I’m a college student and need help losing weight. I love my carbohydrates and barely eat vegetables?
Kouseki asked:
I’m 18 years old , 5’4 – 5’5 and weigh 156. I’m trying to lose weight but i just love my carbs! I grew up not eating many veggies and out of habit i still dont. I don’t mind eating more of them but i don’t know where to start ! Which veggies should i eat and which shouldn’t i?
I have started eating more fruits (mostly green grapes, water melons, green apples, and bananas) but that doesn’t seem to be working. Can anyone help me with any tips on how to eat less carbs and which veggies i should be looking at? Its really hard for me to eat anything thats not flavorful. Also any tips on low-carb diets?
Typical carbs i eat ( NOT all in one day of course) – cereal ( normally Honey bunches of Oats or my backup Frosted flakes) , rice, brown bread ( i think its either whole wheat or grain… i dont know), cinnamon raison bagels, pasta, and potatoes.
Cecelia
I recommend you try the Weight Watchers Points plan. It allows you to have your sweet fixes, but keeps you motivated because you are not deprived of anything.
I’ve got two things to say….that is two websites you need to go to……eating-for-life.com and body-for-life.com………the first one will help you to find your right choices in what you can eat and how you can eat including smoothies……the second will help you lose weight thru exercises……hope you enjoy ,I did
Well to start out with I think you should buy only vegtables in cans the next time you go shopping for food. Only eat that.
When you dont have to study do not just be on the computer or tv walk around campus and say hi to everyone. Once you do something it will start to feel good to do it.
Eat one medium or small meal per day, food of your choice, and lose weight. Remember, no snacks.
As for which veggies you should eat and which you shouldn’t–they’re all good for you! But limit potatoes of course because of the carbs. An easy way to start is to buy a bag of pre-washed, peeled baby carrots. They’re easy and tasty, and if you want more flavor you can dip them in salsa for very few extra calories.
If you want to continue eating carbs and flavorful foods, then mix in veggies to your usual rice or pasta dishes, and use less rice or pasta. For example, instead of two cups of pasta, have one cup of pasta and one cup of veggies and mix it together. Use enough sauce (lowfat of course) to flavor the whole dish.
You are eating a lot of SUGAR. I am not as concerned about the carbs as the sugar and the fact that most of the carbs you are eating are the processed type.
Fruits/veggies: at this point, given your diet, I say eat any that you actually like! You are eating fresh fruit; that’s good.
Skip that cereal. Yuck! That’s dessert in a box, not breakfast. White rice, semolina (white) pasta, skip it. One rule of thumb is the sugar should be the 5th ingredient or lower on the box/bag. That is hard to find!
You aren’t eating much protein, are you? Do you eat meat? I was vegetarian for 11 years; you don’t need any meat, but then you need to use dairy, eggs, beans, nut butter, etc. as a substitute. You need to eat protein to help keep you from feeling hungry; you should have some protein with your carbs.
Get more exercise and be sure you are really hungry before you eat. If you are REALLY hungry then fresh produce will taste good. If you aren’t truly very hungry, then they are hard to eat whereas sugar and junk will still go in.
I read “You On A Diet” recently, and one tip I got from that book that is so true: eat the same foods for 2 meals every day, and only eat new foods for the 3rd. That way you aren’t thinking about food all the time. Plan a well balanced, say, breakfast and lunch, and eat the same things eat day for those 2 meals. I think it makes things easier and cheaper, too. A lot of diets make you buy a zillion different foods and cook all these different meals. That’s not realistic for a lot of people.
Good luck, and keep trying. I am glad you are focusing on health, not just weight.