Any Help Appreciated

Before I decided to make this post I done some reading on other topics about weight loss but could never find an article that seemed to suit me. So if anyone has the time and patenice I would really appreciate any feedback. I'm in my early 30's, 5'11 and 222.5lbs. I have no idea what percentage of body fat I have, but I will say that my mid section is embarassing. I've gained 20+ in the last 6 months, even though I've never had a flat stomach. I have tired and tired to loss weight by applying a proper diet. Only problem is, I dont know what a proper diet is. I try and formulate a plan but I find myself standing in the kitchen trying to figure out what I should and what I shound't eat. How much of one thing, what time is a good time. I've bought magazines time after time only to get frustrated. I have been exercising since the new year 3 to 4 times a week, and walking at least a mile every other day. My goal is to loss the mid section and put on some muscle. I want to get back into a size 32 pants, like I wore in the 10th grade. (HA) Please help!!

Oh my, where to begin...

I don't know what you normally eat, so based on almost no information I will give you my carefully formed opinion

Cook for yourself. Eat lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. Eat smaller meals more times per day. Stop eating before you stop feeling hungry. Don't eat fried foods.

Burn baby burn, cardio is king for losing a gut, work your way up to 45 mins a day or so and the weight will start sliding off you. Get your heart rate up, I'm 33 years old and I try to keep my heart rate in the 130 to 150 range.

If you want to do all the label reading and the math, you want to keep your fat intake below 30% of total calories, and you want 1/3 or less of your fat to be saturated. You want to get enough protein, there's a lot of debate about how much protein you really need, but generally the more lifting you are doing the more you need. Aerobic exercise doesn't require as much. 150g-200g a day is probably a safe recommendation. The rest should be in carbs, complex and slow-digesting carbs in particular. (Beans, whole grains, oatmeal...)

These are permanent changes if you want permanent results. It's not a diet, it's the first day of the rest of your life

Fast burning carbs are good for cardio, they will give a lot more energy, and you are not likely to tire fast. Also good for when you are weight lifting because carbohydrates are stored in the muscle as glycogen. So you see weight lifting and cardio is pretty much keeping an equilibrium in your body, can't have one with out the other. Good luck for your the first day, in the rest of your life.

-Well Put, powerhaus.

Yes, a friend of mine who did long-distance biking said Pop-Tarts were the perfect food for him when on a ride. But of course he was burning everything off at least as fast as he could eat it!

I was thinking more in terms of something like wonder bread. That's a fast burning carb, not a bad one either...Just eat something that's not going to slow you down but burn quickly and give you that energy you need. It will help you stimulate your muscles through running and burning a mixture of carbs and fats. I'm repeating myself here.... It will hold you off for energy until you can tap into the at stores more efficiently.

Wonder bread is not food. I think it's just rejects from the packing materials factory....

Hahahahaha

Thanks for the quick responses. To give you an idea of what I have been eating, while I was typing the post I was eating 2 baked chicken breasts, no skin, and a homemade soup. (celery, tomoatos, carrots, cabbage, beef broth, snap beans).
I've been drinking a gallon of water a day. I think my biggest issue is how do I know how many carlories a day can I eat to lose the gut without losing the muscle I'm trying to gain. I've been told no carbs after 3pm, if you do you'll add fat, I've been told to eat most of my carbs after my nightly workout. Or get up at midnight and have a sandwich. I'm willing to make it a lifestyle, I physically have to make a change or endanger myself of having more back surgerys which can really have an impact when I get older.

Don't stop eating carbs after 3pm...That doesn't sound very right at all... The calorie intake is based on where they are coming from in terms of food and how you are getting rid of them. That will determine best. If you want to lose fat find your maintenance of burning calories, like your basal rate. and times that by 20% (.20) and take that number minus it from the basal rate. Eat that many calories and you have a calorie deficit perfect for burning fat because it is not too low. That with your workouts should help you lose fat.

My suggestion would be to look for posts by WDNinABQ

Use the search function. This guy made some massive improvements for similar reasons. He didn't do anything drastic except change the diet and do the cardio. Slayerboy is also a good example of making some changes.

Sounds like you are working on the diet. Cool. And the exercise is coming along.

How long have you actually been doing this plan consistently? You need to stick to your eating plan and exercise plan for at least 6 months. No skipping out.

This kind of change takes time. I'm wondering how long you've been doing it now? On a regular basis that is.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Hmm, the meal you list sounds like an Atkin's diet meal.

No carbs after 3pm, I think that's excessive. I've heard no carbs after 6pm, but it depends on the person and the type of carbs too.

The no-carb diets that are so popular right now have a major drawback in that they don't teach you what to eat when you go off them. There's considerable debate about using a no-carb diet to cut up for competition, but apparently for a lot of people they lose a lot of muscle mass too.

In my humble opinion, physical activity is the real key. The Amish eat horribly by our standards, lots of bacon and fried food and such, but they also walk EVERYWHERE. When's the last time you saw a fat Amish person?

Well, I've tried the Atkins several months ago, but it was not for me. The person who told me not to eat carbs after 3pm was a trainer I knew at GG. Which to be honest I haven't been able to do that. I've been on my "diet" since the second week in December 03. Even thru the holidays I would not give in. My frustration stems from the fact that I weighed before Christmas and I was 225. So i've lost 2.5 lbs in nearly 6 weeks.
I have no one to hold me accountable for my weight fluctuations, I just untuck my shirt and keep right on going. Thats why after spending all my time reading post, I decided to post my own stats in hopes that maybe by mouthing off I'll either have to put up or shut up.

My diet real quick is this:
No fried foods.
No candy bars, etc.
NO cola's. Not even diet ones
Low fat intake.
No late night snacks, after 9pm for me.

Rick

2.5 lbs in 6 weeks doesn't seem like much to you now, but if you stick with it, you'll have lost 22 lbs at the end of one year. When the weight comes off nice and slow, to me it means you are doing it right, and it's not going to come BACK overnight. If you are losing under 1/2 a pound a week, you are probably not losing muscle, so that's very good. Patience, you are doing it right.

Also, studies show that over time you will lose more fat as a % of your total weight loss, so stick with it!

Thanks! A little encouragement can go a long way. Thanks for all yours and everyones replies!

thanks mda for the props

DFCRJ, Try to get 5-6 meals a day. I found that my worst time is at work because I never get breaks. I pack a granola bar or 2 along with my lunch. If I eat it, cool, if not, that's fine too. I usually have a little something for breakfast, a kinda big lunch (i'm in retail, so I'm on my feet all day), and I usually try to eat 2 or 3 small meals after work. Usually I get in one after work and then one after my workout, but I try to get the 3rd one in before my workout.

The biggest advice I can give you is to make changes within your limits. Don't be like me and try to change everything all at once....it'll drive you batty.

OH...another big thing. If you drink a lot of soda/pop, that should be the FIRST to cut out. I was addicted to Mountain Dew. I weaned myself off of that and drink a ton of water. Once in a while, I'll have a Dew or too, but that's it. I can actually FEEL the difference in my body when I have soda. I hate the feeling, especially with cola. Next, replace the chips with a fruit or veggie you like. To be honest with you, I don't eat enough fruits and veggies, but I found a brand of apple that I LOVE, and I eat one everyday. If I can get more veggies in, cool, if not, it's ok. I've got time. And so do you.

Remember, baby steps are easier to handle than a giant leap.