t_in_maine

I'm on about an 1100-calorie a day diet, with daily moderate exercise (1/2 hour jog/walk combination on treadmill) to try to shed those pesky last 10 - 15 lbs. What should I am for in terms of daily carb intake?

Whiskers

Not sure on the limit, but stay away from bad (starchy and white) carbs...

Nykor

A true isometric diet (1:1:1) would dictate you get 366 calories from carbs.

Given your activity level, I would probably run lower on carbs/fat and higher on protien. For a ratio, 40% protien, 30% fat, 30% carbs. Honestly though, I truly believe dieting is as much a matter of when as it is of "how much of this or that".

Get your slowest digesting sources as far from your excercise as possible. Smaller and more often is better in terms of eating. Carbs just before excercise. Fast digesting protien directly after excercise.

Really I think you already have the tough stuff whipped (calorie counting/excercise). Good luck on your home stretch!

She-L-S

1100 calories? How much do you weigh? I'd probably lean more toward 60/30/10 if it were me. 30% is quite a bit of fat and I think you need more than 40% protein.

t_in_maine

I'm 5'1 and currently weigh 123. I'm aiming for 110-115 range. Because I'm on the go a lot and don't have a lot of time for cooking healthy meals, much of my daily intake comes from packages. For instance, today's diet so far has consisted of:

Breakfast: 1 c. Cheerios w/ skim milk
Snack: South Beach Diet 100 calorie snack bar
Lunch: EAS AdvantEdge Carb Control Shake
1 can Low Sodium V-8 juice
Snack: Sugar-Free Jell-O

and for supper tonight I'll probably have a packaged South Beach Diet Frozen Entree meal.

genlee

I would up the calories or you are going to really shutdown your metabolism level. If you are trying a ketogenic diet, they have keto sticks at stores to see if you are in ketosis. You can use those to determine if you are getting to many carbs or not.

t_in_maine

I'm really not on any one diet, per se', just trying to cut the calories and fat and up the exercise level to shed a few unwanted pounds. I really just am not very hungry, so if I'm getting too few calories, I'll really have to force myself to eat. I picked 1100 calories because on most diet plans, they suggest 1200, but I'm not a real big person and don't get a TON of activity to warrant any extra calories.

Whiskers

To loose 10-15 pounds, you should probably be eating about 1500-1800 healthy calories per day and 30 minutes of exercise....Im assuming you are female.

t_in_maine

Yes, definitely female. 1800 calories??? Holy Crap! I got the 1200 idea from watching shows like "The Swan", etc. where a 1200 calorie a day diet was touted, with lots of various exercise with a trainer. I figured where I didn't have as much weight to begin with, and wouldn't be getting the same level of exercise, that 1100 - 1200 was sufficient.

Whiskers

Seems low for someone who just wants to loose a few....I think a healthy male who doesn't need to losse weight eats 2500 and a woman is 2000. How much exercise?

Time For Sleeep

damn. 60/30/10 is insane though.

i eat ( i would say clean as hell) and i barely skate by on getting my fat intake to 20%.

genlee

You need to determine your bmr so you can adjust your calories accordingly. Usually your bmr - 500/car is a safe way to lose weight without affecting your metabolic rate.

http://www.hussmanfitness.org/bmrcalc.htm

She-L-S

Ok, so first of all...looks like your problem isn't with how much you eat, but rather WHAT you eat. Cheerios, V-8, and Southbeach bars are NOT diet foods. Here are examples of foods that ARE good:

Carbs: fruit, oatmeal/cream of wheat, rice, potatoes, whole wheat bread, yams, vegetables, etc.

Protein: chicken, lean beef, fat-free cottage cheese, tofu, eggs, fish, etc.

Fats: certain fish (salmon is both a protein and a fat), fish oil, flax oil, nuts

What you're eating is overprocessed, added-sugar food. Try shopping around the edge of the store...that's where all the "clean" foods are. The less processed the better. What you're eating now will not only NOT help you lose weight, but it could make you sick! (low cals + few nutrients)

She-L-S

20 is fine too...I was giving her my breakdown when I'm trying to lose fat. (I compete in bodybuilding) The TYPE of fat matters more than how much IMO...is all 20% of your fat from a healthy source?

Time For Sleeep

wow, i see.

i believe all my fat is coming from healthy sources, probably the "fattiest" thing i would eat is grilled chicken throughout the day.

*lol hi-jacked*

t_in_maine

OK, so obviously just cutting calories/carbs isn't the magic key...I realize that the processed, boxed foods isn't an ideal diet for anyone, but I work 10 - 16 hours a day, and some days 7 days a week between my two jobs. I barely have time to fit in a 1/2 hour of exercise a day, let alone cooking all day just to be sure I eat healthy. So for tonight's supper, instead of the boxed meal I planned, I had a two-egg veggie omelette and some sliced turkey breast. I will try to up my protein intake, limit my processed 'diet' foods and see if that works for me. Thanks everyone for your suggestions and I'll try these modifications and keep you updated.

t_in_maine

I do a 1/2 hour on the treadmill every night, alternating between about 15 mins. of jogging at 4.3 - 5 MPH, and walking 15 mins. @ 3 MPH with a 10% incline. Now I know the readouts on a treadmill are anything but accurate, but for instance, tonight mine said I burned 240 calories and 44 carbs in my 30 minutes.


And I may be putting more blame on this than is actually deserved, but please everyone keep in mind that I'm nearly 40 years old which doesn't exactly make me an invalid, but it's definitely harder to shed the pounds as the years add up.

She-L-S

Hey T...TOTALLY understand the age issue. If it helps you, I know a 45 yo woman who lost 115 lbs to compete in a bikini contest It CAN be done, so don't let "it's harder" get in your way...you can do it! 1/2 hour on the treadmill is great. Eating clean is not as time-consuming as you'd think. I'm a full-time pharmacy student working 30 hours/week AND training for bodybuilding competitions and I find the time. It's tough, but do-able. The biggest tip I have for you is plan, plan, plan! My favorite quote is "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail." I really try to live by that one. I find one night a week where I have time to cook a BIG meal. Doesn't take much more time than a small meal, I just cook bigger portions. Then I measure them out and pack them into tupperwares or plastic baggies and either refrigerate or freeze them. Ta-da! Healthy microwaveable tv dinners. Good luck shedding those last few pounds!

Nykor

While you are listing good carbs/protein/fats I don't see anything wrong with what she listed at all.

Nothing on her list counts as over processed, or sugar added. V8 for example is really good for you. It contains all of the good carbs, and allows you to control calories in a very measured fashion. Is a pot of steamed veggies better? Sure. Is V8 a fine alternative? Yep.

South beach bars. I'm not sure how you can classify those as bad, or non diet either. Are you familiar with the contents? They are extremely high in protein. Chock full of vitamins and minerals. They are also trans fat free. Is a tuna filet better? Sure. Is a south beach bar a fine alternative? Yep.

Cheerios is the other one you are throwing out as bad. Keep in mind that things like high cholesterol, and heart disease may not be high on the radar in your early 20's, but are very important later.

My challenge to you She-L-S. Show me where the sugar is in what she is listing. You have some good thoughts later in the thread (large cooked things cut into small portions), but this post was not at all accurate. The other thing to keep in mind is that she is NOT resistance training, nor is she looking to compete in a body building competition.

She-L-S

V-8 is full of sugar. 11 grams in a serving. South beach bars only have moderate protein, and they're extremely processed. According to the label, they have 5 grams of fat, 6 grams of sugar (not counting good carbs) and 10 grams of protein. How is something that has more sugar and fat than protein a healthy food for losing weight?? Cheerios. Are you telling me that Cheerios are the best weapon that you have against high cholesterol and heart disease?? You get those benefits just from eating healthy.

My post IS accurate. I've been doing this for years, and I can back up every piece of advice that I give people. I've been there, I've lost weight, and I've helped others lose weight.

She-L-S

BTW...it doesn't matter if she's looking to compete in bodybuilding or not. Bodybuilders have THE BEST methods for fat loss around. Just about all of the diets that come about are based on cutting principles in bodybuilding. Why do you think the top coaches in bodybuilding also work with Hollywood celebrities? Most people have a hard time losing weight because they make excuses for what they eat...just like you are Nykor. Everybody wants the easy way out, and it's just not there.

Schizm

The AHA also approves Lucky Charms as a healty heart product for cholesterol and saturated fats.

damn I miss that cereal

Nykor

Lucky charms was also the first cereal to include marshmallows!

t_in_maine

Thanks, Nykor AND She-L-S...

I didn't think I was THAT far off the mark with my choices for meal replacement. I'm not at all disputing that a healthy, home-cooked meal of veggies and protein is a much better choice, but like I said, on days when I'm on the run, I have to eat SOMETHING. I do cook much more on the weekends and any night that I'm not working, so I think if I can find a good balance between the two, I'll do ok. This morning I forced myself to get up 15 minutes earlier to have a fried egg and a slice of low-sodium ham on a whole wheat English muffin with a glass of skim milk. But there's no way I'm giving up my Cheerios completely! I love them.

Where this thread originally stemmed from is I'm keeping a daily food journal online at www.my-calorie-counter.com and you can set your daily goals for fat, protein, carb and total calorie intake, and I just wasn't sure what would be a healthy goal for my carbs.

t_in_maine

Based on this calculator, it suggested 1000 - 1330 cals. per day.

Nykor

The picture... pure gold. What I wouldn't pay to see the exact same pose of you 16 years from now. I'm getting the distinct impression you believe what you are typing, but there are some factual mistakes.

So lets look at your V8 comments. They are just not accurate. 1 serving of v8 in the brand/flavor T mentioned has 8 grams of sugar (10 carbs). Not 11. 8 grams of sugar is EXTREMELY low when your talking vegetables.

Lets look at your carb list for a comparison:
fruit
Apple = 21 grams
Orange = 16 grams
Banana = 27 grams
Pineapple = 19 grams
oatmeal = 12 grams
cream of wheat = 20 grams
rice = 50 grams
potatoes = 50 grams
whole wheat bread = 11 grams
yams = 28 grams
vegetables
Peas = 12 grams
Lima beans = 20 grams
Corn = 21 grams

Note here that I'm not downplaying your list. It is a very good list. What I am downplaying is your "facts", and that anything on her list can qualify as "sugar added".

t_in_maine

Not to add fuel to a fire, but I want to clarify something else, I'm drinking the smaller, 5.5 oz. can, not the larger 8 oz. one. 6 g. of sugar and 30 calories.

She-L-S

You missed the point there. The point is that I'm not just talking out my butt. I actually know what I'm saying. I've spent the last 5 years not only competing, but studying biology, anatomy, physiology, and bio-chemistry. I'm actually trying to help someone who asked for advice, so I'm not sure why you're attacking me at a personal level?

First of all, the type of NATURAL fruit sugar (fructose) is completely different than the type of added sugar (glucose, HFCS) added to processed foods. I'm not sure what your point of listing carbs is exactly, because I only listed the SUGAR in V-8, not the good carbs. When you're looking at the carbs in potatoes, yams, veggies, etc, you're actually looking at a different type of carbohydrate...and that matters. Your body NEEDS "good" carbs to lose weight...not sugars.

As far as what size of V-8 you're drinking...it's not really relevant. The point is that if you're trying to lose weight, V-8 isn't the best food choice. I'm not saying that it's not healthy. There are plenty of vitamins in it...but there are BETTER choices.

lembowski

iTrader: (1)

I guess to simplify what she-l-s is saying. Just eat unprocessed natural foods. Its not hard to boil up some eggs, boil/bake chicken breasts, buy veggies all in advace for 2-3 days of meals. I usually eat a 4lb bag of chicken tenders a week. Substitute all drinks with water. The frozen tenders instead of full breasts help me control portion sizes. When I go shopping it takes me a long time to shop. I try to think about each item I purchase. I tend to overanalyze which tends to help me pick whilesome foods.

I've lost close to 15lbs (healthy) in the past 3 months just doing this. I'm back to where I was in my college swimming days. The abs are starting to pop out again, chest defined. I didn't change any of my workouts. I still go do weights 3 times a week and run 2 days a week. Now I'm going to start a pretty strict cutting cycle to be ready for beach weather. Its pretty easy to loose weight if you can keep yourself to it. I hard thing for me is to keep my partying to a minimum. I tend to buy the biggest burrito I can find when I'm drunk.........

Nykor

No personal attacks. What I'm catching on though is the black and white "facts" you are throwing out, and the one size fits all approach. I can appreciate that you are in decent shape. What I feel you are missing though is that nutrition, and fitness are not a right answer wrong answer type of thing. Some choices are better than others sure, but just because something isn't the best doesn't make it bad. In the grand scheme on the scale of good to bad, everything T listed is close to the top of the good side.

You are bringing up the sugar in V8 again. The number you threw out was wrong. Factually incorrect. If you want to break down into a simple sugar vs complex carbohydrate discussion that is fine, but is a very different argument. Here is a link:
http://www.campbellwellness.com/prod...2464&catID=312

Size does matter. It matters a lot in this actually. My personal opinion on the matter is that calorie quanitity plays a far bigger role than dispersion or makeup.

Schizm

Well, looks like I'm going to stop drinking Mountain Dew for a while. It's really tough to curb for me. I've been able to cut back a far amount of carbs already but Mountain Dew tastes almost like water to me first thing in the morning.

We'll see how long I can go

She-L-S

Finally ...something that we agree on. I'm NOT saying that things are black and white. In fact I disagree completely with the idea that fitness is a one-size-fits-all answer. If it were, we'd all be in shape! What I threw out are just what I see as general guidelines for healthy eating--a start in the right direction. Even though the foods T's eating aren't necessarily BAD, they're not the greatest...and they're obviously not helping her achieve her goals, so I was merely thowing out other options. Everybody reacts differently to nutrient ratios, caloric intake, etc...but I have yet to meet one person who loses weight by eating a ton of sugar. If you ate 1800 cals/day of pure sugar vs. 1800 cals/day of pure protein, you'd look differently, so yes, I do think that WHAT you eat matters as much as the amount you eat.

Either way, good luck with your dieting T...you'll have to let us know when you reach your goal!!

She-L-S

Congrats on the weight loss Lembowski!

t_in_maine

Thanks, I've already dropped six lbs. since mid-November just by reducing the amount of snack foods and stuff that is admittedly bad. So this last 10 hopefully won't be too hard. And when I do reach my goal, I too will post a picture.

lembowski

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, it could have been done quicker...........but I drink 2 nights a week. So thats means 2 huge burritos a week

Just feels good to have my abs back, hell I'm 24 so there is really no excuse for not being in shape.

JWhite1301

disclaimer: I am NO expert and just started dieting.

I will try to answer your question: what is a daily limit of carbs?

Answer: it really depends on your workout. My trainer recommended between 50-100 a day. 100 being a big day. Anything less than 50 is not enough to sustain the energy in the workout. I am currently doing resistance and 20-30 cardio 6 days a week.

Just my 2 cents.