Calories vs fullness

Well I know for me... the key is finding items that are low in calories (and fat!)... but make me feel full.

Sure, I love a good salad, but it's not going to stick with me for over an hour.

Let's think about it... compare it to eating a 500 calorie ice cream cone. Sure, it was delicious, but you probably aren't full. Whereas you could probably eat two Weight Watchers frozen meals for 500 calories and be stuffed.

It's all about learning where you get the most bang for your calories.

For example, PB is very high in calories. For as many calories that you eat there, you could probably take in something that will stick with you longer.

Like I know I love fruit, but it can be high in calories if you eat more than a cup of it and doesn't stay with me too long.

As for carbs... focus on the ratio of carbs/protein/fat. You need carbs for energy if you are training. But 50/25/25 is a good balance.

My system is less regimented. I usually have a cup of bran flakes with yogurt in the AM. Lunch is ALLWAYS a six inch veggie sub on wheat with baked lay's chips and a diet soda. The sub is a great hunger killer becuase it is so full of flavor that it tricks my mind into thinking I am eating normal food. On the commute back home (45 minutes here in Chicago) I usually have a flavored water and a Cliff Bar. By the time I get home, I've got energy for a ride or run. After that...dinnertime is usually what I want till I am full. BUT....becuase I excersice hard before dinner, it has a natural way of trimming back how much I eat.

In bed by 9 or 10...and do it all over again for six days....day seven I do whatever I want with no exercise or regimine.

Considering calories = energy, you can't really be that suprised that by limiting calories you don't have energy?

I would ditch the snack popcorn since it has no nutritional value.  Particularly for a meal/snack before a workout I would consider something with complex carbs/whole grains that will provide energy through the afternoon.  I'm am guessing that your PM workout is at about 5:00 so that means you aren't having any nutrition for about 4.5 hours before you workout.  Probably good for losing weight but tough to be motivated to have a good workout when your energy level is so low.

I'm am guessing that your PM workout is at about 5:00 so that means you aren't having any nutrition for about 4.5 hours before you workout.  Probably good for losing weight but tough to be motivated to have a good workout when your energy level is so low.

*** EXACTLY***

I find Tri training and weightloss sort of hard.  I feel like I need food to fill the tank before a good workout, but I seem to be maintaining my weight.  My fitness has improved leaps and bounds, but a smaller pair of pants would be a nice reward for all of this hard work...

Thoughts on skipping the popcorn and having a Power Bar or Gu instead?  I think GU has a lot less calories and is packed with caffiene.

I'm not that keen on Power Bars or Gu as I think while they provide energy it may be fairly short lived and not very filling (and cost more per serving).  I like to have a protein shake in the afternoon.   I use a complex whey protien (not the isolates that recommended for recovery).  I think the stuff I use has no carbs and a scoop is about 140 calories.  I mix it with about 1.5 cups of skim milk for another 120 calories plus some needed carbs.   I think for 260 calories it is quite filling when I drink it and can keep me satisfied for hours.    For me, much better than the quick energy in bars and Gu and most fruits for that matter.

Caffiene will also play some tricks on your 'perceived' energy level.  You will also come down from the caffiene buzz and you don't want that to happen just before a workout.

Edited by Mrdaner 2009-06-23 10:35 AM

You definitely need some type of complex carbohydrate 1-2 hours before your workouts. Carbs are like gas in the tank. No gas, the car won't run. Try a serving of fruit (I would stay away from citrus which could produce reflux if your jumping around as it is trying to finish digesting) or half a whole wheat bagel.

I agree that GU and powerbars are not a good choice. Simple sugar is the last thing you want in your diet if you're trying to lose weight. They're great for long endurance workouts of 90 minutes plus as they provide quick energy, but not good for pre-workout in my opinion.

Some people do protein before a workout, but carbs are the real energy producer. Also, protein is harder to digest and will pull the blood to the stomach and away from the muscles as you're trying to use them.

The problem with all of the simple sugar is that it will cause more hunger whether it's that day or the next. It metabolizes quickly and causes your blood sugar and insulin to spike, then drop. Complex carbs like whole wheat products, fibrous fruits & veggies, etc. are harder for the body to breakdown. They metabolize slowly giving sustained energy and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels moderate.

Whenever I sneak sugary snacks I crash the NEXT day, not that day. I wake up feeling more tired and hungrier. I would guess that the gu and red bull you consume today are what's causing you to be overly hungry and lacking energy tomorrow.

That's actually spot on!  Im always hungry the day after a good workout, but I just figured it was because I did not eat that much for dinner. 

I have already taken the GU and the Bull for my workout tonight, so that cat is out of the bag... but I ll try to change it up tomorow... if Im not starving!

Thanks! 

My diet was the first thing I started working on, I am a full time cook, and it can be difficult at times to not eat.

Through the many books I have read, if you really want to control your hunger, eat protein with every meal. Protein takes your body 3 hrs to digest, so if you add it into every meal, you will feel less hungry.

I would also suggest eating 5-6 meals a day. A great book worth reading is called: "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" by Tom Venuto. He really gets into caloric intake, and all the good stuff to know.

Move the snack closer to 3. You don't need to eat 1.5 hrs after lunch if you don't workout till 5-5:30.

Change the snack to something more filling. Cottage cheese with grapes.  Snack mix (I do almonds, raisins, and whole grain cheerios).  Or I'll have a bowl of Fiber 1 cereal or Kashi Go Lean with 1/2 cup milk.  An apple with 2-3TB peanut Butter. And I will even eat a Powerbar in a pinch before I'd work out on an empty or near empty stomach.

Those are great suggesitons.  I suppose I shuld have titled this thread Calories vs energy...

I find I can work 10 times harder and longer with some food in my stomach.  I see that Red Bull and GU is a way to trick my body (short term) into thinking it has the fuel it needs... but it back fires the next day when my body calls for calories that were never there.

When I know it's going to be a long day I start it up with what I like to cal a "Mother and son". Basically it's a chiken omelet. So eggs, diced chiken and milk with nuts, slices almond or cashews and some fresh or dried fruit, all mixed up and thrown into the pan. You can vary the nuts and fruit indeffinitly or just live them out. With yogourt and coffee you should be good for a long time.

bdavis,

you mentioned that you always have a 6" veggie sub for lunch.  Maybe I am ignorant to this, but where is your portein?  Aren't we supposed to have protein with every meal? 

thanks so much,

Jeff

Chandy,

You have a GU for breakfast?  (I know it's not really breakfast, but for your FIRST meal of the day?)  I have a protein shake, and hit the gym, but if I dont eat SOMETHING else (i.e. toast with PB), I get really queezy after about an hour. 

How does the GU work for you?

thanks so much,

Jeff

I think you might be eating way too little calories to maintain your training and live.
You swim in the morning, and then bike and run and weight train at night?!

You should be attempting to eat roughly every 2 hours or so to maintain a steady metabolic rate for weightloss.  If you are training this much, in my personal opinion carbs are going to be the only thing to keep you sane, healthy and energetic.
I mean, I know low carbs can do wonders, I use to be a personal trainer and bodybuilder, but they leave you fatigued, irritable and hungry.
I started tri training at 278lbs, out of shape, well i guess round is a shape.  I cleaned up my foods, cut down on preservatives and processed as much as possible, cut out carbonated drinks, kept carb, protein, fat ratio at about a 40-40-20 split or so.
I started in april, now almost July I weighed in last weekend at 228.  I train way less than you, max 45 minutes a day, 5 or 6 days a week, and during those workouts I only train one event, so swim OR bike OR run.  Occaisonally I will train 2 disciplines in a day, but I space them out by at least 4 hours if not more.
Here is what my weekday diet is, everyday, i try to space all my meals at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours, but no more if I can help it.

Wake-up 5am, within 30 minutes,

1. 250ml (1 cup) skim milk and a granola bar (preferrably homemade) Make a batch last you all week, it contains, rolled oats, honey,applesauce,almonds,raisins,even some dark chocolate,coconut and other ingredients)

2. WHole Wheat Bagel, 2 eggs, scrambled, 2 slices tomato, less than 1 tbsp Hp sauce
3 or 4 strawberries

3. 1 single serving regular yogurt, no 0% stuff, with about 7-10 almonds

4. Bean salad, containing chick peas, soya beans, garboza beans, g.pepper, r.pepper, r.onions, black olives, cucumber and using a vinegerrette dressing, like  sundried tomato.  This meal is quick, full of awesome carbs, fats and tons of protein.

5. 1 medium to small sized apple and a granola bar (homemade type)

At this point it is around 3pm, and with consistant training I am still finding myself somewhat hungry when I get home from work.
If I am starving, I take one piece of whole wheat bread, or a whole wheat tortilla, put some natural PB on it with some natural jam, great pick me up snack.

6 or 7 (depending on PB sandwhich fix)
5-7oz of chicken, or fish, or lean ground beef(i make killer homemade burgers)
Vegetables, be it steamed, shishkabob on barbeque, wok fried on barbeques, boiled, or salad, let them take up 50% of your plate, I try to incorporate some carb here, but a little lighter though, say 1/4 rice, or a tortilla to wrap up my chicken, or a good whole wheat bun for 2 paddies if I make burgers.

Then I train at least an hour after dinner.

Post workout, at around 8pm or 8:30pm - half a banana, 1 scoop whey protein, and a few squares of dark chocolate.
or 500ml chocolate milk and half a banana.

By eating like this, I am not tempted to have that fast food meal on the weekend, I have plenty of energy for the taxing training, and can train everyday of the week.  I can keep up to my 3 year old and 1 year old, do stuff around the house, work and sometimes even run on only 5 hours sleep and not be the world's biggest slug.
Nutrition is key to success, dont eat like you on a weight loss diet and try to train for a tri, you are going to burn out or get hurt, or worse, quit.
Fuel the machine, and work the fuel out of the machine.
 

I don't eat it for breakfast, but I do eat it before a morning swim (sometimes).  I have been about a week without it.  I have switched to 1/2 a cliff bar before workout, and half right after... then about an hour or so later when I get to work, oatmeal with blueberries and a slice of wheat w/ PB.  Im not sure if I feel an effect from the GU,  except the stuff with caffiene used to wake me up in the am.  I started getting cramps during pm bricks, so I tried to cut out the caffiene... I have not had one in awhile.

Edited by chandy14ski 2009-07-07 3:02 PM

Melnik,

I don't train that much every day.  Check my logs if you like. I just recently started keeping track, but I have been training in a similar way since March (ish). 

TOday is a brick training day, and I am afraid I am going to be starving.  Here is how today went.

Slept in (8 am). I always sleep in on brick days.  Breakfast at 9:30. Oatmeal and blueberries, 1/2 english muffin w/ pb.

Almonds and strawberries here and there.
Noontime Lunch 1 can Tuna w/ 1/2 teaspoon miracle whip, some mustard, some relish, spices etc... Lettuce.

then some almonds and 1/2 a cliff bar at about 2 ish. 

Im not hungry now, but I will not work out intil about 5:30 ish.  I ll probably have 1/2 PB&J on wheat, and then work my butt off for an hour and a half or so. 

Then Dinner (I think pasta w/ mushrooms and reduced white wine)
No dessert tonight (ever)

Tomorrow AM (5:30) swim
Tomorrow PM 20 mile bike

Im losing pounds alright.  Im down to 207, which is great.  I think Im getting the right foods in at the right times... I am still pretty hungry at dinner and especially in the evening.




Edited by chandy14ski 2009-07-07 3:20 PM

Do you ever do anything for protein right after your workout?  I like to do two scoops of whey within half an hour of completing my training.  I find that I recover better and am less hungry when it's time to have dinner.

I usually just eat dinner after a pm work out.  That way I can play with the baby until she goes to bed at 8 ish...

More than a few peopke have suggested whey of some type after a work out... maybe I ll look into it.  Can't cost any more than power bars.



Edited by chandy14ski 2009-07-07 3:22 PM

No, it's less actually.  You'll pay anywhere from $20-40 for a container that will make about 40 shakes if you use two scoops per shake.  My favorite brand is American Whey.  My local GNC's carry it, or you can find it online.  I like to mix mine with ice, half water and half soy milk just to make it creamier.  I swear by it as a way to get the most out of you workouts by helping the muscles repair themselves.