Okay So I had put my goal to get down to 115, which is suppose to be a healthy weight for my height.

I am 5'0 and 242 at this time.

I have decided though that for now I am going to set my main goal at 140lbs. I was this weight in high school and I was by no means fat, still considered overweight by medical standards but I was comfortable with my body. Once I get there I will reevaluate myself and decide if I would like to go any lower.

Here is my issue, I am trying to count calories, which I think will really work for me because its not limiting what I eat but how much I eat and just switching things like white bread to wheat bread. I think this is pretty atainable I just feel like I don't know what all is actually good for me too eat.

Like for example: Can I eat Meat, like hamburger, steak, pork chops. I don't know what is considered healthy or not.

I also don't know what kind of starches are considered healthy to have with dinner. The only thing I can think of it a baked Potatoe.

So if anyone can just give me some ideas of foods that are included in there diet so I can mix up a little bit with some variety.

Thanks Guys

Kayla

Well, I'm a vegetarian (but I still eat seafood) so I usually eat tuna sandwiches, apples, a little bit of pasta with marinara sauce with tofurkey sausage, veggie burgers, portabello burgers, etc.

I would actually try to avoid starches at dinner, and have baked or grilled chicken with vegetables. Or fish.

You can actually eat pretty much whatever you want within moderation. If you want a burger, eat half.

I'd also eat oatmeal for dinner, or yogurt with fruit. Just make it tasty.

Thanks for the advice. I think I read somewhere when trying to lose weight it said you should cut back on your starches (whole grains) by half of what on the food pyramid you would normally eat since they contain so much carbs.

For quite awhile I virtually gave up potato and pasta. I did stay with 12 grain or whole wheat bread. I increased fat free milk products like Fage greek yogurt and skim milk. I doubled my servings of veggies with my protein for both lunch and dinner. My lunch is almost always leftovers from the night before . I cook from Weight Watcher cookbooks which you can buy at any bookstore. However, once I amped up my exercise program, I added small amounts of potato and pasta and that has helped my running program since I am running many miles a week now. I needed that extra bit of carb. I eat salmon once a week and rarely eat red meat. Mostly chicken, sometimes shrimp. Over time, my sugar intake has dropped dramatically just because I learned by experience how crappy it made me feel. Snacks for me are fruit, dried cherries or cranberries, handful of almonds, or 15 Kashi crackers with Cabot low fat cheddar cheese. I don't worry about variety. I am comfortable with my routine and there is some evidence now that the most successful weightloss strategies include staying with food routine. I read that recently but can't remember where. I've been eating this way for quite awhile and it works for me. I also exercise a lot which has really been the key. I started running at about 240 pounds, about 12-15 miles a week. Now I running a minimum of 35 miles a week and the weight is really dropping. I lift heavy weights 3 days a week and do yoga also. You really need both the healthy eating and the exercise to make the weight loss last. I hope these ideas help you.