Help-Advice- Noob here...

[misspatty]

Hey guys, i've been navigating this forum for the past week and have found a lot of useful info...just a little background on me---I've put on about 30 pounds in the past 4 years, from unhealthy habits, giving up my daily cardio routine, drinking, smoking, and alst but not least my boyfriiend.. lol. Ive been trying to lose this extra weight for a while now, very unsuccessful cause i expect results fast--since back in the day if I went from 140 (normal weight) to 150 id only need 2-3 weeks of routine and it'd be gone....well not now---i balloned up to 170 and its gonna take more than a couple of weeks to reach my goal--and this time I am prepared....
Before I would do crash diets, or eat 3 square meals, low fat..blah blah blah...after much research though I am very appealed to the low carb high proteing approach shown on South Beach & ABS diet...yea I know they encourage good carbs...but in SB Phase 1 ( I am doing my own version of it) its all about veggies when it comes to carbs....I am on day 10 and plan on sticking to it hardcore for 28 days...and slowly segway into ABS diet... My goal is to lose the fat, but this time also build muscle---i do not want to get ripped..but toned and def a nice six pack by next summer....This is my daily meals...
8AM - Whey Protein Shake
11AM - 1/2 cup of EggBeaters & 1cup of broccoli
2PM - Chicken & 1cup of broccoli
5PM - Chicken & 1 cup of broccoli
8PM - Whey Protein Shake
The chicken is pretty consistant sometimes its turkey or tuna fish or a veggie burger. Always fried with PAM. A couple of days i ran out of broccoli so I used romaine w a touch of <1 gram of sugar caesar dressing. I have also replaced the brocc with garbanzo beans when I run out....
When I get hungry in between meals I snack on almonds...
80oz of water intake- NO CRYSTAL LIGHT
I usually work out right before my 8PM protein shake, lately its only been power walks for abt 1-2 miles...definitely plan on incorporating weight training as well...

Basically I want to know if I am doing well...this is primarily for weight loss, but gradually I will add good cards...fruits, oatmeal, whole grains...etc...I guess I just wanna shock my system a bit.

I havent weighed myself or measured since I put on like 7 pounds and 3/4 -1 inch last month cause I quit smoking n ravaged everything in sight...and I was kinda scared to measure or weight....but I definitely already fell slimmer...I plan on taking measurements on day 15...

Ay advice or feedback is welcome!

Stats: Weight about 170 give or take a few
Height 5'3
Desired weight 140-150

 

[musclemom]

Hey Misspatty, welcome to the board!!!

As we always say, we need a breakdown in terms of calories/macros, but the one thing that hits me is you're really eating from a very, very narrow food range. I'm warning you, it's not sustainable. You'll get burned out or you'll wake up one day and go on a complete rampage and want to eat your way through the house. It's better to try to mix it up a little bit, focus less on "foods" and more on calories/macros. I understand you're following your version of the SB Diet but I really like to people to focus on sustainability and thinking in terms of "healthy lifestyle" over diet. The problem with a diet is that ANYBODY can do something if they know it's going to end eventually. Diets end. Lifestyle means a permanent, sustainable change of the way of thinking about and approaching eating and exercise.

I really want to congratulate you on taking charge of your life, I completely empathize with quitting smoking, I've done it a few times in my life (about three major quits -- meaning I had been smoking for more than a year when I quit -- and I've lost track of how many minor quits I've had. On the plus, I've lost track of when I last quit so I think I'm done with them for good).

 

[trex74]

Hey guys, i've been navigating this forum for the past week and have found a lot of useful info...just a little background on me---I've put on about 30 pounds in the past 4 years, from unhealthy habits, giving up my daily cardio routine, drinking, smoking, and alst but not least my boyfriiend.. lol. Ive been trying to lose this extra weight for a while now, very unsuccessful cause i expect results fast--since back in the day if I went from 140 (normal weight) to 150 id only need 2-3 weeks of routine and it'd be gone....well not now---i balloned up to 170 and its gonna take more than a couple of weeks to reach my goal--and this time I am prepared....
Before I would do crash diets, or eat 3 square meals, low fat..blah blah blah...after much research though I am very appealed to the low carb high proteing approach shown on South Beach & ABS diet...yea I know they encourage good carbs...but in SB Phase 1 ( I am doing my own version of it) its all about veggies when it comes to carbs....I am on day 10 and plan on sticking to it hardcore for 28 days...and slowly segway into ABS diet... My goal is to lose the fat, but this time also build muscle---i do not want to get ripped..but toned and def a nice six pack by next summer....This is my daily meals...
8AM - Whey Protein Shake
11AM - 1/2 cup of EggBeaters & 1cup of broccoli
2PM - Chicken & 1cup of broccoli
5PM - Chicken & 1 cup of broccoli
8PM - Whey Protein Shake
The chicken is pretty consistant sometimes its turkey or tuna fish or a veggie burger. Always fried with PAM. A couple of days i ran out of broccoli so I used romaine w a touch of <1 gram of sugar caesar dressing. I have also replaced the brocc with garbanzo beans when I run out....
When I get hungry in between meals I snack on almonds...
80oz of water intake- NO CRYSTAL LIGHT
I usually work out right before my 8PM protein shake, lately its only been power walks for abt 1-2 miles...definitely plan on incorporating weight training as well...

Basically I want to know if I am doing well...this is primarily for weight loss, but gradually I will add good cards...fruits, oatmeal, whole grains...etc...I guess I just wanna shock my system a bit.

I havent weighed myself or measured since I put on like 7 pounds and 3/4 -1 inch last month cause I quit smoking n ravaged everything in sight...and I was kinda scared to measure or weight....but I definitely already fell slimmer...I plan on taking measurements on day 15...

Ay advice or feedback is welcome!

Stats: Weight about 170 give or take a few
Height 5'3
Desired weight 140-150

Congratulations on quitting smoking, I too gave up the habit, it'll be a year on sept 15th for me, it's such a drastic change in overall health.
LOL at ravaging everything in sight, that'll pass in time. xD
Yeah, besides what MM said, aren't you kinda sick of broccoli? I mean it's good and all, but there are a host of healthy veggies you could be eating, and getting more vitamins to boot.
Check out the Sticky http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...e-fitness-womens-forum-start-here-678961.html
There is a post about healthy foods, and the veggies include: Broccoli, Asparagus, Lettuce, Cauliflower, Green beans, peppers, Mushrooms, Spinach, Cabbage, Celery, Zucchini, Cucumber, Onion, Avocado.
If you were interested, you could probably do some research on which ones are low GI, so you could still do SB diet.

 

[misspatty]

thanks so much..yea i completely agree with the monotony of my diet....and ill assure you the reason mainly is lack of funds lol..im a college student and i am limited to broccoli/romaine and chicken just cause they are cheap quantity wise....
when i do have money i invest in good fish and lean beefs....i just wanna be on the path, mentally i am so prepared...
ive been reading a lot of 'bodybuilder diets' and they seem to be similar to mine, except some include oatmeal ang 'good carbs'.....i guess i thought eliminating them would give me a good jump start...

macros...as in grams of protein n what not? see i dont keep track..guess its vital?

thanks guys.

 

[musclemom]

thanks so much..yea i completely agree with the monotony of my diet....and ill assure you the reason mainly is lack of funds lol..im a college student and i am limited to broccoli/romaine and chicken just cause they are cheap quantity wise....
when i do have money i invest in good fish and lean beefs....i just wanna be on the path, mentally i am so prepared...
ive been reading a lot of 'bodybuilder diets' and they seem to be similar to mine, except some include oatmeal ang 'good carbs'.....i guess i thought eliminating them would give me a good jump start...

macros...as in grams of protein n what not? see i dont keep track..guess its vital?

thanks guys.

Veggies all sort of cost the same if you're buying fresh, and I totally get the time/convenience factor. "Good" carbs would be brown rice and sweet potato and even winter squashes, that'll break up the monotony, too (not to mention adding beta carotene and other vitamins).

Macros are percentages of protein to fats to carbs. Let's say you were going to try eating 1700 calories (10x your bodyweight) you'd want 40% of your calories coming from protein (170 grams) 30% of your calories from fat (56 grams) and 30% of your calories from carbs (127 grams).

I think that learning to weigh/measure food makes it easier when you're trying to learn a new way of eating because you get a feel for portion size, and keeping a diary makes you conscious of what you're eating. Eventually it becomes a habit but it's like anything else, you gotta start somewhere.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Congrats on quiting smoking and welcome to Elite