Man of Honour
Intermittent fasting. Will assist getting your body out of the carb up and down, and is generally amazing for you really. Give it a Google.
Reducing fat intake
- Thread starter Merlin5
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Intermittent fasting. Will assist getting your body out of the carb up and down, and is generally amazing for you really. Give it a Google.
Thanks for the advice chaps. And I'll google IF for more info.
Well 2000 maintains weight so yes, i need to eat less than 2000 to lose weight. Was a lot more active before the lockdown, particularly with the walking, and in the summer a lot of DIY. Right now, I'm home all the time, though I do go out for exercise.
The MyFitnessPal app asked me my activity level and what I wanted to achieve. I told the app I'm at home sitting down most of the time and want to lose 24 pounds. It set me 1580 calories a day, that would lose me 1lb a week. That's 6 months to get to 11.7 stone. But it seems more manageable if I consider that I'd lose a stone and be at 12.3 stone end of april. I'd be happy with that. The problem I have is that I don't get fat anywhere except my stomach. My arms and legs have no fat neither does my face or upper chest, but I have the paunch which I think looks worse than being a bit fat all over.
I calculated everything I ate today right down to the olive oil and a few cups of orange hi-juice. I didn't have breakfast anyway because I got up late. I had 3 ryvitas spread with Flora light, cheese and tomatoes for lunch. I've had dinner which was 5% lean mince bolognese with 124g of wholewheat spaghetti and some grated cheese on top, and less bolognese sauce than I usually have so was a bit dry. Probably could have had more sauce and less spaghetti. I did have a small crunchie and a small double decker (the multipack smaller sizes) this afternoon. My daily max allowed calories is 1580 calories and I've eaten 1,517. I'm still hungry, lol. I wanted to eat a banana and can't believe a single medium sized banana is over 100 calories. So I can't even eat a banana right now. Not sure what I can eat that won't exceed the 1580.
Well 2000 maintains weight so yes, i need to eat less than 2000 to lose weight. Was a lot more active before the lockdown, particularly with the walking, and in the summer a lot of DIY. Right now, I'm home all the time, though I do go out for exercise.
The MyFitnessPal app asked me my activity level and what I wanted to achieve. I told the app I'm at home sitting down most of the time and want to lose 24 pounds. It set me 1580 calories a day, that would lose me 1lb a week. That's 6 months to get to 11.7 stone. But it seems more manageable if I consider that I'd lose a stone and be at 12.3 stone end of april. I'd be happy with that. The problem I have is that I don't get fat anywhere except my stomach. My arms and legs have no fat neither does my face or upper chest, but I have the paunch which I think looks worse than being a bit fat all over.
I calculated everything I ate today right down to the olive oil and a few cups of orange hi-juice. I didn't have breakfast anyway because I got up late. I had 3 ryvitas spread with Flora light, cheese and tomatoes for lunch. I've had dinner which was 5% lean mince bolognese with 124g of wholewheat spaghetti and some grated cheese on top, and less bolognese sauce than I usually have so was a bit dry. Probably could have had more sauce and less spaghetti. I did have a small crunchie and a small double decker (the multipack smaller sizes) this afternoon. My daily max allowed calories is 1580 calories and I've eaten 1,517. I'm still hungry, lol. I wanted to eat a banana and can't believe a single medium sized banana is over 100 calories. So I can't even eat a banana right now. Not sure what I can eat that won't exceed the 1580.
Its more about hormones than calories in my experience, up your insulin and your basically telling your body to increase its fat storage.
Supplements such as chromium and apple cider vinegar can help but the reality you just need lower GI foods or less carbs. Fats and protein do create an insulin response but it pales in comparison. Cut veg cheap oils such sunflower too, those used in flora light they are basically toxic - olive oil and avocado are great. Better yet actual butter.
You've said it yourself more meat and fat and less speghetti and you'd probably not be hungry. The sugary choc is basically shooting yourself in the foot. Chocologic from tesco is an accessible replacement if you must.
Weight loss isn't about starving yourself, be careful that you don't put yourself in starvation mode too much as it'll drop your metabolism and it'll be hard to get it back up again.
Supplements such as chromium and apple cider vinegar can help but the reality you just need lower GI foods or less carbs. Fats and protein do create an insulin response but it pales in comparison. Cut veg cheap oils such sunflower too, those used in flora light they are basically toxic - olive oil and avocado are great. Better yet actual butter.
You've said it yourself more meat and fat and less speghetti and you'd probably not be hungry. The sugary choc is basically shooting yourself in the foot. Chocologic from tesco is an accessible replacement if you must.
Weight loss isn't about starving yourself, be careful that you don't put yourself in starvation mode too much as it'll drop your metabolism and it'll be hard to get it back up again.
Thanks kayomani, great advice. The sugar is what I crave the most but I do recall staying away from it in the past and the desire for sweet stuff almost disappeared. Ok, next time I'll do more meat and less of the carbs, I didn't realise that my appetite would be more sated that way around. I've got avocados here, so will be having some tomorrow. I had 40 calories worth of olive oil in the saucepam to fry the minced beef, olive oil is all I use, except occassionally I use vegetable oil as I did a few days to fry some falafel balls.
I need to research about low GI foods. What I've eaten today was ok, I'm not starving but not as filled as I'd like. I just found out that a single cup of tea with some semi skimmed milk is about 13 to 15 calories. A black cup of Nescafe Espresso coffee is only about 2 calories. So I might have one of those now.
Man of Honour
Come over to the dark side in Sports Arena and read some of the threads linked in the first post here https://www.overclockers.co.uk/forums/threads/the-2021-gym-rats-thread.18914692/
I found white bread was making me a bit bloated around the stomach area, swapped to 50/50 stuff which wasn't so bad but now onto wholemeal and don't have that issue at all so far with wholemeal.
Eating fat doesn't make you out on weight. It's much better for you than sugars.
That was a media campaign funded by sugar producers back in the day and is still lingering in people's minds.
Dense, refined carbs like sugary drinks and snacks is the problem.
That was a media campaign funded by sugar producers back in the day and is still lingering in people's minds.
Dense, refined carbs like sugary drinks and snacks is the problem.
Have had a quick browse and I'll read it further. You look good though. Hercules!
The only white bread I occasionally eat would be a bloomer, tiger bread or baguette but mostly I've been eating wholemeal and darker breads and also recently have been eating 50/50. I've got a multigrain loaf which I bought before I decided to diet. But it's 125 calories per slice which is a lot so I've not touched it yet. I might have a couple of slices tomorrow with scrambled eggs.
Since starting my diet on thursday I've done quite well. My daily target suggested by MyFitnessPal is 1,580 calories to lose 1lb per week. I've recorded every single item as accurately as I can. Thursday I ate 1,517 cal, yesterday 1,470. Today so far I had 40g porridge with 200g water, 50g semi skimmed milk, half a banana and 3 teaspoons (6 calories) of canderel. And each day I've had 3 ryvitas with some cheddar and cherry tomatoes. Drinking the occasional cup of black coffee as it has next to no calories. Drinking water only for now and cut out the orange hi-juice. I've got 883 calories left to use up today. I went and bought some apples, pears and celery. Celery really is good for something to munch on when I'm craving something to eat like a biscuit or chocolate bar.
Dieting is a bit tough, I'm always craving to eat certain things or more of what I am eating. But I'm going to try and stick with it. My BMI is apparently 25.8 on the NHS calculator and it recommends a healthy weight range 9st 6lb to 12 11lbs. So I'm not far off, should be able to get to 12st 11lb in about 4 or 5 weeks.
I weighed myself this morning before the porridge. Surprisingly instead of 13 stone 3 it gave me 13 stone 1lb which made me happy. I checked it twice. Then weighed myself after the porridge and it was 13 stone 2lb. Clearly that's not from losing the fat yet but it must be from staying away from popcorn, bread and other rubbish and reducing some bloating.
Question guys. I've got a tin of plum tomatoes which I love, and a half sized tin of no added sugar baked beans (which taste disgusting). The beans have 72 calories per 100g and 1.1g sugar, and the tomatoes have 25 calories but 4g sugars. I usually have either beans or plum tomatoes with scrambled eggs. Which one of those is better to have, the tomatoes with less calories or the beans with less sugar? Tomatoes seem the obvious choice with less calories, but what about the sugar, aren't there extra calories there?
Calories are calories.
That means any sugar is already included in the label calculation.
The only thing to be careful of is the * details of labels.
You need to make sure the value it gives you is for what you think you're eating.
For example peaches in syrup or juice. There's usually a * to say it's the drained weight so doesn't include the calories of the sugary liquid.
Or food which gives a per portion value (which is some arbitrary quantity) instead of per 100g and the * says there's 2/4/6 portions in the package.
Really? So 2000 calories of grass grass fed beef is the same as 2000 calories of white sugar?
Man of Honour
Yeah, OP, unless you're having trouble with portion sizes or generally clueless about food (you're not) then you would do far better focusing on type of food (emphasise fat and protein), introducing IF, and then you simply won't be hungry enough to worry about counting calories.
Absolutely forget about tiny little figures like how much sugar is in your chopped tomatoes. If you're doing the other things, it's a drop in the ocean and a waste of your brain time.
Just to clear the calories thing up:
Carbs = 4kcal per gram
Protein = 4kcal per gram
Fat = 9kcal per gram
Carbs are on a scale, from complex to simple. Complex is porridge/wholegrain/non starchy veg, simple is sugar (natural or refined/man made). Complex carbs will release slowly and not cause a major insulin spike. Simple carbs in anything but a small amount will, which will cause a cycle which will absolutely make you hungry and snack. Don't worry about sugar in fruit and veg, the carbs will be balanced out by the fibre that (most) include so it's nothing like biscuits, soda or chocolate. The fibre argument is even true of fat, whereby you can balance out (to a degree)
Absolutely forget about tiny little figures like how much sugar is in your chopped tomatoes. If you're doing the other things, it's a drop in the ocean and a waste of your brain time.
Just to clear the calories thing up:
Carbs = 4kcal per gram
Protein = 4kcal per gram
Fat = 9kcal per gram
Carbs are on a scale, from complex to simple. Complex is porridge/wholegrain/non starchy veg, simple is sugar (natural or refined/man made). Complex carbs will release slowly and not cause a major insulin spike. Simple carbs in anything but a small amount will, which will cause a cycle which will absolutely make you hungry and snack. Don't worry about sugar in fruit and veg, the carbs will be balanced out by the fibre that (most) include so it's nothing like biscuits, soda or chocolate. The fibre argument is even true of fat, whereby you can balance out (to a degree)
Can't tell if this is bait to line up something intelligent or something obtuse.
It's hard to tell since you're cropping three words from my post out of the multiple posts I did in this thread to make sure proper context of what was said around it, or before, is absent.
Continue.
Thanks, I didn't realise the calorie value on the label includes the sugar. So that looks like the plum tomatoes are better which is good because the reduced sugar beans are horrible.
Thanks for the advice Zefan, much appreciated and very helpful.
I didn't google details about IF yet, will do that. Yeah, that's my biggest desire while dieting, to reduce my appetite and not be as hungry. I was going to have one chicken leg tonight and a baked potato and a few brussel sprouts but the spud took me over my calorie limit. So I decided to not have the spud and it would be better to have 2 chicken legs for protein and was still able to boil a small amount (20g) of basmati rice and 8 brussel sprouts and be within my max daily calories with 12 calories left to 'spend'. Would you say that meal is good as far as maxing out protein and fat within my allowed calorie intake?
Regarding slow burning food, would you say the porridge I had today is a slow burner? And if I have 2 or 3 scrambled eggs with the plum tomatoes on toast tomorrow, another slow burner?
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Man of Honour
In absolute terms of lossing weight then yes.
Would it be much better on one than the other also yes.
My calorie controlled meal tonight. I'm glad I love veg, particularly sprouts!
Consigliere
@Merlin5 - See how you get on with the app. I tried it and wasn't for me so instead i check labels and round up eg if something is 260, i will round up to 300. Then do this for all the parts of my meal then add on my phone memo app. This way i know i have a "buffer".
I aim for 100g protein, 20g sugar and go from there.
So my daily memo is just:
550, 60g P
Etc.
It is a bit more "casual" but works.
I aim for 100g protein, 20g sugar and go from there.
So my daily memo is just:
550, 60g P
Etc.
It is a bit more "casual" but works.
@Merlin5 - See how you get on with the app. I tried it and wasn't for me so instead i check labels and round up eg if something is 260, i will round up to 300. Then do this for all the parts of my meal then add on my phone memo app. This way i know i have a "buffer".
I aim for 100g protein, 20g sugar and go from there.
So my daily memo is just:
550, 60g P
Etc.
It is a bit more "casual" but works.
Thanks Sidewinder. I really like the app, it's amazing how it's so far found every item I've typed in. I've been recording the weight and calories of what I'm eating but haven't been keeping track of how much protein. So is 100g protein about the amount I'll need?
I don't know what's happening but I weighed myself again today before eating or drinkng anything and I'm currently 12st 13lb. How I've gone from 13st 3lb to 12st 13lb in 3 days I don't know.
Water loss overnight (and perhaps you've started drinking less in general) and less food in your gut.
Shouldn't drink less water to get weight down though, it's very fast but also unhealthy and is not fat or muscle weight loss. Forced sweating and otherwise dehydrating is commonly used in competitive sport to hit X weight for a weighing day though. After which they go and hydrate themselves properly...
Strange though as I've been purposely drinking more water.
Haven't eaten anything today yet, only had a cup of tea
and weighed myself again. This time it showed 13st 0lbs. Tested it a few times and it kept showing 13st. Then tested again and it was back to 12st 13lb. So now I'm wondering how accurate my scales are. Can you recommend me really precise scales to buy?
Don't do it.
Over-weighing yourself only causes you to overthink what you're doing. Just do it once a day at the same time for most consistency and remember only the long term weight changes matter.
Your weight will bounce up and down through the entire day and a super precise scale will simply wind you up.
Over-weighing yourself only causes you to overthink what you're doing. Just do it once a day at the same time for most consistency and remember only the long term weight changes matter.
Your weight will bounce up and down through the entire day and a super precise scale will simply wind you up.