Newbie needs advice, please....

[feisty1]

Hi girls,
I am androjunkies gf, he posted a while back about putting me on nolvadex, which we decided against. I have been working on losing weight for the last year, I am currently at 5' 5", 125 lbs. and I still feel like I am fat. I have been working on using more cardio with my diet to lose the extra lbs. but it doesn't really seem to be helping. About 3 weeks ago I started weight training with my bf. I have really been seeing a lot of improvement in my arms, legs, and butt. But I still need to lose my trouble areas, which include my stomache and inner thighs. My bf says that the only way that I am going to lose the fat is by getting a stricter diet. I feel like a am already practically eating nothing. Please help me to come up with a program/ diet that can help me. My ultimate goal is just to have abs, good muscle tone, and weigh about 115-118 lbs. I have tryed just about every thermo out there. I don't know what else to do. PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[RottenWillow]

Hi girls,
I feel like a am already practically eating nothing. Please help me to come up with a program/ diet that can help me.

This could be part of the problem. If you eat too little your body will actually begin working to conserve bodyfat. Remember that the first 99.999% of human history it was not only considered attractive to carry some extra body fat, it was neccesary to propagate the human race.

You absolutely must keep your calories above a certain level. Feisty if you havent already counted your calories please do so now and report back. Determine your average caloric intake for a rest day and the average amount for cardio days.

Which leads to another possible problem. How much cardio are you doing? You said you increased it lately, right? Too much cardio, too frequently will also begin to encourage your body to get stingy with it's remaining bodyfat.

Please fill us in on the caloric and cardio details.

 

[THEEGAME2544]

Hi girls,
I am androjunkies gf, he posted a while back about putting me on nolvadex, which we decided against. I have been working on losing weight for the last year, I am currently at 5' 5", 125 lbs. and I still feel like I am fat. I have been working on using more cardio with my diet to lose the extra lbs. but it doesn't really seem to be helping. About 3 weeks ago I started weight training with my bf. I have really been seeing a lot of improvement in my arms, legs, and butt. But I still need to lose my trouble areas, which include my stomache and inner thighs. My bf says that the only way that I am going to lose the fat is by getting a stricter diet. I feel like a am already practically eating nothing. Please help me to come up with a program/ diet that can help me. My ultimate goal is just to have abs, good muscle tone, and weigh about 115-118 lbs. I have tryed just about every thermo out there. I don't know what else to do. PLEASE HELP!!!

Thermo's and short-cuts are not the answer. Especially not yet. Eating nothing is going to work in the reverse direction. When you eat too little, your body slows down it's metabolism to conserve whatever fuel it can. Your goal should be to eat "more" than "less". Think of your metabolism as an engine. If your constantly fueling the engine every 2-3 hours it is going to keep running at full throttle. You need to be eating a healthy 5-6 small portioned meals a day. This will keep your metabolism working at full throttle. Take a look at your Carb, Protein, Fat ratio. Make sure that your not taking in too many carbs.....that is just spill-over. Un-used carbs can turn to unwanted fat. Here is the golden advice: "keep sugars to a minimum, keep saturated fat to a minimum, and NEVER eat sugar and saturated fat in the same meal.....that's just asking for trouble! Healthy fats on the otherhand, like walnuts.....fish oil....and flax oil will do good wonders for your diet. I'm glad to hear that you've just started weight training.....just make sure that you stick to it. It is very beneficial in toning and shaping your body and is a good way to burn fat. Get your diet on target and keep training, and you'll see fantastic results. But in the beginning it takes a little time. Be patient and you'll be rewarded.

Game

 

[Barak]

Hi girls,
I am androjunkies gf, he posted a while back about putting me on nolvadex, which we decided against. I have been working on losing weight for the last year, I am currently at 5' 5", 125 lbs. and I still feel like I am fat. I have been working on using more cardio with my diet to lose the extra lbs. but it doesn't really seem to be helping. About 3 weeks ago I started weight training with my bf. I have really been seeing a lot of improvement in my arms, legs, and butt. But I still need to lose my trouble areas, which include my stomache and inner thighs. My bf says that the only way that I am going to lose the fat is by getting a stricter diet. I feel like a am already practically eating nothing. Please help me to come up with a program/ diet that can help me. My ultimate goal is just to have abs, good muscle tone, and weigh about 115-118 lbs. I have tryed just about every thermo out there. I don't know what else to do. PLEASE HELP!!!

Also don't set a weight goal so much as a loose body fat goal, because the muscle you gain working out will weigh more than fat.Can you post up your diet and exercise program.The people here can do alot for you with knowing what you've been eating.Anya is right don't go to low calories no more than a 500 deficit per day.lots of protein, about 10 grams of good fats per day or more and cut out sugar and carbs,I did veggies and proteins and lost 48lbs of fat total and gained nice muscle in one year and am now cutting again, don't resort to drugs right yet.Talk to the ladies and the diet board you'll get there.Stay strong sister.

 

[Soccer_Chik]

Feisty, I noticed you said you were taking nolvadex? Are you still taking it? And if so, I'm assuming you are using it specifically for breast cancer, correct? I just want to make sure you are using the drug correctly, as it is not one to be taken lightly.

 

[androjunkie]

Feisty, I noticed you said you were taking nolvadex? Are you still taking it? And if so, I'm assuming you are using it specifically for breast cancer, correct? I just want to make sure you are using the drug correctly, as it is not one to be taken lightly.

She is not taking nolvadex, at first I thought it might be a good way to lose some extra water weight but I had remembered that it caused severe side effects in women so I researched it more and found it to NOT be a good idea.

 

[feisty1]

I really don't have a set diet that I eat everyday. I always eat raisin bran in the morning then I don't usually eat again until evening. I try to stick with low fat foods mostly protein and no carbs. I am not really strict about it but it has worked for the last year and a half for me to lose about 25 lbs. But now I have hit a plateau and I am not losing anymore, I have been doing cardio for the last four months, about 3-5 times a week. And still I have stayed the same. I started weight training with my man about 3 weeks ago, but I have since let my cardio slip, due to over exertion with the weights. I probably get it in about 2-4 a week. Like I said before I am noticing an improvement in my muscle tone in my arms, legs, butt, back and chest. But I still have my problem stomach and inner thighs. I need help coming up with a diet plan that is easy to stick to. I really don't like to eat many meals durring the day, I will try to eat five to six times, but I find myself eating too much and then I just gain weight and feel discouraged. For me less has just always seemed to work, so it is very hard for me to get the hang of this whole body building way.

 

[THEEGAME2544]

I really don't have a set diet that I eat everyday. I always eat raisin bran in the morning then I don't usually eat again until evening. I try to stick with low fat foods mostly protein and no carbs. I am not really strict about it but it has worked for the last year and a half for me to lose about 25 lbs. But now I have hit a plateau and I am not losing anymore, I have been doing cardio for the last four months, about 3-5 times a week. And still I have stayed the same. I started weight training with my man about 3 weeks ago, but I have since let my cardio slip, due to over exertion with the weights. I probably get it in about 2-4 a week. Like I said before I am noticing an improvement in my muscle tone in my arms, legs, butt, back and chest. But I still have my problem stomach and inner thighs. I need help coming up with a diet plan that is easy to stick to. I really don't like to eat many meals durring the day, I will try to eat five to six times, but I find myself eating too much and then I just gain weight and feel discouraged. For me less has just always seemed to work, so it is very hard for me to get the hang of this whole body building way.

Eating less is exactly why your at a plateau. Following an eating less diet will work for only so long, then you end up slowing down your metabolism which is not good for keeping weight off and can be very difficult to start back up again. You will NOT gain weight from eating more meals during the day if your still on a calorie restricted diet. You will only benefit by keeping your metabolism going. Your meals should be 5-6 SMALL meals a day. Your everyday average person person eats 3 full meals a day. It is much better to split those meals up into two meals each. You have reached a plateau and are looking for help on how to move beyond it. Eating twice a day is not going to work for you anymore. Getting results means doing things right.....even if they are a big inconveinience. Good luck.

 

[Soccer_Chik]

Amen, Game. Diet is a big part of your fitness regime. If you don't have a good one, you better forget about losing weight.

Also, instead of "overexertion" on the weights, you might want to divvy up your weight time and your cardio time. Actually, something you may want to try is the HIIT method- basically its sporatic, intense cardio (in a nutshell). I'm sure there's something here about it.. take a look in the training section.

**edit: HIIT link http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=311803

First things first though, you've got to get a handle on your diet.

 

[feisty1]

I guess what I really am asking for is... Will someone help me come up with a step by step meal guide that I can follow. I am really bad about picking the right foods to eat, especially now that I am weight training. I don't think that my average meals are cutting it. Plus I don't know how small these meals should be! And what times of day should I eat them? Do I wait till I am hungry to eat? or do I just eat when it is time? Thanks for your help and advice. It is much appreciated!!!!!

 

[THEEGAME2544]

I guess what I really am asking for is... Will someone help me come up with a step by step meal guide that I can follow. I am really bad about picking the right foods to eat, especially now that I am weight training. I don't think that my average meals are cutting it. Plus I don't know how small these meals should be! And what times of day should I eat them? Do I wait till I am hungry to eat? or do I just eat when it is time? Thanks for your help and advice. It is much appreciated!!!!!

Few questions. Are you allergic to any foods? If so, which ones? And are you looking for a strict diet for weightloss for fast results? Or are you looking for a moderately well-rounded diet to lose the weight over a gradual period of time? Basically how good is your willpower, and do you have the willpower to eat the same diet plan day after day for several weeks? Or are you more of a person that needs variety in there diet? What previous diet plans have you tried? Were they successful or unsuccessful? These questions will help figure out which diet is for you.

 

[feisty1]

I can usually stick to the same foods day in and day out. I change it up a little bit but if I like the foods I am eating then I do stick with them. My diet mostly consists of raisin bran, eggs, hamburger patties, chicken breasts, fruit, and salad. I don't eat all those things in one day if thats what your thinking, but I do usually eat the raisin bran in the morning, some fruit in the mid day and some sort of protien at night, with more fruit as a dessert. Thats basically it.
Oh and I am not allergic to any foods, that I know of, but I don't handle a lot of butter or rich foods very well, they make me nauseated.

 

[androjunkie]

bump

 

[androjunkie]

I would show her how to diet but being as though I have an extremely high metabolism I have never had to, I know the basics but I am not advanced in the diet department. I recommended she join this site because there are people on this site that know a whole lot more about dieting than I do so I figured she can get a good meal plan from one of you. I consider myself to be pretty knowledgeable when it comes to chemical help or training but my gf really needs your help on this one because it is important to her to have a great body which translates to better self confidence and self esteem, I just want to see her happy. I know you all can relate to this because that is why most of us turn to the gym in the first place. Thank you for telling her that she needs to eat five to six times a day, she has started eating that way for the last two days. She needed to here it from someone else but me, and it worked.

 

[Barak]

Well according to my calculations you need around 1900 calories maintenance,assuming you are 25 since no age is posted, so you need a 500 calorie deficit per day max. and I would say with the increased exercise 300 would do great. Get a food counts book the one by Corinne Netzer is great and gives calories,fat,fiber,protein everything.Try to drop to 1600 calories no less keep your Protein at least 1gram per pound of Bodyweight which would be.125 grams that will be 500 calories giving you another 1100 to play with.Try to get the rest of these calories from Good fats,olive oil,flax oil, fish oil and good clean carb, mainly vegetables and fruits,lean heavy on the veggies, break your meals up into 4-6 meals a day at least one containg 15 grams or more protein and some fruit or carbs right after every workout, whey protein shakes are great for this,especially low carb fat free ones, helped me lose about 40 total lbs. of body fat to date(gained some back bulking) and I am cutting more so I can go from 15% current to 8% goal.try to have protein with at least 3 and preferably all of these meals.Count your calories,carbs protein religiously for a few days and repost and we can help tailor. the websites below will help until you get a food counts book.Keep a journal with you everywhere and write every thing you eat in it and correct portions.

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/
http://www.calorieking.com/

Be well

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Count your calories,carbs protein religiously for a few days and repost and we can help tailor. Keep a journal with you everywhere and write every thing you eat in it and correct portions.

Definately suggest this. If you come back with 2-3 days of EXACT and DETAILED food you ate, we can help tailor something for you. Additionally, put the TIMES you eat. And how food is cooked/prepared, amounts, don't forget your condiments and liquid calories too.

 

[Barak]

Definately suggest this. If you come back with 2-3 days of EXACT and DETAILED food you ate, we can help tailor something for you. Additionally, put the TIMES you eat. And how food is cooked/prepared, amounts, don't forget your condiments and liquid calories too.

Glad you chimed in. She needs you and the ladies help more, since guys get slightly different out of our diet and training.Long time no talk DG how's things?

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Didn't chime in sooner, cause you had it handled nicely. But you are right, it is good to get advice from the females.

Things okay....slowly getting back to normal life after being sick for almost a month. Let a severe cold go on too long, turned into a major sinus infection coupled with a double middle ear infection. Been quite miserable lately...and gettin' chubby...no gym and no dieting for almost 4 weeks now. Yikes.

 

[androjunkie]

I am 24 yrs old and she is 21. Thanks for the info, she is going to keep a journal for the next few days then come back and post the results. She and I both appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to help her.

 

[FitFossil]

Welcome! Everyone has given you great advice. I know it seems weird to eat more to lose fat, but it's true.

The purpose of your eating is to fuel your body for training. You've got to change your mindset. Think of yourself as an athlete in training, not a dieter. Having enough energy to train hard will get you the results - 'EAT like an athlete - TRAIN like an athlete -> LOOK like an athlete.

Here's a link to a great site. I especially like "part 4: ok, so what the hell am i supposed to eat?" for meal ideas. Go to: http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html It's under "Eating", "Dieting 101".

 

[THEEGAME2544]

Oh! I haven't checked this thread in a couple days......thanks for responding feisty, post up your charted journal when you get a chance and we can tailor a diet for you to follow