Diet HABIT vs. Diet VARIETY

Am I being unhealthy?

I eat (for the last 3 months) every day:
6am – 1/4c. oatmeal w/ 1/8thc. dried fruit 150 cal.
8am – 1 protein shake 120 cal.
10am - 1/4c. oatmeal w/ 1/8thc. dried fruit 150 cal.
1 low sodium V-8 & multi-vitamin 70 cal.
12pm – 1 can tuna w/ hot sauce 150 cal.
½ banana & 1 tbsp peanut butter 150 cal.
2pm – 1 serv. Fat free cottage cheese 80 cal.
4pm - 1 can tuna w/ hot sauce 150 cal.
½ banana & 1 tbsp peanut butter 150 cal.
6pm - 1 protein shake 120 cal.
8pm – healthy various dinner 600 cal.
10pm – protein shake 120 cal.

- this is the only way I can control my calorie intake - it has worked great and I have lost 30 lbs - is this a bad diet or can I do this for the rest of my life??

Thu. Mar 13, 6:28pm

Hey,

You're getting lots of protein which is good BUT I don't see any vegetables in your log. I'm assuming you take in quite a bit at your dinner time. I would probably substitute your dry fruit with fresh fruit.

You're eating at good intervals therefore keeping your blood sugar stable. I usually eat every 3 hrs. Eating a total of 5 meals per day. So you could combine some meals so you don't have to eat so often...but that's not a big deal.

You eat a lot of Tuna...maybe incorporate other fish or meats...ie chicken breast, salmon, etc...just so you don't get tired of it.

I don't really see anything to complain about, besides the fact that you don't want to eat like this forever. If you are eating veggies at dinner then it looks ok to me. You should aim for 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Are you getting this in? Are you drinking lots of water (at least 80 oz)?

If it's working for you, then you can stick with it.

Thursday, March 13, 2008, 7:08 PM

I agree with the veggie issue. But like my dr told me last time I saw him, if it is working for you stick with it.
The question of if you can live with it. That is up to you, do you feel like you can live with that strict of a routine.
I personally would get bored with it. But if this is how you control your eating I am all for what you are doing.
We all have our ways of making it work.

Did you know they have canned salmon out there. And canned chicken.
I don't know if you live near a costco but their brand of these are excellent.
And congratulations on your loss.

Thursday, March 13, 2008, 8:28 PM

Just curious - are you a boy? Usually protein shakes interfere with female weight loss, and you consume quite a lot of those on a daily basis.

Also, isn't tuna one of the foods we're only supposed to have twice a week because of mercury issues? Don't give yourself heavy metal poisoning!

Thursday, March 13, 2008, 8:36 PM

Are your protein shakes made with milk? Your diet looks pretty low on calcium otherwise.

Thursday, March 13, 2008, 8:37 PM

Gosh, and I thought I am disciplined! Eating every two hours on an hour. Do you have a job, man? A life?

Thursday, March 13, 2008, 9:46 PM

OP here -

That is all good advice thanks...
-I have a desk job so I can get up and get a snack every two hours
-My protein is whey and yes I am a guy
-It makes it easy and cheap to to eat canned tuna instead of broiling chicken breasts and V-8 instead of bringing carrot sticks & spinach salad etc...
-I know if I made it more expensive and comlex I couldn't / wouldn't do it although I know I should change it some
-the oatmeal is quaker instant
- so far I can stick to it because of the force of habit, like getting up to go to the gym every day I don't even think about it anymore.
-I do get veggies at dinner, my wife is a really excellent and healthy cook (it is her hobby)

...so up the veggies, natural peanut butter..
is 12 cans a week of tuna really going to kill me in the end? Grrr..It seems like the perfect food!

thanks y'all

Friday, March 14, 2008, 10:11 AM

to sub for the tuna once in a while here are some ideas:

-frozen turkey burgers

-frozen chicken burgers

-frozen soy protein burgers
(garden burger, boca, dr. praegers)

-Quorn (wheat protein, very HIGH in protein, LOW in calories (lower than any poultry or fish) and it comes in many forms, like "ground", the form of a chicken patty, etc)

-eggwhites (they come in those individual packets, you just rip off the top, dump it in a bowl and mocrowave for 2 mins or so, mix in some vegs and fat free cheese if you like)

Friday, March 14, 2008, 1:26 PM

OP - are you the same person that started the thread about Mercury Poisoning?

If not, I put a link to a Canadian Government site that could be useful for you.

You may want to switch your instant oats for steel cut oats. You need less because it's more filling. They can be hard to find though.

Friday, March 14, 2008, 4:42 PM

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