Diet/Workout Plan/Advice

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I'm looking for some feedback from members on this site on my exercise plan and diet. I'm reading quite a few books, and I've been looking for information online, but everyone is trying to sell you something. I'm hoping there is a resident dietician or personal trainer here that may offer feedback.

So, since 5/29 I've been doing the following.

Weight: 209 on 5/29, 188 today.
Body Fat %: 25% on 5/29, 19.3% today.
Height: 6'0"
Sex: Male

I saw some pretty quick weight loss, but it's tapered off to about a pound per week for the last 3 weeks or so.

Diet:
Caloric Intake: between 1500-2000
Average Food in a given day: 9oz veggies (carrots, cucumber, squash, zucchini mostly), cereal (raisen bran until recently, now honey oat cheerios), 1 can tuna w/ Mustard, Slim-fast shake or bar, 3 servings fruit (bananas, apples, oranges, strawberries mostly), protein shake, protein for dinner (either chicken brease or salmon), 1oz walnuts every night

Exercise:
Calories Burned / day: 500-1000
Exercises: 45 minutes weight lifting and 30-60 minutes treadmill (mostly fast walking or slow jogging)

Ok, so I'm not too happy with my weight plan. I have definately felt an improvement, but those have tapered off as well. I've been doing the following. Chest on Monday, Back on Tues, Shoulder on Wed, Legs on Thur, and Arms on Fri. I tend to do 4 exercises, 4 set / exercise, reps are 12, 10, 8, 6 with progressive weight added on each set.

I'm looking for a good workout plan that will help build up my core strength, keep my heart rate up to burn fat during my weight training and give gains in strength.

Also, I would like to build up my running distance/time to run a half marathon. I'm worried though that I'm trying to do too much at once. I'm thinking that I should focus on losing weight (I'd like to get to a 14% body fat, and probably around 175lbs), and once that goal has been achived I can focus on running more and getting to half marathon levels.

Well, thoughts are appreciated. I've been working hard, but it was sort of pieced together and I'd like a more scientific, proven plan for acheiving my goals. I'm willing to pay a website or something if there are any good ones out there that any of you have experience with.

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Re: Diet/Workout Plan/Advice

maporsche wrote:

I'm looking for some feedback from members on this site on my exercise plan and diet. I'm reading quite a few books, and I've been looking for information online, but everyone is trying to sell you something. I'm hoping there is a resident dietician or personal trainer here that may offer feedback.

So, since 5/29 I've been doing the following.

Weight: 209 on 5/29, 188 today.
Body Fat %: 25% on 5/29, 19.3% today.
Height: 6'0"
Sex: Male

I saw some pretty quick weight loss, but it's tapered off to about a pound per week for the last 3 weeks or so.

Perfect! You saw a 10% loss in your overall body weight and have hit your first rest period. Losing more than 10% of your body weight should be done in stages. Lose 10%, rest 1-3 three months (yes, months) and then you can look at another surge of approx 10% using the current weight as the base. In your example your beginning weight was 209. 10% is 21 lbs for a first target weigh of 188. Now you need to maintain for a bit (sorry, but it's true) and then you can look to lose more. What is your goal weight? At 6'0" and 188 lbs you are close to a normal BMI. Edit: ah, I see 175ish... certainly doable at 1 to 2 lbs/week.

If you continue to lose one pound per week (kudos to you if you can do it through the fall and winter) then the next 10% reduction will take 19 weeks. The only way to increase that pace (I don't recommend it) is to increase your exercise and/or decrease your intake.

maporsche wrote:

Diet:
Caloric Intake: between 1500-2000
Average Food in a given day: 9oz veggies (carrots, cucumber, squash, zucchini mostly), cereal (raisen bran until recently, now honey oat cheerios), 1 can tuna w/ Mustard, Slim-fast shake or bar, 3 servings fruit (bananas, apples, oranges, strawberries mostly), protein shake, protein for dinner (either chicken brease or salmon), 1oz walnuts every night

Exercise:
Calories Burned / day: 500-1000
Exercises: 45 minutes weight lifting and 30-60 minutes treadmill (mostly fast walking or slow jogging)

Looks pretty good. Now that you're below 200 lbs, your intake can drop to 1400-1600 for a faster loss, but you're ok where you are.

maporsche wrote:

Ok, so I'm not too happy with my weight plan. I have definately felt an improvement, but those have tapered off as well. I've been doing the following. Chest on Monday, Back on Tues, Shoulder on Wed, Legs on Thur, and Arms on Fri. I tend to do 4 exercises, 4 set / exercise, reps are 12, 10, 8, 6 with progressive weight added on each set.

I'm looking for a good workout plan that will help build up my core strength, keep my heart rate up to burn fat during my weight training and give gains in strength.

Double up with opposing muscle groups.
Monday - chest and back
Tuesday - abs and shoulders
Wednesday - biceps and triceps
Thursday - hamstrings and quads
Friday - gluts and calves
Sat - inner and outer thigh

You can double this up by doing Monday/Thursday on Mondays and Thursdays, Tuesday/Friday on Tuesdays and Fridays, Wednesday/Saturdays on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

maporsche wrote:

Also, I would like to build up my running distance/time to run a half marathon. I'm worried though that I'm trying to do too much at once. I'm thinking that I should focus on losing weight (I'd like to get to a 14% body fat, and probably around 175lbs), and once that goal has been achived I can focus on running more and getting to half marathon levels.

Well, thoughts are appreciated. I've been working hard, but it was sort of pieced together and I'd like a more scientific, proven plan for acheiving my goals. I'm willing to pay a website or something if there are any good ones out there that any of you have experience with.

Sounds about right. Good luck!

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This is just me, but I have an adversion to canned or packaged "meal replacement" stuff.

Instead of the slimfast products, how about having more REAL food?

Sure, might take a little more time, but, hey, you're worth it.

Also, the sugar. Nix the honey nut cheerios and go for something unprocessed.

Try McCanns oatmeal. 100% oat. If you're going to add some sugar for flavor, try a dab of honey or real maple syrup. Good cereal to add fruit to.

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Thank you both for your feedback.

Well, I hate the idea of a 1-3 month resting period. Is that really necessary? I know you said it was, but I hate the idea so much I'm hoping that I may be hearing things. I'm worried about not having the motivation to start the diet again.

Also, you mentioned dropping my calorie intake, which I agree with, however I do burn at least 500 calories almost 6 days week on the treadmill. Should I still only be eating 1500 calories when I'm burning 500?

I'll need to plan out a weight plan similar to what you wrote below. I'm worried about not having enough time to fit in enough weight lifting.

And Chai, I do understand about the meal replacement stuff. I just haven't been hungary enough to eat more food during the day. I've been trying to stick to eating something every 2 hours and when I do that I am having a hard time even getting to 1500 some days.

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You can keep trying to lose, but it's not surprising that your loss rate has slowed. There are a number of factors that go into that, but the bottom line is that the first 10 lbs are the easiest. It's pretty hard to consistently lose through the fall and winter. Mother nature tries to entice us with a heartier appetite during the cold months. That, and in northern climates, it's harder to get exercise in the winter. If your loss rate continues to slow just switch to a maintenance plan for a few weeks (you'll still be working out and eating right). Maintenance is in some ways harder than losing.

1500 cals/day intake and 500 cals/day in exercise is fine. Just make sure you continue to eat a balanced diet. The weight training schedule takes less than 10 mins/day (20 if you double up the days). The muscles are opposing, so you don't need to rest between sets. Each set of 12 - 15 reps should take about a minute. Then go straight to the other exercise. On Mondays, for example, the chest muscles rest while the back muscle work. Four sets on each exercise with no rests is about 8 minutes total.

Keep working it, your doing great. A one pound weekly loss is great for the long term.

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no. you should not be eating 1500 if you're burining 500. that would be unhealthy. also, about weight lifting.... especially since you said you add weight each time...you do realize that muscles which you are building weigh far more than the same amount of fat does. so in effect, you probably lost some 30 pounds of fat, gained maybe 10 of muscle (or however that works). if you'll keep adding weight on during weight lifting, you will also keep building muscle, hence not see any difference on the scale, yet your body will be changing.

what is the goal: weight loss or fitness? if weight loss, then stick to whatever you;re lifting now, if fitness, don't worry so much about the scale.

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To throw in my dos centavos (and God knows I'm not in good shape), I'm also a vote against meal replacements. Even if you're having trouble getting in all of the calories, it should be real food. One thing that is very difficult, as JPB said above, is maintenance. So while your body is in a resting mode one thing you can be learning to do is eat and cook right. That will stand you in good stead once you've hit your goal and those are habits and behaviors you can build for life. Also, if you depend on meal replacements, what do you do (not just now, but in the future) when they're not available? So learning how to shop, choose and cook the right foods are good lessons to learn.

A few shows (yes, cooking shows) I learned from, believe it or not, are
* Rachael Ray (she's peppy/fake but what she cooks is always fast and easy)
* Sara Moulton (dunno if she's still on TV, but everything always looked good)
* Alton Brown (learn what food does, how it reacts to certain treatments of it, such as broiling or marinating, and also what equipment to buy)

Of all people, Martha Stewart had an excellent episode on stocking and organizing your pantry. As in, what to have on hand at all times, and how to put your finger on it at any time so that you can just whip something up quickly when you're tired. The New York Times

Make six-minute eggs: simmer gently, run under cold water until cool, then peel. Serve over steamed asparagus.
Toss a cup of chopped mixed herbs with a few tablespoons of olive oil in a hot pan. Serve over angel-hair pasta, diluting the sauce if necessary with pasta cooking water.
Cut eight sea scallops into four horizontal slices each. Arrange on plates. Sprinkle with lime juice, salt and crushed chilies; serve after five minutes.
Open a can of white beans and combine with olive oil, salt, small or chopped shrimp, minced garlic and thyme leaves in a pan. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp are done; garnish with more olive oil.
Put three pounds of washed mussels in a pot with half a cup of white wine, garlic cloves, basil leaves and chopped tomatoes. Steam until mussels open. Serve with bread.
Heat a quarter-inch of olive oil in a skillet. Dredge flounder or sole fillets in flour and fry until crisp, about two minutes a side. Serve on sliced bread with tartar sauce.
Make pesto: put a couple of cups of basil leaves, a garlic clove, salt, pepper and olive oil as necessary in a blender (walnuts and Parmesan are optional). Serve over pasta (dilute with oil or water as necessary) or grilled fish or meat.
Put a few dozen washed littlenecks in a large, hot skillet with olive oil. When clams begin to open, add a tablespoon or two of chopped garlic. When most or all are opened, add parsley. Serve alone, with bread or over angel-hair pasta.
Pan-grill a skirt steak for three or four minutes a side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, slice and serve over romaine or any other green salad, drizzled with olive oil and lemon.
Smear mackerel fillets with mustard, then sprinkle with chopped herbs (fresh tarragon is good), salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Bake in a 425-degree oven for about eight minutes.
Warm olive oil in a skillet with at least three cloves sliced garlic. When the garlic colors, add at least a teaspoon each of cumin and pimentón. A minute later, add a dozen or so shrimp, salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley, serve with lemon and bread.
Boil a lobster. Serve with lemon or melted butter.
Gazpacho: Combine one pound tomatoes cut into chunks, a cucumber peeled and cut into chunks, two or three slices stale bread torn into pieces, a quarter-cup olive oil, two tablespoons sherry vinegar and a clove of garlic in a blender with one cup water and a couple of ice cubes. Process until smooth, adding water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, then serve or refrigerate, garnished with anchovies if you like, and a little more olive oil.
Put a few slices of chopped prosciutto in a skillet with olive oil, a couple of cloves of crushed garlic and a bit of butter; a minute later, toss in about half a cup bread crumbs and red chili flakes to taste. Serve over pasta with chopped parsley.
Call it panini: Grilled cheese with prosciutto, tomatoes, thyme or basil leaves.
Slice or chop salami, corned beef or kielbasa and warm in a little oil; stir in eggs and scramble. Serve with mustard and rye bread.
Soak couscous in boiling water to cover until tender; top with sardines, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil and black pepper.
18 Stir-fry a pound or so of ground meat or chopped fish mixed with chopped onions and seasoned with cumin or chili powder. Pile into taco shells or soft tacos, along with tomato, lettuce, canned beans, onion, cilantro and sour cream.
Chinese tomato and eggs: Cook minced garlic in peanut oil until blond; add chopped tomatoes then, a minute later, beaten eggs, along with salt and pepper. Scramble with a little soy sauce.
Cut eggplant into half-inch slices. Broil with lots of olive oil, turning once, until tender and browned. Top with crumbled goat or feta cheese and broil another 20 seconds.
While pasta cooks, combine a couple cups chopped tomatoes, a teaspoon or more minced garlic, olive oil and 20 to 30 basil leaves. Toss with pasta, salt, pepper and Parmesan.
Make wraps of tuna, warm white beans, a drizzle of olive oil and lettuce and tomato.
The New York supper: Bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon. Serve with tomatoes, watercress or arugula, and sliced red onion or shallot.
Dredge thinly sliced chicken breasts in flour or cornmeal; cook about two minutes a side in hot olive oil. Place on bread with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.
Upscale tuna salad: good canned tuna (packed in olive oil), capers, dill or parsley, lemon juice but no mayo. Use to stuff a tomato or two.
Cut Italian sausage into chunks and brown in a little olive oil; chop onions and bell peppers and add them to the pan. Cook until sausage is browned and peppers and onions tender. Serve in sandwiches.
Egg in a hole, glorified: Tear a hole in a piece of bread and fry in butter. Crack an egg into the hole. Deglaze pan with a little sherry vinegar mixed with water, and more butter; pour over egg.
New Joe's Special, from San Francisco: Brown ground meat with minced garlic and chopped onion. When just about cooked, add chopped spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted. At the last minute, stir in two eggs, along with grated Parmesan and salt and pepper.
Chop prosciutto and crisp it in a skillet with olive oil; add chopped not-too-ripe figs. Serve over greens dressed with oil and vinegar; top all with crumbled blue cheese.
Quesadilla: Use a combination of cheeses, like Fontina mixed with grated pecorino. Put on half of a large flour tortilla with pickled jalapenos, chopped onion, shallot or scallion, chopped tomatoes and grated radish. Fold tortilla over and brown on both sides in butter or oil, until cheese is melted.
Fast chile rellenos: Drain canned whole green chilies. Make a slit in each and insert a piece of cheese. Dredge in flour and fry in a skillet, slit side up, until cheese melts.
Cobb-ish salad: Chop bacon and begin to brown it; cut boneless chicken into strips and cook it with bacon. Toss romaine and watercress or arugula with chopped tomatoes, avocado, onion and crumbled blue cheese. Add bacon and chicken. Dress with oil and vinegar.
Sauté 10 whole peeled garlic cloves in olive oil. Meanwhile, grate Pecorino, grind lots of black pepper, chop parsley and cook pasta. Toss all together, along with crushed dried chili flakes and salt.
Niçoise salad: Lightly steam haricot verts, green beans or asparagus. Arrange on a plate with chickpeas, good canned tuna, hard-cooked eggs, a green salad, sliced cucumber and tomato. Dress with oil and vinegar.
Cold soba with dipping sauce: Cook soba noodles, then rinse in cold water until cool. Serve with a sauce of soy sauce and minced ginger diluted with mirin and/or dry sake.
Fried egg "saltimbocca": Lay slices of prosciutto or ham in a buttered skillet. Fry eggs on top of ham; top with grated Parmesan.
Frisée aux lardons: Cook chunks of bacon in a skillet. Meanwhile, make six-minute or poached eggs and a frisée salad. Put eggs on top of salad along with bacon; deglaze pan with sherry vinegar and pour pan juices over all.
Fried rice: Soften vegetables with oil in a skillet. Add cold takeout rice, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, peas and two beaten eggs. Toss until hot and cooked through. Season with soy sauce and sesame oil.
39 Taco salad: Toss together greens, chopped tomato, chopped red onion, sliced avocado, a small can of black beans and kernels from a couple of ears of corn. Toss with crumbled tortilla chips and grated cheese. Dress with olive oil, lime and chopped cilantro leaves.
Put a large can of chickpeas and their liquid in a medium saucepan. Add some sherry, along with olive oil, plenty of minced garlic, smoked pimentón and chopped Spanish chorizo. Heat through.
Raita to the rescue: Broil any fish. Serve with a sauce of drained yogurt mixed with chopped cucumber, minced onion and cayenne.
Season boneless lamb steaks cut from the leg with sweet curry powder. Sear on both sides. Serve over greens, with lemon wedges.
Migas, with egg: Sauté chopped stale bread with olive oil, mushrooms, onions and spinach. Stir in a couple of eggs.
Migas, without egg: Sauté chopped stale bread with chopped Spanish chorizo, plenty of garlic and lots of olive oil. Finish with chopped parsley.
Sauté shredded zucchini in olive oil, adding garlic and chopped herbs. Serve over pasta.
Broil a few slices prosciutto until crisp; crumble and toss with parsley, Parmesan, olive oil and pasta.
Not exactly banh mi, but... Make sandwiches on crisp bread with liverwurst, ham, sliced half-sours, shredded carrots, cilantro sprigs and Vietnamese chili-garlic paste.
Not takeout: Stir-fry onions with cut-up broccoli. Add cubed tofu, chicken or shrimp, or sliced beef or pork, along with a tablespoon each minced garlic and ginger. When almost done, add half cup of water, two tablespoons soy sauce and plenty of black pepper. Heat through and serve over fresh Chinese noodles.
Sprinkle sole fillets with chopped parsley, garlic, salt and pepper; roll up, dip in flour, then beaten egg, then bread crumbs; cook in hot olive oil about three minutes a side. Serve with lemon wedges.
The Waldorf: Toast a handful of walnuts in a skillet. Chop an apple or pear; toss with greens, walnuts and a dressing made with olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and shallot. Top, if you like, with crumbled goat or blue cheese.
Put a stick of butter and a handful of pine nuts in a skillet. Cook over medium heat until both are brown. Toss with cooked pasta, grated Parmesan and black pepper.
Grill or sauté Italian sausage and serve over store-bought hummus, with lemon wedges.
Put a tablespoon of cream and a slice of tomato in each of several small ramekins. Top with an egg, then salt, pepper and grated Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees until the eggs set. Serve with toast.
Brown small pork (or hot dog) chunks in a skillet. Add white beans, garlic, thyme and olive oil. Or add white beans and ketchup.
Dredge skate or flounder in flour and brown quickly in butter or oil. Deglaze pan with a couple of spoonfuls of capers and a lot of lemon juice or a little vinegar.
Make a fast tomato sauce of olive oil, chopped tomatoes and garlic. Poach eggs in the sauce, then top with Parmesan.
Dip pork cutlets in egg, then dredge heavily in panko; brown quickly on both sides. Serve over lettuce, with fresh lemon, or bottled Japanese curry sauce.
Cook chicken livers in butter or oil with garlic; do not overcook. Finish with parsley, lemon juice and coarse salt; serve over toast.
Brown bratwursts with cut-up apples. Serve with coleslaw.
Peel and thinly slice raw beets; cook in butter until soft. Take out of pan and quickly cook some shrimp in same pan. Deglaze pan with sherry vinegar, adding sauce to beets and shrimp. Garnish with dill.
Poach shrimp and plunge into ice water. Serve with cocktail sauce: one cup ketchup, one tablespoon vinegar, three tablespoons melted butter and lots of horseradish.
Southeast Asia steak salad: Pan- or oven-grill skirt or flank steak. Slice and serve on a pile of greens with a sauce of one tablespoon each of nam pla and lime juice, black pepper, a teaspoon each of sugar and garlic, crushed red chili flakes and Thai basil.
Miso steak: Coat beef tenderloin steaks (filet mignon) with a blend of miso and chili paste thinned with sake or white wine. Grill or broil about five minutes.
Pasta with fresh tomatoes: Cook chopped fresh tomatoes in butter or oil with garlic until tender, while pasta cooks. Combine and serve with grated Parmesan.
Sauté squid rings and tentacles in olive oil with salt and pepper and garlic; add chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes break down. Serve over pasta.
66 Salmon (or just about anything else) teriyaki: Sear salmon steaks on both sides for a couple of minutes; remove. To skillet, add a splash of water, sake, a little sugar and soy sauce; when mixture is thick, return steaks to pan and turn in sauce until done. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Rich vegetable soup: Cook asparagus tips and peeled stalks or most any other green vegetable in chicken stock with a little tarragon until tender; reserve a few tips and purée the rest with a little butter (cream or yogurt, too, if you like) adding enough stock to thin the purée. Garnish with the reserved tips. Serve hot or cold.
Brush portobello caps with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and broil until tender. Briefly sweat chopped onions, then scramble eggs with them. Put eggs in mushrooms.
Buy good blintzes. Brown them on both sides in butter. Serve with sour cream, apple sauce or both.
Sauté squid rings and tentacles in olive oil with salt and pepper. Make a sauce of minced garlic, smoked pimentón, mayo, lots of lemon juice and fresh parsley. Serve with a chopped salad of cucumber, tomato, lettuce, grated carrot and scallion, lightly dressed.
Press a lot of coarsely ground black pepper onto both sides of filet mignon or other steaks or chopped meat patties. Brown in butter in a skillet for two minutes a side. Remove steaks and add a splash of red wine, chopped shallots and a bit of tarragon to skillet. Reduce, then return steaks to pan, turning in the sauce for a minute or two.
World's leading sandwich: prosciutto, tomato, butter or olive oil and a baguette.
Near instant mezze: Combine hummus on a plate with yogurt laced with chopped cucumbers and a bit of garlic, plus tomato, feta, white beans with olive oil and pita bread.
Canned sardines packed in olive oil on Triscuits, with mustard and Tabasco.
Boil-and-eat shrimp, cooked in water with Old Bay seasoning or a mixture of thyme, garlic, paprika, chopped onion, celery, chili, salt and pepper.
Make a thin plain omelet with two or three eggs. Sauté cubes of bacon or pancetta or strips of prosciutto until crisp. Cut up the omelet and use it and the meat to garnish a green salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Sear corn kernels in olive oil with minced jalapeños and chopped onions; toss with cilantro, black beans, chopped tomatoes, chopped bell pepper and lime.
Cook shrimp in a skillet slowly (five minutes or so) to preserve their juices, with plenty of garlic and olive oil, until done; pour over watercress or arugula, with lemon, pepper and salt.
Liverwurst on good sourdough rye with scallions, tomato and wholegrain mustard.
Not-quite merguez: Ground lamb burgers seasoned with cumin, garlic, onion, salt and cayenne. Serve with couscous and green salad, along with bottled harissa.
Combine crab meat with mayo, Dijon mustard, chives and tarragon. Serve in a sandwich, with potato chips.
Combine canned tuna in olive oil, halved grape tomatoes, black olives, mint, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Serve with pasta, thinning with olive oil or pasta cooking water as needed.
Pit and chop a cup or more of mixed olives. Combine with olive oil, a little minced garlic, red pepper flakes and chopped basil or parsley. Serve over pasta.
Cook chopped tomatillos with a little water or stock, cilantro and a little minced fresh chili; serve over grilled, broiled or sautéed chicken breasts, with corn tortillas.
A winning sandwich: bresaola or prosciutto, arugula, Parmesan, marinated artichoke hearts, tomato.
Smoked trout fillets served with lightly toasted almonds, shredded fennel, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of lemon.
Grated carrots topped with six-minute eggs (run under cold water until cool before peeling), olive oil and lemon juice.
Cut the top off four big tomatoes; scoop out the interiors and mix them with toasted stale baguette or pita, olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs (basil, tarragon, and/or parsley). Stuff into tomatoes and serve with salad.
Pasta frittata: Turn cooked pasta and a little garlic into an oiled or buttered skillet. Brown, pressing to create a cake. Flip, then top with three or four beaten eggs and loads of Parmesan. Brown other side and serve.
90 Thai-style beef: Thinly slice one and a half pounds of flank steak, pork shoulder or boneless chicken; heat peanut oil in a skillet, add meat and stir. A minute later, add a tablespoon minced garlic and some red chili flakes. Add 30 clean basil leaves, a quarter cup of water and a tablespoon or two of soy sauce or nam pla. Serve with lime juice and more chili flakes, over rice or salad.
Dredge calf's liver in flour. Sear in olive oil or butter or a combination until crisp on both sides, adding salt and pepper as it cooks; it should be medium-rare. Garnish with parsley and lemon juice.
Rub not-too-thick pork or lamb chops with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper plus sage or thyme. Broil about three minutes a side and drizzle with good balsamic vinegar.
Cut up Italian sausage into chunks and brown in a little olive oil until just about done. Dump in a lot of seedless grapes and, if you like, a little slivered garlic and chopped rosemary. Cook, stirring, until the grapes are hot. Serve with bread.
Ketchup-braised tofu: Dredge large tofu cubes in flour. Brown in oil; remove from skillet and wipe skillet clean. Add a little more oil, then a tablespoon minced garlic; 30 seconds later, add one and a half cups ketchup and the tofu. Cook until sauce bubbles and tofu is hot.
Veggie burger: Drain and pour a 14-ounce can of beans into a food processor with an onion, half a cup rolled oats, a tablespoon chili powder or other spice mix, an egg, salt and pepper. Process until mushy, then shape into burgers, adding a little liquid or oats as necessary. Cook in oil about three minutes a side and serve.
A Roman classic: In lots of olive oil, lightly cook lots of slivered garlic, with six or so anchovy fillets and a dried hot chili or two. Dress pasta with this.
So-called Fettuccine Alfredo: Heat several tablespoons of butter and about half a cup of cream in a large skillet just until the cream starts to simmer. Add slightly undercooked fresh pasta to the skillet, along with plenty of grated Parmesan. Cook over low heat, tossing, until pasta is tender and hot.
Rub flank steak or chuck with curry or chili powder before broiling or grilling, then slice thin across the grain.
Cook a couple of pounds of shrimp, shell on or off, in oil, with lots of chopped garlic. When they turn pink, remove; deglaze the pan with a half-cup or so of beer, along with a splash of Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, rosemary and a lump of butter. Serve with bread.
Cook red lentils in water with a little cumin and chopped bacon until soft. Top with poached or six-minute eggs (run under cold water until cool before peeling) and a little sherry vinegar.

Hope this helps. Post a question in Food & Drink if you like, and we'll talk about cooking some more. Smile

0 Replies

Wow, that's quite a list, jes!

Maporsche, it goes without saying that it's impossible to get a fully balanced diet and reduce calories at the same time. Anyone on a reduced calorie diet should include a multi-vitamin daily. The real foods you listed look like high quality choices. I didn't take it that you were using the protein shake as a meal replacement, more that you were using it between meals as a snack. If so, it's a hell of a lot better than a candy bar for the same calories. Eating small meals every two hours is a great way to control sugar spikes. There are some minor tweaks that you can do to your sugar intake, and I don't see any other grains in your diet besides the Cheerios. Is the tuna eaten as a sandwich? Do you have brown rice or whole wheat pita with your dinner? These simple changes will get you to 1500 cals/day and still not result in glucose spikes. The overall glycemic load of the meal is what matters. Combining quality carbs with your protein will keep things in balance. Overall, I think what you have is fine. Just make sure you don't drop below 1400 -1600 cals on average.

500 cals on a treadmill at 188 lbs is, what, 4 - 5 miles in 30 - 40 minutes? Not a problem. Hopefully, you didn't really mean daily. You need at least one rest day/week. Another thing you may consider is alternating running days with strength training days. You could double up the strength training three days/week alternating with running the other three days. This would give you the time to include both cardio and strength training in your workout and give you a rest day.

We also have a thread here where we cheer each other on in our on-going efforts to lose, maintain, or re-lose after regaining (my specialty) here. Come on over!

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JPB-

You seem pretty expert so-

Packets here recommend 20g of saturated fat daily. Is there a problem not getting that?

If there are no weight problems is it okay to indulge the "good" fats?

Can cholesterol levels be too low?

What do you think of Quorn?

And a question that might not be in your field-

Can a heart by-pass improve sight. A friend has had a BP and is reading without specs now which she couldn't before.

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spendius wrote:

JPB-

You seem pretty expert so-

I'm not a certified nutritionist or any other kind of expert, but I've spent 10 years studying metabolism, meal plans, structured diets, and exercise plans. I'm happy to give you my opinions, but that's all they are.

spendius wrote:

Packets here recommend 20g of saturated fat daily. Is there a problem not getting that?

If there are no weight problems is it okay to indulge the "good" fats?

I think you mean they recommend not having more than 20g saturated fats daily. Here's the math for a 2000 cal/day diet.

Limit total fats to 30% of your daily intake.
Limit saturated fats to 7% of your daily intake.

Fat has 9 cals/gr. So 30% of 2000 cals is 600 cals or approx 67g fat/day. 7% of 2000 is 140 cals or approx 16g saturated fat/day. The numbers would go up to 80g fat/day and approx 19g saturated fat/day for a 2400 cal/day diet. This is considered a low-fat diet.

The problem with having more than 30% of your daily calories coming from fat is, well, you get fat. If more than 7% of your daily calories comes from saturated fat then they tend to find resting places in your arteries, around your organs, and generally slog everything down from running the way they should.

By all means indulge in good fats. The body is unable to manufacture omega-3s and omega-6s. The are known as essential fatty acids and are necessary for proper nutrition. They must be consumed through food sources or as supplements. Fortunately, omega-6s are easily consumed through cooking oils and other food oils such as nuts and avocados. Olive, corn, canola, safflower, sesame, sunflower, and nut oils are excellent sources of omega-6s. The nut oils also have some omega-3, but they are higher in saturated fats as well. Omega-3s are found in fish, flax (linseed), and nuts. Avocados and nuts pack a lot of fat for the buck, so eat sparingly but do indulge.

The other reason to include quality fats in your diet is because fats are satisfying. This is why most diet plans now recommend low-fat versions of dairy over fat-free versions and they no longer recommend trying to eliminate fats from your diet. If you are avoiding fats then chances are you're going to get hungry faster and eat other things to satisfy cravings. This usually means sweets or other carbs that will trigger blood glucose spikes sending you back to the pantry for more.

spendius wrote:

Can cholesterol levels be too low?

Low cholesterol isn't anything I've ever had to worry about personally but this article from the Mayo Clinic discusses the risks of not having enough cholesterol.

Quote:

spendius wrote:

What do you think of Quorn?

I've never heard of it. Must be a UK thing... after reading a bit about it I think I'd skip it. I'm more of a whole food type.

Quote:

Quorn is the leading brand of mycoprotein food product in the UK[1] and a leading brand elsewhere. Mycoprotein is the generic term for protein-rich foodstuffs made from processed edible fungus.

Quorn is produced as both a cooking ingredient and a range of ready meals. Quorn is sold (largely in Europe but also in other countries) as a healthy food and an alternative to meat, especially for vegetarians. As it uses egg white as a binder, it is not suitable for vegans. wiki source

spendius wrote:

And a question that might not be in your field-

Can a heart by-pass improve sight. A friend has had a BP and is reading without specs now which she couldn't before.

Anything's possible, I suppose, but I've never heard of it. Not that I neccessarily would have heard about it, I don't know much about bypass surgeries.

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What you're doing looks good. Workout plan & diet. A pound a week is where you want to be now. It's typical to lose a lot at first and taper down. Patience is part of it, just stick with it.

Not all meal replacement powders are "worse" than food. SlimFast isn't a great choice, since it's loaded with sugar. MRP's like Myoplex, Met-Rx, and Labrada's Lean Body are all excellent MRP's...in some ways it's better than "real" food for a meal or two since they're loaded with vitamins, blend of proteins, and low in sugar/fat. They're quite a bit more $$ than SlimFast though.

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Thanks JP.

I'm asking from I think an underweight condition.

I'm 6 ft and and 164 lbs. My chol is 3.3.

What I'm trying to find out is am I passing by those tempting counters in an un-necessarily ascetic mindset. I sometimes feel like grabbing a chunk of Lancashire Mature off the deli display and gulping it down on the spot. I know I haven't to do it in the pub but how about in the shop?

It's the same with Jam Roly-poly and Syrup Sponges with custard. The latter have 16g of sat-fat per tin and 40g of other fat, presumably good, so if I haven't had any sat-fat all day is it okay to polish off the tinful which is hard not to do once I've had half with the firm resolution to save the other half for tomorrow.

That's the sort of thing I really want to ask. Does a good treat every now and again make it easier to accept the discipline required to be in good order? Or does it just lead to the slippery slope?

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spendius wrote:

Thanks JP.

I'm asking from I think an underweight condition.

I'm 6 ft and and 164 lbs. My chol is 3.3.

Well, that took me by surprise for a minute! Cholesterol levels in the US are typically reported in mg/dL vs mmol/dL in Europe. To convert it to a number that I'm used to looking at I changed your 3.3 mmol/dL to 59.4 mg/dL. I found this at a UK site which puts your number in perspective within the UK. As you can see there is no published healthy minimum cholesterol level and 3.3 (59) would be reason to dance in the streets (or eat an egg for breakfast) here. Eggs are good for you, btw.

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In the UK, the average total cholesterol level is 5.7mmol/l.

The levels of total cholesterol fall into the following categories:

* ideal level: cholesterol level in the blood less than 5mmol/l.

* mildly high cholesterol level: between 5 to 6.4mmol/l.

* moderately high cholesterol level: between 6.5 to 7.8mmol/l.

* very high cholesterol level: above 7.8mmol/l.

spendius wrote:

What I'm trying to find out is am I passing by those tempting counters in an un-necessarily ascetic mindset.

YES!

spendius wrote:

I sometimes feel like grabbing a chunk of Lancashire Mature off the deli display and gulping it down on the spot. I know I haven't to do it in the pub but how about in the shop?

Yum! I love full milk cheeses. Full milk cheeses are not going to send you into a feeding frenzy. See, that's the problem with depriving yourself of the foods you love and it goes back to what I said about fats being satisfying. Good quality fats and small amounts of higher fat foods are very satisfying and prevent the very slippery slope you're talking about. Cheeses are good because they have a great protein wallop to go with the fat. A slice of cheese, a hunk of good bread (preferably whole grain), and some fruit make an excellent small meal that will satisfy you for hours.

spendius wrote:

It's the same with Jam Roly-poly and Syrup Sponges with custard. The latter have 16g of sat-fat per tin and 40g of other fat, presumably good, so if I haven't had any sat-fat all day is it okay to polish off the tinful which is hard not to do once I've had half with the firm resolution to save the other half for tomorrow.

That's the sort of thing I really want to ask. Does a good treat every now and again make it easier to accept the discipline required to be in good order? Or does it just lead to the slippery slope?

Everyone is different, but one day does not make or bust a diet plan. There are certain recommended plans called 'flex plans' that encourage you to change your intake daily as long as it averages out to 7 times the daily intake over the course of the week. For example, this might mean 4000 cals on one day, 2000 another, and 1500 the rest of the week for a daily average of 2071 cals. If that works for you then it's fine. The only caution I would throw in is to beware of sugar spikes because they can send you into a feeding frenzy. I'd be much more wary of the sugars in the Syrup Sponges with custard than the fat, particularly if the rest of your diet is fairly low on fat. Blood sugar spikes and dips cause real cravings and if you satisfy the craving with more sugar you be on that slippery slope you were talking about. One way to enjoy your sugary treats is to make sure you've recently had some protein to help balance out the carbs and fat of the treat.

All things in moderation is a pretty good adage.

Oh - 164 lbs at 6'0" isn't underweight. It's disgustingly perfect.

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Thanks JP. That's the sort of post that Ask an Expert is designed to promote.

I forget how I worked out the 3.9 figure.

I was using Neal Barnard's FOOD IS A WONDER MEDICINE book and he gave a figure of 150mg/dl as the safe threshold. He says that there is no statistical benefit, based on the Framlington project (near Boston) of going below that. I have obviously overshot and your "YES!" is justified.

He quotes a Dr Castelli, who is the director of that research project, as saying-

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We've never had a heart attack in Framlington in thirty-five years in anyone who had a cholesterol under 150.

Mr Barnard, who incidentally hails from a farming family prospering on cholesterol raising products, says that the US average is 205 and that being average is "not such a great thing." He also deprecates as unhealthy too much exercise. Mild panting twice a day is sufficient.

Have you read this book.

I had pains in my left leg when walking to the pub. I went to see the quack and he immediately started talking vascular surgery from which I guess he gets a kick-back. So I read that book carefully and set about doing DIY stuff. It took about a year to shift the pain entirely but I could feel improvement all the way through. I think good blood will shift plaque with patience.And a number of other things.

I cut my smoking to about 12 Golden Virginia hand-mades a day and inhaled less deeply. It's worked. No surgery. No pain and with a bit of effort on the cooking I find, just as Mr Barnard had promised, that I enjoy what I eat now more than when I was eating like a condemned man. There are plenty of delicious items in a Vegan diet if you work on it. And, again as he promised, you can eat as much as you want.

Here's a health tip from ancient folklore- your turds should float. You never get constipated if you get them doing that.

I'm going to take your advice and give myself a few more treats which are all the more enjoyable from being occasional.

You are what you eat.

Thanks again and sorry for the delay in answering. I've been dancing in the rain which you have to do here if you dance at all.

I have a theory you might be interested in.

On an evolutionary timescale fat is excellent food precisely because it is highly nutritious and rare. There are a few references in the Bible to the priests keeping the fat after animal sacrifice. So the body naturally has a craving for it. The problem now is the easy availability of it which has never been the case in that long period when our bodies were evolving. We are overdosing.

I have just seen a TV picture of a flooded out small town and there's the church right in the middle and above the water level. Nice ring of green all the way round it. They are not as daft as they look these priests.

Thanks again.

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JP wrote-

Quote:

A slice of cheese, a hunk of good bread (preferably whole grain), and some fruit make an excellent small meal that will satisfy you for hours.

That's the original Ploughman's Lunch.

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