nutrition.... where to begin?!

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utopiananon
utopiananon Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
Hello guys,

The sun is out and a couple of weeks back i decided to sort my diet out and exercise. i am in the 3rd week of insanity.... problem is i am under eating calories by quite a lot every day. Someone was also telling me eating too few calories will hinder building muscle efforts etc.

i was a rather round chap in my youth so when i got to the age i wanted to loose weight i just ate less.....

my brain thinks.... loose weight: eat less

just trying to brake old neuro habits and get HEALTHY rather than just eating less. I also work a as a paramedic and do 12 hour shift work...so need stuff to keep my brain and body focused

i know this is a big ask..... i just dont greatly know much about nutrition but want to (for the first time) do this right.


.... so my question is where should i begin?! any thoughts suggestions etc would be awesome.

thanks in advance

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Pretty hard to make any suggestions with no information about you.
  • utopiananon
    utopiananon Posts: 6
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    good call....im 6 foot tall guy, 81 kilos at present and dont have any special dietary needs.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    Figure out how much you need to eat a day first. You can use a TDEE calculator like the ones at fitnessfrog.com or fat2fitradio.com or you can set up your account at MFP and follow their method which has a deficit built in, so you need to eat back most of your exercise calories.

    Next, start logging everything you normally eat. Are you way under? Way over? Getting a healthy variety? Very basically, start with veggies, fruits and lean protein. Add in some whole grains if you like them. I try not to get my calories from drinks, so if you drink a lot of juice or soda or other sugary drinks, start to try to cut back a bit. Weight/fat loss is going to come down to portion control, really. You can have a treat as long as you limit the servings. Really measure. One serving of ice cream is a lot less than you would think/hope!
  • laurarodmell
    laurarodmell Posts: 2
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    i find a high protein, moderate carb, low fat diet works for your specific goals.

    40/40/20 - 40% of your daily calories will be protein, 40% will be from carbs and 20% will be fat.
    1g protein = 4calories
    1g carbs = 4 calories
    1g fat = 9 calories


    start with a basis of 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight.

    example:

    200lb = 200g protein = 800 calories per day for protein

    800 calories is 40% of your daily calorie intake

    200g carbs = 800 calories

    This is another 40% of your daily calorie intake

    44g fat = 400 calories

    This is the remainder 20% of your daily calorie intake

    Overall for a 200lb individual - 2000 Calories per day - 200g protein, 200g carbs, 44g of Fat

    split evenly (or as close as possible) between 5 meals a day


    any further info on when or what to eat i.e afetr training etc please feel free to ask!! :-)
    Hope this helps
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    You need to decide your goals - do you want to lose weight? lose fat? gain muscle? Each of these requires different approaches.

    Then use an online calorie calculator like Scooby's TDEE calculator: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and select the setting which suits your goal.

    Macro ratios vary from person to person but a good starting point is to aim for 1g protein per lb of lean body mass (there are plenty of calculators to help you work out an estimate of your LBM online). A popular breakdown is 30% protein, 30% fats, 40% carbs.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Why not start with the MFP profile setup? Put in your info, your goals (keep it reasonable), and do what it tells you.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    What are your goals in order of importance?
  • msalyga
    msalyga Posts: 7
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    Depending on your goals, you might also try a low carb/ ultra low carb outlook on your food intake. I've found this approach gets you lean in a shorter period of time while maintaining healthy nutrition. It's also a good lifestyle to consider sticking with even after weight loss goals are met.

    *Keep in mind (IMO) you can't simply diet and achieve long lasting results without exercise.*

    -Michelle
  • utopiananon
    utopiananon Posts: 6
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    thanks for the posts so far guys. really helpful

    my aim is to lean up and gain (functional) muscle. not interested in getting super big muscles. insanity is working out well for me right now. i dont really care about my weight. i just wan to to loose the wobbly bits ;)

    are there any good websites to learn what foods are high protein, low carbs..... or like low calorie high sugars to stick away from


    thanks again
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    You can simplify everything to a point but only so far. Here are the basics:

    1) You generally cannot build muscle and lose fat at the same time. There are exceptions, and these are important, as follows: (a) you are untrained and starting out strength training, (b) you have previously built muscle but have recently lost it, and (c) you take steroids. With regard to (a) above, this will only last so long and only add so much muscle. At some point you will definitely need to start eating extra calories to continue your muscle building. My suggestion is that if you are overweight and untrained then focus on lifting weights for the little muscle mass you can build while you lose and then to maintain that muscle mass as the rest of the fat comes off.

    2) The fat/protein/carb ratios are not necessary. Focus instead on getting at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass and 0.35 grams of fat per pound of total body weight. The rest of your diet can be carbs.

    3) Make sure that besides the above, you are getting sufficient fiber, calcium and other micronutrients. Once those are satisfied it is fine to eat what you want. There is no "extra credit" for not eating the ice cream or drinking a beer as long as it's in moderation. The idea here is sustainable change, not self punishment.

    4) Strength training should be your focus. If you want to do cardio for the additional health benefits and to be able to eat extra calories then definitely do so. Just find something that you enjoy doing. I love to run and hike so I do those. Biking, swimming, skipping rope, sprints, walking, etc. are all fine. Again, find what you enjoy doing.

    5) Do not try and rush your weight loss. One pound per week is a solid goal and you should only bump that up to two pounds per week if you are obese and only so long as you are obese. Again, the idea here is slow and sustainable change.

    6) Be patient. Weigh yourself once a week at the same time but don't be surprised if you don't lose exactly 1 pound per week or if you actually gain a couple of pounds. Your weight fluctuates naturally throughout the day. I personally fluctuate 2-4 pounds every day so I focus on the overall trend line when I'm gaining or losing.

    7) There are some solid groups and advice on here and so much broscience crap. Find the groups and threads with good advice and ignore the others. Things like how much water you drink, ditching diet sodas, worrying about your sugar intake above and beyond the calories (unless you're diabetic), cutting out food groups (again, unless you have a real medical need), and meal timing (not snacking at night, eating breakfast, etc.) DO NOT matter. Also check out the group Eat, Train, Progress on here as it is, in my humble opinion, the best group on MFP for solid information.

    Good luck!
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    Nutrition:

    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/

    Resistance training:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/stroutman81/view/resistance-training-foundation-19725

    Both by the same author. Read. Understand. Apply. Profit.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Doesn't Insanity come with a nutrition plan?
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    You can simplify everything to a point but only so far. Here are the basics:

    1) You generally cannot build muscle and lose fat at the same time. There are exceptions, and these are important, as follows: (a) you are untrained and starting out strength training, (b) you have previously built muscle but have recently lost it, and (c) you take steroids. With regard to (a) above, this will only last so long and only add so much muscle. At some point you will definitely need to start eating extra calories to continue your muscle building. My suggestion is that if you are overweight and untrained then focus on lifting weights for the little muscle mass you can build while you lose and then to maintain that muscle mass as the rest of the fat comes off.

    2) The fat/protein/carb ratios are not necessary. Focus instead on getting at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass and 0.35 grams of fat per pound of total body weight. The rest of your diet can be carbs.

    3) Make sure that besides the above, you are getting sufficient fiber, calcium and other micronutrients. Once those are satisfied it is fine to eat what you want. There is no "extra credit" for not eating the ice cream or drinking a beer as long as it's in moderation. The idea here is sustainable change, not self punishment.

    4) Strength training should be your focus. If you want to do cardio for the additional health benefits and to be able to eat extra calories then definitely do so. Just find something that you enjoy doing. I love to run and hike so I do those. Biking, swimming, skipping rope, sprints, walking, etc. are all fine. Again, find what you enjoy doing.

    5) Do not try and rush your weight loss. One pound per week is a solid goal and you should only bump that up to two pounds per week if you are obese and only so long as you are obese. Again, the idea here is slow and sustainable change.

    6) Be patient. Weigh yourself once a week at the same time but don't be surprised if you don't lose exactly 1 pound per week or if you actually gain a couple of pounds. Your weight fluctuates naturally throughout the day. I personally fluctuate 2-4 pounds every day so I focus on the overall trend line when I'm gaining or losing.

    7) There are some solid groups and advice on here and so much broscience crap. Find the groups and threads with good advice and ignore the others. Things like how much water you drink, ditching diet sodas, worrying about your sugar intake above and beyond the calories (unless you're diabetic), cutting out food groups (again, unless you have a real medical need), and meal timing (not snacking at night, eating breakfast, etc.) DO NOT matter. Also check out the group Eat, Train, Progress on here as it is, in my humble opinion, the best group on MFP for solid information.

    Good luck!

    Perfect advice. I would also look into this for starters:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
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    here's what I personally use MFP for.

    I hit 1g/lb body weight as protein (I know this may be "too much" but I'm a big guy and have the excess calories to spare anyway). That is goal 1 of every day eating. If I eat more than that and get in goals 2-4, so be it.

    Goal 2 is hitting my fiber goal with whole fruits and vegetables and legumes alone or as the bulk of the fiber. This encourages nutritious choices and basically assures hitting most of goal 4. I'm usually over MFP's default fiber goal by lunch. I eat a VERY high fiber diet.

    Goal 3 is eat at least 20% of my calories as fat. I'm actually set at 30%, but 20% is my minimum. I eat meats low in saturated fat, but don't otherwise avoid it. I try to eat an omega 3 FA source every day (flaxseed and fish mostly).

    Goal 4 is micro nutrients Ca, Fe, Vit A, and Vit C with FOOD and not supplements.

    I choose low Na when I can, but don't overly stress about it. K takes care of itself with goals 1-4.
  • utopiananon
    utopiananon Posts: 6
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    guys these are all so good thanks kindly. Insanity does indeed have a nutrition thing but A) i think it is hiding under something in my house and B) when i had a look it seemed kind of 'follow this and dont ask questions' but i really want to understand where ive been going wrong and all these posts are really great.

    this community is awesome
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    guys these are all so good thanks kindly. Insanity does indeed have a nutrition thing but A) i think it is hiding under something in my house and B) when i had a look it seemed kind of 'follow this and dont ask questions' but i really want to understand where ive been going wrong and all these posts are really great.

    this community is awesome

    Yes, I know what you mean by "follow this and don't ask questions". I'm sure the nutrition guide is available on the BeachBody site, and they also have a forum for asking questions. Not sure if you have to join to use it though, or if it costs anything to join. You've gotten some good advice here, though. Good luck!

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