Weight-Loss Meal Plan. Enough Fat?

[davs]

Greetings, this is my first post. I have found this forum very informative and appreciate all of the info I have absorbed before starting my journey.

At the bottom of this post I have included my 1,800 calorie a day meal plan. I am a male, 33 years old, 5'10" tall, & 220 lbs. I have made significant lifestyle changes and plan to loose 50-55 lbs via a calorie deficiency diet + exercise. I have incorporated into my new routine a men's one a day multi & (3) Nature Made fish oil soft gel's after my main meals. Also, I bought an Elliptical and have been using it for 45 minutes every night. First I must say, after only the first week of my new regimen I do feel significantly better / more healthy, less achy, higher energy levels... The biggest hurdle has been forcing myself to eat breakfast & snacks, avoiding bad foods hasnt and will not be an issue. My diet prior to my new routine was not good at all, consisting of 1-2 meals a day with lots of red meat, cheese, and starches.

My wife (a nurse) is concerned that my diet may not contain enough fat. Maybe someone can advise? I found the below on the web somewhere and liked the food selection.

1,800 Calorie A Day Meal Plan:

Breakfast: 450 calories

This is one meal… Feel free to eat this in parts.
Choose ONE of the following:
• Toast (2 slices 100% whole wheat)
• 1 English muffin
• 1 cup bran cereal
• ½ cup Grape-Nuts
• 1 ½ cups Puffed cereal with 3 Tablespoons Wheat Germ
• 1 cup grits
• 1 cup cooked oatmeal
• 1 cup shredded wheat

And ONE of the following…
• 1 ½ cup nonfat or 1% milk
• 2/3 cup plain, fat-free yogurt and 1 ½ Tablespoons Wheat Germ
• ¾ cup nonfat or 1% cottage cheese

And ONE of the following…
• 1 boiled egg (up to 4 per week)
• 1 turkey sausage link
• 2 slices Canadian bacon
• 2 ¼ teaspoons peanut butter

And ONE of the following…
• 1 small banana
• ½ cup orange juice (with calcium)
• ¾ cup red or green grapes
• 1 ounce raisins
• 1 apple
• 1 orange

And…
• 8 ounces water

Snack: 150 calories

Choose ONE of the following:
• 100 Calorie snack pack and 15 grapes
• 4 Tablespoons hummus with 12 baby carrots
• 1 cup nonfat or 1% cottage cheese and 1/3 cup pineapple chunks
• 2 large graham cracker squares and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 2/3 cup plain, fat-free yogurt and 2 Tablespoons Grape Nuts
• 15 almonds
• 15 cashews
• ½ medium apple and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 2 rice cakes and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 string cheese with 3 saltines
• 2 oz tuna salad with 3 saltines
And…
• 16 ounces water

Lunch: 450 calories

Choose ONE of the following:
• Note: 3 ounces = 1 deck of cards or size of palm of hand
• Grilled chicken on a pita – (3 ounces)
• Tuna sandwich – (3 ounces tuna, 2 slices reduced-calorie wheat bread)
• Chicken/turkey/tuna/beans in salad– (3 ounces /3 slices)
• 1 Tbsp peanut butter sandwich with 1 Tbsp jam on reduced calorie whole wheat bread
• 2 eggs (hardboiled or scrambled) with 2 slices whole wheat toast
• 1 ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese with 2 slices whole wheat toast
• 3 Tbsp. Hummus with lettuce and tomato in a wrap
• Chicken and veggie stir-fry (1½ cups), rice (1/2 cup)
• 1 bowl soup, 2 Saltine crackers, small salad with 2 Tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar
• 1 grilled cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread
• Large garden salad large (1 cup leafy greens, 1 cup mixed colorful vegetables, 6 oz sliced chicken, 2
Tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar, ½ cup wheat thins)
And ONE of the following…
• 1 cup low-fat yogurt with ½ cup applesauce
• 1 cup non-fat or 1% milk with ½ cup applesauce
And ONE of the following…
• 1 small banana
• ½ cup orange juice (with calcium)
• ¾ cup red or green grapes
• 1 ounce raisins
• 1 apple
• 1 orange
And ONE of the following…
• 6 almonds or cashews
• 10 peanuts
• 4 pecan halves
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin or sunflower seeds
And…
• 16 ounces water

Snack: 150 calories

Choose ONE of the following:
• 100 Calorie snack pack and 15 grapes
• 4 Tablespoons hummus with 12 baby carrots
• 1 cup nonfat or 1% cottage cheese and 1/3 cup pineapple chunks
• 2 large graham cracker squares and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 2/3 cup plain, fat-free yogurt and 2 Tablespoons Grape Nuts
• 15 almonds
• 15 cashews
• ½ medium apple and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 2 rice cakes and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 string cheese with 3 saltines
• 2 oz tuna salad with 3 saltines

Dinner: 450 calories

Choose ONE of the following:
• 2/3 cup beans and rice
• 2/3 cup whole wheat pasta
• 2/3 cup couscous
• Bread, multi-grain (2 slices)
• 1 cup lentils
And ONE of the following…
• 3 ounces chicken or turkey (white meat, no skin)
• 3 ounces fish (fresh or frozen cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, trout, canned or fresh tuna and salmon)
• 3 ounces tofu (not deep fried)
• 3 ounces shellfish (clams, lobster, crab, shrimp, scallops, imitation crab)
• 2 fat-free hot dogs
• 2 ounces lean deli meat
And ONE of the following…
• Garden salad (large = 1 cup leafy greens, 1 cup mixed colorful vegetables, 1 tbsp. Low fat dressing)
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup non-starchy vegetable (full list at the end)
And ONE of the following…
• 1 cup nonfat or 1% milk
• 2/3 cup plain, fat-free yogurt
• ½ cup nonfat or 1% cottage cheese
And ONE of the following…
• 1 small banana
• ½ cup orange juice (with calcium)
• ¾ cup red or green grapes
• 1 ounce raisins
• 1 apple
• 1 orange
And…
• 16 ounces water

Snack: 150 calories
Choose ONE of the following:
• 100 Calorie snack pack and 15 grapes
• 4 Tablespoons hummus with 12 baby carrots
• 1 cup nonfat or 1% cottage cheese and 1/3 cup pineapple chunks
• 2 large graham cracker squares and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 2/3 cup plain, fat-free yogurt and 2 Tablespoons Grape Nuts
• 15 almonds
• 15 cashews
• ½ medium apple and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 2 rice cakes and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 string cheese with 3 saltines
• 2 oz tuna salad with 3 saltines

 

[Mattymar]

I didn't crunch the numbers or anything, but it appears that your fat intake should be fine to me. I see snacks like almonds and cashews. Eggs are in a few options. You'll be supplementing with fish oil. That seems like your getting a good dose of healthy fat in there, but your best bet is to crunch the numbers for a day and find the % of your calories coming from fat.

 

[Cookn]

It doesn't look too bad. What percentage of fat is your wife recommending ? It does look a little low but nothing extreme. What glares out at me is what options they give you ? Not to create a scene but there is some stuff on that list I wouldn't feed my dog let alone eat myself. Non fat yogurt with wheat germ geez my grandmother tried to make me eat that crap when I was a kid and I loved her. I hope you know how to season foods because that diet is very bland. It almost looks like a heart patient or low sodium diet. It looks relatively low protein also. There are somethings I would tweak but that's just me and I know what I like.

Some things I would add, whole wheat english muffins and bagels and low fat cream cheese. There is a really ground good turkey breakfast sausage with a 2.5 oz. serving size made by Honeysuckle White. I would ditch the 100 calorie packs and use 60 or 70 calories Jello sugar free pudding cups, personally. They are much more satisfying with less calories. Whole wheat breads are good, Sara Lee markets a 45 calories per slice honey wheat named "45 Calories and Delightful" that is wonderful and very low fat, 1 gm total for 2 slices. I use it as a way to build flavors in a sandwich, because I can put something with a little more fat on the bread and not really pick up extra fat. Jenny-O Turkey Ham cheap with a decent serving size. Get it sliced at the deli, adds another option.

 

[eusof]

wow! i've never watched over my diet before.

i think i need to be diet conscious now. Oh my god...i'm overwhelmed already.

This is only my second visit in this forum!

 

[Mattymar]

wow! i've never watched over my diet before.

i think i need to be diet conscious now. Oh my god...i'm overwhelmed already.

This is only my second visit in this forum!

Don't be overwhelmed. Just make small changes a little at a time. Eventually you will have a well-rounded nutritional program, but be patient and don't worry if you don't know it all now. That's why you're here.

 

[Yoyi]

wow! i've never watched over my diet before.

i think i need to be diet conscious now. Oh my god...i'm overwhelmed already.

This is only my second visit in this forum!

I just wanted to say that just by posting that meal plan it has helped me look in the right direction.

I was/am totally overwhelmed I just started being conscious about my eating and after reading around my main issue was finding what specific foods I can eat. All I have found is already ground down to numbers or categories (fats, proteins, carbs) I have read all the stickies here etc but as I mention I was at a loss for what exactly to shop for.

So thank you for that.