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Is my diet okay?
I want to start eating healthy to hopefully get rid of that unnecessary fat from when I was younger (I'm 14). But I also just want to start living a healthy lifestyle, because I do admit I like junk food. So I want opinions on my diet from others.
First off, I count my calories everyday to make sure I don't go over 1200 calories.
For breakfast, I usually eat a whole grain bagel with low fat cream cheese. Or just a banana. I may have a snack before lunch, like fruit or something. For lunch, I usually eat microwaveable vegitarian chicken nuggets (Has about 10% sodium..) with ketchup. Then I may have a snack before dinner. Then for dinner it really depends. I like eating a baked potato with vegetables.
Is my diet okay? Is this considered a healthy diet? And what are some options for me? I'm a vegitarian, so I do not eat chicken or anything. Also if I want chips, I make sure I eat BAKED ones, because they aren't fried. I also only eat chocolate every now and then but still count my calories everyday.
I also do light exercise. I barely ever go out, so I don't do outdoor exercises. I do like 200 jumping jacks, 120 lunges, etc.
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To be honest, your diet isn't entirely healthy. Though you're not loading up on fried, sugary foods, it doesn't seem you're getting enough of what you need. Here's why:
a) Bagels are empty calories with little nutritional content, even if whole grain...though it's okay to have bagels sometimes, carbohydrates should be eaten in moderation. Also, if you're going to have dairy, have full fat and organic in moderate amounts-- seriously! Everything we've been told about fat is wrong...if it's a healthy fat, it's totally fine and healthy.
b) Anything microwavable and/or processed should be avoided, even if it's vegetarian. Ketchup has high fructose corn syrup, so if you're going to have any, I'd advise sticking to the organic kind (tastes better too). Fake meat products including soy are typically GMO, processed, and not very good for you even if marketed as a health food (e.g., vegetarian chicken nuggets). You should avoid having processed foods, and stick to wholesome, nutritious food with minimal ingredients.
c) Vary your vegetables and have some protein/nutrient dense food. As for dinner, having potato is sometimes okay, but it's not the most nutrient dense vegetable. Sweet potato or red potatoes are healthier than your standard white Idaho potato. Have it with a protein-- I don't know if you are vegetarian, but a moderate amount of meat, or some sort of legume/protein rich source like lentils, beans, quinoa, etc. is an ok substitute. Again, I'd avoid meat substitutes like seitan, "meatless sausage/baken/chicken", etc. Even tofu.
d) Calorie counting is not only pointless, it takes the joy out of eating. Instead of counting calories, eat a variety of wholesome foods and get a moderate amount of exercise (work out a few days a week, anything you like...cardio exercise is good too).
So what should you do instead?
a) Don't be afraid of fat...not all fat is bad, and your body and brain need some to function optimally. Fat gets a bad rep, that's all. Avoid low fat or non-fat products, and go for regular, organic products like milk, cheese, regular butter (no margarine or substitutes), yoghurt, etc. Make sure that at minimum, what you get is organic. If you can, find products sourced from GRASS-FED cows. This makes a big difference in how healthy these foods are for you..what goes in the cow, the health of the cow, its environment, etc., affects you. The easiest to find is butter from grass-fed cows, which you can find at Trader Joe's and other health food stores (It's called Kerrygold butter, from Ireland). Also, eggs are okay, as long as they are organic. even better, if they are PASTURE RAISED (find them at Whole Foods or a Farmers market). Pasture raised means the hens are truly free to roam outdoors and snack on grass and bugs, just as nature intended. Cage free doesn't mean the hens get a decent amount of room or are outdoors, all it means is they aren't caged (they are still cooped up). So, go for pasture raised eggs, if possible.
b) Healthy fats are good fats. Wild-caught salmon in moderate amounts, fish oil capsules or vegetarian sourced oil such as hemp seed oil or flaxseed oil, AVOCADO (superfood!), organic butter from grass-fed cows, coconut oil, nuts (cashews, walnuts, almonds)-- raw, unsalted/unroasted, just raw in original form, are all excellent for your health and will increase your energy levels.
c) Greens, greens, and more greens. The darker the green, the better. This means eat things like spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts, mixed greens, asparagus, kale, etc. They are packed with vitamins, some with fiber (especially broccoli), etc. They are good for your body and digestive tract.
d) Some fruit. You don't need to eat a lot of fruit, as veggies are the priority. But different kinds of fruits including berries, melons, bananas, citrus, etc. are healthy but should be eaten in moderate amounts.
e) Take a multivitamin. A good place to find them is at a health food store, to make sure you'r getting a good product since not all vitamins are created equally.
f) Don't deny yourself sweets sometimes. It's ok to have some snacks like chips, cookies, etc., on occasion. You don't need to cut every "junk food" out of your life. If you're generally eating healthy, some snacks are okay. Have your cake and enjoy it too!
g) Again, exercise is key but not if it's overdone. You are already getting some cardio work, which is good. Keep it up, and on days when you'd rather tone it down, yoga or pilates are also great (yoga is my favorite, a true exercise for the body and mind). Just don't overdo anything.
If you follow my suggestions and focus more on eating healthy and enjoying the food you eat rather than counting calories, you will notice a difference.
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Yum! Veggies and fruit are excellent for you and should be eaten every day!
I don't believe however,counting calories is extremely neccesary unless your doctor says its okay
Calories give us energy too,so if you are too low on them,your energy level can sink
If possible,avoid using your microwave,because the microwave cooks so fast,it takes all the nutrients out of the food you are intaking
If eating chocolate,I suggest dark chocolate,it tastes a little bitter,but its health benefits are superb! Much better for you than milk chocolate plus you can eat more of dark chocolate,even get some with almonds,as almonds give you great energy!
Almonds can give you wonderful energy,as well as cashews and peanuts!
I suggest,while you are on this diet to take a multi-vitamin to get all the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy,and absorb vitamins from the foods you are eating
Also,its okay to have cheat days or meals,like a yummy pizza,or a meal from Wendy's as a little treat!
I suggest visiting Seventeen.com and go to their exercise and health area,as they can give you good tips on eating and different exercises you can do that really fun and simple and give awesome results!
To your health my dear!
Be blessed!
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