Good Diet For College Kid

It would not be. Bread is very unhealthy. Deli meat is loaded with preservatives. The bulk of the volume you consume should come from veggies. I pretty much live by this:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

It is 99% about calories. If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. If you eat fewer, you lose weight. If you eat maintenance, you maintain weight. Protein/Fat/Carb macro distribution matters as far as body composition (being cut vs. being skinny fat) but calories are the main thing here.

Download MyFitnessPal and give it a spin.

What makes you so special that you can't survive on ramen and tex-mex?

I am going to go ahead and assume you already have a workout schedule, if not, definitely sort that out as it will be a lot easier to get into shape when you have a regular routine.

I would say try different things (ketosis, cals in vs. cals out, intermittent fasting, etc.) and see what works for your body.

Everyone's body is different due to maintenance calories, metabolism, digestive system, etc. so what works for some, will not work for all. I know friends who swear by certain diets, I have tried them and they didn't give me much benefit beyond the normal calories in vs. calories out or ketosis.

Just learn what works for your body, but I am glad you know the basics of fried food, etc. Good luck, OP!

monkeysee_monkeydo:

Hey guys,

Getting ready to go back to school soon and want to shed some lbs when I get back (maybe 15/20). Was hoping some fellow monkeys have some tips on a good diet to keep. I know the basics like limit booze, fried food, eating late at night etc etc

Anyone have anything more specific like daily routine for meals? Like for lunch would a turkey sandwich be a viable/healthy meal?

Any tips/advice are appreciated

Thanks!

A decent diet to lose weight would be yogurt and oats berries for breakfast. 1-2 eggs and as many egg whites as you want.

Turkey/chicken sandwich for lunch. (No cheese/mayo, franks buffalo has zero calories so can smother in that shit) carrots or saled with zero cal dressing for side. Apple or pear or banana.

Turkey burger for dinner. Or more chicken with rice or sweet potato. If u don't feel like cooking there's these Alexandria sweet potato fries that are low cal and not many other ingredients. Can eat those with the chicken.

Apple or

lost 60 pounds in 6 months. went for "cave man diet". - no: sugar, carbs, alcohol, fruits, milk, fruit juice, processed foods - yes: lean meat, vegetables, beans, water, black coffee (+ portion control + smaller 4 meals throughout the day)

High protein, low carb diet is the best. Also when choosing carbs consider Glycemic index. Effectively you shouldnt eat any bread, pasta, rice, sweets, so your sandwhich is a no.

Like others have said, at the end of the day it's just about calories in and calories out. High protein foods will keep you full longer, so try to keep a high protein diet. Also, caffeine is known to suppress appetite, so maybe add a cup of black coffee or two into your daily routine if you don't already drink it. Think strategically about your meals to reduce the chances of getting hungry. Personally, I can deal with hunger during the day, but late night is tough, so I'll generally do coffee for breakfast with a power bar, a small lunch, and a big dinner to keep me full.

This thread has a lot of misinformation and regurgitation of the same nutritional advice from the USDA, AHA, ADA, etc. that has failed to stem—probably even accelerated—rising rates of diabetes and obesity.

The story is such:

1) Nutrition science is very complex and difficult to study. You can't put 100 people in a hospital setting and feed them a precisely prescribed diet for 3 months to follow health outcomes. It's insanely expensive and impractical. So I won't place a lot of fault on the nutrition establishment for getting most things wrong. 2) The alternative to clinical data is relying on observational (epidemiological) studies that measure health outcomes based on pre-existing differences in diets between individuals. The problem is this introduces confounding variables, all of which are impossible to control for. For example, are vegetarians healthier because they're vegetarian, or because they are, on average, more educated, of higher socioeconomic status, engage in less risky behavior, are more adherent to general health advice, etc.? 3) Most of the nutritional advice you hear today is the same as it's been since the 1950s/60s—eat less fat, especially saturated fat; get fats from polyunsaturated vegetable oils; don't eat red meat; limit sodium intake; limit cholesterol intake (now debunked and no longer recommended); eat less, move more; etc. All of these recommendations were based on poorly controlled epidemiological studies, and the pathology was not understood beyond a superficial "fat and cholesterol are present in atherosclerotic plaques; thus, fat and cholesterol clog arteries." At the time, there was a minority group of scientists who cautioned against making these dietary recommendations given the lack of proof (i.e., clinical data) and poor quality of the evidence (i.e., observational data), but they were pushed aside.
4) When a lot of these recommendations were examined further or finally tested in a clinical setting, they were shown to have no effect on health outcomes, or in some cases actually shown to have adverse health effects. The Women's Health Initiative, Minnesota Coronary Survey, and MRFIT trial showed that the recommendations from above did not prevent coronary incidents or lower total mortality, and patients in the MRFIT trial who subbed saturated fats for polyunsaturated vegetable oils (among other recommendations) actually died at higher rates than the control group and even had higher rates of lung cancer despite more of the treatment group quitting smoking than the control group (21% vs. 6%)—likely due to the greater tendency of polyunsaturated fats to oxidize (the extra double bonds make them less stable than monounsaturated or saturated fats). As another example, in the Framingham Study's 1991 update, the data showed that half of the subjects who had heart attacks actually had cholesterol levels below the "normal" 220mg/dl (so maybe cholesterol isn't a useful predictor of CVD risk after all...). There are plenty of other studies, but I don't have time to skim my notes more than this 5) Despite mounting evidence against the traditional nutrition advice, and the complete failure thereof, the nutrition establishment continues to espouse the same recommendations and refuses to even consider the plausibility of alternative theories. It's basically a dummies guide on "How not to properly test a scientific hypothesis"

The science that I find more convincing (and that actually has been shown to work in the real world) is viewing adiposity from a hormonal perspective (hormones control so many other aspects of the body, after all). In essence, sugar and carbohydrate consumption causes secretion of insulin (to regulate levels of blood sugar) and excess consumption of such eventually causes insulin resistance. Fructose consumption also in itself directly causes hepatic insulin resistance, as the liver must process >90% of fructose, which in turn further elevates the body's insulin levels. The problem with insulin is that it's a fat storage hormone, increases hunger (such as by driving secretion of hunger-inducing hormones like ghrelin), and diverts a greater proportion of the body's energy intake towards fat storage. You can make anyone fat simply by injecting them with insulin on a regular basis.

Excess caloric intake is the result of elevated insulin levels and is not the ultimate cause of adiposity; it is the symptom of a hormonal imbalance (elevated insulin), or the body's inability to regulate energy balance. Calories in/calories out can work on a short-term basis, but the body tries very hard to maintain its weight (homeostasis) and eventually hormones win out—metabolism slows, energy levels drop, appetite increases, etc. This is why so many people end up gaining weight back after adhering to a conscious caloric deficit.

Rather, the key is to keep insulin levels low so that the body can access its fat stores and appetite is suppressed. You have to treat the root cause, not the symptom. Decreasing cortisol (stress) will also help, as will adding high-intensity training (to increase fat oxidation) and weight training (muscle mass is like a sink for carbohydrates, increasing insulin sensitivity). Intermittent fasting is also helpful as it prolongs the period in which the body is in a low insulin state.

As far as other diet-induced adverse health effects, like high blood pressure, the more convincing science points to inflammation and tissue deterioration at a cellular level. For example, glucose is a pretty reactive molecule and it reacts with proteins and fats in your body, causing them to become dysfunctional (see advanced glycation end-products, as one example). In the high blood pressure example, one of the drivers would be increased arterial stiffness due to glycation damage. Also on inflammation, one of the causes is likely to be an imbalance in dietary intake of Omega 6 and Omega 3s (now around 40:1... should be between ~4:1 and 1:1). Omega 6 intake is way up from all the unnatural vegetable oils, and omega 3 intake is down due to factory farming of animals and our no longer consuming organ meats (e.g., bone marrow).

Tl;dr Concisely, my recommendation to lose weight would be: do not consume fructose (table sugar, honey, fruit, etc.), lower carbohydrate intake until you lose weight, moderate protein (excess protein is converted into carbohydrate—gluconeogenesis), perform high intensity exercise, lift weights, sleep 7-8+ hours a night, manage stress, do intermittent fasting if your goals aren't being met, and still moderate calorie intake (i.e., this isn't permission to gorge).

As an aside, I would encourage anyone in this thread to go out and research the topic on yourself if you're not convinced. I wish I could figure out how to more succinctly work through the complexity and depth of the topic in a thorough and convincing manner. At the very least, try to understand why a recommendation would be correct. What is actually happening in the body? What is going on at a cellular level? Does it make sense in the context of evolution/anthropology? Does it actually work in the real world? But please don't just regurgitate whatever knowledge you've happened to come across, like a fucking parrot or something.

Finally, if you're on a higher carbohydrate diet, or if you're calorie counting and it's working for you—great, feel free to keep doing it. Some people are naturally more carbohydrate tolerant, have good genetics, or whatever.

monkeysee_monkeydo:

Hey guys,

Getting ready to go back to school soon and want to shed some lbs when I get back (maybe 15/20). Was hoping some fellow monkeys have some tips on a good diet to keep. I know the basics like limit booze, fried food, eating late at night etc etc

Anyone have anything more specific like daily routine for meals? Like for lunch would a turkey sandwich be a viable/healthy meal?

Any tips/advice are appreciated

Thanks!

15-20lbs is pretty vague.

are you 6'0" looking to go from 300 to 280?

or 5'4" looking to go 130 to 115?

I think everyone in this thread is over complicating the matter - our OP here wanted to shed 15-20 lbs, not become a bodybuilder.

First and foremost, the most important thing is to control your calorie intake, and get exercise, so you are at a calorie deficit. This goes without saying.

And my advice to you, to achieve this, is not to go to extremes by avoiding fruits, or eating no bread whatsoever, as some on this thread just suggested to you - not even track your macronutrients with a low carb allocation.

Simply, create a meal plan with healthy foods that you enjoy. Figure out how much energy your should be consuming, based off your gender, weight, age, and activity level. There are plenty of online calculators for this.

Once you have an idea for how much you should target for your daily calorie intake, design a few healthy meals that you enjoy. Ideally, they are high in protein, as they will help you stay full and satisfied. As a rule of thumb aim for 1g of daily protein intake for each pound you weigh. Currently I eat 1.5.

The most important habit to stick with a meal plan is meal prep, so I advise you invest in some tupperware, and cook a week's worth of meals every sunday. Believe it or not, it's much easier to follow a healthy meal plan when you have all of the food prepared in advance. In my opinion, this is where most people fail on their diets - and choose to eat out, or order in, due to lack of preparation when laziness strikes.

Second of all - tell people about your goals, whether its your girlfriend, parents, bros, whoever. We are much less likely to give up on our goals when we verbalize them to others.

Hope this helps.

12 x Goal body weight = Total calories to consume per day.

30% of calories in carbs (4 calories per gram) 40% of calories in protein (4 calories per gram) 30% of calories in fats (9 calories per gram)

I lost a ton of weight over the past few yrs, started lifting every day and am now down to ~10% bf and good muscle mass. Here's what I've learned:

1. Plan all of your meals ahead

2. Breakfast = protein bar and coffee. Lunch = pre-prepared. Add variety at dinner

2.a. Most efficient lunch I believe is chicken breast and salad. Learn how to make killer chicken and you'll save money on food, plus it has the best macronutrient profile of any meat besides fish (and even then you have to be careful about mercury levels). Salad you can prepare ahead of time and just add dressing - best dressing is lemon squeeze. Don't forget to salt and pepper your salad to make it delicious. Sounds weird but trust me

3. Go to the gym every single day. Don't take a day off. The key is to not beat yourself up when you have a bad workout. Some days you may feel tired and like crap and only go for 30 minutes. It's all about showing up. Some days you'll have great workouts, others subpar. Just make sure that you show up, even if you have to go at 5 AM or 10 PM.

I focused on making changes that are easy to implement. I don't even work out that hard, and the food that I eat is always both delicious and inexpensive. It's just all about consistency over time, not great effort expenditures in the short-term.

Bush and Busch

I agree with the other posters about meal prep. I was never overweight and was actually trying to gain weight. Cooking and preparing lunch and diner for the week (usually on Sunday) made my life allot easier. If you lift weights try high protein low carb diet. It can be sort of pricey to get 150+ grams of protein a day though. STAY CONSISTENT. This was my biggest challenge with my meal prep.

Same advice as for everyone else, keep it simple.

Balanced diet, limit sugar, processed food and highly refined carbs.

Breakfast: Egg whites and whole wheat english muffin with butter mid-morning snack: Almonds Lunch: Spinach or kale salad with grilled chicken and balsamic vinegar Afternoon snack: Quest bar Dinner: Grilled Chicken and Broccoli This and cardio 5x a week and the weight will fall off

I was always too lazy to count carbs and watch what i was eating, so i just asked a friend for a meal schedule, and it worked like a charm. If you're like me and just want something that outlines exactly what to eat then this will be useful.

I go to the gym 3-4 times a week, i run maybe once a month. This is also good way to save some money on food while in college and i lost 15lbs after 2 months of keeping to it. It is 4 meals a day and there are 6 varieties for a week. Meal 1: 5 egg whites 2 whole eggs 1/2 cup oatmeal 100g vegetables Meal 2: 6oz Lean Meat (chicken/pork/turkey) 100g vegetables 2tbsp olive oil Meal 3: 6 oz lean meat 100g vegetables 1tbsp olive oil Meal 4: 1 cup cottage cheese OR 1 cup plain greek yogurt OR 6 oz chicken (try to eat last meal 2hrs before bed)

This would be day 1, if you're interested in getting the whole thing send me a pm and ill send you an email with the whole thing. I spent maybe $30-$40 on food for the entire week during college which was a blessing. You can give yourself a cheat day or if you're going out you can eat whatever but just keep it to a minimum. It will suck for the first month, but after that your body gets used to it.

try doing a low carb diet. it worked really well for me

Lot of people spewing nonsense in this thread.

Check out the this link: The Best Fat Loss Article on the Motherfuckin’ Internet

All of these diets are Bullshit, I was premed at a top 20 and they all make no sense physiologically. "Take more supplements bro" (LIE) "Cut back on animal fats bro" (LIE) "Exercise at a lower heart rate for long duration to burn fat" (LIE) "Focus on eating a vegetarian diet so you can lose weight" (LIE)

You want to know the best way to lose 15 - 20 lbs!?

Burn more calories than you take in. The universal equation to weight loss is "Energy in = Energy out." Burn more calories during your day than you eat in meals (period).

Let me lay some knowledge on you. Calories come from food, and calories are a form of energy. The more energy you don't burn during the day, the more energy gets stored in your body (either as Glycogen or Fat). Those fat and glycogen stores keep your body alive through the night, and are what you will use the next day when you wake up in the morning before you eat breakfast. The more energy you store, the more weight you put on.

My advice: • Eat a well balanced diet (use the food pyramid for christ sake - you learned about that in elementary school) • Eat 3-4 meals a day evenly spaced out • Avoid snacking • Don't eat food after 8pm because you aren't going to move around and that food will convert from active energy to stored energy (i.e. Glycogen or Fat) • And for gods sake fucking exercise! (Energy in = Energy out)