Having a hard time eating carbs...

[Tatyana]

Try some more starchy veggies like parsnips, carrots, corn, peas.

They have more carbs but still with the fiber and veggie goodness.

A good transition food to more sweetpotatoes and starchy foods would be swede/rutabaga.

It is seriously low calorie/low carb for the amount of veggie you get with it.

I find that mashed swede/parsnips/carrots and sweet potatoe (or any combo of the previous), is absolutely YUM.

I eat a very small amount of oat/rye/buckwheat/spelt -meal in the morning with whey protein, typically around 35-45 g, you don't need to eat a huge amount.

I have found that carbs that sit well with me are baby new potatoes and beans, especially lentils.

You may have to experiment a little bit to see which carbs sit right with you.

 

[vla_76]

Thank you so much for your replies, you guys! It means a lot to me to have this support. I don't have too many people to talk to about this stuff. (Read: No one!) I work out at a VERY guy gym. It's in Hollywood and is 99% muscle-head gay men, which is actually really awesome because they are in amazing shape and give me motivation, but it's like I don't exist in that gym. I don't really have people to ask these kinds of questions to. So thanks. I'd love to have a gym where it was all super in shape women.

So, I am adding sweet potato and chickpeas so far and it is going well. I also bought some quinoa from the store, so when I am feeling like cooking something that takes a bit more time, I will try that. But that does freak me out a little more. But a while ago, sweet potato freaked me out too and now I am fine with that! Thanks for the other suggestions. I hope to add other stuff in slowly so I don't get bored of what I am eating.

One more question--should your last meal that includes complex carbs be around lunch? Or dinner? I've probably been having carbs at just two meals and not really having them later in the day, but I just wanted to check when is the last time I "can" have them during the day and still lose... Although, I assume there is probably differing opinions on this.

Ok, another question: Can anyone recommend a good book on weightlifting? I am doing machines and free weights, but I would like to learn more about it. I am finding that weights really seem to change my body the most.

TIA again.

 

[Tatyana]

Thank you so much for your replies, you guys! It means a lot to me to have this support. I don't have too many people to talk to about this stuff. (Read: No one!) I work out at a VERY guy gym. It's in Hollywood and is 99% muscle-head gay men, which is actually really awesome because they are in amazing shape and give me motivation, but it's like I don't exist in that gym. I don't really have people to ask these kinds of questions to. So thanks. I'd love to have a gym where it was all super in shape women.

So, I am adding sweet potato and chickpeas so far and it is going well. I also bought some quinoa from the store, so when I am feeling like cooking something that takes a bit more time, I will try that.

Quinoa is great, it is a primitive grain and really high in protein as far as grains go.



But that does freak me out a little more. But a while ago, sweet potato freaked me out too and now I am fine with that! Thanks for the other suggestions. I hope to add other stuff in slowly so I don't get bored of what I am eating.

One more question--should your last meal that includes complex carbs be around lunch? Or dinner?

I eat complex carbs after I train, so as I often end up training sometime between 8-10 pm at night, I eat complex carbs on those evenings.

On non-training days, I switch to fibrous carbs around 4-6 pm and add in fats like olive oil, raw nuts or seeds.



I've probably been having carbs at just two meals and not really having them later in the day, but I just wanted to check when is the last time I "can" have them during the day and still lose... Although, I assume there is probably differing opinions on this.

There is biochemical variation with this, some people find they put on more muscle and take off fat with more carbs, some with less.

I know the ratios that work best for me are 45-55% protein, 30-40% carbs and 15-25% fat.



Ok, another question: Can anyone recommend a good book on weightlifting? I am doing machines and free weights, but I would like to learn more about it. I am finding that weights really seem to change my body the most.

TIA again.

Chris Aceto Championship Bodybuilding

Stuart McRobert Weight lifting Technique or Burn Fat, Build Muscle, Look Great

Arnold's Encyclopedia of BBing is still great, his routines tend to overtraining, but it does give a great over view of all the exercises.

 

[Tami Bellon]

the fact that you train in a gay gym where you are invisible is probably a better thing for you. Trust me on that one. This way you won't get yourself trapped in your head because you aren't like this woman or that woman around you.
this is definitely a benefit!

if you are feeling hungry until your next meal try adding a little fat. The fat will slow the absorption of your meal so your body will break it down even slower. I used to do this when competing and had a suuuuuuuuuuuper stringent diet. Something as simple (and icky) as adding a tablespoon of olive oil to a meal. Yea sounds icky and hard-core but it got the job done. Lol
lol - it's especially good right off the spoon ewwwwwww

.....or you can do a few almonds or macadamia nuts for a little less gag reflex.

 

[vla_76]

Thanks you guys! Very informative. And I agree, a gay gym is a better thing for me. Plus, those guys are in shape like you would not believe... And I get to see celebs every once in a while too, which helps pass the time!

I've been wanting to post on here for a while, but I was kind of nervous, so thanks for being so welcoming. I will stick around and update on my progress...

 

[sbt2082]

One more question--should your last meal that includes complex carbs be around lunch? Or dinner? I've probably been having carbs at just two meals and not really having them later in the day, but I just wanted to check when is the last time I "can" have them during the day and still lose... Although, I assume there is probably differing opinions on this.

Glad to hear that the sweetpotatoes and chickpeas have been going well so far. I answered this question in an earlier post, but as Tatyana said I would try to keep at least one of your meals containing carbs to your pwo meal!

 

[shirlene29]

a trick I use to get fat in because I suck at it unless its super unhealthy is...
rubbing a sweet potato in in olive oil after nuking, steaming or baking it...
and make sure to eat ther skin...it gets rid of the ick factor of olive oil without cooking it and ruining its value

 

[vla_76]

I made quinoa today and ate it at two meals--one of which was PWO. It was really good and even my boyfriend liked it. (Although, he will eat pretty much anything!) I was pretty proud of myself. With each complex carb I add, I am a little hesitent at first, but if I just add a little bit at a time, I seem to do ok. It's pretty cool. And I do seem to have more energy during my workouts...? I'm not sure yet, but I think it's got to be good for me in the long run.

In terms of getting fat in, I've got that on lock. I use flax or some other healthy oil on my salads or avocado or egg yolk. I get plenty of fat!

The main thing I want to work on now is to space out my meals more during the day. I have been going too long during the main part of the day without eating because I've been trying to do fasted cardio--but I have been doing it during the mid-day. So I eat around like 11 am and then fast till 2 nutill I work out. Then by the time I get done working out it's pretty late. That's a long time without eating! Can't be good.

I know I should do fasted cardio in the AM and then have more spaced out meals during the day... But it's hard to get into that routine. I will work on it.

Here's a question for the experts: Is it bad for fat-buring cardio to not do it on an empty stomach? I'd read about fasted cardio and how much better that was, so I've been trying that...

 

[RottenWillow]

Here's a question for the experts: Is it bad for fat-buring cardio to not do it on an empty stomach? I'd read about fasted cardio and how much better that was, so I've been trying that...

Well you'll start burning stored calories as fuel more quickly doing cardio on an empty stomach, so I guess theoretically you'd need to go a bit longer to have the same effect after having eaten. Empty stomach cardio is rather catabolic though. I've never been a fan of it. I think more often than not it tends to keep women looking softer than they'd like.

I'd encourage you though to perhaps consider focusing on muscle building for a while. As little as 5-7 additional pounds of skeletal muscle will make you appear substantially harder (read: leaner), with no decrease in subcutaneous bodyfat at all. It's something we used to talk about in this forum often years ago, but doesn't really get discussed anymore. Your muscle to fat is what makes you look soft. Add a bit of beef and the difference will amaze you.

 

[Tami Bellon]

Here's a question for the experts: Is it bad for fat-buring cardio to not do it on an empty stomach? I'd read about fasted cardio and how much better that was, so I've been trying that...

30 min. HIIT cardio on empty or after weight training. You'll get about the same effect.