Diet Advice?

[Libby Pritchett]

So, as you guys know, I'm doing the Genghis Grill Health Kwest. We have our mid-way weigh-in next week, and I'm feeling a little frustrated that the scale isn't moving as much as I'd like. I realize in healthy weight loss, a pound or two a week is considered wonderful. For this contest though, that isn't gonna cut it.

I've been working out with my trainer 3 days a week and exercising on my own on my off days (mixing it up so it's not the same thing every day).

I was talking to my trainer yesterday, and he was saying that I need to make sure I'm getting 1200 calories a day (I often fall under this). He also said to try to break my meals up so that I'm eating 5-6 meals at around 200 or 250 calories.

That's where my problem lies.

I don't know what to eat. Here's a look at My Fitness Pal diary for today. This is pretty typical for me. I feel like I need to find a couple of other things I can add in to get me to that 1200 number (and I'd be thrilled to cut down on the nuts cause I don't really even like those). My morning smoothie is full of fruits & veggies, and I really don't want to add any more fruit (carbs) at the end of the day. I'm not interested in processed snacks or sweet treats.



Any suggestions?

[webseitler]

Are those columns showing grams?

I would try to cut down on the carbs. Those drinks look kinda sweet. Maybe replace one of them with a fruit or veggie snack? Or do you have to drink two a day?

[Jenn Barrette]

Maybe more good fats? Add a little real peanut butter to one of your smoothies, maybe some avocado?

[scrapmommaof3]

Is this a vegetarian diet? I don't see much protein except eggs, nuts and cheese. Some kind of meat would increase your calories and still be healthy (unless you are a vegetarian).

[scrapmommaof3]

and fish. I didn't see that. Maybe some chicken in a salad or something?

[YepBrook]

My suggestion would be to cut out one of your smoothie meals and eat a "regular" meal in its place. Veggies, protein, fats. If you go too low in calories and are exercising, your body might be conserving fat ( kind of like stress-starvation mode) and not dropping the pounds. My suggestion is to lighten up on your workouts and eat more normally, still keeping at 1200 calories a day. Some carbs are ok, and on weight watchers fruits and veggies are good because they contain fiber which aids in weight loss. Try having oatmeal for breakfast with chopped fruit and nuts. Then a sandwich for lunch with sliced chicken and veggies.

Hope this helps, Libby!

[Laura_A]

I think you might need to add a bit more protein and a bit fewer carbs? I would replace one of those smoothies with a protein snack.

[Libby Pritchett]

Yeah, I don't have anything against meat... I just happen to be doing fish today. Some days I do chicken or pork (I'm not a fan of red meat usually, so I try to avoid it).

I don't mind getting the carbs at the beginning of the day because they're all fruit/veggie carbs. There's no sweetener or yogurt or anything in the smoothie. I wouldn't be having that late in the day, but since this is pre-workout, I don't mind.

There's avocado in the morning smoothie, but I could probably stomach a little more as a snack later (I don't like it, but I could suffer through for the benefits. LOL)

[Libby Pritchett]

LOL I was too slow in typing my response. Thanks Brook & Laura, too!

I love hearing the different suggestions. Maybe a combination of the things suggested are what I need to try. I should add that it's not like I'm doing POORLY. I've lost 10lbs in 3 weeks, so that's not awful. It's just not enough to win this contest. LOL

[YepBrook]

Ok, I plugged in your meals to my WW calculator:

First - 6 pts
Second - 6 pts
Third - 6 pts
Fourth - 4 points
Fifth - 3 points
Sixth - 5 points

That's 30 pts for the day.

Now, I am 5'3 and 32 years old... They've given me 26 points per day to lose weight. I usually eat 26-28 per week day and on the weekends I might use some of my flex points to have pizza or ice cream with the family which will bring me up to 36 points on a "bad" day. I have been losing about 1.5-2 lbs a week.

[Libby Pritchett]

That's interesting, Brook! So, is that taking into account that the 2 morning drinks are pretty much just fruits/veggies? I'm not familiar enough with the points to know if 200 calories of spinach/carrots/apples/oranges is the same as 200 calories of brownies. LOL

[mariewilcox]

Do you have a juicer? I would replace some of the smoothies with a high-nutrient juice. You get the benefits of concentrated nutrition for energy along with weight loss. I have been having juices every day with only one meal in the early evening. I have never felt so energized and I've lost 10 pounds in the past 7 days. I thought I would be starving with only juices during the day but I haven't been hungry in the least.

Before you panic and worry about protein, the juices I make are blended with avocado for fat and protein and also spirulina and chia seeds for protein and then you get protein from your meal in the evening. If you would ,like my juice recipes just let me know

[YepBrook]

Avocado is 8 points for a whole. Other veggies and fruits are free... That means if you're calculating the points in your smoothie, it might be "free" except for the avocado. However... On the forums it is warned that eating too many fruits (thinking they are 0 points) can lead to weight gain. So, I think they're assuming you not eat more than the suggested daily intake of fruits/ veggies. You might be getting too much fruit and not enough "real" food so your weight loss has stalled. Let me know the ingredients of your smoothie and I can help you figure out how many points they would be from a WW standpoint.

[KristinCB]

don't go under 1200 calories especially when you are exercising like you are. your body is just going to hold on to everything you have.

you're doing awesome libby! 10 pounds in 3 weeks is amazing!

Has your trainer said anything about changing up your calories so one day its a little higher and another day its a little lower? I've heard that for some people that works really well

[KristinCB]

OH! when do you stop eating for the day?

[Milmomma]

I'm with your trainer. I totally am voting to eat more. Your body will go into starvation mode and hang onto everything it can. Eat those 1200 calories, with your workouts I bet you would actually run better on 1500 calories. Are you feeling weak or run down? I wouldn't be surprised if your lacking nutrients. Also make sure you are drinking tons of water and check your sugar count. You are watching fat and sodium which is awesome. But if you are looking to cut quickly worry about the sugar too.
4oz of chicken breast and some asparagus or broccoli makes a quick wonderful lunch. I grill my chicken in bulk and just eat it over a few days. Ideally you should really watch out on the fruit. Fruit is way high in sugar and carbs. I eat 4-5 times a day so I understand. Remember the people on the biggest loser workout 6 hours a day and spend the other 6 worrying about their food to lose the numbers they do. The 3.3 lbs your losing a week is awesome!

[maryinaz]

I agree to add in more meats/protein. Maybe go to a deli and get some sliced turkey or something and have that rolled up with string cheese and romaine lettuce as either a snack or lunch.

[Laura_A]

Originally Posted by YepBrook

Avocado is 8 points for a whole. Other veggies and fruits are free... That means if you're calculating the points in your smoothie, it might be "free" except for the avocado. However... On the forums it is warned that eating too many fruits (thinking they are 0 points) can lead to weight gain. So, I think they're assuming you not eat more than the suggested daily intake of fruits/ veggies. You might be getting too much fruit and not enough "real" food so your weight loss has stalled. Let me know the ingredients of your smoothie and I can help you figure out how many points they would be from a WW standpoint.

This is exactly what I was thinking. I'm allowed 26 points per day but I was warned not to eat TOO many fruits because, even though it's natural sugar, it's still sugar. Good idea, Brook...I didn't think to plug in her menu to see how many points it was. lol

[Laura_A]

Oh, and YAY for the 10 lbs, Libby!

[Jen22]

Changing up stuff can really kick start things when you stall. Whether it's exercise or food - all of it can really help! When I started to stall a few weeks back, someone said to watch my sodium & carbs. I did an overhaul on my foods (substituting healthier options with what I was already eating) and that seemed to work.

Recently, I got a little sick, and I haven't been able to work out in the mornings like I normally do. I've started doing some at night, and I'm not sure if this is the cause - but the pounds are coming off easier this week than before.

So, it's been my experience that changing things (simple or big) can do wonders! I think you've gotten some great advice for food - so hopefully you can find something works for you!!

[MamaBee]

obviously look at me, I have no real advice - or I would be a rail... haha ... however, congrats on the 10lbs!

Just keep in mind that you are building muscle and toning up, so that makes the scale look like it's slowing down... and my hubby has read so many diet books and one thing they talk about if you are at a plateau that you need to "shock" the metabolism with a higher calorie day because it gets use to the "same thing everyday"... don't go all wild, ya know...

[Libby Pritchett]

You guys are awesome! These are all super great ideas!

[coopert]

Drop the carbs and add meat, eggs and nuts. Dropping the carbs can cause energy loss and fatigue for a few days but once you are past it, you will feel great. I did a 6 week paleo challenge and I never cheated. Meat, eggs, veg, nuts and a lot of sunflower butter on celery. I didn't do fruit, but that is because I am a sugar addict, so I felt I needed to get rid of it. I never counted calories and I ate lots of meat and healthy fats. I went from 34% body fat to 28% and was 4th place out of 120 people, men included. Not sure if you can do it, but packing in a lot of protein for breakfast is great. If I am working out I can eat 3 eggs, a few pieces of bacon and a handful of spinach. When not working out only 2 eggs. And I don't count calories. I have barely worked out in 2 months and keeping the carbs out has kept me from gaining any weight.

Good luck! I am totally rooting for you.

[Nettio]

Originally Posted by coopert

Drop the carbs and add meat, eggs and nuts. Dropping the carbs can cause energy loss and fatigue for a few days but once you are past it, you will feel great. I did a 6 week paleo challenge and I never cheated. Meat, eggs, veg, nuts and a lot of sunflower butter on celery. I didn't do fruit, but that is because I am a sugar addict, so I felt I needed to get rid of it. I never counted calories and I ate lots of meat and healthy fats. I went from 34% body fat to 28% and was 4th place out of 120 people, men included. Not sure if you can do it, but packing in a lot of protein for breakfast is great. If I am working out I can eat 3 eggs, a few pieces of bacon and a handful of spinach. When not working out only 2 eggs. And I don't count calories. I have barely worked out in 2 months and keeping the carbs out has kept me from gaining any weight.

Good luck! I am totally rooting for you.

Ha, my first thought was Paleo too but I wasn't sure I should mention it. My first thought in looking at your meal plan is that it doesn't seem like you're eating enough real food. 3 of your 6 meals are smoothies which IMO aren't real foods. Are you required to eat those Health Kwest smoothies? I'd try to trade some of the smoothies for actual meals made up of whole foods with lean protein and veggies.

I'm with Kristin though, 10 lbs in 3 weeks is still awesome!

[Nettio]

Oh and one other thing - I'd drink ONLY water. No soda (not even diet), no iced tea, no juice. Just water.

[Libby Pritchett]

Yep, I forgot to mention that I'm drinking 100oz of water a day. I'm not doing anything else except for about once a week I have a cup of decaf black coffee at night. Today, I had to post a picture of me with a glass of iced tea cause the manufacturer is one of our sponsors for the contest. It was one of our daily challenges. So, you'll see the pic of me with tea, but Jeff actually drank it while I had water. LOL

[Nettio]

Originally Posted by Libby Pritchett

Yep, I forgot to mention that I'm drinking 100oz of water a day. I'm not doing anything else except for about once a week I have a cup of decaf black coffee at night. Today, I had to post a picture of me with a glass of iced tea cause the manufacturer is one of our sponsors for the contest. It was one of our daily challenges. So, you'll see the pic of me with tea, but Jeff actually drank it while I had water. LOL

LOL, I was wondering because that would seem to defeat the purpose. You'd be surprised how many people do that though!

[KateD]

A lot of good advice here! Definitely make sure you're eating enough. Protein early in the day revs up the metabolism. Water, water, water. And make sure you're taking a good multivitamin.

10 pounds in 3 weeks is awesome! While I know winning the contest would be great, if you get into the habit of eating well and exercising, you'll be healthier for the rest of your life - and that's the ultimate win!

[Libby Pritchett]

LOL It was even worse last week when the challenge was to have a glass of wine because One Hope Wine is one of our sponsors. So, I took a pic of me with the bottle and my bowl. I was shocked at how many people said they actually drank it with their meal. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE wine and know that there are plenty of health benefits to it... I just don't want to waste the calories on it right now).

[BrattyMeg]

I haven't read all of the replies but you need to bump the protein up on your kwest smoothies if you are going to keep having them multiple times a day. Maybe add 1/2 cup of greek yogurt or something..lower calories and lots of protein..you are pretty much just drinking carbs..You need the protein to bump your metabolism up and burn those calories.

Brook that might be 30 points but she's working out daily so she'll get at least 4-6 activity points maybe more depending how strenuous the exercise is.

[SeattleSheri]

You know me, the contrarian, lol ... I actually disagree that you need more protein. At 90 grams, you are far above the daily average for an adult woman (which is only 46 grams). I don't think you're doing anything wrong. Weight loss is different for everyone. There are going to be some weeks where you do everything "right" and don't see a material change in your weight. If you're working out with a trainer, you may see a change in your body composition, where you're gaining lean muscle mass and losing fat. In theory, you could be getting smaller and not losing weight. Water retention and other factors can easily alter your weight too ... I know none of this helps on your quest to lose weight, but I would probably keep doing what you're doing and see if you start to see the results you are looking for. In the long run, slowly losing your weight is far more desirable than quick gains that don't tend to be maintained long term. You're doing a great job! Keep up the fantastic work!

[BrattyMeg]

I also find out lose more when I work out earlier in the day on a consistent basis..if you are working out later in the day you are essentially burning off what you ate plus a little more after..by working out earlier in the day you get that metabolism up all day and burning all day vs later in the afternoon (although if you are like me you will be hungrier)

[DawnMarch]

I agree with bumping up protein and reducing the carbs. That has made all the difference for me (I've lost over 20 pounds since December). I would replace one of the morning smoothies with an egg breakfast (I like 1 egg + 1 egg white + a little cheese or a little Canadian bacon). I think the smoothies in the morning are spiking up your blood sugar, which is not the best way to start the day and can make it harder to lose weight. Carrots are one of the higher carb veggies and the fruits, although relatively good for you, are still high in (natural) sugar. In fact, low carb diets like South Beach don't allow carrots or fruit during the "induction" phase. I know you aren't really focusing on low carb per se, but it really does work for fast weight loss.

I'd do either the egg or cheese for the 4th meal (not both) and then, instead of the 5th, have some "real" food like chicken with a little hummus, a small cup of black bean soup, a sandwich thin with a little PB, or ?

I don't necessarily subscribe to the theory that you have to eat 1200 calories every day. Starvation is bad and counter-productive but I eat less that 1200 calories on many days and then eat more on a splurge day thrown in here and there. I think changing things up stops your body from getting stuck.

[rach3975]

No advice, but another thing to keep in mind when comparing to Weight Watchers is that when you're not working with an extra group of "weekly" points/calories your daily allowance would be a little higher. I know you're hoping to take more off faster to win, Libby, but I think 10 lbs in 3 weeks is fantastic. Good luck!

[glumirk]

You're doing great! Seriously!

I find that eating 2 eggs on toast with a cup of orange juice for breakfast is my best start for the day. The eggs are filling so I don't do pointless snacking all day, and the OJ helps me drink water better all day.

Our fastest weight loss happened when we cut out all carbs after 3pm. Meat and veggies with a high protein carb like quinoa made dinners easy, and we both lost 5 lbs that month even though we got out of our working out habits and cheated like crazy on the weekends.

You are doing great! Keep up the good work!

[eranslow]

You've gotten a ton of great advise here Libby! I just wanted to add that you need to make sure you are getting 7-8 hrs of sleep a night. Any less makes loosing weight harder. You gotta let your body rest after all the hard work you've been doing

[coopert]

Originally Posted by eranslow

You've gotten a ton of great advise here Libby! I just wanted to add that you need to make sure you are getting 7-8 hrs of sleep a night. Any less makes loosing weight harder. You gotta let your body rest after all the hard work you've been doing

I agree. My trainer says, that if I am not going to get at least 7.5 hours of sleep because of a workout, he would rather me stay in bed and get the sleep than workout. Says it's more important.

[alinalove]

i do follow the "three meals a day" thing so i can't really contribute to your snack question.
only one thing: when i am drop dead hungry in the nighttime before bed, i have to eat something or i won't fall into sleep/and or have a bad sleep.
so what i do is eating a handful of almonds (or nuts but i love almonds). doesn't get my insulin up and everytime i do it, i have less on the scale next day.

why don't i do it every night? not sure. maybe i don't want to rush it :-D