ExRx.net

I'm new to the whole diet and nutrition thing. I had lost 50 pounds when I was a young teen and going through college now I've gained 40 pounds and just started getting really serious again about exercising/lifting.

I'm trying to do the 5 small meals a day but I just seem to be not eating at all because I feel it will just keep me at my same weight or gain weight, so I just eat maybe a fruit in the morning and another fruit for dinner and drink a little water in between. What's the best solution to help jump start this weight loss?? I almost expect results real quick and that's why I get frustrated with eating.

first off, read the stickies we putup, especially the one on nutritional guidelines which has a link to Berardi's 7 habits. It's broad, and general, so it's fairly easy to follow, and very effective. Ironmaiden has a sticky up there with some tips as well. If you have any further questions, ask. Scond, don't get overanxious about dropping it off real quickly , a lb or 2 a week is fine and realistic. Those kids on the "Biggest Loser" lost phenomenal amounts of fat i a very short period, but for the average person that has a job, school, kids and DOESN"T have a personal trainer and 12 hours a day to work out, it's unrealistic.
Tim

I went from about 225 to 165lbs four years ago and have maintained it. Thinking about how I got there I now see that while I achieved my goal of losing weight I did it in the wrong way which was basically the way you are trying to go about it, starving yourself. There are many ways to lose weight and I'm no expert but I will give you my two cents.

Eat at least three times a day and make sure that every meal provides a good amount of protein and carbs while not packing in a ton of calories. You can do this by learning to cook for yourself and buying good food to cook with. Take a look at what your current diet consists of, if you eat a lot of processed stuff or drink lots of soda you will have to ween yourself off those things. Changing habits like eating aren't a night and day thing, accept the fact that you may crave certain things and feed those cravings even if they aren't good for you. The point is to slowly ween those things out of your diet replacing them with good stuff.

The problem with most people in my opinion is that the try to make a drastic lifestyle change too quickly and when the find the new lifestyle too hard to maintain they revert back to what was comfortable which is what made them fat. Also, don't by in to diet fads. Losing weight is going to be hard, if anyone tells you different they're lying. To sum up, make sure that you actually eat, not eating will make you retain weight, lose muscle, and ultimately lead to failure unless you have an ultra strong sense of delay of gratification. Also exercise and realize that losing weight will take time and that you may get disappointed every once in awhile but to some how find enjoyment in the journey.

Thanks for the reply, it's just been hard eating because I'm not too fond of lots of vegetables and I'm trying to change that now, I've just gone from 199-189 in roughly a week and a half and I can't tell if its strictly water weight or what not. I usually do cardio every morning for about 30-40 minutes then weight train later that night but in between am afraid of eating to put on those extra calories. The calorie calculator says I burn around 4,200 everyday (roughly) but I'm only eating like 800 a day IF that.But I am trying what you suggested and cook my own foods and the likes.

A little of everything, well more than 1/2 water weight, and some fat and muscle.


No, 5-6


No protein and fats, any concentration of carbs you want before and after exercising.

No, quote from my tips sticky:



I don't know what your basing that off of but you have your metabolism in a slump right now. Your diet by the sounds of it needs an overhaul. Give an example of what you typically eat throughout a day.

Typically as of recently, I'll wake up in the morning and eat a banana and drink a little bit of water.

2-3 hours later a couple wheat thins or fruits like strawberries and pineapple or orange

then 2-3 hours later I'll eat a small salad or just some rice cakes and that'll be all. Then I'll have a protein shake before and after the gym.

I guess the problem is I've never really dieted like I should and gained weight very quickly with binge eating but now I've lowered my cravings. I still just have a mentality that eating something will put the weight on. I will weigh myself almost 3-4 times a day which is probably unhealthy. I've looked at how I should eat, eating meals and having Chicken breast and such, I guess I expect the weight to come off right away and if I don't see a pound come off a day I get discouraged. Any help?

From what you just wrote, rice cakes, bananas, wheat thins, all wrong. Read the berardi 7 habits article. Lean protein, lots of veg, keep a lid on the fruit, but use it, some starch, and stay away from the processed wheat thinsand rice cake. Weigh yourself MAYBE once a week , same time of day, same day to try and keep things constant. Keep to non-caloric beverages. Use good fats, and read through the stickies. Get your calorie up to at least 1400 and closer to 16-1800. Your shutting down your metabolism
Tim

I do that same thing.

That is a terrible diet plan you have right now. All of it is carbs. the protein before and after exercising is ok though. Educate yourself through the stickies and then ask some more questions.

I read a couple of the tips and sorry for the continuing questions but...

- eating 5 to 6 meals a day, should I include a protein shake as one of those meals and what should I eat based on those meals.

- I normally go to the gym twice a day but when i weight train I'm not sure if I am working myself enough or too much because I work the same muscles every otherday.

I lost 10 pounds this past week but i'm pretty sure it was all water weight or muscle and my goal is to just lose 30-40 pounds but still lift and have mym uscles toned.

Also I know alcohol is bad for any diet but I'm in college and it would work well if i could drink.

If you are not willing to give up alcohol and maybe have maybe 1-2 beers a week then why bother dieting. All beer is, is carbs and alcohol 4 kcal per gram of carbs, 7 kcal per gram of alcohol. Maybe the other guys on here have different opinions but I don't recommend it.


Have protein shake with water and maybe a little bit of nuts.

You've already aked about the % of water weight out of that 10 lbs you've lost, and were already answered. It was a good answer, and considering most of us here don't have crystal balls or telepathy, I'd go with it and not worry about it.

As to the drinking/college thing. Well, I happen to agree with Ironmaiden, however, in my younger and dumber days, I did it, but set certain guidelines. I limited it to a half pint of some hard stuff on "party night", either Sat or Fri, one or the other, never both. Mixed it w/diet soda or water over ice. I used it in conjunction with a low carb diet (not Atkins, pretty much what I've already posted) and lost 35 lbs in about 3 months. I got away with it, but you're certainly not going to get away with a lot more than that.
Tim