help please

[Tyger]

OK, I'm not fat, but I really want to build muscle tone esp. around my thighs and stomach...Right now I'm eating 1000 calories a day, playing basketball 3 days a week, running for 30 minutes when i dont have basketball, and doing a 15 minute ab routine every night. Please tell me what I can do differently to get some results by the end of the summmer! I'm willing to work hard, i just dont know what to do and so far nothing's working! thanx so much

 

[Twin Peak]

You need to lift weights. And you need to eat more. More food, more frequently and high quality.

If you want any more detail than that you'll need to post A LOT more information.

And welcome to IM!!!

 

[w8lifter]

Welcome Tyger

We need to know your stats and age, but basically what TP said...you need to eat a lot more food!

Can you post your diet for us?

 

[LAM]

unless you are 2'0 tall and weigh 50 lbs there is NO WAY you can build muscle or lose fat on that low of a caloric intake.

with that low of a caloric intake at that high of an activity level your body is in serious starvation mode. I suggest adding one meal (300-500 cals) a day for a week or two. then uping them up again another 300-500 cals a day. make sure they are "clean" meals no junk.

But as already stated you need to post your stats...

 

[J'Bo]

how does one live on 1000 calories a day?

 

[Tyger]

Stats? I'm 5'9" and weight about 130...i dont know my bf%...what else do you need to know? I'll work on eating more, thanks for all your help!

 

[w8lifter]

How old are you, M or F, how do you know you're eating 1000 kcals?...are you reading labels, logging, etc or is this a guesstimate?

Please post a typical days diet, I want to see what you're actually eating.....1000 calories is not near enough!

 

[Tyger]

Im female and 17...I've been reading labels to keep track of calories but I realize 1000 is not enough and I'm gradually adding to my diet. Tipically I'll eat 1/2 a bagel and a piece of fruit for breakfast, carrots for a snack, two pieces of fruit or yogurt and pretzels for lunch, a bagel or a protein bar as a snack, and a lean cuisine meal or soup for dinner...I basically have 5 small meals of around 200 calories each. I'm very flexible with my diet I just really want to bulid muscle, what should I do? Im not looking to be buff, just to have muscle definition. I also don't have access to a gym...so advice for at-home workouts would be good. Thanx again for all your help!

 

[Miss LeDix]

I know that the experts will also reply here, but I can just go ahead and ask...where is the protien????

1/2 bagel and fruit..all carbs.
carrot...all carbs.
two pieces of fruit and pretzels...all carbs.
a bagel (or a protien bar? what kind? full of sugar)...could be all carbs
Lean cuisine meal or soup...potentially full of sodium and all sorts of preservatives!

Obviously, you need more protien. You also need more fat.

I'll let w8, TP, LAM, Gopro, or whoever else give the specific feedback to you.

 

[w8lifter]

Originally posted by Tyger
Im female and 17...I've been reading labels to keep track of calories but I realize 1000 is not enough and I'm gradually adding to my diet. Tipically I'll eat 1/2 a bagel and a piece of fruit for breakfast, carrots for a snack, two pieces of fruit or yogurt and pretzels for lunch, a bagel or a protein bar as a snack, and a lean cuisine meal or soup for dinner...I basically have 5 small meals of around 200 calories each. I'm very flexible with my diet I just really want to bulid muscle, what should I do? Im not looking to be buff, just to have muscle definition. I also don't have access to a gym...so advice for at-home workouts would be good. Thanx again for all your help!

I'm glad you see you're not eating enough, that really isn't healthy! You should be eating a minimum of ~1700 kcals every day, and w/ the activity you're doing, probably even more.

Now what you eat is just as important as how much you eat.

You're not getting very much protein at all, nor are you getting the proper fats in your diet. You need to incorporate some of these into your meals, preferably each and every meal. Good sources include eggs, chicken & turkey breast, cottage cheese, low sugar yogurt, low sugar protein bars, whey protein, lean beef, tuna, salmon and other fish, natural peanut butter, almonds & nuts, flax seed or safflower oil, & safflower-based mayonnaise.

So if you're having 5 meals a day (you could have 6) at 1700 kcals minimum, you're looking at meals of around 350 kcals each. Try adding some slower-burning carb sources as well, like oats, brown rice & sweet potatoes.

And please ditch that lean cuisine....it's such a waste of an opportunity to feed your body w/ healthy food that will make you grow!

 

[Stacey]

Welcome to the site!! And listen to W8!!
Up those calories girl!!

 

[Tyger]

Ok, thank you for all the advice! I'll let you know how that goes, but in the meantime, what exercise should I be doing?

 

[w8lifter]

You said you work out at home...what equipment do you have available?

 

[ZECH]

Originally posted by w8lifter
& safflower-based mayonnaise.

W8...who makes this and where do you get it?? Never heard of it??

 

[Stacey]

you should buy a fitness magazine...one that has workouts you can do at home! Look into Muscle & Fitness for her, Self, Fitness, or anything else you can find. Lots of times they have workouts you can do at home! You may need to purchase some 8lb, 10lb, 12lbs or higher weights if you don't own any, and a jump rope too if you don't have one!!

 

[Tyger]

at home I have a treadmill...that's all...I use my body for resistance in all my other workouts. I do read shape magazine...and ocassionally self, or fitness magazine. Just a question....shouldn't I be cutting down my calories a little bit if i want to lose weight? that was the impression I was under before...maybe I was wrong. Keep the great adive comin

 

[sawheet]

Dump the fruit and bagel in the morning!! also shit can the yogurt and have a pro skake or mrp instead. w8 lifter gave you some good advice. be carefull with muscle and fiction magazine and some of the others. you need to start very basic and work into recipes and food substitutes. this way you know what kinda works for you and you can keep a better tab on calories and such.

 

[sawheet]

do not cut the calories it will work against you

 

[Tyger]

what is mrp? any other suggestions? I had no idea my food choices were so bad...I'm learning though! any ideas are welcome

 

[sawheet]

MRP meal replacement packs, lean body is a good tasty one. w8lifter gave some good choices. eat egg whites and plain oatmeal in the am, eat chicken, tuna, fish, some lean gr beef or london broil, for you carbs eat sweet potatoes, oatmeal, rice. limit pasta and delete bread. cut out all sugars including no fat labeled foods. cut out sodium and no fruit juice! half gallon of water or crystal light a day at a minimun. that should get ya started

 

[Tyger]

I eat a lot of soup and fruit...are those bad? Everything else sounds great though, thanx again

 

[sawheet]

cut out the soup and replace with a good protien and clean carb, limit fruit to cantalope and strawberries for now

 

[w8lifter]

Sorry sawheet...but I have to disagree w/ you on this one!

You're talking to a 17 year old girl who's not even eating enough food as it is! And you're telling her to cut out half of what she is eating. While I agree w/ all your suggested food replacements, I'd rather see her eat ENOUGH food in the first place!

Tyger, here's a list of some good foods you should try to incorporate into your diet. DO NOT CUT YOUR CALORIES! You are not eating enough food as it is. If you want to lose bodyfat and gain a little muscle, you will harden up your physique simply by eating enough of the right foods and lifting weights. I will work on a bodyweight program for you and post it a little later...is it possible for you to get some dumbells or exercise bands at all?

I see no reason for you to cut yogurt and fruit at the moment...yes, maybe later down the road in a couple weeks you could cut them out when you get used to eating better.

chicken breast,
turkey breast,
lean ground turkey,
extra lean ground beef,
lean beef,
tuna,
salmon (& other fish),
eggs,
cottage cheese,
whey protein shakes,
old fashioned oats,
scotch/irish oats,
sweet potatoes,
yams,
brown rice,
apples,
peaches,
strawberries,
blueberries,
grapefruit,
green leafy veggies,
almonds,
peanuts,
walnuts,
flax seeds,
flax seed oil,
e/v olive oil,
safflower oil,
walnut oil,
natural peanut butter,

 

[Tyger]

I can get dumbells and exercise bands, and I'm eating a lot more. Right now I don't have any other questions...just trying to get used to stuff. So far so good

 

[Tyger]

Just to let you know how I'm coming....yesterday i ate 2 eggs, brown rice, strawberries, cantelope, 2 apples, chicken, salad, a potato and grapes (i know it's not ideal but i didnt have a lot of the food you suggested) Today i have eaten a protein bar, chicken, some turkey, eggs, strawberries, and trail mix with peanuts and dried fruit. How am I doing? Also, is something like cous cous exchangable with brown rice? And other people have suggested things like peanut butter on an english muffin or cheese on crackers, what do you think of these? Thanx again