Avoid Getting Overwhelmed and Giving Up!

Many things contribute to current nutrition misinformation including genetics, inadequate research, ethics, age dependency and advertising.

Confused about what to eat? You are not the only one! Even I get frustrated trying to figure out what is best for me. One week medical reporters tout the benefits of taking a vitamin, and then the next week, they tell us it does no good. One week, the message is don’t eat eggs; another week, eggs are OK. Grrrrrrr!!!

All too often I think that people get overwhelmed and end up giving up.  I know it was quite a bit of the challenge for me in the beginning.  That is why I started keeping my diet journal so that I could keep track of nutritional information and monitor what worked best for me. I mean, it is simple to understand that you have to workout and that you will burn calories on the treadmill, the diet portion of the calculation (which, as we have learned is 80% of your result) is what is most confusing.

I have put together some of the menus (from my diet journal) that I have implemented along the way.  Again, these are simply examples of what I ate.  You will need to adjust your personal menus based on the foods that you like and will eat as well as what your overall goal is.  Also, monitor your intake throughout the day - don't wait until the evening to do your calculations.  I do a mid-day calculation to see what I need to eat for the rest of the day.  Pre-planning is key here!

Sample 1:

Breakfast:
1/3 c rolled oats
3 egg whites (hard boiled or scrambled)

Snack:
protein shake
10 almonds

Lunch:
2 packs tuna (I don't like mayonnaise but if you do, use it sparingly!)
1 medium sweet potato

Snack:
Chobani lemon yogurt
protein powder
(I mix these together for a protein pudding)

Dinner:
6 turkey meatballs
1 c steamed broccoli

Approximate totals for the day: 1247 calories/32 g fat/ 75 g carbs/ 163 g protein

Sample 2:

Breakfast:
Protein/Veggie Shake
(1/2 stalk celery, 1/2 cucumber with peel, 1 c spinach, 5 baby carrots, 20 almonds, 1 TBSP peanut butter, 1/2 c blueberries, 1 scoop protein powder)

Snack:
10 almonds

Lunch:
1 pack tuna
Salad with lettuce, shredded carrots, red/green pepper, 1 whole egg, 1/4 c garbanzo beans, 1 oz shredded cheese, 5 olives, 2 TBSP dressing (low or no fat)

Dinner:
Grilled chicken breast
1 medium sweet potato

Approximate totals for the day: 1250 calories/56 g fat/85 g carbs/110 g protein

Sample 3:

Breakfast:
1 c Kashi Go Lean Cereal

Snack:
10 almonds
Chobani vanilla yogurt

Lunch:
Chick-Fil-A Southwest Chicken Salad with Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Snack:
Nature Valley All Natural Oats and Honey Granola Bar
Protein shake

Dinner:
Turkey sausage
1 c chopped red and green peppers

Approximate totals for the day: 1100 calories/31 g fat/111 g carbs/103 g protein

The idea is to chose items throughout the day that are healthy and nutritious as well as filling!  Chose foods that are high in fiber so they will fill you up more and for a longer period of time.  Also, make sure you are drinking TONS of water.  This is such a benefit because not only does your body need the water but it helps to keep you feeling full.  

Don't be afraid to try new foods especially vegetables.  I didn't really realize how much I liked vegetables until I started trying them and finding recipes with various ways to prepare them.  I had no idea that I loved sweet potatoes - plain even!  The veggie shakes that I make are delicious and so filling!  I have my boyfriend drinking them and he despises veggies!  Just throw fruits and peanut butter or almonds and a protein powder in with them and the vegetable taste gets lost in the other more powerful flavors!