No results but burnt out and hungry!!

GrayD

Hi all,
I'll try to sum it up short as I can.

I find it difficult to maintain the same weight. If I eat much, as in, just enough to keep off nthe hunger pangs I put it on in weight...

I had a 3 week holiday in August. It was a very very active holiday but we did have a drink most nights... I thought the fact that I was so active by day would sort of cancel out the extra calories but it didn't and I have the beginnings of a little gut now to make things worse.

- I've replaced chocolate and crisps with fruit and stuff like that.
- I've just not bought any drinks at all while shopping and just drink lots of water all day now, so alsmot no fizzies or juices.
- I've cut out all chips and stuff like that.
- For dinner I usually have a lean meat with eithe rice, pasta or a plate of veg instead now.
- I try to space out 5-6 "small meals" a day.
- I try to make sure I eat a good breakfast, something I never did.

My new job is in an office so I sit alot during the day. I've joined a gym and have been going a minimum of 3 days.

Here are my results.
- Even though I space my meals evenly, I'm trying not to over eat and since I'm not eating "filling" foods, just fruit and stuff during the day I feel hungry ALL the time, my stomach is always rumbling even though I'm eating.
- I think I'm putting in a really good effort at the gym. I'm doing 2-3 HIIT sessions per visit on the threadmill mainly but maybe rower or x-trainer.
- I'm doing a little weights session now as well.
- I'm VERY VERY VERY sore and tired from training in the gym now, I don't feel fitter or less fat I just feel sore and tired. I'm willing to put in the effort but its tough.




I'm 24, I'm aout 13.5stone. I want to be back at around 12stone which I know is kinda alright for me.

My diet or eating patterns despite my best efforts mustn't be on track nor is my training routine as I'm not seeing any results. If anything I feel more bloated lately but maybe thats my mind.

I don't want to give up, I want to keep working at this and get lean. But I think I need a little help. Does anyone know of a specific eating plan and or training plan I could find?

I see lots of nutritional information and try to base my meals around this but I must still be oer eating despite feeling hungry a lot.
Would anyone have a specific diet that I could actually use or something like that so I'd know exactly how much I'm eating and the right stuff.
Or a training program that might be better for me than killing myself at the gym for no results.

Thanks guys,
I know its a big ask but I'm really motivated to do this. I really want it but as yet my current efforts aren't working and I'm not sure if I'm doing the right stuff. I feel that lots of training and cutting down on crap foods and quantities shoudl be reaping me some rewards by now.

Roper

How long have you been training? The first thing I'd ask is how HI is your HIIT? HIIT is thrown around here like it's the cure for the common cold but the I bit is intensity and it takes a while to build up fitness enough so that you're able for I.

The second thing I'd say is to add in more resistance training. Few things will make you see results better than firming up the muscles. You'd also be ablt ot eat a bit more

Lastly, the amount of meals may be great, and the actual items you're eating may be spot on, but your total calorie intake may be low which would lead to a lack of energy.

Hanley

Just from reading that, it sounds like you're total kcals are too low, and you're not eating enough protein or fat, which would leave you feeling mega hungry. Post up a typical days eating there.

Roper's pretty much bang on with everything else.

conceited

You never say if you Eat carbs and protein after the gym .

corkcomp

if your actively trying to losse weight (i.e. burn body fat) i dont think 3 times a week is nearly enough to go to the gym, but others may not agree .. I would say 5 days minimum but try to some cardio type stuff every day even if only walking

conceited

No results but burnt out and hungry!!

He's obviously not eating enough or else he's training to much.

jaffa20

conceited wrote: »

He's obviously not eating enough or else he's training to much.

+1

Exactly, and there are people on here giving bad advice. 3 days is definitely enough. 5 days is too much for someone who only wants to be in shape. Do you want the guy to be a total wreck at the end of week Sure, he needs to build up resistance so he won't be burnt out and the only way to do that is take it steady and increase the more time he spends in the gym when he feels he's ready.

GrayD

With work and everything else I make sure to get there 3 days a week.

I'll go 4-5 if I can but it doesn't happen everyweek... I might play 5-a-sides on a friday instead some weeks if its on, so I get a bit of exercise.

I'm trying to eat a breakfast so I usually have a bowl of ceareal like fruit and fibre but I changed to musli last week cos I heard it was better for you. I was suggested to maybe eat a few slices of wholemeal toast aswell to fill up early in the day and not be snacking later.

Mid morning I'll have a cereal bar probably to avoid the hunger pangs til lunch.

Lunch lately has been a chicken sandwich or roll... I'm thinking maybe I could do something better here, maybe prepare something else to cut out the bread and stuff but still fill myself til the evening.

If I'm hungry later on or before the gym I#ll try an apple and or banana, if I don't have fruit I might just take another ceareal bar but only sometimes.

In the evening 7-8 I'll have dinner. I heard rice and pasta have loads of carbs but are ok as long as you take a sensible portion so I make some meals with them or else a mix of veg (mushrooms, green beans, baby potatoes, carrots or broccolli or cauliflower). I was told a small portion of meat so probably a small chicken breast or a bit of slices beef.

I was told sauces can be fatty but tomato type sauces ar usually ok cos they taste good and aren't fatty, don't know how true this is.

Weekends I'll have a drink Saturday night alright. But I#m not a big big drinker or anything. Maybe I should cut that out totally. I was thinking it was ok one day a week if I don't go overboard getting mcdonalds or any crap afterwards and stuffing my face.

I'm not sure. I think I'm eating too much. I feel hungry a lot early in the day and when I get my llunch and dinner I feel crap like I've eaten a load of rubbish and feel aweful. I doubt I'm eating too little but I'd like to work on meals, especially breakfast and lunch as to what will kick me into gear early in the day but not necessarily mean I#m over eating and stuffing my face. In the past I'd have grabbed crisps coke and chocolate to fill myself but I'm really trying not to anymore but it makes you very hungry.

Reyman

It doesn't seem to me as if you're eating enough food at all. If I was on that diet I'd be half dead with the hunger!!

Some of the other guys here are better qualified than me to give you good advice on how to sort it.

corkcomp

jaffa20 wrote: »

+1

Exactly, and there are people on here giving bad advice. 3 days is definitely enough. 5 days is too much for someone who only wants to be in shape. Do you want the guy to be a total wreck at the end of week Sure, he needs to build up resistance so he won't be burnt out and the only way to do that is take it steady and increase the more time he spends in the gym when he feels he's ready.

if the OP is putting on excess weight / fat and wants to loose it then i dont think exercising three times a week will cut it, unless the diet is perfect, which is not realistic for most people. Im not sugesting he should life heavy weights more than three times a week, just do something, even 30 mins of moderate aerobic exercise while watching TV is better than nothing! Regarding the comments about not eating enough, cereal in the morning, few pieces of fruit, cereal bar, bread, etc etc?? It looks to be quite carb heavy and maybe not the good type of carbs either..

GrayD

Thanks guys,
I appreciate the advice...

But could anyone suggest some alternatives? If I'm eating lots of bad carbs I'd like to change but I'm not sure what is right?? If I don't have cereal in the morning how do I get a good breakfast?

Ii I cut out bread... what is a good alternative that might be higher in protein and less carbs? Sandwiches for lunch are usually the easily obtainable food but I'm willing to prepare something better but I'm not great at this..

Any suggestions/resources to GOOD alternative meals?

corkcomp

GrayD wrote: »

Thanks guys,
I appreciate the advice...

But could anyone suggest some alternatives? If I'm eating lots of bad carbs I'd like to change but I'm not sure what is right?? If I don't have cereal in the morning how do I get a good breakfast?

Ii I cut out bread... what is a good alternative that might be higher in protein and less carbs? Sandwiches for lunch are usually the easily obtainable food but I'm willing to prepare something better but I'm not great at this..

Any suggestions/resources to GOOD alternative meals?

Have porridge / scrambled egg for breakfast .. eat your fruit but prob no more than few pieces per day - up the intake of veg including raw salad type stuff like peppers, tomato, spinach etc, have some bread at lunchtime if you like ut make sure it is 100% wholegrain... if your trying to drop fat i would drop the not so good carbs from the evening meal unless its post exercise (dont have any whilte pasta etc)

celestial

If there were a recipe for feeling sluggish, empty, hungry and listless during the day, and for keeping yourself fat, it would be to eat the kind of foods that you eat during the day (and not eat the kind of foods that you should be eating).

Your diet is almost completely 100% carbs. To lose fat you need to feel full and satisfied eating the right foods. You need a good balance of the RIGHT carbs, and plenty of good fats and protein. Here is a sample menu for you:

Breakfast: Eggs in any shape or form you want. A bowl of porridge could be had too - optional though depending on how hungry you are. You work in an office job so you may not need the porridge. If I had to suggest one single food for fat loss, it would be eggs.

Mid-morning (if you're hungry) - some nuts and/or some NATURAL peanut butter (nothing but roasted nuts)

Lunch: Meat and vegetables

Mid-afternoon (again, only if you are actually hungry): some veg, some peanut butter, an apple

Evening meal: some more meat and veg, small amount of carb such as brown rice/brown pasta.

If you train during the day have the carb meal for lunch, if you train in the evening have it in the evening like I've put it above.

On the exercise side, no-one can say 'you should be doing 3 days/5 days' - there are far too many variables at play. Go as much as you can and listen to your body - rest when you feel you need rest. Consistency + Intensity = Results.

Roper

jaffa20 wrote: »

+1

Exactly, and there are people on here giving bad advice. 3 days is definitely enough. 5 days is too much for someone who only wants to be in shape..

Sorry but who gave that bad advice?

Mikel

There's an excellent sticky which answers all your questions, but off the top of my head...
cereal bars are the devil, full of sugar but are marketed as healthy.
Same for breakfast cereals, eat porridge instead.
Similar with fruit, easy to overdo it, especially bananas.
Sugar seems to be your problem, may explain why you're experiencing crashes and hungry all the time.
Eat more protein and get more fat into you.
Cottage cheese, natural yoghurt, nuts.
Cut down the bread, pasta, rice.
You can eat green veg til it comes out your ears.

Seriously though, check out the nutrition sticky at the top