Any help with Diet for newbie would be appreciate.

[ksharp01]

Hi, I recently have decided that I need to make some life changes. HItting the big 30 was not kind to me. I am now 35 and at 5'3 and 137lbs...not happy. Actually me, my fiance and 14 year old son have all join Spectrum and have been going at least 4 days a week. I really wasn't getting sore like I thought I should so I got one of the personal trainers there to help me get started and show us all what good for us. Well, the exercising is the easiest part.....the eating part is the hard part. I am just so confused with all the good and bad fats. I can tell you that I bought everything you can buy in whole wheat...pasta, rice, bread and even those Sun Chips (yummy). I personally don't have that much to lose but my fiance does. My son on the other hand is in very good shape from playing football for the last 7 years. We are all very much committed to these changes but since I never had to watch what I ate in the past..I never needed to know. When I go to the grocery store I am looking at all the labels but I am so confused. Some things are light, some fat free and some low carbs...errrrr. Can anyone help steer me in the right direction? What should I really be looking for? My trainer talks to me about it but he goes on and on with all the technical terms that I just stay lost. Any info would be very much appreciated.

 

[*Bunny*]

Hey girl! Great place to start linked below! Welcome to EF! I have to mop up a mess at work, but this should give you AWESOME information we'll ask anyway

Sassy's Sticky - http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=388278

 

[jenscats5]

Hi!! Welcome to EF!!

First off, buying all those packaged products aren't the best thing to rely on for eating regularly....it's one thing to have them once in a while, but not the best base "diet." And by "diet" I mean the way you eat daily - not A diet.....

BTW - all that processed food usually uses sugar or chemicals to make up for the lack of fats, nutrients, etc - and how do we really & truly know what those chemicals DO to your body after a while??

The best thing to do is rely on natural, basic foods: lean proteins (chicken, fish, eggs {whites specifically}, turkey, lean beef, etc), fresh fruits & veggies, whole grains & oats and healthy fats (All natural PB, almonds, almond butter, sunflower kernels, olive oil, other oils, avocado, etc).

Now what are your goals specifically?? Do you want to add lean muscle? Lose bodyfat?

Also - you may want to consider using a software tracking system (it's FREE) like www.fitday.com to track what you are eating NOW & try it for a week.....you may be overeating or undereating & that could be holding you back from your goals.....

Any questions, please ask!!

 

[SgtSlaughter]

told ya these fine ladies kick ass

But I think I posted in your other thread after you posted here lol..either way

Glad you found you way here

 

[ksharp01]

Hi!! Welcome to EF!!

First off, buying all those packaged products aren't the best thing to rely on for eating regularly....it's one thing to have them once in a while, but not the best base "diet." And by "diet" I mean the way you eat daily - not A diet.....

BTW - all that processed food usually uses sugar or chemicals to make up for the lack of fats, nutrients, etc - and how do we really & truly know what those chemicals DO to your body after a while??

The best thing to do is rely on natural, basic foods: lean proteins (chicken, fish, eggs {whites specifically}, turkey, lean beef, etc), fresh fruits & veggies, whole grains & oats and healthy fats (All natural PB, almonds, almond butter, sunflower kernels, olive oil, other oils, avocado, etc).

Now what are your goals specifically?? Do you want to add lean muscle? Lose bodyfat?

Also - you may want to consider using a software tracking system (it's FREE) like www.fitday.com to track what you are eating NOW & try it for a week.....you may be overeating or undereating & that could be holding you back from your goals.....

Any questions, please ask!!

Thx for the response....it is really mind blowing...I have been reading post after post and alot of them say the same and then there are others to contradict them. I am really looking to lose body fat first and tone up. I do not want or intend to be big and buff. I have really just started so I know that I have ALOT to learn. How do you feel about me working out only after work? In the evenings? And should I eat before I go or after? It is even just little things like this that I am not sure of and I am so glad that I found you guys/gals here that are so willing to help a stranger out. I want to start out the right way and not learn months down the road I have been doing it all wrong and therefore not seeing any results which in turn will just make me feel like I have been spinning my wheels for nothing.

 

[jenscats5]

Thx for the response....it is really mind blowing...I have been reading post after post and alot of them say the same and then there are others to contradict them. I am really looking to lose body fat first and tone up. I do not want or intend to be big and buff. I have really just started so I know that I have ALOT to learn. How do you feel about me working out only after work? In the evenings? And should I eat before I go or after? It is even just little things like this that I am not sure of and I am so glad that I found you guys/gals here that are so willing to help a stranger out. I want to start out the right way and not learn months down the road I have been doing it all wrong and therefore not seeing any results which in turn will just make me feel like I have been spinning my wheels for nothing.

That won't happen being female.....you don't have enough testosterone in your body to become "Huge" unless you supplement with, erm, "supplements"......

NOW - you can put some muscle on your frame & by doing so, your body will burn more calories naturally and since muscle is more dense & takes up less space then fat - your body will appear more defined......

There's no reason to kill yourself with cardio......provided your diet is "clean" or "tight" - ie you're eating well, enough, the right foods, etc - about 3 days of HIIT cardio should be sufficient...HIIT = High Intensity Interval Training, ie: run for 2 mins then walk for 2 mins, warmup & cooldown 5 mins = 30 mins total....

A good calorie range is 10-12x your bodyweight....so, say (for math purposes) you weigh 100lbs your intake would be 1,000 - 1,200 calories & 40% protein/30% fat/30% carbs - fitday helps you track all that....and this is also the basis for the Shadow Plan which you can find in a sticky at the top of this forum....

 

[SgtSlaughter]

I am really looking to lose body fat first and tone up.

I do not want or intend to be big and buff.

Who doesn't want to loose fat and gain muscle.
I'm not sure how the ladies approach it and i'll leave after this, lol.. but tone-up = B.S.

What's really going on when you "tone up" is you are loosing fat and gaining muscle.

No one wakes up some morning weighing a 200lb Female Bodybuilder...takes YEARS of dedication... so with that said.... don't be shy of using heavy weights. Females do not have as much Testosterone as males therefore just will not build the muscle that males do in the period of time that we can naturally... though genetics plays a huge part.

... blah, i'm just blabbing i'll leave it at that. There's a TON of mis conceptions that you'll learn while you educate yourself if you choose to do so and be more educated on the topic of Health and workingout than the general public (specifically the Media).

LOL! JC5 Damnit!!!!! ... beat me to it

 

[jenscats5]

Who doesn't want to loose fat and gain muscle.
I'm not sure how the ladies approach it and i'll leave after this, lol.. but tone-up = B.S.

What's really going on when you "tone up" is you are loosing fat and gaining muscle.

No one wakes up some morning weighing a 200lb Female Bodybuilder...takes YEARS of dedication... so with that said.... don't be shy of using heavy weights. Females do not have as much Testosterone as males therefore just will not build the muscle that males do in the period of time that we can naturally... though genetics plays a huge part.

... blah, i'm just blabbing i'll leave it at that. There's a TON of mis conceptions that you'll learn while you educate yourself if you choose to do so and be more educated on the topic of Health and workingout than the general public (specifically the Media).

LOL! JC5 Damnit!!!!! ... beat me to it

Tee hee!!

You'd never know to look @ me how heavy I lift....I look pretty normal & am a size 8/10 depending on who makes the clothes.....

Someone on here who cleaned up their diet & began lifting heavy lost about 4 pants sizes without even changing their scale weight.....

 

[sbt2082]

Tee hee!!

You'd never know to look @ me how heavy I lift....I look pretty normal & am a size 8/10 depending on who makes the clothes.....

Someone on here who cleaned up their diet & began lifting heavy lost about 4 pants sizes without even changing their scale weight.....

I lost about 2 or so myself without the scale weight changing either

 

[ksharp01]

That won't happen being female.....you don't have enough testosterone in your body to become "Huge" unless you supplement with, erm, "supplements"......

NOW - you can put some muscle on your frame & by doing so, your body will burn more calories naturally and since muscle is more dense & takes up less space then fat - your body will appear more defined......

There's no reason to kill yourself with cardio......provided your diet is "clean" or "tight" - ie you're eating well, enough, the right foods, etc - about 3 days of HIIT cardio should be sufficient...HIIT = High Intensity Interval Training, ie: run for 2 mins then walk for 2 mins, warmup & cooldown 5 mins = 30 mins total....

A good calorie range is 10-12x your bodyweight....so, say (for math purposes) you weigh 100lbs your intake would be 1,000 - 1,200 calories & 40% protein/30% fat/30% carbs - fitday helps you track all that....and this is also the basis for the Shadow Plan which you can find in a sticky at the top of this forum....

Thanks for your info......I am gonna go check that site out right now!!!