Thread: need help!

no, none of us here know anything bout fitness

Originally posted by oceangurl01
hey i need help with my body fat %
can anyone help?

What's your fat doing that it needs help with?

Just kidding, there are lots of people on this board that would be more than happy to help you. Go to the nutrition forum and ask specific questions. Good luck.

Originally posted by oceangurl01
so how many grams of carbs would i need if i want to reduce my body fat % from 21.5 to 14%? i also do resistant training 3 times a week and cardio 4 times a week . my fat and protein intakes are ok. im only considerd to my carb intake?

Welcome to the board



So let's assume that you have read most of the posts here in Best Nutritional Threads a few times....especially about insulin resistance.

Originally posted by oceangurl01
I also have a question. im 5'4 129lbs female. my body fat % is 21.5 %. i do resistant training 3 times a week, working on different body part a day for about an hour. and i do cardio 4-5 times a week for 30-45 minutes. i take in fair amount of protein and watching my carbs and fats. do you guys know how long it would take me to reduce my fat percentage to 14%??? I would want it fast! do you have any suggestions? (meal requiremnts) my carb intake is about 150 grams a day and fat about 20 grams a day protein varies from 80 grams to 120 grams aday?????/ do i need to change my nutrition or workout to get to my 14 % goal as soon as possible???

I'm gonna assume what you are doing IS NOT WORKING! So...

1) Search cardio here.......I would increase your resistance traing to 45-50 minutes 4-5 times a week and decrease cardio to no more than 2. YES 2!!!

you want to add LBM to improve your metabolism...each pound requiring 30-50 more caloires a day (potentailly burning (oxidizing) more BF.....NOT lose LBM from excessive cardio......BW doesn't matter.....body composition does!

2) So you are 129 lbs with roughly 100 pounds of LBM

you currently eat

100 (ave P) 150 C and 20 F (worst thing you do)....hopefully over 4-5 meals a day

That is 1180 calories a day..so your metaboism is extremely compromised

Before you can cut BF effectively....because we can't lower your calories (you have nowhere to go)...we have to reset your metabolism....at a minimum of 12 caloires per pound per day...with a major shift in macronutrients...AND WE HAVE TO DO THIS GRADUALLY


3) So here are your immediate (next 2 week goals)

Eat 5 or 6 times a day.......not more at first....just more spread out.....unless you do so already

Gradually raise protein to 1 gr/# or 130 grams per/day...then 1.25 gr/#/d...and finally 1.5 grams per pound per day....Drink at least 4-5 L of water as you do this per day....

as you do that, lower carbs to about 60-70 grams per day (see slow burners...we only suggest certain carbs)........so maybe in steps....120....100...80...along with the protein increase.

Finally, raise fat.....maybe 2 grams per meal, again in steps till you are at about 10-12 grams per meal

So at the end of two weeks....and if you try to do this too quickly....you WILL accummulate BF...we want you at

1540 calories

180 P
70 C
60 F

3 meals 30 P 20 C 10 F
2 meals 30 P 15 C 10 F
1 meal. 30 P 00 C 10 F

(we don't count greens and veggies)....

Start a Journal..and we can talk about meal planning.




Shopping list!

sugar-free low carb protein powder
lean beef
chicken breast
turkey breast
fresh fish
canned tuna
canned salmon
eggs
creamed cottage cheese**
hard cheese **
sweet potatoes
yams
long grain brown rice
old fashioned oats
steel cut oats
eggplant
squash
romaine lettuce
spinach
asparagus
avocado
broccoli
brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
cucumbers
celery
peppers (any color)
mushrooms
string beans
zucchini
apples
bananas**
fresh or frozen (w/o syrup) berries
peaches
grapefruit
heavy whipping cream (35% ....NOT whipped cream the dessert topping)
olive oil
safflower oil
flax seed oil
walnut oil
almonds
walnuts
natural sugar-free peanut butter

** Not all foods on this list should be used at all times...the banana for instance should only be used during a carb up and/or a bulk.

DP


and

Originally posted by Dr. Pain
OOPS and to answer your question:

After this 2 week reset (and preferably more...to start you from a higher level).. and the shift from cardio to resistance training ....

If you are 100% consistant, don't cheat ( AT ALL), tweak your program every 3-5 weeks, have no underlying metabolic issues, and are not compromised by HRT, Birth control issues, other meds, esp thyroid and SSRI's......

Then between 12 and 16 weeks.

(that aslo assumes your training program is adequate)

DP

isnt low carb and high fat diet doesnt stay permenant??
i started to do cardio 3 times a week and resistant training 3 times a week for 1 hour. my body fat used to be 30% last july 2002 and now is 21.5% so i did improve. but its not working to the 14% ........ how can i just eat 80 grams of carbs??? almost everything i eat contains carbs. (espcially fat free milk that i drink alot of daily)
any suggstions????
thanx

Originally posted by oceangurl01
isnt low carb and high fat diet doesnt stay permenant??
i started to do cardio 3 times a week and resistant training 3 times a week for 1 hour. my body fat used to be 30% last july 2002 and now is 21.5% so i did improve. but its not working to the 14% ........ how can i just eat 80 grams of carbs??? almost everything i eat contains carbs. (espcially fat free milk that i drink alot of daily)
any suggstions????
thanx

The diet isn't really a high fat, low carb diet. It's more like a high protein, controlled carb, moderate fat diet. It is a way of eating (not just a diet, a lifestyle) that many of us follow...it can be permanent if you want it to be. Please read Dr. Pain's post again...notice the shopping list...it doesn't have milk on it...if you want to change the way you look, you have to change the way you eat. There are things you must avoid or seriously limit if you want to get to 14%.

Please read The Fat Loss Primer and another thread we've had on this subject. There is lots of information on this board, as well as many people to help you and support you, but you need to start reading and educating yourself

Can I ask how old you are, where you're from, and your motivation for being 14% BF?

i just turned 20 and im from CA
my motivation of be 14% is because i used to be 30% body fat and went down to 22% and i want to continue. but my body fat is increasing while im at the same diet. so i want to have the correct nutrition to go down to 14%

Congrats on your progress so far.

Have you read the links I suggested?

decrease cardio to no more than 2. YES 2!!!

You know DP and w8!

I can see these girls and guys faces as they read this with there mouths dropping and almost getting mad. Thinking, "are they on crack, increase my FAT and decrease my Cardio, they don't know what there talking about." I know, I was one of them. LOL! Everything we've ever been told on fat los is totally opposite. When I first read your responses to me I was so confused I almost cried. I though I knew what I was doing and to find out I was all wrong.
Well anyway, whomever reads this,

THEY AREN'T ON CRACK (well as far as I know) AND THEY KNOW WHAT THERE TALKING ABOUT.

yes i read the carb site. so what you suggest for me??
can you give me some daily meal plans and workout plans (workout 5-6 times a week)

Originally posted by mochy
You know DP and w8!

I can see these girls and guys faces as they read this with there mouths dropping and almost getting mad. Thinking, "are they on crack, increase my FAT and decrease my Cardio, they don't know what there talking about." I know, I was one of them. LOL! Everything we've ever been told on fat los is totally opposite. When I first read your responses to me I was so confused I almost cried. I though I knew what I was doing and to find out I was all wrong.
Well anyway, whomever reads this,

THEY AREN'T ON CRACK (well as far as I know) AND THEY KNOW WHAT THERE TALKING ABOUT.

lmao @ that last part...I can't speak for DP but I know I'm not on crack

Jodi...I have seen their faces...if you think it's hard to get someone to believe that here on IM....try telling it to someone one on one...it takes twice as long for them to get it. At IM it's easy to point to a link and tell them to read it, post your questions when you're done, especially since we have a wealth of information here, but in person you can't do that and it takes twice as long...it can be just as frustrating for us to know what they need and how to help and not be able to, as it is for them to hear us tell them they've been wrong all this time.

Originally posted by oceangurl01
yes i read the carb site. so what you suggest for me??
can you give me some daily meal plans and workout plans (workout 5-6 times a week)

I suggest:

Originally posted by The Great Dr. of Pain
I'm gonna assume what you are doing IS NOT WORKING! So...

1) Search cardio here.......I would increase your resistance traing to 45-50 minutes 4-5 times a week and decrease cardio to no more than 2. YES 2!!!

you want to add LBM to improve your metabolism...each pound requiring 30-50 more caloires a day (potentailly burning (oxidizing) more BF.....NOT lose LBM from excessive cardio......BW doesn't matter.....body composition does!

2) So you are 129 lbs with roughly 100 pounds of LBM

you currently eat

100 (ave P) 150 C and 20 F (worst thing you do)....hopefully over 4-5 meals a day

That is 1180 calories a day..so your metaboism is extremely compromised

Before you can cut BF effectively....because we can't lower your calories (you have nowhere to go)...we have to reset your metabolism....at a minimum of 12 caloires per pound per day...with a major shift in macronutrients...AND WE HAVE TO DO THIS GRADUALLY


3) So here are your immediate (next 2 week goals)

Eat 5 or 6 times a day.......not more at first....just more spread out.....unless you do so already

Gradually raise protein to 1 gr/# or 130 grams per/day...then 1.25 gr/#/d...and finally 1.5 grams per pound per day....Drink at least 4-5 L of water as you do this per day....

as you do that, lower carbs to about 60-70 grams per day (see slow burners...we only suggest certain carbs)........so maybe in steps....120....100...80...along with the protein increase.

Finally, raise fat.....maybe 2 grams per meal, again in steps till you are at about 10-12 grams per meal

So at the end of two weeks....and if you try to do this too quickly....you WILL accummulate BF...we want you at

1540 calories

180 P
70 C
60 F

3 meals 30 P 20 C 10 F
2 meals 30 P 15 C 10 F
1 meal. 30 P 00 C 10 F

(we don't count greens and veggies)....

Start a Journal..and we can talk about meal planning.

why not milk??? why cant i drink 4 cups of milk daily???

I think someone answered that in another thread. Carbs and sugar. There are things far better for you than dairy.

I wish I was on crack...thanks Jodi!

4 cups of Milk = 48 Grams of sugar!

Is it working?

DP

well i count milk as a protein source and a carb source to keep me going through my workout

I used to live on milk and alone would go through almost 2 gallons a week. I gave up most dairy in May and I have to say that I'm not missing anything. There are far better sources of protein and carbs to get you through a workout. You can have a protein shake and an apple. It will do you more good and not give you the sugar that is not helping you reach your goals!

I realize you have been following this for a while but you've said that you are stuck. Put your trust in the people on this board and you will get to 14% in no time

Milk might have protein, but the lactose is quickly converted to glucose which quickly spikes insulin which quickly shuts down lipolysis.

Or in other words, milk has sugars which are bad carbs.

:EDITamn, H got there before me. To re-iterate what H said, there are much better ways to get protein and carbs (chicken with brown rice being one of them).

ok. so no more milk! maybe only one cup a day??? then later on i wont have any milk! what about rasins? do i need to avoid rasins, prunes and what other carbs i need to avoid??

That shopping list that DP gave you. There is a list of the good carb choices on there. No raisins, no prunes, no fruit other than, apples, berries, peaches or grapefruit. Only other good carb choices are oats, brown rice and sweet potato.
Oh and NO milk!

There aren't many to choose from but you learn to enjoy the ones that are good for you. There are days I can't wait to have oats.

In the end you have to ask yourself,

"Whats more important to me a cup of milk which will be forgotten the second you put the cup into the sink, or the body that will turn everyone's heads?"

basically if i eat oats with protein powder, in the morning
eat egg whites, chicken breasts , tuna, cottage cheese, fat free cheese, pretzels, veggies, steamed white rice and apples throughout my diet, i can get to my goal within a month???

Originally posted by mochy
There aren't many to choose from but you learn to enjoy the ones that are good for you. There are days I can't wait to have oats.

That's true here too I was pissed the morning I found out I bought quick oats instead of old fashioned! They just dont taste the same!

Originally posted by oceangurl01
basically if i eat oats with protein powder, in the morning
eat egg whites, chicken breasts , tuna, cottage cheese, fat free cheese, pretzels, veggies, steamed white rice and apples throughout my diet, i can get to my goal within a month???

1. You really should add some egg yolks, Fat is not bad
2. No FF Cheese, No Pretzels and No White Rice (Brown Rice)
3. Nobody said you can get to your goal in a month. It all depends on your body and the way it reacts as well as how disciplined you are.

Originally posted by Yanick
In the end you have to ask yourself,

"Whats more important to me a cup of milk which will be forgotten the second you put the cup into the sink, or the body that will turn everyone's heads?"

LOL!
Good one!

why not fat free cheese??? and can i eat beans ??? they have lots of fiber and protein

NO Beans, No FF Cheese, too much sugar and a waste of calories.

You really should read those articles. It will explain all of this and much much more.

Also, here is an old journal of mine. You can look through it for food and meal ideas. Mochy's Old Journal

the fat free cheese i eat has only 2 grams of carbs (sugar) in one slice and i only eat one slice a day. and the beans(lugums) has one gram of sugar and 12 grams of fiber