What is the best way to eat in order to lose weight?

[The Black Egoist]

I am trying to lose weight right now, but I am alittle confused over how I should tailor my diet. I have heard many say things like "balanced" and "low carb", but what does that really mean? Does that mean that I should cut back heavily on bread, even wheat bread? What foods are low in carbs that would help me on my quest to lose weight?

Currently:
- I don't drink soda during the week. I usually have a soda or two on the weekend.
- I don't eat fried food during the week.
- I go to the gym twice a week and do a circuit routine using weights and cardio at the end of each cycle. I can do 6 cycles without being truly tired at the end.
- I'm 5'8"-5'9" and weigh 215. I want to get down to around 170-180.

What foods do I need to eat to reach my goal? Any workout advice would be welcome as well.

[Logic86]

http://forums.sohh.com/showpost.php?p=1057599292&postcount=2

[Stephano DiMera]

You should try to eat the Rainbow everyday. (a red vegetable, a yellow fruit, etc.) If you really need to eat bread, then get the multi-grain kind. Most of all you should watch you portions and in no time you'll be fine. I was 5'9 and 210 too. I started eating a lot more vegetable and increased my walking and running. I started this in January and by May, I was about 175. I couldn't even wear the same clothes. Good luck

[Ronald Dregan]

It's awesome that you're committed to improving your body.
I think that if you took a look at your metabolism, the size of your servings and the timing of your eating, you could maximize your efforts in the gym.
To heighten your metabolism it's suggested that you eat smaller meals throughout the day. Not to eat until you're full, but to eat like the Europeans do. This includes multiple, fist-sized portions of healthy food throughout the day cutting down on portion sizes as the day progresses. Your body stores fats at night, so nighttime snacking is counterproductive to weight loss.
If you take a look at our European brethren, you'll notice a lack of prevalent obesity in their culture. They tend to adhere to the model of more frequent yet smaller meals(more than 3 a day) and they don't feel the need to "supersize" everything.
As far as exercise is concerned, do anything to build strength in the major muscle groups. Even during periods of rest, your body has to burn calories to feed these. Since muscles constitute some of the most dense areas of the body, they will demand most of the caloric intake.
You may also find that variety in your cardio and weight/calisthenic routines will encourage the results you seek a little faster. Once your body gets used to specific exercise routines, it formulates muscle structures and connective tissue responses to make the activity easier thus diminshing the overall strain on the body during periods of exertion.
Last but not least. The "fuel" or food that goes into the body! Certain foods are high in vitamin content and actually encourage the burning of fat and muscle toning. These include LEAN white meats,tomato products, lowfat dairy, leafy greens, beans of all kinds, whole wheat products and water soluble fruits. A balance of these things provide good nutritional value and can be prepared in infinite ways. I'm a vegetarian so, I have to be creative! Don't forget your water intake. It's good for flushing out the system and ironically ridding the body of excess water. Yeah.
I'm hoping that you can do your research and find the balance of foods and exercise that work for you. I've tried this regimen and recommended it to friends who have had positive results.
Good luck! :king:

[Big H]

-Eliminate sugar from your diet
-Reduce food portions
-Eat every 3-4 hours; you never want to feel hungry or full
-Aim for 5-7 of these small meals a day
-Try to avoid combining Fats and Carbs in the same meal, unless they are EFA's and Complex carbs. Protein should be a staple in every meal.
-No soda
-Fluid should be mainly water/coffee/tea
-EAT YOUR VEGGIES!

And don't view carbs as the enemy. Carbs are essential to your health, but you need to know which TYPE of carbs you are eating. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate and should be eliminated from your diet because you don't have a need for it. Simple carbs are processed faster in the body and converted to energy. The problem is that when there is no need to restore glycogen/energy levels this excess amount goes straight to fat.

You want to be eating is Complex carbohydrates like Whole Grains, Fiber, etc. These type of carbs are converted much slower and don't cause sudden spikes of insulin in your body like simple carbs do. This means they provide long-lasting energy and the risk of them being sent to fat cells is much lower. So avoid Sugar, eat a modest amount of complex carbs, and fill up on Fiber (Veggies).

[The Black Egoist]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I have changed my meals up. Instead of eating three regular meals, I have begun to eat 5-6 smaller meals. Eating healthy is not as hard everyone thinks, but it just seems hard giving up some foods when you're still eating them. But I've found foods that I enjoy and are healthy, which makes the process an easier transition. I especially like making shakes with bananas, natural peanut butter, ice, and a dash of brown sugar. Prior to this, I had lost a good amount of weight before. I lost about 45-50 lbs last year, but I hit a wall because I started to get lazy and unmotivated. I decided to try the smaller meals thing, and hitting the weights again.

Motivation is the hardest part because I am not huge and I don't have a double chin. Plus I can still run a mile or two on the treadmill, and hit on the tennis court for a hour or two without breaking down. This makes it hard to feel the urgency to change habits sometimes, but I am not truly happy with where I am so, I am making some changes. I am not trying to get a six pack or be model material, but I want to be able to fit into some old clothes and turn some more heads like back in high school. LOL

[B-Scott]

5 to 7 small meals a day

Are you doing any type of jogging or running?

[The Black Egoist]

I jog on Tuesdays and Thrusdays for 20 minutes on the treadmill. I also jog for 10 minutes after weight training on MWF.

[blazin_chino]

-eat at least 5-6 small meals a day
-don;t skip breakfast
-drink lots of water
-lift weights and cardio

[AmmunitionVX]

LOL@circuit trainning with weights. I suggest you drop that crap, Lift heavy for about 45mins - 1hr, then do some cardio for about 20 - 30 minutes.

[The Black Egoist]

I stopped the circuit training thing. I just lift MWF and do cardio on TH. But I don't think weight circuit training is crap. There are many who use it and get very good results. I just didn't feel like doing everything on the same day-cardio and weight training in the same routine.

[Diggy_Dat_Niggy]

Get stuff off these shopping lists..simple

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/brenda31.htm

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie3.htm

[West Ridin]

It's awesome that you're committed to improving your body.
I think that if you took a look at your metabolism, the size of your servings and the timing of your eating, you could maximize your efforts in the gym.
To heighten your metabolism it's suggested that you eat smaller meals throughout the day. Not to eat until you're full, but to eat like the Europeans do. This includes multiple, fist-sized portions of healthy food throughout the day cutting down on portion sizes as the day progresses. Your body stores fats at night, so nighttime snacking is counterproductive to weight loss.
If you take a look at our European brethren, you'll notice a lack of prevalent obesity in their culture. They tend to adhere to the model of more frequent yet smaller meals(more than 3 a day) and they don't feel the need to "supersize" everything.
As far as exercise is concerned, do anything to build strength in the major muscle groups. Even during periods of rest, your body has to burn calories to feed these. Since muscles constitute some of the most dense areas of the body, they will demand most of the caloric intake.
You may also find that variety in your cardio and weight/calisthenic routines will encourage the results you seek a little faster. Once your body gets used to specific exercise routines, it formulates muscle structures and connective tissue responses to make the activity easier thus diminshing the overall strain on the body during periods of exertion.
Last but not least. The "fuel" or food that goes into the body! Certain foods are high in vitamin content and actually encourage the burning of fat and muscle toning. These include LEAN white meats,tomato products, lowfat dairy, leafy greens, beans of all kinds, whole wheat products and water soluble fruits. A balance of these things provide good nutritional value and can be prepared in infinite ways. I'm a vegetarian so, I have to be creative! Don't forget your water intake. It's good for flushing out the system and ironically ridding the body of excess water. Yeah.
I'm hoping that you can do your research and find the balance of foods and exercise that work for you. I've tried this regimen and recommended it to friends who have had positive results.
Good luck! :king:

U say snacking at night is counter productive, but I work the graveyard shift and I get hungry as hell late night/early morning, so I snack on walnuts and those lil cups of pears. Is the late night snacking messing me up because I hit the gym 4 days a week and I eat healthy 6 days out the week with one cheat day? I'm 5'11 192 and i'm trying to get down to 180.

[Big H]

U say snacking at night is counter productive, but I work the graveyard shift and I get hungry as hell late night/early morning, so I snack on walnuts and those lil cups of pears. Is the late night snacking messing me up because I hit the gym 4 days a week and I eat healthy 6 days out the week with one cheat day? I'm 5'11 192 and i'm trying to get down to 180.

Eating late isn't a big deal, WHAT your eating is a different story. A pint of Ben & Jerry's ain't exactly an ideal late-night snack if you get what I'm saying. Snack on healthy foods at night if you absolutely must eat. Try to consume slow-releasing proteins (Casein protein) late night so you have a steady supply of nutrients for your muscles when you sleep to prevent catabolism. If your gonna eat carbs make sure they're complex carbs that breakdown slowly. I would try to avoid carbs after 9 PM but for some people's schedules its ok.

I always tell people to cheat atleast once a week, but I prefer having just one cheat meal as opposed to an entire day dedicated to stuffing your face with the worse sh*t possible. I usually just throw down a medium pizza with veggie toppings or just plain cheese for my cheat meal. But then again pizza is one of my favorite foods, just eat whatever your craving.

[West Ridin]

Eating late isn't a big deal, WHAT your eating is a different story. A pint of Ben & Jerry's ain't exactly an ideal late-night snack if you get what I'm saying. Snack on healthy foods at night if you absolutely must eat. Try to consume slow-releasing proteins (Casein protein) late night so you have a steady supply of nutrients for your muscles when you sleep to prevent catabolism. If your gonna eat carbs make sure they're complex carbs that breakdown slowly. I would try to avoid carbs after 9 PM but for some people's schedules its ok.

I always tell people to cheat atleast once a week, but I prefer having just one cheat meal as opposed to an entire day dedicated to stuffing your face with the worse sh*t possible. I usually just throw down a medium pizza with veggie toppings or just plain cheese for my cheat meal. But then again pizza is one of my favorite foods, just eat whatever your craving.

Props on the advice. What are some examples of slow releasing protein foods/snacks?

[Big H]

Props on the advice. What are some examples of slow releasing protein foods/snacks?

Well the most common ones include Milk, Cottage Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Casein Whey Protein Shake, Eggs, etc. The most convenient method for most people is Cottage Cheese or a Casein protein shake. Slow-release proteins are harder to come by but these are the big ones. Basically anything with Milk or Cheese as its base will breakdown slower in the body.

There are a lot of good Casein shakes out there to choose from to...

CytoSport CytoMax Recovery
CytoSport MuscleMilk
Syntrax Matrix 5.0 <------ What I use now
ISS Research Micellar Matrix

[SusuEconomics]

I maintain my strength, good health and sexual stamina by eating a special form of Carbbean food that is heavy on vegetables, fish and lean beef.

See, "Moms Caribbean and Americas Soulfood Cooking For Excellent Health and a Long Life," http://www.authorhouse.com

[killawill]

It's all about how much you eat and how you work it off.

How I lose weight is by eating low calories foods like, turkey burgers, canned fruits, etc. How I worked it off was by walking/running and just working out at the gym.


Let dude break it down to ya.

http://youtube.com/user/BodyPerformanceTV

^^^ speaking the truth.

[West Ridin]

I got a question, how bad is peanut butter for u if you're trying to lose weight? I love peanut butter whether its in sandwiches or shakes. If I put a couple tble spoons in a protein shake would that be counter productive?

[Big H]

I got a question, how bad is peanut butter for u if you're trying to lose weight? I love peanut butter whether its in sandwiches or shakes. If I put a couple tble spoons in a protein shake would that be counter productive?

Regular PB is loaded with horrible sh*t for flavor and preservation.

Natural Peanut Butter on the other hand is one of the healthiest snacks you can eat on a diet. It's loaded with essential fatty acids, high protein, and low in carbs. Go with Smuckers Natural PB; I eating the stuff for years.

[West Ridin]

Regular PB is loaded with horrible sh*t for flavor and preservation.
Natural Peanut Butter on the other hand is one of the healthiest snacks you can eat on a diet. It's loaded with essential fatty acids, high protein, and low in carbs. Go with Smuckers Natural PB; I eating the stuff for years.

Props for the info. I was afraid you'd say the complete opposite

[acrimonious]

I am trying to lose weight right now, but I am alittle confused over how I should tailor my diet. I have heard many say things like "balanced" and "low carb", but what does that really mean? Does that mean that I should cut back heavily on bread, even wheat bread? What foods are low in carbs that would help me on my quest to lose weight?
Currently:
- I don't drink soda during the week. I usually have a soda or two on the weekend.
- I don't eat fried food during the week.
- I go to the gym twice a week and do a circuit routine using weights and cardio at the end of each cycle. I can do 6 cycles without being truly tired at the end.
- I'm 5'8"-5'9" and weigh 215. I want to get down to around 170-180.
What foods do I need to eat to reach my goal? Any workout advice would be welcome as well.

:laugh: I truly pity you.

*is 5'9 155*

*eats what the hell he wants*

*doesn't exercise*

*never gains a pound*

[Big H]

:laugh: I truly pity you.
*is 5'9 155*
*eats what the hell he wants*
*doesn't exercise*
*never gains a pound*

Oh don't worry, it will catch up eventually lol. Probably all at one shot too.

[elle simple]

thx to everyone who posted positive advice!

I had to come back and read this thread again for inspiration; I swear these ladies at my job wanna sabotage me! Walked into work today, the office smelled like chocolate. :dry: Go in the breakroom to get my tall cool glass of water and what do I see: 2 packages of Oreo "Cakesters," 2 bags of Halloween Peppermint Patties, 1 bag of some kind of Nestle Crunch spin-off....

I could get down on any of those (easy!), but I'm only letting myself have chocolate snacks on Fridays... cuz even one of those a day gonna add up to way more than I want to eat. Hopefully all the junk food will be gone by then... :angry:

temptation :sad:

[West Ridin]

Regular PB is loaded with horrible sh*t for flavor and preservation.
Natural Peanut Butter on the other hand is one of the healthiest snacks you can eat on a diet. It's loaded with essential fatty acids, high protein, and low in carbs. Go with Smuckers Natural PB; I eating the stuff for years.

What about natural popcorn is that ok to eat in between a meal? I'm not a fan of protein bars so I trying to find other things I can eat in between meals.

[The Black Egoist]

:laugh: I truly pity you.
*is 5'9 155*
*eats what the hell he wants*
*doesn't exercise*
*never gains a pound*

Enjoy it now because your metabolism will slow down, and it may just crash.

[7:30femmefatale]

temptation :sad:
[tu]throw up the finger![/pac]

i've been trying to get most of my carbs in during the morning/early afternoon.. and not eat past 8pm.. and.. that's all i have for now. i haven't been eating too healthfully lately. :sad:

[caramellady85]

thx to everyone who posted positive advice!

I had to come back and read this thread again for inspiration; I swear these ladies at my job wanna sabotage me! Walked into work today, the office smelled like chocolate. :dry: Go in the breakroom to get my tall cool glass of water and what do I see: 2 packages of Oreo "Cakesters," 2 bags of Halloween Peppermint Patties, 1 bag of some kind of Nestle Crunch spin-off....

I could get down on any of those (easy!), but I'm only letting myself have chocolate snacks on Fridays... cuz even one of those a day gonna add up to way more than I want to eat. Hopefully all the junk food will be gone by then... :angry:

temptation :sad:
ah... yes... work snacks temptation... i go through this all the time... today it was chocolate glazed donut holes.... i had 3 :guilty: but... i have my exercise class tomorrow to make myself feel better about it
i'm almost dreading december... people bring in whole trays of fattening stuff.. cookies, cakes, candy...

[KINGBLU]

What about natural popcorn is that ok to eat in between a meal? I'm not a fan of protein bars so I trying to find other things I can eat in between meals.
you good.get a cup of it

[elle simple]

ah... yes... work snacks temptation... i go through this all the time... today it was chocolate glazed donut holes.... i had 3 :guilty: but... i have my exercise class tomorrow to make myself feel better about it
i'm almost dreading december... people bring in whole trays of fattening stuff.. cookies, cakes, candy...

I hear ya, it's a fat-fest here from Halloween through Xmas!! this really just supports my theory that the 9-to-5 is not good for human beings, but that's a topic for another day....

*secretly hopes for femme to make another post about eating insane amts of Halloween candy*

[7:30femmefatale]

*secretly hopes for femme to make another post about eating insane amts of Halloween candy*
my ass is +10 lbs from that time last year. i ain't makin NO SUCH POST, lol.

not saying i won't binge on candy, but i prolly won't post about it out of shame. :guilty:

[West Ridin]

you good.get a cup of it

LOL, I cant just eat a cup of popcorn. IF anything that would just make me even hungrier. I'm talking about a full bag which comes out to about 7 cups of popcorn. Its natural with no butter or salt so I hope im not fuking myself

[The Black Egoist]

LOL@circuit trainning with weights. I suggest you drop that crap, Lift heavy for about 45mins - 1hr, then do some cardio for about 20 - 30 minutes.

Should I be lifting heavy when I am trying to lose fat? I thought lifting moderately for higher reps was more ideal for losing weight/fat? Maybe lifting heavy is good because more muscle is added, and subsequently, more fat would be burned. I've heard lifting heavy is good for losing weight as well. Which one is it-moderate weight for high reps or high weight for low reps?

[Blue Fuge]

Purchase a copy of "The Eat Clean Diet".....you'll get some great info in there.