HeatherDavis
Well-Known Member
I wasn't actually going to post a thread, but was looking to see if anyone was busting their GUT for the upcoming holiday season lol.
I have been killing myself in the gym since may, and trying to get ahold of my diet since then, and it has involved constant tweaking, some crying, and alot of WOW I CAN DO THAT???
I keep seeing these comments here and there about weight loss, ranging from the geek wanting to lose 10 lbs, and those of us in it for more of an overhaul. I see those cutting out entire food groups, and some cutting out FOOD entirely
So I just thought I would share some things I have learned this year.
Losing weight, is simple math really. You actually DON'T have to exercise to LOSE weight, but to MAINTAIN your weightloss, you MUST Build MUSCLE.
Math? Eat less calories than you burn, and you will lose weight. It's really as simple as that. Where is gets complicated is HOW MUCH people drop their calorie intake, and put their metabolism in starvation mode. When this happens, your body adjusts to need exactly the calories you are taking in. Example: a person weighing 200 lbs needs to consume about 2700 calories to maintain that weight with no exercise. If this same person drops their calorie intake to about 800 calories a day, the first week they may lose anywhere from 7-12 lbs. BUT!!!! the nest week they lose 1-2, the week after that the scale doesn't move, the person gets bummed out, and eats a sack of cookies.
And as for exercise? Your muscle mass needs calories to burn for energy. If you have a higher muscle mass from regular exercise, you can eat more calories through the day and not gain weight. But that simple math will still come into play here- eat more than you burn, and you gain. But you have a much better chance of maintaining weight loss if you have more muscle mass built up.
Want to hear some more wierd info about our food?
Sugar is evil. LOL!! I love sugar, but I can avoid it more now that I have done some more reading on the subject. When sugar enters your system, it becomes acidic, and your body defends itself by COATING the acid with a layer of FAT. That's how fat cells are CREATED. Caffeine in your coffee does the same thing. Your body will do this to a variety of toxins when they enter your system, and the biggest culprits are processed foods.
If you just CAN'T give up your morning caffeine fix, drink green tea with a bit of honey- it's more beneficial for your body, and a very powerful antioxidant. And don't use splenda or anything with aspartame! They can actually make your body CRAVE sugar, and starts a nasty cycle. Try Xylitol, or another natural sweetener, called stevia. They are plants, and not made in a chem lab.
The best way to start a diet and not put your body into shock is to drop your calorie intake SLOWLY, and then tweak it every few weeks so that your body can't become so used to it that you stop seeing results.
If you normally need 2500 calories, drop 500 calories off your day. Learn to eat foods that have a lot of fiber, and a low glycemic index. Cut the fats off your meat, and eat only the white of an egg. Drink skim milk, eat fat free cottage cheese...
For the holidays, we all are going to have to deal with the FEAST that comes every year, and you CAN get through them. If you like to have a glass of wine, make it white, fill your glass only partway, then top it off with seltzer water. You won't sacrifice the taste, but you cut the calories in half. Stick to the white breast meat on your turkey, and get rid of the skin. If you just can't avoid the yummy fats and sugars, simply eat half of them, instead of an entire plate. Use a salad plate for your food, instead of a large dinner plate. You will feel quite satisfied seeing an empty plate either way, this will ensure you also are satisfied about your portions.
OMG I totally got on a rant there. Forgive me geeks. Hopefully some of you will find this useful. I take alot of notes from a personal trainer I have been seeing since May lol, and writing it out like this just now was VERY therapeutic, and also just told me how much I have actually LEARNED.
OK I'm done now I swear: I have been journaling online, and am going to share it with any of you interested in reading and following along on my battle with me. If any of you want to, join up and post your journal link here. It would be nice to see that I am not learning alone lol.
FitDay.com - Diet and Fitness journal for hreynosa
If anybody has anything to add or ask, add and ask away...
Good luck at the dinner table!!:hug:
I have been killing myself in the gym since may, and trying to get ahold of my diet since then, and it has involved constant tweaking, some crying, and alot of WOW I CAN DO THAT???
I keep seeing these comments here and there about weight loss, ranging from the geek wanting to lose 10 lbs, and those of us in it for more of an overhaul. I see those cutting out entire food groups, and some cutting out FOOD entirely
So I just thought I would share some things I have learned this year.
Losing weight, is simple math really. You actually DON'T have to exercise to LOSE weight, but to MAINTAIN your weightloss, you MUST Build MUSCLE.
Math? Eat less calories than you burn, and you will lose weight. It's really as simple as that. Where is gets complicated is HOW MUCH people drop their calorie intake, and put their metabolism in starvation mode. When this happens, your body adjusts to need exactly the calories you are taking in. Example: a person weighing 200 lbs needs to consume about 2700 calories to maintain that weight with no exercise. If this same person drops their calorie intake to about 800 calories a day, the first week they may lose anywhere from 7-12 lbs. BUT!!!! the nest week they lose 1-2, the week after that the scale doesn't move, the person gets bummed out, and eats a sack of cookies.
And as for exercise? Your muscle mass needs calories to burn for energy. If you have a higher muscle mass from regular exercise, you can eat more calories through the day and not gain weight. But that simple math will still come into play here- eat more than you burn, and you gain. But you have a much better chance of maintaining weight loss if you have more muscle mass built up.
Want to hear some more wierd info about our food?
Sugar is evil. LOL!! I love sugar, but I can avoid it more now that I have done some more reading on the subject.
When sugar enters your system, it becomes acidic, and your body defends itself by COATING the acid with a layer of FAT. That's how fat cells are CREATED. Caffeine in your coffee does the same thing. Your body will do this to a variety of toxins when they enter your system, and the biggest culprits are processed foods. If you just CAN'T give up your morning caffeine fix, drink green tea with a bit of honey- it's more beneficial for your body, and a very powerful antioxidant. And don't use splenda or anything with aspartame! They can actually make your body CRAVE sugar, and starts a nasty cycle. Try Xylitol, or another natural sweetener, called stevia. They are plants, and not made in a chem lab.
The best way to start a diet and not put your body into shock is to drop your calorie intake SLOWLY, and then tweak it every few weeks so that your body can't become so used to it that you stop seeing results.
If you normally need 2500 calories, drop 500 calories off your day. Learn to eat foods that have a lot of fiber, and a low glycemic index. Cut the fats off your meat, and eat only the white of an egg. Drink skim milk, eat fat free cottage cheese...
For the holidays, we all are going to have to deal with the FEAST that comes every year, and you CAN get through them. If you like to have a glass of wine, make it white, fill your glass only partway, then top it off with seltzer water. You won't sacrifice the taste, but you cut the calories in half. Stick to the white breast meat on your turkey, and get rid of the skin. If you just can't avoid the yummy fats and sugars, simply eat half of them, instead of an entire plate. Use a salad plate for your food, instead of a large dinner plate. You will feel quite satisfied seeing an empty plate either way, this will ensure you also are satisfied about your portions.
OMG I totally got on a rant there. Forgive me geeks. Hopefully some of you will find this useful. I take alot of notes from a personal trainer I have been seeing since May lol, and writing it out like this just now was VERY therapeutic, and also just told me how much I have actually LEARNED.
OK I'm done now I swear: I have been journaling online, and am going to share it with any of you interested in reading and following along on my battle with me. If any of you want to, join up and post your journal link here. It would be nice to see that I am not learning alone lol.
FitDay.com - Diet and Fitness journal for hreynosa
If anybody has anything to add or ask, add and ask away...
Good luck at the dinner table!!:hug:
