Registered Dietitian in TX here to answer questions.

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  • coderlaury
    coderlaury Posts: 24 Member
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    Bad day at work....Went straight for the chips, although I had carrot sticks on my desk...ugh! Need to learn to do something "constructive" when faced with hurtful situations.

    How is someone to break the "emotional" eating pattern? Any suggestions?
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    How many grams of protein should I eat on days that I lift weights?

    Stats:

    4'11"
    105 lb
    35 - 27.5 - 31.5
    16% body fat (according to scale, looks higher)
    fitness level: 5 hours per week, advanced
    weight workouts: 3-4 days per week, upper or lower body, takes about an hour each, 5 sets and 5 repetitions of 8 - 10 exercises with the heaviest weight that I can safely use. Lower body examples: 200 on leg press, 140 on squats with smith machine, 75 on lying hamstring curls, 30 lb dumbbells on lunges, 170 on single leg kickbacks. Upper body examples: 40 lb barbell with bicep curls, 15 lb dumbbells with overhead press, 50 lb barbell with lat row, 5 dips unassisted, 5 pull - ups with 35 lb assist. New to weights, started lifting about three months ago. Not sure if I'm doing everything right, just trying not to mess up being a girl in a weight area with lots of intimidating fellows around...any advice would be appreciated.

    5x5 is a great lifting program. I've built a lot of strength doing those types of routines.

    1g protein per pound of bodyweight is about the most that's ever shown support in research. Keep your protein around there and you'll be good to go!
  • ldbuster0
    ldbuster0 Posts: 207
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    good reading may ask a question later if it isn't already answered
  • aliciab307
    aliciab307 Posts: 370 Member
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    Hello! Just a few facts and questions.

    My last weigh in, about a week ago here are the results:

    22 yo F
    5'5
    181.2
    32.13% BF

    So essentially I have almost 60 lbs of fat on my body.
    Right now per estimated calories my BMR ranges around 1550-1580, so I eat a minimum of 1600 cals and if I exercise I eat those calories back, as I find if I don't I feel weak and hungry. I make sure I eat a minimum of 120g of protein each day and drink 3+ liters of water a day because i love water! loll, anyways, I've been ranging from 180-182 for almost three months and cannot figure out why I am not losing. On 2/27 I did my weigh in and measurements and then I compared that to my weigh in on 3/15. There was a 1%BF decrease from my previous weigh in although I had only lost 0.8 lbs. My next weigh in is on the 1st, but the next time I will do a BF analysis is 4/15.

    Right now I weight train(45-70 mins) 3x/week and do a HIIT exercise(30-60 mins) 2x/week and I get adequate rest as well. I eat adequate amount of veggies each day and make sure to hit my macros and micros each day.

    Just wanted to know your opinion on my situation.
    Do you think I should just keep keeping on since I've lost BF?
    All recommendations are welcomed. Thank you!!
  • dangerxbadger
    dangerxbadger Posts: 396 Member
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    If it has not been asked already, is it ok to eat below your BMR?

    Is there a too low point if eating below your BMR?

    If already answered then I will find it.

    Yes it's fine. BMR and RMR, unless tested in the lab, are going to be rough estimations any ways. It's a good starting point but in the end, you have to make changes based on the results you are getting with your current methods.



    So if my BMR IS 1800 and my net calories at the end of the day are only 600, I'm okay? TIA!

    You're OK. Like I said, it's all estimations anyways and you have to base your methods off your results. Getting the results you want and not starving or feeling deprived? Good.


    You're joking, right?

    No. I'm not.

    Maybe you're thinking I'm joking because you believe in a "starvation mode?" Is that the case?


    I ask if you're joking because I don't understand how in good conscience you can recommend someone actively eat less than what their body needs to survive long-term, unsupervised medically. The real laughs start coming when you're advocating a diet so low in calories that there is no possible way for them to meet the requirements of most, if any, vitamins and minerals essential for the function of the human body. Less is NOT always more, and I think it's pretty tragic to see a professional recommending/promoting unhealthy behaviors surrounding food.

    LOL, so you think this person is going to die or get a disease from maintaining a large deficit for a period of time and reaching his or her goal weight?


    Yep. I think we're done here. Anyone looking for advice from this guy, look no further than the conversation between he and I.
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    What are your views on the Okinawan centenarian study, and similar studies (linda loma adventists) that suggest a primarily plant based diet with little meat and fish is optimal for longevity and reduced risk of disease ? Are those working out hard and consuming large quantities of protein actually compromising their chances of a long life ?

    The Okinawan centenarian study is an observational epidemiological study, so while interesting and I think there needs to be more research done on the topic, it is by no means conclusive in showing any sort of causative relationships between a low calorie diet and longevity. There is far more and much more convincing research that a well balanced diet including protein from a variety of sources and including meats coupled with an active lifestyle is a healthy lifestyle. So based on that, I don't see any harm with the diet of the individuals observed in said study, I just don't find overwhelming evidence from it to reach a paradigm shift in my recommendations of a well balanced diet.

    Large amounts of protein is subjective, I guess. My recommendation of 1g per lb of bodyweight is much less than the traditional bodybuilding approach of 2+g per lb of bodyweight, but also double that of the RDA. The RDA of protein is based on an amount that will prevent deficiency, not necessarily indicating optimal intake.

    I believe that for the people on this forum that are overweight or obese trying to lose weight, that weight loss is the #1 thing they can be doing for their health right now. Protein is much more satiating than the other macronutrients and it also supports preservation of lean body mass, so in that regard, I would still stick with my recommendation.

    Good question.
  • larsensue
    larsensue Posts: 461 Member
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    thanks for putting yourself out there for us. Much appreciated!
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    One more question:

    I read a book on eating clean by Tosca Reno, and she says that you can't make up the calories in an extra slice of chocolate cake by working out harder the next day. She says certain foods will make you fat because the human body cannot process junk food as well as something like fruit / vegetables / lean protein.

    Is that true, or are all calories the same when it comes to maintaining a lean body?

    She also advises staying away from bread, even whole wheat - unless it is sprouted grain bread. Is that BS?

    Tosca Reno... just throw that book in the shredder. It's all BS.
  • stang_girl88
    stang_girl88 Posts: 234 Member
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    bumping for later! Thanks for making your self accesible :)
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    Just a quick question.

    I heard that the body can only actually use 20g of protein at a time (from a couple completely unreliable sources). This doesn't really make any sense to me and I've never been able to find any research to support that. It is something that I have wondered about since then because I typically consume the bulk of my protein in one or two meals. What are your thoughts?

    Edit to add (in light of previous comments): Isn't the entire point of "dieting" (or eating at some kind of deficit) to net negative calories. As in, if you eat below TDEE, you will always net negative. If you eat at maintenance, you are netting zero, eating just enough to support your body and no more. If you eat at a surplus or a net of above zero you gain weight. I guess it's not really a question so much as a statement. Up for correction of course...

    And of course, thank you for taking the time to answer questions :smile:
  • JanaCanada
    JanaCanada Posts: 917 Member
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    Hi Tony,

    I am a 54 year old menopausal woman. Started MFP back in Sept. 2012 at 225.5 lbs. and now I weigh 186. I'm really happy with losing nearly 40 lbs. in 6 mos.

    I started at 1200 cals/day and was losing 2-3 lbs. per week. I did not eat back exercise calories.

    I then upped my calories to 1350 in mid-December because I got more active. I started losing MUCH slower, about .5-1 lb. per week. I still did not eat back my exercise calories. Very disappointing.

    I went back to eating1200 cals/day about mid-February, and began eating back half my exercise calories. I exercise every day and burn an average of 300 calories/day. Still losing at a turtle's pace at .5-1 lb./week and getting discouraged.

    What do you advise?

    Thank you.
  • bigjretrac
    bigjretrac Posts: 80 Member
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    No questions-- just wanna say thanks for taking time out to answer so many questions :wink:
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    Hello! Just a few facts and questions.

    My last weigh in, about a week ago here are the results:

    22 yo F
    5'5
    181.2
    32.13% BF

    So essentially I have almost 60 lbs of fat on my body.
    Right now per estimated calories my BMR ranges around 1550-1580, so I eat a minimum of 1600 cals and if I exercise I eat those calories back, as I find if I don't I feel weak and hungry. I make sure I eat a minimum of 120g of protein each day and drink 3+ liters of water a day because i love water! loll, anyways, I've been ranging from 180-182 for almost three months and cannot figure out why I am not losing. On 2/27 I did my weigh in and measurements and then I compared that to my weigh in on 3/15. There was a 1%BF decrease from my previous weigh in although I had only lost 0.8 lbs. My next weigh in is on the 1st, but the next time I will do a BF analysis is 4/15.

    Right now I weight train(45-70 mins) 3x/week and do a HIIT exercise(30-60 mins) 2x/week and I get adequate rest as well. I eat adequate amount of veggies each day and make sure to hit my macros and micros each day.

    Just wanted to know your opinion on my situation.
    Do you think I should just keep keeping on since I've lost BF?
    All recommendations are welcomed. Thank you!!

    I think it's time for a 10% calorie cut. 10% isn't so aggressive that you'll feel overly fatigued.
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    If it has not been asked already, is it ok to eat below your BMR?

    Is there a too low point if eating below your BMR?

    If already answered then I will find it.

    Yes it's fine. BMR and RMR, unless tested in the lab, are going to be rough estimations any ways. It's a good starting point but in the end, you have to make changes based on the results you are getting with your current methods.



    So if my BMR IS 1800 and my net calories at the end of the day are only 600, I'm okay? TIA!

    You're OK. Like I said, it's all estimations anyways and you have to base your methods off your results. Getting the results you want and not starving or feeling deprived? Good.


    You're joking, right?

    No. I'm not.

    Maybe you're thinking I'm joking because you believe in a "starvation mode?" Is that the case?


    I ask if you're joking because I don't understand how in good conscience you can recommend someone actively eat less than what their body needs to survive long-term, unsupervised medically. The real laughs start coming when you're advocating a diet so low in calories that there is no possible way for them to meet the requirements of most, if any, vitamins and minerals essential for the function of the human body. Less is NOT always more, and I think it's pretty tragic to see a professional recommending/promoting unhealthy behaviors surrounding food.

    LOL, so you think this person is going to die or get a disease from maintaining a large deficit for a period of time and reaching his or her goal weight?


    Yep. I think we're done here. Anyone looking for advice from this guy, look no further than the conversation between he and I. You may as well get some Raspberry Ketones from Dr. Oz while you're at it.

    I would just like to use this conversation with this member as an example so y'all can take something from this.

    A lot of unqualified people give nutrition advice. It's very common. Misinformation can even come from doctors and dietitians. However, just because something sounds good in theory, doesn't mean it's true.

    It's important to think for yourself. On a big issue such as "starvation mode" there is a lot of primary literature out there on the subject. And by primary literature- I mean scientific peer reviewed journals. Not books or magazine or blog articles.

    I'm not going to use the fact that I'm a RD and this person isn't as an "I'm right and she's wrong" position.

    Here's just an example of an obese male that fasted for over 200 days and saw rapid weight loss http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2495396/pdf/postmedj00315-0056.pdf

    There's more just like that out there if you want to use pubmed.gov to do a search.
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    Just a quick question.

    I heard that the body can only actually use 20g of protein at a time (from a couple completely unreliable sources). This doesn't really make any sense to me and I've never been able to find any research to support that. It is something that I have wondered about since then because I typically consume the bulk of my protein in one or two meals. What are your thoughts?

    Edit to add (in light of previous comments): Isn't the entire point of "dieting" (or eating at some kind of deficit) to net negative calories. As in, if you eat below TDEE, you will always net negative. If you eat at maintenance, you are netting zero, eating just enough to support your body and no more. If you eat at a surplus or a net of above zero you gain weight. I guess it's not really a question so much as a statement. Up for correction of course...

    And of course, thank you for taking the time to answer questions :smile:

    The 20g of protein per sitting is a myth. You can eat more and still get benefit. There is a cap to protein synthesis, but overall studies show that meal frequency and timing have very little bearing (if any) on changes in weight and body composition in review studies and meta-analysis comparing all the research on the topic. This is why intermittent fasting has become popular more lately because it is very viable.

    Yes, a caloric deficit, small, medium, or large (up to you) is the key to weight loss.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    200 day fast sounds a bit extreme but he probably had the body fat to maintain that type of diet. I'all check it out when I get home for the details.
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    Hi Tony,

    I am a 54 year old menopausal woman. Started MFP back in Sept. 2012 at 225.5 lbs. and now I weigh 186. I'm really happy with losing nearly 40 lbs. in 6 mos.

    I started at 1200 cals/day and was losing 2-3 lbs. per week. I did not eat back exercise calories.

    I then upped my calories to 1350 in mid-December because I got more active. I started losing MUCH slower, about .5-1 lb. per week. I still did not eat back my exercise calories. Very disappointing.

    I went back to eating1200 cals/day about mid-February, and began eating back half my exercise calories. I exercise every day and burn an average of 300 calories/day. Still losing at a turtle's pace at .5-1 lb./week and getting discouraged.

    What do you advise?

    Thank you.

    .5 to 1 pound a week is amazing progress! If you kept that up, you'd be in the 130s in a year!

    But if you're unhappy with that, you can always increase your deficit. Exercise more or cut calories another 10%.

    Weight loss tends to slow down after the initial loss.
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
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    200 day fast sounds a bit extreme but he probably had the body fat to maintain that type of diet. I'all check it out when I get home for the details.

    Yes, he was very obese and it is extreme. But it's just an example, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone unless there was a very special need for it.
  • Supershop2mom
    Supershop2mom Posts: 28 Member
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    bump
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    tell me what u know about alcohol and its effects on weightloss, even if it fits a deficit...

    Also is it possible to have a weightloss stall because ur not netting bmr or eating less than suggested due to intense workouts, like crossfit?? (Even with 30% bf).

    Have u seen the cortisol managing products on the market? Any evidence of them effecting fat loss?

    Lastly, do u have any pt clients with asthma? Can u train them to distance run? I am extremely fit and able to sprint with the best of them.. but i cant run more than about 3 minutes without losing control of my breathing.