Looking for some pointers

[MotherMayI]

I know there have been a million threads like this, but as OcUK seems to be a vast array of opinions and information and every single website I read seems to tell me something different, I thought I'd ask here as well. Basically, Im a 23 year old currently trying to shed some extra weight - Quite a lot of extra weight. Im 5'6" and way just a little under 13st, started just a little over so I guess Im doing something right. Im aiming for 10-11st I guess from what I have worked out, although I am of a very socky build so not sure how its really going to pan out.

Either way, currently my main goal is to just lose my fat. Im not bothered, at all, about putting on muscle - Itd be nice, and a bonus for sure, but it was a far away secondary concern. This is what I am currently doing:

1. Taking daily supplements - Mixed vitamins, green tea extract, akai berry, omega 3/6/9. Is that too much? Is there such thing as too much? I am a vegeterian, and although I have eaten healthily for a long time it is especially hard to get all the right stuff in when I am trying to diet.

2. Gym - Going 3 times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Normally there just under an hour - 30 minutes of cardio (10 mins bike/xtrainer/running) and just under 30 mins of weights (pretty much every machine in thre, but no free weights). Also, I tend to not have breakfast until I have been to the gym and have read different things as to if this is a good idea or not - What is the OcUK opinion?

3. Eating - Breakfast of museli from the local health food store, no particular make. Generally have lunch with some sort of carbs in it and a boat load of vegetables. Dinner tends to be a can or two of M&S soup - I imagine that is not particularly good, but it is quick and easy in the evenings with very low kcal.

Any suggestions on what I can do to better that regime, or any general advice would be more than welcome. Im especially concerned about the truck load of pills Ive been taking every morning tbh, just seems unnatural Also, I have a feeling my calorie intake might be too low, but again, I have read so many different things about that.

 

[BennyC]

1. Taking daily supplements - Mixed vitamins, green tea extract, akai berry, omega 3/6/9. Is that too much? Is there such thing as too much? I am a vegeterian, and although I have eaten healthily for a long time it is especially hard to get all the right stuff in when I am trying to diet.

Not really too sure on the Akai Berrys, I've heard the hype though. Are you eating any/a lot of fish?(not sure how strict a veggy you are). If so the fish oils may not be necesary.

2. Gym - Going 3 times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Normally there just under an hour - 30 minutes of cardio (10 mins bike/xtrainer/running) and just under 30 mins of weights (pretty much every machine in thre, but no free weights). Also, I tend to not have breakfast until I have been to the gym and have read different things as to if this is a good idea or not - What is the OcUK opinion?

You deffinatley want to be doing weights. The more lean muscle mass you have the more calories you burn at rest (reffered to as Metabolic Rate (MBR). You don't need to go OTT but a good balance, including leg and upper body work will deffinatley help.

Make sure you have decent running shoes if you're doing impact cardio such as running. Rowing and X-trainer tend to be my favourties and are nice low impact. Depending on your calorie intake you might want to do a bit more cardio maybe 40 minutes.

3. Eating - Breakfast of museli from the local health food store, no particular make. Generally have lunch with some sort of carbs in it and a boat load of vegetables. Dinner tends to be a can or two of M&S soup - I imagine that is not particularly good, but it is quick and easy in the evenings with very low kcal.

Personally I think eating first thing is very important. It gets your metabolism going and calories burning. You wont/shouldnt burn anymore fat or loose anymore weight from not eating before exercise. If anything you might even burn muscle which you don't want to be doing.

Any suggestions on what I can do to better that regime, or any general advice would be more than welcome. Im especially concerned about the truck load of pills Ive been taking every morning tbh, just seems unnatural Also, I have a feeling my calorie intake might be too low, but again, I have read so many different things about that.

Post up your EXACT diet. Amounts of everything and the times you eat them. If you're not sure about the amounts, log everything you eat for a week and then post it up.

It sounds like you may not be eating enough which will put your body into starvation mode which makes weightloss very difficult if not impossible.

Eating regulary keeps your metabolism going and burning alories. So eat less more often, split meals in half etc.

Post up your diet as that is the most important thing. Get your diet right and the rest is easy.

 

[MotherMayI]

Thanks for your reply, much appreciated.

Not really too sure on the Akai Berrys, I've heard the hype though. Are you eating any/a lot of fish?(not sure how strict a veggy you are). If so the fish oils may not be necesary.

I dont eat any fish, and never have - Thats that main reason I went for the fish oils.

You deffinatley want to be doing weights. The more lean muscle mass you have the more calories you burn at rest (reffered to as Metabolic Rate (MBR). You don't need to go OTT but a good balance, including leg and upper body work will deffinatley help.

Im currently doing pretty much all the weight machines in the gym, which is a good number, but absolutely no free weights. Is that a problem? Also, Im currently doing 2 sets of 15 on each machine, pushing the weight as high as I can while still maintaining the whole 15 reps each time. Not sure if thats really what I should be going for?

Make sure you have decent running shoes if you're doing impact cardio such as running. Rowing and X-trainer tend to be my favourties and are nice low impact. Depending on your calorie intake you might want to do a bit more cardio maybe 40 minutes.

Ive got some decent shoes, and tend to split my time evenly over machines currently - Tend to do 10 minutes cycling, then 10 minutes running, then my weights and then 10 minutes x-trainer to finish off. I might try upping my time to 15 minutes per machine, my only reason for not doing it at the moment is for some reason it seems a lot more of a chore with those extra 5 minutes.. I know thats not a good way of looking at it though - Perhaps Ill do another 10 minutes at the end as opposed to upping all to 15.

Personally I think eating first thing is very important. It gets your metabolism going and calories burning. You wont/shouldnt burn anymore fat or loose anymore weight from not eating before exercise. If anything you might even burn muscle which you don't want to be doing.

Sounds sensible, Ill start doing that. Im guessing itll be a good idea to try eat an hour or so before I start exercising? Should be possible.

Post up your EXACT diet. Amounts of everything and the times you eat them. If you're not sure about the amounts, log everything you eat for a week and then post it up.

It sounds like you may not be eating enough which will put your body into starvation mode which makes weightloss very difficult if not impossible.

Eating regulary keeps your metabolism going and burning alories. So eat less more often, split meals in half etc.

Post up your diet as that is the most important thing. Get your diet right and the rest is easy.

Well, I can give it exact besides the weights. I dont have kitchen scales, maybe that would be something worth getting? Either way, here it goes:

1. Breakfast:
Museli with semi skimmed milk. Occasionally swapping out the milk for low fat greek yoghurt and throwing in some fruit (grapes mainly).

2. Lunch:
This will be one of the following things:
- Omelette: Half a pepper, half an onion, 2 eggs (whole), peas, sweetcorn and some jalapenos.
- Pasta: Some whole wheat pasta with the same vegetables as above.
- Pasta 2: Pasta, pesto, jalapenos and peas. Often have this cold if Im out and about.
- Curry: Same vegetables as above, but with rice instead of pasta and with some chopped tomatoes + spices.
- Soup: Tin of soup from M&S.
- Stir fry: Mixed vegetables, egg noodles and soy sauce. Sometimes with tofu.
- One day a week Im also at the mercy of the university canteen. While I still go for the healthiest option I can, its still not amazing.

3. Dinner:
- Soup: Tin of soup from M&S.
- Omelette: Same as above.
- Tofu thing: Mixed vegetables (the same ones as above), with some shallow fried hard tofu and spices.