# Day 1-fitgirl cut



## fitgirl (May 23, 2011)

Here is where I came in today:
Cals-1560
Protein-132
Carbs-148
Fat-53

I was hungry and light headed later in the day and I'm hungry tonight. I'm hoping this will pass? 40oz of water (not enough)?

Day off for workouts


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## Built (May 23, 2011)

How many meals did you eat, and at what time?

List what you ate and when.


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## fitgirl (May 24, 2011)

7:30-coffee w/skim milk, shake
Noon-salad w/fresh mozzarella cheese, avocado, 1 oz ham, olive oil balsamic and pita crackers 
2-banana, string cheese
6- sweet potato, Greek yogurt
8-chicken (4oz) and broccoli w/soy sauce 

That doesn't look like much food for the numbers.....


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## Curlingcadys (May 24, 2011)

fitgirl said:


> 7:30-coffee w/skim milk, shake
> Noon-salad w/fresh mozzarella cheese, avocado, 1 oz ham, olive oil balsamic and pita crackers
> 2-banana, string cheese
> 6- sweet potato, Greek yogurt
> ...


 
I'd say have something "of substance" for breakfast, keep or cut out your shake, also have somthing else at 9:30-10.....maybe that shake.  Cals will increase but you're body will be "running" better IMO.


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## Built (May 24, 2011)

Bring your protein up to at least 150g, and have 50g of protein with your first meal of the day. Reduce your meals to 3 down from 5, and eat larger portions of protein (at least 40g) with each meal.


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## fitgirl (May 24, 2011)

Built said:


> Bring your protein up to at least 150g, and have 50g of protein with your first meal of the day. Reduce your meals to 3 down from 5, and eat larger portions of protein (at least 40g) with each meal.



Will do-not sure how to get so much protein, so I may flip things around a bit.

I did the lifting program followed by a 3 mile run in 25 mins. But I was so hungry, I ate a zone bar. I counted it and it fits in the plan. Maybe not the best choice? Are there any bars you would recommend? If I get too hungry, I become a super bi*ch and I don't want to subject my little people to that


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## Fit_Qtie (May 24, 2011)

fitgirl said:


> Here is where I came in today:
> Cals-1560
> Protein-132
> Carbs-148
> ...


 
 Hi Fitgirl,  

40 oz is not enough, I drink at least 1 1/2 gallon a day.


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## Curlingcadys (May 24, 2011)

Built said:


> Bring your protein up to at least 150g, and have 50g of protein with your first meal of the day. *Reduce your meals to 3 down from 5*, and eat larger portions of protein (at least 40g) with each meal.


 
Why?  Just seems counter productive in keeping the body fed...maybe I'm missing somthing. I mean I see the amount of protein, provided its slow release and could see the complex carbs making it work provided she's consuming enough to make the hour span but that seems it could back fire pretty quick too if the diet isn't under the microscope.


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## sassy69 (May 24, 2011)

You gotta eat to lose (fat). Already the fact that you got hungry & had to have a bar is saying you're insufficiently fueling for your goals. Bars are crappy source of food for anything other than convenience - they're great to keep around and will work in a pinch, but for the most part they are high protein candy bars. IMO if you made these a daily part of your diet, it will hinder progress.

Good and easy sources of 35-40 g protein:

-1 whole egg + 6-8 egg whites (even easier to get egg whites in a carton)
- 5 oz chicken or turkey  - e.g. 1/2 chicken breast or 2 turkey burger patties
- 6 oz fish - e.g. 2 tilapia filets
- 4 oz steak or beef
- handful of almonds (e.g. 23 pieces)
- 1 1/2 scoops protein mix


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## Built (May 24, 2011)

fitgirl said:


> Will do-not sure how to get so much protein, so I may flip things around a bit.
> 
> I did the lifting program followed by a 3 mile run in 25 mins. But I was so hungry, I ate a zone bar. I counted it and it fits in the plan. Maybe not the best choice? Are there any bars you would recommend? If I get too hungry, I become a super bi*ch and I don't want to subject my little people to that


Please, no zone bars. They're really just shitty-tasting candy bars with a little protein. Try a hardboiled egg next time. 



Curlingcadys said:


> Why?  Just seems counter productive in keeping the body fed...maybe I'm missing somthing. I mean I see the amount of protein, provided its slow release and could see the complex carbs making it work provided she's consuming enough to make the hour span but that seems it could back fire pretty quick too if the diet isn't under the microscope.



I'm not sure why you would think higher protein would be a problem, but I may not be reading your question properly. Could I impose upon you to restate?



sassy69 said:


> You gotta eat to lose (fat). Already the fact that you got hungry & had to have a bar is saying you're insufficiently fueling for your goals. Bars are crappy source of food for anything other than convenience - they're great to keep around and will work in a pinch, but for the most part they are high protein candy bars. IMO if you made these a daily part of your diet, it will hinder progress.
> 
> Good and easy sources of 35-40 g protein:
> 
> ...


^This.


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## fitgirl (May 24, 2011)

Thanks all-I guess this takes some trial and error.

Sassy-thanks food the protein info. I realize I don't like protein (or that much) probably because I eat so many carbs normally. I'm not a junk food person, but I do eat too many other carbs. 

I will work on protein this week....baby steps


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## Built (May 24, 2011)

The reason why protein is so critical here is twofold. For one, it'll help you hang onto muscle while you diet off fat; but the more important reason - from my perspective anyway - is for comfort: protein keeps you feeling fed for hours. Carbs are satiating, but make many of us hungry again within two hours. You appear to be one of 'em, and I can attest to being like this, personally. 

Eating less-frequent, large meals is also better for promoting satiety that lasts. Small meals don't trigger the complete cascade of hormones that let us know we're fed; if you eat small, frequent meals your body really never gets the "fed" signal - and you'll stay hungry all day. 

Eating a large serving of protein for the first meal you use to break fast is key to your success here. Make that one a very protein-heavy meal.

Try this tomorrow, and let me know how you felt on the same calories but with 150g of protein for the day, only 3 meals, and 50+g of protein for that first meal.


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## Curlingcadys (May 24, 2011)

Built said:


> Please, no zone bars. They're really just shitty-tasting candy bars with a little protein. Try a hardboiled egg next time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I was "thinking in text" trying to figure out why you would suggest cutting meals back to 3 a day and what would be needed to load up on to stay nourished until the next feeding.  Certainly not suggesting protein was bad, probably piss poor wording on my part.  I see your explaination it just seems the opposite happens when eating more frequently, you're fed, not hungry (eating really before you get hungry- kind of like drinking water before you're thirsty..if you're thirsty you've waited too long) and the body keeps truckin along like a machine- isn't that what were all after anyway? A machine thats never on low fuel and running at top notch per se?  I'm just thinking 3 squares a day there's a lot of room for error, either A not eating enough or B eating too much....both endstates have her posting WTF here in a couple weeks.  Ofcourse there's the possibility she "nails it" exactly what she needs to stay nourished for 5hr(ish) a crack and an overnight.....but yeah um......
anyway I'm probably just blowing hot air out of my ass.


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## Built (May 24, 2011)

Curlingcadys said:


> I was "thinking in text" trying to figure out why you would suggest cutting meals back to 3 a day and what would be needed to load up on to stay nourished until the next feeding.  Certainly not suggesting protein was bad, probably piss poor wording on my part.  I see your explanation it just seems the opposite happens when eating more frequently, you're fed, not hungry (eating really before you get hungry- kind of like drinking water before you're thirsty..if you're thirsty you've waited too long) and the body keeps truckin along like a machine- isn't that what were all after anyway? A machine thats never on low fuel and running at top notch per se?  I'm just thinking 3 squares a day there's a lot of room for error, either A not eating enough or B eating too much....both end-states have her posting WTF here in a couple weeks.  Of course there's the possibility she "nails it" exactly what she needs to stay nourished for 5hr(ish) a crack and an overnight.....but yeah um......
> anyway I'm probably just blowing hot air out of my ass.




Weirdly enough - and I know it flies in the face of what we've been told for YEARS in the world of physical culture, but while dieting at a deficit, for many people it's actually easier to do on fewer, but larger meals than on frequent small meals. 

I wouldn't have believed it either, until I tried it myself. It is so much easier, there is absolutely NO comparison, for me at least. I'll NEVER go back to the "six meals" thing. It's just too miserable, and without weighing my food, believe me, there's twice the margin of error for going over in calories than there is in eating three large meals a day. 

A critical trick here is to eat a huge portion of protein in the first meal. This suppresses ghrelin (the hunger hormone) for many hours, and it's been a real stunner to see just how well this works. 

Try it sometime, just for shits and giggles. You may be very surprised.


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## Curlingcadys (May 24, 2011)

Built said:


> Weirdly enough - and I know it flies in the face of what we've been told for YEARS in the world of physical culture, but while dieting at a deficit, for many people it's actually easier to do on fewer, but larger meals than on frequent small meals.
> 
> I wouldn't have believed it either, until I tried it myself. It is so much easier, there is absolutely NO comparison, for me at least. I'll NEVER go back to the "six meals" thing. It's just too miserable, and without weighing my food, believe me, there's twice the margin of error for going over in calories than there is in eating three large meals a day.
> 
> ...


 
I gotchya, to each their own I guess. I could see it "working" as long as the attention to detail was there.....like the weighing of food and what not.  Which shouldn't be too difficult for most we're allready tracking calories and macros over the 6 meals a day; theoreticaly it should be easier to just do it for 3 meals.  Food for thought.....possible pun intended.


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## Built (May 24, 2011)

There is good scientific evidence as to why this often works better. A great deal of it has to do with incretin; turns out there's a threshold for meal size, below which the body simply does not recognize it's really been fed. For some, this meal size must be quite small, because some folks feel just fine on six meals. For a small woman though, think about this for a moment: imagine cutting on 1200 calories a day. Now imagine calling 200 calories a meal. 

Sucks, right?

But something like 500 calories, 300 calories and then 400 calories doesn't sound so bad, does it?


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## fitgirl (May 25, 2011)

Off to a great start:
1 egg + 1 cup egg whites 
Spinach, ham, goat cheese
Along with my latte

53 g protein, 14 g carbs 

So my carbs are too low I'm afraid and I'm so full I feel a bit sick. Off to the gym soon, let's see how long I stay full!


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## juggernaut (May 25, 2011)

Looking good fitgirl...how about some before photos?


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## Built (May 25, 2011)

There's really no such thing as carbs "too low" - I'll be very interested to hear how long you feel full. Eggwhites aren't great for satiety, but the yolks are, and so is the milk protein.


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## juggernaut (May 25, 2011)

Built's right. Ever since I got my carb cycle plan under control with her help, it's been a low day of carbs at 60g. I can live with it because my high day is over double!


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## rayb (May 25, 2011)

Good thread!


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## jaybTX (May 25, 2011)

Agreed, great info in this thread.
-Jason



rayb said:


> Good thread!


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## fitgirl (May 25, 2011)

I feel very full-almost too full. I felt a bit sick in my spin class and sluggish. So I am going to mix it up a bit tomorrow because I'm team-teaching a HIIT class. 

BUT....I was told I was looking lean today, so 

J-I will work on some pictures soon!

I'm happy others are benefitting from this thread as well. So thankful you all are here to help (esp Built!)


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## Built (May 25, 2011)

Eat the heavier meal after the class. Try to eat very little beforehand.


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## CigarMan (May 26, 2011)

Great thread with great info here.  If I could rep those posting assistance, I would.  

Good luck fitgirl.  Adjust your meals as they say and you will enjoy the results.


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## NJRiot (May 26, 2011)

more protien in the yolk than the whites, although both do contain protien.. youll get more protien and satisfaction from the yolk, not to mention you get lots of nutriants from the yolk that isnt found in the white. im no chemist or nutritionist, but i have read that over and over while dialing in my diet over the years.. and yes +2 on never eat a protien bar unless locked in a candystore overnight! ... keep up the good work and lots of luck girl! GREAT POST BTW!


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## fitgirl (May 26, 2011)

Plan for this AM:

B4 workout (8)- oatmeal and 2 eggs, latte w/nonfat milk
Post workout (11)- protein shake, 2 egg whites

Then I'll have lunch @ 1

Goals: more water!

Yesterday:
Cals-1580
Fat-58
Carbs-110
Protein-136

I'm finding it difficult to eat so much protein.....


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## fitgirl (May 26, 2011)

Built said:


> Eat the heavier meal after the class. Try to eat very little beforehand.



Sorry- I read "try to eat a little.." so, maybe this is better

B4 workout-oatmeal, latte
After-shake? 

The problem is, I'm out still until @ noon, so this second meal has to be portable.


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## suppRatings (May 26, 2011)

That should be plenty of nutrition, maybe it psychological or maybe you didn't spread food out well enough


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## Built (May 26, 2011)

suppRatings said:


> That should be plenty of nutrition, maybe it psychological or maybe you didn't spread food out well enough



I have NO idea what you're talking about. 





fitgirl said:


> Plan for this AM:
> 
> B4 workout (8)- oatmeal and 2 eggs, latte w/nonfat milk
> Post workout (11)- protein shake, 2 egg whites
> ...



That's the plan. 



fitgirl said:


> Sorry- I read "try to eat a little.." so, maybe this is better
> 
> B4 workout-oatmeal, latte
> After-shake?
> ...




Here's what I'd try with an intense AM workout coming up:

AM: protein shake, small serving of whatever carb choice you like (oatmeal, pancakes, toast with butter and jam, whatever). 
Just as you walk in to train: caffeine tablet or an espresso (and ephedrine if that's your thing)
Go home, eat protein and fat. I'd do very few carbs at this point, so something like this:
Protein shake, followed by an omelette or hardboiled whole eggs and any veggies you might like, buttered. 

My stand-by portable meal sounds weird, but it fills me up for hours: protein shake followed by half a tin of tuna, about 3/4 cup cottage cheese and half an avocado. 

On a morning you don't have an intense workout, ditch the AM carb. If you're doing a low-rep heavy lifting workout, try the preworkout shake and some caffeine, then a protein and fat breakfast when you get back. 

On a morning you don't train, wait until you feel you must eat, then have a shake followd by a protein-heavy solid meal with minimal (or no) starches. 

As your marathon training ramps up, you'll have to stop trying to drop fat because dieting for weight-loss doesn't make for a very happy body when coupled with a lot of endurance work / cardio. For fat loss, activity should be minimally sufficient and diet should be sufficiently low as to induce a modest deficit. Let the diet get the weight off; use the right kind of activity to convince your body to keep the muscle while the fat slowly starves off.


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

Yesterday:
1550 cals
48fat
122 carb
132 protein  - too low

Thanks for the breakdown! That helps a lot.

When you say protein shake is it just protein? I do powder, water, and frozen strawberries (fish oil). Is that ok?

I'm finding it really difficult not to snack @4/5 each night. I know it's mostly habit.

Today I'm riding my bike pulling a toddler and then pulling 2 on the way back!


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

Yesterday food:

Pre-workout: oats w/blueberries, egg
Post-workout: shake

Salad w/veggies, ham, turkey, white beans, olive oil

Chicken taco w/corn tortilla, avocado, slaw


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## juggernaut (May 27, 2011)

fitgirl, do you include any carbs with your postworkout protein on a weight training day?


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

Built said:


> As your marathon training ramps up, you'll have to stop trying to drop fat because dieting for weight-loss doesn't make for a very happy body when coupled with a lot of endurance work / cardio. For fat loss, activity should be minimally sufficient and diet should be sufficiently low as to induce a modest deficit. Let the diet get the weight off; use the right kind of activity to convince your body to keep the muscle while the fat slowly starves off.



my first 1/2 isn't until august. I can keep my mileage to 12-15 miles just so I don't lose my base. I'm working on speed until then (have to beat my last time). So I may have to have my carbs in the evening before my long run on Saturday. I can have a sweet potato or another good carb. And just eat for an intense workout that morning. I only run 3 days:

Speed- low miles (3)
Tempo - 4-6 miles
Long - 7-10

Having said that, I want the fat off first


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

juggernaut said:


> fitgirl, do you include any carbs with your postworkout protein on a weight training day?



Shake is made w/protein, water, fish oil, frozen unsweetened strawberries.


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## juggernaut (May 27, 2011)

fitgirl said:


> Shake is made w/protein, water, fish oil, frozen unsweetened strawberries.



You might want to eliminate the fats in that meal, as well as the strawberries. I'd choose something like old fashioned oats and some honey.


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

juggernaut said:


> You might want to eliminate the fats in that meal, as well as the strawberries. I'd choose something like old fashioned oats and some honey.



How much oats? And I have agave nectar, I'm guessing that is the same. Should I be taking the omega 3/fish oil? If so, when?


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## Built (May 27, 2011)

fitgirl said:


> Shake is made w/protein, water, fish oil, frozen unsweetened strawberries.





juggernaut said:


> You might want to eliminate the fats in that meal, as well as the strawberries. I'd choose something like old fashioned oats and some honey.





fitgirl said:


> How much oats? And I have agave nectar, I'm guessing that is the same. Should I be taking the omega 3/fish oil? If so, when?



Okay - I need to check with juggernaut why he thinks you need carbs in this meal, and why he thinks you need more fructose. 

Fitgirl, I need to check with you why you're eating agave nectar, and if you know how much fructose is in it. I also would like to know if you think of agave as a good carb or a bad carb before I comment.


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## juggernaut (May 27, 2011)

Bad call on the honey; I'm usually ravenous by the time the workout is finished. I need FOOD!


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## Built (May 27, 2011)

Why are you suggesting a carb in this particular timeframe jugg? It might help us figure out what to feed her if I know what you're considering. I realize fitgirl is an endurance athlete; this is a little outside my usual frame of reference; you may be onto something. I just need a bit more information.


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## juggernaut (May 27, 2011)

fitgirl said:


> How much oats? And I have agave nectar, I'm guessing that is the same. Should I be taking the omega 3/fish oil? If so, when?


I usually take in the bulk of my carbs after a workout, again because I'm so freaking hungry. 
As for how much? I'd go with a dry half cup. 
Depending on the day that I'm having, if it's a busy day and will only get time to eat and run, I will usually take 2 tsp in the morning and 2 again at night, I take a tsp with each meal except the post-workout; if I have no workout planned that day, I space it out because I have more leisure time to relax, taking a tsp with each meal. I eat 4 times daily, and have a half tsp with each meal. 
I have no idea what agave nectar is other than it being a fruit.


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## juggernaut (May 27, 2011)

Built said:


> Why are you suggesting a carb in this particular timeframe jugg? It might help us figure out what to feed her if I know what you're considering. I realize fitgirl is an endurance athlete; this is a little outside my usual frame of reference; you may be onto something. I just need a bit more information.



Obviously because I'm hungry, and, depending on who you ask, Muaro DiPasquale said that he believes carbs arent essential post-workout, of course he's the author of a CKD diet book (Anabolic Diet) so you really cant take that as gospel; then there are those that preach that carbs with protein after a workout, help in beginning the repair process, according to a study done with cyclists enduring a high intensity workout. Lyle McDonald even goes as far as setting up a workout day called the Tension workout (on both the UD2 and the PSMF) to initialize proper carb utilization. 
I am currently carb cycling as per your direction from your writings to use carbs centered around the workout-both pre and post, and feel it is both essential and necessary to continue with strength gains.


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## Built (May 27, 2011)

agave nectar is a liquid sweetener made by hydrolyzing agave sap into a mixture of mainly fructose, with some glucose. Agave nectar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's got a lot more fructose in it than sugar, honey, or HFCS. Fructose is the devil.


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

Built said:


> agave nectar is a liquid sweetener made by hydrolyzing agave sap into a mixture of mainly fructose, with some glucose. Agave nectar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> It's got a lot more fructose in it than sugar, honey, or HFCS. Fructose is the devil.



Didn't know that-I happened to have it around (no honey), so I gave it a shot. I will not use it again!


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## Built (May 27, 2011)

Thanks jugg, for clarifying. I like some carbs pre and or post workout, depending on my conditioning and my training, but fitgirl is trying to cut, not pack on muscle. I'd skip anything but whatever's absolutely necessary for the intense cardio stuff - remember, she's doing the cardio as sprort-specific training, not the usual fat loss (which it sucks at anyway). I'd feed the sport for performance; feeding for strength doesn't acutely require carbohydrate - she's just doing this part to help harden up and hang onto muscle while she diets off fat. 

fitgirl, back to my question to you - what do you think of as a good carb, and why? You and I might have different thoughts around this, given the type of activity you perform.


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

As for the other conversation...

J-a lot of runners use honey in place of Gu because it's natural. Just put it in a baggie and bite it open. I use jelly beans, but only on runs of 8-10 miles or more. If I'm running a faster pace ( 8:20 or faster) I can get dizzy with a lack of sugar. Just an interesting side note 

So....I am a bit different because I'm a runner and triathlete. Finding the correct balance is a challenge and I'm only running 6 tomorrow. 

I can see the oats as a benefit. For example: tomorrow, I will have coffee and a banana (need more for longer runs, but under an hour, that will be fine). Then, when I get home, have protein shake with water,ice,protein,oats. Tonight I will have a chicken burger w/wheat bun.

I love being a guinea pig


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## Built (May 27, 2011)

Okay, but I would like you to describe to me what is, to you, a good carb and what is, to you, a bad carb.


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

Built said:


> fit girl, back to my question to you - what do you think of as a good carb, and why? You and I might have different thoughts around this, given the type of activity you perform.



good carb-oats, potatoes, whole wheat grains/rices (not processed, so not bread normally). Fruit, but the lower GI, the better for not getting the sugar rush.


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## Built (May 27, 2011)

Okay. Thank you for this. 

Get away from thinking about GI. Good carbs are things that turn into glucose. Bad carbs are things that turn into fructose. 

Fructose doesn't stimulate an insulin response, and that means it can prevent you from feeling fed - which eventually means you eat more. Glucose is the stuff you want, and the speed of delivery you want depends on the purpose. 

If you're trying to stay full while eating a high carb diet, you want stuff that digests more slowly, and you want to eat those carbs with stuff that slows it down - in other words, potatoes, oats, sweet potatoes, eaten in a mixed meal with fat and protein.  Under this paradigm, you want fibre and stuff that doesn't digest quickly. Faster carbs under this circumstance are bad carbs. 

If you're eating a lower-carb diet and trying to briefly spike insulin and promote reglycogenation post-workout, you want something that delivers glucose FAST - for this purpose, white rice, stuff made with white flour, and dextrose are good carbs. They digest and metabolize quickly, and let you get back into ketosis faster if you're looking for ketosis to keep you comfortable and feeling fed. Slower carbs in this context are bad carbs. 

I'd revisit some of the fruit, honey, jellybeans etc you're consuming and investigate using dextrose and dextrose candies and gels instead. Except in very small amounts (read: under 20g for the whole day), fructose is a very bad carb. 

My .02


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

Built said:


> If you're eating a lower-carb diet and trying to briefly spike insulin and promote reglycogenation post-workout, you want something that delivers glucose FAST - for this purpose, white rice, stuff made with white flour, and dextrose are good carbs. They digest and metabolize quickly, and let you get back into ketosis faster if you're looking for ketosis to keep you comfortable and feeling fed. Slower carbs in this context are bad carbs.
> 
> I'd revisit some of the fruit, honey, jellybeans etc you're consuming and investigate using dextrose and dextrose candies and gels instead. Except in very small amounts (read: under 20g for the whole day), fructose is a very bad carb.
> 
> ...



So....I should eat bread, crackers, white potatoes? This is very interesting and a total change in my current way of thinking. Are oats OK? When should I eat them? What should my shake consist of? 

I'm learning so much here!


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## Built (May 27, 2011)

Bread, crackers and white potatoes digest slowly, as do oats and sweet potatoes. White rice, brown rice and dextrose digest more quickly, if they're eaten mostly alone. Eaten with protein and fat, the whole meal digests  more slowly, so the "speed" in a mixed-meal is a bit of a moot point. 

A protein shake with either dextrose or a slice of toast and a bit of jam - that's a good fast-carb-and-protein combo for immediately post-workout, or just shortly pre-workout if you need something to get in you fast. 

I'm a low-carb gal. I don't eat starches through the day because they make me hungry, so I tend to stick to targeting faster carbs if I need 'em around a workout or activity - that way they get in, do their job, and clear quickly. If I eat slower carbs, like white or sweet potatoes, or pulses, I generally eat them at my evening meal because they're more likely to make me hungry then; if I eat them later at night, I go to sleep rather than continue eating. If carbs don't make you hungry, there's no need to limit them through the day of course. You may know this, but I figured I'd mention it just in case.

It really comes down to comfort more than anything - for a given calorie-level, of course. I mean, if you can't stick to your "healthy" diet - think of it this way: it won't work for you if you end up eating too much, right?


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## fitgirl (May 27, 2011)

So, it doesn't really matter what kind of carbs I eat, as long as I stay in my goals and I'm not miserable? 

Would you then have a protein shake and toast before a run (or any hard cardio) then follow with oatmeal because it's a slow digesting carb? I do find I am more full on protein, but if I don't have enough carbs, I get dizzy and spacey. so I'm not sure where I fall

I will keep experimenting. Looking for the perfect diet...


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## Built (May 27, 2011)

fitgirl said:


> *So, it doesn't really matter what kind of carbs I eat, as long as I stay in my goals and I'm not miserable? *


As incongruous as it seems, yes. It really doesn't matter what kind of food you eat; not just the carbs. 

There are really only a few foods I avoid:

soy (promotes estrogen; interferes with thyroid function)
flax seeds (interferes with thyroid function)
flax/Udo's oil (ALA, not enough of it will convert to EPA/DHA)
transfats (shortening, margarine; they're really better described as plastized oils; your body doesn't know what to do with them)
fructose (myriad reasons, many outlined above) 
and for the most part, for me, grains.

There's Celiac disease in my family and I suspect I may carry the gene. I don't handle grains well at all. I rarely eat anything made with wheat, rye, spelt, kamut or even oats. You won't find me eating a lot of fruit or drinking fruit juice; I rarely eat honey or dried fruits or candy in anything but very small amounts and I don't eat a lot of baked foods. 

I do eat a lot of fat - more than half my caloric intake comes from fat, and I eat red meat almost daily. 

But that's me; that's what keeps me comfortable. You may require a different mix. Once you realize the only thing that matters - beyond not living on poptarts and potato chips - is staying comfortable within a calorie-limit, dieting becomes a lot easier to manage. I offer a non-fucked starting point to those who don't know how to eat comfortably. 




fitgirl said:


> Would you then have a protein shake and toast before a run (or any hard cardio) then follow with oatmeal because it's a slow digesting carb?



I really don't do a lot of cardio; to be frank, I avoid it because it overstimulates my appetite and makes it too hard to keep my weight under control. You'll have to try it and see if that works for you, but it seems to make sense - let us know how that works out for you. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pulses could work, too. Make sure you eat a large serving of protein, though. If it were me, I'd eat protein and fat after any type of cardio, but I don't do cardio to perform better at cardio; you do, so it may be a good idea to do this. 



fitgirl said:


> I do find I am more full on protein, but if I don't have enough carbs, I get dizzy and spacey. so I'm not sure where I fall



Try eating more fat with the protein maybe? I feel great on high fat with modest protein and low carbs but not everyone does. 




fitgirl said:


> I will keep experimenting. Looking for the perfect diet...




I like to think I narrow the scope of the search.


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## sassy69 (May 27, 2011)

fitgirl said:


> Off to a great start:
> 1 egg + 1 cup egg whites
> Spinach, ham, goat cheese
> Along with my latte
> ...




RE: the egg discussion - I talked to my mom this afternoon - she's not heavy, but she's got a high bodyfat % (primarily due to lack of muscle). She typically doesn't eat a lot, and we've gotten into arguments over how much protein I eat (to which I don't say out loud "Yea but my knees don't pop out of joint because I have no muscle holding them there...."). So anyway apparently one of the ladies in her pilates class was talking about great she feels since she started including an egg w/ her breakfast. My mom typically does toast & jelly w/ coffee, and my dad has always been a big fan of cereal w/ milk. So she adds a whole egg in yesterday and she said she had energy all day long and felt great.

I'm like ... ya see! Protein is your friend!  I suspect it is also because she's getting more fat and also more calories in general. Weird how that works, huh?


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## fitgirl (May 28, 2011)

Built said:


> I do eat a lot of fat - more than half my caloric intake comes from fat, and I eat red meat almost daily.
> 
> I don't eat red meat, but I'm agreeing with you on the fat.
> 
> ...



Totally! I've learned a ton. I hope you are being paid for this information in your real life


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## fitgirl (May 28, 2011)

Note:I'm responding on my iPad, so i can't do the "quote" thing as well.


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## juggernaut (May 28, 2011)

I'd skip fructose based sugars because of the fact they suck as far as energy goes. Dextrose is good, maltodextrin is as well. If you're using it as a pure energy source (glucose) this is exactly what this is meant for. Plus-they're way cheaper. 
Built and I had a great discussion about this very topic yesterday, and it seems we're on the same page. 

Built, good call on the sport specific thing.


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## sharoncrunch (Jun 1, 2011)

Nice post.  I agree with your recommends....


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## fitgirl (Jun 28, 2011)

*Update!*

A quick update since my diet is changing/has changed.

6 week results:
Weight 125-122/3 (still 5'6")
Chest 32-31
Ribs 29-28
Waist 29-26.5
Belly 33.5-31
Hips 33-32.5

I'm now training, so carbs have increased. I am trying to keep my protein up and will hopefully not lose too much or even get leaner 

Upcoming events
Sprint triathlon
Olympic triathlon
1/2 marathon

This fall I will decrease carbs and lift more! I like having a on season/off season goal

Thanks for all the help (especially built)


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## Built (Jun 28, 2011)

Hey there fitgirl - thank you so much, for the update and for the props.


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## REDDOG309 (Jun 28, 2011)

I just read this whole thread and learned so much myself. Good luck fitgirl and thanks to the wise folks for thier wisdom. ( you know who you are)


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