Seeking to improve diet and exercise routine

[jiykoth]

Seeking to improve diet and exercise routine

 

I’ve lurked in the shadows on this site from time to time, and read through a lot of the suggestions in many areas, including this particular sub-forum.

 

I’ve managed to keep to this diet/exercise routine for a week, and haven’t observed any weight loss, and I suspect it may be because I’m developing muscle? I've been on a healthy diet for about a month.

 

I’m 30 years old, 6’1” and 250 lbs. My goal is to lose weight...maybe develop muscle after (and trying not to lose any during).

 

My diet has consisted of variants of the following:

 

6:30am - Apple & Banana OR Bacon (4 thick-cut) & Eggs (3)

10:00am - Fruit (usually orange)

12:00pm - Large Spinach Salad (w/ other veggies) and small portion of meat (fish or chicken)

3:00pm - Fruit (usually orange)

9:00pm - 2 Servings of steamed vegetables w/ ½ tablespoon butter. Small salad w/ dressing & grated cheese, small cup of fruit, 2 buttered pieces of bread, 10 thin slices of salami (maybe 2.5 oz) and slices of cheese (maybe 4 oz). Oh, and a glass of wine.

 

I usually have some sort of ranch dressing w/ my salad.

 

Lots of water & coffee throughout the day, no soda, juice, candy etc (except for a piece of gum here and there).

 

Workout routine (I hate lifting weights, but love cardio...but been doing some weights anyways)

 

weekdays: in the evenings roughly an hour on elliptical and 20-30 min. doing weights. Sometimes a 45 min. elliptical workout in the morning before work.

 

weekends: riding bicycle 15 miles

 

I’ve been wondering if bacon is a bad idea in the mornings, and I feel guilty eating bread in the evenings. Also not sure if drinking a glass of wine in the evenings is something to consider dropping from diet.

 

I’m also considering doing a 24-hour fast twice a week.

 

Looking forward to suggestions!

[USMCHokie]

Workout routine (I hate lifting weights, but love cardio...but been doing some weights anyways)

 

This is all I needed to see...you will NOT see the results you are looking for with cardio...and as long as you continue with your current program, you won't see progress...

 

My recommendation is to replace all cardio with HEAVY weight training and high intensity interval training (HIIT). Yes, I said it, you need to remove all cardio.

 

As far as diet, ditch the fatty meats (i.e., bacon and salami)...and then wait for tman to type out a real response.

[jiykoth]

Thanks for the response USMCHokie; I was afraid of that (needing to do heavy weight training instead of cardio).

 

Can't I still get some benefit from doing the "weight loss" setting on the elliptical machines at the gym? Since for my height I'm considered obese, shouldn't that be beneficial? It's something I actually enjoy doing. I'm afraid if I decide to do weights only, then I'll lose motivation to go to the gym at all.

 

I guess I may need to learn how to do weight training correctly - I think that may be why I don't like it so much...it just doesn't seem as satisfying to me as endurance exercise through cycling, running etc.

 

I'm admittedly an idiot when it comes to weight-lifting...I usually pick a level at which I can easily do 12 times, then come back to it later for another 12. Is it better to lift weights slowly or somewhat quicker?

 

Perhaps I should see if a trainer would be available at my gym?

 

I won't mind cutting the bacon/salami from my diet - that's easy enough.

 

And what about doing a 24 hour fast twice/week?

 

Is a bad for weight loss if I'm drinking a glass of wine in the evenings?

[lordWilhelm]

I agree with USMCHokie... doing only cardio is not a good idea, although you like it so I'd still keep the exercises you like for example ellipticals and bicycling. I would introduce weights and some sort of interval training. You could look at how P90 and P90x are structured if you don't want to pay the money to get them per se.

 

You need to do a bit of calorie counting with your diet below. I'm not sure exactly what's your total figure. Aim for 1500 calories, and when you do that you won't be able to take any empty calories at all to fulfill your nutrient requirements. A glass of wine might be okay, it's only ~100 calories but make sure it's within your budget -- I recommend that you maybe cut it down to a glass a week.

 

Bacon is high-fat, I'd only do that once a week. Maybe substitute with a small cup of skim milk & low-sugar cereal (like Cheerios). Also oatmeal is great for breakfast. As for Bread & butter -- I hope you're using whole grain bread, don't use white bread and instead of butter use a little bit of jam or peanut butter, or if you're making a sandwich use mustard. Cold cuts and especially salami are not the healthiest meats, go instead with chicken breast and turkey.

 

It's good you're eating salads, but be careful with the ranch dressing -- use only a little bit or you might negate the salad. Try and see if you like olive oil instead or balsamic vinaigrette as they're a lot lower in fat, but I do understand you -- I also prefer ranch, but only put a very small amount (I find it helps to physically shake the salad in a closed container with the dressing so it evens itself out).

 

One thing that jumped at me. When do you go to bed? Your dinner at 9 pm is pretty late -- try to not eat anything three hours prior to going to bed. This way you have low blood sugar while you sleep and your body will use fat for energy.

 

I don't know about fasting, and especially twice a week that's a lot. If you exercise you'll be out of energy. On days I don't eat, I find myself dying of hunger and overeating after that, so my personal recommendation would be to not do that.

Edited June 20, 2011 by lordWilhelm

[jiykoth]

LordWilhelm - thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

I have been doing about 20-30 minutes of weight training, but starting tomorrow I'm going to start increasing that. And thanks for pointing out the P90 / P90X - had no idea what it was so learned a bit doing some Googleing.

 

For my height/weight/age, my daily calories needed is:

 

BMR: 2346 x 1.55 (Moderately active) = 3637

 

It's been my understanding that for effective weight-loss, I should aim for cutting 500 calories, thus 3,137? It seems that the diet I've been on is closer to 2,500. Should I really be aiming for 1,500?

 

And yeah, just been white bread with butter.

 

I love ranch dressing, but I do believe I could get by with some balsamic variety instead.

 

As for going to bed late - it's because I head to the gym after work, then drive home, and then eat after showering - just happens to be 9:00 at night that I'm finally able to eat. I also don't go to bed till about 12:00 so I suppose it should be alright.

 

I had heard that it's best to not eat before going to bed, and also that you shouldn't eat a large meal at the end of the day, but from reading some of Leangains' blog seems to suggest otherwise.

 

And yeah, don't think I'll be able to do the fasting thing...especially w/ exercising. At the most, I could probably get by with a fruit/veggie day. I like fruits and vegetables so that makes it easy.

 

I think I can easily give up wine, white bread, ranch dressing, and butter - but will I need to eat more of other stuff to make up for a calorie deficit? Or if it's within the calorie budget - can I just eat that stuff anyways?

[USMCHokie]

Can't I still get some benefit from doing the "weight loss" setting on the elliptical machines at the gym? Since for my height I'm considered obese, shouldn't that be beneficial? It's something I actually enjoy doing. I'm afraid if I decide to do weights only, then I'll lose motivation to go to the gym at all.

 

You might get some benefit, but it's terribly inefficient and you won't notice any significant progress. You probably enjoy it because it's relatively easy.

 

I guess I may need to learn how to do weight training correctly - I think that may be why I don't like it so much...it just doesn't seem as satisfying to me as endurance exercise through cycling, running etc.

 

This is certainly a possibility. If you do it correctly, you will feel satisfied at the end of your workout.

 

I'm admittedly an idiot when it comes to weight-lifting...I usually pick a level at which I can easily do 12 times, then come back to it later for another 12. Is it better to lift weights slowly or somewhat quicker?

 

General "rule" is to lift the weight as explosively as possible, as power is a measure of movement over time...shorter time = more power...

 

The reason you don't notice any improvement with your weight training is that you stay within an easy comfort zone...results require you to break out of that comfort zone and challenge your mind and your body...that is, it's gonna hurt...

 

Lifting a weight easily 12 times = not lifting the weight at all.

 

Perhaps I should see if a trainer would be available at my gym?

 

A good idea.

 

And what about doing a 24 hour fast twice/week?

 

Not a fan of the fasting. Bro-science hard at work there...

 

Is a bad for weight loss if I'm drinking a glass of wine in the evenings?

 

No.

 

I had heard that it's best to not eat before going to bed, and also that you shouldn't eat a large meal at the end of the day, but from reading some of Leangains' blog seems to suggest otherwise.

 

It doesn't matter. At your level, it won't make any appreciable difference. Even for me, it's not going to matter. Just more bro-science.

[SmileFace]

Can't I still get some benefit from doing the "weight loss" setting on the elliptical machines at the gym? Since for my height I'm considered obese, shouldn't that be beneficial? It's something I actually enjoy doing. I'm afraid if I decide to do weights only, then I'll lose motivation to go to the gym at all.

 

No such thing as "weight loss" setting. Yes, the machines say this but you can label anything you want. When I was losing my weight, I didn't start lifting until I was under 200. I still did cardio and it worked for my first 100 pounds but I was terriblly out of shape and on my way to being skinny fat. I wish I started lifting earlier. If you don't want to start lifting now you should atleast be doing some core exercises. Planks,sides planks, foam roller exercises ,etc..

 

I guess I may need to learn how to do weight training correctly - I think that may be why I don't like it so much...it just doesn't seem as satisfying to me as endurance exercise through cycling, running etc.

 

When I started in the gym I was addicted to cardio. It seemed like what worked best but I stopped seeing results. My body grew use to it and I was becoming bored. I am pretty sure if you get your self a good work out you can too enjoy lifting. I reccomend "New rules of lifting for Abs" to learn about some more about exercises and lifting skills.

 

I'm admittedly an idiot when it comes to weight-lifting...I usually pick a level at which I can easily do 12 times, then come back to it later for another 12. Is it better to lift weights slowly or somewhat quicker?

 

I think you should take your time when it comes to lifting ,it is impotant to rest between. I lift heavier and do less reps. If I set a goal to 12 reps and not completed wasted after that set. It means I need to add more weight.

 

Perhaps I should see if a trainer would be available at my gym?

 

I don't use a trainer but I take advantage of my gym and always ask to be shown new exercises so I am practicing proper form.

I won't mind cutting the bacon/salami from my diet - that's easy enough.

 

I thnk your diet needs more protein

 

 

Is a bad for weight loss if I'm drinking a glass of wine in the evenings?

 

Yes it is bad but it won't kill you. As long as the calories fit your macros. You should calculate your BMR and subtract 500 calories from that and that should help your weight lose. You need to eat to lose weight.

 

I lift 3 days a week. I do not seperate my work outs by body parts. I do full body exercises. Before each of my workouts, I warm up - do some foam roll exercises. Then I lift . After lifting I do some form of HIIT and then I stretch.

 

On my day offs I usually do plyo or pilates. When I can't do those I do a set of burpees.

10 burpees

rest(run in place)

7 burpees

rest (run in place)

5 burpees

rest (run in place)

5 burpees

Lay on the floor and pass out..lol

 

GOOD LUCK!

[josie54]

I agree with USMCHokie that you're probably being too easy on yourself at the gym. You won't get the results you're looking for on the "weight loss" setting, which I always find to be laughable. If you can carry on a converation easily while you're exercising, you're not exercising for weight loss.

 

What you've been doing up to now, it seems to me, is exercising for health. That's great. Never stop exercising your health!

 

BUT if you want to lose weight, you need to both amp up your strength training AND your cardio. Look at the effort you expend and rate it from a 1 to a 10. 1 is resting, and 5 is breathing harder but you can still carry on a conversation. At 8, you should no longer be able to hold a conversation because you're breathing so hard, and 10 is that you're about to burst a lung.

 

My guess is that you've been exercising at a 4 or a 5, which isn't where you want to be. I think interval training is a GREAT idea, where you exercise for, say, 30 minutes. The first five minutes, you should be at a 3 to a 5--this is the warm-up. Then the next one or two minutes, you amp that up to a 7 or 8. Then the next one or two minutes, down to a 5. Continue that cycle until you've done about 20 minutes or so. Then try to do 1 minute at a 9 (that's the tough one!). Then 4 minutes or so back to a 3 to 5 for cool-down.

 

Those higher-energy bursts are ramping up your metabolism and promoting weight loss. If you interval train a few times a week and weight train at a higher level than you've been doing for a few times a week, and make the diet changes you've already discussed (losing the white bread, butter, and ranch dressing) you will lose weight.

 

Also, in addition to intervals, I would do at least one regular cardio session a week, in which you exercise consistently at a 7 or so, between your warm up and cool down.

 

And don't try to replace those calories! The calorie deficit is what you want. Plus, you'll be replacing the white bread with WHOLE wheat (not just "wheat," which is just white bread with a few wheat grains thrown in), so that's not saving any calories--it's just healthier. If you replace the butter with peanut butter, same thing. Just healthier, but no calorie deficit. But if cut out the bacon (or even just switch to turkey bacon instead), you'll lose 300 calories or so, and if you swap dressing, you'll probably be saving 100-200 calories, depending on how much you use, which is a great thing. If you can reduce your daily intake by 500-750 calories a day, that would be great.

[jiykoth]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply SmileFace, and everyone else. Lot's of great information - pretty incredible contributors here.

 

For tonight's workout (and the rest of the week) I will be replacing my cardio with heavy weight-training and HIIT. Wish me luck!

 

This past weekend I managed to ride 52 miles via bicycle on trails at a nearby lake. I figure it will be a good "break" from doing weights at the gym all week.

 

I think I'm too self-conscience to break-out doing burpees at the gym. =P

 

I could attend a weekly MIA (some sort of aerobics), Yoga or Spin Class bi-weekly. Any of those recommended?

 

Another question I've had is if I should take any sort of supplements before/during/after workouts such as protein etc., or even daily vitamins

[Chocolat]

Seeking to improve diet and exercise routine

 

I’m 30 years old, 6’1” and 250 lbs. My goal is to lose weight...maybe develop muscle after (and trying not to lose any during).

 

My diet has consisted of variants of the following:

 

6:30am - Apple & Banana OR Bacon (4 thick-cut) & Eggs (3)

10:00am - Fruit (usually orange)

12:00pm - Large Spinach Salad (w/ other veggies) and small portion of meat (fish or chicken)

3:00pm - Fruit (usually orange)

9:00pm - 2 Servings of steamed vegetables w/ ½ tablespoon butter. Small salad w/ dressing & grated cheese, small cup of fruit, 2 buttered pieces of bread, 10 thin slices of salami (maybe 2.5 oz) and slices of cheese (maybe 4 oz). Oh, and a glass of wine.

 

I usually have some sort of ranch dressing w/ my salad.

 

Lots of water & coffee throughout the day, no soda, juice, candy etc (except for a piece of gum here and there).

 

 

Putting aside the benefits of weight lifting for the moment, I see a problem in what you've posted for as your typical diet. Although I am not a fan of the processed meats you seem to favor, I nonetheless don't see enough calories here to justify a weight of 250 at 6'1", especially considering that you aren't packing any muscle. Either you have some sort of disorder (thyroid, pre-diabetes) OR you are not correctly estimating portions OR you have not listed everything you eat. If it's #1, get to a doctor for a work-up. If #2 or #3, use something like ww.fitday.com to track everything you eat for a week so you can gain a true understanding of your caloric intake. This will involve weighing/measuring your food. Once you know exactly how many calories you need to maintain your current weight (what you're currently consuming) you can then cut back by no more than 20%. This will give you a slow weight loss that is more likely to result in fat loss than muscle loss.

 

While you're doing that, I'd recommend swaping most of the fruit for green veggies and ditching the processed meats for things like fresh fish and/or chicken breast. Make sure to include protein at each meal and use complex carb sources (whole grains, beans and legumes) rather than simple carbs. Have wine as a weekly treat rather than every night beverage.

[tman666]

There have been a lot of very informative and well thought out responses to this thread so far. I honestly do not have too much to add, other than to back up what others have said about the need for progressive, heavy resistance training and the need to re-check your diet.

 

After you get your caloric intake needs more nailed down, a strategy that's fairly easy to employ is carbohydrate cycling. There are many ways to do this, but I feel the most simple way is to have your "high carb, low fat" days on your weight training days and your "moderate fat, low carb" days on your rest or non-weight training days. Try to time the majority of your carbohydrate intake to be concentrated around your workouts, especially after training. Protein is kept constant on each day. A good rule of thumb when determining your caloric requirements is to think to yourself "have I/or am I going to do enough activity to day to warrant these calories"?

 

As far as food choices go, high bulk foods such as broccoli and spinach are a great way to feel full without adding a ton of calories. You can practically eat these foods ad-libitum due to them being so low in caloric density and so high in nutrients. Keep in mind that the more you add to them (cheese, cream, etc.) the less true this is...

 

For protein choices, I would also recommend ditching the fatty meats such as sausage, salami, and bacon. While delicious and all kinds of awesome, you should only be having these as a special treat. The fat to protein ratio in these meats, along with the high salt content, makes foods such as this not a viable choice for getting in your protein requirements. Instead, choose lean cuts of meat such as pork loins, chicken, lean beef, and fish. Rub/seasoning/marinade for these foods is your friend.

 

For carbohydrate sources, I would definitely cut out all bread and try to get the majority of your carbs from veggies and fruit. I personally love sweet potatoes as well, but you have to be able to not go overboard with quantity.

 

As others have said, you need to be training hard to get noticeable results. I would caution you, however, that jumping too fast into high intensity training could lead to injury or lack of motivation. Guidance from a qualified trainer would be a plus in learning the ropes. Don't be afraid to ask others questions in the gym as well (in between sets, of course).

[tman666]

Also, not to threadjack, but Hokie, how exactly is the LeanGains IF method "bro-science"?

 

It seems to me that Martin Berkhan does a pretty good job of supporting his assertions with both scientific and anecdotal evidence...

[josie54]

to ride 52 miles via bicycle on trails at a nearby lake. I figure it will be a good "break" from doing weights at the gym all week.

 

I think I'm too self-conscience to break-out doing burpees at the gym. =P

 

I could attend a weekly MIA (some sort of aerobics), Yoga or Spin Class bi-weekly. Any of those recommended?

 

Another question I've had is if I should take any sort of supplements before/during/after workouts such as protein etc., or even daily vitamins

 

Yoga and spin classes are both great--yoga for flexibility and spin classes for conditioning. However, since you already are an outdoor cyclist, you might feel that adding spinning to your exercise routine to be too much of a good thing. That would be your choice.

 

I agree with many of those here who suggested that you hire a personal trainer short-term to help you develop a workout routine that suits your current body condition and your ultimate goals. A nutritionist (or even a book on healthy eating for weight loss like "Eat This, Not That") could also help you meet your goals.

 

Daily vitamins are great, but you kind of need to customize that to your needs. I take a multi, D3, fish oil, and a B-complex vitamin because I need the iron in the multi (for anemia), the D3 for a D vitamin deficiency, the B-complex for fatigue, and fish oil for general health. You'll need a completely different "cocktail."

 

I'm not a big fan of any supplement that sounds too "out there"--those who are more serious about weight lifting may have different advice. But a protein shake after a workout is a great way to get your protein and recover from the workout. Just be sure to not add it to your daily calorie intake. You should only have it if it fits your calorie budget.

 

Last suggestion: Do you subscribe to any health-oriented magazines? A publication like "Men's Health" might offer you the pointers you're looking for on a monthly basis.

[lordWilhelm]

LordWilhelm - thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

I have been doing about 20-30 minutes of weight training, but starting tomorrow I'm going to start increasing that. And thanks for pointing out the P90 / P90X - had no idea what it was so learned a bit doing some Googleing.

 

For my height/weight/age, my daily calories needed is:

 

BMR: 2346 x 1.55 (Moderately active) = 3637

 

It's been my understanding that for effective weight-loss, I should aim for cutting 500 calories, thus 3,137? It seems that the diet I've been on is closer to 2,500. Should I really be aiming for 1,500?

 

 

Sorry, I missed your weight/height info and I was working with a standard 2,000 calorie budget. It is true that at your body frame you need more calories and 1,500 is probably too low. BUT, I would note that you are not getting results on your current exercise/diet program, and keep in mind that even without exercising too much, if you have a calorie deficit in your diet you should be losing weight and the fact that you're not seeing that happen suggests to me you're either overestimating your calorie needs or underestimating your intake. It's a lot easier to get it wrong when you're talking about a 500 calorie deficit at a 3,000 calories/day diet then with a 500 calorie deficit at a 1,500 calories/day diet. So keeping that in mind, and given you're not getting results right now, I would aim for a 1,000 calorie deficit -- so go for 2,500 calories/day.

 

Where exercise comes into play is ensuring that your weight loss is sustainable and long-term. It ensures that you lose mostly fat, and you rebuild your muscle -- this is why adding weight training is important.

 

By the way, congrats on that 52 mile bicycle trip. Keep that kind of cardio up, just make sure you do some weight training and interval training at the gym.

 

I think I can easily give up wine, white bread, ranch dressing, and butter - but will I need to eat more of other stuff to make up for a calorie deficit? Or if it's within the calorie budget - can I just eat that stuff anyways?

 

As mentioned before, I think you need to create a larger calorie deficit. I'd suggest ditching them almost entirely -- have them rarely, like once a week or less.

 

I also agree that you need to eat a higher proportion of protein in your diet especially if you take up weight training. Greek yogurt (for example Fage, Chobani), skim milk, skinless chicken breast, turkey, tofu are good protein sources so try to eat these instead of bacon and deli meats.

 

p.s. can you run through your breakdown of your diet by calories? I'm also puzzled as to how you get 3,000 calories in there. It seems a lot less to me, unless you're going for seconds or very large portions.

[USMCHokie]

Also, not to threadjack, but Hokie, how exactly is the LeanGains IF method "bro-science"?

 

It seems to me that Martin Berkhan does a pretty good job of supporting his assertions with both scientific and anecdotal evidence...

 

I checked out Mr. Berkhan's website describing his LeanGains system, and after briefly skimming through some of the basic articles, I tentatively conclude that his whole system revolves around simply skipping breakfast...perhaps I will look into it further...I actually have a very good friend that I work with who does this intermittent fasting...might have to talk to him some more about it...looks interesting...

 

But as you and I have identified many times before, nutrition and training "systems" really do not provide a significant advantage over a good understanding of the basics of nutrition and fitness...I would venture to say that a system like LeanGains will be much more effective for someone with 10% body fat who is looking to get down to 6-8%...the beginner or someone who is currently overweight will be better off learning and instilling good nutrition habits that will last him a lifetime rather than the latest and greatest "system"...

 

I tend to use the term 'bro-science' very liberally... :laugh:

[tman666]

I checked out Mr. Berkhan's website describing his LeanGains system, and after briefly skimming through some of the basic articles, I tentatively conclude that his whole system revolves around simply skipping breakfast...perhaps I will look into it further...I actually have a very good friend that I work with who does this intermittent fasting...might have to talk to him some more about it...looks interesting...

 

But as you and I have identified many times before, nutrition and training "systems" really do not provide a significant advantage over a good understanding of the basics of nutrition and fitness...I would venture to say that a system like LeanGains will be much more effective for someone with 10% body fat who is looking to get down to 6-8%...the beginner or someone who is currently overweight will be better off learning and instilling good nutrition habits that will last him a lifetime rather than the latest and greatest "system"...

 

I tend to use the term 'bro-science' very liberally... :laugh:

 

Thanks for the clarification. I agree 100 percent with what you said. Leangains while eating crap and training like crap will yield crap results.

 

That being said, I have been using a 16/8 Leangains style fast (that's really all it is, he doesn't too give much in the way of nutritional guidelines beyond the bare bones basics of nutrient timing) for the last 5 months or so, and I've dropped bodyfat while making significant poundage increases on all of my lifts. While I do not think it's for everyone, nor do I think it's necessarily "better" than traditional bodybuilding dieting style, it has definitely helped me so far. The big draw for me was freedom from feeling like I had to be eating every 2-3 hours.

 

As for the OP, Leangains is probably not for him. You hit the nail on the head when saying that good nutritional habits are a large part of what drives success in this game. It might be a tool for him to keep around in the future after he's been training hard and eating better for a while (as in several years), but it's not a magic solution by any means.

[Chocolat]

Re: Leangains. I also want to add that the OP initially suggested 2 24-hour fasts per week, which is very different from what LG recommends.

 

My take on LG is not that it is fasting, per se (although I realise this is the lingo he uses) so much as timed eating. When I read it (thanks for the initial link, tman!), I realised that I already follow the program he lays out for women (14/10) naturally. I did the eat-every-2/3-hours thing when I first started working out and that was a job in itself!

[tman666]

Re: Leangains. I also want to add that the OP initially suggested 2 24-hour fasts per week, which is very different from what LG recommends.

 

My take on LG is not that it is fasting, per se (although I realise this is the lingo he uses) so much as timed eating. When I read it (thanks for the initial link, tman!), I realised that I already follow the program he lays out for women (14/10) naturally. I did the eat-every-2/3-hours thing when I first started working out and that was a job in itself!

 

I know some very jacked and strong guys who eat every 2-3 hrs per day. It fits in with their lifestyle. I would certainly never say that LG is better or worse than the traditional bodybuilding style of eating. It comes down to what works best for the individual. For me, LG works with what I'm doing right now. I certainly would have no problem switching back to eating every 2-3 hrs if I felt that I would be getting superior results or if events/jobs/etc. in my life warranted such a change.

[USMCHokie]

I know some very jacked and strong guys who eat every 2-3 hrs per day. It fits in with their lifestyle. I would certainly never say that LG is better or worse than the traditional bodybuilding style of eating. It comes down to what works best for the individual. For me, LG works with what I'm doing right now. I certainly would have no problem switching back to eating every 2-3 hrs if I felt that I would be getting superior results or if events/jobs/etc. in my life warranted such a change.

 

Hokie hungry = Hokie eat.

[tman666]

Hokie hungry = Hokie eat.

 

It's interesting that you mention that... One of my buddies asked me a while ago "so how's starving yourself going?" It was kind of funny how from his view, my "diet" consisted of simply starving myself, even though I'm eating puh-lenty of food.

 

I actually don't get very hungry in the mornings now. The first couple of days were a test of my patience, but I was pretty amazed at how fast my body adapted to not eating in the morning. I've so far experienced no ill-effects on my mental performance or athletic performance during the fasting period, even though I do generally train in the evenings (fed) due to my work schedule.

[jiykoth]

Yesterday marked my 9th day of working out, and I've taken many of your cumulative suggestions to heart. Love the term 'bro-science' btw.

 

I'm removing butter, bread, wine, salad dressing, bacon and salami from my diet completely. Additionally, I'll be eating more green vegetables throughout the day instead of just fruit (figuring broccoli and snap peas).

 

Last night my workout routine consisted of a 5-minute cardio warmup, 35 minutes of weights, and ending with about 12 minutes of HIIT.

 

Wasn't trying to fit everything into an hour - it just worked out that way. Would have liked to go longer with the HIIT but didn't want to push it (also I was pretty worn-out).

 

For weights I did upper body, 7 different exercises, 2 sets of roughly 12 reps each, (making sure to pick weight-amounts that were extremely challenging).

 

For simplicity's sake I figured I could alternate upper/lower body exercises each day.

 

I invested in an accurate scale about two weeks ago, but I'm just going to weigh myself once a week to monitor weight loss progress. I'll let you know where I'm at on Sunday.

 

For protein I've been eating 3 eggs in the morning, and maybe 4 oz. chicken-breast with my lunch/dinner salads.

 

As for calorie intake, I have not been eating large portions or neglecting to mention anything.

 

I would guestimate my intake to be roughly 2k - to be honest I haven't been too concerned with exact calorie count - just enough to know that I'm not starving myself (or even hungry) and that I'm well below BMR especially when accounting for activity levels.

 

For what it's worth, my salads consist of lettuce, skittles, m&m's, jelly-bellys, marshmallows and chocolate syrup. Just kidding. They are actually spinach, carrots, tomatoes, radishes, snap peas and mushrooms.

 

I do receive a copy of Men's Health...but don't really read it nor do I plan to.

 

For what I'm trying to accomplish, are eggs a good choice for my mornings?

 

Also, is cheese an alright choice in the evenings?

 

I've definitely no interest in doing a 24-hour fast anymore...don't want to stunt my metabolism or starve myself especially if I'm active.

 

I've considered picking up an assortment of nuts and portioning about 8oz to snack on throughout the day (I sit at a computer 9 hours/day) - is this a good idea? Not because I'm hungry...just wondering if it would be a good source of extra protein and something to keep "the oven burning". I've been eating a portion of fruit a couple hours before/after lunch as well (planning to switch to green vegetables next time I go grocery shopping)

[USMCHokie]

It's interesting that you mention that... One of my buddies asked me a while ago "so how's starving yourself going?" It was kind of funny how from his view, my "diet" consisted of simply starving myself, even though I'm eating puh-lenty of food.

 

I actually don't get very hungry in the mornings now. The first couple of days were a test of my patience, but I was pretty amazed at how fast my body adapted to not eating in the morning. I've so far experienced no ill-effects on my mental performance or athletic performance during the fasting period, even though I do generally train in the evenings (fed) due to my work schedule.

 

I actually talked with my buddy this morning about LG, and it was quite enlightening. Though I'm not completely sold, I was intrigued enough to give it a whirl (at least the time-shifted diet portion)...luckily, my freakish chinaman genetics allow me to see the fruits of my labors much more rapidly than most...so we'll see how it goes...this might be what I'd need to get even more ludicrously unfattened...and I also train almost exclusively in the evenings, so this should work...

 

However, we both felt that the training portion of his program left a bit to be desired...

[tman666]

I actually talked with my buddy this morning about LG, and it was quite enlightening. Though I'm not completely sold, I was intrigued enough to give it a whirl (at least the time-shifted diet portion)...luckily, my freakish chinaman genetics allow me to see the fruits of my labors much more rapidly than most...so we'll see how it goes...this might be what I'd need to get even more ludicrously unfattened...and I also train almost exclusively in the evenings, so this should work...

 

However, we both felt that the training portion of his program left a bit to be desired...

 

There's a training portion?? From everything I've read, he basically just says "lift heavy things". I didn't change my training one iota from before LG when I switched over. If you've heard differently, please let me know.

 

LOL at "freakish chinaman genetics".

[tman666]

Yesterday marked my 9th day of working out, and I've taken many of your cumulative suggestions to heart. Love the term 'bro-science' btw.

 

I'm removing butter, bread, wine, salad dressing, bacon and salami from my diet completely. Additionally, I'll be eating more green vegetables throughout the day instead of just fruit (figuring broccoli and snap peas).

 

Last night my workout routine consisted of a 5-minute cardio warmup, 35 minutes of weights, and ending with about 12 minutes of HIIT.

 

Wasn't trying to fit everything into an hour - it just worked out that way. Would have liked to go longer with the HIIT but didn't want to push it (also I was pretty worn-out).

 

For weights I did upper body, 7 different exercises, 2 sets of roughly 12 reps each, (making sure to pick weight-amounts that were extremely challenging).

 

For simplicity's sake I figured I could alternate upper/lower body exercises each day.

 

I invested in an accurate scale about two weeks ago, but I'm just going to weigh myself once a week to monitor weight loss progress. I'll let you know where I'm at on Sunday.

 

For protein I've been eating 3 eggs in the morning, and maybe 4 oz. chicken-breast with my lunch/dinner salads.

 

As for calorie intake, I have not been eating large portions or neglecting to mention anything.

 

I would guestimate my intake to be roughly 2k - to be honest I haven't been too concerned with exact calorie count - just enough to know that I'm not starving myself (or even hungry) and that I'm well below BMR especially when accounting for activity levels.

 

For what it's worth, my salads consist of lettuce, skittles, m&m's, jelly-bellys, marshmallows and chocolate syrup. Just kidding. They are actually spinach, carrots, tomatoes, radishes, snap peas and mushrooms.

 

I do receive a copy of Men's Health...but don't really read it nor do I plan to.

 

For what I'm trying to accomplish, are eggs a good choice for my mornings?

 

Also, is cheese an alright choice in the evenings?

 

I've definitely no interest in doing a 24-hour fast anymore...don't want to stunt my metabolism or starve myself especially if I'm active.

 

I've considered picking up an assortment of nuts and portioning about 8oz to snack on throughout the day (I sit at a computer 9 hours/day) - is this a good idea? Not because I'm hungry...just wondering if it would be a good source of extra protein and something to keep "the oven burning". I've been eating a portion of fruit a couple hours before/after lunch as well (planning to switch to green vegetables next time I go grocery shopping)

 

I skimmed over your post and saw "m&m's, jelly bellys, and chocolate syrup" and almost had a coronary. Good thing I re-read that.

 

Personally, I would not use cheese as a primary source of protein. The fat content (and thus the calorie content) is much too high in most cheeses. Cheese should be used sparingly for flavoring purposes only, in my opinion.

 

Choose protein sources from the following: eggs, chicken breasts, lean beef cuts, lean pork cuts, lean ground means (no greater than 15 percent fat), fish, greek yogurt (not the sweetened stuff), and cottage cheese. You can make an awful lot of combinations with that stuff. For example: lean ground beef cooked up into taco meat (use chili powder and minced garlic, not that pre-mixed salty crap you can buy), mixed with lettuce, salsa, with avocado slices and a dollop of plain, nonfat greek yogurt on top instead of sour cream: Low carb, high protein, moderate fat Mexican food!

 

I would personally ditch the nuts. Most nuts are very high in fat, which for a person trying to lose weight, could be a good way to sabotage your efforts. While they do contain some protein, the high fat content makes them not as desirable. A handful of almonds once a day is fine, but snacking on nuts is a good way to add a ton of calories in a hurry. Adding more protein to your diet will help you resist the urge to snack.

 

Please don't take my advice as "don't eat fat". Fats are essential for all kinds of things in your body. However, you need to be cognizant of the high caloric density of fats, as well as timing them. As I think I mentioned earlier, try to time your carbohydrate intake around workouts, and use fats during times that you aren't close to a workout.

 

You also mentioned that you don't keep track of calories. You might be surprised at how many you're taking in. It would be wise of you to track your caloric intake very carefully for a week or two to get a true sense of your intake.

[jiykoth]

240 - eggs (3 x 80)

90 - medium orange (2 x 45)

75 - large mixed salad

150 - 5 oz Chicken Breast (2 x 75)

30 - peach

72 - banana

55 - apple

30 - small mixed salad

130 - steamed vegetable (2 x 65)

--------------------------

872 - Total Base Daily Diet (Calories)

 

Perhaps I should be eating more than this? I feel plenty full eating this much...are my numbers off?

 

Occasionally I'll eat some extra fruit or maybe some baby carrots...never more than 3 portions worth though - 150 extra calories tops.

 

This is what my base diet has been (last 10 days), minus the bacon, bread, cheese, salami, wine, butter etc (an extra 1000 calories maybe?)