T Nation

I Need Diet Help

Supplements and Nutrition
#1

Hey all, new here, although I’m a long time reader. I need some help with my diet. This is a long post so be warned.

I lift 3-4 times a week and cardio 2-3 times a week. I’m trying to lose weight. I eat a little too much as it is, I’m 5 foot 5 and eat about 2200 kcals a day. I’m trying to cut back to 1800-1900 kcals for now untill I can get a bit lower. My current weight loss approach is cut back on carbs, increase protein, pretty basic. My problem is that by 2pm I am ravenous, like I am hypogylcemic and binge, a regular snack doesn’t cure it.

Here’s what I ate today, pretty typical although a little high in fat, usually I’m in the 25% range. I just posted untill afternoon because thats when the problem hits. Also, I am famished by my 10:30 snack.

Breakfast 7:30
1/2 cup dry oats, cooked topped with Splenda
1 Low carb Pro Shake (105 kcals, 22 grams PRO)

Snack 10:30
1 portion part-skim mozza cheese
1 homemade no-bake Pro bar

Lunch
Fat Free Yogurt (not artificially sweetened)
1 cup lettuce
3 oz chicken breast
2 tbsp oil and vinegar salad dressing
1 Diet Soda
1/2 cup sliced cuke

Snack 2pm
1/2 banana

Total: kcals 969
Fat: 34 32%
Carbs: 67 25%
Protein: 100 42%

#2

At first glance it’s no wonder you are ravenous, I could eat all of that for breakfast and still be a little hungry! I know you’re trying to lose weight though and cutting calories will aid in that.

What is your current weight and how much are you trying to lose? It seems to me that your diet lacks substance. Lettuce has virtually no calories and very few benefits in comparison to other veggies. The banana is good, but why only half?

Are you taking any supplements to curb your appetite and aid in fat loss?

#3

You could give this very basic diet a try. Its worked great for me in the past, and it is easy to follow. It will be too high in starchy carbs for many people, but I found my body really needed a certain amount of carbs and I could still lose weight eating them:

Eat six meals per day.

With every meal have one cup of either fruit or veggies. Apples and berries are the best fruit choices.

The first three meals of the day have a serving of protein (I would usually have four ounces of chicken, a can of tuna, or six egg whites) and a half a cup of either of the following - yams, brown rice or oatmeal. Try not to eat any fat at this meal.

The last three meals of the day have a serving of protein and a serving of fat. I would usually have three whole eggs, four ounces of steak, four ounces of salmon, or a scoop of protein powder mixed with two tablespoons of natural peanut butter. I would also take some salmon oil capsules or put some flax oil on my salad.

Try to eat unprocessed foods as much as possible.

On top of this, you should probably pay attention to post workout nutrition.(On lifting days only)have a serving of Surge right after your workout.

Give this diet a try for a week and see how your weight reacts. If you are not losing, increase your cardio. Each time you plateau, keep increasing your cardio. Once you have increased your cardio to a point where you know you cannot do anymore, then start cutting back on the starchy carbs a bit.

This certainly is not the most scientific diet out there, but as I said, it really worked for me. I got down to 7% bodyfat on it once, (although I did not have any protein powder or peanut butter) only scaling back the carbs during the last month.

#4

Great post by JPBear.

I’d just like to add that HIIT and/or sprinting are great cardio, and it isn’t unrealistic to be able to do two sessions a day. Look for Christian Thibadeau’s “Running Man” article in the library (In your case it would be running woman, but the principals are the same :slight_smile: )

#5

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I’m 5 foot 5 and 150 lbs, but a decent amount of muscle. I also have a VERY slow metabolism, hypothyroid since I was 13. Today I tried adding egg whites to breakfast and added a bit more food to my second and third meals of the day and cut back a bit at supper. Seems good thus far. I also added way more veggies.
I like the idea of pro+carb meals and pro+fat meals, as I too need a fair amount of carbs.
Thanks for the help so far.

#6

I forgot to add this: the purpose of saying that my thyroid sucks is that I am not someone who needs a lot of calories. Especially compared to male weightlifters, my caloric needs are really quite low. If I had an understanding Dr. I would consider trying something other than Synthroid, but no such luck at this point.

#7

[quote]Emily204 wrote:

Breakfast 7:30
1/2 cup dry oats, cooked topped with Splenda
1 Low carb Pro Shake (105 kcals, 22 grams PRO)

Snack 10:30
1 portion part-skim mozza cheese
1 homemade no-bake Pro bar

Lunch
Fat Free Yogurt (not artificially sweetened)
1 cup lettuce
3 oz chicken breast
2 tbsp oil and vinegar salad dressing
1 Diet Soda
1/2 cup sliced cuke

Snack 2pm
1/2 banana

Total: kcals 969
Fat: 34 32%
Carbs: 67 25%
Protein: 100 42%
[/quote]

FWIW, here are my 2 cents.

Bkfst - add a half cup to a cup of frozen berries or other fruit to oatmeal (blueberries, rasberries, blackberries, mango, cherries, etc.)

Snack looks cool.

Lunch - eat more lettuce, a cup doesn’t seem like very much; also you may want to substitute a more nutritionally sound veggie like spinach or raw green beans.
Also, get rid of the soda.

2d snack - add some protein

Where’s the evening meal?

#8

I didn’t include it because the “hypogylcemia” like state happens way before supper, around 2pm.

Here’s what I ate today.

Pro Shake
1/2 cup oats
1 egg+1 white

1/2 cup cottage cheese (1%)
1/2 chicken sandwich
1 container yogurt
1/2 cup Kashi GoLean

1/2 chicken sandwich
homemade Pro bar
11 baby carrots
6 mushrooms
2 tbsp low fat dip

1 grilled porto mushroom with crab and low fat mozza on top.

Today was a lot better than before. I’m going to add fruit to breakfast (as I realized I was severely lacking in vitamin C). I’ll add a little more to supper as well. It all comes to approximately 1900kcals, about 36% PRO, 28% fat, so not too bad.