Is my diet any good?

[Falkirk_Bairn]

Basically, over the last 6 months i've cut out loads of bad stuff i use to eat and have lost about 2 stones quite easilly, but ive been reading up on this alot and im worried that ill start to loose muscle weight rather than fat.

Im now down to 12 stone with a BMI of 24 and feel fitter than i ever have.

I play 3-4 hours of 5-a-side football per week and spend around 5 hours every work day walking about so i think i get enough excercise.

In a normal day i have:

Ham sandwich at 10am, 2 slices of brown bread, no butter a tiny bit or mustard or light mayo so its not dry and a 500ml bottle of water.

Same at 12.30

4.30, 2-3 grilled chicken breasts with some sort of sauce (nandos piri-piri or something spicey) usually around 500 calories and a pint of water.

Around 7pm i have a decent portion of fruit, usually an apple a banana and some strawberrys or rasberrys. And drink water whenever im thirsty.

If i need a snack i usually just have a bit of fruit or a healthy yoghurt.

I only drink on a saturday night and have the odd chocolate bar when im tempted, meybe 1 a week or something.

Does this seem ok? I feel great but it doesnt seem like alot of food!

I use to drink cola with every meal, have chips with my dinner, snack on biscuits and have a big supper at night but i gradually cut all that out!

 

[Evastar]

First of all well done on cutting out the coke, chocolate etc and losing weight

A couple of things strike me about your diet. First of all i don't see any breakfast on there, and secondly i don't see any vegetables or potatoes?

Personally i'm not wild about ham, it's full of nitrates so maybe vary it occasionally with turkey or salad, egg mayo etc?

Do you eat chicken breast every day, what about fish or some other kind of meat? Or even having the odd meat free day and having an omlette or something like that?

It doesn't sound like you need to lose any more weight to me, so i wouldn't be as strict on the butter, etc, we all need a certain amount of fat and carbohydrates in our diet. And you get so much exercise that treating yourself to the occasional bag of chips or takeaway wouldn't be a problem either. Everything in moderation is ok, it's when we overindulge that it causes problems.

 

[Falkirk_Bairn]

Thats just a usual day meybe 3-4 times a week, i sometimes have steam fresh fish or a lean steak.

I dont like butter so thats why thats not there and i dont like eggs!

I sometimes have steamed veggies, usually carrots or peas but im not that fussed about them, i prefer meat!

I always classed the 10am sandwich as breakfast but im up at 7am so sometimes have an apple if im hungry before work.

Also do about 100 press-ups a day and have seen a difference in my arms since i started this.

Im happy with my weight, just trying to shift the last wee bit of belly fat before my holiday next month!

 

[Evastar]

Ok well you have a lot of protein in your diet, could probably do with a bit more carbs or fat.

If you want to target your stomach you need to do specific exercises for it. Just losing weight isn't going to tone your stomach muscles up, i'm underweight myself but still have to work on having a flat tummy!

So what you need to do are situps, stomach crunches and bicycling with your legs in the air.

 

[Spectre]

I'd drop the bananas and probably all fruit for a while if you want to lose fat. Have some natural peanut butter instead.

 

[Evastar]

I'd agree with Spectre on the bananas, i wouldn't recommend anyone to eat a banana every day.

12 stone sounds quite light though for a man, it certainly doesn't sound like you need to lose more weight, what height are you?

 

[Spectre]

I'd agree with Spectre on the bananas, i wouldn't recommend anyone to eat a banana every day.

12 stone sounds quite light though for a man, it certainly doesn't sound like you need to lose more weight, what height are you?

From BMI charts he's 5'10".

 

[Evastar]

It totally depends on what you want to achieve, Spectre would be the man to ask if you want to go with a more protein based diet and building muscle mass, i'd be more a food pyramid and general fitness kind of person

 

[Falkirk_Bairn]

Cheers for the advice!

Is it because of the sugar content in all the fruit? I always get a bit peckish about 7pm unless im out so always assumed the fruit would do me good!

Just peanut butter on its own? I don't think i've ever tried the stuff!

And aye im only wee, around the 5ft 9 mark!

 

[Utopie]

I'd try and keep your bread down to 2 slices a day. Bread is very calorific, but qudos for eating brown. For breakfast try and eat porage oats and if you like it sweet sprinkle some sweetner or a pinch of fructrose (fruit sugar) on.

Sounds like you are doing cardio only. Add some resistance training to your exercise if you can and that will help shift the fat, if you do that, see how you get on and you might need to add more carbs (bread maybe) to keep up with demands. The more muscle you have the more fat your body will burn when you are resting (metabolic rate).

I wouldn't eat fruit that late mate, maybe cottage cheese about 8pm, and try and vary your diet with veg as well. Have a look at this link here.

https://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/index.php?threads/239567/#post1777031

 

[Falkirk_Bairn]

I have a rowing machine if that counts as resistance?

Im going to buy some weights and give that a bash i reckon.

 

[Spectre]

Like madeinbeats was explaining, use carbs earlier in the day and taper off later on eating fats and proteins after 7~8pm.

Cottage cheese is good at night as the caesin protein in it is slow digesting. It has low carbs and is low GI.

I can't remember what is specifically bad about fruits and fructose when trying to lose fat. Fruit can be low GI but I think your liver has to do something to it to make it available for energy. Maybe it's what it converts to, I've not looked it up as the only one I eat at present is tomato.

Don't go too low on the carbs as it can affect your metabolism.

Google macro calculators, they can give you a rough idea of your intake needs.

 

[pops1a]

I eat a banana every day, usually before I go to exercise and I think it gives me the energy required to help me through my sessions. I've read about bananas before and some people seem to recommend you eat them at night to give you the slow energy release you need through the night, which is supposed to help you sleep better. I have also read that you should have a banana earlier in the day as it can take up to 24 hours to digest and it can play havoc with your system if eaten late on in the day. So take your pick.

 

[pops1a]

Cheers for the advice!

Is it because of the sugar content in all the fruit? I always get a bit peckish about 7pm unless im out so always assumed the fruit would do me good!

Just peanut butter on its own? I don't think i've ever tried the stuff!

And aye im only wee, around the 5ft 9 mark!

I would just eat peanuts that's what I do. you'll find that you're eating less calories, feeling fuller, non processed and cheaper. I usually eat them after training usually in the evening, that also sorts out the issue of having protein in the evening.

 

[oneman]

rowing machine is fine, the main thing is to get your heartrate up if you want to burn calories.

I am sure you can find 'facts' either way for this but my take is that cardio burns more calories then resistance training if you are just concerned with losing weight. However resistance training will tone your muscles better then cardio.

As several people have mentioned, keep the bulk of the carbs for the beginning of the day, try to avoid them after lunch and definately limit them in the evening. Try and get your evening meal in before 6pm if possible, after that peanut butter or cottage cheese if you get hungry and make sure you are getting plenty of sleep.

I would honestly think about having a whole grain breakfast if you are getting up at 7am. Don't you get hungry if you are not eating till 10am ? General advise is little and often. Trying to do your food intake in 3 meals is not ideal and if you can break it down into small amounts spread out that would be better.

Cardio is great for overall weight loss but you will not lose targetted weight (e.g. just from your stomach). Generally it will spread all over. Of course you can target muscle tone, so stomach exercises etc if you want that six pack though you will need to lose that overall fat first.

One other item that many people overlook is portion control. Its no good eating the 'right' things if you are going to eat to much of them.

Many people find it helpful to keep a food diary of everything they eay, how much and when. Then its easier to see were improvments can be made.

 

[Utopie]

Bananas :banana:. I Know Gordan Brown eats 12 a day and Peter Andre contracted potasium poisoning once from eating too many of them.

My mum used to have a banana every morning on her cereal. She switched to blueberrys and ended up losing a few pounds! Are bananas said to be the most fattening fruit? Treat'em with respect I guess...

 

[Falkirk_Bairn]

Just a wee update, i took on some of your advice and ive lost another half a stone without really trying very hard!

I now have a small bowl of cheerios when i get up with skimmed milk and for dinner ive been having loads of veg with my chicken and have been eating other things like tuna steaks and steam fresh microwave meals which are actually pretty tasty. Because of the veg im not all that hungry so im not eating as much fruit.

Finally after loosing about 2.5 stone folk started to notice, i was getting some comments from the regulars in the pub last night.

Been doing loads of sit-ups and rowing aswell.

Also, im not sure why but the last 2 weeks ive had a good drink on both saturday nights (Start of the football season!) and if anything its made me loose the weight quicker. No idea how but im not complaining!

 

[Evastar]

Well done you! Two and a a half stone is a great weight loss

It's much easier to stick with making small changes, if you drastically change your diet and give up alcohol etc you can feel you are depriving yourself and get bored and give up too easily. Much better in my opinion to cut down on things and stick with that in the long term.

Good for you

 

[Audball]

I would cut the bread down and maybe not so much fruit, lot of sugsr in both. Although i don't think you need to lose anymore, i would say now just build on your fitness levels. You've done well losing the weight.

 

[wonko]

I cant believe no one has mentioned the fact that your calorie intake is far too low - even for a diet - or that fats are an essential part of any diet

based on what you've posted your average calorie intake is probably under 1500 a day - and thats being generous

also based on what you've posted your dialy calorie requirement is in the ballpark of 3100 - meaning you should be eating no less than 2480 a day even if trying to lose weight (20% reduction in calories is the most normally advised unless seriously obese)

attempting to lose weight faster than this normally leads to a reduction in lean body mass which leads to a drop in you basal metabolic rate - meaning when you actually stop dieting you need less calories and can put on fat - otherwise know as yo yo dieting

extremely low calorie diets are only accepted practise when combined with strength/resistance training - which convinces the body your muscle is actually needed and shouldnt be consumed for energy - 1 pound of fat will net you about 3500 calories - 1 pound of muscle tissue about 600 - the body PREFERS to burn protein to bodyfat unless it's conditioned to burn fat in preference (eating dietiary fat can help with this) - so if you see a rapid 5lb weight drop and arent weight training then initally this will come from fluid loss and glycogen stores - if it continues then it will primarily come from muscle tissue until the body has none "spare" - as the amount of muscle you have drops your bodys basal metabolic rate will drop resulting in less calories being needed - only then will it switch to bodyfat as it's primary energy source - this is not a good/healthy way to lose weight and maintain it

if you wish to use this sort of approach it is essential you take up some form of strength resistance training to maintain your LBM - or your only storing up problems - this isnt theoretical BS - a year ago I was seriously big - double your weight - I'm still big - but now I'm 30% lighter, a lot stronger (I can lift well over my bodyweight), and even at 17st I am solid - I dont look fat, I no longer even look chubby - and by the end of the year I'll be lean - and I eat over 3500 calories a day - every day - and I do NO cardio, no sports - just 2-3 60-90 minutes compound strength training sessions a week

btw alchohol dehydrates you - water has weight - less water = less weight - this is why you lose weight after a session