Advice on meal plan?

[synthysis]

I have a hard time figuring out if this is nutritionally dense and balanced. I'm a vegetarian, goal is is to lose 100 lbs., and I weigh 256. If it's not a good meal plan, are there any suggestions?

Breakfast:

1 Packet of Quaker's Instant Oatmeal
1 Cup of 2% Reduced Fat Milk

Morning Snack:

Yoplait Light Fat Free Yogurt
1 cup Watermelon
1 cup Cantaloupe

Lunch:

Tofu, bell peppers, red onions stir fried with olive oil and ginger paste

Afternoon Snack:

Minneola Tangelo
14 Halves of english walnuts
5 Almonds

Dinner:

1 Cup lentil soup
1 Cup white rice

[Boss Man]

Breakfast:

1 Packet of Quaker's Instant Oatmeal
1 Cup of 2% Reduced Fat Milk

(You need more Protein here, so you could add things like Egg Whites, or maybe half a scoop of Protein powder etc etc)

Morning Snack:

Yoplait Light Fat Free Yogurt
1 cup Watermelon
1 cup Cantaloupe

(Watermelon is a beligerant Fruit. which really doesn't appreciate sharing the Intestinal tract with other Foods, it's probably the worst Fruit for shared digestion scenarios. It does contain some good nutrition, including Lycopene, but it's high GI, (around 73), and I don't think coupled with Yoghurt Carbs, and Cantaloupe Melon Carbs, you're doing your weight loss chances a favour, racking up the Carbs, and your Bloodsugar response, as if you get high Bloodsugar responses on a regular daily basis, you could in time potentially affect Blood acidity, and possibly contribute to type II Diabetes.

Your best bet would be to eat the Cantaloupe, give it 10-15 minutes to start digesting, then have the Yoghurt, and add another Protein source in there, as the Protein levels in Yoghurt is respectable at best.

Then you're compensating in part for the lost Watermelon Calories, with some added Protein ones)

Lunch:

Tofu, bell peppers, red onions stir fried with olive oil and ginger paste

(Be aware Tofu has quite a bit of Carb, and I'd use Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is a better choice than basic Olive Oil. Red Onions are good for things like Quercetin content, but as with the Peppers also, I'd go a bit easy on them, don't add too much, incase your Carbs are quite high. Keep the Tofu Carbs in, and compliment them with the ohter stuff. Tofu Proteins should be fine, as Soy ones are complete)

Afternoon Snack:

Minneola Tangelo
14 Halves of english walnuts
5 Almonds

(Two Nut types. Interesting. Don't know what the Tangelo thing is. An actual food, or a posh name for Walnuts combined with Almonds?)

Dinner:

1 Cup lentil soup
1 Cup white rice
(Nice mix, though you can alter the White rice for Brown or Wild, but the combination of two complimentary Protein sources looks fine, just make sure total Carb isn't too high, becasue they are also Carb containers as well.)

[synthysis]

Tangelos are a type of orange.

http://caloriecount.about.com//item/115576.html

If I didn't want to take protein powder, what would be a good substitute?


Thanks for the help!

[Boss Man]

Then you can change the Orange, for another type of Carbs like Veggies, Whole-grain etc etc, or have Cashews with your Nut option.

Fruit Fructose converts in part to Fat in the Liver, the rest is used for energy, so you don't really need Fruit in the PM.

It's difficult if you don't have The Protein powder at Breakfast, apart from Egg Whites, you'd have to cut Carbs, and get the Protein and replacement Carbs from things like Legumes for example.

[synthysis]

I should probably clarify position on protein powder. I'm a bit iffy on it because I'm a college student (meaning I don't have a lot of money) and I don't know if it's safe to take. Also, I've heard that the powder is for people building a lot of muscle. I only do weights every other day with cardio to lose weight. Given that, should I take protein powder? If so, which one?

[Boss Man]

It's safe to take, and yes it's fine for people in your position. The fact is, unless someone uses a heavy weightlifting regime, and eats massive calories, they won't put on lots of size, and in your case, a half dose of Protein powder as a possible Breakfast add-on, is not going to make you herculean.

It's only not safe realisticlly, if you have something liike Herpes, and get a problem with the Arginine content, or Phenylketoneuria, and have issues with the Phenylalanine, or if you take way too much, and possibly get Kidney Stones in the Long term, or maybe some adverse reaction to other Amino Acids, in relation ot some kind of disease, but that could happen wth any complete protein source.

EDITED

[synthysis]

How's this as a slightly updated version? I'm a little worried that 114g protein is too much. Your thoughts?


Meal 1 (6 am)
• 1 cup - Quaker Instant Oatmeal (140 cal, 3g protein)
• 1 cup - Skim Milk (90 cal, 8g protein)
• Protein Powder in Oatmeal (120 cal, 20g protein)
• Green Tea

Meal 2 (9 am)
• Yoplait Light (100 cal, 5g protein)
• Fat Free Cottage Cheese (80 cal, 14g protein)

Meal 3 (12 pm)
• 1.5 cup Salad (33 cal, 2.6g protein)
• Tofu/Soy product (150 cal, 11g protein)
• Green Tea

Meal 4 (2 pm)
• 3 tbs Hemp Seed (174 cal, 11g protein)
• 14 Walnut Halves (185 cal, 4.3g protein)
• 5 Almonds (35 cal, 1.3g protein)

Meal 5 (4 pm)
• Protein Bar (Cliff Bar- 270 cal, 20g protein)
• Green Tea

Meal 6 (7 pm)
• 1.5 cup Salad (33 cal, 2.6g protein)
• Tofu/Soy product (150 cal, 11g protein)


Total:
• 1560 calories
• 114g protein

[swanso5]

114g of protein??? what's wrong with that...protein builds muscle and ,uscle burns fat so you need at the barest minums 114g at your wt...also give the bars away thery're no good...full of sugar/fat/articificials

[CO2428]

Do what your body and you can handle. Not all these guys know everything, they just sound like it

[swanso5]

what was that meant to mean?

[HOUSTON TEXAN]

Do what your body and you can handle. Not all these guys know everything, they just sound like it

Let's hear what you have to say mister expert. Since you are so well endowed with knowledge.