I'm finally understanding what type of diet I need ...I hope

soo...I've attempted calorie count numerous times, but I havent been able to stick with it. I do have faith it, but I just needed to find out what works for me. I started by logging as I ate, but that didnt work. I tried pre-packaged meals, but they weren't filling enough. I finally realized I needed a pre-planned diet without much variety. Variety caused me to binge. I also need something low in sugar, because sugar gives me cravings and something low in sodium, because sodium makes me puffy. Anyway, I'm trying to perfect a diet that is filling, provides enough nutrients, and gurantees weight loss. Heres what I've come up with after a few months of trial and error. I really just want advice on foods I should swap or cut back on.

Breakfast:

1/2 cup oats with cinnamon and splenda, 1 large fuji apple, and 1 scoop chocolate EAS whey protein post workout with water (Experiences with a better brand??)

Lunch:

6oz can tuna (whats the best brand or are pouches better) with 1/2 cup chopped celery , 1 tbsp ff mayo, lemon, and pepper

1 cup dark greens, 10 cherry tomatoes, 10 baby carrots, and a 1/2 cup ff cottage cheese

Snack: (the time when I'm hungriest)

1 fage 0 yogurt with 2 tbsp flax, and 1 cup frozen berries or frozen peaches

Dinner:

4 oz tilapia with 80 calories worth of frozen veggies (broc, caul, or brussel sprouts) and topped with mrs. dash

ALSO  an orange or a small glass of wine for late nights

Swapping ideas?? Anyone eat something similar??

Hi - that sounds really well balanced. What is your calorie goal per day and your weight goal?

Your diet overall looks okay... here's a few suggestions I'll make to you.

Breakfast, oats are great as is the apple, but I'm personally not a fan of protein powders. Wouldn't you prefer to get protein from real foods? Low fat natural cheese, skim milk, low fat yogurt, eggs (or egg whites), nuts and seeds are all good choices for the morning. Heck, even some turkey, ham or chicken would be fine if you can get past the tradtitional breakfast food idea!

For lunch the tuna is good, and as long as you're tuna is packed in water, it should be fine, your salad looks good. However, I would suggest you switch to low fat cottagge cheese as it overall tastes better, and fat free has a lot of sodium and sugar to make up for the loss of fat. The calorie difference really is minimal, and I much prefer the taste. You could use some complex carbs with your lunch, the ones from the cottage cheese and veggies probably won't be enough to fuel you. A small slice of whole grain bread or wrap or pita to put your tuna in would do the trick. 

Your snack is great, you don't need to change a thing. In fact, I often have something similar. 

As for your dinner its really good, but again a small serving of whole grains would do you well for satiety. How about just a half a cup of brown rice with your fish and veggies?

Fruit is great for late night snacks, and wine as well in moderation.

Overall, you could also benefit from some healthy fat. Avocado, nuts and seeds and olive oil are all great sources. Basically keep your meal plan, but sub an ounce of almonds for the protein powder post workout and add some high fiber whole wheat bread to your lunch for your tuna, and something like brown rice or whole wheat pasta to your dinner, and maybe cook your fish with olive oil?

Just suggestions, but it might make your excperience a little easier!

Good luck!

Laren 99:

Thats sounds good. I was thinking of eating like 15 almonds instead of protein powder, because its a healthy fat, contains some protein and I heard it actually helps fight belly fat. yay! Oh yeah...protein powders are expensive too! Thanks for the idea about low fat instead of fat free cottage cheese. I never looked at the sugar content in fat free cc. I just knew it had a lot of sodium. Also, my tuna is packed in water. I get the chunk light from aldis' for like 60 cents a can!

For dinner I didn't want to eat carbs like brown rice, because I heard it takes longer to digest and is more likely to turn to fat. ALSO, I would rather eat a larger quantity of cooked veggies than a small 1/2 cup brown rice for the same calories.

planb:

I try to get about 1300-1500 calories per day. CC suggests this based on my activity level. There are some days where I jog, run errands and play tennis with friends and other days where I sit on my computer. I think it averages out.

Weight goal is tricky. I started at 160 for being 5' 6'', which is a little overweight but I was very muscular from swimming. I started CC in January, got down to 150, but then binged my way back up. I'm probably like 165 right now, but I'm kinda nervous about getting back on the scale. I think its more about how I feel about myself, than the number.

I see I'm low on calcium. What do you think of adora calcium chews. 50% calcium per chew!!!

I'm a huge fan of adora calcium chews, so is my nutrionist!

Of course the brown rice thing is your choice, but it's really not proven anywhere that carbs are more likely to make you gain at night or at any other time. The only reason I suggested it is that it helps keep you more satisfied than the same caloric amount of veggies, will give you more energy and also, if you are prone to binging like me, regualr intake of carbs can help prevent them, at least in my experience.

Good luck with your goals!

Wow, that's almost exactly my normal breakfast! I'll change it up a bit: banana instead of apple; add walnuts or almonds and raisins to the oats; some days I'll cook the oats, other days I'll add milk and let the oats soften for half an hour; sweeten with applesauce or brown sugar, or even add the whey powder directly to the oats. Personally, I can't deal with chocolate that early in the morning, but vanilla whey is doable. I prefer GNC whey powder, because it tastes less fake, but I usually wind up with EAS for price reasons.

For lunch, you could change it up with canned or pouched chicken. My lunch is usually a mix of beans and rice (split pea soup with brown rice and vegetables, pinto beans and rice with a boatload of onions, black beans and you get the idea) or a sandwich.

I'm all about snacky bars (mostly Clif bars) and water for my snack. I'll do a
yogurt and Clif bar if it's going to be more than a few hours until dinner.

Also, I keep a supply of fruit on my desk. I restocked today: 4 bananas, 3 oranges, 2 peaches, an apple and a pear. One of my downfalls is the ice cream freezer at work: Ben & Jerry's cones for $0.75! Dove Bars! M&M Cookie Sandwiches! But if I have that fruit on my desk, I have a lot less interest in the ice cream.

Re: calcium, here's what pediatrics.about.com lists as calcium-rich foods:

• Salmon
• Tofu
• Rhubarb
• Sardines
• Collard greens
• Spinach
• Turnip greens
• Okra
• White beans
• Baked beans
• Broccoli
• Peas
• Brussel sprouts
• Sesame seeds
• Bok choy
• Almonds

So work those in (spinach with the tuna, white beans and rice, etc.).

i agree with cnichols2000 about having chicken for lunch sometimes.  i think tuna is supposed to have mercury in it? and we have to watch our intake.  tuna every day might not be a good idea, tuna sometimes and chicken sometimes would be something to think about maybe.  but nice job overall!