I need a diet... (I'm getting married in five months and want to lose weight!)

[jmk396]

I've posted in the fitness forum about an excercise routine, so I figured I'd also post here asking for diet recommendations...

I'm 24 years old, male, 5'10", 175 lbs (18-19% body fat, according to my Tanita BF679 scale).

When I met my fiancee 2 1/2 years ago, I was about 135 lbs. I have no idea how I put on nearly 40 lbs in 2 1/2 years but I somehow did. I used to have decently defined abs, now I have a huuge stomache. I didn't change my eating habits and I don't drink beer or alcohol (well, very very rarely).

So... I'm looking for diet recommendations. I absolutely love potatoes (eg. carbs), but I've thought about a low-carb diet (Atkins?) just to lose some weight and then going on a low-calorie diet.

I've searched and searched and read and read but I'm still unsure whats a good diet for me. Hopefully I've provided enough information here for somebody to help me out.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Gutz981]

If your talking about putting on some muscle as well as losing weight...I would reccomend High protein low fat...Like look at percentages 65% protien 25% carbs and the rest can just be good natural fats...

[Gutz981]

Oh and lots of carido if you are just looking to drop the weight

[Wierz]

www.fitday.com


Sign up and track what you eat on a daily basis. Figure out what your body needs daily for calories by entering your height, age, weight, and activity level and you'll be given a rough estimate for the calories you need to eat each day to maintain what you have. Example (made up numbers, each person is different):

If you are a moderately active person of a certain height and weight, your body may need 2700 calories per day to function and to support your activities. If you eat 3200 calories a day, your body will most likely store (as fat) any calories above what it absolutely needs (in this case you'd have eaten 500 more calories than you needed). When you exercise consistently and eat consistenly under your body's daily caloric needs, your body will have no choice but to burn what it has stored (in your case, what's covering up your six-pack).

The other half is making sure that the calories you eat daily are from quality sources. Complex carbs, protein, and unsaturated fats are a good place to start. Calories from a Big Mac aren't created equally to calories from baked chicken and mashed potatoes. Use the fitday.com food tracker to try to maintain a healthy diet. There's lots of other info on diets and and exercise but a general rule of thumb that I use is 30+ minutes of cardio is necessary every day, or every other day at least, to be able to lose weight.

my 2 cents... good luck

[VAHunter50CAL]

simple...............eat less, move more...............anything else is just good advertising

[Vitalize]

:withstupi Could'nt have said it better myself.
And congratlations on getting married :whip:

[danlifter]

Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day, eat lots of protein moderate carbs and healthy fats, and exercise and i guarantee you drop the weight