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View Full Version : nutrition for fat-loss and NO muscle building



lwdinva
01-28-2005, 04:24 PM
Hi all,

I wrote a couple months back about my inability to lose weight despite adhering to an intense weight training/cardio routine, and eating 95 percent clean.

I thought my calories were so low, that my metabolism had slowed. I found through testing that my metabolism is actually faster than predicted. So I think maybe I eat too much, and am not counting the little nibbles. I'm not sure, though, 'cause I really try to count everything.

Anyway, I am REALLY tired of people telling me I'm a big girl, a strong girl (and at 35, I'm not really a girl!) I LOOK big, my breasts are too big, and I have a good amount of thickness of fat on my belly and arms, especially.

I do NOT want to gain more muscle. I can feel/see muscles, and they're as big as i want them right now. what I do want is to lose fat.
Progressive cardio might not work for me, as I've been doing 4-6 days of between 40 and 70 minute cardios for as long as I remember (with some variation, though), and don't have time for much more.

I'm cutting out any whole grains and starchy carbs, and bread (I only ate whole-grain or sprouted bread in the first place).

I'm not sure what my ratios should look like, though. I WAS eating about 50-30-20 of c-p-f ratio. But if I cut my carbs, I don't know how much to increase the fat. I guess I'm trying for a caloric intake of about 1300-1500.

My questions are :
1. What should my ratios look like?
2. What should my cardio/weight training regime look like given the goals (maintain muscle, decrease fat). I'd even be willing to lose a little muscle if it meant I look smaller. I really look huge.

Sorry if this offends any bodybuilders looking to be bigger! I'm just at a different point in my training life right now.

And thanks for all your help,

ld

Emma-Leigh
01-28-2005, 10:28 PM
I do NOT want to gain more muscle. I can feel/see muscles, and they're as big as i want them right now. what I do want is to lose fat.

Progressive cardio might not work for me, as I've been doing 4-6 days of between 40 and 70 minute cardios for as long as I remember (with some variation, though), and don't have time for much more.

I'm cutting out any whole grains and starchy carbs, and bread (I only ate whole-grain or sprouted bread in the first place).

I'm not sure what my ratios should look like, though. I WAS eating about 50-30-20 of c-p-f ratio. But if I cut my carbs, I don't know how much to increase the fat. I guess I'm trying for a caloric intake of about 1300-1500.

My questions are :
1. What should my ratios look like?
2. What should my cardio/weight training regime look like given the goals (maintain muscle, decrease fat). I'd even be willing to lose a little muscle if it meant I look smaller. I really look huge.

Sorry if this offends any bodybuilders looking to be bigger! I'm just at a different point in my training life right now.

And thanks for all your help,

ld
For your diet -
If you really want to go 'no grain' then I would look into something like the paleolithic diet - at least that way you get lots of nuts, seeds, vegetables and meats. You could also look the into pericone diet (the skin man). A lot of the stuff he advocates is good. If you are going to do the 'whole hog' then I would also cut out dairy...

As for ratio's -
Anything around 40-50% protein, 30-40% fats, 20-30% carbs could work. It all depends on your body. Some people also do 30% protein, 50% fats, 20% carbs.


For your training -
1. continue to train with weights, but do not increase the weight you use. Train heavy, in the 8 to 12 rep range, but don't necessarily go to failure - stop just before failure. If you don't keep increasing the demand on your muscles then they will have no reason to adapt and therefore there will be no growth.

2. Cardio is going to be difficult for you... Just keep shocking your body. Never let it 'adjust' to a routine. Change things daily. Work HARD and make sure your heart-rate gets well above your 'range'. I would also make sure you don't spend the rest of the day on your butt - make sure you are generally active in your daily life (this actually contributes more to energy expenditure than anything you could do in a gym).

lwdinva
01-29-2005, 07:05 AM
Emma-Leigh,

THANK YOU for your reply. I'll say it again: You really are a gem.

I'm currently having some carbs for breakfast (blueberries or grapefruit), and then cut them the rest of the day. And I'm oh-so-hungry...

As for daily activities - well, I have a dog who gets walked 3x a day, and I'm otherwise pretty antsy, so I think all is OK in that area. Hope I can do this!!!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Emma-Leigh
01-29-2005, 03:02 PM
Emma-Leigh,

THANK YOU for your reply. I'll say it again: You really are a gem.

I'm currently having some carbs for breakfast (blueberries or grapefruit), and then cut them the rest of the day. And I'm oh-so-hungry...

As for daily activities - well, I have a dog who gets walked 3x a day, and I'm otherwise pretty antsy, so I think all is OK in that area. Hope I can do this!!!

Have a wonderful weekend.

You are welcome...

Make sure you are getting fats and proteins in that breakfast as well. So something like an egg white omette with some salmon and vegetables with a walnut, grapefruit and berry salad on the side would be good.

You could have a little more carbs during the day (an apple or more berries something like that) - so you might not have to limit it to breakfast only.

If you do limit it to breakfast only then you will have to increase your fats markedly (ratio of 10-20% carbs, 40% protein and 40-50% fats).

Also - with your weight training, another way you could go would be a strength only protocol - that means LOW rep (under 4). And short, intense sessions...


Good luck.

kkschaef
01-30-2005, 04:44 AM
instead of the fruit for breakfast have some oats instead with protein. You should still have a complex carb into your diet. And than just have veggies and fruit for the rest of the day with protein at each meal and some good fats such as flaxseed.. As for cardio try adding some intervals in a couple times a week. that will definatley shock your body and with intervals 30 min. should do. There really is no reason to go longer than 60 min. for cardio with steady state. More is not always better.

lwdinva
01-30-2005, 02:56 PM
Hey, KKShaef,

Actually, I've been doing tough, HIIT sessions for 6 months now. I vary from the stair gauntlet (harder than a stairmaster, imo), and sprints/hills. Times vary, too. I do some plyometric training too.

Today, actually, I did some speedwork and plyo combos, and that seemed to be different enough to give me some nice soreness in my butt.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that at this point, the kind of HIIT I've been doing isn't shocking my system. .. I need to find new exercises.