Excercise+Snacking help

concord16

Hello all! I'm pretty new to mfp. To give a quick summary of me and my eating/excercise habits: I'm a 20yr old female, 5'5.5" and I weigh about 160 lb and I'm trying to get down to 125~130lb. I've been doing a LOT of reading and I already know the 2lb/week, lots of water, calories in vs out and what not. My main question would be should I focus mainly on cardio with a few days of light strength training to avoid muscle loss or is it okay to split my time evenly with both? As of now I go into the gym at least 4 days a week but always with an off day or two, especially after a hard cardio session (I've been doing mostly long intervals at like about 45 min at moderate to high intensity with my HR around 145-160 on the elliptical as I'm trying to build up endurance and eventually run a 5k). I don't really know how to use most of the weights machines/the names of many workouts so I've been keeping it pretty simple on strength days but I want to push myself harder because I can already feel myself getting used to the workouts. Any tips?

Also I've been having a hard time trying to tamp down eating when bored-I'm in college and sleep schedules are allll over the place so there are days when I'm up for 20+ hours and when you're pulling an all nighter in the library it's nice to have something to snack on. I've been debating going to a nutritionist for advice but don't really see the point as I'm really healthy already. Are there any low calorie (and I mean seriously low) snacks you recommend for throughout the day just to munch on? Thanks so much for the responses in advance

DancingMoosie

If you want to run a 5k, I highly recommend trying a couch to 5k program. Learning how to run and practicing running longer is really the only way to do this properly, elliptical does not equal running. I'm not saying that elliptical is not a good exercise, it just won't really help you complete a 5k. As far as the weights go, most machines have instructions on them, or you could ask a friend to go with you and show you around. Make sure you are balancing your muscle groups (upper/lower, front/back, push/pull). Another idea is to do something that incorporates strength and cardio, like 30 Day Shred, RI 30, P90, T25, etc.

For snacks, I like raw vegetables (carrots, peppers, snap peas, cucumber, etc) with a dip made from Greek yogurt with a dash of picante or dry soup/dip mix. Other ideas: 100 cal packs of cocoa roast almonds, light cheese sticks, single serve Greek yogurts, small pieces of fruit, air popped pop corn, Kay's naturals snacks, South beach diet snack bars, and lots more!

Rushgirl82

I'm into week 3 of couch to 5 k. Its tough but it's working. My endurance is going through the roof.
As for weights. I use hasfit videos on you tube. They have tons of free videos. It's like having a personal trainer at home!!

Satiable

Are there any low calorie (and I mean seriously low) snacks you recommend for throughout the day just to munch on?

Tangerines: A small 70g tangerine has 37 calories. Throw them in your handbag, eat as many as you want.
Ajitsuke nori packets: Your local Asian grocer probably sells these in packs of 100. You can eat 3 of the individual packets for about 4 calories. Not filling, but tasty!

Best of luck with the 5k. :drinker:

Wifey7891

strength training is very important, even for women. cardio is good but I would focus more on strength training because it will increase your overall metabolism and help you burn more fat throughout the day than cardio will. cardio is good for increasing your caloric deficit, and if you do it the high intensity interval training is better than steady state. my suggestion would be to consult with a personal trainer, at least for a couple weeks, so they can teach you about free weights and exercises that will help you reach your goals. I was pretty close to your situation, started out at 162 at 5'6 tall. I started working out with jillian michaels dvds at home, because that's mostly what I like to do rather than the gym, and now I am at 153. for me it doesn't take much time, theyre only 30 minute workouts, but they combine strength and cardio training. these interval circuits work for me, because I do get bored easily, and feel like I get more bang for my buck with combined strength training exercises.

as far as the snacking, make a list and focus at the grocery store. my favorite snack foods are baby carrots, cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, granola, fruits, maybe some homemade protein bars. try to snack on whole foods, nothing packaged with high fructose corn syrup.

mschicagocubs

What Wifey said ^^ +1

concord16

thanks for all the responses guys! They're really helpful. I'm definitely going to check out the couch-to-5k program, I think it could really help especially with long-term endurance.

As far as calorie intake, I usually excercise once a day but I think I'm going to start kicking it up to 2x a day (cardio in the morning and strenght/circuits in the evening). I tried doing 1200 a day but absolutely couldn't (got wayyyyy too hungry) so I've been eating anywhere from 1500-1800 a day. Is eating my BMR here (~1600) okay to get a calorie deficit or should I adjust it?

danarod23

A combination of strength training and cardio will help you reach your goals. There are a lot of programs out there to do at home so you dont have hefty gym membership fees. I find that works for me. I am in the best shape of my life and only getting better from Beachbody programs. Friend me and we can chat if you want on more options for you to reach your goals!