# Fat and 40 !! Major help needed please



## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Hi

I found this site whilst searching around for inspiration and am hoping I can get some pointers for life change here.

I am as the title says fat and 40 and fed up being like this. I am a typical female yo yo dieter who over the last couple of months has realised that slimming clubs etc really don't get you lean and fit. I also have a daughter who is coming up 18 and overweight and she again is a huge concern. I dont want her to go into adult life fat and unhappy, so am looking for a whole lifestyle change we can both embrace, but which of course is one we can do for the long haul.

I have been reading lots about weight training and nutrition but find it really really confusing so please can someone help me out.

Basically I weigh 5 stone more than I should and want to get lean and toned, but is the toned bit doable for someone of my age?

Can anyone help me with diet tips and what kind of exercises I should be doing please?

I have found a local gym which I think has free weights rather than the fitness first type so am going to go have a look at that, but again would still be soo grateful for help so I know what Im doing is ok.

Thanks for your help in advance

Karen


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## John (Jun 5, 2004)

youve made the first step by joining up, now all that has to be done is getting you started so that you can make the relevant changes for you and then you can pass on whatever you choose to, to your daughter.

probably it would help if you gave us an idea o what you do just now, ie, whats your diet like just now, i know you said your over weight but sometimes people eat the right stuff, but in too plentyful amounts, do you do any sort of exercise at all, how active are you?

Being realistic what do you think you would like to achieve?


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

Hi Karen welcome to the board..

It would help if we had more stats about yourself...

take a look at this thread as it gives details of a diet i suggested to another female member.

http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/showthread.php?t=11769


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Hi

I am 5ft 1 tall and around 13 stone 10 !!! I did a bodyfat calculator and it comes out at 31% which kinda surprised me as I thought i was at least 99% fat ...

Exercise wise I am quite active, I walk the dog twice a day, move around at work and generally try to get my bulk moving when I can.

I am a part time baker and the hours are a bit of a pain. I work from 6am to 12 so meal wise I find it hard to fit food in.

We do eat a lot of convenience food which I know is bad so am obviously looking to cut that out.

PScarb ... I looked at the diet guideline you gave and have a couple of questions. How much is 1 serving of seeds? When you say salad or veg is that any kind you like ?

My long term goals are to be a good weight for my size and be as toned as I possibly can. I know Im getting on but surely thats not a undoable goal ..is it ?

Karen


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

your goal is certainly acheivable my sister is 38yrs old so pretty close to you age wise and she did it so i cannot see why you cannot.

a serving of Seeds is approx 25g the salad and veg is pretty much anything that fits that description but the greener the veg and salad the better as these act as a duiretic also.


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Thanks so much for your help and I am really determined to do this which Im sure is half the battle.

Sorry to ask so many questions but how do I go about choosing a decent protein and how do I know which one to buy as when Ive looked around they all have different amounts of protein in !!

Once Im sorted I can get ordering ready to start and I have my first gym appointment on Thursday so that should be fun


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## Lorian (Apr 9, 2003)

Karen43UK said:


> I am really determined to do this which Im sure is half the battle.


Fantastic! Your detemination is what will ensure your success.



Karen43UK said:


> Sorry to ask so many questions but how do I go about choosing a decent protein and how do I know which one to buy as when Ive looked around they all have different amounts of protein in !!


Ask as many question as you like - that is what the forum is here for.  With regards to protein, I like Designer Protein (chocolate!) which is available from most of the retailers that advertise on this site including Body Shapers Fitness: http://www.bodyshapersfitness.com/prodList.asp?idcategory=36 This is a whey protein which digests quickly in the body, for this reason I usually blend it with some Cottage Cheese (which is casein protein and much slower to digest & makes you feel fuller for longer) and milk.



Karen43UK said:


> Once Im sorted I can get ordering ready to start and I have my first gym appointment on Thursday so that should be fun


Be sure to come back and keep us posted on your progress!



L


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Thanks for all your help so far, its great having somewhere to come and ask questions and get good answers.

I will check out that protein powder - just the word chocolate sells it to me !

If I didnt want to have eggs for breakfast everyday, is there another option or two I could have ?

thanks again

Karen


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

yes you could have a Protein shake for breakfast with a portion of seeds instead as some people find it hard to eat in the morning.

agree with Lorian keep us infored of your progress and keep asking the questions..


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## trickymicky69 (Oct 1, 2004)

walking the dog is better than not exercising at all.but your body gets used to this. to really lose the weight and get toned though you need to(progressively)push your body harder and harder. start off very easily and build up so you begin to really feel your workouts. many beginners make the mistake of not asking for advice. get all the advice you can and decide which is most relevant to your situation. before long, with progressive improvement your body will be burning a lot of calories while you are in the gym. but this is the good bit-you will be burning calories all the time because your metabolism will rocket. burning metabolism=loss of weight+toned physique=very happy


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

I am fairly active at work too, I have one of those pedometers you wear and am averaging around 6000 - 7000 a day and continually trying to do more steps as I read 10000 is the magic number to aim for.

I looked at fat burners on a couple of sites but there are a lot to choose from. Does anyone have one they can recommend ? I have ordered some designer whey so that should be here on tuesday and then I get my first session at the gym on thursday and its all systems go... Its really nice knowing I am now getting on track and have a diet to follow and a workout from thursday 

I will keep you all up to date as I get smaller and smaller ....

Karen


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

Extreme Nutrition do a very good fatburner which is ideal for women you can find a link to their site on my sig.


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Are they called Lean -R? I dont want to order the wrong ones


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

yes Karen those are the ones i think if you mention you are a member on this board you get a discount..


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Thanks again for your help.... I'll go order them now


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

dont underestimate the fat burning potential of walking the dogs-if you walk the dogs 2x a day for half an hour each time you should be able to walk about 4 miles-due to back problems that is my cardio-but it works


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

I get yanked around too rather than a sedate walk as my dog is such a loony tune !!!

Started my diet on monday and so far so good. Have to admit its a real shock having such a drastic change but I am determined to keep going and will reach my goals. Met with the guy whose gym we are joining yesterday and he was great and have first proper session today. No doubt Ill be suffering tomorrow but hey no pain no gain


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

sedate walking is no good-make the most of your dogs enthusiasm-i have 2 english bulls-thay are the laziest mo fo`s you`ve ever met when it comes to walking-i want my cali back -she did an 11 mile walk when she was 13-that stripped the bf right off me-good luck


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

mine is a bully too but he is as hyper as they come and pulls me around like a train


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Hi Karen and welcome to the board.

I am 46 year old man and am dieting right now with very good success.

I am mostly on a ketogenic type diet and am losing a half pound a day average.

I was a pretty good beer drinker before and knocked that out then switched to a low carb diet.

It is doeable.

I would totally suggest a resistance type of exercise with lets say weights.

Resitance type training burns fat for 3 days, cardio for about 3 hours.

So you can see the diffrence in the bang for your buck so to speak.

By the way I am not doing any cardio yet till I plateau then will add that later.

Also the magic pill of fat burners is probably not the best way to go due to some cardiovascular isssues.

Controlling insulin is the main key to fat loss.

Doing this only requires some knowledge of how the body reacts to certain types of food.

Ok lets get started.

Some people are sensitve to carbohydreates, this drives up blood sugars which in turn drive up insulin.

Insulin is a shuttling hormone but it is mainly a storage hormone.

Too many carbohydrates will trigger the fat storing responce.

The problem with this is two fold.

First it stores that meal as fat.

Second the body does not get the glucose it needs for brain function which again the brain will call for more food and the cycle starts all over again.

Down the road it takes more insulin to do the job that it used to do which again triggers fat gain.

What can be done?

Two things really, well 3 but here goes.

What is important is to upregulate the insulin receptors to make them more sensitiv to insulin, thus triggering less responce of insulin.

EFA's or Essential Fatty Acids, fish oils are one of the cheapest things you can buy for this.

12 a day will be good.

Next reduce the amount of carbohydrates you consume and for sure choose carbohydrates that will not spike the insulin like vegetables and some fruits.

Thirdly would be exercise, this is very important as the others will work but will work 10 times better with exercise.

I have to go now but I will write more on the way of controlling insulin for you to have the success you are looking for.

It is easy but you have to have the key to unlock the fat loss, I will give it to you.

I will be back after my break at work.


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## mark1436114490 (Apr 20, 2003)

As always Hacks provides an unimaginable amount of incredible information!!! Here is my simplistic view on it.....If amount of food in exceeds the amount of energy out, you will put on weight. This is a bit simplified as it depends on the type of food you put in eg. eat crap, get fat.......

Seeing as you are overweight and seem fairly unsure of how to manage this, I think you should do 2 simple things to start with to get the ball moving swiftly in the right direction (you can add more complex things in later down the line when you have dropped a couple of stone)

Firstly, diet. Clean this up.....no cakes, fizzy drinks, crisps, sweets, bread, ready meals, chips etc..... Also, don't starve yourself, you will go into "famine mode" and your body will try and store all the food as fat. Eat similar to the following:

Brekkies, either oats, a couple of poached eggs on a slice of wholemeal toast, my favourite a mix thrown in the blender of half natural yoghurt and cottage cheese, some protein powder and some frozen berries....mmmmm!

Lunches, tuna salad, chicken salad, salmon and brown rice with some veg....

Dinner 1 and 2, meat and 2 veg either.....steak, chicken, tuna, turkey, salmon.....with either a little basmati rice, brown rice, sweet potatoes.....and a bit of either broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans.

Snack on a few nuts or seeds, cucumber, celery, pickled gherkins.....

I'd say eat 4 small meals a day, don't starve, but at the same time don't have a big fat meal each sitting!

Plenty of water, also think about a multi vit, certainly some fish oil (not cod liver) between 6-12 g/day - get the 1000mg tabs, ignore the 1/day recommendation on the back and take 2 per meal......sod the fat burner at the moment, extra cost and not a lot of benefit in my opinion - it aint a magic bullet.

Excercise - I'd go for 3 - 4 max sessions of cardio/week 30 mins on either bike, treadmill, rower, x-trainer with a few weight orientated exercises thrown in - I'm sure your gym instructor could show you some basic movements......

Overall, and most importantly it is CONSISTENCY. You must do this not for a week, then fall of the wagon, then get back on, then fall off........you have to ask yourself the question, how much do I want to make the change? It has to be for the long term - in doing this for you, you can also help your daughter, think of your goals as twofold, you do it, set an example your daughter is likely to follow, you keep on as you are, your daughter is likely to follow - make it a joint thing.......

Good luck, keep us informed and ask questions - as you have probably realised, everyone on here enjoys talking about nutrition and training - you ask a question, people like to relay their knowledge......remember, CONSISTENCY!


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Nice Mark.

Calorie in verses calorie out is a common dieting analagy.

But if you load up on the highly processed carbohydrates like chips (that is crisps to you guys), sodas, sugar, bread, pasta, donuts, pastries and the like the calory for calory is not all the same.

The problem with this is lets just use the rice cakes for an example.

There is a thing called the glycemic Index, this is a measuring tool of how fast the perticular food will get into the blood.

Rice cakes are very high on this.

This will spike blood sugars which in turn will spike insulin to accomidate the rise in blood sugar to drive down blood sugar.

When this happens fat storage is present.

Ok, what lowers the GI of a food?

Fat, fiber and protein.

So that rice Cake is high in the GI but if you took some peanut butter and put it on the rice cake it would slow down drasticly the effect this has on your blood sugar due to the fat and a little fiber in the peanut butter.

So eating vegetables and lets say a protein source like an egg for example has a fat, protein and some carbohydrates from the vegetable.

I myself like to eat (when I am not dieting) my protein, fats and carbohydrates together.

Lets look at another thing.

Some tips for increasing fiber intake:

Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices.

Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole-grain products.

Choose whole-grain cereals for breakfast.

Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars.

Substitute legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups.

Experiment with international dishes (such as Indian or Middle Eastern) that use whole grains and legumes as part of the main meal (as in Indian dahls) or in salads (for example, tabbouleh).

Remember fiber slows down digestion of a carbohydrate.

Controlling the digestion of a carbohydrate will control insulin.

there are people that eat very little and eat the wrong foods and have a terrible time trying to lose weight.

So dont starve yourself, this will only slow down your metabolism.

Just by reducing your calorie intake by 500 calories a day will yeild 1 lb of weight loss a week.

3500 calories = 1 lb of weight


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## mark1436114490 (Apr 20, 2003)

Nice hacks!!! I love this back patting!!! very true about getting fat off eating very little, but the wrong things......your turn now to tell me how great I am!:smoke:


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

I have done all the diet clubs etc and find now that in the end you just end up getting confused. Because this is obviously a long term issue for me I need something that I can follow and stick to. I am 100% commited but still need a doable diet otherwise frome experience it will just not work.

I looked into the GI diet, but to be honest found it so complicated I was fed up before I started although I did grasp the sense of low/high gi foods.

Mark the options you listed do seem very easy to follow and involve choice and everyday food. For us a lot of the problem was eating convenience food, but we have stopped that completely since monday and now just eat clean as everyone refers to.


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

First of all you can eat some convience foods.

Just toss the buns and bin the french fries.

Eat the meat, lettice, pickles and everything inbetween the buns.

I was not trying to sound confusing to you but 1/3 of the people in the world have the exact same problem as you.

This is your bodys responce to carbohydrates.

Don't feel bad, you just are not eating the right foods.

What you will need to do to get a handle on this is drop the carbohydrates considerably and up the fat in your diet.

This will tell the body to burn fat instead of storing it.

Follow so far?

Go ahead and get that burger at the fast food place.

But dont eat the chips (french fries) and toss the buns.

Sounds silly right?

This is the only way you will see results.

Remember you are 1/3 of the population that has this problem and I am in the same boat as you, this is how I know.

It does not have to be or sound confusing but the plain facts is.

If you dont control insulin you will lose the war on fat loss.

Carbohydrates are needed but too many will make you fat, period.

GI diet, is ok but if you want to lose 40 lbs, it is going to have to come from knowing what to eat and what not to eat.

Some tidbits on dieting.

Eat within 30 minutes upon awakening, this keep the metabolism fast.

64 oz of water burn 50 calories but 128 oz of ice water burn 150 calories.

Fiber, fat and protein slow down absorption of a carbohydrate helping to control insulin and allowing you to feel less hungry later on.

Don't wait more than 5 hours to eat at any given time, this drives blood sugar too low and then you will tend to overfeed.

Drink a lot of water; this will help to flush toxins out during dieting and aid in fat loss.

Fat satisfies hunger more than any other food. For me if I am really hungry, I have a small handfull of peanuts and I am all better almost immediatly.

Fiber, try to get 35 grams of fiber down you a day. Not only does this help to clean you out and make you regular but it takes the body more energy to try and digest fiber than the amount of calories it gets from that fiber. Making it in essence a negative calory.

Like cellery for example, eat that and you wont gain a lb due to the high fiber content taking the same amount of energy to break it down than to use as fuel.

If you have 5 grams of carbs and 5 grams of nonsoluable fiber you had no calories. One makes a wash of the other. Many diets are geared around fiber.

Highes of fibers?..............Vegetables.

35 grams of fiber will burn 250 calories.

EFA's can rev up the bodies fat burning

Drink 1/2 ounce of water for every pound of bodyweight. Filtered water is better.

1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories

1 gram of protein = 4 calories

1 gram of fat = 9 calories

1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories

Fats to avoid, you will have to read the lables here:

all trans fats

hydrogenated oils

Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils

margerine

Fats not to avoid

Butter (no kidding)

olive oil

flax oil and flax seed

fish oils

Drop the carbs Karen, you will win this one if you do.


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

You are right as I do think carbs are a problem for me and what you say makes sense so thank you for that 

I am still having a problem with portion sizes etc though so would be grateful for any help with that. What kind of portions should I be having each meal, if for instance I was having 5/6 meals a day ?


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Yes 5-6 meals.

Don't go over 5 hours without a meal, this is the max, shorter is better.

Another dieting tip, don't eat over 500 calories too a meal.

This will also allow you to not eat too heavy to bog down your digestion, raise cholesterol levels (big meals do this), as well as spiking blood sugars (big meals do this too).

500 cals is not that much but if you were to eat this in lets say broccoli, you could not eat that much to accomodate 500 calories.

See the diffrence?

For instance, this is a very small meal but very good for getting by for a few hours.

*1 small apple 22 grams of carbs*

*
1 small can of albacore tuna 18 grams of protein*

*
1 small handfull of nuts, (small), 7 grams fat, 3.5 grams protein, 1.5 grams of carbs.*

Perfect in the ratios (I dont want to get into this now), very nutritious, satisfying, will make you feel better, eliminate better (fiber), lower cholesterol due to the soluable fiber in the apple and the monounsaturated fats in the peanuts (or other nuts almonds are actually better), EFA's in the tuna will also help to support a healthy lipid profile.

This is just an example of a perfect meal.

There are many.

Eating like this and you can not go wrong.

All fits into a lunch box or brown paper bag.

Cost?

Under two bucks, cant get that kindof nutrition at any fast food place yet alone that is very cheap too.


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Thanks.

I have read loads now and still dont get most of it, but I think some bits have filtered through 

I was thinking of now maybe having 1500 cals per day so that Id lose roughly 2lbs a week and I would split it as follows :

6 meals per day - each meal consisting of :

33g protein

14g carbs

6g fat

does this sound ok, or am I making things difficult already at this early stage

I am basing my diet around oats, tuna, salmon, chicken, turkey, eggs, steak, brown rice, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauli, green beans etc


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## JohnO (May 1, 2005)

Karen43UK said:


> I am basing my diet around oats, tuna, salmon, chicken, turkey, eggs, steak, brown rice, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauli, green beans etc


Ahh a convert! Good luck Karen


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Karen43UK said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I have read loads now and still dont get most of it, but I think some bits have filtered through
> 
> ...


Seems you were listening.

This should work for you.

If it seems to slow then up the fat and drop the carbs even lower.

This should work tho.

Dont forget to drink half your bodyweight (lbs) in OZ of water ok?


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Thanks for your help ...

I weighed up portions of brown rice last night and even though the last week we have cleaned up our diet drastically its amazes just how small 14g of rice is when you see it on the scales and how much you over eat without even realising it !!!

Where you say if weight loss slows down up the fat and drop the carbs, do you swop like for like ...e.g. drop the carbs by say 10g and add that in fat ?


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

thats right!and dont forget your walking the dog cardio-lol


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

I'm at the gym 5 days a week now too  Just some cardio and some free weights with the guy who runs it and trains people, so think I am on the right track with that too .... I better get fit and slim after all this hard work or Ill be demanding a refund lol

how does it go..... "what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger" !! think that just about sums it up


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Well, if you look at it like this:

1 gram of fat = 9 calories

1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories

1 gram of protein = 4 calories.

14 grams of rice is diffrent than 14 grams of carbs.

Id say dont eat a portion bigger than the palm of your hand in the rice at any time.

I dont have any idea on weights of things.

I know a half cup of uncooked oats is 27 grams of carbohydrates.

How much that weighs I have no idea, and to think I have a scale in my kitchen too

1 egg is 7 grams of protein.

I dont remember off the tip of my head the fat amount is.


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Just a quick update. In two weeks I have lost 6lbs so am a very happy bunny 

I know this wont continue and I am happy to lose 1 - 2lbs a week, but it certainly spurs you on to see the weight going down.

Thanks again everyone for your help and Ill keep you updated on my ever decreasing waistline


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Cool, that is fantastic.

I knew you could do it.

Keep it up and keep us informed.


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## Felicite (Feb 6, 2006)

I work with diabetics. Insulin regulation is not only important for losing weight but also for good health of the body.

Here is a quick easy way to make sure you don't eat too many carbs when you are out. Divide your plate up into 1/4s. Fast carbs only should fill 1/4 of your plate, Slow carbs can fill 1/2 or your plate. Also any milk or juice should not be more than 4oz.

It is important to have carbs for energy in your diet to keep the insulin levels from spiking.

For a list of GI and GL of any particular product you can go to

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Great information in this thread. I'm going to pass it on to all those I know who want to lose weight.

There is nothing quite like having that slim fit body after being fat for so long.

Best of luck, Karen. We are cheering for you!!!


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Thanks for the link felicite.

Is this a typo?: "It is important to have carbs for energy in your diet to keep the insulin levels from spiking."

Carbs actually do spike insulin.

Adding a fat and or fiber to carbs reduce spiking.


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## Felicite (Feb 6, 2006)

No, that is really not a typo.

Diabetics are required to eat carbs at every meal.

It is a matter of choices, either fast carbs or slow carbs.

Diabetics are required to have at least 60g of carbs a day to keep the insulin level from spiking.

They are also required to increase their Essential Fatty Acids, Especially Omega 3s.

Fibrous vegies can be unlimited of course. You can eat as many of those as you want.

and you want to stay away from sugar laden foods, white bread, processed foods just as bodybuilders do.

Some of the carbs that are 1/4 plate of the top of my head are

pasta, rice, beans, any milk product, corn, carrots, breads, white potatoes, fruits

It also allows for that occassional indulgence of chocolate cake. but it must be only 1/4 of plate.

Diabetics lose weight doing this simple plate template and rotating their choices of food for variety to maintain their blood sugar levels that are tested 3 times a day.

Again there are so many factors in losing weight properly.

When you eat

What you eat

How your food is cooked

Portion sizes of what you eat

The adage of "take in less than you expend"

stress in your life

The exercise demands

The information can really become overwhelming to any one starting out.

I agree with you about the insulin as the key to losing weight.

The biochemistry is facinating to me.

I read a very good ebook on it as it relates to bodybuilding.

Guide to Body Fat Loss


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

It would not load that page for that book.

Can you send it to me please?

[email protected]

*I am a collector of books.*

I myself have alot of doubt on the experts sayings on diets.

Looking at the Food Pyramid man oh man what a joke.

Eating like that will make you fat.

I learned from personal choice.

I like to have the reason behind the answer myself.

Like for instance, the recomendation for Omega 3's is because Omega 3's upregulate insulin receptors so less insulin is used to do the same job.

After all diabetes is not a problem with insulin but for the most part sugar.

Table sugar is not even a food.:eek:

Neither are those highly processed carbohydrate foods like potato chips and other snack foods. They are almost as high in the GI as sugar, and so is white bread.

Exercise also upregulates insulin receptors.

The GI is nice but that is not the best approach as some of those foods low in the GI are actually not all that good for you.

food combining or macrobiotics are very usefull and actually better.

The corn and carrots you suggested when cooked are very high in the GI.

All food values (raise GI) get changed when cooking.

Raw would be better with maybe the exception of tomato and the release of lycopene, which is very good for the prostate for men.

Hey can you send me that book?.......please......


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## Felicite (Feb 6, 2006)

Yes, cooking does make a difference in the food's sugar utilization.

Steamed vegetables are better than cooked to a mush state vegetables.

Pasta that is cooked to just the al dente (still firm but chewy) is a lower GI than if it is cooked to a limp state.

Yes, the GI can be misleading if you do not understand it in context to those things you've mentioned.

I like food combination and macronutrients too. But some say it doesn't matter what foods you eat because it all gets digested. The jury is still out for me.

I thought this article was interesting on food combinations...

What are your thoughts on it?

Food Combinations and Digestive Enzymes

I will disagree with the acid fruits and protein, at least for pineapple.

Pineapple is a good source of protein digestive enzymes.

Maybe this post should be moved to a new thread.

Nutrition is fascinating to me.


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

I am aware of food combining. This has been around for many years.

There are many diffrent approaches to dieting.

Many of the diets contradict each other, Zone (my favorite by far), Atkins, food combining, macrobiotics, low fat high carb (I hate this one the most), pritikin diet (another one I hate).

But if you take a piece of somthing that fits for you, add it to something else that fits, use it toss the rest away.

One shoe does not fit all in the world of dieting.

I think food combining has its place, but if you take digestive enzymes then this just kindof kills the theory of food combining.

Probably what is worse, is the fact that many enzymes get destroyed if cooked above 118 degrees.

So, in theory, eating fruits and vegetables raw will benefit digestion the best.

Also for each type of food, there is a enzme that breaks this perticular foood down. For instance.

carbohydrates - Amylase

Protein - Protease

Fats - Lipase

So the enzyme bromelain in pinapple might aid in the digestion of lets say protein but not aid in the digestion of lets say fats.

Don't get me wrong bromelain is excellant for inflimation, circulation, blood thinner.

But pinapple is high in the GI and should be used in moderation when dieting. I love pineapple and cayenne (sounds crazy but I got that from the Mexicans).

There is an article on bromelain here on the board.

A very good product that I take are digestive enzymes by Twin Labs. Good stuff. Taking these with meals will alleviate bloat, allow you to get the most bang for your buck from your food.

Also good for keeping your enzyme pool from being used for digestion instead of the many functions the body needs these enzymes for.

Think of it like this.

You have a enzyme pool that is used on the cellular level for many process in the body.

Foods that are cooked, or that pre-packaged highly processed bagged food crap most people eat is void of enzymes, (not to mention higher in the GI than sugar).

So instead of taking in enzymes from food and using that to aid in digestion, your body now has to grab enzymes from the metabolic pool and give them to the digestive pool (simple phrase I guess, I cant really explain it otherwise).

What heppens with this? The body is left kindof short in the metabolic pool as it is doing the job of digestion instead of its other job of keeping you alive.

I always have suggested digestive enzymes.

If anybody knows me I ALWAYS suggest this.

Dieting, especially bulking to get the biggest bang from your food.

I was sold in this a while ago when I saw a guy put some digestive enzymes on a bowl of oatmeal. In 20 minutes this oatmeal looked like pudding. Man, it broke it down to almost nothing.

If it can do this to a highly fiberous food, how much benefit can it do to aid in digestion to your body?

I have read some stuff on this but there actually is no medical evidence for this. So how do I rate this?

From personal experiance.

Less bloat, feel better, weight loss, etc.

I appreciate your comments and like to see someone else looking into what food does to the body.

I love that book you sent me, I will post some of the stuff, although like most books I dont agree with all as I see holes in it.

*I would love to hear more about your thoughts on foods.* I myself too have a passion for this.


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## Felicite (Feb 6, 2006)

All good information as always, Hackskii.

I was sold on enzymes when some pineapple juice spilt on my ham and melted it into a blob. It made me think of that sci fi movie... "The Blob".

I am like you... no one diet... a combination of things...

but honestly if you learn to listen to the body and understand how it works eating the right thing at the right time becomes easier.

It is just filtering through all the information out there and knowing what works for you in your particular situation.

Well, remember about the GI.. even though fruits may be high in GI they have their place in the diet and shouldn't be avoided.

I look forward to talking with you about foods and nutrition.

but right now....

Karen how is it going?? What's the latest update. Do you have a journal here?


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Hi

Everything is going great ty. I am really enjoying healthy eating plus the gym. We go to the gym 5 days a week now, obviously because we are so unfit we dont do that much there but the trainer is really nice and we do what is needed and are working up to do more each week.

Diet wise I am finding it easy as long as I prepare in advance so that when I am hungry food is there ready and not buying in any rubbish helps a ton too.

I will get there 

Ive not got a journal, maybe I should put one up


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## Peg (Feb 9, 2006)

Hi Karen. I'm just shy of 50 and started training with MA at 45 for my cardio.

I started out walking before the MA. Walking was the best thing for me because I needed to lose about 100 pounds. I lost 65 pounds just walking and eating clean! I got down to 160 and was about to start weights and then it went tits up for me last year with injuries and a hurricane so I gained 30 pounds but now things are settling down and I'm getting back in my MA and my weights. I'm new with weight training, but I'm great with diet and nutrition and things of biology.

I'm going to post a journal up myself by next week.

It will hold me accountable to train and keep me focused and help me see where I am strong and where I am weak in my goals.

I have a MA exam in July. I want to be in top shape for it. I am looking forward to the training between now and then..

In your enthusiasm.. don't overtrain!! I am sure your trainer is keeping you from doing that but just in case. The older you get the more time your muscles need to restore so I've been told...

Baaaaaaaaa, I just listen to my body... that is the best advice I can give you... Learn to listen to your body because each person is different in their day to day needs.

When I listen to it, I get my best results.

It is good you have training buddies. I noticed the "we" in your reply. They will help keep you motivated!


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Hi Peg

Wow you are doing really well with your weight loss and its good you are back on track.

Sorry if this is a daft question but what is MA ? Im sat here trying to figure it out but no am having a blonde moment.

It will be great to read your journal and yes its good to be accountable, plus when you write things down - or type in this case - it keeps you on track I am sure.


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## Peg (Feb 9, 2006)

Haha! Blonde moment... you too???

MA is martial arts.

I couldn't take the aerobic classes. Too boring and I just didn't want to be around all those skinny good looking 20 somethings in those revealing exercise togs at the time... so I took up MA.. everyone wears the same uniform, everyone goes at their own individual pace, and even though there is movement repetition it keeps the mind fully engaged.

I sweat buckets in MA.

Keep hydrated!!!

Stay focused!


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

I'd like to do tai chi, yoga and boxing but figured I should lose a bit of weight before I tried balancing my vast weight on one leg 

You have given me some inspiration though to maybe find out about at least one of them so ty

Karen


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## Peg (Feb 9, 2006)

That's what I did with the walking, but I still had some poundage on me when I started MA.

Boxing! If you like that, it is great cardio. I love boxing. I just don't have enough time to do everything! I've got a very good left jab!

I took a form of kickboxing for 3 months at my MA school. It was a killer work-out! I really enjoyed it.. but it was geared more towards fitness than the MA.

T'ai Chi will get you to focus on the deeper muscle fibers. It is a different kind of cardio all together.

I couldn't get into yoga.

I need the endorphins from training hard. I like to move.

I take Tang Soo Do... It's a dying art form being replaced by the competitive Tae Kwon Do...

I take TSD because it gives me the cardio and the deeper muscle fiber work-out.

and now it's weight training time... I am looking forward to the results in July.

I am glad I could inspire you, Karen. You have inspired me, too!!!

Training buddies unite!!! You can accomplish anything!


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Well I do my walking with the dog at the moment, go to the gym 5 days for the cadio and a bit of weight training, as advised by my trainer and I am enjoying it all, which is obviously the best motivation going.

Once Ive lost a bit of weight I will definately find out about some MA as it sounds great fun and great cardio too.

And yes definately training buddies unite


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Just a quick update...

I have dropped another 5lbs, bringing my total since I started to 11lbs so I am really thrilled

Everything is going to plan and I am really enjoying my new lifestyle. My daughter has probably lost as much if not more than me, but she wont weigh herself which is fine.

Thanks again everyone for the support, I will keep you updated


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## mark1436114490 (Apr 20, 2003)

Karen43UK said:


> Just a quick update...
> 
> I have dropped another 5lbs, bringing my total since I started to 11lbs so I am really thrilled
> 
> ...


Sh1t! that is good going! Bet you are chuffed...... just another 3lbs and that will be the first stone. Remember, consistency in eating, training and lifestyle...... do you have a cheat day? If not you'll find that a day/week (say Sunday) where you eat what you like will really help you out.

Stay strict in diet throughout the week, then save your craving s up for the sunday....... don't be a lunatic and eat a whole gateaux, but have a good feed of what you want. This really helps me stick to my BB diet - I have something to aim for at the end of the week


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Great news there. 11 lbs is very good so far.

Keep up the good work.


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## Peg (Feb 9, 2006)

That is great Karen. Looking forward to the next update.

There is no greater motivator than to stand in front of that mirror and like what you see.

There is no greater motivator than to drop a dress size and feel the pants getting looser.

A dress size by the way is about 12 pounds.

I am so chuffed for you!!!!:lift:


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Ty everyone for the great encouragement.

Peg, I didnt know that about dress sizes but will try a smaller size when I lose another 1lb and let you know if it works for me

I don't have a cheat day so much, but on a sunday I always have a roast dinner with the works and find that keeps me happy for the rest of the week. I figure while I am still so motivated and happy doing as I am, I wont tempt myself with cheats. I worry that if I start having one thing I fancy then I will want more - especially if its the "evil chocolate" and for me I think it is best to eliminate it for now.

I will keep you all updated. Thank you again for the support

Karen


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## Shy (Feb 24, 2006)

I'm new to this site and I just wanted to say this thread has been both inspiring and very useful. I'd already made a few changes to my lifestyle recently and have been enjoying the pain as part of the gain from working hard at the gym. I've learnt some very useful diet and nutrition tips just from this thread, so feel confident i'll learn loads more from the site. Thanks to Karen for starting this thread and a massive thanks to all the members that have given great advice. All the best for continued success Karen. I will continue to follow your progress and also share my own.


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

I cant thank everyone enough for the great tips and inspiration they have given me.

Shy, it would be great to hear how you are getting along too. I am losing weight at the rate of 1 - 1.5lb a week which I am thrilled about and am loving the gym - something I never thought I would say. Eating 6x a day is great because although the portions look small I know in another couple of hours I can eat again so I feel like I am forever stuffing my face, but just with good food.

I look forward to hearing how you are doing, and I am going to be brave at some point and post a pic or two of my journey .... I think !

Karen


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Woohoo, Ive lost a stone and 1lb !!!!!!!!!!

Its sooooo good to see the scales go down, slowly but surely and my motivation gets a boost which is great.

I cant even notice I have lost a stone yet, but I feel better and know it has done me good.

Thanks again for the help everyone, my journey is continuing on the downward spiral


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## Predator (Feb 1, 2004)

Karen43UK said:


> Woohoo, Ive lost a stone and 1lb !!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Its sooooo good to see the scales go down, slowly but surely and my motivation gets a boost which is great.
> 
> ...


Congratulations and well done Karen! 

Everyone here is happy to help you. Especially as you are obviously serious about losing weight and work so hard to achieve your goal.

The person you should be thanking most, is your self! :lift:

How are things with your daughter? Has she also been dieting the same as you?

All the best,

Predator


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Yes, she is on the same programme as me. She won't weigh herself though and I am not going to push her, but if I have lost a stone she must have lost at least that, so its good allround.

She comes to the gym with me, the guy we see is really great and she is very motivated.

I found foodwise if its not in the house neither of us can eat it, and it works well. If she wants to snack there is fruit as I don't think a really strict regime would work for her, as its 99% habit of continually shovelling food in your mouth without realising it.

Ty for your support though, we will get there however long it takes


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## John (Jun 5, 2004)

to both of you, well done.


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Thanks, we will get there however long it takes


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## Shy (Feb 24, 2006)

Karen43UK said:


> Woohoo, Ive lost a stone and 1lb !!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Its sooooo good to see the scales go down, slowly but surely and my motivation gets a boost which is great.
> 
> ...


That is excellent news Karen! Congratulations on your success:beer1:

Motivation is really important and what better motivator is there than to see great results with your own eyes! Your posts are very encouraging.

Having done some reading, this week I swapped white bread, rice and pasta for brown. I didn't think i'd get on with it as well as I have been. I got my italian friend whose a chef to try the brown pasta with me when I was eating it for the first time the other day. I really didn't think he'd go for it but the totally clean plate, cheeky smile and second helping was a good sign he enjoyed it as much as I did. 

I've spent 4.5 hours in the gym this weekend and really enjoyed it. I'd not felt any aching for a few days after the last few sessions. A sure sign I'm getting fitter but i'm a bit of a 'no pain, no gain' kind of girl! After my sessions this weekend, i think i've put a stop to my no pain period. I'm aching a little now so i'm sure by tomorrow i'll be aching good and proper!:lift:

:beer: Here's to your continued achievements and reaching all of your goals.

Looking forward to reading more updates soon.

Shy


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

I was like you when I first tried brown rice, didn't think I would like it, but infact prefer it to white. I don't really eat pasta as its not on my fave list of things, but will try brown next time I do.

That was a good amount of time to spend in the gym, no wonder you are aching. It does become pretty addictive though, which is something I never thought I would hear myself say 

Please keep us informed of your progress too, I think reading anyones story helps to motivate and gives us all a boost when we need it.

karen


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## Tatyana (Jan 29, 2006)

Karen said:


> Ty everyone for the great encouragement.
> 
> Peg, I didnt know that about dress sizes but will try a smaller size when I lose another 1lb and let you know if it works for me
> 
> ...


Hey Karen,

Choc does not have to be 'evil', in fact there is a substance in choc that has been found to be a fat burner!

I do need my choc fix so here are a few of my 'cheats'

10 g cocoa

Hot water

Splenda

10 ml soya milk (optional) or skimmed milk

Voila-hot choc!

100 g soya yogurt or fat free yogurt

Scoop choc whey protein

10 g cocoa (optional)

I also sometimes just mix choc whey protein with little water into a paste and add a bit of extra cocoa

OR

40 g oats

100 ml soya milk

50-100 ml water

Cook

scoop choc whey

10 g cocoa

Presto-choco breakfast oats!

I also have a few recipes for choc flapjacks/protein bars and brownies I will post, most of these are acceptable earlier in the day.

Hey, this is all about life long diet changes you can live with IMO, why deny yourself some of the simple pleasures in life. I am also trying to find the old fashion baker's choc with no sugar, I have been known to eat that!

Respect

T


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## Shy (Feb 24, 2006)

Great choc tips Tatyana!

I've seen some pictures of you on another thread 'Taty the fatty'. Your progress is amazing and very inspirational. Hearing peoples stories and gaining ideas and tips is brilliant. Actually seeing before and after pics is wicked. It made we want to get tothe gym right now:lift: ......except i'm at work at the moment!

How long did it take you to lose the weight all in all?

I'm blown away by the change shown. Would be great if I could get some tips from you sometime.

Here's to you Tatyana :beer1: :cheer2:

Shy xxx


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## Karen (Jan 21, 2006)

Hi Tatyana,

I tried the oats with whey protein and its really nice 

I am still losing weight, averaging 1 - 2lbs a week so am really pleased. I have gone down 1 and in some cases 2 dress sizes and feel so much better, which helps keep my motivation.

Good luck with your op

Karen


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