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Knowing How To Diet

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Health & Wellbeing
Hello lovelies,

Been a while! Recently I've been on a fitness drive. I've noticed that although I am 5'8", a size 10 and when dressed up, I look ok...my body isn't toned and I don't want to look down and see my body lacking it's youthful finesse.

I started exercising properly at the start of January - 30/40 minutes on my cross trainer using one of the special programmes which builds the resistance, followed by a Wii boxing game (20-30 minutes) (Wii fitness one) which I put a lot into and totally overworked it when I first had it! I do this 3-5 times a week.

My issue is diet. I am 10 stone and fat collects on my thighs and calves. I'm trying to be good but I don't really know where I'm being bad. I'm very much a routine person.

My lunch/snacks during the school day (I'm a teacher) usually consists of yoghurt, 2 plums, a banana, a granola bar and sometimes a bun with cheese...but I don't really like bread. Sometimes I get a school meal and it's a health conscious school so they're not very fatty. I try to have my morning frosties too. When I get home, sometimes I do forage but usually I have dinner which varies a great deal from curry, sausage casseroles, pie and mash yadee yadee yaa and some evenings my partner and I have a bowl of salted popcorn as a treat.

I've tried to use online food diaries and calorie counters to see what I'm consuming and it's usually 1300-1600 calories. So why does my weight not change? 10 stone is the heaviest I've been. I want to be slender but my body doesn't seem to tone or slim or anything since I've been exercising. I usually to have real eating issues when I was younger and barely ate anything so it's hard for me to look at my lack of bone and not think "God I used to have such a fab body when I was younger" even if it was unhealthy.

Tips would be really appreciated. The bingo wings and the flabby thighs are getting me down!

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi there.
    Well when i looked at what u was eating a few things struck me!!
    You need to be eating 1500 calories tops to lose weight.
    Your cereal is to sugary u need more of a fibre one like weetamix crunchy bran 42 g with skimmed milk.
    Your lunch you should ditch the cheese and opt for a bit of lean meat with tomatoes and lettuce, and make sure its a medium wholemeal roll.
    And your dinners u should not use any jars just have potatoe with veg and very lean meat with no visible fat.
    And when u cook swop oils for frylight nd don't addany creamy sauces tomatoes based ones are usually the best.
    This is just a base of what i eat i am 5ft 7 1/2 size 8/10 and weight just under 9 and half stone.
    I also just do lots and lots of walking but the plan i follow if your interested is slimming world i don't do it to lose weight i like to eat healthy and keep slim.
    Goodluck x
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In my opinion this sounds all pretty good already. Maybe all you need is to give it more time. It has just been a month. The body needs some time to get used to different routines of work-out and diet.

    If you want to improve your diet even more cut down on sugars (mono- and di-saccharides) and try to switch them with starch (polysaccharides). Your diet sounds already good and I don't think you need to replace things like cheese. Just be careful with fats where you don't expect them (frying vegetables in an inch of butter for example) and even if it's not regularly, a bar of choc every once in a while for the sweet tooth totally devastates your losing weight progress, so be strict with yourself.

    As a summary, not only calorie intake is important, but where does the calories come from (fat, carbohydrates, protein)? As a general rule cut down on fats and sugars and crank up in polysaccharides and proteins. Your workout sounds great, so just give it time and have patience, you'll get there.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Your BMI is 21.3 which is towards the lower end of healthy so I wouldn't think you need to lose weight.

    I would recommend the exercise route. Resistance training - if you are at the gym try doing some weights, these really made a difference to me when I was toned. There are lots of machines that make it easier to do if you don't fancy free weights, get someone from the gym to show you what exercises to do to help you. Also make sure you stretch really throughly, again I recommend getting one of the trainers down the gym to show you a stretch programme.

    Good luck :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    RG is right, its great if you have stuff that you could do at home but maybe look into local classes like body pump which will help with the toning up, or spinning, kickboxing or salsa/zumba as you said you want to tone ur thighs and legs - resistance stuff would be most benificial. It may be woryth PMing go away as she sometimes lurks and im sure i remember something about her dropping a dress size through exercise but not actually losing weight. you saren't overweight or even close to it so i would think it would be more about toning.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    **Summer-Raindrops** wrote: »
    maybe look into local classes like body pump which will help with the toning up

    this :yes:

    to tone up, you need to do something with weights! i go to a body pump class 2-3 times a week at my gym and also do a bit of weight training in the gym. i loveeeeee it :hyper: :heart: i have only been going to body pump classes since november and i've seen massive changes in my body. you have to put the work in mind but the results make it worth it! :d i have super firm legs now and a tight bum, haha! my arms are becoming really toned too!

    combine this with the cardio you are doing and you will soon start to see results :) you just need to be patient!

    i wouldn't really lose weight to be honest. you are a healthy weight and a size 10 is a lovely size to be.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks for the feedback folks. I know my diet isn't perfect but its certainly do devastating. I definitely am enjoying the exercise and wish I had time to gym it. Next school year I'm definitely looking for classes (and in the summer holidays I'm planning a fitness drive). Between very early mornings, epic commutes and the stress of a first years teaching (and applying for a head of department job) I have a lot going on so the exercise for now is what I can manage although definitely going to look for classes - I so want to go!

    I think my main issues mentally are my long but bulky legs. My thighs disappointed me in the changing rooms earlier :( The bingo wings are getting there.

    Oh blah blah blah - I'm starting to envy your tight, taut body :P Sounds like the way forward. I will perserve! Doesn't help being laid up with illness this week. I was being so consistent until this week. Oh well - back on it tomorrow! Thanks folks :)
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