[Mel]

Mary Ann,
Are you still lifting?
I took a look at yesterday's foods and have a lot of suggestions.

Oatmeal, cooked, regular, fat not added in cooking ( 1 cup, cooked ) 145 2 25 6
Apple, raw ( 1 small (2-1/2" dia) (approx 4 per lb) ) 63 0 16 0
Beans, string, green, cooked, from canned, fat not added in cooking ( 1 cup, canned ) 27 0 6 2
Banana, raw ( 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long) ) 109 1 28 1
Beverly Protein Powder ( 1 serving ) 115 1 5 22
myoplex lite bar ( 1 serving ) 190 6 25 15
Coffee, latte ( 2 mug (8 fl oz) ) 195 10 15 10
Candies, HERSHEY, SYMPHONY Milk Chocolate Bar ( 1 bar (1.5 oz) ) 232 14 24 3
Fast foods, cookies, animal crackers ( 0.75 box ) 224 7 38 3

I'm a little lost on what the "meals" were....
I'm assuming the oatmeal and apple were breakfast? I'd do the oatmeal and 3-4 egg whites. An apple is just another form of carb.

Banana and protein powder smoothie with beans for lunch? OK. Personally, I'd use 1/2 a banana or a less sugary fruit like strawberries, apple, other berries, but the banana is OK.

It's all downhill from there. IMO, myoplex bars are pure emergency rations. Inferior protein, sugar alcohols, junk food disguised as "healthy".

Latte: 195 calories??? Have a cup of coffee with 1/3 cup lowfat milk and a tablespoon of sugar free flavored syrup for around 30-40 calories. You need the balance of those calories for real food.

Symphony Milk Chocolate Bar: Which meal was this? I'd suggest any of the sources of low fat protein I posted, a cup or two of vegetables and 1/3 cup of sweet potatoe or brown rice. Same calories, LOTS more nutrition.

Animal Crackers: I guess this was meal 5? Try 2/3 cup cottage cheese with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup diced apple, and some cinnamon.

You can lose weight on a diet of junk food. You can lose weight on infrequent treats and mostly healthy food. But you can't lose, look good, stay healthy and maintain a weightloss eating very little healthy REAL food, and a lot of empty junk food calories.

Come on, Mary Ann. You've been around the weightloss, bodybuilding, diet boards for a long time. You KNOW this!

Mel

[Misti in Seattle]

Originally Posted by Meg

I didn't follow a plan. I'm probably the only person in the world (or at least my gym) who's never read BFL. I'm just not a plan person and don't do well with other people telling me what to eat.

Nope... well perhaps in your gym.. but I don't even know what BFL stands for LOL and I do NOT follow a plan! Just eat right and exercise. Works for me.

LOL in fact you have me googling to try to figure out what BFL means.

[Misti in Seattle]

I agree... you could do much better healthwise for the same calories. Need veggies and yes, fruits. I don't care what anybody says, the fruit in sugar is NOT the same and is processed by our bodies so much more efficiently. I eat LOTS of it (and veggies) and am losing about 2 pounds a week.

The junk food is really not worth it. Another really good veggie... which surprised me as I didn't think I liked them -- is red bell pepper strips. Wow they are yummy and so low in calories!

[lilybelle]

I agree with Misti, although I have been doing a low-carb plan 25-30 carbs daily, I eat plenty of fruits and veggies. I also eat a lot of protein. The fruit hasn't hurt me a bit and takes care of my cravings for sweets. I don't eat a lot of fats. I try to avoid sugar alcohols. I have learned that after doing this for a year that a lot of veggies that I didn't think I'd like, that I really do like them.

[Misti in Seattle]

Originally Posted by lilybelle

I have learned that after doing this for a year that a lot of veggies that I didn't think I'd like, that I really do like them.

Yes! Same here! LOL and there are LOTS of creative ways to fix them. But more and more I am starting to like them raw, which I never really did before except for a few.

[boarderchick]

Misti--BFL=Body For Life. A diet/exercise/lifestyle book. Hope I didn't spoil your googling detective work! : ))

I don't follow a specific diet program either. Just LOTS of fresh fruit and veggies/ heavy on lean protein sources and VERY minimal on breads etc.

[Misti in Seattle]

Thanks! And LOL I forgot to even go back and try to look it up. My plan sounds very similar to yours except I do eat some whole grain breads.