Head Beagle said:Allow me to explain my situation. I am a fifth year senior who is going
to be living not in a dorm/not on a meal plan for the first time. As it
turns out, I have no idea how to keep myself properly nourished. I
REALLY REALLY want to avoid the ramen, pizza, and hot dogs menu route
of many college students. So, to that end, I am collecting advice from
cooks and other people who know a lot about food.
Quoted message said:what does a guy like me eat to keep my energy up and try to establish
healthy eating habits for life?
Excellent question.
If I were you I'd buy a George Foreman grill. They're cheap, quick and
easy to use, clean up relatively easy and do a good job with chicken &
fish, even from a frozen state.
I tend to buy individually frozen fish filets and chicken from the
warehouse store and cook them on the George Foreman and serve them with
salad.
You're in luck with regard to salads - every place has salad bars you
can use for cut-up veggies and you can buy salad in bags. If I were you
I'd buy and make a large salad once a week and have frozen veggies for
when the salad gets too old before you get back to the store.
Try out brown basmati rice. It takes a little longer to cook but it's
worth it. A rice cooker might be a useful investment for you, as might
a bread machine.
Get a basket steamer to insert into a medium-to-large sauce pan with a
fitted lid. Steam up some broccoli or cauliflower or brussel sprouts or
whatever in enough quantity to last a few days and eat the leftovers
with grilled meat when you're sick of salads.
Quoted message said:Here is a bit about me so you can know what you are working with.
6 foot 4, 170 lbs.
I play competitive club ultimate frisbee, so I engage in strenuous
exercise 10-15 hours a week. I use a ton of energy, so it takes a lot
of food to keep me going.
The key to eating well is to have thought about it in advance. Junk
carbs will magically appear whenever you're hungry, but high-fiber carbs
and lean proteins will only show up if you PUT them there.
Develop a bunch of snacks that revolve around a dose of fiber, a dose of
protein and a dollop of fats (from seed or fish oils if possible.)
Some examples are: apples sliced up and dipped in peanutbutter (use one
of those circular gadgets that cores and slices at the same time.)
Cottage cheese mixed with canned fruit and/or yogurt. Cottage cheese
has saturated fat in it, but it's an easy way to add protein to things.
Hard-boiled eggs are another nice way to get protein.
Use meal replacement shakes like EAS Myoplex or bars like Balance Bars
to get some protein in a snack.
Try a banana with a wedge cut out and peanutbutter inserted.
Try wasa crisp crackers microwaved to melt some cheese or with some cold
cuts on top.
Plan on eating often, and grocery shop with that in mind: get breakfast
foods, lunch/dinner foods (they can be the same thing) and snack foods.
Shop the outside edge of the grocery store: vegetables & fruits,
dairy, meats, high-fiber breads.
A good breakfast is the 5 minute oatmeal that you mix with some
chocolate protein powder, peanutbutter, raisins and water and microwave
on 50% power for 5 minutes.
I like 100% whole wheat bagels with cream cheese and a couple of ounces
of smoked salmon on top for breakfast, too.
Try to make carbs be there for a reason: either for fiber or for
phytonutrients or because you specifically need the energy boost. Junk
carbs are the downfall of many a newly sedentary twenty-something, which
isn't you YET, but will be you when you get a sedentary job and stop
playing Ultimate every day.
The best thing you've got going for you is that you're thinking about
this. Pre-planning, thinking about a menu before you shop, is probably
the most important thing you can do for your diet because then whatever
you choose to eat will be okay.
Good luck.
Dally
