For the past two months, I’ve been on a new diet. When I say “diet,” I don’t mean that I’m trying to lose weight or anything… no, I’m saying “diet” as in “eating different foods to become a healthy boy.” The fact that I’ve lost about 15 pounds is beside the point. I don’t WANT to lose 15 pounds. Now I want to GAIN 15 pounds to get back to where I was, but it seems to be impossible while I’m on this diet.
The guidelines to this diet are as follows: I have cut out red meat, starch (no potato, but sweet potato is fine), gluten, refined carbs (no white rice, white flour, white sugar), no dairy, or bad-for-you oils (olive oil is ok), processed foods, preservatives, alcohol. I pile on vegetables, fruits, fish, chicken, nuts, and anything else that is NOT on that list..
So in a sense, every meal of mine is a fish/chicken salad. I eat gluten-free bread (which is pretty good), and I’ve tried brown rice but it sucks so I stay away from it like the plague.
Turns out that although I feel healthier, I don’t look it. 15 pounds off a 155 frame makes a HUGE difference.
My mom tells me to stop this diet, but I’m so into it now that I don’t want to go back. What I do need to do is figure out how to gain weight. I miss hamburgers, hash browns, burritos… all that stuff… I miss it a LOT but just can’t bring myself to go back to that way of eating. Also, eating healthy sucks… and it’s expensive. Like SUPER expensive. Like “now I understand why the world needs a McDonald’s” expensive.
Call me crazy, but I figure once I understand more about what to eat, my body will naturally get back to where it wants to be, which is about 155 pounds. I used to weigh about 120 all through college, and my peak was about 170 when I was working out about 5 times a week. I’m most comfortable at 150-155, so I hope I get back there soon.
If any of you have any ideas on how to gain weight while sticking to my diet, please tell me! And PLEASE don’t say “don’t do the diet” or “stop, you insane Asian!” or “where’s my $20?” I eat more often than I’ve ever eaten before, so “eat more, man!“ doesn’t work, either. No, I think it’s WHAT I’m eating… but like I said, I’m too far into this diet to want to go back to my past diet.
Sad thing is that when I’m on the internet, I often Google “hamburgers” and then click on “images” just to stare at them… my mouth waters and I reach for an apple. Yeah, an apple’s just not the same.
And now, to celebrate this travesty of a diet, here’s a song fits nicely.
Your Dig-It Downloads:
Download: I Know It’s Wrong (the diet song (Julia Lee)
Popularity: 1% [?]
where are you getting your calcium from????? only thing i can think of..not the diet, but the exercise. muscle weighs more than fat…HIT THE GYM!! just a suggestion :-)
You don't like brown rice? I think it's good, made with chicken stock (the organic good for you kind of course!). It also should give you some calories and energy. You like Oatmeal? Is honey ok your “diet”? Some honey in some sticky oatmeal is tasty. I'll trade weights with you, I weigh about 155, my goal is 135. I'm guessing you are working out plenty to keep you muscle weight. I'm new to this healthy eating stuff, so I really don't know for sure. I just ate a Protein Bar, I'm sure it's a manufactured mess of chemicals. I say go let your mom feed you once a week, it's all about “balance” ya know!
You're being too strict. Healthy eating is awesome but you have gone too extreme. Me thinks you just want to feel “in control” of something and you have put all the focus on diet. Think about it.
You're being too strict. Healthy eating is awesome but you have gone too extreme. Me thinks you just want to feel “in control” of something and you have put all the focus on diet. Think about it.
I have a similar issue with weight maintenance while eating healthy. Our diets are similar but you've gone farther by cutting out dairy and gluten.
- Got to eat more at night (a BIG meal late at night) and in between meals. Carry LOTS of snacks. Every nut and dried fruit you can find. You have to eat minimum 6 times a day.
- Why gluten-free? Are you allergic? concerned you are eliminating a class of food (whole grains like oatmeal) that would help a lot with B vitamins, minerals and weight maintenance.
- More beans and legumes.
- Bigger portions of protein.
- More high fat vegetables like avocado, less lettuce.
- Substitute non-dairy products (soy or almond milk, etc.). They're pretty high calorie. Go for the unsweetened ones. After getting off milk years ago, I don't like it at all anymore. I actually prefer non-dairy and feel better with it.
- Fish just does not do it for me, I get hungry quickly – unless it's a high-fat fish like salmon or tuna in a BIG portion. Try that.
- RELAX. You're burning double calories due to life stress. Go play some tunes.
And I know you can pack it away. So pack. More.
One word: quinoa. It will change your life. :)
What's calcium?
I go to the gym when I have the time… so far I haven't had time in the last 10 years. You're right, though… muscle weighs more than fat. I'll open up more time to go exercise :)
I cannot STAND brown rice. It tastes like cardboard and even feels like cardboard. I do not like cardboard. Cardboard no taste good. I could eat cardboard with a steak and it would stink. I do not like cardboard.
I would not eat cardboard on a boat. I would not eat cardboard with a goat.
But I WOULD eat cardboard for a million bucks. Got a million bucks laying around?
Hmmm… interesting theory, but don't we do everything in our lives to feel “in control?” I'm trying to take control of my health, yes. I understand where you're coming from, but I can't think of something I'd do to NOT feel “in control.”
I'm going to look into it and get back to you on that! Thank you for the suggestion :-)
I eat lots of salmon (expensive crap!), avocados, nuts, lettuce… I can't stand legumes because it sounds like something that comes out of my nose, and I'm constantly eating. I think my body just wants junk food LOL. I cut out gluten because… well, I dunno… just read that it's something to try. I miss bread, but gluten free bread (which I don't consider REAL bread) ain't bad at all.
You've got some good suggestions there… I'm going to see how to incorporate some of it into my lifestyle. Lowering my stress level is a biggie, yes…
Thank you!
i know you know this, exercise helps REDUCE stress.!