Diet overhaul - need help

Holyjebus

Hi folks
I'm new to posting but am an avid reader and after having my baby 5 months ago I'm trying to do a complete overhaul of my diet and fitness and wondered if you could look at my diet and tell me where I'm falling down?
Breakfast: porridge made with full fat milk, teaspoon of honey and banana. Black coffee.
Snack: apple, pear & peach
lunch: salad of mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, red onion, carrots (ready made from lidl), tinned fish (mackerel or tuna) or chicken breast, cheddar cheese, 2 slices of wholemeal bread.
Snack: whey protein shake or 2 kiwi & Greek yoghurt.
Dinner: potatoes, 3 veg and meat, chicken or mince.
I swim 3 times a week for 30 mins and walk for 30 mins 4 times a week.
I want to lose weight and tone up, I seem to have a permanent bloat on my stomach. My baby doesn't sleep so I'm constantly shattered and trying to eat well to have a bit more energy.
This is my new diet which I've only just started. What do you guys think?

Stench Blossoms

Have you worked out how many calories you need? Are you breastfeeding?

You may not need the whey protein.

allthedoyles

make the porridge with water and just add a drop of milk when cooked .( organic porridge )

Stench Blossoms

allthedoyles wrote: »

make the porridge with water and just add a drop of milk when cooked .( organic porridge )

Why?

For all you know she might not be eating enough calories.

Holyjebus

Thanks guys, sorry forgot to mention I'm breastfeeding also. I'm 5'7 and 9 stone so I know I don't need to lose weight, I just want to be toned and healthy.
So you think I should lose the whey protein? Can I ask why as I thought the more protein the better?
Sorry I don't know how to work out how many calories I need. I dont usually follow calories.

Stench Blossoms

Holyjebus wrote: »

I want to lose weight and tone up, I seem to have a permanent bloat on my stomach.

In your first post you said you want to lose weight.

If you want to look 'toned' you'll need to lower your body fat which will require you to lose weight.

Weight loss (up until a point) is calories in V calories out.

Multiple your weight in lbs by 12 to get a rough idea of how many calories you should be eating.

However, because you are breast feeding this calculation might not be suitable for you.

More protein is good for you but the whey protein isn't calories free so if your eating over your calorie allowance then you will not lose weight.

I would also suggest if you want to look toned that you start doing some weight training.

doctorwhogirl

For toning definitely you need to introduce weights into your diet. This doesn't have to be massive weights like you see the lads doing in the gym! You can do different classes for weights/toning. I do a TRX class and a pump and lift class which is weighlifting using barbells but not using really heavy weights.

Because you are breast feeding, you need to be eating more calories, definitely. I don't have the exact number but when I was at WW there was an extra allowance of points if you were breastfeeding.

You will need to up the protein if you are introducing weights to feed your muscles.

anneboleyn

I'd drop the honey , and cut to two portions of fruit per day ( providing you're eating at least 3 of veg) drop the potatoes .. So you are reducing non essential fructose and carbs Everything else sounds fine ! Try blowing up balloons every day to flatten the abdominal area! You need full fat milk if you are breast feeding

Stench Blossoms

anneboleyn wrote: »

Try blowing up balloons every day to flatten the abdominal area!

What??

Holyjebus

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

In your first post you said you want to lose weight.

Sorry, I did of course. I'm giving contradicting information. I am quite skinny everywhere except my belly area so I guess what I'm trying to say is I need to lose weight on my belly but no where else but I guess that means an overall weightloss as you can't lose it from only one spot.

So I calculated my calories and I need to eat 1512 to maintain my weight plus approx 500 for breastfeeding but like I said, I wouldn't know how many calories are in everything I ate unless it was packet food with it written on it. I'm a bit clueless there.

My diet to date has been brutal, I'm a junk food addict - crisps, chocolate, cakes. So the whey protein was to fill me up to stop me snacking on rubbish and I find it great. I only make it with water.

So maybe if I leave the diet as it is and up the weights, a few Body pump classes maybe?

really...balloon blowing??

Lisha

Karl Henry says that weight on the belly is almost always down to white carbs. Swich to brown carbs and se if you notice.
If you are BF you need a lot of calcium . I find probiotic yougurts can reduce belly bloat. Glenisk do a lovely lowfat (not sure you need low fat TBH) organic probiotic range. I also love onken wholemeal and peach youghurts
best of luck

Stench Blossoms

Use a website like myfitnesspal or fitday to see how many calories you are eating.

myfitnesspal has thousands of food in the database.