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What on EARTH should I eat??
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 2009-08-12 5:04 PM |
Member  148  |  Subject: What on EARTH should I eat??Hi All. I am absolutely clueless as to what I should eat. I know pasta is good and constant takeout is bad, however aside from that, I am totally clueless. How much carb/protein/fat should i eat? Can someone please enlighten me? Just to get you in the picture, I'm Female, 28yo, 5 feet 8 inches tall (1m73), average frame (i think, look fairly slim, but butt could do with a slight reduction!), 10 st 7 (147 pounds, 66.8kg). My recent fat readout from the scales at the gym says am 29.7% fat  wth a BMI of 22.3 (recommended range 20-25). Obviously I want to reduce the fat level, and also want to try to get my weight down to 60kg. I've been off the exercise scene due to injury, but aim to go to the gym 5-6 days a week to get fit for 10k's and sprint tri's, with a view to doing a few 3 mile runs in the week with around a 5 miler on the weekend when i get fitter. I want to be doing 10-20 milers on the bike, and can swim all day, i love it. My fave discipline. Also, I'm v confused about supplements. Do I really need to be taking them for the distances i will be doing? If so, which ones? I did a sprint tri this month after hardly any exercise in the months preceding it, and found that carb gels gave me a bit of a lift (after 1 1/2 hrs sleep the night before and 600miles travelled by car, and only a fajita wrap before the race, i needed a lil something!). Thanks in advance for your feedback.  |
| 2009-08-12 6:14 PM in reply to: #2344919 |
 Modesto, California | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? From my experience protien/carb/fat ratios vary considerably with age/daytime or work activity/exercise intensity,etc. Right now I just started training for a sprint and trying to reduce my bodyfat and am taking in 180 grams of protien,180 grams of carbs and 40 grams of fat per day and have plenty of energy for my current workouts, its very personal and I will change it up as my workouts get longer and more intence. Dont waste your money on supplements, stick with water or nuuan during workouts, too much sugar for workouts less than an hour will not help you other than to add extra calories(gatorade and gels). If you decide to become a member there are a bunch of articles that go into great detail about nutrition, race day nutrition, training programs,recovery nutrition,etc. |
| 2009-08-12 10:09 PM in reply to: #2344919 |
| Lafayette, CO | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? How do you know pasta is good? I'd actually argue that unless you're talking about a whole grain pasta and depending upon the sauce it isn't so great. Lots of refined carbs there. That's not to say I don't eat it sometimes but I'm trying not to rely on it like I used to. When I do choose it I try to have either whole wheat pasta or brown rice pasta. Here's how I'm really trying to eat these days. A reasonable portion of lean protein (tonight was CL's spicy chicken cakes with horseradish aioli), a vegetable or whole grain based car to equal no more than 1/4 of my plate, and a big ol' salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cukes and whatever other veggies I have around with a small amount of dressing (I find that if I toss it in a bowl before serving I used less dressing). The salad usually takes half the plate. My lunches and breakfasts aren't as good right now and more processed lean cuisine style foods than I'd like but it's what my schedule allows right now. However, I have notoriously low blood pressure so I don't worry as much about sodium. I eat 3 meals and 2-3 decent snacks a day depending on my workout schedule. |
| 2009-08-13 9:50 AM in reply to: #2344919 |
Alpharetta, Georgia Bronze member | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? I agree about the pasta comment. Buy whole grain pasta and make your own sauce with some olive oil and fresh tomatoes and garlic (really simple... saute some garlic and onion in olive oil in a pan, throw a bunch of halfed cherry tomatoes in the pan and cook until they "pop" - squeeze the juice out and mix until it thickens a bit. Very simple, delish sauce. Top with some fresh italian parsley and sprinkle of parm cheese.) As for fat/carb/protein ratio, I don't pay attention to that personally. Others do. As for supplements, I believe people should get their essential vitamins/minerals from whole food sources, not a pill. In general, "healthy eating" just takes a little creativity. I mix and match things like brown rice, quinoa, or brown rice pasta with things like black beans, chickpeas, tofu/tempeh, and pile on a ton of roasted or sauteed veggies. Lots of salads and fruit. Snacks are in the realm of hummus, fruit/nut bars (Larabar, Kind bar), applesauce, greek yogurt, that kind of thing. I eat multiple small meals per day so I don't ever get crazy stuffed... it works for me. |
| 2009-08-13 7:07 PM in reply to: #2346069 |
Elite 2796  Texas | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? lisac957 - 2009-08-13 9:50 AM I agree about the pasta comment. Buy whole grain pasta and make your own sauce with some olive oil and fresh tomatoes and garlic (really simple... saute some garlic and onion in olive oil in a pan, throw a bunch of halfed cherry tomatoes in the pan and cook until they "pop" - squeeze the juice out and mix until it thickens a bit. Very simple, delish sauce. Top with some fresh italian parsley and sprinkle of parm cheese.) As for fat/carb/protein ratio, I don't pay attention to that personally. Others do. As for supplements, I believe people should get their essential vitamins/minerals from whole food sources, not a pill. In general, "healthy eating" just takes a little creativity. I mix and match things like brown rice, quinoa, or brown rice pasta with things like black beans, chickpeas, tofu/tempeh, and pile on a ton of roasted or sauteed veggies. Lots of salads and fruit. Snacks are in the realm of hummus, fruit/nut bars (Larabar, Kind bar), applesauce, greek yogurt, that kind of thing. I eat multiple small meals per day so I don't ever get crazy stuffed... it works for me. ^^ I eat what she eats... safe to say a lot more of it though. But I eat a lot of lean meat and seafood as well. Tthere really are no supplements you "need". As for nutrition during training, for longer distance stuff (over one hour) I use gels with water and/or a sportsdrink. But that's just what works for me. Some people use whole foods there too though it's never been practical for me personally. |
| 2009-08-14 7:27 AM in reply to: #2344919 |
Member 148 | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? Hi all. Thanks so much for your replies. I really am clueless with food. Thought I was doing good the other day eating gnocchi with mushrooms, garlic and a sprinkle of cheese. I don't really eat fruit and veg, as i don't like veg and alsways forget about the fruit so it ends up going off! I like mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, peas and sweetcorn, and that's about it! Love meat,love carbs, cant stand fish. Unfortunately i'm quite limited! Supplements wise, i wasn't really thinking vits and mins (although that may be a good idea given my lack of veg), was more thinking of stuff like viper. I don't usually train for longer than an hour unless go for a longish bike ride or a run then swim, as my lifestayle doesn't allow me to squeeze it in at the mo. Possibly then if go over the 1 - 1 1/2 hour mark, i should look to supplement my carb/salts intake with something like viper. Thanks again guys. Daniele |
| 2009-08-15 11:28 AM in reply to: #2344919 |
| Lafayette, CO | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? What the heck is Viper? If it's the supplement that says "fat-burning" then no, that's not the kind of electrolyte replacement we are talking about. And it's not touted as being an electrolyte replacement or carb supplement for during exercise. It seems that most of the veggies you like are very carbohydrate heavy, is there any chance that you might learn to like other veggies if they were prepared in a way more to your liking? I do tend to forget about fruit on occasion but 2 things really help me. First, my dessert starts with fruit. So when I think sweet I reach for a peach or banana or something like that first. Second, I now swear by the Debbie Meyer green bags. They really do help both fruit and veggies to stay fresh longer. |
| 2009-08-15 3:54 PM in reply to: #2348036 |
Elite 2796 Texas | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? aphrodite_225 - 2009-08-14 7:27 AM Hi all. Thanks so much for your replies. I really am clueless with food. Thought I was doing good the other day eating gnocchi with mushrooms, garlic and a sprinkle of cheese. I don't really eat fruit and veg, as i don't like veg and alsways forget about the fruit so it ends up going off! I like mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, peas and sweetcorn, and that's about it! Love meat,love carbs, cant stand fish. Unfortunately i'm quite limited! Supplements wise, i wasn't really thinking vits and mins (although that may be a good idea given my lack of veg), was more thinking of stuff like viper. I don't usually train for longer than an hour unless go for a longish bike ride or a run then swim, as my lifestayle doesn't allow me to squeeze it in at the mo. Possibly then if go over the 1 - 1 1/2 hour mark, i should look to supplement my carb/salts intake with something like viper. Thanks again guys. Daniele Not sure what Viper is, but it sounds bad.  Anything named after a venomous animal gets the same wide berth as uh, a venomous animal.Yeah those veggies are pretty starch heavy. They're the most "calorie dense" vegetables. The benefit of healthy plant foods is their "nutrient density", in that you get a lot of nutrients for not so many calories. Sometimes with vegetables there's a lot of room for improvement when it comes to taste and texture. I actually eat raw spinach by the handful, but I prefer cauliflower roasted and curried. I don't like it much raw, but 45 minutes in the oven with some olive oil and curry spices and I'll eat an entire head of cauliflower in about 10 minutes. A good, fairly objective resource for healthy foods is the "Worlds Healthiest Foods" website (and book). http://www.whfoods.org Try to work with one vegetable a week, maybe look for a few recipes that sound good and give them a try. Honestly cauliflower never passed my lips until I was over the age of 30. Don't even ask me what I ate in my 20's...  Good luck. Edit: If you want to cut straight to the list, here's the whfoods listing: http://www.whfoods.org/foodstoc.php Edited by Bill 2009-08-15 3:57 PM |
| 2009-08-17 12:08 PM in reply to: #2344919 |
| New user 32 Hoboken | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? I haven't read through this entire thread but if you pick-up the latest runners world or go to runnersworld.com they have a feature on what you should be eating. it has some good information to get you started. |
| 2009-08-17 3:11 PM in reply to: #2344919 |
| Mountain View, CA | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? Do you cook? After I started cooking for myself regularly, I discovered that many vegetables that I had previously disliked weren't half bad when prepared in a different way. I hated chard when I was growing up. Now I actually look forward to getting it in my CSA share because I've found a recipe I love. (I still think it smells awfully fishy when boiled, though.) Similarly, I didn't like zucchini, but now I have some recipes that don't taste anything like the way I had always known zucchini to taste. Sometimes it's just a matter of finding a preparation that you enjoy. Failing that, what about sneaking vegetables into something you do like? My boyfriend's a picky eater, too, but he'll eat kale or chard if I tuck it into an omelette or frittata, or when I bake kale to make crisps. Also: this isn't exactly health food, but on the rare occasions when I make macaroni and cheese, I add some sort of vegetable. Last time I sauteed some leeks and made the bechamel with them, and then added blanched kale when I tossed the pasta with the cheese sauce. I've also done it with broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes. In every case, you just taste the sauce, not the vegetables. |
| 2009-08-21 2:37 PM in reply to: #2344919 |
Member 148 | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? Wow, guys. Viper is made by maximuscle: http://www.maximuscle.com/viper?tc=GBviper&mc=SEARCHENGINE&gclid=CNvomIK_tZwCFUoB4wodjTyWng Maximuscle’s Viper® is the ultimate energy drink (now available in a ready mixed bottle) for use during weight training or increasing speed, whether you’re running or cycling. It will help prevent dehydration and sustains energy, helping you to maintain your best performance for longer. Viper includes Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), which prevent the amino acid imbalances that could cause mental fatigue, leaving other sports drinks far behind. Its unique formulation delays fatigue and improves endurance, whilst retaining focus and motivation during each and every training session. As if that wasn’t enough, the BCAAs inhibit muscle breakdown. After intense exercise, muscle glycogen is stored faster when taking Viper than drinks containing carbohydrates and electrolytes alone. As a result of all its great effects, this energy drink has become the drink of choice among knowledgeable athletes and coaches. Try it for yourself and feel the difference. Viper contains no stimulants and is allowed in all IOC tested events! It mixes instantly in water and is available in two great thirst-quenching flavours: orange or fruit punch. Benefits
Anyone use this, or have any opinion? I prob don't need it for sprint distance, but wondering whether it'd be a good idea for after races aS a recovery aid. |
My diet well and truly went out of the window this week, as i've been on holiday, and i've eaten everything i shouldn't have and eaten it to excess!! Ah well, what are holidays for eh! | 2009-08-21 2:41 PM in reply to: #2344919 |
Member 148 | Subject: RE: What on EARTH should I eat?? Oh, puellasolis. In answer to your question I do cook (although I'm no culinary genius by any means!), but i can't usually be bothered if I'm honest, as i live on my own and find it a chore to cook a proper meal specially for myself, although when my boyfriend comes over i usually do rustle up something pretty nice  (the problem is, he needs lots of protein as he's weight bulding, wheras i need carbs, so we usually end up with steak and chips [fries], or venison or something!!). |
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