Vick
I have been trying to lose weight pretty fast. I want to drop at least 20 or 25 pounds in the next five months. So far, I have lost about 7 pounds with the following diet, and I would like to know if it is healthy and how I can prevent from gaining back quickly:
Breakfast- medium sized bowl of all bran fiber cerial with non fat or skim milk.
Lunch- a plate of veggies, OR a couple of eggs
Dinner- small portions of whatever my mom is serving, but no bread. (I am sixteen, by the way)
Snacks- Plain non fat yogurt and plenty of almonds
I have only been doing this for a little over a week, and the results have been good so far. I feel great, and I exercise at least three or for times a week, but very very lightly (weight lifting, VERY short distant jogs, etc. I can't do too much because of asthma).
I drink quite a lot of water as well. (no soda, or pretty much anything else)
Is this diet OK? Do you think I will gain it back quickly?
I'm also a girl, so I don't think I have to worry about man boobs, but thanks for the concern! :D
Answer
Your diet doesn't have enough variety and honestly it sounds boring. Healthy doesn't mean tasteless. Do you seriously eat this everyday? Can you stick to this diet for life? I see you have drastically reduced your carbs you need carbs for energy. Fiber aid digestion and will keep you fuller longer. You will gain back if you don't stick to healthy eating for life. Make a diet and exercise plan you can honestly live with forever. Aim to eat 100 different foods a week, you need to be sure to get all your vitamins and nutrients. Healthy fats (avocado, olives and olive oil, plain nuts and seeds, flaxseed oil) don't cut out all fat boys actually do need some fat cut out too much and you will actually end up with man boobs it causes excess estrogen production just as if you eat too much fat, so moderation is key.
Divide your plate
1/2 fruit and veggies (make sure to eat a variety and try new ones when you have the chance)
1/4 of a lean protein or protein substitute if you are vegetarian. Don't just eat eggs all the time
1/4 fiber rich carbs (red or brown rice, bulgar, oatmeal or oatbran, quinoa etc.)
Your breakfast is good but try a little variety some other options
Oatmeal with honey and fresh fruit
Homemade fruit and veggie smoothies
1 egg, 1/2 cup bulgar or some wholegrain toast, baked beans, fresh fruit, you can have 2 slices of turkey bacon if you aren't vegetarian
1 natural peanut butter or almond butter sandwich, milk, 1 banana.
2-3 oz of fish (if vegetarian skip and add tofu to the miso), miso soup (excellent for weight loss), 1/2 cup brown or red rice, raw veggies or small side salad, green tea, fresh fruit
2 open-faced sandwiches on wasa crackers or a healthy bread, thin slices of cheese, loaded with veg, fresh fruit
Japanese omelet (I add grated daikon to mine and I use only 1 tsp of oil get a good nonstick pan so you need less oil) alternatively a plain egg prepared to your tastes, stir-fried sesame bok-choy, fresh fruit, 1/2 cup rice or bulgar, green tea
Muesli and kefir (it's like plain yoghurt
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Stir_fried-Sesame-Bok-Choy-Recipezaar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpET8FzGyvI
More breakfast recipes
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/healthy/healthy-breakfast/
http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/raw-food-breakfast-recipes.html
Lunch
Try to add a grain if you will skip carbs do it at dinner not earlier in the day
Add some protein (tofu, meat substitutes there are loads of them, or if not vegetarian fish, chicken, turkey, shrimp)
You might think of making some homemade wraps, a sub on healthy bread
or trying hummus with raw vegetables
One of my favorite salads
grilled chicken (or like the Quorn chicken breast meat substitute), shredded cabbage, avocado, julienned yellow bell pepper, cottage cheese, caramelized cashews, diced red onion, apples) sounds kind of crazy but it's delicious
More healthy lunch recipes
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/healthy/healthy-lunch/
You should be getting at least 1800 calories b/c you are a growing boy so please don't reduce more than that. I am happy to hear no soda =) Treats are okay in moderation be realistic or when the holidays come around you will gorge. It takes about 3 bites to satisfy a sweet craving. So portion out snacks. I like baked chips for fries I bake them or make sweet potato fries. If you like cakes sub oil with applesauce and have a small slice, 1/2 cup ice cream or frozen yoghurt topped with fresh fruit. There should be some healthy dessert recipes on the site too. So you don't need to forever forego treats of course if you honestly don't care for junk food don't eat it but if you love it learn moderation.
Remember you will likely go out to eat again so look up your favorite restaurants (even fastfood joints b/c they are hard to avoid for life) and look up nutritional info so you can plan healthy meals ahead of time. Ask for a smaller plate, order side dishes or appetizers instead of main entrees, split the meal if a main entree, and you can in a restaurant at least specify more how you want food prepared. Be realistic and flexible.
Yoghurt and nuts are good snacks also try some plain seeds (sunflower and pumpkin seeds contain zinc which is crucial for boys), hummus with veg is a good snack too
Your diet doesn't have enough variety and honestly it sounds boring. Healthy doesn't mean tasteless. Do you seriously eat this everyday? Can you stick to this diet for life? I see you have drastically reduced your carbs you need carbs for energy. Fiber aid digestion and will keep you fuller longer. You will gain back if you don't stick to healthy eating for life. Make a diet and exercise plan you can honestly live with forever. Aim to eat 100 different foods a week, you need to be sure to get all your vitamins and nutrients. Healthy fats (avocado, olives and olive oil, plain nuts and seeds, flaxseed oil) don't cut out all fat boys actually do need some fat cut out too much and you will actually end up with man boobs it causes excess estrogen production just as if you eat too much fat, so moderation is key.
Divide your plate
1/2 fruit and veggies (make sure to eat a variety and try new ones when you have the chance)
1/4 of a lean protein or protein substitute if you are vegetarian. Don't just eat eggs all the time
1/4 fiber rich carbs (red or brown rice, bulgar, oatmeal or oatbran, quinoa etc.)
Your breakfast is good but try a little variety some other options
Oatmeal with honey and fresh fruit
Homemade fruit and veggie smoothies
1 egg, 1/2 cup bulgar or some wholegrain toast, baked beans, fresh fruit, you can have 2 slices of turkey bacon if you aren't vegetarian
1 natural peanut butter or almond butter sandwich, milk, 1 banana.
2-3 oz of fish (if vegetarian skip and add tofu to the miso), miso soup (excellent for weight loss), 1/2 cup brown or red rice, raw veggies or small side salad, green tea, fresh fruit
2 open-faced sandwiches on wasa crackers or a healthy bread, thin slices of cheese, loaded with veg, fresh fruit
Japanese omelet (I add grated daikon to mine and I use only 1 tsp of oil get a good nonstick pan so you need less oil) alternatively a plain egg prepared to your tastes, stir-fried sesame bok-choy, fresh fruit, 1/2 cup rice or bulgar, green tea
Muesli and kefir (it's like plain yoghurt
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Stir_fried-Sesame-Bok-Choy-Recipezaar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpET8FzGyvI
More breakfast recipes
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/healthy/healthy-breakfast/
http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/raw-food-breakfast-recipes.html
Lunch
Try to add a grain if you will skip carbs do it at dinner not earlier in the day
Add some protein (tofu, meat substitutes there are loads of them, or if not vegetarian fish, chicken, turkey, shrimp)
You might think of making some homemade wraps, a sub on healthy bread
or trying hummus with raw vegetables
One of my favorite salads
grilled chicken (or like the Quorn chicken breast meat substitute), shredded cabbage, avocado, julienned yellow bell pepper, cottage cheese, caramelized cashews, diced red onion, apples) sounds kind of crazy but it's delicious
More healthy lunch recipes
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/healthy/healthy-lunch/
You should be getting at least 1800 calories b/c you are a growing boy so please don't reduce more than that. I am happy to hear no soda =) Treats are okay in moderation be realistic or when the holidays come around you will gorge. It takes about 3 bites to satisfy a sweet craving. So portion out snacks. I like baked chips for fries I bake them or make sweet potato fries. If you like cakes sub oil with applesauce and have a small slice, 1/2 cup ice cream or frozen yoghurt topped with fresh fruit. There should be some healthy dessert recipes on the site too. So you don't need to forever forego treats of course if you honestly don't care for junk food don't eat it but if you love it learn moderation.
Remember you will likely go out to eat again so look up your favorite restaurants (even fastfood joints b/c they are hard to avoid for life) and look up nutritional info so you can plan healthy meals ahead of time. Ask for a smaller plate, order side dishes or appetizers instead of main entrees, split the meal if a main entree, and you can in a restaurant at least specify more how you want food prepared. Be realistic and flexible.
Yoghurt and nuts are good snacks also try some plain seeds (sunflower and pumpkin seeds contain zinc which is crucial for boys), hummus with veg is a good snack too
Is Being A Vegetarian Healthy?
Riley
I absolutely hate meat and I would really like to become a vegetarian but my family freaks out when i even bring it up. Ill be going to college in a year so I can officially become a vegetarian once my parents are no loner there to nag me to eat meat. Im wondering if there are ways to gain all my proteins without meat in my diet and if removing meat from diet is dangerous. I dont want to become sickly if I give up meat. Advice ..tips? thanks
Answer
I'm very healthy and I don't eat meat. Do your research of course, only if you are becoming a vegan do you really need to get into supplements as long as you follow a nutritious diet and don't simply eat junk food (especially since milk and dairy products have vitamin B12 and whatnot) though if you feel more comfortable you can look into possible supplements.
Nuts, beans, veggies, plants, and nearly everything out there has protein! You do not need meat at all for protein, and in fact most meat eaters are getting too much, not to mention the cholesterol, and other horrible things that impact your health when you eat meat (fatty meats are not healthy for people). Even peanut butter is rich in protein, try a peanut butter sandwich even! As long as you get all of your regular servings and ensure that your diet has plenty of veggies, grains, etc. you will be fine, actually you will probably feel better; I remember when I cut meat out of my diet I felt amazing, I still do though the feeling from the beginning was much stronger.
Oh and make sure to eat iron-rich foods (especially when it is your time of the month if you're a girl so you don't develop issues like anemia etc, and if you're afraid of lack of iron, just take a supplement - I would suggest for any girl vegetarian or not to take an iron supplement when they're on their period!) such as the ones on this site:
http://www.weightlossforall.com/iron-rich-food.htm (if you scroll down there are vegetarian options)
Check out PETA, they have awesome recipes, vegetarian/vegan starter kits (with recipes and other things in it), etc. Just search around on the site they have great stuff, here are a couple links I found useful:
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/vegetarian-101.aspx
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/free-vegetarian-starter-kit.aspx (you don't have to order it if you don't want to - they have an online version, it's a link during the introduction)
This is an awesome forum too it's full of personal experiences, tips, recipes, etc:
http://www.veggieboards.com
My parents weren't good with it at first, they thought it was a big joke but I stuck to it. I had wanted to convert from a very young age but since I couldn't cook that wasn't a reasonable option. When I got old enough to cook and whatnot I did it in a second, I just quit meat cold turkey and I haven't ate any meat since then. They are much better about it now that they see how serious I am, they even add tofu and such to their shopping lists without my asking (I wouldn't have asked them to go out of their way to support my diet that they weren't particularly fond of) and other vegetarian substitutes! :) It's an awesome way to live, and it's better for your health, the environment and of course for animals!
I hope this will help you in your final decision and during your converting period if you choose to become a vegetarian.
However, keep in mind that it's a personal choice and if you don't want to you certainly don't have to, and as for the omnivores after you convert, expect some resistance all around at first as most people really are uneducated about what they are putting into their stomachs and they truthfully feel that meat is the only source of protein and that it is why animals were put on the earth. Oh yeah, don't try to convert them, I don't have any personal experience here because it's not something I would do, I have my beliefs and other people have theirs and they wouldn't appreciate being nagged, in fact I've heard some people call it being "brainwashed" when you go veg. Though if people do bother you about it when they say something about lack of protein and whatever else, just tell them how you are getting protein, when you don't hesitate and you really know your stuff about what you are eating they get a little stunned and in my experience give up after they are proven wrong hahah.
Sorry if that was a lot of writing, and with potential bad grammar and punctuation I'm multitasking as I write this. Haha.
Best of luck.
I'm very healthy and I don't eat meat. Do your research of course, only if you are becoming a vegan do you really need to get into supplements as long as you follow a nutritious diet and don't simply eat junk food (especially since milk and dairy products have vitamin B12 and whatnot) though if you feel more comfortable you can look into possible supplements.
Nuts, beans, veggies, plants, and nearly everything out there has protein! You do not need meat at all for protein, and in fact most meat eaters are getting too much, not to mention the cholesterol, and other horrible things that impact your health when you eat meat (fatty meats are not healthy for people). Even peanut butter is rich in protein, try a peanut butter sandwich even! As long as you get all of your regular servings and ensure that your diet has plenty of veggies, grains, etc. you will be fine, actually you will probably feel better; I remember when I cut meat out of my diet I felt amazing, I still do though the feeling from the beginning was much stronger.
Oh and make sure to eat iron-rich foods (especially when it is your time of the month if you're a girl so you don't develop issues like anemia etc, and if you're afraid of lack of iron, just take a supplement - I would suggest for any girl vegetarian or not to take an iron supplement when they're on their period!) such as the ones on this site:
http://www.weightlossforall.com/iron-rich-food.htm (if you scroll down there are vegetarian options)
Check out PETA, they have awesome recipes, vegetarian/vegan starter kits (with recipes and other things in it), etc. Just search around on the site they have great stuff, here are a couple links I found useful:
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/vegetarian-101.aspx
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/free-vegetarian-starter-kit.aspx (you don't have to order it if you don't want to - they have an online version, it's a link during the introduction)
This is an awesome forum too it's full of personal experiences, tips, recipes, etc:
http://www.veggieboards.com
My parents weren't good with it at first, they thought it was a big joke but I stuck to it. I had wanted to convert from a very young age but since I couldn't cook that wasn't a reasonable option. When I got old enough to cook and whatnot I did it in a second, I just quit meat cold turkey and I haven't ate any meat since then. They are much better about it now that they see how serious I am, they even add tofu and such to their shopping lists without my asking (I wouldn't have asked them to go out of their way to support my diet that they weren't particularly fond of) and other vegetarian substitutes! :) It's an awesome way to live, and it's better for your health, the environment and of course for animals!
I hope this will help you in your final decision and during your converting period if you choose to become a vegetarian.
However, keep in mind that it's a personal choice and if you don't want to you certainly don't have to, and as for the omnivores after you convert, expect some resistance all around at first as most people really are uneducated about what they are putting into their stomachs and they truthfully feel that meat is the only source of protein and that it is why animals were put on the earth. Oh yeah, don't try to convert them, I don't have any personal experience here because it's not something I would do, I have my beliefs and other people have theirs and they wouldn't appreciate being nagged, in fact I've heard some people call it being "brainwashed" when you go veg. Though if people do bother you about it when they say something about lack of protein and whatever else, just tell them how you are getting protein, when you don't hesitate and you really know your stuff about what you are eating they get a little stunned and in my experience give up after they are proven wrong hahah.
Sorry if that was a lot of writing, and with potential bad grammar and punctuation I'm multitasking as I write this. Haha.
Best of luck.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
No comments:
Post a Comment