Weight Loss Diet for on the go?

[Dev]

I have been sitting here putting my daily diet in my online journal.  I know it says I should not lose more than 1.5lbs per week, but I have also been on other sites that say no more than 3lbs.   I want to be as close to 3lbs per week as possible and am going to be working out 3 days a week and ice skating/hockey 1 day, so a min. of 4 days a week.  So working out is not an issue, but I am trying to get visual results as quick as possible.  To see the changes and muscle would only encourage me more. I have a larger frame, so I tend to look bigger than I am, but I know I can stand to loose about 40lbs and would LOVE to really bulk up.  My goal of 40lbs and/or 15% body fat reduction is going to be hard, but I am determined.

Bad part of my life is I am always on the go and can't stick to a normal schedule for food like most people.  The 3 meals and 2 snacks or 5-6 small meals is hard.  I want to get the right proportions for protiens, fats, etc.  Anybody know of a diet that works but is very portable.  If I could get away with 6 protien/meal replacement shakes a day I would do it because it's easy and I can do it with ease... but I know its not the way to go.  But thats the kind of quick meals I need. Any recommendations would be appreciated, thanks!

[Dennis]

Don't know about where you are, but where I live, you can get cans of flavoured tuna - thai ginger, lemon, chili - they're good, lean, high protein snacks. You can also take a baggie of celery with peanut butter or almond butter with you if you travel a lot in your car. Nuts make good snacks in moderation.

Exercise and decent protein levels will be the key. If you already get a lot of protein, then just try and make sure that what you eat is not high sugar/high fat.

Dennis

[Dev]

Hey Dennis,
   Unfortunatly I am living in the Middle East for a year and my selection of food is not that great.  In fact, I am living out of a hotel for another month.  I have been doing canned veggies and beans with PBJs.  Been doing a lot of testing with foods that keep me in the 2lb per week range for weight loss but also have the right percentage of protien, fats and carbs. 
   I have found that in the morning I am best with a bowl of shredded wheat, my vitamin and OJ, mid-morning snack is a fruit and 25oz of water (which is easy due to working out).  Lunch is a chicken dish...any of the ones I can get at work are good but I try for the curry chicken since spices help the body burn.  Mid day snack is a protein shake or bar and then supper is a can of veggies, beans or a PBJ.
    My downfall is stressing over my situation and snacking on some hershey kisses.  You would think 1 serving of those little things would be ok... they really mess me up so I try my best to forget about them.  I also found out that Starbucks is off-limits to me too.  If I do go, no whip cream and no-fat milk in my mocha. 

     I should be moving into a place in the next month and was promised I would be shown where the fish market is here and a place to get fresh chicken.  I am excited about that because I want to stick to my plan and having some food I can prepare and make up into quick microwave meals would help me save money and stop eatting out of cans.   I am scaring the people at work because they thing I am super obsessed with this...and they are right, but I am away from my girl for a year and I want to look darn good when she sees me next.  She is scared I will be a stick when she sees me next and I might be cause we have bets on this.   I know she hates to turn down a bet as much as I do....so I knew it would be good for both of us.  If it works out, I will post about it, especially if it helps with the pre-T folks like me.

   I will have to look for that tuna also, it may save me some time and trouble on days I can't get to a food break.  Would be easy to keep in my desk at work.

[Jaiden]

Hey Dev,

Dennis is right. High protein mixed with some cardio/strength training is the key. The meals really aren't that hard. Seriously stay away from the KISSES. I know it's tough but don't even go down the candy aisle in the grocery store!! Try to resist    I have a serious sweet tooth myself but it took me a good month to really control it and now I can resist the temptations.  Plain and simple, if you don't buy it, you don't have it at the house to eat. What I do for a good alternative is to get a protein candy bar to satisfy my sweet craving, or a chocolate protein shake. These will act as a meal replacement at the same time.

I don't know what is available to you out there but this is an example of a daily meal plan:

Meal 1: Egg Whites lightly salted with some cottage cheese and fruit.
Meal 2: Chocolate Protein Shake (oh by the way I use Lean Body Prov60 here is a link to the Nutritional Facts)
http://www.revolutionhealthstore.com/qxp167470_333181_sespider/labrada_nutrition/pro_v60_multi_purpose_protein_blend_chocolate_ice_cream.htm)
Tastes Yummy too. Definitely satisfies my cravings for chocolate and other sweets.
Meal 3: Some chicken breast with a topping ( my topping was tomatoes, basil and olives mixed with a light dressing or just salt and pepper. You don't have to cook it day to day if you are busy. Make some up for a few days or a whole week. That way you can just heat it when you want it.
You can have that with a small salad. Try different lettuce. I prefer Arugula.
Meal 4: Another Shake.
Meal 5: Fish, Green Beans (lightly steamed) and a little rice.

Except for your morning meal you can probably pack all these to go with you and heat them up at work.

If you look online there are a bunch of food ideas. Doing nothing but Meal Replacement shakes is not healthy and you will probably get sick of it rather quickly and so will doing the same meals day to day. Mix it up. Just make sure your eating fresh fruits, veggies (lightly steamed), proteins and A LOT of water. I can't stress how important it is to drink plenty of water. Like to the point where you drinking nothing but water and of course your shakes. If you don't like drinking water try some of the flavored ones or flavored soda waters.
Preparation can be less time consuming if you can make things ahead of time. When you're ready to eat, steam your veggies (2-3 min) and you're good to go. If you only have a microwave you can steam your veggies there with just a little water.

I hope this helps a little  Good Luck

[Dev]

Jai,
   Thanks for the info.  Right now the hardest part is I have no way to prepare food.  Thats why I stick to cans.  I know they are not as good as fresh, but a can of veggies can make me happy.  Plus the price of fruits and veggies here can be bad.  I bought a normal size bag of grapes... normally around 2.00 in the states.  Here.. try 7.00.  That hurt my budget.
   I drink a ton of water.  I drink the juice in the morning to help my vitamins and the milk to help my calcium where the vitamin leaves off...plus a calicum choc. chew (which has now become my sugar subsittute item).  Other than that I drink water and no less than 70 oz. a day.  I am constantly off to the bathroom.  Luckly the currey and asian place here serves all low fat chicken items and for 3.00 with some white rice I can't beat it.
   Once I move into my place next month the chicken will be a huge option.  I love fish, but I am hard to suit with putting things on it.  Chicken I just enjoy plain with some hot sauce maybe.  I think my only item I have to watch is sodium.  As long as I get my cereal in the morning instead of a quick subsittute I am fine.  I would most likly be in trouble if I was not using myfooddiary.com  that really keeps me on track since to me its all a game to see if one day I can get all 11 smiley faces (thats the max number).  Will be hard, I can get 9-10 per day... but 11...never got it.  Hardest part for me right now is calories.  I just can't eat enough now that I work out 6 days a week.  Not sure how people do it... I just can't eat that much and already feel like I am eatting non-stop.
   How many calories do you eat normally and still loose weight while gaining / defining muscle?  Wondering where I may be going wrong...or if I am just eatting too many low calorie foods.

[Jaiden]

Well I guess we have to make due with what we can and with those prices I'd be eating out of cans too 

Yes, you may have to watch your sodium intake. It will retain water but since you are drinking a lot of water, you are probably flushing a lot of it out. But you would definitely have to do some cardio, not only to sweat more out but to lose the fat too (which I'm sure you probably already know).

How much cardio are you doing?

I'm not much of a calorie counter, so I couldn't tell you exactly what I'm taking in. But for me, I didn't start seeing definition until I started doing some serious cardio and changing the diet. My goals are a little different than yours though. I have a very athletic build and my goals are to continue to lose fat and get cut. Not really trying to bulk up at all so as far as your caloric intake, that probably depends on your measurements.
Here is a cool site I found that has different workout plans depending on your goals. Browse the left column and there is a lot of info. It also shows you how to measure your caloric intake.
http://www.build-muscle-and-burn-fat.com/free-workout-plan.html

Hope that helps.
Good Luck. Soon enough your hit your goal of 11. I'm cheering you  :icon_dance:on!!

[Dev]

Thanks for the link Jai, I will defently take a look at it.
As for the Cardio, I do 30 mins at a cardio heart rate for 30 mins. 5 days a week, the 6th day my cardio is ice skating for 2 hours.  Once I find out about hockey here it will be hockey for 2 hours.  Never sweated so hard in my life until I took up that sport...and now I am trying to tranistion to goalie which works you out even more because of the weight of the pads and protection.  If the skating works out, it will bump up my cardio a few additional days since I want to skate no less than 3 times a week.  I need to work on it so I can play more competitevly when I get back to the US (another reason I want to bulk up over the year and loose the extra fat).

After my cardio I do either upper or lower body depending on the day of the week.  I do 3 days lower and 3 days upper.  I use every machine in the gym since they have a huge nautalis selection and I want to make sure I work every muscle I can.  I lift 60%RM.  Since it's been some time since I lifted, I am doing 1 set this week, will bump up to 2 sets next week and 3 the week after.  Will continue the 3 sets from there on out.  After 1 month, re-evalute the RM and adjust the weight as needed.

As for food... the diary I use tells me around 1700 calories if I don't work out.  If I work out it will bump it up based on the work out.  I am still not sure why it bumps it up.  Don't I want to just eat the 1700 calories or a tad more to loose the weight?  I am eatting 3 meals and 2 snacks a day normally, so the number of meals is not an issue.  I just wonder if it alters things because I have it on a female setting, but I figure that was the best thing to do until I am on T.... I just hope its not trying to help me tone and look all girly.  That kinda body will not make me happy and not really help me in hockey.

[kalt]

Sandwhiches.  You can't go wrong with subs, burgers, and sandwhiches.  Well, burgers maybe:-)

A good balance of carbs(wheat), protein(meat), and fat(mayonoise/ranch) is already present along with things like tomatoes and onions(which you SHOULD be putting on).

Snacking on nuts gives an excellent balance of protein/fat/carbs.  In fact, I carry around 3 BP&J's whereever I go.  Don't overdo the protein shakes, and if you're trying to get lean muscle mass then DON'T take any creatine products.

If you want to lose weight, you seem to have the idea down pat for the most part; small portions throughout the day.  Although, doing some kind of physical activity each day would really boost your metabolism.  If you could make it to the gym every day, you'd see some great results.  For example, start a bodybuilding split: monday: chest/triceps tuesday: quads wednesday: back/biceps thursday: calves/abs friday: shoulders weekend: off/hockey.
Stimulating your body every day will increase your metabolism significantly.

As far as keeping your nutrition up over night, cottage cheese is amazing stuff.  Eat a bit before you go to bed, the protein is slow-digesting which means your body will be at it all night.  A lot of people are telling you to make things entirely sophisticated.  The only people who follow diets that crazy and mapped out are professional bodybuilders with 150Lbs or more of muscle they have to worry about maintaining and increase whilst keeping the lowest possible bodyfat.  Eat what you're comfortable with and you'll find it a lot easier to stick with.  Eat when yuo're hungry, but not too much.  And lift them heavy weights!

[Dev]

Jai, that linked helped me a lot with the calories confusion.  I found out I should stick to about 1200 calories.  Soooo... after playing with the food diary, I put my setting on desk type job (to lower my calories required to sustain body functions, etc.) and decided not to log my workouts unless the site staff can tell me how and not log calories burned against my calories needed so I have to eat more.

Kalt, the sandwhichs will be a bigger influence on my diet soon.  I am getting tired of the PBJ. I really don't like many veggies, so lettuce will be about as far as I go.  I do think the sandwhich idea may help and not sure why I did not think of it as long as I watch out for the mayo and such...

Thanks again all.  Hoping now I have figured out the calorie problem I can see results faster.

[Jaiden]

Oh good, I'm glad it helped you out. Keep us informed on your future results because I'm curious how it all turns out for you. Once you get going with hockey that will help you a lot with cardio.

Good Luck Devlin!! 

[kalt]

1200 calories is impossible, keep your goals more realistic, atleast shoot for 1800.  If you're working out you don't need to be eating like an anorexic cheerleader, end of story.

Keep your calories up, just don't take in calories from saturdated or transfats or processed foods, if possible keep it with proteins(4 calories per protein), complex carbs(4 as well), and poly/monounsaturated fats(8 calories per gram).  I mean, just eat when you're hungry, and be in such a physical state that you're regularly hungry.

[Jaiden]

1200 calories is impossible, keep your goals more realistic, atleast shoot for 1800.  If you're working out you don't need to be eating like an anorexic cheerleader, end of story.

Not necessarily. Yes 1200 is really low but we don't know Devlin's measurements. He is on a weight loss mission so I would say 1200 would be the bare minimum. I wouldn't go under that especially since you are active as well. As long as what he puts in his body is nutritious and very well balanced. I would say to bump it up a little once you get in to doing more hockey though.

[kalt]

Yes, nessecarily.

I'm a health science major, a multi-certified personal trainer and a diet/nutritionalist advisor, that being said:

1200 calories is plain up ridiculous and bordering an eating disorder.  People shouldn't focus as much on counting calories on weight loss plans as much as they should bettering their metabolisms.  If he's already willing to work out then that is what needs to be pushed.  I mean seriously, you guys have got it made ,you're practically on roids, bulking up shouldn't prove difficult at all with minimal effort and dedication, but mostly intelligent training.

Lifting weights ALONE will burn 300+ calories every half hour, which means if he works out an hour he's already put his body in a severe catabolic state and his body will actually be LOSING muscle.  The body and mind need energy, and if the body is active then it needs to be fed.  Doing the starvation diet is just going to screw over the organs and make life a life of misery and hunger.
Hockey is about as intense as running, and about 100 calories are burned for every mile of running(studies disagree), so I could estimate one long, hard hockey game burning 500+ calories.  What is this dude supposed to live off of?  How is he supposed to gain muscle?  I mean hell, how is he even supposed to THINK?

There's a lot of dogma going on in this section, I would highly advocate searching for tips on weight loss and bodybuilding ELSEWHERE.  Not trying to be rude, but that's just the truth of it:-(

Posted on: January 16, 2008, 04:09:45 PMAnd logging workouts isn't difficult.

Put the weight first, then the reps.  Highlight or bold person records.  For example:

Bench Press:
95X12
115X12
135X10
135x10
155x10

T-bar Rows:
25x15
35x12
45x12
65x10
65x10
65x10

Clean and Press:
115x3
135x3
185x3
225x1
235x1

Leg press:
180x40
260x30
450x20
700x10
860x8
860x8
860x5

Logging workouts is not difficult.  I don't know if it's a thing to do, mostly i just advocate having a good workout plan: don't come into the gym like a retard.  Keep up with what your max lifts are(as most people do) and you'll be fine.  I mean, I don't write it down, but at any given time I can tell you that when  I weighed 140 I was repping out pullups with 60 pounds strapped around my waist, when I was at 130ish I was squatting 305 and I'm at 118 now and squatting that same weight.  At 125 I was benching 185 and could military press 155.  My deadlifts have stayed consistent for about 5 months now, at moving from 225 to about 245 for a 3 rep max.  The hormones have dropped a ton of weight off of me but hell, I can remember each max and the weight I was when I did it, and even my BF% at the time.

[Jaiden]

No I definitely don't think that Devlin needs to take everything that he's learn from this post and completely alter his entire workout according to what's been posted here. He would have to continue his own research and find out what works for him.
I don't doubt or question your knowledge on this topic, but I know what works for me and what I've seen work for other people. Yes, 1200 is LOW especially being active but I've seen one do it at 1400 and not look anywhere near anorexic.

If he's already willing to work out then that is what needs to be pushed.  I mean seriously, you guys have got it made ,you're practically on roids,

Isn't Devlin pre-T?

I just wonder if it alters things because I have it on a female setting, but I figure that was the best thing to do until I am on T

[kalt]

He would have to continue his own research and find out what works for him.

www.forum.bodybuilding.com

[Nero]

ah you carrot munchers! gym bunnies!
but Nero still loves ya.

[kalt]

ah you carrot munchers! gym bunnies!
but Nero still loves ya.

I work at a gym, study at a gym, and come close to living at a gym.  I'm a bit more than a bunny, I'd say some kind of pest like a cockroach or a rat:-p

[Dev]

To add to the above.. Yes I am pre-T and unfortunatly will be for 3 more years so I can get my retirement and run so to speak.  Once I retire I will be on T the next week if I can help it.  I have had my recommendation for years now, but I am too close to having a paycheck and free med/dental the rest of my life to give it up now.

As for my workout, I don't have my journal with me, its in my locker at the gym.  If I can remember correctly...
Abs - work daily
Upper body, I do around 12 different machines, at 2 sets on each machine.  This covers upper body & neck.  Next week I up to 3 sets. (Sun/Tues/Thurs)
Lower Body, I do 7-8 machines that cover lower back down.  Same number of sets as upper body (Mon/Wed/Sat)
Friday is my day off from all work outs.  Every set I do is at 60% my max lifting weight.  If I can't complete the full set, I will do as many as I can to failure.

I do 30 mins of Cardio everyday before I lift weights buring @ 330 calories under the Cardio setting that keeps my heart rate where I want it (141-160). Lifting weights takes around 45 minutes currently and thats normally not having to wait for machines and with no more than 45 sec. break between sets or machines.

As for the calories, I am normally in the 1300 maybe 1400 range unless I try really (and I do mean really) hard to keep it at 1200 if I am eatting 5 times a day.  I try to make sure one snack after working out is a protein bar in the first 30 mins after the workout with a ton of water.

After my first week of trying a steady routine, I have lost nothing and still have the same body fat %, but I am going to keep going at it because my body was not used to being on 5 meals and a steady workout schedule.  If I don't see some changes after a month, I am going to really worry.

I don't eat fast food except every very rare occasion.  I really hate the taste of grease in deep fried things and the film it leaves on lips and in my mouth.  I don't drink soft drinks.. the only things I do drink are protien shakes, water, low-fat or skim milk and juice.  I drink a min. of 64oz of water a day, normally in the 70s.

Not sure how eatting more calories would help when I am trying to loose weight and would like to see close to 2lbs a week drop off since thats the max healthy amount.  When I had my health assesment it said I was at 34% BF and I had 76lbs of fat I could loose.  I know if I lost 76lbs of fat I would be in an unhealthy catagory, but I would love to drop 40-45lbs this year.

[kalt]

Start doing freeweight deadlifts, bench press, military press, and if you can, SQUATS.

Machines are fine and all, but free weights are unchallenged in their superior development of POWER.

Nothing gives a more masculine figure than deadlifts and pullups.  Get a gym attendant to coach you on some of those movements.  Localise your training more: back/biceps, chest/shoulders/triceps, LEGS, calves/abs.  That's 4 days a week, plenty of time to recover.  Every pro bodybuilder on the planet trains bodyparts and not the body as a whole these days, because it's been shown to work the best.

Back/biceps:
One set of max pullups(if you can do any)
Lat pulldown 12/10/8
Seated cable rows: 8/8/8
Machine lat pullover: 10/10/10
T-bar row or machine row: one burnout set of 20
Seated DB curls: 15/10/5

Chest/shoulders/triceps:
Bench press: 14/12/12
Military: 8/5/3
Butteryfly(or DB flyes): 12/12/12
Side laterals: 15/12/12
Reverse butterfly: 18/18/18
Machine OH press: 10/10/10
Cable triceps pushdown(V-bar preferable): 12/12/12
Burnout set of pushups to failure

LEGS:
Squats: 10/10/10/10/10
Deadlifts: 5/5/5/5/5
Leg press: 10/10/10
Hamstring curl: 12/12/12
Calf raise: 30/30/burnout
Finish off on the stairmaster, although the first few weeks if you're doing it right, you shouldn't have the energy after this workout.

The back responds best to maximal effort/heavy training.  Chest responds best to pumps, as do the shoulders.  Arms get worked like crazy on pull and push days.  Legs need a mix of pumps and power training, so I highly advocate doing maximal training on deadlifts and squats and going for pumps on everything else, ESPECIALLY calves.

And that's about all anyone needs to be excellently fit.  Everyone I've trained on a similiar routine, cycling for half an hour before each workout(except legs), has shed fat and packed on muscle, males and females, with the exception of seniors and pregnant women(who I wouldn't dream of a program like that for).

I've taken a lot of my time to type up a lot of things in the thread.  I hope you put it to good use.

[Dev]

Hmm... Okay, so you do back/biceps day 1, chest/shoulders/triceps day 2, etc?  or do you combine those workouts a few days a week?  I have to admit 4 days at the gym is more appealing than 5 once I start skating more.