How's my diet?

I know some people probably find these posts obnoxious - I think they're interesting. I'm just wondering if you guys think what I'm eating regularly is healthful or if there's any room for improvement :)

Breakfast: 1/2 cup dry old fashioned oats prepared with water, 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, a medium banana, 2 egg whites, and 1/2 cup skim milk added at the end

Lunch: split into snacks throughout the day while at work (waitressing a 7 hour shift - no breaks), 1 oz organic oat bran pretzel sticks (120 cals 4 g protein 3 g fiber) dipped in 2 tbsp homemade strawberry cream cheese (made fresh at the restaurant I work at - it's my weakness, and the only way I can avoid the fresh bagels and cream cheese - it's good quality though, real chunks of strawberries), a sandwich made on light wheat bread with 3 oz grilled seasoned chicken breast, 1/4 an avocado, and a touch of mustard, a cup of grapes, and a dannon light and fit nonfat yogurt

Snack: 1/2 cup dry old fashioned oats prepared with water, 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup skim milk added at the end 

Dinner: 2 bbq skinless chicken thighs, and a large veggie mix of sauteed onions, mushrooms, peppers

Total cals: 1457

26.2% fat (44 grams), 25.2% protein (95 grams), 48.5% carbs (182 grams)

Only 24 grams of fiber....which seems odd given almost everything I ate seemed to have a lot of fiber in it, but I'm just wondering, where can I improve? I don't seem to be losing weight right now.

It is a good diet but since you were looking for improvement and no one has given you a response I thought I would give you one. Chicken thighs are dark meat and so a breast would be better because of the fat content.  I don't know what you mean by LIGHT wheat bread...because you didn't add WHOLE to it I might assume there are some whole grains but not all...if that is the case I would switch to whole wheat bread. Are you still working in the restaurant when you have dinner...sometimes restaurants saute their veggies in butter (because they taste better) or large amounts of oil so you should be aware of that. And since you are LOOKING for improvement I would add more vegetables to your diet. You have 3 fruits before dinner but no veggies. I don't know how much you're getting in your dinner but I would make atleast SOME raw. 

Thank you for that - the restauraunt I work at is breakfast/lunch - I eat breakfast before I leave and pack a lunch to eat. I should probably add some raw veggies to my lunch - maybe a sliced red pepper? I also eat a LOT of pumpkin - which is considered a veggie right?

all in all i think you're doing great, i would vary the oats. since you have oatmeal for breakfast maybe a slice of ww toast with peanut butter as a snack or some almonds and granola or something like that. try adding a whole grain to your dinner, maybe 1/2 cup brown rice or some pasta. you're getting good fats and your macronutrient ranges are okay, but to keep the calories similar you might want to have 1 chicken thigh instead of two and incorporate the whole grains like i mentioned. i would really appreciate it if you could post your menus on my thread...meal plan templates for different calorie ranges...what did you eat today??....i think it would be helpful since you eat very balanced meals overall :)

hope this helps!!

dont give up the chicken thighs, thats awesome! for the small amount of extra fat, you get more calcium, and more B vitimins and nutreiants. dark meat chicken is to white meat, as whole wheat bread is to white bread. your doing great!

Original Post by lafoutloud01:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup dry old fashioned oats prepared with water, 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, a medium banana, 2 egg whites, and 1/2 cup skim milk added at the end

Lunch: split into snacks throughout the day while at work (waitressing a 7 hour shift - no breaks), 1 oz organic oat bran pretzel sticks (120 cals 4 g protein 3 g fiber) dipped in 2 tbsp homemade strawberry cream cheese (made fresh at the restaurant I work at - it's my weakness, and the only way I can avoid the fresh bagels and cream cheese - it's good quality though, real chunks of strawberries), a sandwich made on light wheat bread with 3 oz grilled seasoned chicken breast, 1/4 an avocado, and a touch of mustard, a cup of grapes, and a dannon light and fit nonfat yogurt

Snack: 1/2 cup dry old fashioned oats prepared with water, 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup skim milk added at the end 

Dinner: 2 bbq skinless chicken thighs, and a large veggie mix of sauteed onions, mushrooms, peppers

Total cals: 1457

26.2% fat (44 grams), 25.2% protein (95 grams), 48.5% carbs (182 grams)

Your menu certainly outshines that of the average Jane (even the average Jane dieter) in terms of balance and healthful choices. There are a few gaps in your plan, though, that you may want to consider.

Breakfast: Where's the fat? I don't see any sources of healthy (and satisfying) fats here! I would suggest adding 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed, a bit of peanut butter, or some nuts or eating a whole egg rather than one of the whites (egg yolks contain a LOT of B vitamins and other vital nutrients). I'd also add perhaps one more egg white for a  smidge more protein.

Lunch: I don't know how you space out your lunch, but it would be a good idea to balance out each bit of it with fat, protein, and carbs. Try dipping your pretzels in 1 tbsp cream cheese and 1 tbsp hummus (not mixed of course, lol!)...that'll reduce the calories and add a tiny bit of protein and fiber white keeping some fats in there. That way you can indulge in the cream cheese while also adding in some variety and other flavors. Another idea would be to mix a bit of cottage cheese into your cream cheese to add some extra protein. Your lunch seems to be lacking in veggies, so perhaps you could slice up some pepper strips, carrots or celery to dip into some hummus or just eat sprinkled with sea salt. Your sandwich sounds perfecto! Low-carb wraps are also fun to eat instead of bread. Make sure to use whole grain breads and wraps; light wheat breads oftentimes contain white flour as well as whole wheat...check the ingredients! For your yogurt, you might want to consider adding a sprinkling of nuts or see ds for fat, which will result in more balance and satisfaction. 

Snack: This snack consists of practically all carbs and contains no veggies or fruit...try adding some veggies and cottage cheese, hummus, a boiled egg, or something if the like. Adding a small serving of fat would help, too. In order to make up for the extra cals from fats, you could reduce your oatmeal serving to 1/3 cup...it's hardly noticeable!

Dinner: This looks great, Lea! I know that many folks like to limit starcthy carbs in the evenings, and it does tend to aid sleep. The chicken thighs are not very high in fat at all, so long as they are skinless, and as christalbw said, they are nutritionally supierior to chicken breasts. Are your veggies sauteed in olive oil? That would be a great way to eat them...it adds flavor and healthy fats! :)

I likely sound like a fat fiend...;) I think that healthy fats are extremely important to feeling full and undeprivedwhen losing weight. They're also fantastic for blood sugar control, nutritional balance, and energy. Don't shun the fats away, even if you are reducing your calories! They are very very important! :) Also, I don't mean to be intrusive or anything, but are you sure that you're eating enough? With all of the waitressing that you do (and the exercise that I've read about in your other posts), I'd think that your deficit would be WAY too extravagent with 1500 calories per day. Have you ever tried increasing your calories to see if that would help to get your weight loss going? Just a thought. I've seen (via your posts) that you've been struggling for a while and I'd like to help if possible...:)

Anyway, great job so far, Lea...I really hope that you break your weight loss plateau and reach your goals soon. You deserve it!

Wow!! Thanks for the advice!! That's EXACTLY what I was looking for! I normally have more like 1800 cals - yesterday was a rest day though, no working out. I was also planning an evening snack but fell asleep at 9 pm so didn't have it.

Today I'm making more of an effort to get healthy fats! I had olive oil based dressing (homemade balsamic vinaigrette) and a hard boiled egg with my lunch and I'm planning a snack of pumpkin with crushed almonds. I'll post wht I ate at the end of the day though and see if you think I improved. I also bought some hummus today - I think it'll go GREAT in my packed lunch for work.

Thanks for the advice everyone - I'm really taking it to heart :)

Also - I usually eat chicken breast but once in a while I treat myself to a leg or a thigh - I eat lean protein but everything in moderation :)

Today I edited a little to make more of an effort to include healthy fats and eat a little more :) Let me know what you guys think!

Today: 1700 cals - 28.7% fat (57 grams), 26.9% protein (120 grams), and 44.4% carbs (198 grams)

Breakfast: 1/2 cup dry old fashioned oats prepared with water, 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, a medium banana, 2 egg whites, and 1/2 cup skim milk added at the end

Quick post-workout snack: dannon light and fit yogurt

Lunch: salad made with 2 cups spinach, 4 oz grilled shrimp, 1 oz goat cheese, 1 hard boiled egg, a couple sliced mushrooms, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing (about 1 tsp olive oil + balsamic vinager and seasonings)

Snack: 1/2 cup pumpkin, 1/2 cup fage 0%, 1/2 ounce crushed almonds heated up with cinnamon and splenda

Snack: 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce and 1 oz oat bran pretzel sticks

Dinner: lean turkey burger (4 oz lean ground turkey) on a light multigrain english muffin with a slice of fat free cheese and sauteed mushrooms, onions, and peppers. About 5 or 6 strawberries

Desert: 1 children's size vanilla custard from rita's (230 cals)

Original Post by lafoutloud01:

Today I edited a little to make more of an effort to include healthy fats and eat a little more :) Let me know what you guys think!

Today: 1700 cals - 28.7% fat (57 grams), 26.9% protein (120 grams), and 44.4% carbs (198 grams)

Breakfast: 1/2 cup dry old fashioned oats prepared with water, 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, a medium banana, 2 egg whites, and 1/2 cup skim milk added at the end

Quick post-workout snack: dannon light and fit yogurt

Lunch: salad made with 2 cups spinach, 4 oz grilled shrimp, 1 oz goat cheese, 1 hard boiled egg, a couple sliced mushrooms, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing (about 1 tsp olive oil + balsamic vinager and seasonings)

Snack: 1/2 cup pumpkin, 1/2 cup fage 0%, 1/2 ounce crushed almonds heated up with cinnamon and splenda

Snack: 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce and 1 oz oat bran pretzel sticks

Dinner: lean turkey burger (4 oz lean ground turkey) on a light multigrain english muffin with a slice of fat free cheese and sauteed mushrooms, onions, and peppers. About 5 or 6 strawberries

Desert: 1 children's size vanilla custard from rita's (230 cals)

This menu looks slightly improved. Your breakfast didn't change at all, but I'm guessing that you didn't read our suggestions until after eating it. :)

Breakfast: See above. :)

Quick post-workout snack: That certainly better than nothing, but I'd have thrown a quick spot of nuts and cereal/fruit in the yogurt for balance. Also, depending on what your workout is, yogurt with real sugar (like stonyfield no-fat) may be a better option; sugar can be beneficial post-workout if you've pushed yourself and your muscles hard. If you're diabetic or hypoglycemic, disregard that advice, though. :P Either way, Light n' Fit yogurt is very processed and pretty fake in terms of yogurt cultures and other beneficial qualities of unaltered yogurt. If I were you, I'd buy a large tub of plain yogurt, divide it into small tupperware containers, add some all-fruit preserves and nuts to the containers, and store them in the fridge for a quick, balanced, and less-processed snack. 

Lunch: This looks wonderful!

Snack: This is great as well....I'd use stevia instead of splenda (You can grow it yourself, too--even in an apartment!), but there's no need to be nit-picky. :) I know thst you've complained of bloating in previous threads, and artificial sweeteners oftentimes induce swelling of the stomach (I have IBS, Celiacs, and I had gallbladder issues...I've seen a LOT of GI docs!).

Snack: You are lacking in protein and fats here. Even if there is 4g of protein in the pretzels, it's best to have a bit more than that. Adding some nuts, hummus or a boiled egg would work nicely.

Dinner: Are the veggies sauteed in a healthy oil? If so, perfecto!

Dessert: That is a much better choice than water ice in my opinion (you get some calcium, protein, and fat along with less sugar), so good going there! :)

All in all, you are pretty close to ideal in terms of balance and healthy choices. As I said before, I'd ditch the splenda for some stevia, but if you choose to keep using it that is your choice. You're doing great, anyway! Kudos!