Health & Exercise Thread! 2.0

[The Black Wolf]

whats your problem with fiber???

Not a problem, it's just the reason why I wanted to know if V8 drinks are okay instead of veggies.

So, I've been eating really good and exercising well for the last 3 days. I'm back to being consistent again and I finally joined myfitnesspal.

I have 3 questions:

1. I noticed even on a good diet that has me full under my calorie goal I am consuming a lot of sodium. In fact, so much sodium that it's 1500 - 2000 above the recommended amount. Should I be concerned and adjust my diet? Or is it normal for today's food, even healthy ones, to have a lot of sodium?

2. So my breakfast does not have enough calories and I am compensating for it later in the day in other meals. I want to increase the amount of breakfast calories, so what's something else that's just 200 calories and healthy I can eat for breakfast? Also, what are you nutrition people's thoughts on eating the most calories in the morning and decreasing it from there?

3. Okay, how bad is it if you go over the recommended nutrition intake (fats, protien, carbs) but you're still under your calorie goal? I go over the most on protein and the least on fat these last days. Do I need adjustments to my diet?

Thank you!

[DayWalker]

1) sodium is not necessarily bad for you, but you need to make sure you drink a lot of water. Nonetheless, I would recommend identifying what you are eating that has high sodium and replace it. V8 for example...

2) egg whites, fruit,
Nothing wrong with breakfast being the largest meal of the day. you just don't want your largest meal to be dinner, before you go to bed. You really don't want to have one large meal... it would be better to have 5-6-7 "shmedium" sized meals throughout the day. Keep your glucose (? glycogen... I forget) levels in check

3) its pretty much impossible to accurately calorie count... so I wouldn't get worked up over your limits by a little bit. So long as you are working out and staying within moderation. Personally... I eat lean protein and get all my carbs from veggies and fruit. If I do eat fat... its from cashews, avocados... and the occasional steak

I'm paleo-ish.... 90% paleo.

[Molo316]

I would say yes, especially if you lack protein in your meals. Like I said before, you are still pretty young and getting plenty of protein isn't as important now as it will be when you get a little older. As we get older we tend to lose muscle mass,(unless you workout on a regular basis) so getting some protein is always beneficial. I'm not sure what you eat on a daily basis but i will bet that there is at least a small amount of protein included. As for cardio, you seem to be on the right track with that routine. Just make sure you are doing it at a good pace to increase your heart rate, and that will help keep your metabolism up and help to burn fat. Remember, the more muscle mass you wan't the more you have to increase your protein intake. That could be with shakes or with food. Things like egg whites,(or the whole egg) lean chicken breasts,steak, and fish are good examples.

Alright mate, that sounds fair enough. So I'll look to buy something protein related. I hear a lot about Whey protein, so I'll see what I can do.

Thanks a lot

[Molo316]

Sorry for the double post, but I need to refer back to the supplements issue I have.

I mentioned to a few friends today that I was considering buying one for the first time, and they advised me against it. One friend said that it "fucks your body" up in later life, and another said that there have been cases of liver damage due to supplements.
Can anyone who uses them or what not shed any light on the matter?

Basically I'd like to take one that increases size and strength, and I found this. and it was recommended by my gym after I explained to them what I want.
I'm thinking about it because I feel that I've been stuck at a certain level, in terms of weights, for a while now and do not feel comfortable and capable of lifting heavier weights.
But like I say, if anyone can shed any light on my concerns then I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

[spyrde]

Sorry for the double post, but I need to refer back to the supplements issue I have.

I mentioned to a few friends today that I was considering buying one for the first time, and they advised me against it. One friend said that it "fucks your body" up in later life, and another said that there have been cases of liver damage due to supplements.
Can anyone who uses them or what not shed any light on the matter?

Basically I'd like to take one that increases size and strength, and I found this. and it was recommended by my gym after I explained to them what I want.
I'm thinking about it because I feel that I've been stuck at a certain level, in terms of weights, for a while now and do not feel comfortable and capable of lifting heavier weights.
But like I say, if anyone can shed any light on my concerns then I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

There are no magic supplements that will make you lift more weights better. You don't gain weight or size with supplements, they might aid you but the real thing you should be focusing on is food.

I say ditch the whole idea of supplements out of your head and start focusing more on your diet. I know you're not trying to be a bodybuilder or anything but if you actually want muscle mass you need to start eating on a surplus and get enough protein. You don't need supplements to do this. You are stuck at a certain level because there is either something wrong with your nutrition or training.

Oh, and your friends are spewing bro-science at it's purest. Lmao if they really think whey protein fucks up your body.

[DayWalker]

nothing wrong with a protein supplement.... just make sure that A) there aren't other supplements in there... and B) you are buying good quality protein... I wanna say whey concentrate is suppossedly bad for your kidneys

[Molo316]

There are no magic supplements that will make you lift more weights better. You don't gain weight or size with supplements, they might aid you but the real thing you should be focusing on is food.

I say ditch the whole idea of supplements out of your head and start focusing more on your diet. I know you're not trying to be a bodybuilder or anything but if you actually want muscle mass you need to start eating on a surplus and get enough protein. You don't need supplements to do this. You are stuck at a certain level because there is either something wrong with your nutrition or training.

Oh, and your friends are spewing bro-science at it's purest. Lmao if they really think whey protein fucks up your body.

Alright, fair enough.

What foods, or meals even, would you recommend?

Cheers.

[spyrde]

Alright, fair enough.

What foods, or meals even, would you recommend?

Cheers.

Anything as long as it hits your macros. In other words, as long as you meet your caloric requirements daily (should be a 500cal surplus when bulking) and your protein, fat and carb requirements, you can eat whatever you want. Of course, try and avoid processed foods and try and get enough vitamins and minerals and such, but don't make it too hard for yourself.

[Sub-stance1]

Alright, fair enough.

What foods, or meals even, would you recommend?

Cheers.

The food I mentioned earlier are a good start. You can use thee shakes to replace a meal or just take in between them. Getting more protein in your diet won't harm you.

Originally Posted by Sub-stance1
I would say yes, especially if you lack protein in your meals. Like I said before, you are still pretty young and getting plenty of protein isn't as important now as it will be when you get a little older. As we get older we tend to lose muscle mass,(unless you workout on a regular basis) so getting some protein is always beneficial. I'm not sure what you eat on a daily basis but i will bet that there is at least a small amount of protein included. As for cardio, you seem to be on the right track with that routine. Just make sure you are doing it at a good pace to increase your heart rate, and that will help keep your metabolism up and help to burn fat. Remember, the more muscle mass you wan't the more you have to increase your protein intake. That could be with shakes or with food. Things like egg whites,(or the whole egg) lean chicken breasts,steak, and fish are good examples.

[Molo316]

Alright, I'll see what I can do.

Cheers guys.

[The Black Wolf]

I have good news. Sunday is my weigh day, I weigh myself every Sunday.

So on June 10, I weighed at 224 lbs. This is June 17 and I weighed in at:

219.8 lbs! I lost 4.2 lbs in one week!

I am proud of myself, BUT, I have been down this road before. I lose weight and then end up gaining it back again. So I am kind of taking this with a grain of salt. I have never been below 217 since I have began. So we'll see if it's serious this time if I get below 217.

What's difference this time is I have a more accurate calorie counter in myfitnesspal. I eat under my calorie goals and still feel full.

My next weigh in is June 24th.

[spyrde]

I have good news. Sunday is my weigh day, I weigh myself every Sunday.

So on June 10, I weighed at 224 lbs. This is June 17 and I weighed in at:

219.8 lbs! I lost 4.2 lbs in one week!

I am proud of myself, BUT, I have been down this road before. I lose weight and then end up gaining it back again. So I am kind of taking this with a grain of salt. I have never been below 217 since I have began. So we'll see if it's serious this time if I get below 217.

What's difference this time is I have a more accurate calorie counter in myfitnesspal. I eat under my calorie goals and still feel full.

My next weigh in is June 24th.

Good job! If you stay motivated like this even through the tougher times then the real results will start to kick in.

You said you measure yourself every Sunday, do you measure yourself at the same time too? Not trying to dis-encourage you, but there are a lot of factors that might affect your weight. For example if you eat before weighing yourself then obviously you will weigh more. A good thing to avoid this is to just weigh yourself every Sunday morning immediately after you wake up.

[The Black Wolf]

I weigh myself without drinking or eating anything, right after using the bathroom. So it's a pretty accurate weight.

[spyrde]

I weigh myself without drinking or eating anything, right after using the bathroom. So it's a pretty accurate weight.

Good good, excellent progress then!

[The Black Wolf]

So if I lose 4 more lbs after this week, do I need to tone it down? That will have been 8 lbs in two weeks.

Also, what are the signs you are losing weight too fast? I don't know if it's the sodium or what, but I'm having headaches a lot. It could be something else, but I want to know if that's a sign I'm losing too fast.

[spyrde]

So if I lose 4 more lbs after this week, do I need to tone it down? That will have been 8 lbs in two weeks.

Also, what are the signs you are losing weight too fast? I don't know if it's the sodium or what, but I'm having headaches a lot. It could be something else, but I want to know if that's a sign I'm losing too fast.

Wheres the problem lol? Weight drops off easily in the beginning but it'll start to slow down once your overall bodyfat percentage goes down aswell. Remember that it's very easy to gain it all back too. Just keep at it and don't binge.

[Nitey]

Yep. Refrain from binging, I kind of have this problem lol.

I bumped into my old buddy at the gym today and he commented on my weight loss! Feels good man. Motivated me to keep going too. Not to say I lack motivation, but its just that little something extra

[The Black Wolf]

I have bad news.

Yesterday I ran out of food and was not able to get to a store to grocery shop. So I got some subway subs to make it to today. The problem is, yesterday I ate a sub and went over my calorie goal by 1000! I had no idea that a subway sub could be 1200 until I put it in myfitnesspal. I'm back on the healthy diet and going grocery shopping today. Since I went over, that could mess up my whole week and result in a weight gain instead of loss.

It's amazing how one decision in one day can mess up a week's worth of work.

[spyrde]

I have bad news.

Yesterday I ran out of food and was not able to get to a store to grocery shop. So I got some subway subs to make it to today. The problem is, yesterday I ate a sub and went over my calorie goal by 1000! I had no idea that a subway sub could be 1200 until I put it in myfitnesspal. I'm back on the healthy diet and going grocery shopping today. Since I went over, that could mess up my whole week and result in a weight gain instead of loss.

It's amazing how one decision in one day can mess up a week's worth of work.

Don't stress it too much, allow yourself some cheat meals time to time, just not as crazy as this time lol. 1000 calories over maintenance is way too much, you can go over with a couple hundred time to time but not constantly. You can always exercise too so you can shed off a couple hundred extra calories.

[SchaffinOSX]

I have bad news.

Yesterday I ran out of food and was not able to get to a store to grocery shop. So I got some subway subs to make it to today. The problem is, yesterday I ate a sub and went over my calorie goal by 1000! I had no idea that a subway sub could be 1200 until I put it in myfitnesspal. I'm back on the healthy diet and going grocery shopping today. Since I went over, that could mess up my whole week and result in a weight gain instead of loss.

It's amazing how one decision in one day can mess up a week's worth of work.

Don't stress it too much, allow yourself some cheat meals time to time, just not as crazy as this time lol. 1000 calories over maintenance is way too much, you can go over with a couple hundred time to time but not constantly. You can always exercise too so you can shed off a couple hundred extra calories.

I'm with spyrde on this one. The problem is when that kind of eating becomes a habit. Eating 1,000 calories over your maintenance shouldn't even lead to you gaining one pound, so long as that is the only occurrence. The reason people gain weight is because they consistently have bad eating habits. So like spyrde said, just make sure to keep your diet on track the majority of the time, with reasonable splurges sprinkled throughout.

[The Black Wolf]

Thank you guys.

[SchaffinOSX]

Thank you guys.

Good luck. Remember to keep your diet interesting. If you keep eating the same healthy foods over and over again, you're more likely to get tired of those foods and resort back to unhealthy foods. When I go grocery shopping I try to get several types of fruits and meats so that I never get tired of them.

[spyrde]

Good luck. Remember to keep your diet interesting. If you keep eating the same healthy foods over and over again, you're more likely to get tired of those foods and resort back to unhealthy foods. When I go grocery shopping I try to get several types of fruits and meats so that I never get tired of them.

This, eating healthy doesn't mean eating the same thing over and over again, it's eating REAL food instead of the processed crap from junkfood restaurants. If you find yourself some time and patience to cook a new recipe I can guarantee you the food tastes better.

[PeanutButterMunky]

I'm going to reiterate what others have said that one day will not blow your whole week. To put things into perspective, 1 pound of fat is 3,500 calories. In order to gain a pound in one week, you'll need to eat 3,500 extra calories above your maintenance in order to gain that pound. You went 1,000 over your daily target 1 day of the week. You would have to do that roughly 3 more times to gain a pound. Not only that, it was 1,000 over your weight loss calories, not your maintenance, making it even less of a speed bump in your diet. The reason people don't succeed with weight loss is because they consistently make bad choices. You had an off day and realized your mistake. Just keep carrying on as usual with your normal dieting calories and you'll be fine. I don't consider cheat days going over your calories, personally. A cheat day to me is still meeting your calorie goal but eating some not so healthy food that day that you've been craving. Maybe a slice or two of cheesecake or a steak and potatoes or whatever. On my cheat days I'll save my calories until dinner and have a tasty meal. Just adjust your calories to compensate your comfort levels.

[DayWalker]

This is a dumb question with an obvious answer... but I'm going to ask it anyways.

I weigh 185 right now. If I eat a light breakfast... say 400 Cal... and I go weigh myself... I'll probably weigh 186-187...

explain.