Welcome to the weekly r/Nutrition feature post for questions related to your personal diet and circumstances. Wondering if you are eating too much of something, not enough of something, or if what you regularly eat has the nutritional content you want or need? Ask here.
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So, I’ve experiencie a lot of brain fog lately. Since I stopped taking my medication (Strattera), something I didn’t experience before the meds, I took them for emotional regulation, not attention.
I started taking Vitamin D3 4,000 UI (Because of the pandemic I barely go out and I live in a high UV zone in México, we commonly have from 9-10 UV, around 45 C too, basically you crazy if you go out to “sun charge”). Vitamina D3 helped a lot with overall energy and with my workout performance.
I’m caring more about my nutrition now, planning my macros and nutrients. With my current diet I shoudn’t have issues with Vitamin B and others. Just Vitamin D3 and Omega 3 pulls my attention. I eat no seafood at all, from 10 years old to now (I’m 26). Suffered depression and irritation for a long time (started wondering if Omega 3 had to do with that). Well, I’ve read people saying that too much Omega 3 can cause brain fog? isn’t it supposed to do the opposite? Also, I’m not sure if I should take more than the recomendation because of the fact I don’t eat seafood at all. Some sources say 1 gram, some say 3 grams. The one I’m thinkin on buying has 600 mg EPA and 400 mg of DHA per pill, indication in the frask is 2 a day (total amount 1.4 grams per pill).
2,000 calorie medium supreme pizza.
Do you guys think having this once every two weeks would have a serious health impact given
The mitigating factor is it only happens once every 14 days. But maybe that’s still a lot.
The rest of the diet would be good. As in, heavily plant based (oats, greens, other soup vegetables, berries, nuts)
I drink 8-10L of water a day.
I’ve always drank a lot of water. I’d venture to say during my three meals a day I drink 2L on average. Then throughout the rest of the day I sip on water pretty consistently. My urine is clear, as you could imagine. I feel great and just enjoy drinking water.
I’m very active. Getting minimum 15k steps and I lift 6-7 days a week. I’m curious if this id unhealthy and I should be limiting my water intake?
Im a beginning bodybuilder and have to force myself to eat ungodly amounts of and food. People say only drink 1 maybe 2 protein shakes to make up for what u miss on your daily intake. My question is if i were to drink 3-4 shakes a day to supplement my protein, what would be the difference from meeting my protein goals only by eating?
I just started seeing a personal trainer and was wondering if his advice was sound. Im 18M 320lb 6’4. He’s recommended me a diet of 2700 calories 135 Protein 470 Carbs 30 fat or as little as possible. I was wondering if this is healthy. It seems like a lot of carbs and I have no knowledge of macros. Thanks for the help.
Okay reddit, I was hoping some people smarter than me could help me. I eat like crap. I eat a lot of fast food, junk food, and don’t drink a lot of water. I am ready for a change. Not just to lose weight, but mainly to physically/mentally feel better, and to be a good example for my 3 children, and be around for them a longer time.
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Here are my thoughts. I have decided I want to try and make all my meals from scratch using quality ingredients. I want to stick to rice, beans, meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts/seeds, olive/avocado oil, spices, and butter. I want to cut out breads and any other empty carbs.
That being said, is this even sustainable? It seems like I could make a variety of foods using these ingredients. My concern is getting overwhelmed and just quitting. I am not good at making up recipes on the spot, when I cook, I am decent at following a recipe and making decent tasting food.
Can anyone provide advice on where to find easy, simple ingredient, recipes? Also any advice on my overall plan for eating would be appreciated.
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Thanks!
Hi everyone! My issue might seem a little unusual, but I’d really appreciate some advice!
My eating habits have been pretty crappy my entire life. Way too much sugar (ex: pancakes with Nutella for breakfast almost every day for way too many years) and not eating enough foods that are rich in nutrients and minerals. Plus, I’m not really physically active.
I’ve been researching nutrition and I want to drastically improve my diet. Problem is, every food that is recommended comes with the following comment: “This will do X and Y to your body and that will make you burn fat and lose weight”.
Here’s the thing though: I am 5ft5 and weigh 115 pounds. I am skinny and I look like the type of guy to whom people would say “Go eat a burger!”.I am just scared that if I start eating healthier and cutting sugar, I will lose some of the very little weight/fat that I have left and I’ll just end up looking completely malnourished.
(PS: Going to the gym to build muscle mass is not an option due to social anxiety)
I would love to get advice and even hear your personal experiences! Thanks in advance!
What factors into how much water you should drink a day?
Whenever I drink 2 liters of water a day I need to pee at least every 30 minutes and it’s completely clear. This has to be too much water, right?
Does height, weight, and sex matter?
Should I spend 400 on a macro coach total for 4 months? She says I need to reverse diet and then cut to lose lower body fat. Right now my macros are 125p,160c and50f. I’m almost 30, 5’3’’ and 122lbs. I workout for 30-40 min hiit with weights for 5 days a week on average. I’m trying to lose lower body fat and have been watching macros for 5 months but with a couple days a month not counting the macros. I’ll post pic on comments if it allows me
Not sure if this is the right sub, but has anyone else noticed taking pre/probiotic supplements acts as an appetite suppressant?
I’ve gained some weight on birth control, I constantly feel hungry… It’s been really annoying. Started taking a pre- and probiotica supplement about 3 days ago and my appetite has really decreased. Weird
How varied should your diet be?
They say eat the rainbow, but does it have to be different items of the same color? Say forexample, I never eat broccoli, but often eat green beans, celery, various lettuce, etc. Would you then be missing out on an important micronutrient that is only a feature of broccoli?
Can you eat the same vegetables every week as long as they’re different enough from each other? Can you eat those same vegetables in smaller amounts daily and eat the same ones every day? Eat only chicken for protein one day, beef the next, salmon the next, etc. and cycle weekly?
Or is the ideal variety not eating the same thing twice in a month or something?
Caffeine powder
I want to buy a kilo of caffeine because it’s only 100 dollars and add around 200 mg to lemonade and teas. How do I properly dose my drinks because the disclaimer says that it should be done with professional instruments. I can’t find anything online because every time I search it everything comes up with, “the dangers of caffeine powder”. I realized a million mg of caffeine is like drinking a bang a day for 9 years for $100, which would be $9500 normally.
I weigh 135lbs at 6 feet and and I’m trying to put on weight while in colllege. I considered weight gainers before but after researching I found that the calories mostly come from maltodextrin which has a very GI and should not be consumed too much so I avoided it. But I’m unable to reach my calorie goals here in college and came across a gainer with the following ingredients : https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0377/4244/4684/files/mass-gainer-muscletech-mass-tech-3.1-kg-healthfit-nutri-facts.jpg?v=1592378799
It seems it has Isomaltulose which has a GI of 32 instead of maltodextrin. I am tempted to ahead with it but just need some thoughts, Any info in appreciated.
How much do pasta contribute to risks of getting diabetes? I don’t eat pasta regularly, only during special occasions such as Christmas but when I do, I eat obscene amounts of food.
For reference, I could probably eat as much as 300g (weight when uncooked) of pasta in one sitting. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid, but now that I’m getting older, health risks such as diabetes are more of a concern to me.
Are natural sugars healthier than added sugars? Should I treat them the same as far as consuming them in moderation, or can I be more liberal with natural sugars?
Based on what I looked up, there’s actually no consensus daily recommended value of natural sugar, so I have no idea what to do.
Hello, I’ve been researching the healthiness of berry smoothies and there seems to be a mix opinion on its healthiness based on the way it is prepared so would like some help.
Not much of a fruit eater but trying to introduce them more into my diet and thought berries would be a great choice as I like the taste and overall seem to be healthy. My plan was to buy a individual smoothie blender like a ninja to make the smoothie
The recipe I would use is the frozen mixed berry blend sold at Costco and milk and not adding any additional sugar or ingredients. Looking at the nutrition facts and calculating the portion size I’ll be making it be around:
1 1/2 cup of milk and 1 cup of mixed berries. That would make my drink at around 300 calories and 28 grams of sugar.
Is this amount considered unhealthy? I’m not much of a sugar eater apart from the glass of milk in the morning and a glass of apple juice or orange juice for dinner. The plan was to make a smoothie at least every other day or once a day if it is good.
Thank you
I’m a lightweight rower (20m) starting the weight loss process in preparation for the spring season. I don’t need to lose much weight (I’m ~166lbs now and need to get to ~160lbs by the middle of March) and I’ve successfully lost weight rather easily in the past, but I want to do it the best way I can so as to affect my training/fitness as little as possible. What should my macronutrient ratios be? How much protein is too much and how little fat is too little?
Is the nutritional value of milk degraded when taken with gin? As I grew older, my stomach does not like milk anymore, and a few hours upon ingesting it I defecate liquid, and should I say, in an mildly unpleasant way. But, I have discovered that when mixing it with gin, I do not have the same stomach upset, and I defecate solid when its time to go. Does that mean I was able to absorb the milk effectively with the aid of alcohol? Thanks for the would be replies to this.
I have been trying to drink more water recently, but I just can’t seem to force myself to drink a lot of plain water. So to get to my 3L a day (I’m 5’10 & weigh 154 lbs don’t know if that’s important), I drink a lot of diet soda. I realize that sweeteners aren’t good for you, but is it ok if it helps me drink enough water?
Hi! I’m a college student who eats solely on campus (it’s too expensive to eat off campus, and I don’t have a car or a kitchen available to me so groceries and cooking on my own are off limits). How can I make better decisions with the dining plan?
For context, a lot of the food available includes hamburgers, chicken tenders and fries, pasta, stir fry, and make-your-own salads. For breakfast, I usually have oatmeal with berries and chia seeds. For lunch, I search for soup or have a turkey sandwich. For dinner, I’ll have anything from a hamburger to soup to stir fry to Spanish rice with chicken and refried beans to pasta.
What can I look for in my meals to make more nutritious decisions? How can I make better decisions with portions, too, since the portions are large without wasting food (I share a mini fridge with 5 other people in my dorm, so I can’t save too much food)? Thanks for the suggestions!
Hey everyone! I’m a freshman college student (18M, ~70kg, 183 cm) and would appreciate some feedback about cheap ways to improve my diet. So, I mainly eat KD, pasta, and sometimes brown rice with veggies and ground beef/chicken. In terms of vegetables, I love carrots and eat 6 pounds of it a week, plus I add broccolis and spinach to whatever I cook(each around 850g a week). Lots of fluids: around 3 liters of water and 4 mugs of herbal/green tea a day.I also really like snacks, and eat ~ a bag of chips, Pringles, crackers and some other snacks in a week. My question is, what should I add to my diet and what are cheap ways to do that? Also, what’s a good way to substitute processed snacks?
I’m interested in trying moringa, spirulina, and chlorella but they are all very expensive and only available to me dried. How would you compare the benefits of these to other commonly available greens like spinach and kale that can be eaten fresh easily? For example, if I can eat about twice as much spinach as moringa and get similar benefits, I’ll just go with the less glamorous option to save money. Also, are benefits lost in the drying process? TIA!
Hi, I have a tricky personnal situation that needs advice.
I have a boyfriend that is 22 yo and he is really slim, you cannot guess how bad he eats. He eat most of the day only one meal a day (dinner) and it’s usually a big plate. The dish isnt super bad, it’s just the one time meal that worries me. Also, he eats breakfast (white bread + nutella) and lunch on the weekend. I try to ask him why he doesnt eat 3 meal on the weekday, he told me he isnt hungry on the weekday (but I thinks it’s a lie, because he eats on the weekend and he works hard on the weekdays).
Also, he eat a lot of snack in the evening (1/2 box of cookies or 1 big bag of skittle, etc). I try to tell him that it may be too much. He then tell me that eating in the evening is a joy for him and I make him feel guilty of doing that.
Im really worry about him, I dont want to see him have diabetes or another disease. He sees absolutely no problem at all with it’s nutrition, maybe because he doesnt gain weight. I want to talk to him about it, but everytime we talk about it, it’s a really sensitive subject. And I dont want to give him an eating disorders.
What should I do, what is your advice?
How accurate is Calculator.net for calories?
I am 18F / 55kg 172 cm / 121 lbs 5.7’7ft
When calculating the recommended calorie intake, you need to put in your activity level. I put “Daily exercise” (which is defined as 15-30 minutes of elevated heart rate activity) as I’m planning to do intense 30 min stationary bike sessions daily.
The calculator says I need 2,387 calories a day to maintain my weight. I find this super hard to believe.. with just a daily workout I can maintain my weight at that many calories?
Please someone give me advice lol. Should I believe this or not..
Do salt and/or sugar cause fat gain?
I feel like this is a very simple question with a complex answer.
Let’s say I consume the same amount of calories for two separate weeks. Week A consists of the recommended value (or less than) for sugar and salt, and Week B has twice as much of each. Will Week B result in more fat gain than Week A on average?
I ask because I’m on a bulking exercise/diet plan, and I don’t know how much salt and sugar will affect my aesthetic goals.
Thanks.
I’m recovering from a bone marrow transplant I had in August to treat my leukemia. I lost about 20 pounds / 9 kg. I do light exercise daily. Is there a good resource people have for gaining weight back after cancer?
Hey all, I was hoping to get guidance on two things. The first is if I am eating too many grains/starches and how to replace one of them. Typically, on a day, my grain/starch intake is as follows:
1 serving old fashioned rolled oats at breakfast (1/2 cup dry, 150 kcal)
2 slices of wholemeal bread at lunch (2 slices, 120 kcal)
3/4 cup cooked brown rice at dinner (1/4 cup dry, 165 kcal)
2 slices of wholemeal bread at second dinner (2 slices, 120 kcal)
As of right now, I eat four meals a day at about 500 kcals each, no snacking; if needed, I can provide a more complete look at my meals for a typical day (my diet is not super varied, so this can be a good snapshot of what my complete diet in a day is). My goal currently is to gain weight, but to do so in a gradual, healthy way that won’t just add a lot of body fat. I can also provide current bodyweight metrics, if that would be helpful. I am concerned that my grain/starch intake on a given day may be high; if so, I would like to reduce it and replace it with some fat or protein. Beyond this, I would like to reduce the total amount of bread that I am eating regardless of if I am eating too much starch. It’s the least nutritious of the starches that I eat and is therefore the one I would be most eager to replace with something like potatoes or sweet potatoes, quinoa, or something else even like whole grain pasta (if that’s actually any better than whole grain bread). Recommendations are welcome!
I’m fairly active (I walk 5-7 miles a day). I don’t know how or if that factors into anything, but I thought it may be important!
So I got high last night and munchies kicked in.I ate 7 protein bars (140g of protein, about 1400 kcal together). That was about 4000 kcal for the day with prior meals.Otherwise I have about 2800-3000 kcal/day for maintenance.My question is, what happens with all those excess calories and especially protein, because these “cheat meals” happen frequently (about once a week)?
I’ve recently started taking fish oil for omega-3 and I read that 1000mg of EPA is best to see a change in mood. The pills I’m currently taking are Kirkland 2 a day with each one at 500mg EPA. In Canada, does anyone here know the best bang for your buck for what I’m trying to achieve?
I’ve been strictly following my food intake lately and mostly eat the same things everyday. I follow a fitness regiment which has me strength training 5-6 days a week and I do not take any supplements besides whey protein and creatine. I’m currently using Cronometer to log everything. According to its interface, I meet 99% of all my targets as far as macros, vitamins and minerals.
Some of the numbers are rather high, however. Particularly some of the ones listed in the above image: iron, manganese and phosphorous. I am also off the charts on folate. I intake 125g of fiber a day as well. For reference I am 6’3”, 205lbs.
Should I be concerned about any of these figures and adjust my diet? I do have images listing my food intake amounts for the day if that would prove useful but it amounts to about 4000 calories.
Thank you.
Edit: format, spelling
I don’t eat a lot of rice since it contains arsenic but it occured to me that they eat A LOT of rice in Asian countries, even from a young age. Is the amount of arsenic in rice just exagerrated or do they have more health problems like cancer because of the amount of rice they eat in asian countries? (I say asian countries but I mostly mean Japan). Any answer is appriciated since I couldn’t find any information on this online.
What are some good foods to get through a 12 hour shift?
I work at a factory and I’ve been working a lot of overtime, 12 hour shifts, to save up some money fast but I have ADHD and I’m always tired. Anywhere from 50 to 58 hour work weeks.
I’ve been trying to eat more protein through real food and protein bars as snacks and NOT rely on energy drinks unless I really have too (I’ve been waiting two hours into my shift and if I still feel horribly exhausted then I get a monster energy)
What are some other foods that will help me have energy throughout the day?
Hi. I am 24F, 5’8”, 169.4 lbs, 30-31% BF. My goal is to cut fat/inches. I started crossfit at the beginning of October, my weight has stayed basically the same since October (I have not yet checked inches, planned to sometime around Dec 17th or Jan 5th).
After a month, I realized I was exhausted and took a look at my nutrition. Someone mentioned it sounded like I wasn’t eating enough. I used the IIFYM macro counter and it gave me: 1858 kcals, 132 protein, 175 carb, 70 fat.
My issue lies in the fact that I spent years eating 1200-1500 calories with no exercise to lose weight, and I’m struggling with the idea I have to eat so much. 1858 is huge to me, and I worry maybe I’ve broken my body?
I have read hitting my protein goal is the most important with cross training so I can gain muscle. I eat chicken, shrimp, egg whites, rice, protein bars, etc. I grabbed some Isopure protein powder and it has really helped me hit my goals. However, I feel so full all the time and sometimes find I’m behind at the end of the day and scramble to find something.
Do my macros look okay? And will my body get used to eating this much, or will I always feel this full?
I dont want to hurt myself by eating too little, but I also dont want to hurt myself by overeating accidentally.
Why do I crave peanut butter? And I really mean crave. Like, all the time.
I’m not a big snacker, don’t have much of a sweet tooth, and work out regularly. No other one specific food item is like this for me.
Anyone have any idea?
