Summer is coming!!
Moderators: Boss Man, cassiegose
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C06wallace
- STARTING OUT
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:42 am
Summer is coming!!
Okay as u all know, summer is coming. I havn't been comfortable wearing a bikini since I can remember. I bought a new bikini as some inspiration and would love to be able to feel comfortable to wear it this summer. So if anyone can tell me the tips and their success stories would be much appreciated. I would also love people to tell me a list of what is healthy for me to eat and what is unhealthy for me to eat. exams have finished so I have all the time in the world to exercise, and work on body. Toning tips would be nice as well. Thanx
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cassiegose
- VETERAN
- Posts: 2525
- Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 6:06 pm
- Location: Prineville Oregon
I've posted this in another section for a different user.. I think it will help you know what foods you should eat...
In order to lose fat and gain muscle we need a combination of lean proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats, fruits and veggies, and of course water.
Lean proteins: Protein is vital to building muslce, which aids in fat loss, increased metabolism, and injury prevention. For best results i try to aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. Examples of lean proteins include: skinless chicken breast, egg whites, lean red meats (venison is favorite), fish (the fatty fish like salmon are good too as they provide healthy fats), some slices of pork, soy, and low fat and fat free cheese/cottage cheese.
Complex Carbs: Complex carbs are usually those that have undergone little or no processing. White flour and sugar are both simple carbs. Complex carbs are best as they are broken down into glucose more slowly than simple carbs, providing a steady amount of energy instead of a sudden spurt, followed by a sudden drop. Examples of complex carbs include: oatmeal, sweet potatoes, whole grains, legumes, brown/wild rice, whole grain bread/pasta/couscous, quinoa, and high fiber whole gain cereals.
Healthy Fats: In recent years many have associated fatty food with body weight and obesity and as a result many drastically cut fat out of their diets. The truth about fat is that it is a vital part of every healthy diet and serves a wide range of purposes. Healthy fats help with brain function, cell function, heart function, lung function, eye function, digestion, and immune system function. Examples of healthy fats include: flax, fish, avacados, nuts, coconut oil, and olive oil.
Fruits and veggies: We all know that fruits and veggies are an important part of a healthy diet. I try to watch portion sizes when eating fruits higher in fructose and limit these to morning meals when metabolism is at its peak. However, fruits like cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers can be eaten throughout the day as they are low in sugar. When choosing veggies I usually go for things like asparagus, spinach, brocolli, and green beans. When choosing fruits I try to stick to thinks like apples, bananas (these are a great pre-workout food) berries, grapefruit, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes.
Now that brings us to macro breakdowns. Throughout this forum you will often read about macro breakdowns.... a concept that i found very confusing when i first started. Macro breakdowns breaks protein, carbs (this includes complex carbs, fruits, and veggies), and fat down into ratios. The macro breakdown of 33/33/33 means that a diet is 33% protein, 33% carbs and 33% fat. The same goes for 40/30/30... this reflects a diet that is 40% protein, 30% carb and 30% fat. A diet that is 40/35/25 is 40% protein, 35% carb, and 25% fat.
So how do you calculate your macros for a certain number of calories? Lets assume a person is eating 2000 calories a day and wants to eat a macro breakdown of 40/35/25. They would need to figure out how many grams of protein, carb, and fat to eat each day in order to get this ratio while eating 2000 calories.
So to figure out how many grams of protein to eat you would take 2000 x .4 (calories time percentage of calories that will come from protein)=800 So 800 of this persons calories will come from protein. Now, we know that here are 4 calories per gram of protein so we simply take 800 / 4 to get 200. So this person will be eating 200 grams of protein a day.
To figure carbs we do the same process: 2000x.35=700 and 700/4=175 so this person would be eating 175 grams of protein per day.
To figure fats you again do the same process: 2000x.25=500. Now fats are different than proteins and carbs as there are 9 calories in one gram of fat. So to figure grams on this example we would need to divide 500 by 9 to come up with 55.56 or simply 56 grams.
Next we want to make sure our math is accurate so we simple add 500+700+800 and we get 2000 so we know these macros are correct for a 2000 calorie diet with macros of 40/35/25 (remember the macros always must add up to 100%).
As for what not to eat... Basically stay away from candy, fried foods, most baked goods, and pretty much everything made with white flour.
best advice to you... find a solid diet and exercise plan and STICK TO IT RELIGIOUSLY! I'm not going to lie to here... its going stink, its going to be hard, there will be days where you want to throw in the towel and buy a box of donuts (and you probably even will at some point), however if you set a goal, develop a plan to meet that goal, and stick to the plan you WILL have success. I've been dieting religiously for an upcoming show so i know first hand how hard diets and strict exercise regimens can be. And, for the first 2 months of strict dieting and exercise I literally lost 1 or 2 pounds. However I stuck with it and I'm finally starting to see some great results! One thing that I tell myself over and over and over is "nothing tastes as good as being fit feels". Its sooo true! No food will ever give the satisfaction that you'll get from looking in the mirror and seeing a flat stomach and toned arms and legs. NOTHING!
Good luck to you! We're here if you need us!
Cassie
In order to lose fat and gain muscle we need a combination of lean proteins, complex carbs, healthy fats, fruits and veggies, and of course water.
Lean proteins: Protein is vital to building muslce, which aids in fat loss, increased metabolism, and injury prevention. For best results i try to aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. Examples of lean proteins include: skinless chicken breast, egg whites, lean red meats (venison is favorite), fish (the fatty fish like salmon are good too as they provide healthy fats), some slices of pork, soy, and low fat and fat free cheese/cottage cheese.
Complex Carbs: Complex carbs are usually those that have undergone little or no processing. White flour and sugar are both simple carbs. Complex carbs are best as they are broken down into glucose more slowly than simple carbs, providing a steady amount of energy instead of a sudden spurt, followed by a sudden drop. Examples of complex carbs include: oatmeal, sweet potatoes, whole grains, legumes, brown/wild rice, whole grain bread/pasta/couscous, quinoa, and high fiber whole gain cereals.
Healthy Fats: In recent years many have associated fatty food with body weight and obesity and as a result many drastically cut fat out of their diets. The truth about fat is that it is a vital part of every healthy diet and serves a wide range of purposes. Healthy fats help with brain function, cell function, heart function, lung function, eye function, digestion, and immune system function. Examples of healthy fats include: flax, fish, avacados, nuts, coconut oil, and olive oil.
Fruits and veggies: We all know that fruits and veggies are an important part of a healthy diet. I try to watch portion sizes when eating fruits higher in fructose and limit these to morning meals when metabolism is at its peak. However, fruits like cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers can be eaten throughout the day as they are low in sugar. When choosing veggies I usually go for things like asparagus, spinach, brocolli, and green beans. When choosing fruits I try to stick to thinks like apples, bananas (these are a great pre-workout food) berries, grapefruit, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes.
Now that brings us to macro breakdowns. Throughout this forum you will often read about macro breakdowns.... a concept that i found very confusing when i first started. Macro breakdowns breaks protein, carbs (this includes complex carbs, fruits, and veggies), and fat down into ratios. The macro breakdown of 33/33/33 means that a diet is 33% protein, 33% carbs and 33% fat. The same goes for 40/30/30... this reflects a diet that is 40% protein, 30% carb and 30% fat. A diet that is 40/35/25 is 40% protein, 35% carb, and 25% fat.
So how do you calculate your macros for a certain number of calories? Lets assume a person is eating 2000 calories a day and wants to eat a macro breakdown of 40/35/25. They would need to figure out how many grams of protein, carb, and fat to eat each day in order to get this ratio while eating 2000 calories.
So to figure out how many grams of protein to eat you would take 2000 x .4 (calories time percentage of calories that will come from protein)=800 So 800 of this persons calories will come from protein. Now, we know that here are 4 calories per gram of protein so we simply take 800 / 4 to get 200. So this person will be eating 200 grams of protein a day.
To figure carbs we do the same process: 2000x.35=700 and 700/4=175 so this person would be eating 175 grams of protein per day.
To figure fats you again do the same process: 2000x.25=500. Now fats are different than proteins and carbs as there are 9 calories in one gram of fat. So to figure grams on this example we would need to divide 500 by 9 to come up with 55.56 or simply 56 grams.
Next we want to make sure our math is accurate so we simple add 500+700+800 and we get 2000 so we know these macros are correct for a 2000 calorie diet with macros of 40/35/25 (remember the macros always must add up to 100%).
As for what not to eat... Basically stay away from candy, fried foods, most baked goods, and pretty much everything made with white flour.
best advice to you... find a solid diet and exercise plan and STICK TO IT RELIGIOUSLY! I'm not going to lie to here... its going stink, its going to be hard, there will be days where you want to throw in the towel and buy a box of donuts (and you probably even will at some point), however if you set a goal, develop a plan to meet that goal, and stick to the plan you WILL have success. I've been dieting religiously for an upcoming show so i know first hand how hard diets and strict exercise regimens can be. And, for the first 2 months of strict dieting and exercise I literally lost 1 or 2 pounds. However I stuck with it and I'm finally starting to see some great results! One thing that I tell myself over and over and over is "nothing tastes as good as being fit feels". Its sooo true! No food will ever give the satisfaction that you'll get from looking in the mirror and seeing a flat stomach and toned arms and legs. NOTHING!
Good luck to you! We're here if you need us!
Cassie