Bit of advise if possible please

geordiegirl27

I have been quietly following EM2WL and while I've not really lose I've not gained neither and have been quite happy. I was on track of thinking of doing a reset when I started at a boot camp to help with my strength training and overall to improve my fitness (all I do is run)

Anyway one of the things they do is a nutrition plan, 6 weeks of kind of a detox I suppose to help us change the way we eat - encouraging clean eating.

I confess to being easily led into not the best food choices if I have spare calories and yes running allows me lots of extra cals. So I got into bad habits of a packet of crisps/bar of chocolate as my mid afternoon snack at work, maybe some chips at lunchtime and pretty much every night a glass of wine, with a shared bottle on weekends.

So the idea of this for 6 weeks is just what I needed.

The plan is basically clean eating lots of veg & fruit and protein shakes (to help with the training) no starchy carbs and no processed foods. We have one relaxed day a week where we can have some of the things we're not to have the rest of the time.

I am surprised how easily I have switched and have been loving my new food, its tricky not having potatoes, rice or pasta with a meal but I've not been hungry with the 3 meals and 2 'snacks' per day.

But what I'm finding is my calories are way down, I am netting an average of around 1000 per day which I have learnt through what I've done with you guys that that is bad. I am not hungry I am eating lots of food and I have much more energy. My training is coming on leaps and bounds from not been able to do 3 press ups (on my knees) 3 weeks ago I can do them reasonably well now and even a certain amount of full press ups.

So I guess I'm asking for some guidance on whether I should increase my calories and if so any idea how I can do it without eating or drinking empty calories? I've opened my diary so you can have a mooch if you need too to offer some guidance.

I have also set my macros to Protein - 40, carbs & fat at 30.

Thank you.

toomanycats75

How about adding some unprocessed lower glycemic index carbs such as lentils and higher fiber types of beans, and adding some healthy fat w/ more nuts and seeds? Avocados are also a good way to add energy/calories and still get nutritional benefits.

hannydee

I know it will be difficult at first but a simple way to do this is just increase your portions! Had a quick look through your diary... how about having 2 sachets of porridge rather than 1? 2 slices of toast rather than 1, etc for breakfast. I do think you should be EATING at least 2000 a day, regardless of NET. Just because you're so active with your runs.
Also agree with the adding more nuts/seeds and healthy fats into your diet to give it more of a boost. Peanut butter is a godsend...

geordiegirl27

Hi TMC I do get through 50-60g of nuts as one of my snacks and love avocados. I originally thought of lentils & beans then forgot about them so thank you :-) ill get some in my meals next week.

Hannydee I think I'm too scared of failing and ending off 2st heavier! The trainer said to us no need to cal count as we are to eat the good food and restrict the bad. All great advise but I'm scared of big portions. I will try though. Last night I did the chicken bake and it's a good job I didn't check cals in the chicken thighs 1st as I'd have bottled.

I hate peanut butter which is a shame really as I know loads of you eat it. Am I right to assume cheese is a no-no too?

I have a 14m race in Sunday so having some carbs tonight & tomorrow and I will try harder next week. I really appreciate the advice & feel free to bollock me if I'm not eating enough.

Scales have dropped today :-)

Oishii

This may be a little cynical of me, but I suspect that when you pay someone for weight loss advice their aim is often to give you an impressive initial loss so that you will be pleased with them, rather than trying to set you up for longer-term success. It is hard to NOT lose when reducing complex carbs, as most people wouldn't automatically increase their consumption of other foods. Add to that the 'being good' dieting mentality and you soon have people on a medically unsupervised VLCD.

EM2WL is not the societal norm, but neither is maintaining weight loss. My concern would be how easy would it be to move from this restricted diet back to eat more to weigh less.

geordiegirl27

This may be a little cynical of me, but I suspect that when you pay someone for weight loss advice their aim is often to give you an impressive initial loss so that you will be pleased with them, rather than trying to set you up for longer-term success. It is hard to NOT lose when reducing complex carbs, as most people wouldn't automatically increase their consumption of other foods. Add to that the 'being good' dieting mentality and you soon have people on a medically unsupervised VLCD.

EM2WL is not the societal norm, but neither is maintaining weight loss. My concern would be how easy would it be to move from this restricted diet back to eat more to weigh less.

I hear what you're saying but it is only a plan to get people to realise their bad habits and how you can work round them. She is a personal trainer and has said it's not about weight loss it's about living a healthier lifestyle. As you say reducing complex carbs will give weight loss and accompanied with the exercise classes you really can't fail to lose. She has told me (& us) to eat plenty good quality food.

I was just after ways to keep my cals up while not eating the stuff that isn't as good I can top up cals eating chocolate crisps cheese and Drinking which is what I've been doing while following em2wl but its not healthy and I want to be more healthy it can oh help my training if I do.

Thanks again