The Student Room Group

Alternative "healthier" food options...& exercise..

Since Xmas, I have out on a lot of weight, and kinda have a belly, and chest has started loosing its shape...

I was wondering what healthy option snacks there are that aren't to heavy on fats..etc...

And I hardly get the chance to have a regular exercise regime...so anyone recommend any exercises that may help in loosing this weight...

All recommendations much appreciated...and will +rep good ones wen i can...

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Reply 1
Snack on fruit and stuff, they will help speed up weight loss as they are low in calories and filling.
Also if you need something warming, some porridge? it is very filling and very healthy and tasty and stuff.

Walking a bit more is a good form of excercise, just walking instead of taking the car etc.
Reply 2
Try and start the day with a decent breakfast - a smoothie/ porridge/ banana - or other fruit is a good start. then for lunch try and have something reasonably healthy - sandwich or salad...and dinner make it a lean meat/fish/quorn/tofu and veggies and some pasta or potatoes or something. try and make little changes like swap water/ diet drinks for the regular kind, swap brown/granary bread for white, and keep healthy snacks with you throughout the day such as fruit, nuts, carrot sticks etc. to prevent you from raiding the ever so tempting vending machine!
for exercise i think the easiest kind is team sports - easier to get motivated. but if this isnt possible just try and be as active as you can, walking everywhere where possible and going for the occaisional run when you can fit it in etc.
good luck with it all - hope it goes well :smile:
Reply 3
fruit, tuna, chicken breast etc is great stuff for snacks that doesn't taste like crap.

cut out all the crappy drinks you probably have during the day and just have water.

as for exercise, just run or similar. doing sit-ups or certain little exercises wont help you.
Reply 4
go on a serious detox diet... just fruits and vegetables for a few days. drink loads of fresh orange/carrot/apple juice. not the carton kind, the kind you make at home with a juicer by using fresh fruits. the carton kind has no value. u can put the radio on loud and do some aerobics at home, sit ups, push ups, get a boxing sack, i love that. i have to buy one soon but i am worried about the ceiling.
Reply 5
mrteacher
go on a serious detox diet... just fruits and vegetables for a few days. drink loads of fresh orange/carrot/apple juice. not the carton kind, the kind you make at home with a juicer by using fresh fruits. the carton kind has no value. u can put the radio on loud and do some aerobics at home, sit ups, push ups, get a boxing sack, i love that. i have to buy one soon but i am worried about the ceiling.

i must say, that would be a pretty crap idea. just eating fruit and veg for days at a time wouldn't do him much good.
Reply 6
Bis
i must say, that would be a pretty crap idea. just eating fruit and veg for days at a time wouldn't do him much good.

[INDENT]
it's a detox. that's how a detox begins. and detox works. it jumpstarts your bodily system. with what expertise or knowledge do you claim that a detox diet is crap?

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A yoghurt is a good snack to have, as well as raisins (especially if you're on the go all the time, you can get the little boxes).

I find sticking to an exercise regime hard aswell, but I recently found an exercise plan for my rowing machine (I don't know if you have one, but it's a very good piece of exercise equipment as it is the best all-round exercise apart from swimming) It's only 20 minutes a session, with 3 sessions a week. If you haven't got a rower, or if you haven't got time to do say a 20 minute session, then you can try and incorporate exercise into your everyday tasks. For example, if you need to go to the shop, take a brisk walk there and back, or ride a bike.
Reply 8
Swap all your unhealthy snacks for fruit. celery and carrots are good snacking veg as they have hardly any calories. watch your portion sizes, i think a portion should fit into the palm of your hand. walking is great exersice, its not to strenous, and you can fit it into your day, just by getting of the bus a stop early, not taking taxis (unless its unsafe to walk), walking to the shop instead of taking a car. run up anf down stairs instead of walking, and take the stairs instead of the lift or the escalotor, unless youre on the 12th floor or something!
i think a detox diet can be good for your system. but you need to be careful, dont do it for to long, and when you come of it, do it slowly, if you eat a huge meal straight after youve finished a detox, you might be sick. they can give your system a great kickstart for a diet, but if youre restricting a lot, then you might actually end up eating more as youre telling yourself you cant have anything nice.
Reply 9
mrteacher
[INDENT]
it's a detox. that's how a detox begins. and detox works. it jumpstarts your bodily system. with what expertise or knowledge do you claim that a detox diet is crap?




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Detoxes aren't made to lose weight they are to flush your system out, he doesn't need a temp fix, he wants a life fix and help with foods to use in this. Our bodys aren't made to just eat fruit, that kind of detoxing is just a silly fad.


I suggest that you eat nice meals like tuna steaks and when you need to eat during the day have a drink of water and if that doesnt abate your hunger then eat some dried fruit or nuts. (I know nuts arent the healthiest thing but they don't taste like crap.)
Try replacing crisps (if you eat them) with rice cakes or rice crackers. They contain only a small amount of fat and salt.

Eat lots of fruit and vegetables! And replace foods like chips (if you eat them) with baked potatoes or salad.

Replace foods which are high in sugar, such as biscuits and white bread, with fruit and dried nuts and seeds.

Seed bars (you can get them from Morrisons and tesco in the free-from ranges) are low in fat and do keep you feeling full!

Tofu is another healthy and versatile food product, as are soya-based yoghurts, that's if you want to try vegan products...
Also, if you find yourself feeling hungry a lot of the time even though you've eaten, it's your body's way of telling you to have some water! A lot of the time we mistake our stomach rumbling for thinking we need food, but in fact we need water which stop the 'hunger' . Before anyone tells me that that's crap, we learned it in PE yesterday so meh :p:
Reply 12
I would just like to throw in, that frozen bananas are really good and taste like ice cream. It's a good substitute.
Reply 13
dede
I would just like to throw in, that frozen bananas are really good and taste like ice cream. It's a good substitute.


I didnt know that. ill have to try it.
I always say swap white foods like bread for wholemeal, and full fat products for reduced fat, it does make a difference. loosing weight effectively (so that it stays of), takes a while. you may feel great about yourself if you crash diet, but the weight more often than not, goes straight back on afterwards. being healthy and staying at a healthy weight often requires a lifestyle change. theres no harm in the occassional treat though, have a chocolate bar, crisps or pizza once a week, dont have all of them though! and stay away from takeaways! they are evil! if you drink a lot of fizzy drinks, switch to diet ones.
Reply 14
I'm not gonna comment, 'cos Bis'll rubbish whatever I say
Reply 15
mrteacher
go on a serious detox diet... just fruits and vegetables for a few days.


That is likely to kill you.
Reply 16
Elipsis
Detoxes aren't made to lose weight they are to flush your system out, he doesn't need a temp fix, he wants a life fix and help with foods to use in this. Our bodys aren't made to just eat fruit, that kind of detoxing is just a silly fad.


I suggest that you eat nice meals like tuna steaks and when you need to eat during the day have a drink of water and if that doesnt abate your hunger then eat some dried fruit or nuts. (I know nuts arent the healthiest thing but they don't taste like crap.)

precisely.
Reply 17
brimstone1
I'm not gonna comment, 'cos Bis'll rubbish whatever I say

come on, i never do that :ninja:
Reply 18
Bis
come on, i never do that :ninja:

:eek: The fallacies!
1) Drink Water. It will reduce bloating- it's surprising how much you can 'lose' when you're not retaining water. Also: GREAT for the complexion and for the teeth (I noticed a big whitening in mine when I cut out coffee and tea).
2) Don't say to yourself that you're on a diet. Your body will go into either 'starvation' mode or 'retention' mode (your metabolism will work against you). I find that it's much more beneficial to do 'replacement'- ie:instead of chocolate, a yummy banana. Instead of crisps, some sticks of celery. Your body will lose faster.
3) Eat plenty of fruit and veg, particularly stuff that is rich in vitamins and minerals, such as citrus fruits.
4) White, starchy foods (pasta, potatoes, white bread) cause bloating and water retention. Opt for wholegrain where possible (brown bread, brown rice, bran etc) The same can be said for salt- cut down.
5) Allow yourself a treat a day. Make it's just one though! This way you won't get bored and break your regime so easily. If you deny yourself what you like then cravings will increase.
6) Try and eat '5 a day' fruit juices are great for upping your intake.

Some starting points: with exercise, (its surprising how even walking a bit more can help you lose weight and improve your circluation- eg: getting off the bus or whatever a stop earlier than normal and just walking that) you should lose weight in no time and feel better- cutting down on my bloatedness has really helped my energy: I can concentrate for longer and feel much less sluggish. Good luck :smile: