What do people who are at an appropriate weight eat on a daily basis?

[phylny]

I'd like to get an idea from anyone who is at a good, normal weight and who does not exercise obsessively (in other words, some one who walks or does some other moderate exercise, but who doesn't spend hours at a gym, etc.)

I'm overweight by at least 70 pounds, and I don't want lectures because at this point, I think I have no idea what "normal" looks like. I'm looking for "typical diet."

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to respond

[vt_native]

1. Here's a few thoughts

try vegetarianism, give up alcohol, eat raw or minimally processed foods.

Also, think about why you might be eating, do you eat for reasons other than hunger?

I used to eat out of boredom and I learned that I feel better when I've eaten lightly.

My vice is coffee, which suppresses appetite, so I have an advantage.

Good luck!

[Fluothane]

2. Typical Diet

Prepackaged bag of oatmeal and banana in am. Peanut butter sandwich or can of tuna for lunch with apple and sometimes chips. For dinner, meat and potatoes with salad or another vegetable. Red meat one to two times a week. Lots of beer on my weekends. I eat pretty much the same thing everyday because I am lazy and it is easy to prepare for when I am working. I do run four times a week, but only three mile distances.

[Sanity Claws]

3. A lot of cooking from scratch

Mornings are usually oatmeal with fruit and soy milk. The oatmeal is the old fashioned rolled oats. I get a coffee (with half and half, no sugar) when I get to work and drink it there.
I usually bring my lunch to work. (I'm frugal). It is usually leftovers; I cook meals over the weekend and freeze them. Sometimes I make a salad with black beans with vegetables or an egg with vegetables. Snack is a piece of fruit with green tea or peppermint tea.

Dinner usually starts with soup that I made over the weekend. I may have brown rice with a vegetable and add a protein like an egg, canned tuna, or a few shrimp.

If I'm still hungry, I'll have dessert of fruit with Greek yogurt (full fat variety)

Maybe once a week I'll have ice cream.

I think the trick is to have healthy food available to eat all the time so you don't fall into eating chips or bread because you are hungry and need to eat NOW.

Good luck

[safeinOhio]

4. I have found the best diet for me

is the one for diabetics. To make it very easy, don't eat anything white, except eggs, cottage cheese and cauliflower.

In 6 months I cut my cholesterol in half and lost weight.

I do not have diabetes.

[abelenkpe]

5. Avoid prepackaged preprocessed food

During the week I make steel cut oatmeal every night in a crockpot to eat for breakfast. (Mix in fresh fruit like apples or berries in the morning. And some honey) lunch is usually 1 1/2 cups of Greek yogurt and berries or fruit. Snack around four pm on s bit of cheese and nuts. Dinner either whole wheat spaghetti or chicken rice black beans. Something like that. Also drink about 16 oz of whole milk a day. I walk three miles everyday at lunch and eat my yogurt n snack at my desk. Think it's good to get an hour of physical exercise each day but make it fun, something you enjoy like walking, hiking, swimming. Whatever you like. It's probably not the diet but the activity. But what do I know?

[GreatGazoo]

6. my metabolism is lower than it used to be

so this may be a little less than I used to eat. Have been the same weight, 180 - 188lbs, for five years. For what it's worth:

Breakfast: a big blueberry yogurt muffin and half glass of whole milk, OR 2 eggs scrambled with one slice of swiss cheese and one slice of ham, half glass of OJ

Lunch: ham and cheese sandwich, water, soup if I have any around

Afternoon: glass of tea with sugar
Snack: 5 cookies, OR a big handful of potato chips OR 1/3 pint of Ben & Jerrys OR a handful of peanut M&Ms

Dinner: beef chili burrito, with cheddar cheese and spinach, OR a big chicken thigh with yellow rice, salsa, side salad with oil and vinegar dressing, 2 glasses of wine or a cocktail

2 years ago I gave up my ban on drinking soda and started gaining weight. When I stopped with the soda the weight gain stopped too. I have two dogs who always want part of anything I am eating and make me walk. I cook dinner for myself 90% of the time. I grew up not eating dessert and I don't graze.

[CentralMass]

7. i've dropped about 50lb, maybe more since last December..

I don't have a scale, and am not obsessed with knowing my weight. I was wearing pants with a 44-46 waist last December and am wearing a 34's with room.

My "diet" is odd, and cheap.

I stopped drink soda completely and drink primarily water. Sometimes I mix juice and water.
I drink coffee and didn't give up half & half (know I should) I use an artificial sweetner or nothing.
For quit awhile I ate a bowl of old fashioned oatmeal every day for breakfast. I still eat it fairly often. I add a little low fat or almond milk if I have it and some cinnamon. I might add a teaspoon of sugar once in awhile. I also eat simple cereals like Rice Chx, Cheerios, Bran Flakes. I use either low fat or 1% milk, of lately a high protein almond milk (Silk).
A eat mostly small portioned stir fry for lunch at work. I bring my own in.

I ate a lot of rice based meals over the last year, using brown rice or Basmati.
Like rice and black beans made with onions,dice tomatoes and green Chiles, onions, frozen corn (1 cup), and some pickled jalapeño peppers,. Using canned ingredients and frozen corn, I'll throw a cup of brown rice, 2 1/4 cups of water and the canned ingredients with their liquids (don't drain the back bean) into a small crackpot and let it cook on high until the rice absorbs the liquids. I eat it two small of medium corn tortillas that I grill in a pan.

I make stir fry's with frozen stir fry vegetable mixes. I use a little chicken or gulf shrimp and mix a cooked brown rice with it.
I also have canned soups, usually Progresso, for supper. Chicken and wild rice, Beef and Barely, there Lite lineup.
I'll make piece of whole grain toast, usually dry, and call it a meal.

I limit my bread. I cook with a olive oil cooking spray, and when do use butter on toast or to cook I use real butter.
I'll eat eggs now and then for breakfast. One if I fry it two if I scramble them. I usually have toast of an English muffin with it.

I also eat a piece of fruit or two a day. I'll eat almonds or other nuts

If I stick to that type of diet, with the low digesting carbs with smart portion I find that I'm not hungry. If deviate and eat a lot of fat or sugar or processed crap I get hunger binges.

When I do fall of the wagon I have no guilt. I just get back on track for next meal.

Its an odd diet but it works for me. I take no meds now, my blood pressure is normal.
I started walking about 3.5 miles, that eventually became a jog, and now I jog 5 miles. That was a 10 or 11 month progression.
I was 255-260lbs last December. I'm going to guess I'm down to 200.

[Big Blue Marble]

8. I lost sixty pounds six years ago.

I have maintained this weight loss ever since with a BMI of 20.

I do exercise about 2 or 3 hours per week including
interval training three times per week (not as hard as it might sound.)

I focus my diet around whole home cooked foods, lots of vegetables
fruits, whole grains, some nuts, dairy, fish and seafood. I eat a moderate amount
of carbs, but am mindful of the glycemic impact of the foods I choose.
My diet choices also give me lots of fiber which is important for keeping
blood sugar from spiking.

My number one rule is everything must be delicious. The pleasure of
eating is as important as the nutrition. I drink wine two or three nights
each week and often have one small sweet per day. I do eat pasta and baguettes
in measured amounts on occasion.

I eat three meals a day comfortably. Rarely have snacks. I have found
maintenance enjoyable. This plan is very easy to follow. And when I do
occasionally overeat, I simply go back to my plan.

[CTyankee]

9. I can't say "all of the above" because I have pretty much lost my appetite and lost weight

as a result. I think it is because of age but I guess I could be wrong. I've lost 10lbs so far just from not eating very much. Doc doesn't think this is a bad thing.

This may be a result of aging and perhaps you will just "age out" of weight problems, like me.

[phylny]

10. Thank you to everyone who took the time to write such thoughtful posts.

I have a lot to read and digest. I appreciate all of you!

[llmart]

11. Just happened on this post....

I'm 66 and stayed about the same weight all my adult life. You certainly don't have to eat as much as you get older, so you must keep that in mind. I'm moderately active on the whole but for my age group, some consider me active. I take a spin class once a week and walk/hike at the local park every day and have for many years. I do all my own yardwork, have a dog that I walk twice a day too.

On a typical day I eat three meals, no snacks. I rarely eat out at all. Most of what I eat is basic foods that are not processed, or meals I make myself. Lunch is usually a piece of fruit, some Greek yogurt, a handful of some sort of nuts. I drink mostly water but for dinner a small glass of wine occasionally. I have one mug of coffee each morning with milk, no sugar. Breakfast is my "treat". I'll have toast with apple butter or jam and butter. Or an English muffin. I rarely eat meat and when I do it's usually chicken. Always some veggies at dinner. Tonight I had a bowl of homemade vegetable soup with some good cheese, a half glass of red wine. This time of year I eat lots of apples. I have a spaghetti squash in my fridge from the farmers market and a container of marinara sauce I made this summer and froze and I'll make that tomorrow night.

One of my neighbors thinks it's odd that there's never much in my fridge. I live alone, so I don't know why she thinks my fridge should be chock-a-block full of food. It's just me and I'm 66, 5'4" tall and 128 pounds. How much food would I need?

I also grew up in an era when food was relatively expensive but more basic and portions were smaller. It's all what you get used to.

Good luck with your weight loss. The way one eats is basically a habit and habits can be changed, but it takes time.

[phylny]

12. Thanks for your response - more great information! :) n/t