bad diet

Kanoe

I've lost a lot of weight recently (over a long period of time) and while I'm not underweight my family is concerned because I look gaunt (to me it's only on my face) my eye sockets and cheekbones are pronounced making me look possibly thinner than I am..and unhealthy. I'm female 35, 5'4 and vary between 8.10 and 9stone. Ideally I would like to get back up to 9.2 if maybe I could muscle it. I don't have much tone anyway and feel fairly weak too so figure I could afford to exchange some poundage for muscle. My diet is probably very crap (I only eat when I'm hungry, sometimes once a day and only rarely eat meat) and possibly have suffered muscle wasting effects of bad diet and I'm not sure how to go about eating right to gain weight without just getting fat. I don't work out at the moment (but I do get an hour long footy session once during the week)
I know I'm really unhealthy right now and I'd really appreciate any tips or advice on how to do this right.

Blatter

zxy wrote: »

I've lost a lot of weight recently (over a long period of time) and while I'm not underweight my family is concerned because I look gaunt (to me it's only on my face) my eye sockets and cheekbones are pronounced making me look possibly thinner than I am..and unhealthy. I'm female 35, 5'4 and vary between 8.10 and 9stone. Ideally I would like to get back up to 9.2 if maybe I could muscle it. I don't have much tone anyway and feel fairly weak too so figure I could afford to exchange some poundage for muscle. My diet is probably very crap (I only eat when I'm hungry, sometimes once a day and only rarely eat meat) and possibly have suffered muscle wasting effects of bad diet and I'm not sure how to go about eating right to gain weight without just getting fat. I don't work out at the moment (but I do get an hour long footy session once during the week)
I know I'm really unhealthy right now and I'd really appreciate any tips or advice on how to do this right.

That eating only once a day (sometimes) is a huge problem. The reason why your so weak and frail is because you probably eat little or no protein and what you are eating is probably scraps of carbohydrates. Eat as much protein as you can, eat as much fats as you can, limit the carbs to around 100-120g a day. This diet, along with a some weight training will get you in great shape, and you will NOT get fat as long as you keep the carbs down. Read the stickies on this forum and the fitness forum. They will give you suggestions of good fat and protein sources. And believe me, you will NOT get fat from eating meat and butter, it's excess carbs is like bread, pasta, chocolate, sweets etc. that makes people fat(99% of the time). Just eat alot and workout and you will look a million times better.

Red Cortina

I can only speak from personal experience here but when I was following a certain popular weight loss program many years ago I got pretty gaunt looking and I know my Mam in particular was concerned about me. At the time I didn't know what she was on about but looking back on the photos of me then, I understand now what she meant.

Many years on I am a lot healthier and I would say that I don't look gaunt or unhealthy anymore and am in the process of educating myself on the importance of nutrition and how it affects your health.

So what I would say to you is pay attention to eating as nutrient dense foods as possible such as meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit but also make sure and get some good sources of fats in your diet also. The thing that I think people forget (and I know that I did) is that fat is an essential part of a balance diet.

Kanoe

thats what happened RC, daughter was taking pics of me just to point it out and compared to pics taken a year ago and I admit I looked like crap
I was considering buying some protein drinks Soccer4life, I don't know if they are a good substitute, obviously I understand it would be better to get my protein through a balanced diet but eating regularly can be difficult and if I thought it would help I'd try them out for a while.

billyhead

I am in the same boaT as the OP. I lost a good bit of weight over the years, and my family are concerned and want me to put on at least 1.5 stones. I put it down to overttraining and not eating enough food. I am hovering over 10 stones atm and 6ft in height and would like to get to 11.5 stone. I eat a lot of healthy stuff but just seem to always burn the calolories off. i am getting to the stage where I feel like just ordering a huge pizza every night:D

metamorphosis

billyhead wrote: »

I am in the same boaT as the OP. I lost a good bit of weight over the years, and my family are concerned and want me to put on at least 1.5 stones. I put it down to overttraining and not eating enough food. I am hovering over 10 stones atm and 6ft in height and would like to get to 11.5 stone. I eat a lot of healthy stuff but just seem to always burn the calolories off. i am getting to the stage where I feel like just ordering a huge pizza every night:D

You've been told on boards before what to do - nuts milk, milk, milk and lots of nutbutters and EVOO and you will have no prob gaining.

Overtraining + not enough cals = damage to the body over time that will not show until later and then you might not be able to cycle as you wish!

Ge them calories into you!!!!!

Wonkagirl

zxy, i'm the same weight as you, but 3 inches taller (5'7)

My family tell me i'm too thin as well, which is horse ****. I think my mum and sister are jealous, cos they're fatties, so are trying to feed me up! seriously.. that is a great weight for your height.

have your body fat tested, and if that's not dangerously low (mine is 20% which i'm happy with,altho my ideal would be 17-18% all told) then i wouldnt worry.

Perhaps you need more rest, water, that kind of thing- rather than needing to gain weight. How much sleep do you get a nite? How much water are you drinking? Those 2 things coudl be to blame for 'not looking as good as you did in older pictures''.. along with general aging of course:D.. for that, a bit of botox!