Nutrition

[Skating_Jen]

Hi everybody,

How balanced is your nutrition? What do you usually eat and what not?
I just started back skating a few weeks back and I need to cut down on all those sweets I've been eating lately. As I'm studying eating biscuits, muffins and cupcakes seem a good idea as they seem to keep me concentrated. But is there anything else I can eat instead of all those sweets? Plus I tend to barely eat on my training days which I guess isn't really that healthy.
I am determined to properly get back into it which means changing my whole diet I guess. Does anybody have any useful tips for me?:-)

[fsk8r]

Try replacing your sugary snacks with healthier ones: a handful of nuts and seeds, fruit, raw vegetables with houmous.
I find if you don't buy the sugary snacks in the first place, you can't be tempted to eat them. I try not have any in the home and what I do have is hidden so I really need to hunt and remember it's there to eat it.

[jjane45]

I don't buy anything unhealthy, no snack whatsoever. I am also quite conscious when eating out.

The problem is food at work... Especially if I am stuck on something

[Skating_Jen]

The problem is food at work... Especially if I am stuck on something

That is my problem... I'm a live in nanny and obviously they have sweets around xD

[fsk8r]

That is my problem... I'm a live in nanny and obviously they have sweets around xD

What's healthy for you is healthy for the kids. As the nanny surely you should be able to have some influence on what is bought and fed to the children?

[Skating_Jen]

What's healthy for you is healthy for the kids. As the nanny surely you should be able to have some influence on what is bought and fed to the children?

Not at all unfortunately :-/

[fsk8r]

Not at all unfortunately :-/

That's a shame. Perhaps you'll need to have the healthy snacks sitting on your desk for when you're studying. It avoids the walking around and discovering them part.

[4711]

I read so much about nutrition, I gave up eating....

You can have muffins. You just have to make your own. There are healthy recipes out there, including whole grains, fruits, etc.

One thing that works wonders in getting people to eat healthy 'snacks' is to cut fruit into manageable pieces: slice apples (a bit tricky since they turn brown so fast), bananas in about 2 inch pieces (with peel for a buffet type setting, again, preventing oxidation) grapes in small bunches....

Or make wraps: slice fruit into tortillas, put some Nutella spread on, roll up....delicious!

But I think in general we have to return to giving food it's deserved place in our lives, cook real food, stay away from prepared junk and celebrate it more, rather than having it to be the necessary interruption of our busy lives.

other than that:
meat is bad
coffee/tea is bad
sugar is bad
grains are bad
bananas and potatoes are bad
sugary fruit is bad
legumes are bad


and I really hate celery......

(an accumulation of my nutrition research...)

But seriously, replace the sweets with fruit and nuts. That makes a satisfying snack. And I would be surprised if the kids don't join you when you prepare a plate with finger fruit snacks.

Other than that, there has to be something of everything in the diet. If you cut out one or the other, because 'its bad' you might be tempted to binge on it....

and please, do not look into my pantry.....

[jjane45]

That is my problem... I'm a live in nanny and obviously they have sweets around xD

Well, my only solution is to drink a lot of water and have plenty of healthy alternatives around: all kinds of fruits, some seeds, home brewed veggie soup in small portions. It's made easier now that we have a huge refrigerator and much more accessible microwave at work.

It's over as soon as I start to search for snacks all over the place.

[supra]

After a long time of basically orthorexia, I've come to the conclusion I can basically eat whatever I want as I'm a 22 year old guy. My attempts at using low carb dieting was disastrous for everything athletic, as your mental state goes to hell, along with endurance. So basically, whatever you do, don't do low carb. With 4-5 days a week skating and 4-5 days a week lifting or plyometrics, it was terrible.

Basically I try to get in 3000-4000 calories a day. My BMR is about 1800. I can lose weight on about 3000 a day. If I don't reach at least 2500 or so, I actually paradoxically won't lose weight or will gain from my metabolism slowing down. I was 195 during the winter, got down to low 180s right now. I'd like to be in the low 170s so I can have abs and be super mega lean, but in clothing I look fine and people say I look skinny. Generally, just stay away from processed stuff. However in my case, I learned it's better to eat processed stuff than not eat at all. IE, if I'm out for the day, it's better to stop at McDonalds and get some calories in rather than go like 6 hours without eating on just a cup of coffee. Protein I try to make 20% of my calories, a lot of days I don't even reach that, though.  I also try to not eat past 9 or so PM.

I'm sure what I'm saying pretty much isn't too applicable for others in here, ie, eating 3-4K calories a day and stuff. Women I think in general need to be a bit stricter with their diets. Another guy at my rink who's my age, and who's been skating longer and is better than me, I routinely see him eating McDonalds before skating. I think he gets 2-3 hours a day ice time, though, and I'm lucky for an hour. Pretty lean, though. I think pro athletes for the most part eat whatever they want (that guy can do triples.)

As far as food I'd eat that's not junk food if I were more organized, I like hummus and bread a lot. Homemade pizza is good, too, but I might use part skim cheese instead of whole milk, or make one with hummus for sauce and veggies on top. Pasta is OK. Burgers and sandwiches are cool. I also don't really "snack" either. I tend to either make big gigantic meals or eat nothing. So if I skip a meal it hurts relatively more, as I don't snack. People will see me eating and be like "Woah you eat so much food!" or something, and I'll have a plate full of food, and they'll have a tiny plate. But the difference is, when they get home, they'll be having the chips and soda throughout the day, and in my experience (I used to be 230-240lbs at 5'9) that's more what packs on the pounds. Like a burger has, say, 500 calories. Chips or something will have the same calories for a bowl of them, and not fill you up and not be of any nutritional value.

[JSM]

When I'm actively training (exercise at least one hour a day, usually two, 6 days a week)  I need to keep my calorie intake at about 1500-1600 per day.  This can be hard to do!  I drink water and tea to curb hunger and avoid processed foods, but otherwise I eat what I like (within reason!) as long as I stay in that calorie range.  If I go beyond that, I tend to gain easily.  If I go below that, not only am I super irritable and unable to jump, but I don't lose any weight either, just muscle.

Everyone's metabolism is different, it depends on age, genetics, body composition, sex, environment, activity level, and a host of other things.  I have learned where my body is happy by trial and error.

Do skip the over processed and packaged foods, as well as excess sugar.  Your body will feel more energetic, I promise!