Is this diet/exercise plan okay?

ILoveFroggies
ILoveFroggies Posts: 120 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ahhh, guys! So... I've really, really let myself go in the past... few years, actually! But today, I weighed myself on one of those fancy scales that also give you your body fat %, and I was really, really horrified, I have gained SO MUCH weight recently, and my body fat % has increased SO MUCH, so most of the weight I've gained must have been fat.

See, the thing is, I currently do NO exercise whatsoever (literally, none).
And my current diet includes 3 decent meals a day, plus outrageous amounts of snacks, e.g. eating a whole block of chocolate and a whole family sized pack of chips and about 5 muesli bars in one night is normal for me.

So, I'm going to try to be more healthy and lose some fat!

I know there are so many diets advocating reducing carbohydrates, does that sound like something I should consider, or is it a bit drastic? To be honest, I'm currently eating soooooooooo many carbs a day, that even if I just reduce my carb intake to a normal/average amount, I'd still see results... Wouldn't I?

But anyway, what do you think of...
Food - continue eating 3 decent meals a day, but for snacks, limit the chocolate/chips to 1 serve a day, and try to snack on fruit and veg and nuts and things instead.
Exercise - 20 mins a day. Maybe I'll do the 30 day shred!

Is that too mild a plan for it to work, or do you think it'll work anyway, just because it is such a significant improvement from my current lifestyle?

Thanks! :D

Replies

  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    Why don't you try it out for a few weeks and see if you look and feel better?
    If it's not as much progress as you'd like, then readjust your plan.

    Changing from 10 junk food snacks a day to snacks of fruits and vegetables, and changing from no exercise to 20 minutes of regular daily exercise is a VAST improvement. Give it a shot.

    As far as low carb, there are so many opinions pro or contra. I think much of it comes down to personal preference. Some people feel much more satisfied with the same number of calories per day if their food is high in fat/protein instead of carb; others do not.
  • ILoveFroggies
    ILoveFroggies Posts: 120 Member
    Good idea. :) Cheers!

    Yeah, I've heard so many mixed opinions on low carb diets. Honestly, I find I get sooooooooooooo hungry when I eat so many carbs though. Like, just today for lunch, I had two toasted sandwiches (4 slices bread) and a couple of muesli bars, and now I'm ravenous? That can't be good.

    Do you think a better option for lunch (or breakfast) would be to eat a really good omelette made with like 2 eggs and packed full with spinach, tomato, red bell pepper, etc?
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    Well, try it out for tomorrow's breakfast and see how you feel. If you find you are satisfied for longer, then it's probably a great option for you. I'm a big fan of veggies so that sounds like a great breakfast to me - lots of nutrients, and a good amount of protein and fat to make it satisfying and full of flavor.

    If you go low carb, there are many options for just how low to go. You'll want to look into it and see what appeals to you, and what will meet your needs.

    Some people cut out virtually all carbs, or at least down to a very tiny number, as a strategy to try to induce ketosis.

    Others have a more moderate approach of cutting from the typical American very high carb diet down to 20-40%, in favor of fat and protein to increase feelings of satiety.

    There's also an approach of reducing intake of refined sugars and grains like white flour in favor of more "whole foods" like fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat, fish, etc., without actually counting carbs (but one will likely end up eating a lower percentage of carbs than otherwise).
  • ILoveFroggies
    ILoveFroggies Posts: 120 Member
    Haha, yes, one of these options or a combination of both is what I'm thinking of, cutting out carbs completely sounds too drastic and not sustainable or healthy long term!
    Others have a more moderate approach of cutting from the typical American very high carb diet down to 20-40%, in favor of fat and protein to increase feelings of satiety.

    There's also an approach of reducing intake of refined sugars and grains like white flour in favor of more "whole foods" like fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat, fish, etc., without actually counting carbs (but one will likely end up eating a lower percentage of carbs than otherwise).
  • smittenkitten4
    smittenkitten4 Posts: 41
    I eat carbs, but only certain kinds - veggies, obviously, and fruit and whole grains. The rest of my calories come from lean protein and dairy. I limit my added sugar to what's in the occasional square of dark chocolate, everything else is sweetened with stevia or agave nectar. I'm on the South Beach program so if a carb goes into my body it has to be one that packs a ton of fiber and other nutrients (and is low-glycemic). The first few weeks I only had carbs from veggies, and it really helped me stop craving the garbage I used to eat. I don't want to give my grains up entirely like some recommend, but I definitely eat fewer, better carbs than ever before and I feel so much better. I'm at the point now where breaded, fried foods and fast food usually make me feel a little nauseated. Also I've lost 31 lb since 6/22/12 and I have the energy to exercise now, so it must be working!
  • ILoveFroggies
    ILoveFroggies Posts: 120 Member
    Smittenkitten, that sounds like such a smart idea, and it's so great that you're seeing results!! Okay, I'm realising I definitely need to increase my fruit and especially veg intake!

    I don't think I'll do a diet as drastic as yours, but I definitely love the general principle that eating a lot of vegetables will prevent you from craving rubbish, that is so good! I can't wait till I'm at the point where you are where breaded, fried food and fast food make you feel nauseated!

    Congrats and thanks for sharing! :D
  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
    I think if you make those changes you should see some great changes. I think most people have to re-evaluate their diet and work out at some point as a lot don't seem to work from start to goal. But those changes sound like a great place to start to me, good luck!
  • ILoveFroggies
    ILoveFroggies Posts: 120 Member
    Aww, thanks for the encouragement!! Yes, I figure even if it's not as effective as a stricter diet/exercise regime, it's still a huge leap of progress from where I am now, so that has to be a good thing! And you never know, my body may actually lose weight on a "normal"/"average" diet, just because it's such a change from my current diet and sedentary lifestyle, so my body might be like "WHOA"! :D
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    So how did your day go? :)
  • ILoveFroggies
    ILoveFroggies Posts: 120 Member
    Thanks for asking! :):)

    I woke up and did the 1st day of the 30 day shred, it was actually so fun and not too hard at all, and I felt good afterwards!
    Then for breakfast, I had an omelette, made with 2 eggs and spinach/tomato/red bell peppers/onion, which was delicious! And an orange from my tree. :D

    I got a bit off track in the day, because I was so rushed at uni, going from one class to the next, which meant I couldn't have a proper lunch... and a packet of chips got passed around (but I just had a couple of handfuls!), and my friend suggested we get gelati (but I just had a small serve and it was a fruit flavour).

    Went for a small 20 min walk and came home and had a good dinner of chicken schnitzel and vegies (spinach, broccoli, asparagus), which was great! Then I had an orange, a muesli bar and 2 small squares of dark choc. Still a bit hungry due to not getting around to having a proper lunch, but I'm not feeling on the verge of a binge by any means, so I'll probs just have a few more small snacks tonight, and that's it!

    I know there's room for improvement, but I feel the day went well on the whole, compared to how it usually is. :):)
  • Salkeela
    Salkeela Posts: 367 Member
    I lost weight while I was at Uni - and the most difficutl bit was others expectations.

    I found it easier not to tell others that I was on a diet. Instead I'd just turn down the extra food AS IF I wasn't hungry. This got much easier as time went on, and also meant I didn't come in for others' well meaning criticism when I did choose to eat chocolate or something as part of my overall plan.

    Seriously the snacks are the worst. So plan for your basic 3 meals a day (and keep an apple or such like in your pocket as emergency rations!). Then don't eat at any other time than those 3 meals.

    I started packing a pack lunch. Or chose soup in the canteen.

    Seriously your stomach WILL shrink down and soon start to expect less. Drink loads of non-sugary drinks too. I liked coffee or tea, - no lattes though!

    Good luck.
  • ILoveFroggies
    ILoveFroggies Posts: 120 Member
    Hmm, if I only eat 3 meals a day will I be getting enough calories though?

    I mean, I get full kind of quickly (and also get hungry again quickly... like, I eat "little and often"... except it's more like "moderate sized and often"), so my meals aren't HUGEEEEEEE, they're just moderate sized, and so, if I only eat 3 times a day, I don't know whether I'll be depriving myself too much?
  • BernadetteChurch
    BernadetteChurch Posts: 2,210 Member
    Have you actually plugged in your weight and seen how many calories MFP suggests for you? You might find it's easier to do than you think.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    You sound like a person who might have a harder time sticking with something if it involves a lot of drastic changes, like going low carb. I'm certain that you would see results by making smaller changes to start with. Like replacing junk snacks with healthy ones and tracking calories and adding 20 minutes a day of walking.

    If you start tracking your food, you might be surprised at the amount of calories are in your normal 3 meals a day. I think also you will not be as hungry if you start replacing what you eat with healthier food. The junk tends to increase cravings, which is probably not hunger.
  • emma7437
    emma7437 Posts: 225 Member
    Hi, and welcome. It sounds like you really are making plans that will work for you, which is great. Can I tell you a little about what I have done because it may or may not add to what you are thinking.

    I certainly do not want to tell you what to eat, rather about how my journey has gone. I have been on here nine months now, and my eating has changed really significantly, but over time. Initially I added more vegies and counted calories. Then I started cutting out some carby snacks but not with a focus of getting rid of carbs, I just made some changes. At the moment I have a really big focus on protein because that is what is working for me at the moment. At times I have changed one snack - say from a muesli bar to vita weets and cheese.

    I guess my point is that, I started with a plan, and it worked really well. But, as I became more knowledgeable about food (having done lots of reading on here and elsewhere) then I made adaptations, sometimes really small, and if they worked and I could maintain it, then it eventually just became part of what I ate daily. Try not to be perfect from the start, be as perfect as you can, but understand that things may change and adapt over time, and that is awesome, because it means you are changing and adapting to a new lifestyle.

    I hope this does not seem to preachy or telling you what to do. Just adding in something for you to think about.

    Good luck and enjoy it!!!
  • Salkeela
    Salkeela Posts: 367 Member
    Hmm, if I only eat 3 meals a day will I be getting enough calories though?

    Generally we are here because we've eaten too many calories in the past. Once you know the no. of cals MFP suggests for weight loss then you can start to do a budgeting exercise. (It is a bit like balancing your bank balance).

    Try a couple of days just logging everything you eat NOW - and weigh everything that doesn't come in a pre-weighed packet. Truthfully EVERYTHING! (You don't need to open up your diary to others - just use it as a tool to log things)

    Now look at what you could cut back on to get nearer the target MFP suggests. I wouldn't worry if you can't make it all the way down at first. Just log, and learn what values are attached to each food.

    At the end of the week revisit all the advice. And work out if you prefer grazing (and then you actual meals are smaller) or if you prefer to have good meals on a plate, but only 3 times a day. Mostly I prefer not to snack, and if I do, it will only be an apple or some grapes or carrot sticks, because I really prefer my meals to look satisfying in size.

    One thing's for sure, you'll get loads of advice. It's just up to you to work out what works for you. This tool however makes everything SOOO simple. It is way easier than the days of scruffy notebooks, and thumbed calorie booklets! :)

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