Fruit,vegetables and excessive exercise?

DPulidoo
DPulidoo Posts: 23
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi i wanted to ask opinions about my friends diet and exercise regime..

So my friend is 17 weighs 156lbs and is 5.3 ft,shes been eating only fruit,vegetables and drinking a lot of water,she go's running in the mornings for 1 hour and then go's to the gym for 2 hours in the gym she does 20 minutes of elliptical,20 minutes of bicycle,10 minutes on power plate,then she does weight traininng and at the end another 20 minutes of elliptical or bicycle,then in her house she does at least 1 & 1/2 hours dancing around and thats from monday to saturday on sundays she only runs and dances,i think she may only be consuming aroun 800 calories or 1000 at the most with the fruit and vegetables,she doesnt eat any kind of protein,so i was wondering how long can she stay on that regime before she go's in to plateau? and will it afect her health? is she losing fat or just muscle from not eating protein,whole grains and complex carbs?

thanks to anyone that can help my questions ^^

Replies

  • chrisb75
    chrisb75 Posts: 395 Member
    Using the calculators at fitness frog, and setting your friend to HEAVY Exercise (which might even be low for that routine) it says she should be eating 2671 Calories to MAINTAIN her weight. If she wanted to lose she should take a 15% cut. So she could eat 2270 calories and STILL lose weight.

    If she goes at the rate she at, she will start to lose massive amounts of muscle, her metabolism will slow, and mal-nutrition will set in. I am not an expert but it sounds like your friend might be at boarder-line eating disorder stage. You should intervene as soon as possible.

    EDIT TO ADD:
    Also it doesn't matter if she is eating healthy, she is STARVING her body
  • DPulidoo
    DPulidoo Posts: 23
    than you that's what i thought,its the gym trainer that gave here that diet and exercise regime,so i will try and talk her out of it and if that doesn't help get medical advise ^^
  • chrisb75
    chrisb75 Posts: 395 Member
    than you that's what i thought,its the gym trainer that gave here that diet and exercise regime,so i will try and talk her out of it and if that doesn't help get medical advise ^^
    Your welcome. I swear these Gym Trainers can be dangerous. Like Dr's there are only a few good ones, some ok ones, and lots of really really really bad ones. Good luck to your friend. I hope she can find a healthier way to lose weight than starvation.
  • jlohcook
    jlohcook Posts: 228 Member
    If its for a short period, she will probably lose weight fast, but she may also gain back quite quickly thereafter if she starts eating again. At that age, her metabolism is naturally higher, and she is not exceptionally obese, so, these workouts are a little excessive, she may easily injure herself through the process too. So, good that you notice and talk to her about it.
  • SGRhapsodos
    SGRhapsodos Posts: 47
    She better not be thinking about this regimen for the lOng run. This is unsustainable and will only be setting herself up for uncontrollable binges in the future. Your friend needs help. Often times teenagers don't know how to diet and think that starving oneself is the only way to get results. Tell your friend that she needs a dietician, but she should be looking for mental help if this continues. This will only get worse if she keeps this up.
  • DPulidoo
    DPulidoo Posts: 23
    thank u all for the help i will talk to her about it and make her read all these lovely coments to help her self estime and seek good advice of dietician
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    If she's working out that much and consuming that little her metabolism could well adapt with a decrease and long plateau yep.

    She's probably counteracting some of the lean tissue loss with her strength training, but if she's always coming in way under on protein, she'll still be losing muscle mass over time.

    VLCDs work for some, but they really ought to be only under doctor supervision.

    I predict the outcome for your friend in this scenario will probably be that she burns herself out fast and then puts all the weight back on plus an extra 10lbs.
  • toysbigkid
    toysbigkid Posts: 545 Member
    no proteins at all...will affect her hair, which will start falling out, her skin and nails, not to mention her organs. I hope she is doing this short term (like one day), better to go on a well balanced diet instead of the easy way out that will put more weight back on later and then some. Kids just don't know, it took me a long time to!!!
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    no proteins at all...

    Not defending the kid, but depending on what vegetables she's consuming, she might possibly be getting adequate protein.

    OP, i would at the very least try to convince your friend to add some lean chicken and fish to her diet.
  • tracyjoys
    tracyjoys Posts: 69 Member
    Her body needs the protein (lean, preferably) to help heal/fuel her muscles after EACH workout. If she gets adequate calories (refer to comments above) with the RIGHT foods, then she'll lose weight, build lean muscle, and feel great for the long haul.

    The human body functions best on about 30g of protein per serving; that's the most it can metabolize at a single sitting. (I use Shakeology by Beachbody for my morning breakfast; loaded with protein and other good things - I don't really like eating meat, eggs in the morning so this is a great, healthy replacement!)

    Just skipping refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, starch, and minimizing dairy will help anyone lose weight, honestly. Think Paleo or caveman nutrition...eat only what you can catch or grow is their theory, and it's not such a bad way of thinking. Then your body can handle to occasional treat and still be okay.

    Of course, a good dietician will likely tell your friend a lot of the same things people are suggesting here. Best of luck to her, and good on you for caring!
  • DPulidoo
    DPulidoo Posts: 23
    thnks to everyone thats commentend,couldnt talk any sense in to my friend now she does 3 hours in the gym and when she eats a bit more veg or fruit she goes running 1 hour more,now she is only eating fruit,veg & yogurt still the same,she told me that she whants to lose 10kg in one month that shes gonna kill herself with exercises intill she reaches her goal and when shes at 59kg that shes gonna start eating normal again,but i dont think she will stop cause she will always she herself fat and if she does she will gain weight again so it will just be a vicious circle,any advise?she even thinks that rice will make her fat if she eats it in moderation :S im so scared for her cause she will end up ill in A&E :/..
  • gogophers
    gogophers Posts: 190 Member
    It's really surprising that a trainer recommended a diet with little protein. You may want to tell her to just find a new trainer. A good trainer should understand nutrition as it relates to working out. If they don't understand that, they probably don't have knowledge of other important issues related to training as well.

    I'm not a psychiatrist, but I think the worries about AN or other eating disorders are a little extreme given the information we know. All we know is that this trainer that she presumably trusts gave her a diet and exercise plan and she's simply following that.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    She should be talking to her parents about this. Sounds like that is a no good plan.
  • starracer23
    starracer23 Posts: 1,011 Member
    She HAS to eat protein...her hair will start to fall out. Happened to me...
  • DPulidoo
    DPulidoo Posts: 23
    Her trainer just wants to make money out of people (it costs 50£ a month),now she thinks she cant leave his gym and go to another or not even go cause she will put weight on,and he doesnt know nothing about nutrition.
  • DPulidoo
    DPulidoo Posts: 23
    how long can she survive doing this intill her hair falls out,nails get britle,etc?
  • starracer23
    starracer23 Posts: 1,011 Member
    I was pescatarian (didnt eat meat, but did eat eggs, dairy and fish) and I was making conscience efforts to eat plenty of protein...it was tough. After a couple of months I was losing A LOT of hair..there was so much of it in my brush, the shower, my pillow. It was long...past my bra strap in the back. I had to cut it off above my shoulders...it was so thin. It all grew back...once I made sure I was getting enough protein. The short baby hairs sticking up all over my head was funny. I have since decided to be a carnivore again. I NEEDED protein to grow my muscles...so I eat the heck out of chicken again. Just recently had imy hair trimmed, I was told that I have a nice thick head of hair. Was nice to hear again. :)
  • Laurie1231
    Laurie1231 Posts: 5 Member
    I don't eat meat and mostly live on fruits and vegetables with some tofu and vegetarian products now and again. Im not losing my hair, i don't have brittle nails and i am no where near under weight. I get most of my protein from vegetables and beans and my doctor says my health is in perfect condition! So it is possible to live like that and not end up in the hospital or dead. Vegetables and beans have enough protein to live on! If you are eating enough calories and not going into starvation mode you can live like i do for a long time!
  • CherokeeBabe
    CherokeeBabe Posts: 1,704 Member
    Wow, that sounds more like a really intense detox than an actual 'diet plan;.
  • Astacia74
    Astacia74 Posts: 166 Member
    Ummmm...where are your friend's parents?!
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
    She is lacking a lot of nutrients which she really needs...
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    it sounds like your friend is developing an eating disorder. She is NOT fat, and she does NOT need to lose that much weight, or that fast.

    It may cause some major issues, but I would suggest contacting her mother and letting her know what is going on and that you are worried about your friend. Her mother can get her the help of a nutritionist who can guide her in eating the right way to lose weight in the right way...AND help her find a trainer who will not advocate such brutal workouts and such an insane diet plan.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    A person that young can get away with a lot more than someone older. But it's unlikely she'll be able to keep that up for long, but then eating that few calories she likely won't need to. She'll likely drop the weight very quickly, and then have to deal with trying to keep it off.

    Does she eat any fat along the fruits and vegetables? Do the vegetables include beans?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    it sounds like your friend is developing an eating disorder. She is NOT fat, and she does NOT need to lose that much weight, or that fast.


    I don't know if "fat" has a common use definition, but 5'3" and 153 lbs would be considered overweight.
  • DPulidoo
    DPulidoo Posts: 23
    she doesnt eat any beans or fat,and recently shes been having head aches,and today she had to call an ambulance cause she had very bad head ache vomiting and blackouts,hopefuly the doctors talked some sense in to her now , she only lives with her father and he works at night sleeps in day rarely she each other and he thinks shes eating everything in small amounts..dont know what to do any suggestions?
  • DPulidoo
    DPulidoo Posts: 23
    Wow, that sounds more like a really intense detox than an actual 'diet plan;.


    intense detox thats lasted 3 months.. not good idea

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