help balancing my diet?
Im 19/20 yr old female 5'8" and about 140-145 pound. Ive gained 10 pounds over the past month or two (since I came to school). the problem is I think my diet i really unbalanced and its causing me to overeat foods. I know i eat too many carbs and fat and the only option i have to up my protein is protein shakes, which ive recently started. the only options i have in the dining hall are salad with some legume and pasta usually or pizza or a bagel. there isnt much to eat there that is friends or breaded or anything. the pizza and pasta are the healthier options. any suggestions would be wonderful. I try to have at least one veggie at every sit down meal I have (which is at most once a day if that), otherwise its usually a turkey sandwich, protein shake, or some kind of convenience food. I drink a lot and stay very hydrated so im not sure whats stimulated my appetite enough for me to gain 10 pounds so fast! I also drink a lot of coffee with milk (no sugar) and tea or tea with milk and some stevia. heres the analyses of my diet, and I get about 2200 cals a day give or take (this is a pre protein shake analysis):
Fat - 42.3% (176 grams)
Protein - 15.2% (142 grams)
Carbohydrates - 42.5% (398 grams)
Alcohol - 0%
Other - 0%
also I work out with a friend about 4-5 days a week and i think that may have caused me to gain more weight because i get so hungry and binge after the gym? anyone experience this? I also walk everywhere, like an hour a day minimum total.
I dont have a lot of money so i cant buy any food. I keep pretzels and pb or a veggie in my room for snacks. is there anything else I can do? I want to get back to my normal weight. I know im not heavy but im not at my natural healthy weight for my body which is like 130-135. thanks for any help.
You say that you over eat after going to the gym - could you try drinking your protein shake after going to the gym, so that it fills you up, and you are less likely to eat less healthy foods (assuming that's what you're going for after working out)?
I tried drinking milk and like a Pb sandwich and i still over ate like chips later if i could get my hands on them which isnt hard on a college campus?
im going to the gym in a day or two though and i will try it to see if it works.
Fat does not fill you. Complex carbs do and Lean protein the best. Don't drink calories. It's very very difficult to overeat ( calories ) if your protein levels are up. I hardly get hungry and my calorie levels are lower, bottom line cals in vs cals out. I try for 40% prot., 40% carbs, 20% fat
Cottage cheese can be a decent snack/meal add-on for more protein. I think the fage yogurt is another option. Don't know if you have access to a fridge.
Personally, I think students eating in a cafeteria should protest if they don't have healthy options, complete with nutritional information. In a country where obesity is such an issue, it just seems wrong to send people out of their mom's house into an environment like it is.
Clint
I know, its super difficult and im trying really hard. the cottage cheese in the dining hall has no nutritional information so i try to have kidney bean or chickpeas and a small salad at every meal but then that just leaves simple carbs and occasionally a super fatty meat. the days when they make veggie soup is the best really. when I go home and cook for myself i loose weight and when i get on campus i gain weight and i try to stay healthy! the protein shake seems to help. ive been sipping it through the day. i make it with almond milk (2 cups), 1. scoops of chocolate caramel gnc whey powder and 1/2 of scoop of unsweetened coco powder (adds four grams of fiber and 2 extra grahams of protein and cuts the sweetness which is too much for me). really the problem is if i cant make it to the dining hall i have no other option besides the vending machine because i have no car and my parents are on the other side of the country. i know im not in the minority either so this really is sad in a nation where they are trying to prevent obesity. some day they have the cal and sometimes a 4oz piece of chicken made their way is over 5oo cals! for a small serving of chicken! or 1/2 cup of soup is 300 cals and it isnt even creamy soup. i dont even want to know what they put in there lol.
ps. the most complex carb i can find in the dining hall is wheat bread and it isnt even whole wheat. it has no more nutritional value than the white bread, i checked the label. the only complex carb is brown rice and it looks super light in color and its over dried and sits out all day cold.
Fat - 30.3% (59 grams)
Protein - 22.1% (97 grams)
Carbohydrates - 47.6% (209 grams)
Alcohol - 0%
Other - 0%
how good is that anyone know?
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