So I am trying to put together some sort of a meal plan.
Keep in mind I work overnights 11p-8a, sleep usually until 3pm then 3 nights a week I teach 4:15-9:15.
Breakfast: Yogart(what about a bagel with cream cheese)?
Snack: Some sort of fruit such as an Apple or Banana
Lunch: Cottage Cheese, or Veggies (how about 1 hot dog?)
Snack: String cheese?
Dinner: Chicken Breast, (how about Deli meat: roast beef, turkey, ham), (what about steak, hamburger).
Does anybody have any suggestions on foods to include in a meal plan?
Thats my problem is I am not exactly sure what is the best to eat
I like the fact that your choices include dairy, since there is some evidence that dairy can help you lose weight and it's a good source of protein. I hope you are considering nonfat (or at least lowfat) versions.
Speaking of fat, you really should include some *healthy* fat choices in your diet. They are very very important for your health and they can provide satiation -- keep you from getting too hungry between meals. Healthy fats include omega 3s (fatty fish -- salmon, tuna or flax seed are good sources, but you might actually want to consider supplements) and MUFAs (nuts, peanut butter, canola or olive oil, avocados, *dark chocolate* <- it really is good for you and I don't see any treats in your plan.).
Prepared meats like hot dogs and deli meats are OK choices once in a while, but they are high in sodium (which will probably make the scale go up and frustrate you) and preservatives. Chicken breast is a good choice. It's a staple in my house, prepared with whatever veggies are on hand. We use pork sometimes and beef once in a while. Hamburger tends to be fatty, but sometimes we use extra lean ground meat (beef/turkey) to make chili or spaghetti sauce.
Maybe include a salad or brothy veggie soup with dinner, or a lot of vegetables. For lunch, I would also try to find some balance -- a high volume low cal food (salad/veggies/soup) with something to stick to the ribs -- protein and healthy fat. Just be careful with portion control on the higher calorie foods. In general, I think you should be looking into serving sizes to see how many calories you are planning to eat.
Good luck! I know it's hard to figure this all out at first, but it becomes more of a habit over time.
Definitely try to go low-fat on the dairy - there isn't a lot of difference. The only fat free products I can handle well are cottage cheese and yogurt.
I saw in another thread you like Mt. Dew - if you can't kick the habit, try to switch to diet. If you're only on it for the caffeine, did you know there are some Crystal Lite type products with caffeine? I dropped the sodas, but still have one of these in the morning for a "jump start".
Another thing - have you checked out the sites to help with calorie counting? thedailyplate.com is good. So is fitday.com, and I think the other I see mentioned a lot is sparkpeople? But they really don't take much time once you learn the format, and are a huge help!
I would recomend calorie counting. It is flexible , and actually nothing is off limits but you should use common sense. Choose healthy foods. I use nonfat yogurt and non fat milk , low fat cottage cheese . Fresh fruits and vegetables. I avoid, cake, pie, cookies, ice cream and candy. The main thing is to choose a plan that you can work. I plan all meals ahead of time,That really doesn't take that long to do. I write every thing down that crosses my lips, if I don't I find I am eating more than I think.Good luck!
I will just echo the other wise ladies, calorie couting will probably be easiest, that way you can find you way, so to speak, a bit easier. All those sites are listed and it's really a preference thing so be sure to check them all out and see what fits you best. I believe all the sites give you a calorie breakdown of how much you should be eating and you just input your foods into the trackers and then you know if you're eating too much or too little and so one. THe types of food one eats is so personal it's really hard to dictate as everyone seems to find a way, I personally live by the fruits, veggies, lean protien, healthy fat, complex carb rule. If it doesn't look close to what it did when it came out of the ground it probably not something you want to put in your body.
But all that takes time, first thing first is to find out how much you're eating and adjust, and calorie counting is the fastest way to figure that out.
Meal Plan...Please Read and Help
