If you are a regular gym user and take it seriously...

[hidinginthenightgarden]

What do you eat?
DH and I are now attending the gym 3-4 times a week and trying to eat much better but have no idea if we are eating the right things.
Example
Yesterday
Breakfast - egg on toast
Lunch- chicken with loads of veg
Dinner - burger on a bun with corn on the cob and portabella mushrooms - We had done a high intensity class before tea otherwise would have had no bread and leaner meat.
Pudding - large bowl of fruit.
Snacks- Whitworth shot, fruit and an aussie bite.
Today -
Breakfast- mushroom on toast
Lunch - soup
Dinner - campfire stew (gammon, onions, peppers)
Pudding - bowl of fruit
Snacks - mini kinder bar and fruit.

I'm not sure if we are eating the right stuff- too much food or too less. And there is so much info online it is impossible to know what to eat!
All guidance greatly appreciated.

bump

I don’t eat breakfast apart from at a weekend where I will eat a banana before morning gym classes. Normally I only eat between 12-5.

So today I’ve had a banana, two slices of toast with peanut butter (lunch), duck noodles and a chocolate brownie and an apple (dinner).

During the week I eat quinoa and chicken with pepper and pomegranate seeds for lunch. Dinner is often toast and peanut butter before heading for the gym. Or maybe an omelette. Might have rice cakes and/or a banana for snacks during the day. I need to eat more veg.

It depends really what you want to get out of it, do you want to lose weight, gain weight or stay the same?
Get fitter, stronger or a just healthier in general.
I don't think it's as complicated as often made out and it also depends on what works well for you, whether you like 3 meals or 5 smaller meals.

Carbs are absolutely fine, you need the energy, you need to make sure you have enough energy for your classes and the exercise you are doing. Stick to recommended portion sizes for them though. Plenty of protein, plenty of veg. Sounds fine to me actually your diet, don't overthink it

I wouldn't skip breakfast, it starts your metabolism and gives you energy.

Today I've had: bowl of porridge, smoked salmon and scrambled egg on toast, with roasted tomatos and lamb flatbread with plenty of veg. Plus a glass of wine and I'll probably have a small chocolate bar later.

It depends on your goal. If it's fat loss, you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. It doesn't matter what you eat, just less than you burn. Obviously the 'better' calories are the more nutritionally dense ones, but if you eat 3,000 calories of broccoli you will gain weight, and if you eat 1,500 of pizza you will lose weight. Track these using MyFitnessPal for two weeks eating normally, then take 10% off and use that as your goal. Have a weekly goal, rather than a daily one, so you can adjust the amount of calories you need for i.e. a meal out at the weekend, so you are still in a calorie deficit over the week.

If your goal is to gain muscle focus on your protein intake. After you train then have carbs and protein. To gain muscle you must have a surplus of calories. That's a bit more complex to explain in an internet post!

Thanks ladies.
I am hoping to lose some fat and then tone up. Overall fitness levels need increasing - I have already seen a huge improvement in that and I feel much better too.

If you are reducing carbs- do you observe the carbs in fruit too or just complex carbs?
Myfitness pal doesn't distinguish between the too and is saying their are the same carbs in half a bagel as half a mango. Should I cut out the mango (as well as bagel) or can I keep it?

I think you could perhaps replace some of the fruit with veggies instead, isn’t the recommendation something like 7-8 portions of vegetables, but only 1-2 of fruit?

On a week day we have about 5 veg and 3/4 fruit. I did mention to DH that we could reduce fruit intake but I worry that we will snack on crap instead.

I gym or train 6 times a week.

Average day would be

Scrambled eggs and spinach or whole earth peanut butter on rye toast

Berries and nuts

Overnight oats / oatcakes and goats cheese / omelette

Banana

Chicken salad / mince stuffed peppers / turkey stirfry with lots of veg

Occasionally have a biscuit / few squares of chocolate

I try to eat clean and have just one cheat meal a week.

I train with the aim of toning / fat loss but mainly improved fitness

I always eat breakfast before going to the gym (usually porridge) or egg on toast. I've learnt to avoid loads of caffeine before a HITT class as it makes me a bit dizzy so I skip my morning coffee.

Lunch is either a sandwich or veggie curry, risotto, anything quick in the instant pot

Dinner is usually carbs (potatoes, rice, pasta), meat/fish, and I try and fill half my plate with veg. I do tend to always eat a pudding/dessert too.