Food Diary

[gregs656]

e30m3Mark said:

Am also happy to modify my diet as I progress but I don't want to be limited to bland foods.

No reason at all for you to be limited to bland foods.

You ought to end up with a more varied diet with less processed junk food. You will have to ween your self off sugar a bit first though.

[e30m3Mark]

Thanks chaps. Plenty of changes to make!

I'll make more of an effort to reduce the sugar intake and swap to scrambled eggs for breakfast tomorrow. (I've already made the porridge!)

Edited by e30m3Mark on Thursday 12th July 06:25

[e30m3Mark]

Yesterdays food.

Porridge
Chicken soup
2 x apples
Chicken curry & pilau rice
2 x individual yogurts
3 x rice cakes

I intend going shopping today and was going to start having scrambled eggs in the mornings. I was thinking of having a rasher of bacon, with all the rind removed, but does that negate the benefit of having the eggs?

I probably sound like a bit of an idiot but everything I thought I was doing right appears to be anything but. I have thought about going back to fat fighters but work gets in the way and I just can't commit. I really do want this to be the start of my getting back to a healthy size, shape and weight though. I can't wait to be able to just buy a pair of jeans without having to be limited to the sort of stuff on Jacamo. I know it's only been a few days but I still feel motivated and keen to do what's needed.

[RTB]

e30m3Mark said:

I was thinking of having a rasher of bacon, with all the rind removed, but does that negate the benefit of having the eggs?

Have a rasher of bacon if you want. You've got 2500 calories to spend, treat it like a budget. You can only spend it once. If you've eaten your budget by lunch time, tough st you'll have a miserable evening until the next days breakfast.

You need to be accurate with the counting though.

[e30m3Mark]

RTB said:

e30m3Mark said:

I was thinking of having a rasher of bacon, with all the rind removed, but does that negate the benefit of having the eggs?

Have a rasher of bacon if you want. You've got 2500 calories to spend, treat it like a budget. You can only spend it once. If you've eaten your budget by lunch time, tough st you'll have a miserable evening until the next days breakfast.

You need to be accurate with the counting though.

Cool, thanks.

Do you think that calorie counting to a daily 2500 limit is the easiest way to go for now?

I'm guessing there's most likely an ap' I can use to help me keep tabs?

[RTB]

e30m3Mark said:

Cool, thanks.

Do you think that calorie counting to a daily 2500 limit is the easiest way to go for now?

I'm guessing there's most likely an ap' I can use to help me keep tabs?

Sticking to 10-15% under your maintenance calories is the most straight forward way of doing it. If you over complicate it in the early stages you'll feel overwhelmed and you'll lose motivation.

Set yourself a date cut off. Say to yourself, I'll eat 2500 calories a day from now to the end of August. Then I'll weigh myself and see how I've done. That should act as motivation to set yourself another little target, like, I'll eat 2300 calories a day until the end of September.

I lost 9kg in about 4 months (although my starting BMI was only 26). I found myself getting into a routine, where I would eat the same, or similar foods, every day to may the tracking easier.

I used S-health on my Samsung phone, but MyFitness Pal is also very good.

Remember don't be in a rush, don't weigh yourself very often (once a week is more than enough) and be honest with yourself. You will slip up on the odd day. It doesn't matter. Trends are the important bit. Keep heading in the right direction

[e30m3Mark]

Thanks, I think that's what I'll do for the first few weeks.

I've stopped taking sugar in tea and coffee and will try to do away with obvious sweet stuff. My mobility isn't great but I'm trying to increase my exercise by using the rowing machine.

[grumbledoak]

Go easy on the rower. From your starting point it is going to be be 90% diet anyway.

[LordGrover]

Sshhh. Popeyewhite will be along shortly.

[gregs656]

e30m3Mark said:

Thanks, I think that's what I'll do for the first few weeks.

I've stopped taking sugar in tea and coffee and will try to do away with obvious sweet stuff. My mobility isn't great but I'm trying to increase my exercise by using the rowing machine.

You're trying to make a change for the better in your life, not everyone does that so good for you. It will take a bit of time.

A friend of mine posted this video to Facebook once and it really stayed with me - The way you have spoken about your mobility it made me think about it again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448

[e30m3Mark]

Thank you for that.

Well today should be well under 2500 calories.

Porridge (semi skimmed & sweetener) 291 calories
Salad 130
Fish cakes & salad 670
Yogurt 442
3 x coffee 60
1 x banana 105

Total for today = 1698

Tomorrow I intend actually making some fresh veg' soup etc. With regard to my daily calorie intake, I'm mindful of my limited mobility compared to someone without a disability. (I hate that label) so am going to set a limit of 2200. I'm also going to try and drink less milk and having porridge as an occasional breakfast should help with that. I'm also going to limit myself to 2 morning coffees and switch to water from then on.

[grumbledoak]

1698 kcals is probably too low. You want a consistent deficit, not a crash; your body will burn muscle and cling on to the fat for survival. And anyway you'll cave in and snack.


Oats and skimmed milk is an old recipe. For fattening hogs. Common knowledge for thousands of years. Now it is "breakfast".

[e30m3Mark]

I'll have a yogurt and a rice cake to bump it up a little.

I do like porridge!

[cqueen]

Also it's important to note that you will probably feel a bit rough for a few days of not eating sugar as your body will need to adapt to burning fat, whether that's dietary fat or the fat on your belly (which it probably hasn't had to do for years!). Stick with it though and it will pass.

[e30m3Mark]

Thanks. I have felt a bit of a headache for the past couple of days but not so bad as to have me throw in the towel. I'm still properly motivated, which is a bonus as it usually gets replaced with 'screw it' by now.

I had 3 eggs scrambled and a couple of bits of lean bacon for breakfast. It wasn't as satisfying as my usual porridge but it still saw me through till lunch.

The biggest test for me is Friday and Saturday nights, where I drive a private hire minibus from 7pm till 5am or thereabouts. It's hard to resist snacking but I have a few carrots and apples for tonight. Any better snack suggestions? Are cereal bars as bad as I imagine they are?

Just a word of thanks to those of you who have taken a minute to respond. It helps.

[e30m3Mark]

Yesterdays food intake.

3 x scrambled egg and 2 pieces of lean bacon 350 calories
1 x lean burger, whole meal bun and salad 375
Beans on 2 slices wholemeal toast 291
1 x yogurt 179
2 x apples 190
1 x banana 89
2 x low fat pop corn 250
2 x rice cakes 320
3 x coffee 45

total 2 089

I'm going to try and not eat bread but yesterday was down to convenience and poor meal planning on my part. It's funny how quickly you can get used to not having sugar in teas and coffees though and that feels like a definite step in the right direction.

Edited by e30m3Mark on Saturday 14th July 11:30

[grumbledoak]

Good effort.

You would be better off adding an egg or eating fattier bacon, if that stopped you eating so much fruit - it really isn't as good for you as we are encouraged to believe.

[cqueen]

Yesterdays food intake.

3 x scrambled egg and 2 pieces of lean bacon 350 calories Good - but go for full fat - not lean, also add some veg or salad
1 x lean burger, whole meal bun and salad 375 again go for full fat, remove bun or half it at least
Beans on 2 slices wholemeal toast 291 Lots of carbs and sugar - not good
1 x yogurt 179 sugar
2 x apples 190 sugar
1 x banana 89 sugar
2 x low fat pop corn 250 sugar (probably)
2 x rice cakes 320 carbs
3 x coffee 45 sugar

total 2 089


The calories are fine but still way too much sugar. If you want to see results you really need to get rid of it.

[cqueen]

For your hot drinks.. I use Truvia

[cqueen]

snack ideas:
Crustless cheese and bacon quiche (then cut the base off - kinda like a ready made omelete).
Fallafels, ready made, really tasty, some carbs but generally full of good stuff.
full fat Philadelphia on jacobs cracker - ok cracker not perfect but give a guy a chance