Gym and diet plan.

Martyl194

I am one week into a gym and diet plan I got from some of the lads at work.
The gym is four times a week, mon wed fri and sat morn( this will have to vary as I work shift).
The diet is very tough, no carbs at all(potatoes, pasta, rice etc).
This plan also involves taking protein shakes which I take after gym.
I am 13.5 stone and am 6 foot.
I am finding diet very hard but have stuck to it.
Sometimes I feel I'm not doing enough in the gym to burn off all protein in taking in(ie shakes, steak, chicken breasts etc).
Just looking for a few opinions/advice. I play astro on average twice a week so hope that covers cardio ...

cmyk

Martyl194 wrote: »

I am one week into a gym and diet plan I got from some of the lads at work.
The gym is four times a week, mon wed fri and sat morn( this will have to vary as I work shift).
The diet is very tough, no carbs at all(potatoes, pasta, rice etc).
This plan also involves taking protein shakes which I take after gym.
I am 13.5 stone and am 6 foot.
I am finding diet very hard but have stuck to it.
Sometimes I feel I'm not doing enough in the gym to burn off all protein in taking in(ie shakes, steak, chicken breasts etc).
Just looking for a few opinions/advice. I play astro on average twice a week so hope that covers cardio ...

First off, we'll need quite a bit more information to help you out.

Are my right in saying you're training 6 times per week between gym and astro?
What do you mean when you say no carb, what does the diet look like?
What sort of work do your shifts entail? Sitting at a desk or running around a hospital?
What's involved in the gym work?
What are you trying to achieve?

Martyl194

cmyk wrote: »

First off, we'll need quite a bit more information to help you out.

Are my right in saying you're training 6 times per week between gym and astro?
What do you mean when you say no carb, what does the diet look like?
What sort of work do your shifts entail? Sitting at a desk or running around a hospital?
What's involved in the gym work?
What are you trying to achieve?

Thanks for writing back

I work shift basicly sitting in a car or at desk.
On average I would b in gym 4 times a week and play astro 2 times...on average.
The diet is 0 carbs, for example, today for breakfast was roast beef slices and a handful of almonds, lunch two boiled eggs, gym and protein shake, snack raw vegetables and guacamole and dinner chicken breasts and steamed veg. The rest of the week is similar.
I'm not looking for a six pack or anything but would like to get bigger on top and loose belly...
New to all this, diet is killing me dieing for pasta, potatoes crisps etc

Chancer3001

What are you doing in the gym?

The cravings will lessen over time.

And you'll feel way better for it

A_Sober_Paddy

Martyl194 wrote: »

Thanks for writing back

I work shift basicly sitting in a car or at desk.
On average I would b in gym 4 times a week and play astro 2 times...on average.
The diet is 0 carbs, for example, today for breakfast was roast beef slices and a handful of almonds, lunch two boiled eggs, gym and protein shake, snack raw vegetables and guacamole and dinner chicken breasts and steamed veg. The rest of the week is similar.
I'm not looking for a six pack or anything but would like to get bigger on top and loose belly...
New to all this, diet is killing me dieing for pasta, potatoes crisps etc

Are you trying to go Keto/Paleo

Alf Veedersane

Martyl194 wrote: »

Sometimes I feel I'm not doing enough in the gym to burn off all protein in taking in(ie shakes, steak, chicken breasts etc).

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure you need to add in the shakes as well. They're just an easy way of getting protein on board if you're not getting enough from food but it looks as though you may be. If you think you might be taking too many calories om board even on your current diet, it might be worth dropping the shakes. I'm open to correction from those on here who know a lot more thqn me, but that's my two cents.

cmyk

Martyl194 wrote: »

Thanks for writing back

No problem.

Martyl194 wrote: »

On average I would b in gym 4 times a week and play astro 2 times...on average.

Ok I'm going to assume the gym work involves some sort of resistance training, weights, bodyweight work etc. rather than treadmill work. No matter what way you cut it that's a decent amount of weekly activity and your current diet is not going to sustain that. You might make it through a week but something is going to give. In my opinion there are not enough 1.) Calories or 2.) Carbs.

Martyl194 wrote: »

The diet is 0 carbs, for example, today for breakfast was roast beef slices and a handful of almonds, lunch two boiled eggs, gym and protein shake, snack raw vegetables and guacamole and dinner chicken breasts and steamed veg. The rest of the week is similar.

I'd estimate that (depending on portion size) at significantly under 1000cals, that's too little for even a 55kg female doing little or no exercise.

Martyl194 wrote: »

I'm not looking for a six pack or anything but would like to get bigger on top and loose belly...

At your size and height that shouldn't be too difficult to achieve, so don't make it any harder than it has to be.

Martyl194 wrote: »

New to all this, diet is killing me dieing for pasta, potatoes crisps etc

I'm not surprised as I've mentioned above. That looks like some diet your colleagues have pulled straight from the internet. Take a read of the stickies at the top of the fitness page, or diet page and learn about setting up a diet.

In short though, build your meals around a decent protein source (lean meats/fish/eggs/dairy), add as much vegetables in as many colours as you can, then add carbohydrate as necessary to fuel your activity and recovery. Aim for around the 2500 - 2800 mark as an average and enjoy your food.

cmyk

Chancer3001 wrote: »

The cravings will lessen over time.

I very much doubt that...

Chancer3001 wrote: »

And you'll feel way better for it

...and I definitely doubt that.

Chancer3001

Cravings for crisps, pasta etc definitely decrease over time.

Agreed you're eating way too little.

Need a lot more food.

More eggs, more meat, more veg, fruit has plenty of carbs

theGEM

Your diet is pants. You need to eat carbs, carbs turn into glycogen and glycogen feeds your muscles.

Martyl194

Chancer3001 wrote: »

Cravings for crisps, pasta etc definitely decrease over time.

Agreed you're eating way too little.

Need a lot more food.

More eggs, more meat, more veg, fruit has plenty of carbs

Hi guys, thanks for the replies ( I'm new to boards as well)

The lads from work got diet/gym workouts from Men's fitness, 12 week plan, it's a magazine.

You say I'm not getting enough carbs but the magazine doesn't recommend it?

Magazine says fruit is out...I would love to have fruit, even to snack on instead of tins of tuna!

Cravings are worst between 4pm and 7pm, actually not too bad apart from that.( unless I'm in shop see other people eating etc)

Ya it's weights in gym with no cardio. Can't do the chin ups but that's another days work.

I have actually found I have more energy playing the astro on this plan and I'm only on it a week!

Today was definitely the worst of cravings and hate to say it I ate a cereal bar....

Thanks for the advice and would really appreciate your input, good and bad

Martyl194

theGEM wrote: »

Your diet is pants. You need to eat carbs, carbs turn into glycogen and glycogen feeds your muscles.[/

Thought protein feeds muscles? I'm not disagreeing with you, because I haven't a clue but just going on what people are telling me

Zillah

theGEM wrote: »

Your diet is pants. You need to eat carbs, carbs turn into glycogen and glycogen feeds your muscles.

Yeah, there seems to be a bizarre attitude developing around carbs for a lot of people. Carbs are a good energy source. Nothing wrong with some oats or wholewheat pasta. Don't eat mountains of chocolate or the like.

To be honest I hate gimmick diets. No carbs, paleo, only-carrot-juice-except-on-Tuesdays...

Eat a balanced diet, control portion size, lots of protein, not much sugar. It's really that simple.

Martyl194 wrote: »

Cravings are worst between 4pm and 7pm, actually not too bad apart from that.( unless I'm in shop see other people eating etc)

Carbs are very good for maintaining blood sugar levels. Your cravings are probably because your blood sugar is low. These guys obviously don't know what they're talking about, fruit has tons of sugar in it, which is the worst kind of carb you can have.

Thought protein feeds muscles? I'm not disagreeing with you, because I haven't a clue but just going on what people are telling me

Protein is essential for growing and repairing muscle, your body doesn't use it for energy unless it is desperate. Carbs and fats provide energy, and you can't do exercise or grow muscle without energy. Demonising a perfectly normal part of the human diet is idiotic and counter-productive, if you're miserable and feeling guilty over a silly cereal bar then you're not going to be happy and motivated, which really is one of the most important things.

Eat carbs, lots of protein, not much sugar, be happy.

theGEM

Martyl194 wrote: »

theGEM wrote: »

Your diet is pants. You need to eat carbs, carbs turn into glycogen and glycogen feeds your muscles.[/

Thought protein feeds muscles? I'm not disagreeing with you, because I haven't a clue but just going on what people are telling me

No, protein is used as the building blocks for muscle tissue. Carbs provide working muscles with energy. If you have low carb & glycogen levels the muscles won't be operating efficiently and youll just be stalling.

Martyl194

Guys as well, this might sound weird but since I started the program I have had really bad breath, I have never had this before and am putting it down to this program....or am I way off

Martyl194

Zillah wrote: »

Yeah, there seems to be a bizarre attitude developing around carbs for a lot of people. Carbs are a good energy source. Nothing wrong with some oats or wholewheat pasta. Don't eat mountains of chocolate or the like.

To be honest I hate gimmick diets. No carbs, paleo, only-carrot-juice-except-on-Tuesdays...

Eat a balanced diet, control portion size, lots of protein, not much sugar. It's really that simple.



Carbs are very good for maintaining blood sugar levels. Your cravings are probably because your blood sugar is low. These guys obviously don't know what they're talking about, fruit has tons of sugar in it, which is the worst kind of carb you can have.



Protein is essential for growing and repairing muscle, your body doesn't use it for energy unless it is desperate. Carbs and fats provide energy, and you can't do exercise or grow muscle without energy. Demonising a perfectly normal part of the human diet is idiotic and counter-productive, if you're miserable and feeling guilty over a silly cereal bar then you're not going to be happy and motivated, which really is one of the most important things.

Eat carbs, lots of protein, not much sugar, be happy.

I prob need to talk to someone that's gona put me on a proper plan, I was hoping that not eating any carbs my body would start burning the fat I want gone and the gym work would tone me up....no?

theGEM

Martyl194 wrote: »

Guys as well, this might sound weird but since I started the program I have had really bad breath, I have never had this before and am putting it down to this program....or am I way off

Eat porridge in the morning or other foods high in fibre.

Zillah

Martyl194 wrote: »

Guys as well, this might sound weird but since I started the program I have had really bad breath, I have never had this before and am putting it down to this program....or am I way off

This is called ketoacidosis and is a known side-effect of the Atkins diet. It's what happens when you screw up your body's bio-chemstry by forcing it to use nothing but fats for energy, when it actually wants to use carbohydrates and fats.

Seriously, you're on a screwed up gimmick diet that evolution never intended. Eat a sandwich.

Martyl194 wrote: »

I prob need to talk to someone that's gona put me on a proper plan, I was hoping that not eating any carbs my body would start burning the fat I want gone and the gym work would tone me up....no?

Your body will burn fat if you use more energy than you are consuming. Reduce your total calorie intake, eat a balanced diet, and increase your exercise amount and your body will naturally reach and stay at a healthier weight. There are no gimmicks or tricks.

Martyl194

Zillah wrote: »

This is called ketoacidosis and is a known side-effect of the Atkins diet. It's what happens when you screw up your body's bio-chemstry by forcing it to use nothing but fats for energy, when it actually wants to use carbohydrates and fats.

Seriously, you're on a screwed up gimmick diet that evolution never intended. Eat a sandwich.



Your body will burn fat if you use more energy than you are consuming. Reduce your total calorie intake, eat a balanced diet, and increase your exercise amount and your body will naturally reach and stay at a healthier weight. There are no gimmicks or tricks.

Thanks for the reply,
You say eat a sandwich, pasta, porridge potatoes is forbidden on this program.

In fairness this might sound stupid but I can see my stomach has gone down, I may b wrong, so maybe this program works,

It's only for 12 weeks of pain????

Zillah

You're probably losing weight because you're eating less and exercising more, not because you've been avoiding carbs. Eating too many carbs gives too many calories, but then again, so does eating too much fat.

I'm not saying shove a large pizza down your throat, but there's no reason you can't have some porridge for breakfast or an oat bar after the gym.

Nonoperational

You have a BMI of about 25 and you exercise pretty much every day. You don't need fad diets.

Eat a proper balanced diet, carb free is not necessary. If you watch your diet, and exercise like your doing you will achieve results.

Blacktie.

Martyl194 wrote: »

Guys as well, this might sound weird but since I started the program I have had really bad breath, I have never had this before and am putting it down to this program....or am I way off

You're right. This is your body going keto. It happens on very low carb diets. I'm pretty sure it's your body switching it's main energy source to fat but could be wrong here. Don't take advice from these sort of magazines. They tend to have a new 6 weeks to ripped ab program out every month.

When it comes to diet it's fairly common sense. Eat meat, veg, some fruit and avoid things in brightly coloured boxes. Keep things as basic as you can. If you are eating rice, pasta etc keep the portion size down. People tend to take huge portions of these because carbs aren't great for satiety in small portions.

What's does your gym program look like? You said there's no cardio but a lot of weights. What kind of exercises is it using?