Eating Advice - Yes AGAIN

[Applewhite]

Ok so I apologize with hoarding the health forum with constant questions about eating

 

But the truth of the matter is I really am a baby in this area and I simply just don't know things.

 

In my past I was not aware of food and didn't know how to relate to it. I was taught to eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Was always eating comfort food in large quantities and not eating any of the things my body needs. As a result I was always tired, overweight and such and such...

 

So since then I have learned a lot, but there are still things I do not know.

 

Here is one:

 

Because I used to abuse food before (eat large quantities for strange reasons) I want to be careful I don't do that again.

 

I try to eat good by adding vegetables to my diet. I am too tired and lazy to try to vary this and I have noticed I eat the same kinds of vegetables mostly. Is this something to be alarmed about?

 

For example, it seems like I am eating salad greens and a tomato every single day almost, also broccoli every day. I try to vary the kind of lettuce and sometimes change the broccoli to spinach, but then continue with that combo for a long time too. Is this normal. Should I aim for different vegetables every day (the planning involved seems exhausting to me).

 

Opinions please..

[Sonicxman]

I think your eating good, if you fear that your not getting the foods you need, try a multivitamin in the morning or the "go greens" which you can add to a water bottle. I think the most important thing is that your eating the complex carbs you need. I think the same thing sometimes. So I will go to the store and buy vegetables that I dont normally eat and waste my money, because they end up rotting in my refrigerator. Do you still feel tired after you have changed your diet?

[Applewhite]

I think your eating good, if you fear that your not getting the foods you need, try a multivitamin in the morning or the "go greens" which you can add to a water bottle. I think the most important thing is that your eating the complex carbs you need. I think the same thing sometimes. So I will go to the store and buy vegetables that I dont normally eat and waste my money, because they end up rotting in my refrigerator. Do you still feel tired after you have changed your diet?

 

No when I eat better, I can definitely feel the difference. But I fear that it is still not *optimal* because I never knew there was something wrong with my eating for the longest time.

[Sonicxman]

Do you take a multivitamin? Are you a vegetarian? Sorry, I havnt looked through your past post.

[Applewhite]

I sometimes do take a vitamin, but a lot of people say they are scams, so I have been kinda discouraged about taking them recently. I am not sure they really help. And I can't really afford the expensive brands.

 

I am not a vegetarian.

[Sonicxman]

My only thoughts are maybe your not getting enough iron in your diet. But if you are eating leafy greens, beans, cereals what not then your getting it. How often do you exercise?

[g84]

I think that what you're doing sounds alright. Trying to have as much variety as possible would probably be ideal, but when it comes to fruits and vegetables i also tend to have the same ones often. I don't actually eat enough of them to begin with, so that's something i'd like to improve. But, having the same ones often is still better than not having any at all.

One vegetable that is easy to include in your meals could be carrots -if you enjoy them, i would suggest buying baby carrots and adding those into your meals -like having them along with a sandwich or something like that.

[Applewhite]

My only thoughts are maybe your not getting enough iron in your diet. But if you are eating leafy greens, beans, cereals what not then your getting it. How often do you exercise?

 

Well I eat red meat too and leafy greens every single day. I also sometimes eat lentils and beans too. I don't think my diet lacks iron.

 

I am not as tired as I used to be when I ate carbs all day. But I am not as comfortable as I was when I weighed 160 either. Now I weigh around 200 And I think I need to lose a little before I can safely exercise beyond walking and yoga. Otherwise I feel my knees hurting because of all the excess weight I carry.

[Applewhite]

I think that what you're doing sounds alright. Trying to have as much variety as possible would probably be ideal, but when it comes to fruits and vegetables i also tend to have the same ones often. I don't actually eat enough of them to begin with, so that's something i'd like to improve. But, having the same ones often is still better than not having any at all.

One vegetable that is easy to include in your meals could be carrots -if you enjoy them, i would suggest buying baby carrots and adding those into your meals -like having them along with a sandwich or something like that.

 

I am not a big fan of raw carrots. Sometimes I will have little amounts of it in my salad. I like them in beef stew or lentils - cooked.

[Sonicxman]

Other than exercise maybe your sleep. I have noticed when I dont exercise for a while I start feeling a little depressed, fatigued and my sleep goes out the window. I believe they are all tied together. When I do exercise, I have great sleep and i feel like I have more energy. Have you tried low impact exercises like cycling?

[Applewhite]

Other than exercise maybe your sleep. I have noticed when I dont exercise for a while I start feeling a little depressed, fatigued and my sleep goes out the window. I believe they are all tied together. When I do exercise, I have great sleep and i feel like I have more energy. Have you tried low impact exercises like cycling?

 

I am so overweight now that even when I cycle I feel my knees. But I try to do yoga every other day. And sometimes we will take long walks (like once a week).

[Sonicxman]

Can you get some hand weights or bands, high reps-low weight, another way to work off calories and you can do it at home.

[shes2smart]

hike - would it be possible for you to consult a Registered Dietitian about your concerns? You seem very motivated to learn how to manage this part of your life, and I've always found that if the motivation is there, hiring a professional to help you is the quickest way to learn.

 

I used to see an RD (who also had training in counseling and working with people who had eating/body image issues) and I learned a lot from her. One of the things I learned is that a lot of the information that's floating around "out there" food/eating/nutrition is inaccurate, only partially true, or just flat out wrong.

 

Might be worth seeing what's available in your area and how much they charge. I'd stay away from someone calling themselves a "nutritionist"...and look for someone with an RD degree.

 

link removed

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a nutritionist and a dietitian? To put it simply, a link removed, while a dietitian has credentials to go with the term. Any person working in a health food store or otherwise can call themselves a nutritionist.

 

A link removed (RD) is a credential just like a Registered Nurse (RN) or Medical Doctor (MD). To become a Registered Dietitian you must:

 

1. Earn a Bachelor's Degree in dietetics, a 4 year degree from an accredited college or university
   
2. Complete an internship with at least 900 hours
   
3. Take and pass the RD exam
   
4. Complete 50 link removed every 5 years to maintain license.
   

[oldenoughtoknow]

Sorry, I haven't read the other posts. I understand you eating better to improve your energy level and to lose weight. It sounds like you are on the right track. I wouldn't worry so much about eating the same vegetables every day. I know each type has its own benefits. But probably compared to your past diet, any one of them is a breath of fresh air. The only thing I would worry about is what are you going to do when you get sick of them? That would be your best reasoning to seek variety. Just look for something you like. Also, be wary of what you put on them. Much like a salad, if you put a quart of blue cheese dressing on top, you may as well eat a Big Mac.

 

Walking is an important part of this process, as ANY additional exercise will speed your weight loss. Weight loss will greatly improve your energy level. You mentioned going from 160 to 200 - try walking around with a 40lbs backpack for a while. When you take it off, that's how much better you're going to feel when you get back to where you want to be. Also, exercise itself will eventually improve your energy level. Right now, your body's maximum capacity may be fairly lethargic. Without occasional exercise (exertion, or pushing yourself), your body atrophys to a point where your normal activity is pretty much your maximum capacity. But as you increase your cardiovascular ability, your normal activity will be quite below your capacity, so every day stuff will feel much less taxing. A good analogy would be that right now, during everyday activity your body is like an old VW bug engine, constantly straining itself down the freeway. The more you exercise, you are incrementally turning your body's capacity and everyday activity into more of an idling race car engine - lots of capacity on tap.

 

This is not an easy process. Hang in there. The reward will literally be life changing!

[Sonicxman]

I have to agree with richpart, that's what I was getting with on the exercise part. Your energy levels will rise, just keep up with the yoga and walking. Also are you restricting your calorie intake?

[ur02111222]

Well, about the vegetable thing. Why not try eating those you like most of the time, but throwing in something different once a week? Then gradually throw in some more. When you go to the grocery store, choose something you wouldn't normally eat, and give it a shot. It's just about trying different things/different recipes/etc.

[sidehop]

For example, it seems like I am eating salad greens and a tomato every single day almost, also broccoli every day. I try to vary the kind of lettuce and sometimes change the broccoli to spinach, but then continue with that combo for a long time too. Is this normal. Should I aim for different vegetables every day (the planning involved seems exhausting to me).

 

Opinions please..

 

A good rule of thumb picking out any vegetables is color. More rich and deep in color the better. Iceberg lettuce for example, I would buy Romaine lettuce instead. More nutritious than the iceberg lettuce. Switch it up and see what you like.

 

Another good rule of thumb about vegetables is cover 2/3 of your plate with vegetables.

 

I sometimes do take a vitamin, but a lot of people say they are scams, so I have been kinda discouraged about taking them recently. I am not sure they really help. And I can't really afford the expensive brands.

 

I am not a vegetarian.

 

As long as you're eating enough vegetables I wouldn't worry too much about multi-vitamins at this point. It sounds like your eating habit is more consistent which is by far the most important thing. Keep up the good work

[Applewhite]

A good rule of thumb picking out any vegetables is color. More rich and deep in color the better. Iceberg lettuce for example, I would buy Romaine lettuce instead. More nutritious than the iceberg lettuce. Switch it up and see what you like.

 

Another good rule of thumb about vegetables is cover 2/3 of your plate with vegetables.

 

 

 

As long as you're eating enough vegetables I wouldn't worry too much about multi-vitamins at this point. It sounds like your eating habit is more consistent which is by far the most important thing. Keep up the good work

 

Sidehop what do you mean about 'rich' colors? Like are strawberries better than watermelon because the watermelon has a lighter color?

 

Also how would you define 'consistent'?

[Applewhite]

Well, about the vegetable thing. Why not try eating those you like most of the time, but throwing in something different once a week? Then gradually throw in some more. When you go to the grocery store, choose something you wouldn't normally eat, and give it a shot. It's just about trying different things/different recipes/etc.

 

Somebody made a good point about buying new stuff and then you don't eat them and they rot in the fridge.

 

Also when I buy fresh vegetables, they go bad before I get to them. So most of my vegetables are frozen. Is this a bad thing? Do they lose their nutritional value?

[sidehop]

Sidehop what do you mean about 'rich' colors? Like are strawberries better than watermelon because the watermelon has a lighter color?

 

Also how would you define 'consistent'?

 

Anything colorful on the skin, deep colors like spinach, broccolis, green/red/yellow/orange peppers, etc. You get the idea.

 

If you're eating them consistently on a daily basis it's great

 

Another thing you could do is follow the vegies and fruits of the current season.

[FathomFear]

Somebody made a good point about buying new stuff and then you don't eat them and they rot in the fridge.

 

Also when I buy fresh vegetables, they go bad before I get to them. So most of my vegetables are frozen. Is this a bad thing? Do they lose their nutritional value?

 

This was one of my concerns before I switched to a vegan diet. As it turns out, I solved that problem by increasing the amount of times I buy groceries. Instead of getting groceries once every 1-2 weeks, I now buy small amounts of fresh vegetables every 3 or 4 days. That ensures I always eat fresh and nothing goes bad.

[sidehop]

I always wondered, to those 'green bags' they advertise on TV really work? I'm not vegan but we do buy quite a bit of vegies and they often go bad, sometimes we'll get to most of them other times the whole bag of celery goes to waste.

[Sonicxman]

So most of my vegetables are frozen. Is this a bad thing? Do they lose their nutritional value?

 

Very much so and not just that but taste as well. Fresh is always your best choice, but you have to go with what works for you.

[FathomFear]

Very much so and not just that but taste as well. Fresh is always your best choice, but you have to go with what works for you.

 

Well, most frozen vegetables are flash-frozen when they are their most fresh. Nutritionally not much is lost. In fact, many "fresh vegetables" you buy have sat around a supermarket for days--and often spent days upon days before that in transit.

[generaldiscord]

Variety is hard. Try to challenge your notion of what is tasty.

 

If you know how to make bread, it is an excellent opportunity to challenge your taste buds. Buckwheat, Rye, and Whole wheat flour have entirely different tastes. Regular flour doesn't have a whole lot by way of nutrition.

 

Look into other grains you can eat instead of rice or pasta. Cus cus, barley, Kasa, and Millet are excellent examples. Today I had Kasa with an easy mushroom sauce. It was completely delicious. You can add fresh veggies to cooked grains for a very easy meal.

 

Discover the power of spices. Garlic is very healthy and delicious. Chopped olives, onions and chives give their own flavor. Lemon is delicious. (have you tried sauteeing broccoli with lemmon and garlic? mmmm)

 

Dairy and Meats are delicious, but only in moderation. With meat, try to go for quality, not quantity.