Health gurus help me change my diet!!

[daonly1around]

OK, i'm a 26 year old male
5'10" 200 lbs
Average build. (33-34 waist)

My day consist of classes for three hours then work. I need food that provides fuel. I work as an "order selector" for a food distribution. basically i pick up cases of food/ restaurant supplies for approx6-10 hours a night.

I can burn about anything i take in, but my intake is horrible. Consisting of fast food, soft drinks, energy drinks.

Occasionally I'll go a week or two and eat out maybe once, or twice a week. but usually its more like 1 or 2 times a DAY.

I want to cut out soft drinks and energy drinks COMEPLETELY. but i get paid per case, and i need stamina to go all night, but also need the "burst" to get me going.

I like most anything, but things that i DON"T like and really can't stand to eat are, tomatoes, lettuce (i physically gag when i try to eat it), mustard. haha.

So, whats some tips, should i try planning out what i will eat in up coming weeks, whats some food that will give me that "fuel."

I think my biggest problem is how lazy i am.

 

[whitealexander]

lol if you are always on the go.. you need to eat meat mate..

 

[robin2660]

OK, i'm a 26 year old male
5'10" 200 lbs
Average build. (33-34 waist)

My day consist of classes for three hours then work. I need food that provides fuel. I work as an "order selector" for a food distribution. basically i pick up cases of food/ restaurant supplies for approx6-10 hours a night.

I can burn about anything i take in, but my intake is horrible. Consisting of fast food, soft drinks, energy drinks.

Occasionally I'll go a week or two and eat out maybe once, or twice a week. but usually its more like 1 or 2 times a DAY.

I want to cut out soft drinks and energy drinks COMEPLETELY. but i get paid per case, and i need stamina to go all night, but also need the "burst" to get me going.

I like most anything, but things that i DON"T like and really can't stand to eat are, tomatoes, lettuce (i physically gag when i try to eat it), mustard. haha.

So, whats some tips, should i try planning out what i will eat in up coming weeks, whats some food that will give me that "fuel."

I think my biggest problem is how lazy i am.

You DO NOT need constant sugar (are carb) calories. Your liver and muscle has plenty of glycogen to keep you going plenty fine between meals.

You are addicted to sugar. Just stop! You have to believe you do not need constant sugar calories - or any calories for that matter - between meals.

 

[daonly1around]

You DO NOT need constant sugar (are carb) calories. Your liver and muscle has plenty of glycogen to keep you going plenty fine between meals.

You are addicted to sugar. Just stop! You have to believe you do not need constant sugar calories - or any calories for that matter - between meals.

so what should i eat? i burn probably close to 2k calories a night..

 

[robin2660]

so what should i eat? i burn probably close to 2k calories a night..

Oh, boy! How hard could it be to figure out what to eat? Eat regular food sans sugar. I'm a little nervous that people can't figure out what to eat sans sugar-laden food. You do know what "real" food is, don't you? Eat the calories you need at regular meals and don't get your calories from your water (drink). How hard could it be to consume 2500-3000 calories a day? Not that I'm recommending you eat it but just one BK Whopper is nearly 700 calories.

It breaks down like this: * Protein contains 4 calories per gram, * Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, * Fat contains 9 calories per gram. There's 28 grams in an ounce. Figure it out.

This is rough estimating but 2-1/2 oz ground meat is about 40g fat and 30g protein. That's nearly 500 calories right there!

You seem to be more worried about the energy supply of sugar than an adequate daily intake of calories. That's your first hurdle. You're addicted to sugar. So, "what to eat" isn't an easy answer. "What not to eat", is the answer. Lay off the sugar and highly processed carbohydrates and focus on eating a regular, healthy diet.

One Coke is nearly 40g sugar alone. 3-1/2 tablespoons of sugar. That's nearly 150 calories per pop. The sad thing is that all those sugar calories are completely devoid of nutrition. Empty calories. Nearly worthless except to exhaust your poor pancreas and use up nutrients to process those empty calories. So, they're really not empty, but negative nutrition.

Your body stores enough glycogen to run about 20 miles (no food consumed!), about 100 cal per mile, or 2000 calories over 20 miles. Do you think you're burning that much energy?

Here's something fun to play with: http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

By the way, how are you estimating that you are burning "2000 calories a night"? Try eating less. If you lose weight, you're not eating enough.

 

[coyfish]

You can try the sugar free energy drinks. The blue monster can (low sugar / carb) is pretty tasty imo. Instead of the fast food try packing your own food. Go to sandwich places like subway /etc. If you must have sugar than do it naturally with fruit ! Anything in excess is obviosly bad. Try protein shakes as well. They fill you up and give you energy.

 

[ucMP3]

Chicken/vegetables. Protein gives you long term energy vs carbs that are short term (sugar being the shortest). You don't need much excess sugar tho i.e soda & energy drinks. Fish is very good to, just avoid farm raised as their toxin levels are much higher. Drink water, does a body good. 5 smaller meals is supposed to be the best way to consume your calories. 3 meals is usually a little easier to do if your very busy tho. Either way, snacking isn't good, snacks usually aren't very nutritious at all, usually just sugar/other carbs & fats. If you want a snack, eat some fruit. Apples/bananas are easy to take with you. And if you need fast food, try to hit up subway or maybe quiznos and avoid mayo. Chipotle is the s*** too, burrito bowl without cheese/sour cream is ~12g fat... Not too bad compared with a big mac @ ~50g lol. If you can cut out soda/energy drinks (at least get the suar free ones) and cut out fried foods, thats a good start. Also, most don't understand how bad for you processed meats are. These are things like fast food burgers, and most cheap chicken sandwiches as well. Wendy's has a couple chicken sands that aren't processed and are decent. (spicy chix ftw)

Most of these things have already been mentioned, but figured I would reiterate.

Just my .02 & just fyi, my girl is an athletic/personal trainer and I'm pretty health conscious too.

Here's a couple good articles about red meat & processed meats vs. chix & fish.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/health/28brod.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/26188.php

 

[robin2660]

Chicken/vegetables. Protein gives you long term energy vs carbs that are short term (sugar being the shortest). You don't need much excess sugar tho i.e soda & energy drinks. Fish is very good to, just avoid farm raised as their toxin levels are much higher. Drink water, does a body good. 5 smaller meals is supposed to be the best way to consume your calories. 3 meals is usually a little easier to do if your very busy tho. Either way, snacking isn't good, snacks usually aren't very nutritious at all, usually just sugar/other carbs & fats. If you want a snack, eat some fruit. Apples/bananas are easy to take with you. And if you need fast food, try to hit up subway or maybe quiznos and avoid mayo. Chipotle is the s*** too, burrito bowl without cheese/sour cream is ~12g fat... Not too bad compared with a big mac @ ~50g lol. If you can cut out soda/energy drinks (at least get the suar free ones) and cut out fried foods, thats a good start. Also, most don't understand how bad for you processed meats are. These are things like fast food burgers, and most cheap chicken sandwiches as well. Wendy's has a couple chicken sands that aren't processed and are decent. (spicy chix ftw)

Most of these things have already been mentioned, but figured I would reiterate.

Just my .02 & just fyi, my girl is an athletic/personal trainer and I'm pretty health conscious too.

Here's a couple good articles about red meat & processed meats vs. chix & fish.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/health/28brod.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/26188.php

Man, doesn't anyone know how to shop and prepare their own food anymore?

 

[jred321]

what i do is cook a few pounds of chicken on the weekend. enough to last at least most of the week because i don't like cooking after work. no seasoning or anything, just plain chicken. then throughout the week i use that with various things - whole grain pastas, whole grain wraps, salads, rice, stir fry, etc... each of those other things is where the flavor gets added.

it also seems like what you run into is a lack of time so you're forced to eat whatever is available instead of what is healthy. so the key there is to make healthy things available that you can bring with you. fruits are good and easy. jerky is good as well. then something you can try is to cook all of your meals for the week on sunday. devote a few hours, cook some different things and put them in tupperware. then every day you just grab something and take it with you.

what i find with most people and their diets is not that they do not know what to eat. everyone had it drilled into them in school and growing up what good food and bad food are. you just have to pay attention to what you already know and stick with it. simple as that.

 

[jred321]

oh and for drinks. just drink water. once you come down from the caffeine you'll be surprised how much energy you have with just water. assuming of course you get enough sleep.

 

[robin2660]

then something you can try is to cook all of your meals for the week on sunday. devote a few hours, cook some different things and put them in tupperware. then every day you just grab something and take it with you.

This is excellent advice.

what i find with most people and their diets is not that they do not know what to eat. everyone had it drilled into them in school and growing up what good food and bad food are. you just have to pay attention to what you already know and stick with it. simple as that.

I believe you've got that a little wrong. Moreso than that everyone has had fast food drilled into their heads. Fast food is laden with sugar, and that's why people are "addicted" to fast food The fast food execs know this too.

 

[robin2660]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/26188.php

Funny how they blame it on the "meat" and don't consider the fact that almost all red meat eaten has been crammed full of artificial preservatives, some known cancer-causing agents (Nitrites).

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

This is excellent advice.



I believe you've got that a little wrong. Moreso than that everyone has had fast food drilled into their heads. Fast food is laden with sugar, and that's why people are "addicted" to fast food The fast food execs know this too.

Same as pizza, most pizza sauces contain A LOT of sugar. Thus addicting people.

 

[ucMP3]

Funny how they blame it on the "meat" and don't consider the fact that almost all red meat eaten has been crammed full of artificial preservatives, some known cancer-causing agents (Nitrites).

Doesn't change the fact that its still not all good. Aside from the carcinogens within red-meat the increased risk of cardiovascular disease is very dramatic. Red meat has much higher proportions of fat, in particular saturated fats, then fish or chix. Chix breasts minus the skin is very lean. Some fish can be fatty, i.e salmon, sea bass, etc.., but most white fishes, walleye is great and very lean, are low in fat. And with the fats they do have, include many fatty acids (omegas 6's I think) that are very beneficial. Insert artcle here: http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Fish-Oil-Benefits-Proven-by-Research&id=415032

Fish oil is also very good for your eyes and skin as well...

Man, doesn't anyone know how to shop and prepare their own food anymore?

As for that, I took 3 years off school and was a sous chef/chef de cuisine. Ultimately decided not to go to culinary school. Had cooking jobs in restaurants since I was 15. I know how to cook, I was simply giving some quick easy things you can do to change your diet without doing anything drastic (like cooking is for some ppl). I cook at home at least a couple times a week to save money mainly, but also because its easy to eat well that way. It's just a common misconception that if you eat out, you can't eat healthy. And thats just not true.

 

[robin2660]

^

It is my opinion that there is no solid evidence whatsoever that red meat or saturated fats are harmful to human beings.

These ******* "researchers" change their minds all the time and I don't trust them. I'm pretty sure human beings didn't survive and evolve without killing game (aka, "red meat").

 

[EvilJen]

Best diet ever: hot dogs, a bag of Lays potato chips and a 2 liter of Coke. WIN! (alright)

 

[jred321]

as far as i'm concerned if it grows naturally it's healthy when eaten in normal proportions. meat, beans, grains, fruit, whatever. the further it gets from being natural the more unhealthy it becomes. so by the time you're at fast food you're pretty far down the chain

 

[Shadow102]

Best diet ever: hot dogs, a bag of Lays potato chips and a 2 liter of Coke. WIN! (alright)

Do you like chips?

 

[EvilJen]

Do you like chips?

(rlaugh)

 

[Devilspawn]

subbed for later...

this promises to be entertaining...