Help with a diet and workout plan.

[ManOfArms]

One of my best friends would like to loos some weight, her stats are below as well as the goal she would like to reach. She is also diabetic, and I'm afraid all I know is about mens health, I know our diets wouldn't necessarly work as well for women as they do for us men. I'm hoping someone hear an provide some good advice and help with a Diet plan to reach her goals.

She just signed up for the gym and perhaps could also recommend a work out routine? I personally think Cardio is her answer with some light weight work outs.

Stats
Hight: 5'2
Weight: 123
Goal: 110 - 115 Firm up and have more energy.

First Meal - 11:00am - Wakup - Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich on Wheat.
Second Meal - Between 3pm and 4pm - Peanut Butter Ritz Crackers Snak pack or Luncheables Turkey and Swiss.
Third Meal - Between 5:30 & 6pm - Lean Cuisine.
Fourth Meal - Between 8pm and 9pm - Turkey or Ham Sandwitch with Munster Cheese on Wheat.
Sleep: Goes to bed around 3 - 4am.

She Drink water through out the day and with all her meals. Sometimes she has Apples and Strawberrys between meals, not sure how often though.

Her goal is loost fat and weigh between 110 and 115

Any other recommendations are greatly appreciated.

 

[Sassy69]

Wow - well.. I'm not an expert w/ the diabetic aspect - I would think she could get some diet recommendations from her doc. My other comments are primarily ----

1) weird sleep schedule ... why?
2) dude, that diet sucks ... big time.

Why does the diet suck...

... processed shit all over the place
... weird eating schedule


As far as your input for her - the same tenets apply - clean eating, small meals every 3-4 hrs, minimally processed foods, good balance of macronutrients.

I'd also say dont' set "weight" as a goal - but rather just cleaning up that really scary diet, getting her to "feel better" which Im' sure she will within a few weeks of dumping that diet and also make whatever adjustments to accommodate the diabetes.

She's not that far away from her goal, but I think just cleanign up the diet will do wonders.

Again, no idea what accommodations need to be made for the diabetes -- maybe Shadow can chime in on this...

But I'd set the total cals around 1300-1400. If its appropriate, set the macronutrient ratio to 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fats

Toss all that processed shit -- Lean Cuisine?? GOD. Burn it all. Those bullshit snak packs - toss. REAL FOOD. There's no vegetables or good quality fats anywhere in that diet. No really good proteins or clean carbs either. (Sorry, not trying to criticize her personally -- just that diet is scary at best....)

I like to recommend Bill Philips' BODY FOR LIFE program for newbies to diet & training because it describes the WHY of nutrition and also gives guidelines vs. a written diet so that you can merge it into your lifestyle -- it has to be a lifestyle to work - you dont just "do a diet" and then go back to your old eating habits. Your body responds to how you fuel it & then the demands you put in that fuel source.

.. I hope that gives you a place to start. She needs to understand some fo the basics of nutrition to make the transition.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Sassy hit it right on the money as always. That junk she was eating is what is the major problem as a diabetic most of that junk should have never touched her lips. The BFL book is great what I read starting as a newbie many moons ago.

 

[jenscats5]

Excellent post Sassy!!

And I agree - what she is eating now is doing nothing for her....

 

[Daisy_Girl]

What Sassy said.

 

[treilin]

Ohhhh my mom is/was also a diabetic for the past 20 years'... Since she cleaned her diet up.. she is almost a non-diabetic now!!!!
So cleaning a diet up could probably help her more then she would even know. Why is a diabetic eating
jelly = simple sugar
crackers = simple sugar
lean cuisine?? What kind? Not only that most are loaded with salt.
Fruit = fructose=simple sugars

Try adding in protein shakes, egg whites, other lean meats like chicken or ground beef.
Does she have to have cheese? If not I would cut that out too. Like cook up a chicken breast, with 1T olive oil, and some whole wheat pasta and veggies. That way she is getting a balanced meal without the 'bad' types of fat. Good fats should be ie. olive oil or flaxseed oil, All natural peanut butter, unsalted almonds or walnuts.
Whole wheat bread is good... depending on the wheat bread. Some say they are wheat... but are not whole wheat.
I would say at least 5 meals every 3 hours.
Another thing is some people have issues losing weight with fruits and dairy products. She should be supplementing.. Multi, magnesium/calcium 2 to 1 ratio, vitamin C and E together, joint formula for starters...
heavy weights also... no sissy weights if she wants to see results....
Cardio is not necessarily her answer, could be a negative impact.

That's my 2 cents...

 

[*Bunny*]

Treil & Sassy BOTH great informative posts ... agree with both

I am NOT a product pusher but a something like Insulow may help ... great info there either way to educate about diabetes ...

 

[scorpiogirl]

Well, MOA, do ya' think we're happy with her diet so far?!?!? Maybe she should drop in too?

She really needs to start eating "cleaner" foods and get those meals in smaller portions but closer together. This will help regulate her sugar. I'm not diabetic, actually the opposite, but it works very similar. She also needs to talk to her doc about food choices. I find it hard to believe that her doc would approve of her current diet. Obviously the simple sugars should be kept to a minimum and it doesn't look like she's doing very well with it. Any idea what the number is when she sticks her finger? Just curious.

 

[The Shadow]

nothing to add other than I have been bitching for a couple of years now that the GI is useless.......the GL is what is most important

 

[ManOfArms]

Thank you all for your help, I'll give her the link to this thread.

like always, you guys rock!