Question for my wife

[jds22]

She is trying to lose some body fat. She is 5'7" and 127lbs, she'd llike to lose about 10lbs. She's been cutting cals, I'm guessing she's taking in 1000-1200, and doing about 60 mins of treadmil 5 times per week, no weight training at all. So far after a little more than 3 weeks, she's only lost 2lbs. What do you think the problem is? Too few cals, too much cardio, or both?

Thanks,
Jerry

[getfit]

why don't you post up her diet so we can have a look?

why no weight training?

[Unholy]

Weight training would give her a firmer feel than cardio, and if she can do weight training 60 minutees 4-5 times a week she can loose some flab, And on a side note "squatting akes the ghetto booty"

[jds22]

I'll have to talk to her tonight about her diet. I know she's drinking a protein shake for breakfast, eating at lunch, and another shake for dinner. I'm not sure on the total cals though.

She really doesn't like lifting, but if I remember right, a few summers ago she lost about 15lbs with a lifting + cardio.

Jerry

[getfit]

I'll have to talk to her tonight about her diet. I know she's drinking a protein shake for breakfast, eating at lunch, and another shake for dinner. I'm not sure on the total cals though.

She really doesn't like lifting, but if I remember right, a few summers ago she lost about 15lbs with a lifting + cardio.

Jerry

exactly! just ask her tonight! and if she wants to post it up we can help her!

[ddegroff]

Also you said she eats a shake in the am, lunch, and a shake in the pm. I would have her try to eat 4-6 meals just make them a little smaller so she hits her cals. Three meals a day is counter productive for losing fat.

[Unholy]

Loosing fat is about calories consumed vs burned, it is not counter productive to loosing fat.

[ddegroff]

But also if you go long peroids of times between meals your body learns that it needs to store energy, so if you eat 4-6 meals then your body learns that its going to get energy every few hours so it doesnt store the energy as much. But yes you lose fat as with cals burned vs. cals taken in.

[Unholy]

it takes alot longer than a few hours to deplete glycogen stores. your body wont start shutting down after a few hours. It ussualy takes a few days.

[pfc3rex]

I think I need to get my wife signed up then! She just delivered about three months ago, and is desperately trying to lose the weight she gained so far she's doing an outstanding job but women.. you know how they react.

[Built]

I started out back about 20 years ago doing cardio with calorie restriction.

I dieted my way UP to 170 lbs doing this.

Her cals are far too low, and if she doesn't start to focus on her lifting and reduce her cardio, she'll fall into the same trap.

She won't put on muscle if she eats below maintenance. What she WILL do is convince her body to drop fat instead of muscle.

[rookiebldr]

Consuming more meals during the day will keep the metabolism running burning that food throughout the day.

[ElPietro]

The "lotsa small meals/metabolism" stuff has been disproven quite a bit recently, so don't worry about how many times the person eats. Just worry about what they are eating.

The problem with many folks, is that they judge their looks by the number on a scale. I bet she could look way better, and way leaner, by gaining 10 lbs. Of course you risk getting slapped doing so. Tell her to weight train and up the calories. She could potentially lose 10 lbs, look just as soft, and the only difference is less energy, and a defeatist attitude from trying.

Until we all walk around with our weight in lbs or kg flashing over our heads, I'm pretty sure the mirror is a better judge of looks than a scale.

[Built]

The main benefit to me of consuming 6 meals daily is appetite control.

Even if she neither gains nor loses any weight overall, lifting will make her look firmer (that mythical "toned" look).

[eastbaylifter]

The "lotsa small meals/metabolism" stuff has been disproven quite a bit recently

I respectfully disagree. It might be variable to the individual, but for me personally eating 6 meals a day allowed me to burn off the fat that didn't come off before when I was doing 3 meals. Appetite control is part of it, but so is regulating insulin and keeping your body in an anabolic state.

[Unholy]

The "lotsa small meals/metabolism" stuff has been disproven quite a bit recently, so don't worry about how many times the person eats. Just worry about what they are eating.

I knew I read that somewere, And Ryuage flamed me for it

[ElPietro]

Does anyone here even realize that meals don't get instantly digested the moment you put it in your mouth?

If it's for appetite control fine, but I could argue that three bigger meals keeps me feeling much more satiated than a bunch of small ones. I feel full that way. If I eat a bunch of small meals, I never feel full, and tend to over-snack.

As for regulating insulin, that is BS. That doesn't even make sense. The only time insulin should even be a concern is post workout, unless you are a diabetic. If you think that somehow you are becoming carb depleted in a few hours of normal every day activity, then you are wrong.

If all the little meals somehow make you feel that you can track your eating better, or adhere to diet, fine, go ahead and do so, but don't think it's because of false assumptions based on psuedo-science.

[Built]

Does anyone here even realize that meals don't get instantly digested the moment you put it in your mouth?

If it's for appetite control fine, but I could argue that three bigger meals keeps me feeling much more satiated than a bunch of small ones. I feel full that way. If I eat a bunch of small meals, I never feel full, and tend to over-snack.

Um, that's what appetite control means.

As for regulating insulin, that is BS. That doesn't even make sense. The only time insulin should even be a concern is post workout, unless you are a diabetic. If you think that somehow you are becoming carb depleted in a few hours of normal every day activity, then you are wrong.

Again, not sure what you're getting at here. I only consume carbs in the meals immediately before and after I lift. I don't get much of an insulin response through the day other than this, by design: it makes me too hungry. But I rely on macronutrient timing. And there's hard science to back THAT one up.

If all the little meals somehow make you feel that you can track your eating better, or adhere to diet, fine, go ahead and do so, but don't think it's because of false assumptions based on psuedo-science.

As I said earlier, the big deal for me is appetite control. For some of the younger lads here who are bulking for the first time, the opposite also holds - it makes it easier for them to deliberately overeat since they don't have to stuff in as much food all at once.

[Wierz]

Has she tried HIIT vs. her normal 60 mins of same-pace cardio?

My girlfriend just started HIIT and in the 3 weeks she's been doing that rather than her hour long cardio session, she says she feels like it accomplishes more and she gets more out of it.

Also, I don't know what her maintenance calories are, but 1000-1200 calories a day seems very low I understand why she wants to eat so few calories because my girlfriend does the same thing now. I'm trying to get her to do more lifting to build muscle, telling her that will help. You should try the same with her maybe. Btw, 5'7" and 127lbs is not an unhealthy weight at all. ElPietro is right about the weight thing.

[ryuage]

I knew I read that somewere, And Ryuage flamed me for it

flamed you for what?

[ElPietro]

Um, that's what appetite control means.

Again, not sure what you're getting at here. I only consume carbs in the meals immediately before and after I lift. I don't get much of an insulin response through the day other than this, by design: it makes me too hungry. But I rely on macronutrient timing. And there's hard science to back THAT one up.


As I said earlier, the big deal for me is appetite control. For some of the younger lads here who are bulking for the first time, the opposite also holds - it makes it easier for them to deliberately overeat since they don't have to stuff in as much food all at once.

Um, I'm not sure if you are understanding the arguements I'm addressing at all.

People are arguing the small meals because it has a significant impact on metabolic rate. I said that this is not true. I also said that IF one found that it helped control appetite then that would be a valid reason. For me, I find that more small meals makes me hungrier than fewer big meals. So appetite control is a personal thing, so you can't simply say that this method aids in curbing hunger in all folk.

As for the part about timing, you are timing your meals around events, which isn't the same thing as the hard fast rule of eat lots of meals in a day. What about off-training days?

Ultimately, when you wake up you are starved so you should eat. Trying to get something into you around your workout is obviously a good idea as well. So for times you have reasons to consume certain meals for specific purposes.

But simply eating more small meals all day long to keep metabolism boosted is not an accurate statement, but is one of the first things people spout off when it comes to forming a dietary plan.

Ultimately, you should have a caloric goal, and you should try to eat towards that goal on a daily basis, in whatever is the most convenient method possible, that will insure you hit that goal.

[Built]

N/P. We are in agreement. Thanks for clarifying.

[Unholy]

flamed you for what?

Im sorry I got confused I retract my statement

[jds22]

Btw, 5'7" and 127lbs is not an unhealthy weight at all

I agree. She's 37 and we have two pre-teen boys. She looks really good. Her complaint is that her waistline has diminished and when she stands sideways she sees a bit of a pooch. Nothing major at all.

Thanks again for all of the advice. She is willing to start lifting again and cut back a bit on the cardio. So tonigt I'll set up a simple routine for her.

Jerry

[PhilsterT]

Her cals are far too low, and if she doesn't start to focus on her lifting and reduce her cardio, she'll fall into the same trap.

Built, how does this work? Woudn't see just lose too much weight too quickly and have some body malfunctions? You're saying if you eat too little than you will gain weight?