id like to eat better

Question
hi, i am 18 and i want to join the air force. ive been trying to get in shape for basic training, and i want to know what a simple eating plan for me could be. i tried looking at the cook book things, but theyre too complicated so i just bought slim fast meal replacers. i was eating special k cereal in the morning, a slim fast bar for lunch and like a sandwich for dinner and pretzels for snacks. however, id still be really hungry! what is a simple meal plan for me to help me be energized, full, and still be healthy and loose weight? also, was i not eating enough? oh and im 5'8 and 165 pounds. is this considered over weight? what is the best weight for me?

Answer
Hi Sarah

It sounds like you were eating too little and this will actually throw your body into starvation mode and you will not lose weight at all.  Your calories should never go lower than 1200 each day.  Slim fast is great for a once in awhile fill in for breakfast or lunch but not for an every day meal.

Your correct weight depends on your body frame size.  I have broken it down for you. Your weight can range from 140 to 172 depending on the size of your body frame.  This is measured by the wrist.  If you don't know how to measure be sure to let me know.

      SMALL   MEDIUM  LARGE
5' 8" 140-148 145-157 152-172


I have lost about 80 pounds and its really all about changing your eating habits and portion sizes.

With some changes in your eating habits and exercising habits you may be surprised at the amount of weight that you can lose in a months time period. You can adverage losing about 2 pounds each week safely so it won't take long to lose the weight.

You can make some adjustments in the foods you are eating but don't try to diet. Just make different food choices.

Don't skip meals. Eat three meals a day and even allow yourself to have snacks. Just choose your foods wisely. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Don't try to eliminate all fat. Your body needs some fat, or it will start to make more.

Be sure you get enough calcium by drinking skim milk or calcium-fortified orange juice. Drink at least 32 ounces of water each day. This helps to decrease your appetite and is good for your skin and hair.

Also, be careful not to lose weight too quickly. Don't lose more than one pound per week, and don't be discouraged if you don't see results quickly.

1. Stretch your meals to, at least, 20 minutes or longer. Your stomach, mouth and brain are all connected and it takes 20 minutes of chewing before your stomach signals your brain that you are full. To successfully lose weight, you need to eat slowly for 20 minutes or longer.

2. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day is important to your health, your normal diet and to help lose weight. Water is necessary for the metabolism of your stored fat.

3. Make good food choices such as baked chicken, turkey, fish, tuna fish, lean ham, steak, lean beef or hamburger, veggies prepared without butter, brown rice, white rice, fruits--fresh or canned without extra sugar, low calorie jello, fat free yogurts, salads with low calorie and low fat dressings, air-popped popcorn, fat free pretzels, fruit smoothies made with yogurt, pasta in 2 oz servings.

4. Use snack foods wisely. Here are some suggestions for low calorie snacks. Fat free pretzels, fat free yogurt, air popped popcorn, low calorie jello with fat free cool whip, fruit smoothies made with fresh fruit and frozen yogurt, frozen grapes, sugar free popsicles.

5. When you go fat free or low fat, you also cut out much of the taste of the foods you eat. Add the flavor back with herbs and spices.

6. Increase your metabolism by including some of the fat burning foods and breaking your meals into 4 or 5 smaller meals during the day. Include some Catabolic or Negative calorie foods. I have listings of these foods if they would help you out.

7. Negative emotions will also interfere with your weight loss program. It's difficult to stay motivated to lose weight when you feel bad.

8. To lose weight faster, reduce your intake of caffeine. Caffeine leads to an increase of insulin in your body that retards the burning of your stored fat.This is a simple chemical reaction in your body that you can change. Reduce your caffeine intake by 50% and see what happens. Here is a rough guide to use when looking at the amount of caffeine you currently take in: Brewed coffee (6 oz. cup) - 100mg; Instant coffee (6 oz.) - 70mg; Tea (6 oz.) - 50mg; Soft drinks (12oz.) - (Coke, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew) - 50mg; Dark chocolate (1 oz.) - 20mg and Milk chocolate (1 oz.) - 6mg.

9. Incease your intake of fiber rich foods. They will help fill you up faster and will help all the food you eat pass through your digestive system more easily.

10. Exercise is probably the most important key to increasing your metabolism and burning off excess fat.

11. To lose weight quickly, never skip a meal. Your first meal after waking starts your metabolism. Your metabolism then speeds up for about eight hours and then starts slowing down until you go to sleep when it goes to low until you wake and eat and start the cycle again. Skip breakfast and your metabolism doesn't get started until lunch time. You've just missed three or four hours of fat burning time. When you skip meals during the day, your metabolism also slows down.

12. There are certain things that should be avoided when trying to lose weight such as--all fried foods--have them baked, broiled, grilled or pan fried using a non fat spray. Avoid rich gravies, sauces,rich desserts, sodas because of the sodium content.

13. Try including some fiber in the diet as it is very healthy for you and also expands in your stomach and gives you a full feeling.

14. Make sure that you have your caloric needs figured out and also keep the fat grams down to only 20 percent of the daily food total.

Healthy habits

Eat breakfast.

Eat your biggest meal of the day at lunchtime.

Begin meals with a low-fat salad, soup, broth or a glass of water.

Eat more vegetables and whole grains at each meal.

Drink fewer sugar-sweetened beverages (such as regular soda and fruit juice).

If you drink more than one regular soda per day, replace one of them with a diet soda, water or skim milk.

Limit your alcohol intake.

Know what 1 serving looks like -- and stick to it.

Eat slowly so your body has time to know when you are full.
Be more active in your daily life.

Replace some of the sugar in your diet with non-caloric sweeteners

Foods that are high in fat and added sugar have lots of calories. Fat has almost twice the calories of carbohydrates and protein. Also, compared with calories that come from carbohydrates or proteins, calories that come from fat are more easily used by your body to make body fat.
  
Foods high in calories from fat and/or added sugar
Pastries, doughnuts, cakes, cookies, sweet rolls, pies
Most crackers and chips

Cheeses

Cooking oils, margarine, butter, lard, shortening

Cream, ice cream

Fried foods, hot dogs and luncheon meats

Regular soda and fruit-flavored juices  


Though skipping meals may work for a while, it backfires in the long run. When you skip a meal, you are likely to get too hungry, and then you may eat too much at once.


Breakfast Diet Menu

Fruit & Fiber Cereal or favorite cereal with milk ?use 1% fat milk ?220 calorie

Water (1 cups) or

Coffee (1 cup) if desired

Mid Morning Snack

1 slice of wheat bread with low fat peanut butter ?100 calorie

sliced orange ?50 calorie

water (2 cups)

Lunch Diet Menu
Hamburger (lean beef) on toasted wheat bread with low fat cheese. Make at home and warm up at work ?320 calories

Healthy Choice Soup - turkey and rice (1 cup) ?90 calories

Water (2 cups)


Mid Morning Snack
Fuji apple - 80 calories

Water (1 cup)

Dinner Diet Menu

Tomato - Herb Chicken

1/4 cup fat free chicken broth
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skinless

1. In large nonstick skillet, heat broth over medium heat. Saut?onion and garlic for 2 minutes or until tender. Add tomato sauce, syrup, vinegar, oregano, basil and pepper to onion mix. Bring mixture to boil and reduce heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Add chicken to sauce and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Turn chicken and simmer an additional 30 minutes or until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings; Per serving: 270 Calories, 3 Fat Grams

Steamed cabbage or broccoli ?60 calories

Entenmann's Light cheese cake - 1 serving ?130 calories

Water (1 cup)

Here is a list of delicious low calorie snacks when you get the urge to eat something sweet.  These snacks are low fat, healthy, and harmless to your diet if you eat a portion or two. As with anything, use moderation.

The foods below are great snacks to help calm your sweet-tooth. The low calorie value makes them great for any weightloss plan.

List of healthy, low calorie snacks

   
Ginger Snaps (Sunshine) 7 pieces 130

Ginger Snaps (Nabisco) 4 pieces 120

Vanilla Wafer (Keebler) 8 pieces 130

(McDonald's) Soft Serve Ice cream small 150

Hostess Light - Crumb Cake 2 pieces 150

Hostess Light - Chocolate Cup Cake 1 piece 120

Entenmann's fat free - lemon danish 1/6 ring 130

Entenmann's fat free - Coffee cake 1/6 cake 130

Entenmann's fat free - golden loaf 1/8 cake 130

Pudding  Jell-O sugar/fat free 1/2 cup 80

Ice Cream Bar - Weight Watcher toffee crunch 1 bar 120

Ice Cream Bar - Nestle Crunch reduce fat 1 bar 130

Ice Cream (Healthy Choice or Weight Watcher) 1/2 cup 120

If you need a listing of negative calorie foods or more help--just let me know.


Take Care
Jackie  

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