Please Criticize
Since last September 2007, I've been going to the gym, which has included cardio 4-5 times a week and weight training 3 times a week. I've also slowly changed my eating habits, which has included calorie counting. I will say, however, I am not a religious calorie counter, but I do try to stay within 1400-1600 calories a day.
From September to December 2007:
Exercise: All Cardio, no weights; Weight decreased from 198 lbs to about 172 lbs (5'3).
Diet: Did not change much, but I did cut down on my portions. Would count my calories occassionally...
January - June 2008: (Went from 172 lbs...to 180 lbs....to 172 lbs again)
I hired a VERY expensive trainer at 24 hour fitness and learned to use the weights. Injured my back and was out on physical therapy for 3 months.
Exercise: 4-5 times a week of cardio. Included 3-4 days of 30-45 minute cardio and 1 day of hour cardio; 1 day arms, 2 days legs, 3-4 days abs, stretches every day.
Diet: Counting calories. 1400 approximate calories a day. Eating lots of fruits and veggies and whole grain products. BIG PROBLEM: Bread and Peanut butter.....I tend to overdose occassionally.
July-August 2008 (Finally broke through my plateau!!!!! YIPPIE! Currently: 162 lbs)
Exercise: 4-5 times a week of cardio. Included 3-4 days of 30-45 minute cardio and 1 day of hour cardio; 1 day arms, 2 days legs, 3-4 days abs, stretches every day.
Diet: (complicated)
Breakfast: Oatbran with a scoop of protein powder
Snack: Low carb Atkins or Southbeach Bar...
Lunch: 1 cup rice, 1 cup of Greens and Protein (lowfat beef, fish, poultry)
Snack: Protein Shake
Dinner: Protein and 1 cup greens
Snack: Protein Shake if I'm starving!
Drinking: Lots of Coke Zero.....water...tea...coffee...
NOt eating: Lactose, Fructose, Sugar, Potatos, Legumes, Bread, Fruit, Basically NO SUGAR with the exception of white rice, No Wheat.
Ok, Criticize away......Thank you....
I don't want to criticize but I am wondering why you've cut sugar completely out of your diet? I understand cutting out the processed sugar but I think the sugars in milk and fruits are ok to eat.
Biggest problem (apart from the whole no sugar thing...) is what you are drinking. Coffee, tea and coke zero are all full of caffeine. Caffeine dehydrates the system and encourages water retention... I also find that it plays with my metabolism.
That level of exercise and your approximate calorie intake doesn't create a healthy deficit. You probably need to up your calories - even if it is just a few days a week.
Not a criticism. congratulations!!
You seem a very goal oriented person - make sure you have some other goals on what you are going to DO with you new healthy body. Don's make eating and weightloss your total life's work.
Eventually everyone acheives 100% weight loss...
I would try to drink only water. I drank about 1-2 cups of a coffee a day, and I tried to eliminate it completely from my diet. Without changing ANYTHING else, i dropped 2 extra lbs that week. I'm sure it was all water weight, but it made me feel better and less bloated. Try drinking only water. As for coke zero, diet soda's aren't good for you. Granted they aren't packed with sugar, but they are packed with chemicals.
You don't need to eat like that to lose weight, you don't even need to eat like that to gain muscle. Someone is trying to sell you supplements. Was it your trainer?
Lots of people criticize coffee, but I love it. And, if you drink it black its been known to increase your metabolism by 15%. It also helps decrease cholesterol and risk of heart attack (but you have to drink like a ridiculous amount, 6 cups a day (which I sometimes accidently do)).
As for the soda - really try and cut it out. Recently there was a study done, that even the 0 calorie soda has an effect on weight loss. Also, it increases your chances of heart attack/heart problems later on in life, if you've been an avid soda drinker your whole life. Its basically consuming chemicals.
It seems to me that you are bored with your diet maybe? I was like you, I depended a lot of protein bars, and honestly, what will happen when I reach my goal weight?
So I am trying to learn to live healthier and eat healthier instead of eating for a diet. Try and spice it up - Have a some turkey on wheat instead of a protein shake. Add some nuts into your diet. Scrambled egg whites with a tiny bit of sesame oil and lots of veggies is around 200 calories but tastes great and is very filling.
I bought a low-cal cookbook and its really made a difference.
Don't be afraid of the sugars in fruits. They are natural, unrefined sugars that are easily digestible, as opposed to refined sugars that will stay with you. Also, you are making some very poor choices with what you drink. You would be drinking many glasses of water a day, with the occasional cup of tea, coffee or diet soda. These drinks have caffeine and/or artificial sweetners that make you retain water, and are notorious for making people more hungry. Drinks lots of water and cut back on these other drinks.
I noticed that you have cut out carbs. While that is good to start a weight loss, your body needs the energy from carbohydrates . Go for whole grain varieties, or cuscus. Very tastey, low fat, and is great with chicken or turkey!!
I agree in principal with nixing the excess caffeine, but coffee and tea do have antioxidants in them, as well as some other mild health benefits. Your body can handle around 300 mg of caffeine a day. About 12 oz of coffee, 20-22 oz of tea, and about 14-16 oz of soda. So, one large coffee a day isn't going to hurt ya.
Eh, not that bad. I think everyone here doesn't like the diet, and I'm inclined to agree. I agree with a lot of what you're avoiding, but you're largely doing it through chemistry.
I just can't say that you're actually doing no sugar if you're doing artificals instead. Likewise, I wouldn't be surprised if you're doing the protein shakes for the sweetners or the sugars (in some, not all). And there's so much in your diet that's some sort of processed food. It's all bars and shakes. I don't trust diets like that. I have no problem having some of that in a diet, but when it takes over, I get suspicious. And, really, why that much protein?
But the exercise looks solid and you've certainly managed duration and results, so on those accounts, it's a good routine. I would just try to "naturalize" the diet some.
I agree with what others have said about the shakes & bars. I'll trade potatoes, legumes, & fruit for all that expense and artificial sweetner anyday! They can be convenient now and then but I can't imagine a steady diet of it. I did Slim-fast and other bars for about 9 months years ago. One day I just couldn't face that artificial sweetner taste again!
Anyhow, to be honest I have been having a lot of trouble with ummm...dare I say...going number 2 quite a bit lately. It has been making me feel like royal crappola. I dunno. I guess I am just the type that needs limits to what I can eat. I need like a structured diet and this is the first one I've ever been given. I HATE weight watchers and atkins and southbeach and all that crap. I like to be shown EXACTLy what to eat for weightloss.
Ok, so, I need details and structure and a schematic!!. I'm an Engineer for Gawd's sakes! Grrr..
I'm just really frustrated with the plateauing....It drives me totally insane. My body totally angers me when I don't start losing weight. I'm just overly frustrated and I live alone and it is very hard not to give into temptation.
I just want to wear a bikini and not feel self concious! For the love of God!
Hmm. Maybe you should consider a nutritionist. They could give you a structured menu of real food that would be balanced and within your calorie requirements. The potty troubles are not a good sign for what you're doing now.
As shandykat mentioned, eventually you kind of have to learn to eat to live well. The alternative is to stay in yo-yo mode for life. Yuck.
And hey, isn't it the technicians that just follow a schematic? The engineers are supposed to design them!!! Lol! I have a sneaking suspicion that you could handle a menu if you really tried. 
Original Post by th19249:
Ok, so, I need details and structure and a schematic!!. I'm an Engineer for Gawd's sakes! Grrr..
If you're an engineer, you may want to check out (if you haven't already) The Hacker's Diet, which seeks to involve the question as an engineering problem, and has lots of schematics.
Admittedly, not everyone would agree with every one of its contentions, but if it's an analytic framework you need, you can't do much better.
Yah, my potty troubles aren't good. I gotta seriously rethink my diet plan. :(
I think I have to seriously rethink dieting/change of lifestyle as a whole. I'm really sick and tired of feeling like a failure, you know? I just want to feel proud of myself for my accomplishments. I think what might help is to have a better group of friends sometimes, though. I've noticed some jealousy thruoghout. Not much "atta girl" from them. Not sure what's up with that...
Thanks so much everyone for your help! Love ya!
Tami
mmm...coffee....
that is all.
potty probs!!! no wonder ;-)
Fruit is a natural mover! add an apple plus a measure of nuts instead of one of those protein bars, add a handful of sultanas to your breakfast oats ( I have cooked oats with these most mornings - no sugar needed and just a dash of milk)
I have a delicious herbal tea that has licorice and chicory root in it, hibiscus flower, rosehip and lots of other goodies and find that it is a good loosener also. More than two cups a day and I am in trouble!
Check how many grams of fat you are getting a day. Too little is not good - you should be getting at least 20% of your cals from healthy fats. They "grease the works"! Try adding some avacado, nuts, olive oil, oily fish... Your deficit is large enough to allow that adjustment.
Remember, caffeine is dehydrating. Constipation is often worsened by dehydration. Hate to be gross but check your pee every time you go- if it's not running almost clear you're dehydrated!
Original Post by freedomfrom:
Original Post by th19249:
Ok, so, I need details and structure and a schematic!!. I'm an Engineer for Gawd's sakes! Grrr..If you're an engineer, you may want to check out (if you haven't already) The Hacker's Diet, which seeks to involve the question as an engineering problem, and has lots of schematics.
Admittedly, not everyone would agree with every one of its contentions, but if it's an analytic framework you need, you can't do much better.
I love the Hacker's Diet for the spread sheets and science. He deferred to people to eat what they wanted, but did have a printable list of foods and associated calories.
I have built a weird food pyramid comprised largely of fruits, veggies and nuts with whole grains and healthy fats as mortar and meats and dairy for decoration.
My general advice on food is make sure you are eating the rainbow of colors available.
"check your pee every time you go- if it's not running almost clear you're dehydrated!"This is actually not true. Urine is yellow, that's its natural color. Urine runs clear when you're overly hydrated, that's true, but it doesn't follow that it means you're "dehydrated" when it's not clear.
Now, it shouldn't be super strong smelling and concentrated yellow either, because that does mean you need more fluids. But a natural pale yellow is normal.
About the poo: it's actually not constipation. It's too much poo! You know the opposite of constipation. Gross! But yesterday I ate a heck of a lot more veggies and it seemed to cure my ailment. I feel much much better today..
Ok, ok, I will cutt out too much caffeine. I will, however, switch my sweet drinks to Crystal light. I really have cut down on my water lately. I need to start drinking more. I'm a bad bad girl. :(
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