New. Thoughts on what I'm doing

[LaraT]

I come up with 1379 calories. A gram of protein and carbs are 4 calories and fats are 9 cal/gram so when you do the math = 1379.
I have heard thedailyplate is not so accurate. Out of all the free sites most people seem to like Fitday.com or sparkspeople.com

The general rule of thumb is a ratio of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. Some people do better with a little less or little more of carbs. Shoot for 1 gram of protein per bodyweight so you would eat 130-something grams of protein per day.

The "Eat Clean" books that Rix mentioned are great. I have teh cookbook and so far everything has been really good and all the nutrient info is listed. The Eat Clean Diet book is also good for someone new to the process of eating more wholesome, less processed foods.

[ledove]

Originally Posted by photochick

Wow that seems WAAAAYYYY out of proportion for me. 160g of protein? And only 11g of fat? That's almost an impossible proportion to obtain.

Actually, with so much being "no fat" these days, it's really not so hard. I had a problem finding enough fat when I first started logging my food. And I still have days when don't meet my 30% goal.

Originally Posted by marv

This is what it's showing me...thedailyplate has the ACTUAL food im eating, so wouldn't these calculations be right??

If they are wrong than Im confused about where i should go from here

Some of the differences everyone's noting probably depends on the brands--i.e., some brands of cottage cheese and whey will have more protein than others. Since your dailyplate log has exactly what you ate (I'm assuming the brand, too), it's probably right. Or, based on what Lara said, you could try flipping the can around and writing down how much protein per your serving size and adding it up real quick.

Just for fun: What if you experimented by choosing the non-low fat versions in your sample menu? How does that change your overall values? (Without adding extra food, too. All you'd do is buy the non-no/low fat stuff.) Just throwing that in because you said that seemed like a lot of food to you.

For vegetables... I don't really eat enough of them, either. Not because I don't like them, but because I'm usually too lazy to buy/fix/eat them. (And for me, carrots are one veggie that I don't like much). But I find that I like my veggies better when they're mixed together with the rest of my food--for example, in a stir-fry or a salad.

[marv]

here's a printscreen of my dailyplate page...hope it explains a little more...

I think the fat content is lower because i generally get more of my protein from dairy protein, not animal protein...

Maybe i will try to sub some low fat for fat free...

Is there negatives for getting a lot of dairy in your diet?

[photochick]

Ya know ... I didn't even think about added whey protein. That makes the protein to fat ratio more understandable. Duh. I should have thought about that. And actually lean animal protein has less fat that most dairy protein, unless you're eating a lot of fatfree/lowfat stuff as you are.

So, gosh, I stand corrected here! Yeah, that makes sense.

I actually think you don't need to eat AS fat-free as you are. Instead of fat-free, try going for some low-fat options. Try 2% cottage cheese, instead of fat free. Or turkey hot dogs, instead of fat free dogs.

One other thing is that I don't see any veggies there. Ok, there's iceburg lettuce, but nutritionally speaking, iceburg lettuce is on the same level as eating styrofoam. Actually, the styrofoam might have more nutrients. When you eat leafy veggies, eat the darkest green ones you can get - romaine lettuce, baby spinach, mixed spring greens, etc. You'll get more "bang for your buck" so to speak from darker greens.

Also add some veggies to your meals - steamed broccoli, baked butternut squash, spaghetti squash, roasted zucchini and summer squash ... That will help boost your calories a little, but add a TON of nutrients.

Finally eating a lot of dairy is fine as long as you can handle it. I have a limit to the amount of dairy I can consume before I become ... um ... socially unacceptable! But the more dairy you eat, the more calcium you're consuming, which is a Very Good Thing (with apologies to Martha!).

.

[LisaC]

Seems like a lot of sodium in such a low-cal day - reiterating the previous posts about processed foods, this is an area where I can feel the difference that the sodium makes. Also MSG sends me for a loop as well - most processed meats contain it.

[LaraT]

There is just not any "real food" there. It is all processed, preservative and additive laden foods that are low in nutrition. I highly recommend again the "Eat Clean" diet book by Tosca Reno (and the cookbook)

[rixatrix]

Marv, here's a screenshot of what I'm eating today. I don't consider it accurate - I track on Fitday PC and have my calories/macros all plugged in there, so this is a quick and dirty example of what I'm eating today. I tried to tweak the servings where necessary to represent better what I'm actually eating - not an apple and a half, but a BIG apple, for example.

I'd also like to point out that for today, my calorie goal is 1600 or so (on Fitday PC), because I've got 20-30lbs of fat to lose. I don't eat this low every day, even while cutting, and I can't recommend eating at maintenance enough, especially if you're close to your goal weight. It's going to give you more energy, your metabolism is going to speed up, and you're going to perform better in the gym and recover faster.

However, at 1600 calories a day, here's what my food breakdown looks like. Lots of fruits and vegetables (and fewer veggies than normal - can you tell I'm trying to use up the spinach?), lots of lean protein, minimally processed foods and the only added sugar is honey, which is a bit of a treat.

I'm also getting my fiber throughout the day.

Anyway, I know how easy it is to get "stuck" in your thinking about food, so I thought I'd share my day today and maybe it would give you some ideas about how to distribute your calories a little more efficiently. I definitely went through a Fiber One phase, but I don't even miss it now that I get lots of fresh produce.

[Amblus]

here's a printscreen of my dailyplate page...hope it explains a little more...

Girl, there is no food in your food! Canned chicken has a lot of sodium in it and is not quite the same as a plain grilled chicken breast, but it's a start. Are you not comfortable cooking? Is that part of the problem? I really suggest, again, that you start replacing the heavily processed food with cleaner, more healthful options. More veggies, more healthy fat, more FOOD.

Definitely check out rixatrix's menu.

[Cynthia]

Originally Posted by marv

here's a printscreen of my dailyplate page...hope it explains a little more...

I think the fat content is lower because i generally get more of my protein from dairy protein, not animal protein...

Maybe i will try to sub some low fat for fat free...

Is there negatives for getting a lot of dairy in your diet?

Here is one suggestion I'll make, as I get a lot of my protein from dairy also.

I buy plain, fat-free yogurt in the large tubs because it is the cheapest. I add half a scoop of vanilla protein powder and some cinnamon and sweetener (honey or whatever you like). Now that I've moved onto eating this way, the presweetened packages taste too *fake*.

I also eat the Breakstone 2% cottage cheese in the individual serving size tubs. There is no other cottage cheese for me, I've tried about every kind out there and this is what I like. The individual tubs make it even better.

Pair your dairy protein with a fruit and/or veggies. I eat a banana with one dairy protein and an apple or orange with the other. Then I add a serving of celery (with the cottage cheese) and a serving of baby carrots. I pack the same snacks every single day. Boring, but I like it and it makes shopping easy.

You could throw in a handful of almonds or walnuts to one of these snacks and it would really help with the healthy fats you need, too.

[Amblus]

I buy plain, fat-free yogurt in the large tubs because it is the cheapest. I add half a scoop of vanilla protein powder and some cinnamon and sweetener (honey or whatever you like).

Sounds great! I need to try that. My two favorite snacks right now are Breakstone 2% cottage cheese w/ diced red apple and walnuts mixed in. I also am a big fan of natural peanut butter and apple slices.

[photochick]

Girl, there is no food in your food!

Ok, that made me laugh out loud and startled the cat!

I also try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. In fact I just started making my own home-made, low fat yogurt and adding my own fruit or seasonings to it and it makes SUCH a huge difference. It's so easy to make, and so much better for me since there are no chemicals in it.

There are weeks that I"m so busy that I do eat canned chicken or a lot of stuff out of a can or box, but I do try really hard to eat as fresh as possible and to eat a lot of veggies and fruits. If you can pre cook 3 or 4 chicken breasts every weekend to have throughout the week, it's so much better for you than opening a can.

We all do what we have to, of course. But the more "natural" food you can get, the better off you'll be.

.

[marv]

oh my goodness I would LOVE to be able to eat grilled chicken breast that I cook my self...HOWEVER, I have two part-time jobs, Im a full time student, getting married in June, Work out, and attempt to keep my house relatively clean....I wish there was more time to cook for myself...and I think there will be once the wedding is done and school is done as well (May can't come soon enough)....
I have some turkey breast in my freezer that I would love to cook, but often times i'm eating at work, or right when I get home, and I have to get to school work....so, my day is very organized...

I hear what all of you are saying about the processed food...totally understand...and I definitely understand that I need to add more calories, and with adding more calories, I would be adding more fat...but I am concerned about putting on extra weight, so I would like to add the calories gradually, so I'll really try to make that change..

[missjane]

I work a full-time demanding job, have my own business, go to school part-time, and workout regularly plus take care of a good-sized home and lawn. But, I find time to plan my meals. Even if it means I grill up a bunch of chicken at one time for the week, or cook up a big recipe of something and portion it off into meal-sized containers and freeze, or do something in the crock pot. Believe me, I know busy. But, I also know that if I don't eat right, then nothing else in my life is going to go smoothly, either.

[beach_plums]

Crockpots are the best. On days that I know I'm not going to be able to cook, I throw a bunch of stuff in the pot and let it cook all day. I come home to a great smelling house and delicious meal. It's perfect for soups and chilis, both of which can be very hardy. And there's always leftovers for days!

[Amblus]

Yep, I understand busy too! I have a full-time job, a part-time job, I work out five days a week and I have a household to run. It's really about planning ahead, for me. I plan out the entire menu for the week, do all the grocery shopping in one trip and try to make dishes that will last a few days. If I didn't do that, we'd be eating pizza every night.

Also, if I cook chicken breasts for dinner I'll make sure to cook a couple extra that can be sliced up and thrown in a salad or rolled into a tortilla the next day. Most of my lunches are leftover dinners.

And keep in mind, it doesn't have to be fancy. It takes ten minutes to broil a piece of fish and wilt some spinach. Drizzle w/ some sesame oil, sprinkle on some sesame seeds and you've got dinner. It just takes a little practice.

marv, I'm not trying to pick on you - I think it's great you're making changes! I'm just trying to give you some ideas as you go forward. It took me a long time to make all these changes in how I eat - I used to be a take-out-only kinda girl.

[kfisherx]

Originally Posted by marv

oh my goodness I would LOVE to be able to eat grilled chicken breast that I cook my self...HOWEVER, I have two part-time jobs, Im a full time student, getting married in June, Work out, and attempt to keep my house relatively clean....I wish there was more time to cook for myself...and I think there will be once the wedding is done and school is done as well (May can't come soon enough)....
I have some turkey breast in my freezer that I would love to cook, but often times i'm eating at work, or right when I get home, and I have to get to school work....so, my day is very organized...

I hear what all of you are saying about the processed food...totally understand...and I definitely understand that I need to add more calories, and with adding more calories, I would be adding more fat...but I am concerned about putting on extra weight, so I would like to add the calories gradually, so I'll really try to make that change..

Sweetie I am with Jane here. You do have time to cook if you want to have time to cook. Eating and diet are 90% of what all this is about so if you have to choose between working out and cooking then cook.

BTW: I came from under-eating to this board and am currently trying to bulk up. I can't seem to put on weight no matter how much I eat. My metabolism keeps rising to my food intake. The trick is to eat clean. If you eat clean (in the right macro ratio for your body) then it is deadly hard to gain weight. I am eating 2500-2700 kcals a day and still loosing. I have been doing this for several months now.

[rixatrix]

Agreed. You're going to need a strategy or you're going to end up eating a lot of crap you don't mean to because you don't have a plan.

Making Healthy Eating Work