Hey guys,
About 1.5 years ago I decided to stoping being super fat and start to live a healthier life. I switched up died and cut out candy, soda, cake (i love cake) and most unhealthy stuff for, what I think, is a clean diet. I also started running up to 6 km - three times a week. I was 115 kg at the time and I now weigh 74 kg standing at 185 cm.
I still have some fat to lose around chest (moobs) and with the overall goal of having a rather lean, healthy body. I therefore have a few questions if I have a good plan to achieve this.
Diet:
Breakfast:
Oatmeal (0.5 dl oats) with 1/2 banana, a few raspberries and blueberries, some raisins, a dash of peanut butter, flaxseeds, a few coconut flakes with some milk.
1 boiled egg
1 cup of green tea
1 litre of water
Lunch:
1 Chicken breast, turkey or shrimps
Iceberg sallad
Three of the following vegetables: avocado, peas, peppers, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, beans, artichokes and broccoli.
Dinner:
1 Chicken breast or Salmon fillet
1/2 sweet potato or brown rice
Broccoli
Carrots
Peppers
Spinach
I try to drink about 4 litres of water during the day. Is this an okay diet? I am missing out on something? Do I eat too much fruit for breakfast?
Supplements:
I take Vitamin D and Omega-3 every morning and friend told me ZMA could help me somehow with tuning up moobs (I have no idea if this is true or not but I thought it was worth giving it a shot.)
I was also thinking of taking a protein bar after a gym session with the following content:
Content: Per 1 bar (60 g)
Energy: 198 kcal / 840 kJ
Protein: 19,8 g
Total amount carbohydrates: 12 g
- whereof sugars: 4,8 g
Fat: 6 g
- of saturated fat 0,5 g
Fibre: 9,6 g
Salt: 0,1 g
Is this a decent bar, or should I just not eat protein bars?
I was also thinking if I instead should opt for a protein shake post workout? Is it good to take a protein shake while trying to lose fat? Or will I gain weight by taking a protein shake? I read that Gold Standard by Optimum Nutrition is a good product - should I give this a try?
Workout:
I go to the gym three times a week and I have stopped doing long distance running and focus on HIIT as I have read this is better for burning fat. I was thinking of doing 10x400m at the local track.
What do you guys think of plan? What areas should I change or improve? I appreciate any feedback!
/Flomer
Beginner questions - Fat loss (Diet and Nutrition)
Moderators: Boss Man, cassiegose
Re: Beginner questions - Fat loss (Diet and Nutrition)
Hi Flomer, good to talk to you.
You can use protein powders to lose weight by using the powder to help build muscle which will in turn help you to burn more calories, bu if you do get one have one with about 5-6 ingredients in as most others with lots of ingredients are unnecessary and pricey and if they have "proprietary blends" in them, then those ingredients, by law, need not be stated meaning you don't know if the product is value for money.
If the taste is a bit odd, try using things like mocha power, honey, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla essence to perk it up, but the powder is not vital in weight loss terms.
As for protein bars, you can have them but the one you're describing sounds like a cheap and nasty one, as it's got 12g carbs and just under 20g protein and those smaller weight ones can have poor ingredients added like high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oils.
A good protein bar would be 25% - 40% heavier than that, have another 10-15g carbs and another 10-15g protein and no HCFS and any vegetable oil content should be non-hydrogenated.
You may also find some kind of other edible oil content in there, like rapeseed oil for example.
In terms of the lunch Avocado, tomato and peppers are fruits, because one has a stone the others have seeds and peas and beans are legumes. in the case of legumes, they have more amino acid / protein content in than vegetables, so this may be worth remembering if you're monitoring your macro nutrients.
I think you could cut the fruit down with breakfast and removed the banana content as the meal looks a bit too high carb anyway. You're getting some protein from the egg and the flax seeds, but you could increase the protein slightly from things like chicken, beef, ham, pork or turkey from a packet.
I would say you could also increase your eating by having a mid-morning meal, mid-afternoon meal and one around 2-3 hours after dinner.
You can use various options to make snacks, like microwave baked, beans, soup and rice dishes, oat granolas, bread, sandwiches, low fat cheese, low sugar yoghurts, vegetables like pineapple, raw carrot and celery sticks, fruits including tomato and cucumber, the meat options listed earlier, pre-cooked boiled eggs, as well as pre-cooked chicken breasts, nuts, peanuts and also flax seeds.
Some of these are snacks in their own right, but others are components of snacks, but you'll work these things out yourself I'm sure.
You could be looking at around 2,000 calories, the sedentary average, on non-workout days and on workout days around 300-500 more than that.
You can use protein powders to lose weight by using the powder to help build muscle which will in turn help you to burn more calories, bu if you do get one have one with about 5-6 ingredients in as most others with lots of ingredients are unnecessary and pricey and if they have "proprietary blends" in them, then those ingredients, by law, need not be stated meaning you don't know if the product is value for money.
If the taste is a bit odd, try using things like mocha power, honey, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla essence to perk it up, but the powder is not vital in weight loss terms.
As for protein bars, you can have them but the one you're describing sounds like a cheap and nasty one, as it's got 12g carbs and just under 20g protein and those smaller weight ones can have poor ingredients added like high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oils.
A good protein bar would be 25% - 40% heavier than that, have another 10-15g carbs and another 10-15g protein and no HCFS and any vegetable oil content should be non-hydrogenated.
You may also find some kind of other edible oil content in there, like rapeseed oil for example.
In terms of the lunch Avocado, tomato and peppers are fruits, because one has a stone the others have seeds and peas and beans are legumes. in the case of legumes, they have more amino acid / protein content in than vegetables, so this may be worth remembering if you're monitoring your macro nutrients.
I think you could cut the fruit down with breakfast and removed the banana content as the meal looks a bit too high carb anyway. You're getting some protein from the egg and the flax seeds, but you could increase the protein slightly from things like chicken, beef, ham, pork or turkey from a packet.
I would say you could also increase your eating by having a mid-morning meal, mid-afternoon meal and one around 2-3 hours after dinner.
You can use various options to make snacks, like microwave baked, beans, soup and rice dishes, oat granolas, bread, sandwiches, low fat cheese, low sugar yoghurts, vegetables like pineapple, raw carrot and celery sticks, fruits including tomato and cucumber, the meat options listed earlier, pre-cooked boiled eggs, as well as pre-cooked chicken breasts, nuts, peanuts and also flax seeds.
Some of these are snacks in their own right, but others are components of snacks, but you'll work these things out yourself I'm sure.
You could be looking at around 2,000 calories, the sedentary average, on non-workout days and on workout days around 300-500 more than that.
Re: Beginner questions - Fat loss (Diet and Nutrition)
Hello Boss Man and thanks for the detailed response!
Link to the Fibre Pro I got from work: http://www.gymsector.com/eu/artiklar/fi ... g-x-15-box
Link to Goodlife bar: http://www.gymsector.com/eu/artiklar/go ... g-x-15-box
Could you maybe recommend a good bar or brand of bars?
Thanks again for the help Boss Man!
I might get around to incorporate some protein powder in diet with time, but since it is not essential for losing fat I will not be rushing it. However, would you say Gold Standard 100% Whey by Optimum Nutrition is a good protein?Boss Man wrote: You can use protein powders to lose weight by using the powder to help build muscle which will in turn help you to burn more calories, bu if you do get one have one with about 5-6 ingredients in as most others with lots of ingredients are unnecessary and pricey and if they have "proprietary blends" in them, then those ingredients, by law, need not be stated meaning you don't know if the product is value for money.
Oh yeah, the protein bars are cheap and most likely of low quality but they taste ok. I got a box from work for free so I thought I would ask if the bars would be good for me. I could also get "Goodlife" bars from work, but I believe these are equally bad or worse. What do you think?Boss Man wrote: As for protein bars, you can have them but the one you're describing sounds like a cheap and nasty one, as it's got 12g carbs and just under 20g protein and those smaller weight ones can have poor ingredients added like high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oils.
A good protein bar would be 25% - 40% heavier than that, have another 10-15g carbs and another 10-15g protein and no HCFS and any vegetable oil content should be non-hydrogenated.
Link to the Fibre Pro I got from work: http://www.gymsector.com/eu/artiklar/fi ... g-x-15-box
Link to Goodlife bar: http://www.gymsector.com/eu/artiklar/go ... g-x-15-box
Could you maybe recommend a good bar or brand of bars?
I will try to remove the banana from breakfast and even with the banana I feel like I should have a mid-morning meal. The thing is I have a desk job where I am really busy during the morning but I'll try to have a few nuts and almonds.Boss Man wrote: I would say you could also increase your eating by having a mid-morning meal, mid-afternoon meal and one around 2-3 hours after dinner.
Thanks again for the help Boss Man!
Re: Beginner questions - Fat loss (Diet and Nutrition)
I've never heard anything bad about that protein powder so it should be fine.
I'd avoid those Goodlife bars, as that fructose-glucose syrup ingredient in them, is nearly the same thing as high fructose corn syrup, which is not very good ingredient.
A good type of bar are quest bars.
I'd avoid those Goodlife bars, as that fructose-glucose syrup ingredient in them, is nearly the same thing as high fructose corn syrup, which is not very good ingredient.
A good type of bar are quest bars.
Re: Beginner questions - Fat loss (Diet and Nutrition)
Thanks for the help Boss Man, have a nice weekend!