Fruit and salad

[JP1]

Brought so much of it into work today I can't eat it all.. I know this might sound a dumb question but can you eat too much of it? Reason I ask is that I had the same yesterday and spiked a bit overnite which could mean anything in all honesty including I probably drank more water than usual..

Today I've had 180g of (springwater) tuna, half an avocado, a full tomato, a couple of celery sticks and maybe a third of a cucumber.. washed down with a large dose of lite Heinz salad cream, sorry but I probably couldnt eat most of it without a large dose of this

Fruit I had a full banana, half an apple, 5 large strawberries, loads of green grapes, 6/7 prunes and a handful of saltanas.. Ate some of this earlier and just to complete the picture I had my usual of 2 weetabix with low fat milk and peaches for breakfast.. tonite I will just have my normal nightly meal..

Thoughts appreciated..

[Blitz]

Are you mixing all in together? That will help.
I find if you fine chop the celery up it is much easier to eat.
Put the apple, grapes and sultanas into the salad too, to make it moist...the tuna otherwise will be too dry...that way you can cut back on the salad cream which may have some hidden calories (just because it has the word "Lite" in it - it doesn't mean it is without something to be aware of).

Apart from those suggestions there isn't much wrong going on. Maybe the spike is the result of the day before that. Or a reaction to the renewed exercise regime. I wouldn't worry about it too much at this stage.

Kim

[JP1]

Thanks Kim, yeah the salad cream has calories obviously but like I say I enjoy it and it's my treat similar to your chocolate

Didn't think I was doing too much else wrong and you are probably right I should present it a bit better

[Blitz]

With the salad cream...all things in moderation is my motto.

Concerning my chocolate (and cappuccinos for that matter)...those are treats that I indulged in once I reached goal.
I think the only time I had any dark chocolate during weight loss was at Easter.
I may have had one or two cappuccinos during that time - but I don't remember having them.

Certainly during my recent "Knackered Blitz Challenge" I did have them...and daily at that!
It is just a question of choices and managing them into your lifestyle in the end.

Kim

[Tams]

Re the spike, it could just be bloating...lots of fruit and veg can do that at various times. I have heard that mixing fruit in with veg (salads), makes this reaction more common, but that is just 'talk', I've not found any science to it (yet). However, if you react to certain types of natural sugars (fructose, mannitol, polyols, sorbitol etc), then this could be a cause of bloating - in your list, that would be sultanas, prunes, LOADS of grapes (under 20 and you should be ok), apple, more than 1/8th of an avocado. Many people are absolutely fine; this is only for those that malabsorb these types of sugars. And some people who are fine, may find a small reaction at times...could be that this was what did it for you.

Re fruit and veg and weightloss, well this is altogether a different topic. In general, if it's FRESH, I'd say go for it. When it's dried, you are concentrating the sugars and the 'fill-up' factor of the water is less, so you can eat rather more calories than intended. Just watch portion size on the dried fruit, (and of the grapes, as these are also high in calories - the highest of all fruit, and the avocado which is high in good fats, but it is still fat). Veg, just go for it!

If you are wanting to vary the salad cream dressing with a less high calorie option on some days, try chopped chives, lemon juice and salt. I also use cottage cheese, natural yogurt, a bit of lemon juice and salt with a salad of cucumber, tomato and spring onion (really yummy!).

[Blitz]

I believe the spike has more to do with jet lag, holiday lag and rediscovery of hard exercise than what you are eating JP.
I was impressed with it actually...classic good healthy options that would make a great template for others to follow.

Kim

[DD Diva]

If you are wanting to vary the salad cream dressing with a less high calorie option on some days, try chopped chives, lemon juice and salt. I also use cottage cheese, natural yogurt, a bit of lemon juice and salt with a salad of cucumber, tomato and spring onion (really yummy!).

I stopped using salad dressings (or at least any creamy ones) the day I discovered feta cheese was a great replacement because it tastes yummy and (if it's the smooth kind) coats the rest of the salad ingredients as nicely as any cream would plus you only need a little bit as it can go a long way!

[JP1]

Thanks for the input Tams, some of that feedback on specific pieces of fruit there was exactly what I was hoping for and Kim I think you are right overall too (as usual ) I'm not that bothered about the spike as it is last couple of days I've still managed to shed a few 100g even after that magnificent roast last night which deservedly had me going back for seconds

[Blitz]

I think sometimes (not ALL the time) a good hit of solid protein does the world of good. It always surprised me that the morning after a good piece of porterhouse steak for dinner that it would show up as a good weigh in result. I think it is because weight loss does put so much stress on the body that an occasional solid hit of protein gives the body much needed quick supply energy to do it's work. It sort of turbo up the metabolism for a bit.

Kim

[JP1]

Just said elsewhere, it's funny how the chemistry/biology works.. It surprises me sometimes when I've really put in, l don't lose and when I've been slack or taken liberties with portion size *albeit healthy food* I am surprised by the loss.. Sometimes I just think our bodies store up a loss and suddenly just give it up, oh to find out the exact formula for what is obviously a complex mechanism with the human biochemistry..

[Tams]

Oh Yeah, the body's chemistry is AMAZING - I loved studying Nutrition in particular when I was doing my post grad in Health Promotion. There were so many fascinating things to discover. For example (its probably well known by now, but a recent finding when I was studying), the same foods that help heart disease ALSO help mental health, particularly depression...think FISH! The problem with all the drilling down into the chemistry is that much of it is funded or watched closely by big pharma, because of course if we can isolate the magic something for whatever issue, they want to package and sell it. The good news is, that in terms of nutrition, it is pretty complicated and often the conclusion is that they don't know the exact whatsit that is doing the magic - it is the whole food and some interaction and benefits in the whole food. I think that's good news, because it promotes eating food, not taking pills!

One of the fascinating studies around 2004/5 (I think) was on milk. They compared milk, to a placebo pill (nothing), and a calcium pill. They were measuring fat loss around the middle, all other factors kept equal. The milk won by a staggering amount, followed by the calcium to a much lesser amount, and then the placebo with nothing really of note. You do have to have your full daily serves for it to work (which is a lot - I also sat in on the recommended daily amount revue for calcium in 2005/6, and it was higher than what is actually published). That means 3 glasses of milk a day minimum (or equivalent in other dairy serves...obviously don't go to town on cheese or icecream!). I personally think it works, I just struggle with consuming enough! Maybe the reason for the magic is also something to do with the protein hit...

[Blitz]

I find it helpful to think of the body acting in cycles with various things (sleep, foods, bladder and bowel movements, daily routines, weather, "that time of the month", exercise and general health etc) slightly altering the timing of the cycles.
Altering them just enough to keep you on your toes!

Kim

[ganymede]

JP - sounds like you have all the right foods there, lots of fresh fruit and veges and only a little of the bad stuff

Some of the fruits I've chosen to stick with through this are grapes, strawberries, apples, pears etc. They are the lower calorie options as far as fruit goes. Watermelon is also amazing, I do try to have bananas too but they are higher in calories. Mandarins are also incredible and tis the season for them!

Salads are always a great option, all the best stuff together and still very good for the waistline. I'd say it was just your body adjusting and don't think too much about it, you're doing all the right things that I can see!

I always find when I have a good hit of protein, I can feel the difference. Usually I try to incorporate protein into my before cardio snack and it does wonders to the energy levels! Will have a play around tomorrow with my foods as my PT recommended more good fats in my diet and less sugars and more protein as well. I will try my best and report back!

[JP1]

So basically I just pushed on with the fruit and salad and had a decent enough drop on the back of it.. I get it that certain fruits have more calories than others but I think the differentials are negligible when built in to my overall calorie input/output levels.. Thanks for the advice and comments though gang, it's been interesting and I have learnt a thing or two..

[Tams]

Good for you! I really don't think you can go wrong with eating healthy food - I remember being quite horrified when the first fad of 'fruit is full of sugar, don't eat it' came out