Hi everyone, this is my first post in the nutrition section. Over the past year I’ve lost about 50 lbs from about 190 to 140 on a 5’7” frame. I’m proud of my accomplishment made possible with lots of running and complete lifestyle change. I went from eating junk food everyday to salads and diet, caffeine free Pepsi lol.
Recently I’ve decided that I want to actually get “fit,” what I mean is that even though I’ve lost a lot of weight I’ve never felt as if I’ve had the strength to go with it. Therefore I’ve started to go to the gym and lift weights and use the machines but I realize that “bulking up” and staying thin cannot be done at the same time. I’ve read a lot of posts that suggest in order to gain muscle one has to consume a lot of calories. Over the past year I believe that a major factor in my weight loss has been the control of the amount of calories I’ve consumed and watching my intake of carbs and fats. I’m afraid that by dramatically increasing my calorie intake I will gain more weight and not muscle. I’d like to know how I can achieve a reasonable balance between the two and what other types of food I should add or take out to make a healthier diet. Below is my current diet (although it does vary often):
Breakfast: Cereal (Special K, Kellogg), non-fat milk, and 1 cup orange juice.
Lunch: Caesar salad (no dressing), 1 can of Diet non-caffeine Pepsi
Dinner: Depends, but mostly red and white meat and sometimes more Caesar salad.
I usually do not eat snacks in between meals
I sometimes eat out at Subways, foot long Roast Beef mmm yumm
I also try to eat three meals a day at 6:30 am, 1 pm, and 7 pm.
Recently I’ve tried to incorporate healthy snacks between meals (ie crackers and fruits) and trying to eliminate all the carbonated drinks to just water.
Recently I’ve decided that I want to actually get “fit,” what I mean is that even though I’ve lost a lot of weight I’ve never felt as if I’ve had the strength to go with it. Therefore I’ve started to go to the gym and lift weights and use the machines but I realize that “bulking up” and staying thin cannot be done at the same time. I’ve read a lot of posts that suggest in order to gain muscle one has to consume a lot of calories. Over the past year I believe that a major factor in my weight loss has been the control of the amount of calories I’ve consumed and watching my intake of carbs and fats. I’m afraid that by dramatically increasing my calorie intake I will gain more weight and not muscle. I’d like to know how I can achieve a reasonable balance between the two and what other types of food I should add or take out to make a healthier diet. Below is my current diet (although it does vary often):
Breakfast: Cereal (Special K, Kellogg), non-fat milk, and 1 cup orange juice.
Lunch: Caesar salad (no dressing), 1 can of Diet non-caffeine Pepsi
Dinner: Depends, but mostly red and white meat and sometimes more Caesar salad.
I usually do not eat snacks in between meals
I sometimes eat out at Subways, foot long Roast Beef mmm yumm
I also try to eat three meals a day at 6:30 am, 1 pm, and 7 pm.
Recently I’ve tried to incorporate healthy snacks between meals (ie crackers and fruits) and trying to eliminate all the carbonated drinks to just water.
