[Derrick Brito]

Derrick Brito on June 5, 2005 at 9:52 am #10941

ok well i think its time i fixed my diet. i dont think eating pizza and top ramen are really helping me realize my dreams of running world class someday. i have some basic knowledge of nutrition but i dont know how to put it together in a fashion that will satisfy my love of food. i also buy my own food pretty much now so i have control over that.

so starting with breakfast…
i usually have between 1 and 4 bowls of cereal every morning. 3 is most common though some cereals (granolas and grape nuts) i can only eat 2 of. the only times i eat one is when i have no appetite.

what kind of a breakfast should i have? i dont like to cook in the morning (im not a morning person), though i will if it would be better. obviously some cereals are better than others, so if i continue to eat cereal, which ones should i eat? also, i generally eat til im full. should i leave some space in the tank so i can eat snacks later?

[whitebobo]

whitebobo on June 5, 2005 at 1:15 pm #46179

I think a breakfast rich in fibre, complex carbs and at least 20 grams of protein is sufficient. You should aim for at least 2000kJ or whats that 500 Cal to get you through to your next snack without cravings or feeling of hunger?

Oats, wheat bran, Low fat yoghurt with fruits and nuts, a cereal in South Africa we have called Pronutro is brilliant for vitamins carbs and protein, wholewheat english muffins with boiled egg white and slices of grilled ostrich bacon (1g fat per 100g) are some of my favourite breakfasts. There are so many things you can eat that are healthy. Look for some charts online with nutritional information on every food. I have seen a lot of them and I formulated a diet out of these.

And yes, the pizza is not a great idea. But if you have to eat it tell them to go easy on the cheese, more tomato puree, it eliminates a lot of the bad stuff. Then dab off the excess cheese fat with a tissue, it takes off a further 50% of the fat. Put extra veg on with less fatty meats. And I would say go with thin crust.

I’m no expert, so I may be wrong! 😉

[rice773]

rice773 on June 6, 2005 at 12:42 am #46180

Nothing wrong with a pizza… every once in a while.

If you like cold cereal try to find something with whole grains and not heavily sweetened; less than 10g sugar/serving. Some hippie granolas fit this description, maybe you could buy in bulk at the local health food store. If not, kashi go lean cereal is not bad, i’ve been having it lately when i have to get up for work. This is probably similar to what bobo mentioned above.

Oatmeal only takes an extra few minutes, i have mine with banana and lots of cinammon. That and a bowl of cottage cheese with another fruit.

Ostrich bacon sure sounds tasty though.

As for how much, listen to your body and keep in mind that if you eat fast you won’t get satisfied as quickly. Counting calories/macronutients for a few days might not be a bad idea just so you get an idea of how many of what are in each kind of food.

I think it’s sort of overkill to log every calorie you consume in quest for your ‘maintenance calories’ considering your metabolism constantly changes. Hormonal changes caused by your training and just your body being itself will speed up or slow down your metabolism.

[Derrick Brito]

Derrick Brito on June 6, 2005 at 4:05 am #46181

thanks guys for the info so far. about the pizza and top ramen, i mentioned it cuz last week i ate one or the other every day.

my newest cereal is a wannabe frosted mini wheats. its ingredients are whole wheat, sugar, and vitamins. after reading rices post i looked at it and it has 11g of sugar per serving. id like to switch up cereals frequently, since i get bored of eating the same thing every day. i think ill rotate between the mini wheats, grape nuts and various granolas, with oatmeal thrown in for good measure.

i ask about leaving some room because it is supposed to be better to eat 5-6 times a day instead of the 2-3 im doing now. during the summer and next year i plan to build my schedule around my training, so i can do whatever is best. in the offseason i generally consumed 3600 calories a day, give or take 1-200.

and that ostrich bacon english muffin sounds awesome! anybody else have thoughts? maybe i should eat fruit for breakfast too?

[Derrick Brito]

Derrick Brito on June 9, 2005 at 2:44 am #46182

anybody else have thoughts on breakfast?

[cobras100mgld]

cobras100mgld on June 9, 2005 at 2:58 am #46183

oats, protein powder, milk and banana 🙄 great start to your day

[Mike Young]

Mike Young on June 11, 2005 at 2:48 am #46184

I agree with Cobras suggestion. Though I’d alternate fruit rather than eating a banana every day.

ELITETRACK Founder

[swiftyer]

swiftyer on June 11, 2005 at 5:57 am #46185

[i]Originally posted by mike[/i]
I agree with Cobras suggestion. Though I’d alternate fruit rather than eating a banana every day.

Would you say that becuase of the banana’s relatively high glycemic index or is there another reason?

[Mike Young]

Mike Young on June 11, 2005 at 11:37 pm #46186

[i]Originally posted by Swiftyer[/i]
Would you say that becuase of the banana’s relatively high glycemic index or is there another reason?

No not really. I suggested it more from a variety standpoint. By switching up the foods you eat (especially fruits and vegetables) you ensure that you cover all nutritional bases.

ELITETRACK Founder