How many calories per day / Food variety

M

markymark157

New Member
Hi Cathe, and all board posters. My wife is desparately
wanting to loose weight and get into the best shape she can.
We are both huge Cathe fans and watch her on FitTv every chance
we get.

My wife is 24 years old, 6 feet tall, and about 183 lbs. and
most of her problem areas are her upper thighs, glutes, and lower
tummy. She works out with weights 3 times per week, and does
a FIRM/ Cathe type of aerobics 2 - 3 times per week. She doesn't
mind working out hard, but has a HUGE problem with her cravings.
She has been working out for over a year and lost from 195 lbs.
down to her present weight, which just won't budge. She has
cravings for chips and chocolate, especially the week before...

Cathe, or anyone that can help, how many calories per day
should she aim for, and do you have any helpful suggestions on
how to beat her cravings, eat less, and eat healthier? We are
trying to come up with a healthy diet (lifestyle) for her, but
are having a hard time with the variety part.

Thank you very much in advance!
 
I'm not Cathe but do you have a fitness facility in your area? It might be a good idea for her to go to a couple of personal training sessions as they'll be able to tell her what she should be doing to break her plateau, although from the sounds of it her diet is to blame. A good gym will have a nutritionist on staff and they can give her an idea of how many calories, etc. she needs. I know gyms can be intimidating but personal trainers see all body types and everyone has to start somewhere, right?

I also struggle with cravings and find that I just can't buy junk food because I WILL eat it... if it's not available I barely think about it. I always stick to shopping the outer perimeter of the grocery store and stay away from prepackage foods which have loads of transfats, sodium, and preservatives. It is an adjustment but if she sticks w/ healthy eating and exercise for a couple of weeks she should see some results. Fitday.com is a good site for tracking nutrition and has a lot of good information.

It's nice that you're concerned for her and want to help ;) Probably the best thing you can do is eat healthfully along with her. Make healthy meals together and plan out your diet for the week so there's little room for cheating.

Phew! Heard enough from me yet? Good luck to you both, keep up the good work!
 
Hi Markymark. How sweet of you to post for your wife. Kudos for all her hard work. Exercising faithfully is half the battle. Now, to the harder half of the equation...eating right.

There are a few things that I would personally recommend right off the bat:

Drink lots of water. More water in your system helps keeps cravings at bay. Try drinking as much water as you can muster for a week and see the difference for yourself. Before you have those chips or chocolate, drink a huge glass of crisp, clean water…wait a little while and see if you feel like you still NEED it.

Eat 5-6 small meals a day. I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s important to keep your metabolism burning. If you go too long without eating, your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to the fat stores.

Plan meals in advance. When you know what you are going to eat for the day, there is much less room for error. It's that whole “failing to plan is planning to fail” deal. Don't make food decisions when you are really hungry or you will inevitably make the wrong choice.

Cut out (or at least cut down) sugar, soda, white flour, processed food and fast food. If you are a fast food fan, read “Fast Food Nation” and see how fast you stop eating it.

Have an occasional treat, savor it and get right back to eating healthy. Stop the all or nothing cycle. No need to go overboard. The second and third cookie tastes exactly like the first. Remember, you can enjoy anything in moderation while STILL eating healthfully most of the time.

You probably already know what you should be eating. I don’t have to tell you that fruit, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins are good for you…but you have to find what works for you. Things that I might eat in a day…Breakfast: egg white omelet & fruit; Snack: string cheese and an apple; Lunch: turkey sandwich on whole wheat with baby spinach, mustard and tomato, Snack: protein shake; Dinner: grilled chicken, sweet potato and broccoli. I never allow myself to get too hungry and rely on my food as FUEL, not comfort. The better I eat, the better I feel, the better my life is overall.

There are tons of recipe sites, cookbooks and such that I'm sure people can suggest. Personally, I like "Eating for Life" by Bill Phillips. There are a lot of easy, healthy recipes in there to get you started, but it's a matter of personal preference.

For the most part, if man makes it or it can sit on a shelf or in a vending machine for long periods of time, it’s often full of sugar, salt and chemical preservatives.

I hope this helps. Good luck and KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
 
OH and chew gum or brush your teeth after you eat. It helps signal the "end" of the meal. I probably keep Trident and Colgate in business.
 
Thank you all so much for the advice. Fortunately we do quite
a bit of what has been suggested. I don't think many people can
drink more water than my wife does :eek:)

I have been working out (on and off) since 1984, and have set
my wife up on a pretty good weightlifting routine. It takes her
about 1 hour, 15min three times a week. While her cravings are
huge and she has a very hard time dealing with those, her other
problems seems to be finding enough variety in a healthy diet. I
think she is about over tuna. :eek:) We also talked about planning
out her meals throughout the day, and planning out her week. For
all the hard work she does, I am totally amazed at how she doesn't
loose weight. I know she has put on some muscle and has lost some
fat, but she seems to have really hit a big plateau wall. I have
suggested maybe she starts a journal to keep tabs on every single
calorie she eats for a while, and then make adjustments until she
gets back on track of losing 2-4 lbs per month.

Unfortunately, there isn't a gym close enough for her to go
to. Most of the motivation comes from me. I'm about the closest
thing she will have to a personal trainer at this point in our
lives.

Any specific ideas on what she could eat each day? She is from
Finland, and seems to be able to eat a much wider variety than I do.

Thanks again! I love reading this board.
 
Have you looked into contacting a Nutritionist? That would be the best thing, obviously.

Everyone is so different, it's difficult to predict what will work for each individual.

Edited to say only she can control her cravings. I keep temptation foods out of my house. Out of sight, out of mind helps a little...but, if she works somewhere junk food is popular, that certainly doesn't helpx( .

Weight Watchers has an extremely good eating plan. You guys should check out their on-line information. I like South Beach Diet, very healthy...but again, she needs to maintain her control:+ Ain't easy:7
 
How about a registered dietician in your area. You can find search for one at www.eatright.org. If not a local hospital or wellness center should have one. You have to have a hospital nearby.

I think cravings can be programmed such as being used to dessert after dinner so you crave it. It can also signal that something is lacking in the diet. Then I think there are the actual cravings usally brought on by sugar or fat consumption which only trigger more cravings for the same food. This is my unprofessional analysis of course.

If she craves cholocate or sweets for instance, she can make some lower fat choices - SF FF pudding, SF fudgesicle, SF candies, etc.
 
She's lucky to have you...not many men would go this far to help their wives. (I'm sure you're lucky to have her too!;-) )

All of the advice is fabulous, but considering what you've written I would second the journal suggestion. I hate journaling (word?) but it's amazing how much stuff I didn't know I was eating. Didn't LET myself know, subconsciously.

Also, shaking up the old exercise routine is a good start. Has she tried running?

Oh the cravings...SUCH hell. I was told if I could control them for 2 weeks they would go away. Not sure I believe that, but intend to try it. I agree the best advice is to NOT have them in the house...most of my cravings hit at night.

Good luck to you both! With all your hard work, you're bound to hit on the right combination soon.

Ruth

p.s. Activegirl...thanks for the links, I immediately printed them all out. You know, M&F Hers changed their format practically the minute I subscribed. Then I subscribed to Energy & they promptly closed down. I'm beginning to feel a bit put-upon! LOL
 
I am for surely no expert. But I read that 3,000 calories make a pound. To lose a pound you must not consume/use up 3,000 calories. Most peoples bodies need around 1700-1900 calories a day for basic functioning. So maybe for weight loss she could cut out 100 calories a day from her diet and burn 200 a day in exercise. That would mean a loss of 1lb in 10 days. To speed that up, maybe she could cut a few more diet calories. But not too many. Cut too many and our body will start "building up" for what it thinks is starvation. Maybe she could check out weight watchers. There is a magazine called "Light and Tasty" by Reiman publications that has good recipies for slimmed down foods. Tell her to keep at it! At her age she still should have a decent mtabolism to work in her favor.
 
Hey MarkyMark! I agree with another poster that your wife is very lucky to have a guy like you that cares. When I have a craving I eat those chips ahoy or oreos 100 calorie packs and they tend to satisfy my sweet tooth and I love chocolate. I think I could live w/o food and just eat chocolate all the time.
 
Hi Smoogy, thanks for the links. I do read them both but have never subscribed...but with the links RIGHT THERE! Looks like I'm subscribing again...cross your fingers they don't both shut down their presses immediately!;)

Ruth
 
I hit a huge plateau like your wife and didn't know what to do. I live in the boonies - about 2 hours in any direction to a nutritionist. The way I busted through it was I joined ediets. I signed up for the Zone diet. They have nutritionists available 24 hours and they plan your meals, (you can adjust what you like and don't) and give you a shopping list. I followed the plan and have lost 82 lbs, I chose the Zone because IMO it is the best plan for people who workout hard like I do and want to eat clean although all their plans are good and you can make them clean yourself. Eating for life is there too along with many plans so if you hit a plateau or it isn't working for you you can change your plan at any time. I found at first that they didn't give me enough calories but I called and they adjusted my meals to my working out. The personal trainer that they have on staff has worked with me too helping me adjust my workout routine and giving me eating tips to help me get my body fat percentage down. I highly recommend it to you. It does cost money but it isn't too expensive at least for me it was a window opened to progress. - I think you are a fantastic husband!
 
Hi,

plateuing is extremely frustrating, and suffering from constant cravings makes it so much worse! I totally sympathize! You've already gotten some great advice on top of everything you seem to know yourself. I don't know if I can add much, but thought I'd just share what has worked for me. I've lost about 40 pounds in the last few years (in between having 2 babies...), and I'm finally at my goal weight. I've tried about a dozen different approaches to my diet, and I'm still working at it, but there are some things that I've found do work for me. Also, I too am from Finland, so maybe our tastebuds would have something in common...;)))

First of all, I seem to be constantly amazed by how much more protein my body really requires when weight training. If I don't eat enough protein in an easily digestable form (for me, whey protein seems to work the best, but I'm sure this varies from person to person) I tend to get really bad cravings.

I love pancakes, so one of my favourite meals is pancakes made with egg whites, whey protein and some oatmeal. I top this with frozen berries (I love frozen stuff for some reason, just a personal preference again...;) and some low-fat dairy product (my favourite is a form of quark (rahka, your wife would probably know being from here) that they have here which is really low-fat and high protein) sweetened with a bit of artificial sweetener and some flavour (vanila, chocolate oa.). Another favourite dish is the quark mixed with some frozen (there we go with the frozen stuff again...) berries and half a banana and a tad of sweetener again. It's like ice cream for me, and really helps satisfy my sweet tooth. I think these two foods have been some sort of staple on my diet.

Also, I try to eat only the foods that I really like, so I don't waste calories on stuff I only like a bit. That is, stuff that is HEALTHY and I love, of course...

Finally, as mentioned before, it could be really important to make sure that the cravings aren't caused by any vitamin/mineral deficiencies. Does your wife feel energetic and good otherwise? I know I developed some sort of deficiency for vitamin B:s when dieting. I didn't eat all that much grain products, and that on top of doing lots of cardio and weight training led me to feeling tired and being cold (especially in the hands and feet) really easily. It took some time of taking a well rounded vitamin/mineral supplement (with strong vitamin B:s!) to get corrected. As mentioned before, a nutrinionist/dietician could probably give the best advice on this.

Anyway, hope some of this was helpful. Say hallo to your wife here from Finland, I really hope she'll get forward on finding a diet that suits her. It would be nice to hear how things are going, so hope to hear from you!

Maria
 
You are a good man who loves to her wife.i have envy.I do not count the calories.I have lost 20 kilos two years ago(I think this are 40 lb)making exercise, not to much weight work 2 days of firm and lot of aerobic of cristhi taylor and jane fonda.Another important thing is to stay away of the junk food. When I was really overweigt I went everyday to the supermarket and bought chocolate, cheetos, all those bad things.I could not stop but one day I discovered I can stay in this manner. my back was killing me and my knees started to not suffer my weight because I am a short person, 1 metros 57 centimetros.I think I had and still having an alimentation disorden because when I have problems with the work, my family etc. I shelter in the food.Now ,I thank god I have discovered cathe, when I feel the impulsion to go to the refrigerator I get one cathe dvd, do the workout and come in inside the endorphine heaven forgeting all my problems. Two weeks ago I started in a new job and I was so depress because i do not like the job that I did not want to working out but I have come back to the right way. Talk with her and asks to her if she is sad for something or if she is not satisfied with her life.In my case the junkie food is a way to forget my problems.
 
Please know that I am mentioning this possibility for your wife out of concern, not criticism and that I'm using myself as a reference point.
For years, I exercised diligently, both w/ cardio and lifting. Even when I'd have the best intentions of making wise food choices, by the end of the day, my cravings would get the best of me. After I was done succumbing, I'd feel angry w/ myself. If I'm successful at work, my family life is good etc., why could I NOT master this one area of my life??? I tried different diets, ww, south beach, adkins etc, along w/ journaling, distraction and the like. I'd eventually always crave and cave in.
Within the last few mos., I've started to acknowledge the fact that I am absolutely powerless over certain foods. No amt. of willpower, discipline, resolve seemed to last. I'd get crabby when I was avoiding my triggers and angrier and full of despair when I'd give in to them.
Because nothing else was working, I looked up overeaters annonymous online www.oa.org. For the first time in my life, I'm not feeling controlled by food. I'm less afraid of food. There are face to face meetings, which I recommend, as well as online ones, which are great too.
I'm a long long way from having this figured out for myself, but I see bits of my story in your wife's and just wanted to share what is working for me. My best to her and to you, and to all people struggling w/ food issues.
Valerie
 
Calories

I am also 6' tall and just want to remind you that your wife is going to need more calories than the average height woman.

Also, do the cravings go along with hunger? I've found that I have to make sure I'm eating enough at meals, otherwise I'm grabbing junk later.

Andrea
 
RE: Calories

One thing I've learned this past month (I've been reading info. from the Physique Transformation site) is that most people do not eat enough of the right calories. For those of us who workout, it is important to feed our bodies with enough calories to support our training or we will continue to lose muscle as fast as we gain it. Calories come from starchy foods like potatoes, pasta, rice, beans, etc.

Perhaps if someone is eating the right foods and still experiencing hunger pangs and cravings the body is asking for additional calories to support the level of activity.

Cathy
 
RE: Calories

I just wanted to agree that your wife may not be eating enough. I am only 5ft 1 and and have been trying to lose about 10 lbs for years. I started exercising 6 days a week (3 cardio and 3 weights) fairly intensely and following the Zone diet for about 6 months. I was eating cleanly but obviously not enough food as at night I would get really hungry and most nights I was waking up and eating in the middle of the night. Also I hardly lost any weight.

Since July I have been following the physique transformation program from www.physiquetranformation.com (which I read about on this site) and eating alot more calories (mostly from clean foods such as chicken, fish, beans, brown rice, potatoes, etc). As soon as I started eating more I stopped having cravings and waking up to eat in the night. I have also started to lose weight slowly and my calories are different each day as the program uses calorie staggering but the highest at the moment is 2100 and lowest 1500. This is much more than I thought I needed at 5ft 1 and 115 lbs.
 
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