a lower intake.