Need food help

[KristinandChris]

Hi everyone,

I need some advice for food. DH and I are training for the 1/2 marathon and I just completed my first 5k last weekend. Today my running wasn't very good, probably because I was on the treadmill instead of outside, but maybe because of my food choices today. Here's a little background: I'm 29, 5 foot 6, about 143 lbs, and I'm nursing my 5 month old baby. I'm trying to lose a few more lbs of my baby weight but since I'm nursing I'm not interested in a strict diet, just some suggestions for healthy snacks. I'm also a high school teacher so I eat lunch at 11am and as a result I'm starving when I get home around 3:30. Here are my typical meals:

Breakfast - banana and/or granola bar or pop tart
Lunch - Weight Watchers or Lean Cuisine frozen food, 100 calorie pack of Cheeze-its
After school snack - anything I can grab! Today it was a few Girl Scout cookies.... this is where I need help
Dinner - usually a chicken dish or pasta, dinner is usually decently healthy

I think I need help most on after school snacks and possibly breakfast. I wake up at 5:30 and leave for school at 7am. Whatever I eat for breakfast has to be eaten on the run - I have no desire to wake up earlier

Thanks!

 

[momof2minnies]

Kristin,
You need to couple good carbs with protein to get you through the a.m.- 2 hard boiled egss and 1 cup of cheerios as an example.

Always do this and you will never be hungry

Linda

 

[lil mermaid]

Kristin,
You need to couple good carbs with protein to get you through the a.m.- 2 hard boiled egss and 1 cup of cheerios as an example.

Always do this and you will never be hungry

Linda

I agree with this 100%. There is quite a bit of research out there that indicates that eating eggs for breakfast keeps you full longer, and help you lose weight:

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Egg-breakfast-fills-you-up-for-longer

http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/news-259847-31.html

Another good carb for morning is steel cut oatmeal. It does take awhile to cook (20-30 minutes) but you can make it the night before and reheat it in the morning. Slice your banana on top of it, and you are good to go. (With your egg, of course.)

After school snacks - a cheese stick and an apple, a bit of low fat cottage cheese and a pear, a bit of peanut butter and celery or apple, a few almonds and an banana, plain or unsweetened yogurt and strawberries....a small 100% whole wheat bagel or english muffin with some peanut butter.

Get rid of the Pop tarts - as delicious as they are, they are no good for you!

 

[TMGirl]

IMO you defninitely need more protein in your breakfast choices.

Some suggestions, take or leave depending on your preferences:
1. Slim Fast (yes it sounds silly, but it's actually got a good balance of carbs and protein for breakfast and very portable)
2. Nonfat greek yogurt + 1/2 cup fruit (your banana is fine)
3. 2 slices of whole wheat toast (or high fiber/protein bread of choice) + peanut butter + your banana, sliced up
4. Your banana + 1/4 cup almonds or walnuts

For snacks I would suggest the following:
1. 1 oz lowfat cheese
2. Nonfat greek yogurt + 1/2 cup fruit
3. Sliced apples + peanut butter
4. 1/4 cup almonds

Hope that helps!

 

[deekaypee]

I'm not as knowledgeable as many folks out here, and my vegetarian diet tends to be specialized, but here are a couple of suggestions.

1) Runner's World this month offers a lot of articles on weight-loss for athletes. I think it would be a good source of information for you, not only because you're running but because you're nursing. The articles are less concerned with dieting per se then about healthy fueling.

2) Breakfast:
--Toast w/ PB or 1/2 w/PB. Always good for protein and an energy boost. Also makes a good snack. Just choose a good healthy PB and not one loaded with sugars, etc. Natural or Organic are labels to look for.
--I'm not a big fan of eggs, but it's hard to argue with the benefits of eggs for protein and the hard-boiled egg for convenience.
--Slow carbs: oatmeal. Add some fruit or nuts and it keeps me full for hours. I prefer steel-cut, but you can take old-fashioned oats and microwave them in a couple of minutes.
--I eat yogurt w/ fruit and a little granola every day for lunch, but it makes a good breakfast.
--I normally eat a banana for breakfast!

3) Lunch: If you're hungry by your afternoon snack, maybe you could switch around your Cheezits here? I'm a big fan of the 100-calorie snack pack--portion control made easy. But maybe you could shift out the Cheez-its until later if it's a favorite of your. Eat an apple with your lunch, perhaps, along with a handful of baby carrots. They'll really fill you up!

4) Snacks: Everyone's covered what normally eat for a healthy snack. Big focus on nuts (or PB), cheese, fruit. I do admit to eating a nuts-with-chocolate and dried fruit trail mix, too. Yummy! If you still wanted the Cheez-its you didn't have at lunch, you could substitute them. Because I know sometimes you just want a snack to be a "goodie!"

5) Dinner: Your meal here sounds like it's good a good protein/carb balance. I assume you're also rounding out your fruits/veggies?

6) I'm a member of SparkPeople, which I use not only to keep track of my calories but---even more important--to track my proteins and fats. I find it very helpful.

 

[FireDancer]

Might I also suggest you keep a healthy snack bar in your desk so you can have a little something between lunch and the end of school. I do this at work. I have a box of zone perfect bars and also have an apple or pear in our little fridge here in our department. It helps keep the cravings away and also keeps your metabolism fueled.

Instant oatmeal is also a good choice. It takes 5 minutes and can be eaten between classes. Just make sure not to get anything with a bunch of sugar added. I like the Kashi and Nature's Path oatmeal.