Okay, so, I think my idea of what a 'healthy' day is may be out of whack. However, I am making progress...which is good. I FEEL better. Still, I don't think I'm losing fast enough for my taste.
I don't count calories. It's impractical with my meal plan at school, because they don't provide the calorie content (well, an accurate one...or a consistent representation) of the foods they make. I try to just eat the most healthy, wholesome foods possible...with healthier variations of my favorite treats. For example, I try to make a regular bagel a wheat one...I avoid the dessert bar. I've gone out to eat three times this week and the past two time I ate grilled chicken and veggies...and I skipped the rolls. Today, I splurged and ate very, very poorly (burger, fries, cheese dip, pie, and diet soda...all in one sitting!),...but now I feel soooo icky. I won't be doing that again. Next time, I'll just enjoy one of those items.
I'd really like to get a good perspective of what a good day is, though, from people who are losing the weight...because I feel like making a FEW changes is not enough. I want to do better. What do you eat on a good day? How much do you work out?
Last edited by PastelApple; 01-27-2010 at 11:50 PM.
If I had a day with 1400 cals 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fats, in which I did 20 minutes of resistance exercise and 30 mins on the elliptical ... I be posting, calling my friends, shouting from the rooftop!
If someone here has a fitday link in their profile box over there <<< you can click on it and see exactly what they eat. Just keep an eye out for it.
Dannon Yogurt 60 calories
Kashi Puffs Cereal (1 cup) 70 calories
Kale with onions and with flax seed oil and soy sauce (Calories? I don't know)
Exercise: 1 hour elliptical incline of 10 (max), resistance 100 (max) total calories burned: 900 today
It took me a LONG time to get to this level of exercise. I watch my favorite show: LOST ...I"m only on Season 1 and it makes the time go by so fast that I don't feel like I"m working out!
This is a very good day for me. I usually struggle a lot but today everything sort of fell into place.
Breakfast
1 cup Special K cereal
1 Yoplait Light yougurt
1 cup coffee with 3 tablespoons of creamer mixed in
WW Points: 7
Lunch
1 Wholewheat sandwich thin, toasted
1/2 avocado, mashed with hot sauce and black pepper
Spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber sliced
WW Points: 5
Snack (which is normally pre-gym)
More yougurt or a Fiber One bar
WW points: 2 (either way)
Dinner
5oz chicken, cooked in a pan, with no oil
8 oz. sweet potatoes
Green beans with lemon pepper
WW points: 8
Late-night snack (I stay up really late, so I need something after dinner)
Light Laughing Cow cheese
24 Special K Tomato-basil crackers
WW points: 3
Total WW points: 25, which is low for my range, so if I'm hungry later that evening, I normally have a piece of fruit.
Work-out: 45 minutes on the elliptical, ranging from level 3 to level 10. 15-20 minutes on the weight machines, focusing on arms/chest mostly.
I also try to sleep at least 8 hours a night, although I'm not always great about that. I drink water or Crystal light the rest of the day, with 1 Diet Coke during lunch. Its not perfect, but I'm working on it.
Meals - Breakfast, 200 calories, at least 10 g protein, some fiber
Lunch and Dinner - 400 calories, at least 25 g protein each, at least 6-8 g fiber each, usually consisting of a lean protein, a whole grain, and lots of veggies. It's about 150-160 cals protein source, 150-160 cals whole grain, 80-100 cals veggies and add-ons.
Snacks - 3-4 daily, from 100-150 calories
Plus over 60 min of exercise, and dog walking, and that's a good day.
Oatmeal with 1 tbsp peanut butter, sprinkle of cinnamon and 1 tsp brown suger. 1/2 an orange and cup of coffee = about 300 calories
Lunch:
Huge salad with 2 ounce chicken breast, olives, 1 boiled egg white, 1 piece bacon (real, crumbled), an entire cucumber, 2 small mushrooms, 3-4 baby carots and 1 tbsp crushed almonds with 2 tbsp fat free oriental dressing = about 380 calories.
Dinner:
1 cup homemade chili with black beans (from scratch), chicken breast and veggies over 1/4 cup brown rice and a nice side salad, fat free dressing = about 400 calories.
Snacks
Popcorn, air popped (1/4 cup worth unpopped) and 1/2 tbsp margarine = about 140 calories
Apple = 60 calories
1 Tbsp peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat bread = about 140 calories
1 string cheese stick and the half of that orange from breakfast = about 100 calories
(I love to eat so I split it up quite a bit! lol)
Last edited by bensempress; 01-28-2010 at 02:44 AM.
Okay, so, I think my idea of what a 'healthy' day is may be out of whack. However, I am making progress...which is good. I FEEL better. Still, I don't think I'm losing fast enough for my taste.
I don't count calories. It's impractical with my meal plan at school, because they don't provide the calorie content (well, an accurate one...or a consistent representation) of the foods they make. I try to just eat the most healthy, wholesome foods possible...with healthier variations of my favorite treats. For example, I try to make a regular bagel a wheat one...I avoid the dessert bar. I've gone out to eat three times this week and the past two time I ate grilled chicken and veggies...and I skipped the rolls. Today, I splurged and ate very, very poorly (burger, fries, cheese dip, pie, and diet soda...all in one sitting!),...but now I feel soooo icky. I won't be doing that again. Next time, I'll just enjoy one of those items.
I'd really like to get a good perspective of what a good day is, though, from people who are losing the weight...because I feel like making a FEW changes is not enough. I want to do better. What do you eat on a good day? How much do you work out?
It sounds like you know what you need to do.... If you dont feel like you are losing fast enough, I would cut out all processed starches. You think you are eating healthy by eating the wheat bagel, but I dont think you realize how detrimental it could be to your diet. I am not saying cut out all starch - potatoes are fine as long as they arent fried or grease-laden. But, even a "wheat bagel" is made with white flour half the time. I would choose a protein like eggwhites instead of the bagel. Fruit is a good choice too, in my opinion. Good luck, chickie-poo.
Well lately I've been relying on protein bars for 1 meal a day and some other quick stuff, because my class/teaching schedule is CRAZY.
But here's a day from last week, before classes started, that I think is representative of a fairly healthy day for me:
B - special K protein plus, skim milk
S - 1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt with a little maple syrup
L - 2 cups homemade cream of carrot soup, 3 oz pineapple
S - 1/2 serving triscuit thin crisps, 1/2 ounce cheddar cheese, 1/2 serving turkey pepperoni
D - turkey Italian sausage patty on light wheat bread with peppers and onions and 1/2 ounce lowfat mozzarella, steamed broccoli on the side
S - a whole grapefruit
Extras: cream in coffee, crystal light, gum - about 100 calories altogether
Since this is a lifestyle change, every day is a "good" day for me. I hate to say it like that, but I've chosen a plan that is dummy-proof for my way of living. I found what works for me and it really works. That's what you have to do. Find a plan you like, work the plan and it will work for you.
Every day for me is simple:
6 meals a day of equal calories totaling right around 1500 calories.
Exercise, cardio daily, strength training 2-3 days in a week.
What yesterday looked like for me. Nearly every work day is quite similar:
Breakfast - 4 oz blueberries, 4 oz nonfat plain yogurt, 4 oz nonfat cottage cheese, ground ginger. Fish oil supplements, cal-mag-zing supplement, vitamin D supplement.
Snack - Green or black tea
Snack - 8 oz nonfat milk with 2 tsp instant decaf coffee stirred in
Lunch - 4 oz pork chop coated with pecans and fried (had to pat a bunch of oil off), 3 oz baby carrots, 3 oz raw spinach, 1/2 grapefruit. Fish oil supplements, cal-mag-D supplement.
Snack - Sugarless gum, more tea
Snack - 1 oz raw almonds
Dinner - 4 oz stir-fried chicken breast, 3 oz stir-fried onions and green pepper, 1 oz whole-wheat bread toasted with 0.5 oz parmesan cheese on
Snack - Hot chocolate made from 1 oz good cocoa, 1.25 oz honey, 12 oz nonfat milk, dash of salt and vanilla. Melatonin supplement.
Usually I actually have a couple more servings of veggies than that (raw tomatoes with my lunch, a salad with dinner), but we are out of some stuff at home right now. I tend to get 120 to 150 g of protein per day, tons of calcium. Yesterday was about 1700 calories, which is what I'm shooting for during the work week; on weekends I eat a little more than that.
For exercise, I focus on NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) rather than on "formal exercise." So my workday includes 4 to 6 hours of standing on my feet, listening to music and bopping around--which burns a lot of calories but doesn't leave me hungry and tired.
Also, I shoot for at least 7 hours of sleep. (Failed on that last night, though.)
Beyond the small quantity of honey I have in my hot chocolate, I do not eat sugar, nor do I generally eat artificial sweeteners; sugar is highly addictive to me and I must avoid it due to insulin resistance. I also avoid caffeine (except for one special cup of coffee on Saturdays which I cherish), as it causes sleep issues for me and contributes to insulin resistance.
A. I need to spread out my food more and consume smaller meals.
B. I need to lower my carb consumption.
=3 I have a tendency to blow things at night.
Today, I had a mini banana an a lean pocket for breakfast. For lunch, I had baked chicken, veggies, a salad with honey mustard dressing, and a slice of rye bread with butter.
For dinner, I had a sandwich, two mini bananas, meatless spaghetti sauce, whipped yogurt, and mini rice cakes/pita chips.
I snacked on an oatmeal/frozen yogurt treat (less than 200 calories) and a mini bag of animal crackers at one point.
I have a lot to learn. I will definitely check out the Fitday Journals.
Last edited by PastelApple; 01-29-2010 at 02:48 AM.
What is an example of a healthy day for you?
What do you eat on a good day? How much do you work out?
I hate to say it like that, but I've chosen a plan that is dummy-proof for my way of living. I found what works for me and it really works. That's what you have to do. Find a plan you like, work the plan and it will work for you.
