Thread: Fat

When I changed my diet and started eating healier like cutting out soda and chocolate about a week after that I have lost 15 lbs. Right now I flucuate between 135-140lbs. I wanted to know what I should eat to weigh more and be a healthy weight instead of now. I just don't want to gain bodyfat %. What should I eat?

Exact micro-calculations are not needed, especially for someone who is so young. Just follow some rough guidelines like get a protein in each meal and then try to stick to healthy foods....

Generally, the less 'man handling' food has had, the better.... Look for mostly non-processed foods - they have many more natural nutrients that you lack in refined foods (like fibre, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals/phytonutrients).

If you are trying to add mass then you want to make sure you eat enough high fibre carbs for energy. This is especially the case as you are still groing.

Legumes - Things such as kidney beans, lentils, chick-peas etc are all high in fibre, a great source of vitamins and minerals and offer you some healthy carbohydrates.

Whole or rolled grains - Like oats, rye, barley, brown rice. Being unproccessed they have stacks for fibre, water, vitamins, minerals and other good things! For someone who is trying to add mass (and who is so young) then some wholegrain products like sprouted breads, wraps, wholegrain pasta etc are also fine to eat.

Starchy Vegetables - Things like sweet potato and yams are another really good source of carbs!!

Fruit is great - things like bananas, apples, pears, berries.... They are packed with fibre, water, vitamins and minerals - All good things!

Skim dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurts) are also perfect.

Lots of fresh vegetables - Especially the green fibrous vegetables like broccoli, spinach, celery, brussel sprouts. But everything like cauliflower, eggplant, tomato, mushroom, carrot, zucchini, bok choi, cabbage, sprouts, lettuce.... Most vegetables (besides the starchy vegetables like potato, peas - which are actually a legume, corn - actually a grain) are on the 'all you can eat' menu.

Lean proteins - Things such as lean meats (chicken breast, turkey, game meats like bison or buffalo, lean red meats like 95% fat-free beef), eggs or egg whites, seafood (all seafood is good seafood), skim dairy (such as 1% cottage cheese)....Each meal should have some form of protein in it.

Healthy fats are also absolutely ESSENTIAL too. So things like omega-3 fats (especially those from fish oils) and your monounsaturated fats from avocado and olive oil. Some other poly-unsaturated fats from nuts and seeds is also good!

You should try to get lots of water as well.