Desparate for some help

[mfranke]

Cathe,

I have been working out using a combination of your tapes and step classes at my fitness club on and off for 8 years. Over the past several years, I have gained weight due to the fact that I sit on my butt all day with the work that I do and unfortunately cannot get to the gym as consistently as I would have liked. So now I have made a committment to CONSISTENTLY work out using a combination of aerobics and weights. However, I am very confused by what is considered a healthy diet. Don't eat carbs, eat carbs, more protein, less protein. I am honestly having a hard time trying to figure out what a balanced diet is. Needless to say, I have not been getting the results I would like from my routine.

Would you please give some dietary advise to a frustrated fitness advocate who does not have the shape to reflect it? I currently weigh 150 lbs and am 5'7" with about 22% body fat. I would like to get down to about 16-18% body fat and to about 135 lbs. Am I being unrealistic?

Please, Please, Please give me some advise!!!!!

Thank you,

Marlene

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Marlene!

Because each individuals dietary needs vary, I tend to stay away from giving out specific advice. I always recommend consulting with a registered dietician and/or nutritionist for specific dietary advice since this is truly their area of expertise. You should be able to find a few local professionals listed in the yellow pages. Good luck with everything

!

 

[Joanna]

I felt the same way.

One year ago I faced your exact dilema. I started by focusing on a very balanced and varied diet, counting calories just to start with. What made all the difference, though, was increasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of my workouts. Enter Cathe.com. Once I started using her tapes 5 to 6 days a week (sometimes very early in the day because of my schedule), I found that the weight started to go. Now I am holding my own, building muscle and keeping my newly discovered dress size

! Hang in there, do what works for you, keep it simple and customized to fit you.

Joanna

 

[KathyH]

Nutrition

Hi Marlene! Go to your public library and take out a book called "The Good Food Book" by Jane Brody or even "Jane Brody's Nutrition" book. It was recommended by a few women who participate in our nutrition check-in thread. It's a very realistic approach to good nutrition. Also, please read Joyce Vedral's "Eat to Trim." She gives all different types of recipes at the end of the book after you've read all about proper nutrition. I've tried many of her recipes and their great. Good luck! Kathy

 

[YasDB]

Nutrition info.

Hi Marlene,
I know it is frustrating to workout and not look the way you want to. But, before you make any major changes in your diet you have to analyze where you are at now.Keep a food diary for a week and then you can see where you may need to make some changes.
Some web sites that have good,reliable nutrition info: American Dietetic Association (it will refer you to an RD in your area), Tufts University (lots of links) and USDA (it has a food database so you can analyze your food records). These 3 will give you links to many other reputable sites.
As a nutritionist, I strongly recommend you get an individualized diet plan that takes into account your activity level and your specific needs and food preferences. Hope this helps

! Yas

 

[Debra]

The Tufts site is terrific!

Yas, the Tufts site is a favorite of mine. Great links, plus their rating system of other sites is pretty useful. Also like the interactive stuff.

The ADA issued a position paper on nutrition with their Canadian equivilant which is terrific. It's available on the ADA website.

 

[mfranke]

Thanks

Thank you for your advise and concern. I will certainly give your idea of keeping a diary of my meals a try. Additionally I will visit the web sites you mentioned to see if they can help me. It is nice to get different ideas from different people. I am hoping all this advise pays off.

Thanks again,
Mar

 

[mfranke]

Movin and Shakin

Joanne,

Kathy's tapes are awesome. I had about 3 or 4 of her tapes but my *&^%^*& ex-husband got a hold of them and has yet to return them to me (he by the way looks great so I don't think I will get them back) Perhaps you would recommend some of your favorite tapes to me so that I could restock my exercise archives.

Thanks again for the advise.

 

[mfranke]

Reading burns how many calories??

KathyH,

Thank you for your advice. Why is it that the older you get, the harder it is to rid yourself of all those years you enjoyed eating. Don't you think it should be just the opposite?

Thank you again. I will be sure to get to the library.

Mar

 

[mfranke]

A word of thanks

Cathy,

Thank you for your response to my problem. I am sure it is a dilema that many women face. I am in the process of considering many of the suggestions that the wonderful visitors of your web site have posted.

I have to say that I found your site quite by accident. I had typed in "motion" in my favorite search engine and your site was one that popped up. I use to work out to your tapes all the time until my ex-husband confiscated your exercise tapes during our divorce. He probably looks great now... Nonetheless, I loved working out to your videos. It has been so interesting to see how well you have done with your career and family life. I wrote you a letter once many years ago telling you how much I loved your videos and you wrote me back personally. That really impressed me. So I feel like we are old acquaintences reunited by modern technology.

Thank you old friend. You continue to inspire me some eight years later to work towards being my physical best.

Sincerely,

Marlene Franke

 

[Joanna]

You bet!

In order of difficulty (least to most) here are my top five:

PowerMax
StepWorks
MIC
MIS
BodyMax

A neat combo is the first 30 minutes of BodyMax with the last 30 minutes of MIC - quite a challenge.

Hope this helps.

Joanna