Simple rules for healthy eating?

Isabel2

Isabel2

New member
I'm gradually improving my diet with simple rules. First I cut down my cals so I eat between 1200 and 1800 a day. (I don't like too precise a number as I am more motivated if I have a bit of leeway.) Then I made a rule that I had to have at least five servings of fruit and veg a day. I'm thinking it's about time I added a new rule - any suggestions? I don't want anything so strict that it would be hard to maintain, but something that points me further down the road of healthy eating would be great...
 
How about - a rule where you get at least 100g of protein a day. (Or 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass - since I don't know what you weigh, I'm throwing out my own target). I also aim for over 25g of fiber a day.

You can also add rules to help you eat more 'one ingredient' foods - which cuts down on all of the processed foods. Or substitute canola or olive oil for normal vegetable oil.

Or only eat bread you've baked yourself ;)

Just some thoughts!
 
I found the best one for me was 'remove anything processed'. So straight meat & veges were ok, but no breads, pasta, processed cheeses etc. The weight just fell off me too. Was a bit weird getting used to at first but then once i got used to it was really easy to do and i felt great.
 
wishes said:
I found the best one for me was 'remove anything processed'. So straight meat & veges were ok, but no breads, pasta, processed cheeses etc. The weight just fell off me too. Was a bit weird getting used to at first but then once i got used to it was really easy to do and i felt great.
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You don't eat breads or pastas at all?
 
Polka Dots said:
You don't eat breads or pastas at all?
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I don't know about Wishes but I don't. I'm not saying this is either right or wrong, its just where I am at. If your questioning it it is do-able!
-I do eat whole oats though as porridge for breakfast (made with water).

I'd agree with the protein thing, I aim for 100grams a day though normally hit somewhere between 70-100g. I never knew my weight and didn't ever want to (I was fairly sure I was overweight) but it turns out my weight is 67kg and BMI is 22.5 (which is a huge relief though I am too scared to check on the scales again- the weight was taken about a month ago) though I do notice if I dip below the 70g mark I am left feeling much hungrier then normal.

Good low kcal sources of protein are....Whey power (if your really lazy!), fish, chicken/turkey, ham and egg whitess. Quorn is another good one but be careful as not all quorn products were created equal as protein is concerned.
Other sources of protein which are good but you gotta be careful of the calories of are red meat (beef, lamb, pork), egg yokes (actually fine in moderation but it seems to be the case that people like to eat several in one day every day and its not good for you to do this), protein bars, full fat milk/cream/cheese and nuts.

I would also add to the list at least 5 different types of fruit and veg a day, if possible of 5 different colours, eg 1 apple, 1 melon salad, a handful of black grapes, 1 portion of carrots, 1 portion of green beans. If you can manage more then 5 even better. Fresh fruit is many times better then smoothies or fruit juice as it has the fiber which has not been destroyed by a blender and still retains the vitamins in. It also adds roughage to your diet and helps to keep you feeling satisfied after eating.

And last but not least: water! If you do cardio, drink 500mls min per 30 mins you workout. If your in air conditioned buildings alot, remember you may need to drink more and if you have sinus problems make sure your still hydrated as breathing your mouth will mean more water vapour escapes. The advised amount to drink per day is 1.5 to 2 Liters per day. Remember that if you don't drink enough your body is going to be fighting an uphill battle to lose weight, it also needs water to help get rid of toxins collected in your liver.
 
My simple rule is: you don't need simple rules. It's simple enough to go to the USDA Mypyramid web site once in a while, plug in your meal plan, then eat more of whatever it tells you you need more of, and less of whatever it tells you you are eating too much of.
 
Harold14370 said:
My simple rule is: you don't need simple rules. It's simple enough to go to the USDA Mypyramid web site once in a while, plug in your meal plan, then eat more of whatever it tells you you need more of, and less of whatever it tells you you are eating too much of.
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Maybe simple for some, but I think I will be very surprised if I find my husband turning to this :D Some people prefer the simple rules!

Also, I'm biased against the US food pyramid, even revised, because they are too susceptible to lobbying. Which is how we ended up with the previous food pyramid. I prefer to use fitday.com for tracking and my own research into what's needed.
 
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