Sport A Few Uneducated Questions:

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As the title suggests, I have a few uneducated questions about my general nutrition, i.e. foods/drinks I like, breakfast stuff, all that jazz. I'm 16, weigh around 150, and am looking to cut my bodyfat% and add some muscle volume and definition. Not training for any individual sport.

Rate my breakfast:

I'm a guy who enjoys his sleep, and I also "dilly dally" in the morning, so breakfast is something I eat pretty quickly. It's also the most important meal of the day, but I'm never really hungry in the morning. So, for breakfast I generally eat a couple Nutrigrain bars and a glass of juice (orange, apple, guava/pineapple) before I go to shower and do all that stuff.

I know this isn't a good breakfast, what else should I eat/drink though? It needs to be healthy and pretty quick. Maybe a shake or something I could prepare the night before?

Is Subway really as good as Jared wants me to think it is?

I know it's a better alternative to any fast food, but is it really as healthy for you as the commercials and diet trend people want you to think? My favorite sandwich there is the Chipotle Southwest Steak & Cheese sandwich with
-12" Italian Herb and Cheese bread
-pepperjack cheese
-whatever it is they have in the "steak"
-lettuce
-onions
-green peppers
-depending on my mood, jalapenos
-their "chipotle southwest" sauce

Is there any vegetable I should add on or topping I should remove? Here's a link to Subway's Nutritional facts section . But I'm not really concerned about eating exactly the best thing, just what's in general healthy for my goals.

What are the bad fruit juices and what are the good fruit juices?

I don't like soda or coffee, and I don't drink. So, that basically leaves me with milk, which I tend to avoid because I don't really like the taste of it, water, and juice. I'm a big fan of juice, and my top 3 are:
-guava pineapple (Welch's)
-apple (Florida's Natural)
-orange +calcium (unsure of the brand, I think Tropicana)

I don't lie to myself and I know that those drinks aren't much healthier for you than soda, but I like the taste of them better and I hate carbonated stuff. So, in short, are those something someone looking to cut body fat percentage and define muscles should be drinking? Are there juices that are better for you? Should I drink more 1% or 2% milk? Skim sucks.

How good is Yoplait yogurt for you?

Favorite flavors are orange creme, strawberry, and strawberry/banana. Once again as with the fruit juices, I know they're not the perfect thing to eat, but they're not terrible and I still like them. Specific flavors, or just kick them to the curb?

How good are Nutrigrain bars?

I'm basically addicted to Nutrigrain bars. They seem pretty one-dimensional though, and I should probably be eating stuff that is more well-rounded.

I've heard bananas aren't that great for someone learning to reduce bodyfat%, is this true?

I also really like bananas, but I've heard (and I'm not sure if it bears any truth) that they're not a good fruit to eat for someone who's trying to improve like I described at the top of the post. Is this true? Is there a better fruit I should be eating?

What is the most I should eat fast food and still expect to slim down?

I try to avoid fast food at all costs, but sometimes I'll be in a really big hurry or will be out with friends and they'll be getting fast food. I can't say "Sorry guys, watching my figure!", not to mention it tastes pretty good too. I've also heard that 90% adherence to a diet plan and 100% adherence is a pretty negligible difference. So even though it should be avoided if there's any possibility to do so, what is the most forgiving frequency of eating stuff like Wendy's and Taco Bell?

Eating bread, good or bad?

I don't follow the low-carb diet at all, I think it's bull****, but there is some truth to it. I also eat wheat bread, I try to stay away from white bread because it's basically fake. I also think that eating bread late at night is a bad move because the carbs just store up in your body and you gain fat instead of expending them while sleeping. Any thoughts here?

What are a few good books on nutrition that I should check out?

This one's pretty self-explanatory.

I think that's all for now. I don't doubt that I'll have plenty more questions in the near future. Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.
 
Breakfast - try to get something more natural and with more protein (egg whites, whole oatmeal)

Subway - yes it can be better than other fast foods, depending on how you order, but it is high in sodium, highly processed, and full of fat if you load it with mayo and cheese

Fruit juice - just eat real fruit. Juice is basically all the sugar of fruit without the added fiber that real fruit has (and many juices add more sugar and other ingredients on top of that) - if you can't do plain water yet, try something like Crystal lite to add to your water

yogurt - again, lots of sugar, in an attempt to make yogurt taste less like yogurt, many add lots of high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners along with artificial flavors and stuff, then throw in a few small pieces of what used to resemble fruit

nutrigrain - basically, most bars are junk food disguised as health food, they are loaded with junk

In general, if you are choosing between yogurt/nutrigrain, and candybar/cheesecake, then yes, they are better. However, try to only use them occassionally to help with your sweettooth as a substitute for something worse - not as a regular staple in your diet.
 
Yeah, you basically confirmed my fears. I appreciate the honesty and intelligent, constructive reply though. Lucky for me I hate the taste of stuff like mayo, sour cream, and all that stuff, so that's at least one unhealthy thing I can avoid.

Anyone have advice on some books, bananas, and bread?

I decided to skip over the fast food question and assume that the least possible amount ever is the best way to go, unless I'm starving in the Sahara.
 
If you want to have a healthy diet, I think one of the best ways is to start cooking for yourself. That way your choices will only be constrained to your abilities as a cook. That said, whole natural foods IMHO are the more effective and efficient way to fuel your body. If it comes in a box or other such package, chances are it's too processed and you should look for a more natural alternative.

Bananas and Bread - both are carbohydrate sources, and as such I think are meant to be ready energy for the body. So it'd stand to reason that eating them when not active (as at night as you suggested) would be counterproductive. I have both on a daily basis nearly, but at breakfast or the snack thereafter for the bananas. The bread, as part of a sandwich for lunch and one slice with peanut butter as the last snack of the day. Like anything, if done in moderation I don't see what the harm is.
 
The two you've named are the based and most frequently used, but different people use difference carbs post wo. its the ideal time to take in fruit if you eat a lot of fruit, chocolate milk is also popular. in an ideal, 100% perfect world you'd have maltodextrin and dextrose but unless you're a pro you dont have to have them.

the strongest, most lean guy at my gym eats a john west tuna pasta salad post workout. personally i couldnt face such solid food just out of the gym and some would say its not the cleanest food but it obviously works for him and he certainly knows his stuff.

also, if you're cutting down you dont necessarily need a carb post workout. some suggest its best to avoid the insulin spike to continue cutting fat; but thats down to your current phsyique and goals.

read 'New Rules of Lifting' (google/amazon it) it really is worth the money. its whole approach is reasoned and balanced and even if you never use the programs it gives you the right mindset about training. read it and you'll see what i mean. (im going to start charging schuler & cosgrove, thats the 3rd time ive championed it today). one of the points it makes regarding diet is to eat clean - if you break the food you are eating down past 3 stages of production, then dont eat it. ie. chicken breast = kill chicken, cut off breast = good. nutri grain = get oats, get sugars, refine sugars, pulp fruit, add sweetener, add flavouring, etc etc = avoid. the only exception is whey protein, and hey, every great theory needs a valid exception.

moderation is key, some like variation whilst others prefer to know what they're eating and when. also its vital to understand your own body, what you need for recover, what bloats you, time need to digest, what you need. it a puzzle few ever get perfect. i certain havent (as yet).
 
Thanks for the replies and articles. Really helped out.
 
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