Diet Plan Advice

kawgirl20
kawgirl20 Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 28, 5'9 136 lbs. I workout at least 30mins-1hour 6 days a week. I still have some stubborn belly fat that I want to get rid of so I want to start a diet plan to help me reach my goals. I'm not a veggie lover and I currently don't take any supplements or vitamins. Do you have any suggestions on what I should be eating and what time I should be eating them? I considered looking into a high protein diet, but I'm not sure which would be most efficient for my goals.

Replies

  • macfaydengirl
    macfaydengirl Posts: 26 Member
    Hi there! I'm not an expert but I'd suggest incorporating lots of dietary fibre in your diet. This can come from fruits, vegetable, peas, beans, nuts and oat bran/oatmeal. If gluten is not a problem for you then you can get lots of fibre from whole wheat/whole grain products. Fibre absorb water in the gut and cause you to feel fuller longer so you end of taking in less calories. Also, it encourages regular BM and so removes toxin from the body. This is just a light suggestion :-). But remember that it is not up to us to determine where on our body loses fat. Sadly, that's for the body to decide :-( Good luck!
  • kawgirl20
    kawgirl20 Posts: 9
    Hi, Thank you for responding :) i eat alot of fruits. I'm trying to incorporate more veggies in my daily routine, but it's difficult because I only currently eat corn, spinach, and lettuce. I recently purchased some veggie burgers and other vegan/vegetarian options to see if this helps. I'm just confused about what I should be eating and the best time to eat them. Do you use any supplements or vitamins?
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Fibre absorb water in the gut and cause you to feel fuller longer so you end of taking in less calories. Also, it encourages regular BM and so removes toxin from the body.
    The gut = intestines, colon, etc. Fiber does not make your intestines feel full. Fiber can temporarily improve your feelings of saiety, but this is temporary. Fiber can help you poop more frequently, but that's about waste, not toxins. Not pooping doesn't cause toxins to cause you harm or anything like that.

    To get rid of stubborn belly fat, you need to lower your body fat % all over. So, continue to eat at a deficit while doing cardio and strength training. Squats (body weight and then with weights) are a great all-over exercise.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Hi, Thank you for responding :) i eat alot of fruits. I'm trying to incorporate more veggies in my daily routine, but it's difficult because I only currently eat corn, spinach, and lettuce. I recently purchased some veggie burgers and other vegan/vegetarian options to see if this helps. I'm just confused about what I should be eating and the best time to eat them. Do you use any supplements or vitamins?
    Eating specific foods will not remove belly fat. Also, corn is a grain, not a vegetable. There is no "best time" to eat things. Meal timing has no impact on weight loss.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    There are no right times or right foods to lose weight, you just need to make sure you're at a calorie deficit which is easy because MFP does the math for you.

    If you want to eat more fruits and veggies for health, that's a different thing entirely and I fully encourage it. I'm more of a fan of fruits then veggies but I try to get 2-3 servings of veg per day.

    As long as you're eating a balanced diet and don't have any deficiencies, you don't necessarily need to take any supplements. That might be a better question for your doctor as they can do a blood test to see if there's anything you're low on. For instance, my vitamin D level is super low (I don't absorb it naturally) and I have borderline high cholesterol so I take a fish oil and vitamin D combination pill.
  • macfaydengirl
    macfaydengirl Posts: 26 Member
    I'm trying harder with my vitamins these days - I stocked up yesterday actually. At the moment I aim for just a good multivitamins to help fill the gap in my diet. I would say eat your fruits earlier in the day because they are higher in sugars. Some people swear by not eating after 6pm or too late in the evening. However, I have also heard the argument that calories/your body doesn't know what time it is so it doesn't matter as long as you're not going over your calories limit.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    You're already a fairly low weight for your height with a BMI of 20 so it would not be advisable to lose much more weight.

    What sort of exercise are you currently doing? If you're not strength training already, weight lifting could help you meet your goals. Read this for inspiration: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • kawgirl20
    kawgirl20 Posts: 9
    This is my current workout schedule.
    M- jog 2-3 miles
    T- 30 cardio
    W- 1 hour HITT Class
    Th- Kickboxing
    F- 30 cardio
    Sat- 1 HIIT Class

    I don't lift weights often, so I will definitely start that today. What do you suggest?
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    A beginner lifting free-weight programme such as Stronglifts 5 x 5 (details easily available online) or New Rules of Lifting for Women (a book) are good starting points.

    As you are going to classes I am assuming you belong to a gym? If so then see about hiring a trainer just for a couple of sessions to show you how to perform the moves safely and with correct form.
  • macfaydengirl
    macfaydengirl Posts: 26 Member
    Oh, one other thing... drink plenty of water this good for general health and weight loss. I drink more that two litres per day. Unfortunately, aspects of nutrition is not a exact science so Id never claim to have the last word. I have heard that potassium helps with belly fat; I'm not sure how scientific this is. Bananas are good source of potassium...

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