Questions about Diet/Routine

hulmingbird · September 2013

I'm working on changing my lifestyle to eat healthier and I've been incorporating a lot more exercise into my daily routines.
I've just recently moved out on my own and it's important to me to get out of the house (with the dog) and really push for a healthier routine. I'd like to lose weight and when I'm comfortable enough with myself and how I look I'd like to look into joining a gym, which will also be beneficial in the colder months.

The last couple of weeks we've been walking an average of 3-6km daily and I've started cooking all of my own meals (no more fast food or take out) and I'm making sure to have plenty of fruits and vegetables. I'm not a coffee or soda drinker, I've always preferred tea, milk and/or water.

There are alot of people out there that make smoothies and drink protein shakes etc. I've got a few questions that I'm just not sure about:

- when do I encorporate these into my routine?
- protein bars/smoothies - are these meant to help give you energy and keep you feeling fuller longer?
- Are you supposed to eat more protein earlier in the day or throughout?
- What are some of the best things to eat/drink before going out for a walk/exercise? What about afterwards?

I'm finding that I'm very hungry throughout the day, I haven't made any drastic changes to my diet, just started incorporated MORE healthier things into it.

Any help or guidance is greatly appreciated

pastryari · September 2013

People use protein shakes/bars to help reach their proteins goals if they're having trouble doing so with food alone.

Open your diary.

What to eat, or whether to eat at all, before exercise is personal preference.

Princess_Lee2013 · September 2013

Hello! good for you for making steps to have a healthier routine and lifestyle! Sounds like you are onto a great thing with the walking and I envy you that you don't have a soda addiction like me!!! With respect to your questions about protein drinks/shakes:

The purpose of these shakes/drinks, in my opinon, are to provide you with a healthy option on the go or to help you get added nutrients from ingredients in home made smoothies like spinach, berries, etc. that you might not have the time or be able to incoporate conveniently. Be clear that there is no need to incorporate them into your routine if you don't want to - in my experience and with all the diet advice from various programs I have been on - it's better to eat the real food when you can but different things work for different people for sure!

If you wanted to incorporate into your routine, it would depend on the type/calorie/content - you could use as a meal replacement, as a healthy snack or as a pre or post workout meal/snack.

In my experience they do not make you hve more energy or keep you fuller longer, but instead they provide a healthy option that you can have with you on the go or when you might not have time to make a healthy meal with all the nutrients. They are also useful if you are working out heavily and need the extra calories/protein etc.

I knwo it is recommended to have protein into your system within the first little while of waking up - and then to have some with every meal aiming for about 60-100 grams per day.

A good pre workout/walk item is something that incorporates healthy fat such as a handful of nuts or peanut butter on a piece of whole grain toast. After; it's important to replenish all your stores without counteracting your calorie burn. My favourite go to is a bowl of egg whites with feta cheese, but a salad with lean protein is a great option too!

Enjoy your journey!

Stage14 · September 2013

The truth is that the answer to all of your questions is pretty much "it's up to you".

It's up to you if you want to incorporate protein bars or shakes into your diet at all. Personally, I find protein bars are a great way to manage my mild hypoglycemia because they are a quick and simple snack that helps keep my blood sugar balanced. I tend to use protein powders (in shakes or other snacks) as a way to help me reach my protein goals because I've started heavy lifting and I want to be sure that my muscles have the protein and amino acids they need to repair and rebuild.

High protein diets do also tend to make losing weight easier for most people, and MFP is pathetically low in the amount of protein it tells you to eat. Protein helps you stay fuller longer, helps recovery from strenuous workouts, etc. so a lot of people find that upping the protein in their diet can help them stick to calorie goals without feeling hungry or run down. But again, it isn't an ironclad rule, and even if you do decide to up your protein, you don't have to use shakes or bars to do it.

As far as when to eat protein and what to eat before exercising, again, it's all about what works best for you. If I don't eat protein at breakfast, I will graze like a stoned cow all day long. H on the other hand, does a bagel and cream cheese every day for breakfast and is totally fine. I like to eat a small snack about 2 hours before working out, because any closer than that and I get sick feeling. However, others will swear by different methods. For me, I like to eat something with some protein and fat like a greek yogurt with fresh banana or almonds with fresh fruit before working out. I tend to eat dinner (or lunch on the weekends) right after a workout, so I don't have a specific "post workout" food. I do tend to end the night with protein powder and milk on lifting days though.

cwolfman13 · September 2013

- when do I encorporate these into my routine?

It's up to you...you don't even necessarily need these things. These things are most often used to supplement the diet. If you're just walking, they are likely unnecessary unless you're having issues meeting certain macro and other nutrient goals.

- protein bars/smoothies - are these meant to help give you energy and keep you feeling fuller longer?

Protein is essential to maintaining LBM, particularly while in a deficit of calories. While you "diet", your body will not only burn fat, it will burn muscle. Adequate protein and resistance training help to maintain that LBM while losing proportionately more fat.

- Are you supposed to eat more protein earlier in the day or throughout?

For the vast majority of us, timing is irrelevant so long as you are getting your requisite amount daily. Timing may provide some nominal benefit for competitive lifters and other athletes, but for most of us it's pretty much irrelevant.

- What are some of the best things to eat/drink before going out for a walk/exercise? What about afterwards?

This will depend on you and what ultimately gives you optimal performance...and again, if you're walking it's not really going to matter. Before an intense workout I like to have a banana or apple about 30 minutes before hand to provide me with some "jet fuel". After a good run or cycle I have coconut water to replenish my electrolytes and usually some more fruit. I supplement my protein intake with whey...I usually have it in the afternoon and depending on whether I've hit my protein goals or not, sometimes one for desert before bed.

I'm finding that I'm very hungry throughout the day, I haven't made any drastic changes to my diet, just started incorporated MORE healthier things into it.

Make sure you're eating enough calories...enough fat...and enough protein. "Healthy' doesn't mean all fruits and veg...you need your healthy fats and proteins as well. With fat in particular, people tend to have a bad relationship...they think dietary fat makes you fat..so they go all low fat/no fat which in turn usually creates more problems down the road. Make sure you're getting your fats. Also, while you want to be at a caloric deficit from maintenance, it should be a reasonable one...most people go too aggressive because they're in a hurry and ultimately end up failing because of it.

Questions about Diet/Routine

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