Group: Specific Diets & Nutrition

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 104, Messages: 22775

With so many diets and nutritional plans out there, you can get lost. Find out what works best for others and share your experiences!

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Confused re caloric intake

badkitty
badkitty
Posts: 3
Joined: 2003/03/09
Canada
2004/11/20, 11:32 AM
Hi everyone,

I am a new member-female, 25 yo, 170 pounds and 5'4. I am looking to lose about 20 pounds. I have been working out for about 5 weeks now with weights and cardio about 3x/wk, and do see some more tone, esp in upper body. Is it normal to not see much result by now? My weight is actually 3 lbs more than when I started, and my home body fat scale says that my bf has increased as well!!!!

Anyhow, I am working on my diet now. The calculator on this site says I should be eating 2300 cals a day. Does this sound right? I've been calorie counting for the past week, trying to keep to 1500-1800 cals a day. 2300 sounded like a lot..
harvest_moon321
harvest_moon321
Posts: 85
Joined: 2004/09/17
United Kingdom
2004/11/20, 11:53 AM
Well that’s weird if your trying to loose weight and your bodyfat scale says you've gained fat. Why do you need to eat 300 calories more then the average woman on your diet? Especially if you’re trying to loose fat? And you shouldn't just be counting calories; you should also be counting carb intake, fat intake, and the most important protein intake. If you’re dieting then your protein intake is important because it will prevent your body from loosing muscle. Another important factor when trying to loose fat is to do weight lifting this will also help against fighting the flab, which I see you are already doing, but remember weight training should take priority over cardio, as building lean tissue is more important. When I started weight training I got heavier because muscle weighs more then fat, so don't worry about being heavier, just worry about your body fat. Please anyone correct me if I’m getting this wrong?

Post your diet and fitness routine and we’ll see if you can make improvements to your diet.
badkitty
badkitty
Posts: 3
Joined: 2003/03/09
Canada
2004/11/20, 12:48 PM
Thanks for your reply. The diet I have been trying to stick to looks something like this:

Breakfast-mint tea (no caffeeine) w/ 1 tsp sugar
-1 cup Special K w/i cup skim milk

Snack-tea + 1 homemade low fat bran muffin

Lunch-1 cup rice w/kidney beans + 2 chicken thighs
OR tuna sandwich on flax bread
-1 container fruit flavored yogurt

Snack-1 container fruit flavored yogurt

Dinner-1 cup rice w/kidney beans + 2 chicken thighs
OR 1 cup pasta with tuna and alfredo sauce
-1 cup chocolate milk

Snack-unlimited jello (no sugar)

This added up to around 1500 cals and I thought was pretty good. Sound okay?
badkitty
badkitty
Posts: 3
Joined: 2003/03/09
Canada
2004/11/20, 12:54 PM
My workout is based on the Body for Life program. For example, today I did:10 min elliptical

-Narrow grip reverse lat pulldowns 30-60 pounds in sets of 12, 10, 8, 6, 12, then 12 rows at 60 pounds.

-Chest press 30-75 pounds
-Pec deck 35 pounds

-Shoulder press 10-25 pounds

-20 minutes elliptical

I am not working out as often as I should. I currently do the workout about 2 days a week. (Alternating with lower body). About 2 other days a week, I will go for a walk or do a home exercise tape.
harvest_moon321
harvest_moon321
Posts: 85
Joined: 2004/09/17
United Kingdom
2004/11/20, 01:25 PM
oops forgot to login.

In the morning don’t have a tsp of sugar or at least change the sugar to sweetener

But better still instead of having Special K have natural oats made with skimmed milk. 270kcal, 45carbs, fat 4, protein 12

The low fat muffin wont really do you any harm but then again it wont do you any good either so maybe have 100g or cottage cheese as a snack. 88kcal, carbs4, fat 0.8, protein 12

For lunch the rice is ok just make sure its wholemeal rice. Take away the chicken thighs and have skinless chicken breasts instead.

Again the fruit flavored yogurt wont do you any harm but wont do much good. I would have 4 egg whites (take yolks out) with 100g low fat cheese or low fat cottage cheese. Kcal 150, carbs 4, fat 1, protein 25.

For dinner get rid of the rice, you don’t want too many carbs at night. Instead of chicken thighs have 400g of skinless chicken breasts, with kidney beans and maybe some veggies. Also get rid of the chocolate milk and have skimmed milk instead.
You can have the jello as a treat I don’t want to take away all your nice food lol

If you need to up the calories slightly maybe add more low fat natural cottage cheese mixed in with a tin of tuna (that’s what I do) or you could have a meal replacement protein shake with little fat.

Your calorie intake really depends on how much exercise you are doing a day, on training days you can eat a little more, on rest days keep it down a bit. Just make sure you don’t cut your calories to much or your body will go into starvation mode (not good) I would keep your protein up to at least 130g a day (drink water) and your carb intake depends on the amount of exercise you do as well, however its always sensible to not go to crazy with the carbs. Keep fat intake to under 30g a day as well.