I have gained some weight. I think I am at about 225 now. My NEW goal is to get to 199 by the New Year. I am going back to calorie counting but I need more rules.

Right now I have decided to:

Eat 1600 cal a day.
Drink minimum 12 glasses water a day.
Eat fruits an veggies
Eat minimum meat

I need help here. What is a good amount of fruits to have per day and veggies per day. Like if I do five a day...can I do all veggies or all fruit or do I need to have a certain amount of either???

I don't eat much meat. I use it to flavor my food. I found out for example, I can eat 3 -4 ounces of meat and be satisfied. My Grandmother is surprised at that. I know it is a sensible serving but I used to be a meat LOVER. Anywho, how much protein is good for a 1600 cal diet?

Any pointers on dairy?? I eat mozz cheese in my salad; that's about it.

I am going to start the first couple weeks with basic diet; Fruits/ Veggies/ Meat. Then I will add in grains. I already LOVE brown rice, wheat products.

I want to go back to my healthy way of eating but I want to incorporate more healthy habits.

Some of you all eat super healthy and I admire you for it. I want to eventually get to that place. I want to get to the place where eating heathly is second nature and I can have some Junior Mints without going on a full all out binge.

I have to figure another way to deal with stress besides food.....but that's another thread

Anyway, any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!

THANK YOU!!

your plan looks good, but i would recommend watching protein! Protein is one of the best ways to feel full, so incorporating beans, lean chicken, fish, etc is a really good idea

I agree--you need protein. But 3 or 4 ounces of meat, chicken, or fish per serving for a meal is plenty. And don't leave out eggs, measured amounts of cheese, beans, and so on.

Jay

One thing I'd suggest is getting away from the idea of "rules". There aren't really any rules here, because we're all different.

Or as Barbosa says: it's more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules

The FDA guidelines for protein are that adults should get 1g of protein per 2.2 lbs of bodyweight. So someone at 200 lbs should get about 90g. If you're weight lifting and trying to build muscle strength, most experts say 1 g of protein per 1 lb of bodyweight ... or more.

I personally aim for close to the 1 / 1 ratio, but don't always get that close. Usually I'm at around 110 g of protein (and I weigh 161).

Like Jay said, don't forget eggs, diary products, beans, etc. Also a lot of other things have smaller amounts of protein in them. While by themselves they might not be a lot, they do add up. For example, a serving of oats has 4g of protein. A serving of baby spinach has 2g of protein. Etc. So you don't have to get all of your protein from meat.

.

Definately make sure you're getting the protein. But you don't have to get it all from meat if you want to limit meat. I'm a vegetarian - I get my protein from dairy products (like egg beaters & cheese sticks), nuts, beans (very filling and not high cal), tofu, etc.

I have 6 servings of veggies and 4 servings of fruit each day.


I think you should have some protein each time you eat. My plan has 10 ounces of protein per day. Each *ounce* could be an egg, some beans, chicken, fish or meat.

Personally I have to avoid dairy but once in a blue moon, I have a bit of yogurt or cottage cheese. Not very often though.
You do not have to leave out grains. I have 2 servings a day...gluten free of course. I am celiac.
You came to the right place for advise

I had 4 Hershey kisses last night. They were good and I worked them into my calories for the day. I also found that if I keep my calories between 1600 and 1700 I do not binge.
EXERCISE!! Cardio and weighttraining and great stress relievers.

Good luck to you.

Technically the RDA for protein is .8 grams per 2.2 lbs of body weight, although don't panic if you go a little under. The RDA is set to accommodate everyone, including men.

http://www.time-to-run.com/nutrition/rda.htm

You need to figure out what works for your body. I know I'm in the minority here, but I don't think everyone needs to load up on protein. Personally, if my protein is between 10-20% of my calories then I feel I'm fine. Most American consume a heck of a lot of protein. Much more then the rest of the world. It's not always a good thing.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/ma...ticlekey=50900

http://www.drmirkin.com/joints/8870.html

That being said, some people do better on a weight loss program that is higher in protein, so you really just need to listen to your body and do a little research.

As far as the veggies, get in as many as you can! At least 5 servings per day, but 7-9 is better. I'd make most of them veggies and keep the fruit servings to 2-3 per day. Remember that servings are smaller then you think. Some fruit, depending on size are actually more then on serving. It's not hard to get all of them in.

http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/1997/297_five.html

You also mentioned dairy. If you like dairy and it fits into your daily calories, then eat it. If you don't like it, then don't. There are other sources of calcium.

Adding in whole grains sounds like a great idea.

You are doing great! We all have these blips and it's great that you are "nipping it in the bud" so quickly.

BTW, I realize some of my beliefs about nutrition can be scandalous. Under no circumstances must you agree with me. I'm just throwing out another perspective.

Thanks everyone for your input. I feel like I can puit together a thorough meal plan. I have to take a closer look at my protein, though.

Photochick: Thank you. I should really try to make sure I use protein. I had not thought about eggs and beans. I might make a batch of chili to last me for a week. I am sure that is good in the protein department

JayEll and Canadianwoman: I can be so dense sometimes. Thanks for putting the protein in ounces and not grams lol! Appreciate the advise!

Zenor: I am going to try for 9 serv of fruit/veggie. 4-5 veg and 2-3 fruit. Thanks for the breakdown. Also, I am going to have a look at those websites. I really want to have a healthy diet and I want to make better decisions of what I put in my body!

Thanks everyone!!

Be careful of your water intake as well. I saw that you made a rule of a MINIMUM of 12 glasses a day.

I normally averqage 6-10 glasses a day. There is such a thing as too much water as well. Why not aim for 8-12 a day, instead of a minimum of 12?

When you do look to start adding grains in, don't just look to wheat and rice.

Look at steel cut oats for possible breakfast. Look at grains like quinoa and amaranth for adding to your lunch. Its been working for me but I try to eat my grains earlier in the day.

I've been eating grains for breakfast along with pureed pumpkin, cinnamon and nuts. It is filling and good tasting

Don't forget about Lentils-great source of protein and fiber!

Behaviors that work for me: not to eat 3 hours before bedtime. I'll save some food/calories for that last moment and have learned that an empty feeling as I fall asleep is a healthy, good thing. I make dinner for family earlier and then get out of Dodge! I leave the kitchen area and read/watch tv upstairs, away from the kitchen. My husband and kids snack in the evening and I can't be around it. For workdays: I take a bunch of ziplock screwable lid containers to work filled with fruits/veggies/good protein. Early in the day I plug the whole day's offerings into Fitday and see what's missing/available. I aim for 1,200 calories of balanced nutrients. If I'm eating out I check the menu online. It gives me time to think about my choices.

I agree. Everyone is pushing "Drink water until you float away!" and you just don't need to drink that much. I drink during and after exercise and for my thirst. I also drink a diet soda and a coffee during the day. Along with fluid rich foods like soup, fruits and veggies, I stay well hydrated and I don't feel as if I am going to be washed away.