I could really use some advise: What should I be eating? While I can Google these questions my self, I find that many successful people are successful because they utilize little known resources. So please post things you have found especially useful.
Background information:
-Not unhealthy 18 yr. old male, 155 lbs. (not active)
-Unhealthy eating habits (I eat whatever, but no soda and I seldom eat fast food)
-Looking for something long term, not a weight loss or get-slim-quick diet
-Looking to pair this diet with gradually increasing cardio exercise (up to around 3 miles a day of running) as well as casual weight lighting (not body building but fit)
-I have a taste tolerance for eating just about anything, so just give me what works. You don't need to sell it to me
-Peanut and tree nut allergy
If you have any tips on the following, that would be great.
-How many grams of trans/sat fat are okay?
-How important is distinguishing natural vs. added sugars
-How many grams of sugar are okay?
-How much sodium is okay?
-How much protein should I aim for, and does the source matter? (fish vs. beans vs. sprouts)
-What types of meat are better than others? (and don't just say red meat is bad and fish is good, I can get that from Google :P )
-Vegan protein intake for someone with a tree nut and peanut allergy?
-What vitamins should I be on the look out for when crafting a diet?
-A list, or a referral to a list, of common preservatives and sugar-aliases that I should look out for (such as agave nectar, which is just sugar)
Also, some general questions...
-What are the cornerstones of your diet(s)? For example, oatmeal seems to be a really good breakfast food.
-For those of you who have had success in dieting, what are some positive changes you have noticed, apart from the obvious visual physical changes? Any major psychological or energy-level improvements?
-Does avoiding GMOs have any direct impact on your results? Keep in mind that I'm about to go to med school, so daily runs to the organic health store to buy a tomato for 5$ a piece isn't exactly reasonable (and yes that's hyperbole)
Above all, remember I'm an absolute beginner. While I have done a little reading, I have no experience, and I haven't found any solid source of information on this. There's a lot of crap in the dieting industry- not many diets for people who aren't overweight.