Fatty fine tuning new diet.

[thatsright]

The Facts:
-60lb Overweight
-Need to cut at least 500 cal per day out of diet.
-Need to change diet habits. Start with low carb diet ASAP
-After get handle on diet, start weight lifting/crdio @ a gym

So, while a lot of what I'm trying to do is straightforward (gym), switching to a low carb diets is competley alien to me. Anyone know of good books out there I can check for guidence on this? Absoulty a beginners book on adopting a new diet; best foods too eat and quantity; meal ideas etc. Keep in mind I will soon be lifting weights and will need to change diet slightly to accommodate.

Thanks guys!!

 

[Kipper]

Low carb is alien to you? A word of advice...

Diets only work if you are able to stick to them. I've had clients who are Hispanic/Latino and Asian come in talking about low-carb diets and how they haven't worked - not surprising given that these cultures eat a TON of rice. These guys talk about craving rice all the time.

Also bear in mind that if you are planning on doing heavy weight lifting then low-carb diets may hurt you more than they help you. Obviously if you are going to "modify" it you will probably end up taking in enough carbs to cause weight loss, so you may be looking for a "lower carb" diet. I am not trashing low-carb diets - they work. But they really only work for certain people - if the change is too radical and you go too quickly, the odds of falling off the wagon are high.

It is my experience that for the purposes of weight loss, minor tweaks to the diet - starting somewhere like cutting liquid calories from the diet, for instance - make for more permanent, lasting change. There are some people out there who make a lifestyle of low-carb diets, but they are pretty few and far between.

 

[thatsright]

Going low carb isn't something I'm just doing to loose 20lbs and then just gain it all back. This is to get a healthy diet regimen down (and of course, to loose a little bit of weight). All this is in preparation for gym activity. I figured trying to do both (change eating habits/new diet & learning/going to a gym) would be too hard to learn at once. I'd get frustrated and give up. Once I go at least 2+ weeks of knowing what to eat; what not to eat; ratios of carb/fat/proteins and how to prepare meals (in advance for work, etc) then I'll be good to go. After I start going to the gym, then I will modify (if needed) my eating to gain muscl mass/loose fat. Will this be hard. Hell yeah. But if given enough time I think I have a good shot.

So, thats why I'd like some guidance on good books out there. I typed in 'low carb diet' on amazon and got 500+ hits. Yikes.

 

[DeckardBlade]

The Facts:
-60lb Overweight
-Need to cut at least 500 cal per day out of diet.
-Need to change diet habits. Start with low carb diet ASAP
-After get handle on diet, start weight lifting/crdio @ a gym

I was in a similar position to you about seven years ago. I mostly just want to mention or highlight things I would have done differently knowing now what I do about losing weight and weight management.

Before you start dieting figure out what you're eating for a few weeks; track everything on dailyplate/fitday or similar. It'd help if you try to plan out a set amount of calories to eat during this time that's roughly what you think you eat on average. Doing this isn't to lose weight it's to figure out how many calories you need to reduce to cut weight (perhaps you already did this to arrive at the 500cal figure and I'm being very redundant..if so, sorry).

I'd reaffirm what Kipper said regarding making minor tweaks to your diet. Doing too much too soon will burn just about anyone out. You can lose weight without focusing on cutting carbs and it'd probably be simpler for you to track/manage calories at first.

Fats are great to use for hunger satiety, e.g. I like to have a bowl of oatmeal with a scoop of whey protein mixed in it and before eating it I'd swallow a table spoon of natural peanut butter (I used to mix the peanut butter in the oatmeal but got lazy).

If and when you start doing a weight training/cardio program know that your dietary needs will change and that's why tracking what you eat will be of great benefit to you.

Depending on how bad your current diet is, if changing anything is a big deal to you; you could start the weight training/cardio while just tracking your meals and see what happens with your weight.

Personally, I just cut a ton of calories (far too much) and lost weight far too fast. If I had the option to do it over again; I'd have just started with a weight training program with light cardio. Then I'd move into starting dietary changes depending on what my goals are.

 

[thatsright]

I was in a similar position to you about seven years ago. I mostly just want to mention or highlight things I would have done differently knowing now what I do about losing weight and weight management.

Before you start dieting figure out what you're eating for a few weeks; track everything on dailyplate/fitday or similar. It'd help if you try to plan out a set amount of calories to eat during this time that's roughly what you think you eat on average. Doing this isn't to lose weight it's to figure out how many calories you need to reduce to cut weight (perhaps you already did this to arrive at the 500cal figure and I'm being very redundant..if so, sorry).

I'd reaffirm what Kipper said regarding making minor tweaks to your diet. Doing too much too soon will burn just about anyone out. You can lose weight without focusing on cutting carbs and it'd probably be simpler for you to track/manage calories at first.

Fats are great to use for hunger satiety, e.g. I like to have a bowl of oatmeal with a scoop of whey protein mixed in it and before eating it I'd swallow a table spoon of natural peanut butter (I used to mix the peanut butter in the oatmeal but got lazy).

If and when you start doing a weight training/cardio program know that your dietary needs will change and that's why tracking what you eat will be of great benefit to you.

Depending on how bad your current diet is, if changing anything is a big deal to you; you could start the weight training/cardio while just tracking your meals and see what happens with your weight.

Personally, I just cut a ton of calories (far too much) and lost weight far too fast. If I had the option to do it over again; I'd have just started with a weight training program with light cardio. Then I'd move into starting dietary changes depending on what my goals are.

Well this is the double edge sword I suppose. Those with some success say get diet down, then cardio/gym stuff. Or start with gym/cardio and then diet. But I think once I get into a 'gym groove' that part is VERY straightforward. So I need to get comfortable with the new diet. (As I have been away for business this week, I discovered how horrible it will be to be away from my 'process' if I have to travel and rely on local cuisine. Yikes!)

I calculated my BSM base was 2390 cal/day. My maintenance was 3100 cal day. I'm glad I 'started' eating better. Well 'better' in my mind, but it hasn't been fined tuned yet. I have been on this since monday and either I'm a) eating at the right time of the day, with right 'healthy' foods. But too much carbs or sugars. Or b) eating the right foods, but cutting too many calories without even realizing it. I'd say yesterday I easily did 1500 cal. I wasn't miserable or hungry. But running blindly into a 'plan' like that will be a nightmare. I will just loose muscle mass-the exact opposite of what I want.

Belive me last week I was obsessed with finding a personal trainer/gym. As I have not really, REALLY excersied in prob 10 years. I was convinced this was the best path. But long term the diet is most important here and I need to get a rhythm down. Knowing what/when/how to eat. But, perhaps I should start looking at gyms this weekend? And start in 1-3 weeks? Essentially I need to get this 'lifestyle' diet change first before I can even comprehend getting into a gym. The timing seems to be a bit fuzzy on this.

BTW, I have been writing down everything I eat to date. Unfortunately not writing down oz/gram level. Then I also include weight before I go to bed. This weekend I will go out and get a real diet journal. But I would love more info on 'beginner' books on transitioning to well balanced meals, that don't leave me starving.

 

[Powermoloch]

As an asian decent myself, cutting carbs in my diet is really hard at first and I do miss rice and not anymore. But in the other hand, tracking calories and planning what meals you're about to eat is important as well.

I was 50 lbs overweight since mid february of 2010. I have lost close to 30lbs already. It's may be fast for some people (more than the usual 2lb per week limit). I updated my resistance training now with upper body, back and legs and practically do 30 mins of exercise everyday with weight training since day one.

My diet doesn't change too dramatically. I just eat the right portions and avoided fast food and sugary drinks ( that is from 5-6 full meals a day to 3 meals , 2 snacks bars in between meals + 1 protein shake). Added to that, I live in a more active lifestyle. It's gonna be rough, but this must be a habit which you will learn over time and not over night.

 

[DeckardBlade]

Well this is the double edge sword I suppose. Those with some success say get diet down, then cardio/gym stuff. Or start with gym/cardio and then diet. But I think once I get into a 'gym groove' that part is VERY straightforward.

Both work, I only mentioned my personal preference probably largely due to how badly I managed my own weight loss, I don't mean I was unsuccessful by that. I went from 220lbs to 130lbs in ten months and then down to 106lbs in another four months. Leaving me with a daunting task of building up muscle mass.

BTW, I have been writing down everything I eat to date. Unfortunately not writing down oz/gram level.

I calculated my BSM base was 2390 cal/day. My maintenance was 3100 cal day. I'm glad I 'started' eating better. Well 'better' in my mind, but it hasn't been fined tuned yet.

And start in 1-3 weeks? Essentially I need to get this 'lifestyle' diet change first before I can even comprehend getting into a gym. The timing seems to be a bit fuzzy on this.

It's great that you're writing everything down but you really need to track calories and quantities carefully and consistently. I personally use www.dailyplate.com but there's also www.fitday.com as well. Both sites have a large amount of meals and food items already entered and Dailyplate (my only experience) allows you to create your own meals or add your own items with their nutritional information. It makes keeping track of your diet a lot simpler.

If you're not really specifically detailing the food you currently eat, your maintenance calories you've calculated could be off by a couple hundred in either direction. Which is the only reason I recommend spending a few weeks (I know you're eager) to really figure out how many calories it takes to keep you where you're at currently.

I can't offer you much advice on gyms; I've done everything at home thus far with an adjustable bench, dumbbells/kettlebells, and treadmill. I'm at a point where dumbbells are impractical to squat with though so I have a space in the basement being prepared for a power rack.

 

[thatsright]

Derek when you say track eating habit/pattern by calores etc, do you mean with my diet before I started cutting back? Or just spend a bit more time entering the new diet online? (fitday etc.)

Now I see why most folks said to get diet down first. What a change. Though after a few days I seem to be doing ok with the change (caveat this is just the beginning). I have not been craving any food or starving. Of course once I do it right (using fitday to break out cals by carb/fats/proteins, etc) this could completely change. The only thing I dread is all the preparation work I will need to do the day/night before for meals during work, etc.

One small plus I suppose: I might visit Mc'Ds perhaps 3 times a year and hardly ever drink soda. More of an Ice Coffee guy. Hate fried food. Just carb addicted (I enjoy eating breat straight out of the bag without any topping. I'm a freak!!)

 

[DeckardBlade]

Derek when you say track eating habit/pattern by calores etc, do you mean with my diet before I started cutting back? Or just spend a bit more time entering the new diet online? (fitday etc.)

I'll assume that's me. Since you've already made changes, definitely just spend a bit more time entering your current diet online. Do it for a little while, while watching your weight. Weigh yourself once/twice a week at the same time of day and see if your weight is going up or down. If it's going down you can stick with what you're currently eating and you'll also be able to manage that amount day to day easier with it tracked.

Also, it's not that much work to have food ready for work. A very common group of things I bring to work are a handful of almonds, an apple, a banana, chicken breast sandwich on wheat bread with a slice of cheese (this takes about 3 minutes at most to make), cup of yogurt (I prefer the Greek style yogurt for it's lower sugar content..also has higher protein), and a protein shake (30 seconds perhaps to dump some scoops in a shaker cup). Dumping a bunch of vegetables into a tupperware container doesn't take long either.

 

[thatsright]

I'll assume that's me. Since you've already made changes, definitely just spend a bit more time entering your current diet online. Do it for a little while, while watching your weight. Weigh yourself once/twice a week at the same time of day and see if your weight is going up or down. If it's going down you can stick with what you're currently eating and you'll also be able to manage that amount day to day easier with it tracked.

Also, it's not that much work to have food ready for work. A very common group of things I bring to work are a handful of almonds, an apple, a banana, chicken breast sandwich on wheat bread with a slice of cheese (this takes about 3 minutes at most to make), cup of yogurt (I prefer the Greek style yogurt for it's lower sugar content..also has higher protein), and a protein shake (30 seconds perhaps to dump some scoops in a shaker cup). Dumping a bunch of vegetables into a tupperware container doesn't take long either.

Thanks Deckard. Just spent maybe 30 min on LiveStrong site. VERY HELPFUL!!! My 'last day' so to speak before starting this new 'diet' wow, I was 1775 cal over my current target of 2600 per day. YIKES!! Now I know why I've maintained/put on weight over time with foods small in quantity and absolutely destroy me in total cal count.

Since that day, I have been on target per the site. Since I started earlier this week, I'm down about 3lb. Though curious as to how much is water weight?? Of course half of it I'm guessing (not good idea). Like last night I had organic roasted chicken half-which I could not find on the livestrong site.

I have good 'easy' safe foods I suppose. I love hood pineapple cottage cheese. I usually eat the whole tub (1lb) for breakfast. I alos love trail mix. I 'graze' on Utz pretzels during the day at work sometimes.

A bit about my BSM. My base was 2400 Cal and the 'maintain' was 3200 cal. Not knowing too much about this step, I am trying to cut back enough to avoid going below the base and have my body start eating muscle...we shall see.....

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Have you read the fat loss sticky (http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=162171)? All of this information is entailed here without the complications you're trying to add to your diet.

 

[thatsright]

Have you read the fat loss sticky (http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=162171)? All of this information is entailed here without the complications you're trying to add to your diet.

Yes I have read it. Funny thing this thread originally started with me wanting ideas on what books are out there to check out when stating this kind of process.

I have the Fat Loss sticky open all the time on my home/work system. Great stuff and I will go back to it. But SC what part do you think I'm wasting time on or something else I'm not considering?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Yes I have read it. Funny thing this thread originally started with me wanting ideas on what books are out there to check out when stating this kind of process.

I have the Fat Loss sticky open all the time on my home/work system. Great stuff and I will go back to it. But SC what part do you think I'm wasting time on or something else I'm not considering?

Well, I think that a low carb diet is a poor idea for most people. Don't get me wrong - it would work just fine. The problem is adherence. It's very hard to eat low amounts of carbs and it doesn't provide any benefits while you're losing weight (besides the initial 5-10 pounds you lose, which is water weight). Cleaning up the sources of your calories, tracking the amount of calories, and beginning an exercise plan is what you should focus on. Limiting carbs will just be an unnecessary factor that you'll have to worry about.

Also, to touch on some earlier posts, diet is the key to losing weight. I suggest that all individuals looking to lose weight should hone their diet in and get in a 500 calorie per day deficit before they start going to the gym. Exercise alone is a very wishy-washy way to lose weight. Research has shown that there is a ton of variability in ability to lose weight through exercise. However, most good research shows that the average individual will not lose any weight, although they will improve their fitness. Dietary modification is the only sure way to lose weight. Get that down first, then start going to the gym. Getting your weight down will have very many health benefits. It's worth it to make sure you'll succeed utilizing dietary modification first and then both diet and exercise.

 

[thatsright]

Well, I think that a low carb diet is a poor idea for most people. Don't get me wrong - it would work just fine. The problem is adherence. It's very hard to eat low amounts of carbs and it doesn't provide any benefits while you're losing weight (besides the initial 5-10 pounds you lose, which is water weight). Cleaning up the sources of your calories, tracking the amount of calories, and beginning an exercise plan is what you should focus on. Limiting carbs will just be an unnecessary factor that you'll have to worry about.

Also, to touch on some earlier posts, diet is the key to losing weight. I suggest that all individuals looking to lose weight should hone their diet in and get in a 500 calorie per day deficit before they start going to the gym. Exercise alone is a very wishy-washy way to lose weight. Research has shown that there is a ton of variability in ability to lose weight through exercise. However, most good research shows that the average individual will not lose any weight, although they will improve their fitness. Dietary modification is the only sure way to lose weight. Get that down first, then start going to the gym. Getting your weight down will have very many health benefits. It's worth it to make sure you'll succeed utilizing dietary modification first and then both diet and exercise.

After being on this 'new way' for about a week, I'm surprised at how its not as hard as I expected-in terms of being hungry, etc. The real hard part has been ensuring where/how I get my food (prepare meals before work, snacks etc) and not so much what I eat. I still need a bit more balance. There have been a few days where I ate too few calories (if possible)-even after cutting out 500cal per day!

Thanks SC. I agree with you on all points. I won't obsess too much on the 'only carbs' angle. Just take my diet and try to be cognizant of where my calories come from. Obviously I have had too many calories, even though what I ate wasn't necessarily considered horrible in the classical sense. Either over eating one thing, or just not having healthy variety.