Loosing weight - what to eat
Discussion
Members of PH, I've lead a reasonably unhealthy life and for the last 8 years I have had the luxury of her majesty's finest military chefs fattening me up with 2 hot meals a day and the occasional fry up. I have since left and now fend for myself.
The problem is I'm 6'3" and weigh over 100kg (need to weigh myself in the morning) and I've got a belly on me, I ride a mountain bike once a week off-road when I can but hoping to increase that in the new year to twice a week off-road and increase the commute to work from a couple of times a week to everyday over the year.
However what should I be eating and cooking for myself. I'm happy to have a cereal in the morning before work, currently I take a sandwich or soup to work and every now and again I take in a pasta I've made the night before. Evening meals I definetley need to improve eating mainly frozen foods although I eat fresh ravioli once/twice a week.
And the final challenge. Ideally I want all my food to be £30 or under per week, no seafood but everything else I'm pretty much game for or willing to try.
I'm aware this is probably the worst time of year to start this thing but I'm 3 months into cutting out alcohol (had 6 pints in that time), 2 weeks into giving up smoking so need to hit it whilst I feel I'm on a roll.
Thank you in advance.
The problem is I'm 6'3" and weigh over 100kg (need to weigh myself in the morning) and I've got a belly on me, I ride a mountain bike once a week off-road when I can but hoping to increase that in the new year to twice a week off-road and increase the commute to work from a couple of times a week to everyday over the year.
However what should I be eating and cooking for myself. I'm happy to have a cereal in the morning before work, currently I take a sandwich or soup to work and every now and again I take in a pasta I've made the night before. Evening meals I definetley need to improve eating mainly frozen foods although I eat fresh ravioli once/twice a week.
And the final challenge. Ideally I want all my food to be £30 or under per week, no seafood but everything else I'm pretty much game for or willing to try.
I'm aware this is probably the worst time of year to start this thing but I'm 3 months into cutting out alcohol (had 6 pints in that time), 2 weeks into giving up smoking so need to hit it whilst I feel I'm on a roll.
Thank you in advance.
davepoth said:
The answer, quite literally, is "less".
For any healthy person, it's a simple equation. If calories in are less than calories out, you will lose weight. If calories in are greater than calories out, you will gain weight.
There are certain things you can do to help though.
Consider the process of laying down fat. The body takes in food, and then if it doesn't have an immediate use for it, it turns it into fat to use later. So a good way of helping your body stop laying down fat is to avoid eating a big meal and then doing bugger all immediately afterwards. Sleeping counts as bugger all, so try and swap it around so that breakfast is bigger, and dinner is smaller.
Thank you, that makes a lot of sense big breakfast small dinner. For any healthy person, it's a simple equation. If calories in are less than calories out, you will lose weight. If calories in are greater than calories out, you will gain weight.
There are certain things you can do to help though.
Consider the process of laying down fat. The body takes in food, and then if it doesn't have an immediate use for it, it turns it into fat to use later. So a good way of helping your body stop laying down fat is to avoid eating a big meal and then doing bugger all immediately afterwards. Sleeping counts as bugger all, so try and swap it around so that breakfast is bigger, and dinner is smaller.
272BHP said:
The problem with these threads is not that the answers are wrong but that the question is wrong as well.
You need to ask yourself why losing weight is a goal? who cares what number comes up on the scales? When most people get to the crux of why they want to make a change it is usually the following: to look more attractive, to be healthier, to function better and to have more confidence. It is a fallacy that seeing numbers reduce on a set of scales will give you all these things.
Stop eating crap, do some weights and do some form of cardio, this will get most people to 80% of where they want to be.
I'm not a scale watcher, I haven't been on a scale in a long time. (Been busy today but will jump on the scales tomorrow in work) I just have the idea that being healthier will just be better for me in the log run, realising how I don't miss drinking (free bar tonight at the works Christmas party in a brewery so I had half just to be polite, but can't say I miss the taste.) smoking the past 2 weeks has amazed me how disgusting I was not only killing my lungs but also the smell it's horrendous. And finally out on my bike the other week I realised its great exercising but eating crap when not riding doesn't equal out. You need to ask yourself why losing weight is a goal? who cares what number comes up on the scales? When most people get to the crux of why they want to make a change it is usually the following: to look more attractive, to be healthier, to function better and to have more confidence. It is a fallacy that seeing numbers reduce on a set of scales will give you all these things.
Stop eating crap, do some weights and do some form of cardio, this will get most people to 80% of where they want to be.
So thank you to everyone who has provided some great information for me to start on this healthier lifestyle. I'll sort out myfitnesspal now and the other link provided asked for body fat, how do I get this measured or should I take a guesstimate based on the above images? I'd say between 25-30%
A few more bits of information for you.
I'm 29 mainly sat at a desk 5 days a week, the cycle to work is 4miles each way (currently only cycle once a week but going to increase that progressively) ride off-road about 15-20miles every 2 weeks at present more in the summer but again looking to increase that when the trails dry out.
Anything else that may help?
R8VXF said:
Use this to work out a rough maintenance level for your calorific intake: http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
Use MyFitnessPal to monitor said intake. Once you have a couple of weeks hitting your targets review any weight loss/gain. If gaining/maintaining weight then lower calories by 500 per week and then review after a couple more weeks.
Try getting some proper resistance training in, as lifting heavy weights elevates the body's metabolism for a longer period of time after training than cardio does.
So I have weighed myself this morning and I'm 104.1kg I've used the calculator, and it suggests 15% for fat loss which is 2052 calories per day which breaks down to 214.2g carbs, 167.2g protein 58.5g fat and 46-57g fiber so now I will spend the next few days trying to make a menu based around that for me to start.Use MyFitnessPal to monitor said intake. Once you have a couple of weeks hitting your targets review any weight loss/gain. If gaining/maintaining weight then lower calories by 500 per week and then review after a couple more weeks.
Try getting some proper resistance training in, as lifting heavy weights elevates the body's metabolism for a longer period of time after training than cardio does.
I have downloaded my fitnesspal on my phone and linked it to strava and I'm seriously impressed for a free app it is great and im quite tempted by an UP3 when they come out in the new year to link to it aswell.
however the one luxury I did forget about is tea with sugar so I will have to stop that at some point but not just yet (I'll cut out the sugar)
I just want to say thanks to all those that have contributed and for the recommendation of myfitnesspal whilst this is the unhealthiest time of year and I chose to enjoy it I've got into a good habit of logging my eating habits and set it up with my iPhone's inbuilt pedometer and strata. So here's to a healthy new year.
Hoofy said:
I'm impressed that you're logging through the Christmas season! How you will log tonight when you can barely hold your phone I have no idea, though. 
I was logging more to get into the habit but was not adding all the snacks. And not worried that it was over on the odd day. As I've stopped drinking Ill treat myself to an ale or 2 tonight as I got some from the grandparents for Christmas. A friend is trying to get me to the pub but I think not getting drunk for 3-4 months combined with smoking a month may push me to have a smoke so I'm staying in, might treat myself to a chip shop dinner as haven't had one in 4-5 months. Mad March Taffy said:
Couple of things that worked for me:
Porridge for breakfast - made with skimmed milk and use fruit to sweeten not sugar etc - keeps me going to lunchtime with no mid-morning cravings
Soup for lunch - no bread with it - again, fills you up with relatively low calories
Added to exercise regime it helped me lose a fair amount of lard in a short time
I've been having soup for lunch for a while but just started on the porridge for breakfast instead of cereal. Porridge for breakfast - made with skimmed milk and use fruit to sweeten not sugar etc - keeps me going to lunchtime with no mid-morning cravings
Soup for lunch - no bread with it - again, fills you up with relatively low calories
Added to exercise regime it helped me lose a fair amount of lard in a short time
rambo19 said:
I'm 6ft and was 20st.
I jst started to eat alot less, was hard to start, but soon got used to it.
I lost 3st in about 3 months.
My target is 15st.
Simple things made all the difference-
I used to have 2 chicken kievs, loads of mash and beans.
I now have 1 kiev, 2 tablespoons of mash and peas.
I used to get my lunch from greggs- sausage rolls(yummy), cakes and sandwiches.
I now take food to work with me, grilled chicken, mixed veg and rice.
I also started very gentle jogging- about half a mile 3 times a week, although ive stopped as my right knee was hurting.
I know it may sound harsh, but IMO, 99% of fat people are fat because they shovel to much food into their mouths.
I must have 2 accounts??I jst started to eat alot less, was hard to start, but soon got used to it.
I lost 3st in about 3 months.
My target is 15st.
Simple things made all the difference-
I used to have 2 chicken kievs, loads of mash and beans.
I now have 1 kiev, 2 tablespoons of mash and peas.
I used to get my lunch from greggs- sausage rolls(yummy), cakes and sandwiches.
I now take food to work with me, grilled chicken, mixed veg and rice.
I also started very gentle jogging- about half a mile 3 times a week, although ive stopped as my right knee was hurting.
I know it may sound harsh, but IMO, 99% of fat people are fat because they shovel to much food into their mouths.
Chicken Kiev mash and peas is the best meal in the world, my right knee is also knackered and I'm 6ft+
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