Okay so I am counting calories but I am not quite sure what types of meats are considered Healthy. I know you should eat meat and that Chicken and Fish are the best type to eat. What about Steak and Pork Chops though. Are they healthy or should I stay away from red meats, What about hamburgers not turkey burgers a real hamburger is that bad for me.

I just started counted calories and I haven't ate a steak or pork chops or a hamburger since I started just chicken and Tuna but Red meat sounds good right about now and I don't know if I should eat it or not. I know Calorie counting is more about just making sure you don't go over your calories and portion control but I switched to whole grain bread and pasta instead white because its more healthy, so should I not include pork chops/steaks/hamburger in my diet what's good meat and what's bad meat?

Thanks
Kayla

Meat is fine in moderation. Just watch the portion size as its very fatty and calorie dense. When you buy your meat, buy the leanest cuts, your butcher can tell you which cuts these are. I don't eat pork or red meat very often so I have no idea. When I buy pork I usually get tenderloin chops. It also depends on how you cook it. I really really love my george forman grill for meat since it allows the fat to drip off (my dog likes it too because she gets the fat in her food).
At any rate, meat can be a part of any healthy diet even a calorie controlled diet because you just figure it into your daily allotment.

I agree with ghost. There is no reason you can't eat red meat. Even ground beef--just make sure it's 90% lean.

Jay

The changes you make to your diet need to be ones you can continue for your whole life. Banning foods that you love won't work. You have to just eat a portion size and include it in your plan for the day.

I personally tend to stay away from grond beef because it does tend to be higher in fat than say a sirloin. I eat red meat a 3 or 4 times a month. I like chicken and turkey and can get more meat for less calories. But I am a minnesota farm girl and do enjoy a steak or pork roast now and then.

I do eat ground turkey for bugers, BUT I grind my own. Then I know it is all white meat and does not contain a bunch of dark meat or skin and fat.

Thanks that makes perfect sense. Thats why I am doing Low calorie because I feel its something I can stick to it. I am measuring things and watching my portions and I have already lost 6 lbs in not even a week which is probably water but hey that means its working and I am doing good. I also work out every night for about an hour, cardio and weight training so I think low calorie is really good plan considering its more about portions and that previously is probably my biggest problem, binging. YUCK! Thanks for the help too, I will bake/grill everything which is better tasting anyways.

Okay I have never tried it but I want some opinions first. Do you think Ground Turkey taste the same as Ground Beef. I know a lot of people say they can't tell the difference. Whats your opinion?

No, it doesn't taste the same. Generally people can't tell the difference because you use ground turkey/ground beef in recipes where you add other ingredients. Texturewise, it's similar, so the other ingredients mask the difference in taste. If you eat them just plain, you'll taste the difference.

That doesn't make one better or worse than the other, just different.

As far as what meats to eat - you'll get a lot of different opinions here. Some people would advocate not eating any meat, some wills say avoid red meat, whatever. It's very much a matter of personal choice.

Whatever meat you eat, choose lean cuts of meat. If you're choosing ground meat, then make sure it's 10% or less fat. I often mix ground beef and ground turkey 1/2 and 1/2 to cut the fat.

But in my house we eat everything: beef (ground, steak, roasts, cubed), pork (loin and chops and roasts), fish (all kinds), chicken (mostly breasts but sometimes legs and thighs), lamb ... etc.

I just make sure I buy lean cuts, I buy from our local farmer's market/whole foods market, and I prepare them in healthy ways (grilling, baking, etc.) rather than frying.

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In my opinion, ground turkey vs. ground beef on their own definitely don't taste alike, however you can substitute ground turkey for beef in recipes without it seeming all that much different at all.
Beef actually makes me feel really sluggish every time I eat it now, and it's higher in calories, so I'd much rather opt for a turkey burger anyway.

Personally, I eat mostly chicken, turkey, seafood, and sometimes duck and I only eat beef about once a month. I rarely ever eat pork because I just don't like it.

I don't eat much red meat simply because it's so high calorie. I eat A TON of chicken, white fish and shrimp. Also, these meats are easy to make in only one portion. I think people who have a family to feed as well as stick to their calorie counting have a whole different challenge than me. If I make something with ground beef or turkey I will have leftovers for a week and I don't like leftovers so it's not very practical for me. I would suggest trying the ground turkey though, I like it and I'm a picky eater.

Ground turkey is okay. You can add things to it to make it more 'beefy" like garlic, onion, worchestershire sause and spices.

I eat all kinds of meat in moderation: chicken, turkey, steak, pork chops, ground beef, ground turkey, turkey pastrami, turkey polish sausage, turkey Italian sausage, tuna, salmon and more. I really haven't given up anything - just don't eat high fat meats all that often.

As for ground turkey and ground beef. I like them both. But, DH doesn't like ground turkey that well. About the only thing we use ground beef for these days are hamburger and sloppy joes. When he eats a hamburger...I usually have a veggie burger. I still make sloppy joes with very lean ground beef.

I eat a lot of ground white meat turkey - I use a lot of hot sauces and spices in my cooking, so it tastes pretty good. Can I tell the difference? Absolutely. Is it worth it to me for the calorie difference? Oh yeah.

I agree with something others have said. Make sure your choices are those you can keep up for life, not just for a little while. So many people jump on a bandwagon that sounds healthy, whether it's vegetarian/vegan, no/low carb, no sugar, etc., but find that it's too restrictive when they have a craving for something. I've lost 73 pounds and met my goal, and even surpassed it, by allowing myself some of the things I always enjoyed, such as the occasional cheeseburger. I'm also a calorie counter, so I just made sure to allow enough calories for the burger, or whatever it was, to make sure I didn't go over my goal for the day.

I mean, can you see yourself going the rest of eternity without a cheeseburger, a pork chop or a steak with a baked potato??

The rest of the time I try to eat healthier, without fried foods as much as we used to, and more whole grains. But that's not always an option for me, especially when I cook for others. So I've learned to cope and found something that I can do for life. It's worked out so far.

I wouldn't eliminate anything from your diet, cause that's when binges occur I think.

Personally I tend to think in terms of *protein* as opposed to meat. What I mean by that, is I try and have some protein with each meal, which can be cheese or cottage cheese, peanut butter, whatever.

Then there are times, like at supper time, when I have meat in a more substantial form.

Pre-lifestyle change I ate a lot of ground beef. Now, not so much. Really the *caloric bang for my buck* from ground beef is low, so unless I have calories saved, I stay away from it and choose other stuff.

Popular meat type/protein things on my diet: bacon bits (real bottled), fat free deli meats, chicken (like roasted Beer Can chicken is awesome!), steak (8 ounce), cottage cheese, low fat canned flaked chicken, turkey pepperettes, canadian bacon (which is more like ham), egg whites.

Its all portion control.