I need to lose weight: What's good?
Discussion
Exercise alone doesn't seem to be enough any more. I need to improve my diet dramatically to lose weight and I wondered if anyone could offer any culinary tips.
The problem is I like nice food. Lentils and green tea won't keep me entertained for very long. Can anyone recommend some ingredients or dishes based on the following:
Likes:
Fresh fruit (love anything citrusy)
Cheese (are there any genuinely low fat options? goats cheese?)
Basic vegetables - potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, tomatoes, salad leaves (rocket, spinach)
Meat/poultry
Rice and pasta are okay
Bread (guess this needs to be reduced?)
Yoghurts (Supermarket low fat jobbies, Mullerlight etc - how bad are these?)
Noodles/stir fry type stuff
Mushrooms
Dislikes:
Fish
Nuts
Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, courgette, sprouts, parsnips
I know that's a slightly random list, but I wondered if any stood out as better or worse than I might have expected or if they triggered any suggestions?
The problem is I like nice food. Lentils and green tea won't keep me entertained for very long. Can anyone recommend some ingredients or dishes based on the following:
Likes:
Fresh fruit (love anything citrusy)
Cheese (are there any genuinely low fat options? goats cheese?)
Basic vegetables - potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, tomatoes, salad leaves (rocket, spinach)
Meat/poultry
Rice and pasta are okay
Bread (guess this needs to be reduced?)
Yoghurts (Supermarket low fat jobbies, Mullerlight etc - how bad are these?)
Noodles/stir fry type stuff
Mushrooms
Dislikes:
Fish
Nuts
Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, courgette, sprouts, parsnips
I know that's a slightly random list, but I wondered if any stood out as better or worse than I might have expected or if they triggered any suggestions?
I think the most important thing to do is make any diet reductions manageable. I just decided I wanted to loose some body fat. I'm in no hurry to lose the fat so what I have done is tackled the easy bits first. If I want a coke I have a diet saving over 200 cal. If I want a chocolate bar I have an apple. I switched my yoghurts, marge spreads, milk to low fat. Americano not latte, cordial not juice. I just made some substitutions. That coupled with the exercise has seen my body fat drop from 21% to 16% if I plateau and I'm still not happy I'll look at it again and make some harder changes.
I just think its drastic to say eat only eat fish and chicken. Cut out carbs. eat 6 times a day but very little each time. That would be fine if you want to be a body builder but if you just want to drop a bit and arent botherd how long it takes I'd tackle the easy bits first.
I just think its drastic to say eat only eat fish and chicken. Cut out carbs. eat 6 times a day but very little each time. That would be fine if you want to be a body builder but if you just want to drop a bit and arent botherd how long it takes I'd tackle the easy bits first.
1. No booze during the week
2. Modify your diet so you have carbs in the morning and lunch and protein for lunch and dinner. Eat as much fruit / veg as you like (with the exception of starchy things like potato etc)
3. Drink loads of water
4. Start lifting some meduim to heavy weights before you do cardio exercise. It will tone you up and and lower your blood sugar encouraging fat rather than sugar burn. Your muscles should also get ever so slightly more developed (may be not visibly noticeable) but they will burn more calories when resting or exercising.
On the weekends, have at least one day where you do no exercise and eat / drink whatever you want, as otherwise it gets tedious and it also gives your metabolism a kick up the bum.
Lastly, be persistent. It'll take about 5-6 weeks before you see anyhting noticeable.
Good luck.
2. Modify your diet so you have carbs in the morning and lunch and protein for lunch and dinner. Eat as much fruit / veg as you like (with the exception of starchy things like potato etc)
3. Drink loads of water
4. Start lifting some meduim to heavy weights before you do cardio exercise. It will tone you up and and lower your blood sugar encouraging fat rather than sugar burn. Your muscles should also get ever so slightly more developed (may be not visibly noticeable) but they will burn more calories when resting or exercising.
On the weekends, have at least one day where you do no exercise and eat / drink whatever you want, as otherwise it gets tedious and it also gives your metabolism a kick up the bum.
Lastly, be persistent. It'll take about 5-6 weeks before you see anyhting noticeable.
Good luck.
Dave200 said:
If your weight isn't rapidly increasing, then why not just introduce a bit more exercise and cut some treats out...
The thing is I cycle about 80km a week and I'm not in a bad state of fitness (I also drink plenty of water!) It's just I eat too much crap at the same time, so I've ended up with a fairly athletic lower half topped off by a beer gut and some fairly sizeable man boobs (seems you asked!). I'm about 2 stone heavier than I should be and although it's not a particular issue now I think I'm starting to get to the point where putting it on has become a lot easier than taking it off!
Some of its common sense, like no more breakfast bap hangover cures, but I mostly wanted to find out if there were any surprises. Are there any foods you'd assume were ones to specifically go for or avoid where that isn't actually the case? You hear endless debate on how fattening white bread is for example. And are fat free yoghurts okay or does the sugar content still cause you to put on weight? What about mixing carbs with protein and things like that?
The problem is I like food. So it's going to be easier to do this with things that taste nice and/or can be eaten in decent quantities.
Why not do a crash diet? You will have to curtail exercise(believe me, you will) , and its not easy, but expect to lose between 2 and 3 stone over 2 weeks.
Yep! TWO weeks, thats the great thing about it. Basically, you suffer for 2 weeks only.
I did it a good few years back, and it worked a treat for me
I can post it if you wish.
P/S no good if you don't like eggs!
Yep! TWO weeks, thats the great thing about it. Basically, you suffer for 2 weeks only.
I did it a good few years back, and it worked a treat for me
I can post it if you wish.
P/S no good if you don't like eggs!
Chris71 said:
Some of its common sense, like no more breakfast bap hangover cures, but I mostly wanted to find out if there were any surprises. Are there any foods you'd assume were ones to specifically go for or avoid where that isn't actually the case? You hear endless debate on how fattening white bread is for example. And are fat free yoghurts okay or does the sugar content still cause you to put on weight? What about mixing carbs with protein and things like that?
The problem is I like food. So it's going to be easier to do this with things that taste nice and/or can be eaten in decent quantities.
White bread isn't any more fattening per se, it's just sThe problem is I like food. So it's going to be easier to do this with things that taste nice and/or can be eaten in decent quantities.
t. Empty crap calories. Wholemeal/wholegrain breads retain the dietary fibre and other goodness which helps make you feel more satiated. Same goes for rice and pasta.Every meal should contain carbohydrates, protein and (preferably healthy) fat. Cutting out one or more food group is 1. no fun and 2. not as good for you.
You sound as thought you have the right idea - just do it.
Pick the healthy option(s) and reduce portion sizes.
Boils down to energy intake vs usage which is greater during the day than when you sleep, so avoiding loading up your system with sugars before you sleep should in theory lessen the conversion to body fat.
Conversely, your body repairs muscle tissue during sleep, so provide a source of protein in order for it to do so.
When you wake up, load up on complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index so you have a steady release of energy to keep you going throughout the day.
That's broadly the theory anyway.
Conversely, your body repairs muscle tissue during sleep, so provide a source of protein in order for it to do so.
When you wake up, load up on complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index so you have a steady release of energy to keep you going throughout the day.
That's broadly the theory anyway.
If you want to lose weight there's a few sacrifices you have to make:
If you exercise regularly and don't eat too badly (you think) try the Weight Watchers points plan. It's a bit of hassle to track everything you eat but having to record the amount you eat can shock you into how much you should be eating and how bad somethings are for you.
- Cheese/Dairy products. A little milk and stuff is OK in moderation for cereal, etc but cheese is a definite no-no apart from a small weekly treat as are cream, ice cream, etc
- Alcohol - not good. Except a small amount at the weekends for example.
- Heavy bread. By heavy I mean doorstep rolls or white bread. Thin slice wholemeal/granary is your friend.
- Loads of rice/pasta - full of carbs and carbs need burning off.
- The obvious chocolate/sweet treats.
If you exercise regularly and don't eat too badly (you think) try the Weight Watchers points plan. It's a bit of hassle to track everything you eat but having to record the amount you eat can shock you into how much you should be eating and how bad somethings are for you.
Muzzer said:
* Cheese/Dairy products. A little milk and stuff is OK in moderation for cereal, etc but cheese is a definite no-no apart from a small weekly treat as are cream, ice cream, etc
Yep, that's probably a big thing. Cheese and red meat are my two favourite types of food. I also eat a lot of yoghurts - allegedly healthy ones, but still Muller Light manufactured jobbies, not natural yoghurt.I think I need to draw up three lists: 'seek out', 'avoid' and 'occasional'.
Chris71 said:
Muzzer said:
* Cheese/Dairy products. A little milk and stuff is OK in moderation for cereal, etc but cheese is a definite no-no apart from a small weekly treat as are cream, ice cream, etc
Yep, that's probably a big thing. Cheese and red meat are my two favourite types of food. I also eat a lot of yoghurts - allegedly healthy ones, but still Muller Light manufactured jobbies, not natural yoghurt.I think I need to draw up three lists: 'seek out', 'avoid' and 'occasional'.
A grilled steak for example is quite healthy.
But I would seriously look at portion sizes and quantity of food intake. If you cycle 50 miles a week at a reasonable pace, you should not have a weight problem...
The RDA for fat is about 80g IIRC. Look at the fat content of everything you're about to buy - you might get some surprises. Cheese is a prime culprit, and so is anything with mayonnaise in it. Either avoid the high-fat stuff or eat less, and replace chocolates/crisps with fruit/yoghurt.
Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 7th May 18:56
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