EC, need advice on nutrient intake

TarHeelMom

TarHeelMom

Cathlete
Hi Educated Crowd -- I need some quick info here. I know, I could look this up, but y'all are such an easy and safe and knowledgeable group to "cheat" from. :)

Y'all may remember that, at 48, I have been struggling with some peri-menopausal poundage on the abdomen that is just way too happy and does not want to leave me. Well, I'm glad to report that I'm doing very well cleaning up my eating and getting my calorie count down so that my weight loss program (aimed at 1 - 1.5 lbs a week) is starting to come along nicely. I have a very low basal metabolic rate, and have found through trial and error that if I keep my calorie intake at about 1400 - 1600 calories a day, I will lose weight at about that rate but have plenty of energy for working out. (I know that calorie intake seems low to some of you, but believe me, with my BMR if I exceed 1600 calories a day my weight just flatlines. At 2000 calories a day, in just a few days I'll gain a pound.) I also know from long experience that I have to keep my carbs in check, especially the starchy carbs. I've just been doing that kinda roughly, as well as watching my sodium and cholesterol intake. I workout to Cathe 5 to 6 days a week, usually 6, for 60 to 90 minutes, with at least 4 of those days including 30+ minutes of cardio.

So now that I've gotten the basics in control, I'm concentrating on adjusting/optimizing my nutrient intake. At the calorie level and activity level I'm describing, what is the recommended daily intake (I guess in grams) of protein, fat and carbs for me? I would like to add more muscle as I lose weight. I tend to add muscle pretty easily but I don't get "cut" easily at all.

Thanks you guys! Can't wait to hear what you say! :)

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/sport/sport-smiley-003.gif Kathy S. http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/spezial/spudniks/spudniklifter.gif
 
I do my best to always try to follow Dr. Andrew Weil. In a response to a woman who asked for diet advice, he recently said:

"I recommend that you continue to avoid refined and processed carbohydrate foods, especially products made from flour and those heavy on sugar. Instead, include in your diet some beans, sweet potatoes, winter squashes temperate fruits (especially berries, apples and pears), and some whole grains (such as wild rice, quinoa and barley). To learn which carbohydrates to avoid and which to include in your diet, familiarize yourself with the glycemic index, a guide to foods that cause increases in insulin production and conversion of calories to fat. You can consume up to 40 percent of your daily calories as carbohydrate if you stick to foods that rank “low” to “moderate” on the glycemic index.

You should also cut back on the amount of protein you’ve been eating, especially red meat. Instead, choose fish and soy protein. Up to 30 percent of your total calories can come from protein, while 30 percent should come from fat. Make sure that some of those fat calories are omega-3 fatty acids from salmon or sardines or walnuts and flax seeds. The rest should be mostly monounsaturated fat from olive oil, nuts, and avocadoes.

You can read more about this approach to eating in “Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating” by Walter C. Willet, MD who believes that our national epidemic of obesity is driven by too many of the wrong kind of carbohydrates, the wrong kinds of fats, too many calories and not enough exercise.

In fact, Dr. Willett has constructed his own version of the food pyramid. At its base is daily exercise. If you hope to lose weight and keep it off, regular exercise is essential."

Glad to hear you're doing well Kathy!
 
Thumbs up on Willit's book. And he practices what he preaches. He digs deeper than the glycemic index & focuses on glycemic load which factors in portion size.

I found Willit's recommendations easier to live with than Weil's, though I've learned much from Weil's books.

Debra Waterhouse's & Pamela Peeke's books are worth a read too & provide gender specific guidance.

Debra
 
Kathy, I am 48, will be 49 next month and like you, have been struggling with some peri-menopausal poundage. Also, like you, I have found I have a low metabolic rate or maybe because I have a sedentary job, I have to keep my calorie intake around 1200-1500 per day. I guess it doesn't help to be only 5' tall either.

In October, I went on the South Beach diet and lost a few pounds. The first couple of weeks were really tough because of carb restriction so I won't do that again but what I noticed is how I chiseled my core became. Although I am not following this diet to a T, the practice of upping my protein to between 80-100 grams per day and cutting out refined sugar and starchy carbs has made all the difference. Each week I see more and more definition. I feel like I just stumbled on to this wonderful discovery, but all along I was reading here that nutrition contributes about 80%. I guess I just didn't believe it would work for me. Either that or a former carb queen, I was in denial.

The peri-menopause situation really rocked my world because up until age 42, I knew what I could eat and how much I needed to exercise to maintain my size 4 wardrobe. Then all of a sudden, it just wasn't working anymore. I searched everywhere, which is how I found the Cathe workouts and this forum. I am now into size 6 and occasional 4's, so I am happy. Interestingly enough, I weight about 6 more pounds than I did at 42. So now I am at peace with my peri-menopause. I have learned so much in the past few years, and am always learning on this forum.

Just wanted to share.
 
Hi Candi!

You know, I actually own The South Beach Diet and did read it thoroughly, but for some reason I can't now remember I didn't ever get started on it. I am convinced, though, that carbs are my problem -- per FitDay, I'm still eating too many carbs if I am shooting for a 40-40-30 ratio, which seemed like a sensible place for me to start. I'm struggling to tweak what I'm taking in without adding more calories or losing good nutrients. How do you get that much protein in a day without going over your limits on other stuff -- calories, or fats, or cholesterol or whatever?

Your post has really gotten me thinking -- thank you!!

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/sport/sport-smiley-003.gif Kathy S. http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/spezial/spudniks/spudniklifter.gif
 
RE: Hi Candi!

Something like this during the work week:

Breakfast:
1/2 cup of cooked Old Fashioned Quaker oatmeal with 1 scoop of GROW protein powder (about 20 grams of protein and 200 calories).

Snack:
1/2 cup Fiber One Cereal (3 grams of protein and 60 calories).

Lunch:
Either Chicken or Tuna salad with lots of lettuce to fill me up. I use cherry tomatoes and a few croutons. Balsamic vinegar as dressing. (30 grams of protein and about 300 calories).
Fruit - either apple, grapes, peach, pear (about 100 calories cause I love big fruit).

Snack:
1/4 to 1/2 cup pistachio nuts (between 10-20 grams protein and 170 - 350 calories) There's lots of fat but GOOD fat.

Dinner:
Now please don't think I'm crazy here because I've been doing it for years. I buy about five to six packages of a variety of frozen vegetables, like Cauliflower, Broccolli, Snap peas, Green Pepper, Squash, Zuchini and I mix it in a huge Tupperware bowl and keep it in my freezer. Then every night I have a huge plate of these (microwaved of course) topped with Molly McButter cheese topping. Sometimes I shred real low fat cheese and top it with that for a little more protein.

Then I have either Chicken, Salmon or Turkey.
(I figure dinner is about 25-30 grams of protein and 250-300 calories).

Snack:
1/2 cup no fat cottage cheese with some no sugar added jelly. Smuckers makes it and there's quite a variety of flavors. Only 5 calories per tablespoon (12 grams of protein and about 75 calories).

Sometimes have no sugar added cocoa by Swiss Miss (60 calories).

Then on the weekend, I splurge a bit by eating lunch at subway, a glass of wine and some chips at Happy Hour and maybe a dinner out. Sometimes some light ice cream or frozen yogurt.

As you can see, this is not an exact science where I've broken down my ratios, but this is what has worked for me over the past 4 months. And believe me, I am never hungry or feel deprived. Lots and lots of fiber and my sugar cravings are curbed. What you will notice is that my high glycemic carbs are extremely low.

I work out with Cathe 7 days a week, 4 days pure cardio, mostly high-low or kickbox (I'm not too fond of step), 1 day BC (as you probably know, the abs in BC are killer) and 2 days weights like PH or ME. I'm planning on getting Legs and Glutes in there somewhere soon. I have plenty of energy, so much more than most people my age that I work with. So, right now, this is what's working for me.

Last year I tried upping my calories and going heavy, but noticed a definite weight gain and my jeans were getting tighter. Higher reps seem to work better for what I'm trying to achieve. I'm so short, I can't afford to look thick in the hips.

Sorry my post is so long. Maybe you can glean something from this you can use, maybe not, but thanks for your interest.
 
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