Need help with my diet

[yak]

Here is what fitday says my diet is like
http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=listener48

Monday
source grams cals %total
Total: 1696
Fat: 90 814 50%
Sat: 31 280 17%
Poly: 13 113 7%
Mono: 38 340 21%
Carbs: 143 466 29%
Fiber: 26 0 0%
Protein: 89 356 22%


Tuesday
source grams cals %total
Total: 1612
Fat: 105 945 61%
Sat: 35 319 21%
Poly: 12 108 7%
Mono: 27 242 16%
Carbs: 87 266 17%
Fiber: 21 0 0%
Protein: 83 332 22%


Today
source grams cals %total
Total: 1217
Fat: 60 542 47%
Sat: 17 151 13%
Poly: 8 69 6%
Mono: 28 251 22%
Carbs: 64 203 17%
Fiber: 13 0 0%
Protein: 104 417 36%

This is how I have been eating the last few weeks with no change that I can notice. If any thing the scale went up since I added that free day over the last two weeks.

cannot figure out how to make those tables readable. I could in html, but do not know how to make it active. Sorry for the hard read.

 

[Bear]

Looks to me like your not eating enough, at least by todays example that is.

How many meals a day are you eating?

Can you list them individualy here?

 

[yak]

How many meals a day are you eating?

5

Can you list them individualy here?

breakfast

2 eggs​

veggies for an omelet or some sausage​

snack1

fruit: kiwi, oranges, cantalope​

lunch

meat about 10-12 oz: I try to have chicken more often then not​

1 cup veggies or salad with dressing​

snack 2

1.5 cups raw veggies: carrots, green peppers, cherry tomatoes, radish​

dinner

same as lunch​

How many calories should I shoot for? I am tring to be around 1700. Though from using fitday the last few days it looks like 50% or more has been coming from fat. (I have been eating this way for about 8 weeks now)

Back when I first started I was not eating the fruit, but everything else was the same. If I went back to that would I be eating even fewer calories? Wonder if there are any fruits that are safe to eat?

A few weeks ago you agreed my work out schedule looked fine other than I needed to add weights for my legs. So now I just need to find a new eating habit were I can loss the weigth and then keep it off.

 

[Bear]

Few things for starters.

You need to eat to lose fat.

Ideally, you want to balance each meal with a little protein, carbs & fat.

When choosing fruit, I recommend you stick with either grapefruit, apples or berries, most other fruit is easily converted to sugar within the body causing insulin production which haults the fat melting process and may cause you to store fat even while in a calorie deficit.

What do you think about slow cooked oatmeal, sweet potatoes & brown rice added to your diet?

And would you consider a little whey protein a couple times a day?

 

[Bear]

How many calories should I shoot for?

10-12 times you body weight.

 

[Bear]

Here's how I'd alter you diet:

breakfast
2 eggs & 2 oz turkey ham
veggies for an omelet
cup of oatmeal

snack1
grapefruit
scoop of whey mixed in water
teaspoon EFA

lunch
meat about 5 oz: I try to have chicken more often then not
2 cup veggies or salad with dressing
8 oz sweet potato or cup of brown rice

snack 2
apple or 4 oz berries
scoop of whey mixed in water
teaspoon EFA

dinner
not the same as lunch
meat and veggies only this time

evening
apple or 4 oz berries
scoop of whey mixed in water
teaspoon EFA

breakdown per fitday
Cal: 1777
Fat: 72g
Carbs: 120g
- Fiber: 20g
Protein: 173g

 

[w8girl]

I have to agree with Bear that today's meal is too light on calories. And that you need a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat in each meal, as well as fiber. I've tried several different kinds of macros in my meal plans over the last couple years, all of which have worked well for me. I think mixing it up is a good idea too, and if I've stalled, that's typically an indicator to me that I need to change something.

Here's a couple of different meal plans to give you some ideas. The first is relatively low carb all the time. The second allows a bit more carbs throughout the day and is more a 40/30/30 plan. Though I will say that not many on the various boards I've visited support the second plan, I dropped 5% BF while adding 3lbs of LBM in 30 days on that second plan. So it worked just fine for me! So have a read and see if either of these look workable for you. (Each have a bit different format because they're from two different journals!) Anyway, I hope this is helpful.

PLAN 1 (lower carbs overall):

M1: Cal P C F
1/3 cup oatmeal 112 4/20/2
1 scoop ON pro-complex whey 130 28/2/2
1 tsp Udo's 41 0/0/5
TOTAL: 284 31/22/9

M2:
7 egg whites 115 24/2/0
1 egg yolk 61 3/0/5
2T salsa 1 0/0/0
3/4C strawberries 34 0/8/1
3 fish oil caps 30 0/0/3
TOTAL: 241 27/10/9

M3: 4oz. chicken breast 183 34/0/4
1C romaine lettuce 5 0/1/0
1/3 cup brown rice 72 1/15/1
6 slices cucumbers 5 0/1/0
2T Just2Good Country Italian Dressing 30 0/3/2
1 fish oil cap 10 0/0/1
TOTAL: 305 35/20/9

M4:
1 scoop ON pro-complex whey 130 28/2/2
1T Smucker's Natty PB 100 4/4/8
1/2C strawberries 23 0/5/0
TOTAL: 253 32/11/10

M5: 4oz. chicken breast 183 34/0/4
1/2C green beans 20 1/4/0
2C romaine lettuce 11 1/2/0
1 tsp Udo's 41 0/0/5
1T apple cider vinegar
TOTAL: 255 36/6/9

M6:
1/2C 2% cottage cheese 90 12/4/2
1/2 scoop ON pro-complex whey 65 14/1/1
1 tsp Udo's 41 0/0/5
1 fish oil cap 20 0/0/2
TOTAL: 216 26/5/10

DAILY TOTAL: 1554 cals 187P 74C 56F
48.3%, 19.1%, 32.6%

PLAN 2 (more carbs throughout the day):

TUESDAY, 2/10/04 - Calories: 1615; pcf: 44/28/29
6:15a - L-Glutamine 3g, L-Carnitine 1000mg
7:00a - ON Pro-complex whey, banana, creatine 5g, multi-vit, vit C, vit E, calcium+D
9:45a - 1/2C oatmeal, 3 turkey sausages, flax oil caps (2)
1:00p - Baby spinach salad, 3 oz chicken breast, 2 small strawberries, 4 almonds, 2T FF raspberry dressing, 1/2 baked potato, flax oil caps (2)
4:15p - ON Pro-complex whey, 1T Natty PB, 1/2C oatmeal
6:00p - L-Glutamine 3g, L-Carnitine 1000mg
7:15p - 8oz ribeye steak, 1/2C zucchini w/tomatoes, 1C green beans, creatine 5g, multi-vit, vit C, vit E

SUNDAY, 2/01/04 - Calories: 1635; pcf: 48/43/32
7:30a - L-Glutamine 3g, L-Carnitine 1000mg
8:30a - ON Pro-complex whey, 1 small banana, creatine 5g, multi-vit, vit C, vit E, calcium+D
11:45a - Omelet w/4 whites, 1 whole egg, 1/4C spinach, 2 mushrooms, 2T LF cheese, salsa, flax oil caps (2), Lean Source (2)
2:45p - ON Pro-complex whey, 1 med banana, 1/4C oatmeal, 1T natty PB, flax oil caps (2), Lean Source (2)
6:15p - Spinach salad, 1 med tomato, 2T lt italian vinaigrette, ½ yam, 4 oz. roasted turkey breast
8:00p - L-Glutamine 3g, L-Carnitine 1000mg
9:15p - 1/2C 2% cottage cheese, 1 tsp Udo's

 

[w8girl]

OK, my very first post and I kinda messed up a little! Still new here and learning all the secret "codes!" LOL! Since your screen name is not gender-specific, and I didn't think to look up at the "male" symbol, I assumed I was responding to a female. Hmmmm....what did my mom teach me? Never assume anything because...... hehehehe! Sorry about that. I'm leaving it in anyway because I think the meals and the basic macro layout might be helpful anyway. You would just need to adjust serving sizes to get your calories up.

Hopefully no offense in my assumption!

 

[Bear]

OK, my very first post and I kinda messed up a little! Still new here and learning all the secret "codes!" LOL! Since your screen name is not gender-specific, and I didn't think to look up at the "male" symbol, I assumed I was responding to a female. Hmmmm....what did my mom teach me? Never assume anything because...... hehehehe! Sorry about that. I'm leaving it in anyway because I think the meals and the basic macro layout might be helpful anyway. You would just need to adjust serving sizes to get your calories up.

Hopefully no offense in my assumption!

Excellent posts IMO

 

[Spicy McHaggis]

Yak, how much water are you drinking daily?

Any excercise?

 

[yak]

Thank you for all the suggestions

It looks like it is agreed. I need more protein. I guess I will have to get that whey protien stuff to add to my water. I do not like sweet potatoes, so I shall have to add the brown rice. Can I add milk and honey to the oatmeal?

My water is only at about 64 oz. I am going to try and double that over the next few weeks. So far I can work out 4 times a week, though one is simply jogging for 15 minutes. I hope to add a second day of jogging.

w8girl, if you want me to I can be offended though I would rather not be

 

[w8girl]

LOL! OK, please don't then!

I'd suggest you up your water intake, especially if you increase your protein.

As far as the milk and honey, if you're trying to drop fat you probably don't want to include additional sugar (from both) in your meal. Have tried cinnamon? I put that along with some stevia in mine and it tastes pretty good. (I used to be a milk and brown sugar gal, so it was hard at first, but after a few days I got used to it and now like it!)

 

[Bear]

Honey & milk = simple carbodydrate

Simple carbohydrate easily convert to sugar within the body raising insulin levels which hault fat melting and promote fat storage even within a calorie deficit.

w8's suggestion sounds good!

Or you could try a couple tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, Splenda & cinnamon.

I actually like vanilla ice cream flavored whey protein in mine

 

[fitmom]

Bear, why heavy whipping cream over milk? I also posted another nutrition question at God's Bod. Thanks, J

 

[lands21]

Whipped cream = fat, little sugar!

 

[Bear]

Whipped cream = fat, little sugar!

Heavy whipping cream, liquid form, not redi or cool whip.

A few tablespoons in water and it's taste is comparable to and a good replacement for milk and great for mixing with whey protein for drinks.

Milk/dairy cause insulin elevation.

Whenever taking protein you want to take it with either a carb or a fat to slow down it's absorbtion/digestion rate in the body.

 

[w8girl]

Fat, yum! That's why I add natty PB to my shakes! Good fat, of course!

 

[Big Dan]

yak, all these folks will lead you in the right direction. w8girl and Bear are great with nutrition and really know their stuff!

By the way, howdy w8girl and Bear!

 

[brokenbananas]

Yak,

How did you determine your caloric intake? I use the Katch McArdle formula. It uses activity level and lean body mass (LBM).

To determine Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): BMR = 370 + (21.6 * LBM in kg)

To determine Total Daily Expended Energy (TDEE) = Activity Level (AL) * BMR

where,
Activity Level Factors are:
Sedentary = BMR * 1.2 Little or no exercise, desk job
Lightly active = BMR * 1.375 Light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk
Mod Active = BMR * 1.55 Moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk
Ver active = BMR * 1.725 Hard exercise 6-7 days/wk
Extr active = BMR * 1.9 Hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2x
per day training for marathon, football camp, etc

To get your LBM in kg, divide the LBM by 2.2.

Example:
Weight = 172 lbs
BodyFat = 14% (24.1 lbs fat, 147.9 LBM)
BMR = 370+(21.6*147.9/2.2) = 1821 calories
Activity Level = 1.55 for working out 3-4 days/wk

TDEE = 1.55 * 1821 = 2822 calories needed per day

 

[brokenbananas]

Yak,

A couple other things:

Water Consumption: something I easily use to gauge if I'm getting enough water throughout the day is the color of my urine....when it's fairly clear it means I'm drinking enough water for my body. I no longer measure how much water I drink because my water needs change daily depending on where I am and what I'm doing. Wherever I go, I carry a 1.5 liter bottle of water with me so I'm drinking it all day long. I'm also going to the bathroom often.

Some days, however, I know I don't drink enough water because I'm not having to go pee often, and my urine is yellowish. Your water needs can change throughout the course of a day, so drink as you deem necessary. This way of gauging water isn't scientific, but when I was pregnant last yeat, it seemed when my urine was nearly clear the results came back good, and when it wasn't, they told me to drink more water.

Protein is real important in one's diet. But, the amount depends upon one's body type. For me, although what I thought I was eating healthy, it wasn't for me. My ratios were 50/25/25, but knew that 40/30/30 felt better. I changed my carb to accommodate my breastfeeding. However, a couple weeks ago after reading The Metabolic Type Diet and getting some testing done on my body, we found that my body totally loves protein & fat, and does NOT like simple carbs or carbs much other than fruits/veggies/beans. My ratio is now 30/40/30. I am feeling significantly better and losing bodyfat. My energy level has increased and I no longer feel fatigued, despite massive stress. The increased protein/fat in my diet has now brought my high blood pressure to normal without meds.

Despite what others, including myself, may tell you....you will need to gauge how you are physically. Even if what we tell you is "healthy", it may not be exactly right for you. My 50/25/25 was what others would deem healthy, but it wasn't right for my body. Just reducing my carbs from 50% to 30% and cutting out all grains, my blood pressure went from 180/110 to 140/85 in a matter of a couple days. Amazing, eh? You have to figure out what is best for you and it does take experimentation, observation, and perhaps testing.

~Doris