im 19, 112lbs. im 5'1 i want to loose about 10lbs.
is this a good diet?

breakfast: cereal w/ fat free milk
lunch: salad w/ chicken... or.... marinated chicken cutlet w/ veggies
dinner: south beach diet frozen dinner.... or.... marinated chicken w/ brown rice or a baked potatoes... maybe some veggies or salad w/ it.

snacks: rice cake....or....yogurt....or... 100cal. packs of wheat thins

how is this? i'd like to here your imput and support. Anything i should add? change around? etc...

thanks everyone!!!

i also have veggie dogs that are low cal, low fat,n low carb. there really good.... can someone help out?

I need to first state that according to standard height-weight charts, you are already WITHIN the recommended range, even for a small frame (106-118 lbs). Unless you have a VERY small frame, setting a goal of 98 pounds is WAY too low, IMO...I would recommend seeing your doctor. If you think you're too flabby or fat, I would suggest strength training, to build up muscle.

What's your exercise program like right now?

Overall, your menu looks a bit short on the protein and fresh fruits/veggies (I notice you said "maybe" some veggies or salad for dinner).

You don't mention what kind of cereal you're having for breakfast. My top recommendation would be your basic oatmeal (not the instant crap in the packets though) with maybe some blueberries mixed in for those antioxidants. Cold cereal choices would include Shredded Wheat or Shredded Wheat & Bran, Quaker Corn Bran, Go Lean or Go Lean Crunch, Wheaties, or regular Cheerios. And I'd have a protein with the cereal - an egg, or maybe some eggwhites, scrambled or made into an omelet w/perhaps some veggies mixed in (think mushrooms, spinach, peppers, etc). You could do an egg plus a piece of lean ham (like the Jones sliced ham - 50 calories for 2 pieces) and that would be great for protein! Breakfast is the MOST important meal of the day and you NEED to make sure it sets up a proper base for the rest of your day.

Lunch doesn't sound too bad. Dinner - I would suggest using frozen dinners as a LAST RESORT. Also, instead of endless chicken, mix it up with seafood or lean beef once in awhile and make sure you get in as many veggies as possible! (that's a BIG secret to weight loss).

As far as snack - I'd ditch the wheat thins, instead of rice cakes, I would have fruit - an apple, banana or peach or something like that. Rice cakes just don't stick to your ribs as well as fruit does, and fruit is way better for you. If you have yogurt, I'd like to suggest that you blend it with some cottage cheese (better yet, use a hand blender to combine the two). Cottage cheese adds protein and makes yogurt (which just slides out of your gut) more filling and satisfying!

thank you for responding!

i've lost around 85lbs in the course of 4 years.. and i have about 10-15 left to go. Im also training to be a personal trainer, im a gymnast and gymnastics instructor so i have mustle and im not really flabby. i do cycling classes,aerobics classes, weight training, walking.

i have digestive and stomach disease and can't eat certain foods and i can only eat small meals.I also can't eat passed 7pm

breakfast-you mentioned eggs.. thats one of the things i cant eat. cereal.. i like rice krispies and capn crunch, frosted flakes, special k
dinner... i eat the frozen meals monday-thursday(because my excercise classes are in the evening) and i work before hand so i can't cook then.

i love certain fruits but everyone eats it lol i'll buy apples or something and they will be gone within 2 days. i even tell them please dont eat it.. but my dad is like..'my house, my food..' he is very stubborn. so i do have some restrictions like that, pretty stupid, yea.
i also have protein shakes... i have one for breakfast on sundays because i work at 5am-12pm then.

I have to ask the same question: if you are muscular and not flabby, why on earth do you want to lose 10-15 more pounds? Are you competing as a gymnast and need to lose to be competitive? If so, you should be getting nutritional advice from your trainer or coach. You are already at a healthy weight.

If you are training as a personal trainer, your course should include information on nutrition which would tell you that your processed cereal breakfast is not the best choice for weightloss, maintenance, or muscle building. Captain Crunch, Rice Crispies, and Frosted Flakes are just synonyms for SUGAR and starch. Very little nutritional value. You may be able to lose weight eating it, but it's not doing your body any good. If you have to eat cereal, try the ones MrsJim suggested. Even a piece of whole wheat toast (read the label and make sure it is real whole grain) with a slice of turkey bacon or Canadian bacon would be a better choice.

If there isn't enough healthy food (fruit) around for you, you need to stand up for yourself and either meet your own needs (at 19 years old you can go to a store) or ask for help.

I think changing what you eat and how you exercise will change your body. That is much more important than lowering your weight to an unhealthy level.

Mel

I'd say you're about 50 percent on target. I definitely say more veggies. If you have to go the frozen dinner-route, try the new South Beach frozen dinners, or the Lean Cuisine whole wheat selections. They are still LOW in veggies though, so be sure and add them in. Maybe you can keep some fruit in your room, or bring some to work with you. You can also stop at Wendy's or a grocery store and buy fresh fruit cups for easy eating.

For breakfast, you definitely need to nix the cereal. Can you eat oatmeal and cottage cheese? That's my easiest breakfast. If you are doing a lot of training, you need to make sure you get plenty of protein, and your current menu looks pretty light.

I'd also suggest getting a Fitday account and logging in your calories and activity, and shoot for about 25 grams of fiber per day. It's good for your heart and digestive system (unless you have other guidelines from your doctor about fiber) and it keeps you full longer and is also a good sign that you're getting in enough whole grains and veggies.

A lot of you posted some really good ideas in regards to my diet plan. since i only want to loose 10lbs (give or take) is it necessary to go on a full 'plan' like having the same things for breakfast lunch and dinner? or can i just incorporate more healthy stuff and eat like i used to. like not on any certain strict plan. but to eat normally , but more healthy. do you know what i mean?
also.,... how long do you think it will take to loose the weight approx.?

I've read the previous threads and I want to preface my advice with letting you know that I don't mean to encourage or discourage your attempt to lose another 10 pounds. But, I'll have to mention it to make my point.

It has been my experience that the further into a healthy weight range that you get the harder it is to lose weight according to the scale. We've all heard that the last 10-15 lbs is the hardest to lose and IMO that is true. So, if you are starting from what is medically considered a healthy weight getting the scale to budge is going to be difficult. You might consider taking your measurments and gauging your success by those rather than your actual weight. If I remember correctly you are a gymnast and workout quite often so I assume you are quite muscular. You can develop muscle, gain a slight amount of weight but still get smaller in size. This is one reason many people begin ignoring the scale once they reach the point of weight loss that you are at. It is so easy to get our minds set on a number as a goal. I know I've done it. The closer you get to where you want to be, though, the more important it is to concentrate on how you look and feel. Now might be a good time to examine why a particular number is so important. We ALL have to do this because the answer to that question will determine the course we take next. As a matter of fact, I'm in the process of figuring that out myself.

With that said, it certainly won't hurt to begin incorporating healthier foods into your diet. Personally, I don't think you need to be on a strict weight loss plan in order to get the results you seem to be looking for. Reducing your calories to much in order to force 10 pounds off might come at the expense of your health and I know you don't want that. So, the KIND of food you eat at this point is much more important than how little food you eat. You are so active that you are surely burning plenty of calories. Keep your body well fueled so that you maintain your metabolism, feel good and continue doing all of the things that you enjoy. It may take longer to lose weight this way but it is a much better alternative than forcing your body to do something it doesn't want to do and feeling sick as a result.

Everyone is different so there is no way to know how long it will take you. One accurate method to know your necessary daily caloric intake by using the Harris-Benedict Formula. The result will tell you the calories needed to MAINTAIN your present weight. Then decrease that by 15 to 20% to determine the deficit needed to lose fat. Until you are certain you're eating the correct amount of calories you'll need monitor yourself.

I don't remember if you said you lift weights. You might want to add that 2 to 3 times a week. Right now you are trying to lose body fat, not weight. Lifting weights will sculpt your body.

From another forum I've learned that the last 10 pounds are usually about nutrition and sculpting your body. It requires the right amount of cardio, weights and nutrition for your body. Every body is different so there is no way to design a one-size fits all program. Experiment and find what works. Only change your program when it doesn't work.