New Here...need advice

[Kellybean]

What SPECIFICALLY are you eating and when? details details details.

This is for the weekdays, as I don't wake up early on my days off: For breakfast at around 6:30am, I usually have a couple of scrambled eggs with cheese and water with metamucil. Around 9:30 or 10:00, I will have a granola bar (I know it's all carbs but I really enjoy them). 11:30 or 12, I will have some lean meat with either rice or sweet potato and maybe spinach salad. 3:30 - 4:00, I will have a protein shake. And then when I get home at 5:30-6:00, have more lean meat with either sweet potato or rice, and sometimes broccoli. I then go to the gym. I also drink about 2-3 litres of water a day. I try not to eat anything past 7:00 but sometimes will have either a protein shake or some meat if I do get hungry (this is when I crave the chocolate). I try not to eat ANY carbs past 7:00. My weekend diet isn't much different, except when I totally cheat!!

 

[Daisy_Girl]

So you try not to eat after 7pm and then your first meal is about 12 hours later? THAT is a big problem. Your body is starving itself - and catabolizing the muscle you work to get. Going without food for 12 hours - during a prime rebuilding period (while sleeping) - is asinine. Muscle is built *after* your workout, not necessarily *during*.

Also - where are your fats? I basically see no fats - maybe a little in the scrambled eggs and cheese - but I bet you think you have to use fat free cheese.

Not enough veggies. Nowhere *near* enough.

Drink more water - you need at least 4 liters a day (~1 gallon).

I highly suggest trying www.fitday.com so you can see how many calories you are eating and what your macro breakdown is. I have a feeling it is way off.

 

[velvett]

Sassy needs her own radio show!

Damn great post!

 

[alltheway123]

Welcome from another newbie!

 

[The_Monster]

You should add some complex carbs in with the first meal.
You should take a look at the portion size of the carbs with your dinner meal... if youre cause flucuations in your blood sugar levels you could be triggering a craving for carbs.

Also, no carbs after 7 is smart, no food after 7 is not. Fat burning is still a metabolic process, and that process needs fuel... youre probably catabolising a lot of muscle, slowing your metabolism at night and causing insulin spikes during the day.

Granola bars are pretty much just crunchy candy bars, you say you really enjoy them, but you have to decide what direction you want to go it. Do you want to go in the direction of eating adn doing what you love, or do you want to move in the direction of achieving your goals? Only you can make the choice.

You need to add in healthy fats, more comlex carbs and try and make every meal have a representative of each three macronutrients. I dont think you are so low in bodyfat yet that you can benefit from any sort of extreme diet. I think you just need to learn proper diet techniques and prioritise.

 

[T-Cake]

I've been working out for over 4 years now and I really like the way I look....except I have a carb-addiction - especially sweets. I want to get abs but just can't seem to give up chocolate. I don't have the willpower to stop eating sweets. Any advice on how to fight this addiction would be helpful. How do you ladies find the willpower to say no? Thank you in advance.

Hey chica. Alright, I'm going to be as nice as possible about this -- but I actually have beef with the whole will-power thing.

I honestly don't believe in will-power. You either do it or you don't. Did I believe in it for a long time? Yes. But ultimately, I faced myself and realized that "lack of will-power" -- for me at least, and this might not be you -- is really just a bunch of excuses.

When did I "see the light" about this? Feb. of this year. I plateaued with WeightWatchers... and then got some help from Ulter and I remember this moment where it was clear:

He said to me "You'll start tomorrow with morning cardio, 60 minutes, before work."
Me: "But that means I'll have to get up at 4:30am..."
Him: "Do you want it or don't you?"

That was it. :lightbulb: I did want it -- bad. I wasn't about to look like someone who didn't care.

Again, this might not reflect your sentiments -- but sometimes you just have to ask, "How bad do you want it?" Am I always perfect about this myself -- hell no... but you have to start somewhere.

 

[The_Monster]

Hey chica. Alright, I'm going to be as nice as possible about this -- but I actually have beef with the whole will-power thing.

Me too... but I was also trying to be nice, lol.


(BTW, are you who I think you are? At a bar, a couple of weeks ago... does that ring any bells???)

 

[msam76]

Everything the above ladies have posted is really good advice, they are a really smart helpful group. I am in the same boat and have acutally felt physical results from not eating sugar. Try to avoid triggers that would make you want to eat chocolate. Think about the hard work you put into your cardio and also think about the fact that a few Hershey's kisses will equal more calories than you just burned on the treadmil. But, if you must eat chocolate, stick to darker chocolates.

 

[T-Cake]

Me too... but I was also trying to be nice, lol.


(BTW, are you who I think you are? At a bar, a couple of weeks ago... does that ring any bells???)

YES! A big, stinkin' bell! Heyyyy That was so cool hangin' with all you guys

Everything the above ladies have posted is really good advice, they are a really smart helpful group. I am in the same boat and have acutally felt physical results from not eating sugar. Try to avoid triggers that would make you want to eat chocolate. Think about the hard work you put into your cardio and also think about the fact that a few Hershey's kisses will equal more calories than you just burned on the treadmil. But, if you must eat chocolate, stick to darker chocolates.

That's actually a great piece of advice! When I first shifted to my 'no-junk phase'... I started be choosing my 'junk' wisely. If I was going to have chocolate, it was once a week and ONLY dark and DEFINITELY something worth the money. A Hershey kiss vs. a piece of dark chocolate truffle is such a huge difference and much more satisfying. SO I guess during your transition phase, try that out. Cut down to one day a week (then you're really looking forward to it and you'll be more apt to choose the BEST items) and really focus that day on how hard you worked all week and you're too good at that point to blow it on junk.

 

[The_Monster]

YES! A big, stinkin' bell! Heyyyy That was so cool hangin' with all you guys

I had a good time too! I hadnt seen Ulter in so over a year, I missed him!
If you need anything you know how to get a hold of us (well, you know how to get a hold of CG, and he can get a hold of me). We'll keep an eye on you while the big dog is in the "O"!