Suggestions for foods to eat.

[Hellish]

Hi.

Only my second post in these forums, so here goes.

I usually eat -
a couple of boiled eggs for breakfast
various fruit mid-morning (grapes, bananas, apples, oranges)
tuna or mackerel with veg for lunch (sometimes with rice)
various fruits in the afternoon
tuna or chicken with veg for tea (sometimes with rice)
I also drink water, and protein shakes

Now, I do like fish and chicken, but I also realise that I'm not having a very varied diet at all. I do tend to relax at the weekends and have a few cheats, but that's about it.

My aim is to be healthy, maintain a healthy weight and keep fit, and I do go to the gym, cycle, so I am getting exercise (although not as much as I'd like). I struggle to lose weight (have done all my life), and I have been paranoid about deviating from the above for quite some time now.

What other meals could I subsititute some of the above for so that it's varied, yet still healthy? I don't want to be completely without carbs, but I try to limit them in the week as I seem to easily gain weight. I think my body is so used to eating the same things, and I would like to give it a, albeit healthy, shock and a shake-up.

[beN123]

Just make sure you coun't your calories and you can eat pretty much what ever you want, based on healthy you want to be. At the moment I would guess your barely eating 1k kcals, with absolutely no fat at all. I THINK it's bodyweight in lbs x 12 = amount of calories you need for fatloss (very roughly).

Count calories, get 1g per lb of bodyweight in protein and add more fats (red meat/cheese/eggs/nuts etc). Pick a good weights program and watch the fat fly off.

[funb]

You could make it a game. Take 4 consecutive days, and say to yourself you will not repeat your protein source, your veg or your fruit. For example I am currently eating a lot of meat so just to keep things interesting I have started eating things like trout, mackerel, venison, shrimp, prawn, crab, beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, calamari, eland... You can try the same with your veg/fruit, make it a 'rule' that you don't repeat yourself over 4 days. You'll no doubt find stuff that you don't like, but you'll also find stuff that you do!

[Bison]

Quote

Hi.

Only my second post in these forums, so here goes.

I usually eat -
a couple of boiled eggs for breakfast
various fruit mid-morning (grapes, bananas, apples, oranges)
tuna or mackerel with veg for lunch (sometimes with rice)
various fruits in the afternoon
tuna or chicken with veg for tea (sometimes with rice)
I also drink water, and protein shakes

Now, I do like fish and chicken, but I also realise that I'm not having a very varied diet at all. I do tend to relax at the weekends and have a few cheats, but that's about it.

My aim is to be healthy, maintain a healthy weight and keep fit, and I do go to the gym, cycle, so I am getting exercise (although not as much as I'd like). I struggle to lose weight (have done all my life), and I have been paranoid about deviating from the above for quite some time now.

What other meals could I subsititute some of the above for so that it's varied, yet still healthy? I don't want to be completely without carbs, but I try to limit them in the week as I seem to easily gain weight. I think my body is so used to eating the same things, and I would like to give it a, albeit healthy, shock and a shake-up.

Fruit is good but don't go over the top with banana's, grapes and apples which are probably the worst of the fruits in terms of nutrition / sugary carbs. Try to eat less of those and add more nutrient dense fruit like kiwi's and all the different varieties of berries. Coconuts are good aswell.
Eat lots of veg. Again there are some that aren't that great compared to others, white potato's offer very little nutrition but are packed full of starchy carbs. Sweet potato's on the other hand are much better in everyway including taste
If you're going to eat rice try wild rice or brown rice instead of white.
Add some red meat in there, steak every now and again and try to introduce some liver once a week, another great source of nutrients.

[Hellish]

Thanks for all the good advice, which I will take on board and use.

It's interesting to discover that while I thought I was doing the right things, it is clear that I am doing a lot of incorrect things. I apologise in advance for asking stupid questions, and I will try to keep them to a minimum.

Thank you for the suggestions, and I will now go about switching my fruits etc. and let you know how I progress. I did cut out apples altogether a few weeks ago, which seems to have taken away the regular bloated feeling I was experiencing. I also cut down on the bananas I was eating and now eat a max. of two per day.

[Bison]

Don't be afraid of asking questions on here, we've all started somewhere...

What I've posted are just suggestions for you to make small changes, you don't need to make a radical switch and completely change everything over. Just try adding more of them to your current diet. Apples, banana's, grapes are fine, just don't eat 5 portions of them everyday for the so called "5-a-day"

[Hellish]

Thanks, Bison.

Although I struggle to burn fat, I also relaise that I need to have a regular fat intake, which I have to admit I back off from. Looking at my diet, it is apparent that I do not have a lot of fat or calories in there. Would you be able to suggest some good fats (foods) for me to introduce to my diet?

[George641]

BenN123 covered the basics of fats with eggs, nuts, red meat and cheese... further to that peanut butter is a favourite, avocados, mince beef, olive oil, salmon and other oily fish.

I also agree with count your calories and macros... within a few weeks you'll know whats what and wont have to be so anal, you'll just know roughly whats required.

[Hellish]

Quote

BenN123 covered the basics of fats with eggs, nuts, red meat and cheese...

Yep, sorry...I've asked something already hinted upon.

Cheers.