improving diet

[nia_lover]

I am on the second week of NROLFW. I have actively planned out my meals for the week. I am working hard on trying to eat breakfast and snacks.

Is there anything obvious I am missing? Today is a workout day so I have added more protein

Here are my meals for today:
Breakfast
zone perfect bar
12 raw almonds
diet coke zero

Snack:
12 raw almonds

Lunch:
6 oz can of tuna (forgot the smart balance omega-3 mayo at home)
whole wheat english muffin
12 grapes

Snack:
medium apple

Dinner (put everything in a slow cooker this morning):
beef, top sirloin 6 oz
5 baby carrots
2 small red potatos

After WO shake:
EAS myoplex lite RTD shake

Before bed snack:
1% milk (1 cup)

Total:
Calories 1682
Carbs 175 (46%)
Fat 44 (12%)
Protein 161 (42%)

My total fat was low today. Tomorrow I will try harder to keep everything in better balance. I do not really like the ingredients in the meal plan provided in the book. I am a picky eater and in general do not like my food mixed together.

I am trying to lose fat with a calorie deficit but also trying to keep my protein high enough to build muscle.

[newdawn]

HI, Nia, welcome.

I only count 4 servings of F&Vs. I eat usually around 7-9. (a serving is only 1/2 cup, your apple may be two.) Not sure what's recommended but I think it's at least 6.

Did you really have diet coke for breakfast? OK, I used to do that when I was in HS and college. Makes me sick to think of it now. How about green tea? It's good for you. (sorry if I sound like your mother)

Is the shake made with milk? Otherwise you need more milk. (or cheese or yogurt)

Grains besides the ww english muffin? How bout some oatmeal for breakfast. Where did all the carbs come from? The shake and the bar? Whatever's in the bar...can you replace it with some real food?

I don't know, people swear by these protein things. I think you can do it without the bar or the shake, but that's just me.

You might be hungrier for snacks as you get into the further stages of the program. they are longer and use more calories. If and when that happens you might need more substantial snacks. Like peanut butter with the apple, yogurt with the nuts. Something like that.

cheers!

p.s. there are sites online that help with diet planning. SparkPeople is one. FitDay is another I believe. You enter food and it calculates all the nutrients for you.

[nia_lover]

I use sparkpeople to calculate the nutrients. I do drink green tea all day long (unsweetened) in addition to the diet coke for breakfast. I really need the caffeine to wake up at work and I do not like coffee.

I plan on adding some hardboiled eggs for breakfast. Breakfast for me needs to be quick and something I can eat in the car hence the zone bar. I am not a morning person and I already wake up before 6am to get myself and the family ready for the day. I try to go to work early so I can get off early and have time to spend with the kid afterschool.

I do not mind eating the same thing every day for breakfast and lunch.

[newdawn]

I eat the same things almost everyday too. Hard boiled eggs is a great idea actually. I should make some myself to have in the fridge for snacks.

I wish I could drink more green tea actually but I must have my coffee in the a.m. and after that I have to be careful with extra caffeine. I do occaionally have green in the afternoon. I drink herbal all day.

Some people are morning people, some night. I am the former. I get up at 6:22 even on weekends. I like the time in the a.m to myself. Breakfast is my favorite meal (and that's saying something!)

Anyway, good luck with NR. CU around the boards.

p.s. I work approximately 12 yards from the kitchen, much easier commute.

[nia_lover]

Well I did not hit my target today, but close. I do not know how I could possibly eat the calories recommendations in the book. I think the boiled eggs will give me more fat.

Daily totals:
1529 calories
41% carbs
14% fat
46% protein

[newdawn]

When I need more fat (in my diet, not on my hips) I often drizzle olive oil on my veggies. For example, you could put the oil on your red potatoes. You could also put some in your crockpot meals. And I often cook eggs in canola oil instead of butter. Canola oil would also be nice drizzled on the whole wheat english muffin (I love those things too.)

How are you finding the workouts so far?

[Defiant1]

For a quick, easy to eat breakfast, you could blend up 1 cup of green tea, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 cup blueberries, and either 1/2 cup of cottage cheese or a scoop of protein and a handful of ice. Your calories for this would be somewhere between 320-400 cals and would have about 20g of protein, 40-50g of carbs, and minimal fat which you don't need a bunch of for breakfast anyways, IMO.