can i have compulsive eating disorder? aw :(

[ana banana]

hi its me again eh............i am so sorry for posting so much stuff dont wanna seem annoying but uh well when you guys have cheat days do you still eat 5 meals a day? granted only one as a 'cheat'? or keep it nice and simple and eat one huge one and 2 small ones? hmmmm i am very distraught with my eating habbits. Emma, if you read this i THINK i am following what you said i should eat, but if you have time granted if you dont i totally understand....but uh....am i not eating enough?? i just binge like a family of ogres and it kills, maybe i have some sort of compulsive eating disorder? could it be the case?? (also PW if i want to just have whey and dextrose, how much dextrose should i eat? and in which form, powder?)

MONDAY APRIL 19
8:00 M1: half cup oatmeal, half cup soy, scoop of soy protein, flax, rasps
11:00 M2: first bar (SOON ALL TO BE THROWN OUT ïƒ_ burnt protein  )
12:30 GYM
2:00 Stone bars I made (206kcal, 29g protein, 14.6g carb)
4:00 M3: Tuna, veggies, rye bread
7:00 M4: 4 egg whites, turkey ham, veggies
10:00 M5: cottage cheese, walnuts, rasps
_________________________________________________

TUESDAY
8:00 M1: half cup OM, half cup soy, scoop of soy protein, flax, rasps
11:00 M2: 2 first bar (SOON ALL TO BE THROWN OUT they are stones )
2:30 M3: Salmon, WN, Cottage, Rye, Veggies (spch, toms), ½ bar, OM, soy
6:00 M3: Sardines, Tomato, lettuce
9:00 M4: cup Cottage, 2 whites
____________________________________________


9:00 M1: one cup OM, 2 scoops soy protein, flax, rasps (as pw meal)
11:00 M2: GYM
1:00 M3: Shake, (40g of whey, half cup oats, cup of soymilk)
4:00 M4: Mackerel, toast
7:00 M5: PIZZA, 2 croissants, 1 cinnamon roll, peanut butter sandwich
10:00 M6: Coronation chicken, bread, Cottage cheese
_______________________________________________
THURS
8:30 M1: half cup OM, scoop protein, flax, some CC
11:00 M2: Cinnamon Myoplex (forgot my pancakes, crisis)
12:30 GYM
2:00 M3: Shake, half cup OM
4:30 M4: Tuna, broccoli, Spinach, Sprouts
8:00 M5: 2 pancakes…
11:00 M6: cup CC, WN, broccoli
______________________________________________
9:00 M1: OM, soymilk, soy protein, flax
11:30 GYM
2:30 M2: Shake
4:30 M3: Salmon with rye, tomatoes, zucchini, cottage
7:30 M4: 3 Eggs, 2 pancakes, veggies, cottage
10:30 M5: Cottage, WN


________________________________________________
SATURDAY


9:00 M1: OM, 2 scoops, soymilk
11:30 GYM
1:30 M2: SHAKE
4:00 M2: Trout, veggies, Cottage
7:00 M3: Trout veggies, tomatoes, cottage, pancake
10:00 M4: Turkey, Cottage, WN (usually like 5 halves)
__________________________________________________
SUNDAY
9:00 M1: OM with soy milk, WN, whey protein
12:30 M2: 2 pancakes, with spinach and Cottage
3:30 M3: WN, Cottage, ½ pancake
6:30 M4~5: Meat, + + + Veggies, + + CHOCOLATE, Banana
10:00 M6: Cottage
________________________________
8:00 M1: OM, soy milk, protein powder
11:00 M2: 3 pancakes
2:00 SHAKE
4:00 M3: Salmon, spinach, rye, tomatoes, Cottage
7:00 M4: Salmon, 3 whites, 1 pancake, tomatoes, cottage
10:00 M5: Cup of Cottage, WN, pancake, half rye bread…
______________________________________________
8:00 M1: OM, soymilk, protein
11:00 M2: 3 pancakes
2:00 SHAKE
4:00 M3: Salmon, Veggies (spinach, sprouts), rye
7:00 M4: Turkey Veggies (spinach tomato) rye
10:00 M5: Cottage, WN

_______________________________________________
8:00 M1: OM, WHEY (ran out of soy) milk
10:30 M2: Pancakes
1:30 SHAKE
4:00 M3: Salmon, veggies, rye sweet potato
7:00 M4: Tuna, veggies
10:00 M5: CC, pancake
______________________________________
THURSDAY
8:00 M1: OM, WHEY, milk, piece of bread
11:00 M2: two pancakes, pear
2:30 M3: turkey, rye, spinach, CC, little salmon
6:00 M4: 2 whites, Spinach…WHEY, WN
9:00 M5: CC, WN
_____________________________________________
FRIDAy
8:00 M1: OM, WHEY, milk…pear
11:00 M2: 2 pancakes
2:00 SHAKE
4:00 M3: Salmon, veggies, half potato with CC
7:00 M4: Protein Bar (emergency) (or pancakes?)
10:00 M5: WN’S, (emergency)
_______________________________________________
SATURDAY
9:30 M1: OM, WHEY, soymilk
1:30-3:00 M2: 2 huge pancakes with butter and syrop, tuna mayo sandwich, chicken mayo sandwich, baguette, pork chop, avocado, bacon, bunch of cheese, half can of refried beans, more bread with margarine (FELT SICK-WAAAAAA)

SO should i ditch my cheat meals? It just doesnt seem like i eat enough in one day somtimes, and others it seems like too much its so hard to count always you know? ...booooo....

[kariev34]

i can relate about feeling like you have a compusive eating dissorder. i feel the same way sometimes. You should sit down one day and add up all of your cals that you take in and see if its enough. I found out that i haven't been eating enough and i just started adding an additional 300 cal to my diet so we will see if that helps with my weekly binge. When i cheat i still eat my mini meals throughout the day. A cheat meal should replace one of your regular healthy meals and then just continue to eat healthy for the rest of the day. I have been going all out on my cheats lately (extra 2-3000 cal) and they have been all out binges and i thats when i decided to look at my diet and make sure i am eating enough and getting enough healthy carbs b/c i am very active. what is your training like? hope this helps

[ana banana]

monday: legs, tuesday: cardio 45m, wed: biceps, shoulders 20m cardio, thursff, friday:chest shoulders ticps, 20m cardio, sat: cardio45, sunday: off thanks for ur posts brilliant to know someone to relate to, i reckon too that having your cheat meals at restaurants keeps it more in tune maybe, (i think i binge this intensely coz i am beyond stressed i find but even acknowledging that doesnt really make it go away you know...and the stuff people usually say, of "no food can taste better than being in shape feels" and all this "remember how you felt last time" doesnt quite seem to do it for me, dunno...) ill start counting my cals for a week and try to get a precise number i always reckon its uh 1300 to 1900 roughly hahhaha i really dont like calculation but ya who knows ill give this a shot cheers

[Emma-Leigh]

Ana - I think you are getting WAY to consumed by this. You need to step back and stop yourself from going crazy - food, diet and training is NOT YOUR LIFE!! As soon a you let it become your life you will spiral into a self-distructive disordered eating pattern and before you know it you will be working yourself into a full blown eating disorder.

You need to stop thinking about it for a while... Seriously... Just RELAX... Take a deep breath. The more you focus on restricting yourself and denying yourself and counting every little thing you put near your mouth, the more obsessed and controlled you will become and the more likely you will be to 'break out' and eat everything in site...

It is about finding a healthy balance...

Now - I know that I start to crave foods if I drop my cals below about 1800/2000 cals. I NEED at least this amount of calories to function on a daily level... At the moment I am at an average of 2200 - 2400 cals a day (ment to be 'gaining', but I am not gaining anything at all - I am maintaining at this cal level, so I think I need to add a little more on top of this).

You may be the same - so you may be eating too little and, as a result, you are 'binging' because you are finally letting your control off and you don't know how to pull up.

What you need to do is just set up some 'good food rules' that you should follow and then leave it at that - something like:

1. 5 to 6 meals a day
2. Whole foods where possible
3. Protein in each meal
4. Good amount of essential fats
5. Low GI carbs
6. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
7. Water, water, water....

Make a rough 'list' of meals and recipes that fill these criteria eg:
* Breaky is 1/2 cup dry oats, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1 scoop soy powder and some fresh berries
* Protein pancakes fit breaky well
* 120g of tuna, 1/2 cup brown rice, some vegetables and a small peice of fruit is a good lunch meal
* 120g chicken with 3/4 cup kidney beans, a big salad and a small peice of fruit is also a good lunch meal
* An omlette with 2 whole eggs and 4 egg whites with 2 cups vegetables makes a good evening meal
* A peice of salmon (~ 150g cooked) and lots of steamed vegetables is also a good evening meal
* cottage cheese with some walnuts and fresh berries is a good late night snack
* Snacks can be home-made muffins; home-made bars; hard-boiled egg and some walnuts; fat-free yoghurts mixed with cottage cheese, oats and berries; Fruit and a peice of toast with a can of tuna... The list is endless.

Just work out a few meals that you enjoy and that work for you and that have a good amount of calories for your needs - then you do not have to worry about it all the time!

You do not have to 'count' - most of us do, but some people find it too restrictive and they get too obsessed with it.. You can try to just eat healthy foods for a little while and see if you are still craving/wanting to binge - if you are, add a little more healthy foods to your diet (eg: Add some more vegetables to your meals... increase your portions of proteins, increase your portions of low GI carbs) and see how you go...

You may even find it benificial just to 'take a week off'. Eat like a normal person for a few days - don't count, don't restict yourself, don't think about what you are eating. Just relax. Go out to meals with friends and have a healthy, satisfying (but controlled) meal... It may help....

Your training is looking good - so keep that going!




Oh - and re the shake - personally I stick to oats rather than dextrose - but if you want to go for dextrose then I feel that about 30 - 40g of carbs (from the powdered form) mixed into your shake will be a good amount...

[Emma-Leigh]

ps:

I want you to go read this link here... It may shed some light on your situation...

http://river-centre.org/StarvSympt.html

Also - evaluate how long you have been 'dieting' and 'hard-core training' for... If you have been at it for longer than about 12 to 16 weeks then I suggest you take a week off and then start back in at a higher calorie level and a lower cardio level - then you can slowly start to work away again, increasing your cardio slightly and decreasing your cals (if needed) to get the results you want.

Don't just keep 'plugging away' if you are getting upset, tired, obsessive and you are NOT getting results...

[ana banana]

Emma youre the bomb, youre right i think i have given this too much importance therefore becoming OBSESSED, im just going through a lot of uni-induced-stress.....the article is amazing we studied the effects of eating disorders in individuals in psychology lecture as well and i partly related to a lot which was scary- thank you tons for all your help, i think this is the ffifth time youve saved me from insanity/heavily-misinformed-'knowledge' -and thrown me in the right path i cant thank you enough do you study to become a doctor or nutritionist or something related to physiotherapy? all your articles are brilliant- write a book i say, make millions

[kitty_no3]

just wondering how much you grls weigh, height etc and how much cardio you average a week, as im trying to figure out what cal intake i should have on a daily basis for my activity level...

great posts, really helpful!

[kariev34]

i weigh 113 lbs and am 5'3. I do intense cardio ( HR at 80-85 max) for 45 min 3x's per week and on my non cardio days i lift weights 3 x's per week. i also do 45 min of yoga or pilates 3x's per week and i am just overall active outside of my sceduled routine. How are you doing ana bananna? everything is going good here. i kindof just had the urge to eat a bunch of ice cream but i held back and it went away in like 5 min. hope all is well. bye

[ana banana]

hi kariev im 5'6 weigh 125 hahhahaa i love it how youre also super active and in healthy weight and obsess like i about the fatness factor, bless. I am doing fantastic, been eating more than I used to and i feel great, yesterday i had my favourite thing on earth grilled salmon with sage and lemon on cotage cheese and zuchinnis all on top of a crispy slice of rye bread, MMMMMM you MUST try its its beyond words, and ya ive been eating loads of healthy stuff and decided healthy food IS a treat on itself. I mean,ok ben and jerrys chocolate brownie, a tub, hum, vs a protein pancake with cinammon and apple? i mean it DOES compare u know, difference is one helps you worry the other helps you get fitter so aye, also ive been de-obsessing by keeping myself busy doing a lot of stuff vs thinking about food hahahhaa. Oh i am going to post how it started on our binging-emotional-support post lol talk to ya soon cheers

[powerstar]

hi emma,
i was curious as to your height / weight and body composition
( i was reading your post about your caloric intake ... makes me think i am not eating enough) thanks. do you follow about 40/40/20 ?

[Amy1]

not eating enough most definitely leads to overeating as i have experianced first hand. too bad it took me so long to realize.....
but try to establish a set diet in which you consume enough food so that you are not hungry. also eat when you are hungry. when you deny yourself food you lead your body to cravings which results in huge binges. not good. im currently in the process of kicking this habit for good.....and allowing myself to eat is definitely helping.
good luck to you all.

[Emma-Leigh]

Originally posted by powerstar
hi emma,
i was curious as to your height / weight and body composition
( i was reading your post about your caloric intake ... makes me think i am not eating enough) thanks. do you follow about 40/40/20 ?

Hey

At the moment I am despirately trying to add some mass after some poor judgement in relation to my energy needs when in a highly stressful couple of weeks (go here to read if you are really interested: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hreadid=250159

Arggg!! All that muscle - I was SOOOO PEEVED (angry at myself for letting work get on top of me like that)!

So before that incident (when I hit 5'6, 116 pounds and 9% BF) I was a much healthier 124 pounds, 5'6 and ~ 12-14% BF. But currently I am 5'6 (hee hee... Nope, more food does not make you taller ), ~118 pounds (weight is coming back slowly) and I would guestimate ~10-12% BF (although I have not got it measured since the measurement in that thread).

Diet wise (as you can see in that thread) I follow roughly 30% carbs, 50% protein, 20% fats on some days and 40% carbs, 45% protein and 15% fats on others.

For me it is not just about 'calorie %', rather it is more about total grams - you can create diets horribly deficient in a particular macronutrient if you follow a strict '% dietry ratio' rather than looking at how many grams of particular macro's you are getting.

eg: Although on some days my carb percentage is technically 'low' (30%) I am still eating 180g of carbs - and this is still adequate considering my BW (1.5g/pound). Same with dietry fats - although 15% would be 'low' if you were on a lesser calorie intake (say 1500 cals, which would leave fats as only 25g) as I am eating a high calorie level I am still getting 40g - which is still adequate for someone my size (0.34g/pound). (My minimum healthy 'cut off' for fats is ~ 0.25 to 0.3g/pound, or ~ 30 to 35g fats for me) .

Protein is high (2.3g/pound) - and it far exceeds my anabolic capacity, however I feel that there are many metabolic and physiological benifits of higher dietry protein intakes (more thermogenic, stimulation of growth factors - including bone growth factors) etc etc so I like to keep it high. Technically, protein intake should usually be 'topped out' at ~ 2g/pound - but I am getting good (albeit slow) results from this split so I am going to leave it there.

Anyway - I certainly don't advocate that everyone tries this type of split - and the 40%, 40%, 20% split works for LOTS of people! It is also very easy to follow and allows a good dietry intake of all macronutrients!

As for what intake you need - well, that depends on a few things:
1. activity level
2. diet composition
3. body composition
You may well need more food than you think - so experient and see what works for you!

Why I need this cal intake is partly because of my workouts/activity level - I follow the workouts in that thread and my life is generally pretty active - I am up at 5.20am every morning and I am on the go until ~ 6 or 7 when I get home. I am in bed by 10-10.30pm.... So I NEED the energy!

Due to the (slightly) higher protein intake in my diet I also have a (slightly) higher thermogenic need for my food intake (meaning more energy is used to convert the food I eat into energy for my body) and thus, this increases my need as well.

Lastly, as my BF is pretty low it means that of my overall (somewhat small) weight, I have a high % of lean tissue - meaning that my cal intake needs to be higher than someone of the same stats but higher bf% (muscle needs fuel).

Anyway, hope that answers some of the questions.

[ana banana]

hi emma, i was wondering you say you eat about 50% protein sometimes, isnt that like over 200gs? i thought excess protein is turned to fat? i wanted to ask you, is it better to have all meals with the ratio, i mean be it 40-40-20, or overall? because i dont remember i think my dad was talking about how combining carbs with fat in a meal isnt as good as doing prot with fat and having the carbs separate in another meal without fat....? and uh yeah im trying to still get rid of some chunkiness on my lower abs which is sad because my upper abs are solid so i was wondering how many g's of carbs do you reckon i should eat approximately(wanting to 'cut')? Ahhh summer is near hoooraaay, by the way emma ur post u send me back in begginin of april with the change of my routine and eatin etc has been amaazing my arms r incredible and im gettin sculpted like a greek statue even with the occasional family cheat meals for one

[Emma-Leigh]

Originally posted by ana banana
hi emma, i was wondering you say you eat about 50% protein sometimes, isnt that like over 200gs? i thought excess protein is turned to fat?

Yup - I eat ~ 260-270g protein a day (as I said - ~ 2.3g/pound). And, although this is excessive in terms of my bodies ability to use those amino acids in anabolism of muscle tissue the excess will be shuttled into energy pathways for the formation of glucose and, after my glucose requirements are met, they can form fatty acids/fat. So yes, the excess protein has the potential to 'turn to fat'...

However, it is not the fact that it is 'excess protein' that makes this a possibility - it is the excess of overall calories that I am consuming that increases my potential for energy storage. This is because my body will not be using all the energy I give it for daily maintainence, so if I ate an excess of calories from fats or from carbs then the same thing would result - I would end up storing the majority excess energy in some form.

Now, as it that same excess in calories that also helps your body form other tissues as well - a good diet with a slightly higher calorie requirement than you need, when combined with a good weight routine (to stimulate tissue growth) will hopefully shuttle those extra calories into creating more muscle tissue!!

Although this is not always the case as you can form muscle tissue on an isocalorific diet (maintainence calories) but this is limited once you hit a low BF - At first it works because your body mobilises your fat tissue to help meet its energy needs, but once you hit low BF levels, your body is less 'willing' to do this, and you stop making gains, stagnate in your growth and even cause your body to catabolise your own muscle tissue to meet its energy needs... Thus, as my BF% is low I NEED an excess in calories to meet my desire for increased muscle mass - and HOPEFULLY the majority of the growth that occurs will be firm and not giggly!

My choice for having those extra calories coming from an excess of protein is because, of all the macronutrients (carbs, fats or protein), it is more thermogenically expensive - It takes more energy for the protein you eat to be converted to an energy source that is usable by the body (glucose and glycogen), and even MORE energy to be converted to fatty acids (aka fat). This means they create less net energy per calorie digested - meaning you can eat more!! YAY! Of all the macro's you want to create that 'excess' calorie content, fats would be lowest on the list as they have the LEAST thermogenic effect, meaning that an excess is usually pretty easily converted to fat.

By having more protein it also means that I am pretty much assured that I am meeting my amino requirements - so I have no worries about having the amino acids available for anabolism. Also, the growth factors that are stimulated via this higher protein intake mean that my body is 'triggered' to lay down active tissues like bones and muscle, rather than the butt expanding flubber that I am trying to avoid growing .

i wanted to ask you, is it better to have all meals with the ratio, i mean be it 40-40-20, or overall? because i dont remember i think my dad was talking about how combining carbs with fat in a meal isnt as good as doing prot with fat and having the carbs separate in another meal without fat....?

At the end of the day it is really six of one, half a dozen of another. There is NOT any real reason to completely seperate fats and carbs in a meal IF those fats are good, unsaturated fats and those carbs are healthy, high fibre low GI carbs.

This is because the synergistic effect that results in the risk of fat storage when people talk of carbs and fats in the same meal is only really relavant when considered in relation to SATURATED fats and 'bad' carbohydrates. It is also in relation to a poor diet overall (that is, not enough protein, poor EFA intake and poor carbohydrates).

Also - it is (once again) that EXCESS CALORIE intake that will result in fat storage - so you could eat fats and carbs till your blue in the face and AS LONG as your overall energy intake was less than your needs then the body will not create fat. Sure, you would be unhealthy as hell and would have absolutely NO muscle tissue, but you would not be CREATING fat (although, due to your bodies absolute need for amino acids you would slowly be catabolising your own muscle tissue - and this would result in a decreased metabolic rate - which would mean you would consistantly have to also decrease your calorie intake to make sure you remained under your calorie needs).

Also - it comes down to your bodies immediate energy requirements at the time of your meal. If your bodies overall energy needs at the time of eating was overwhelmed - then it will automatically result in energy storage and this can cause fat storage. As fats and carbs are both 'energy foods' then it is easier to overwhelm your immediate energy requirements if you have a big meal of just these two macronutrients - meaning you can increase your likelihood of IMMEDIATE fat storage... however, as long as your requirements for the day are not 'overwhelmed' that fat SHOULD be mobilised later to fill your energy needs.... (although, as your muscle tissue will also be mobilised when you have an inadequate calorie intake it means that overtime you can slowly alter your body composition - increasing your fat and decreasing your muscle tissue).

BUT, if your overall calorie intake fills your requirements (that is, you are getting adequate proteins and essential fatty acids) then you should not have a problem because it means when you are spliting your meals into appropriate calorie sizes and you are making sure you get your required protein intake in that meal (for someone your size that would be at least 25 - 30g/meal) then there is NO WAY that you can get enough combined fats/carbs in that meal as well to cause that kind of 'overwhelming energy' factor that causes excessive fat storage - eg: If your meals are ~300 cals each - that means ~120 cals is coming from protein and 180 cals from fats/carbs. Even if you split that to be 90 cals from carbs (22.5g) and 90 cals from fats (10g) then it is not an a lot of either of these things!

Think about it - It is roughly equivalant to:
30g oatmeal (115 cals, 18g carbs, 3.8g protein, 2.5g fats)
1 scoop protein powder (~120 cals, 1g carb, 25g protein, 1g fat)
10g walnuts (65 cals, 0.4g carbs, 1.3g protein, 6.1g fats)
TOTAL = 300 cals, 21.4g carbs, 30.1g protein, 9.6g fat

In NO WAY is that a BAD MEAL! It is an EXCELLENT meal - you are getting a good low GI carb with lots of soluble and insoluble fibre and LOTS of nutrients PLUS you are getting 9.6g of HEALTHY fats - with LOTS of EFA - ESPECIALLY the all important omega-3 fats!! You can't go wrong with a meal like this!

The reason why my meals tend to 'split' carbs and fats is because I like to have higher carb meals aroung my workouts and earlier in the day when I need lots of energy - so I 'fill' my carb requirements with these meals. This means my evening meals need more fats in them (to act as an energy source when in combination with my protein). So I get an automatic semi 'seperation' of fats and carbs.

Anyway, Alan gives a great explaination here:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...0&pagenumber=1

im trying to still get rid of some chunkiness on my lower abs which is sad because my upper abs are solid so i was wondering how many g's of carbs do you reckon i should eat approximately(wanting to 'cut')?

Once again, it is not just about one macro - it is about your overall calorie intake.

As you are cutting I would suggest you hit ~ 150 to 190g of protein (1.2 to 1.5g/pound) per day. Say 170g to average. That is 680 cals. Then, I would not drop fats under 0.3g/pound. So give yourself 37.5 - 40g of fat/day. That is 338 - 360 cals. Say 350 cals for an average. So, that is 1030 cals so far. That means if you eat ~ 1800 cals you get an extra 770 cals - which (if you 'filled' this with carbs) would be 190g of carbs.

Alternatively, you could decrease this carb intake and 'fill' those calories with more healthy fats or more protein.

The amount of carbs you need want will also depend on how active you are - as you are pretty active and you are not compition cutting (rather you are just trying to 'get buff') there is no need for you to go 'low carb' and I would not recommend dropping under ~ 160-170g/day for any length of time (it is ok when carb cycling but it will otherwise leave you drained and lead to binging!!).

However, the BEST way you can assess your carb needs is to set a carb intake for a week (say 180g/day) and see how that goes. If you find you are ok on this level then that is great.

If you are on ~ 1800 cals/day then that means you could start at ~ 180g protein, 180g carbs and 40g fats (40: 40: 20) and see what happens. If needed, you can then 'tweak' as needed.

Ahhh summer is near hoooraaay, by the way emma ur post u send me back in begginin of april with the change of my routine and eatin etc has been amaazing my arms r incredible and im gettin sculpted like a greek statue even with the occasional family cheat meals for one

GREAT! I am SO glad that it is working for you!! I am also glad you are letting yourself 'cheat' occasionally - remember, this is PART of your life, it is NOT your life!!! Keep a healthy attitude in terms of how 'controlled' you get with your food and exercise and you can't go wrong!

[GregElder]

I have read hundreds of threads on this site and I have to say this is one of the best if not the best I have read. You write very well and the information is priceless.

Thanks for all the info,

GE

[ChocoChick]

Thank you so much for posting, Emma. You really cut through a lot of the confusing and contradictory statements I've read. Your words make complete sense.

Anytime you want to share the routine you posted for Anna I'll be all ears, er, eyes.

[ana banana]

gosh i tooooottally agree, emma you seriously cant imagine how much youve helped me out with all your informaation, my boyfriend thinks i should build you a shrine from all i talk about what youve told me and how much its helped, but seriously has loads, very influential, informative, and down right useful and has changed me...although emma....sadly, i have realized my legs are getting too muscular, ive put on 4 kilos, my arms are fab but i think my 'cheat days from hell' are cutting my cutting and im flobbing up with muscle and flab, school stress and social stress is eating my strength and my obsession with my body has been the time outs- sad- oh well, either way i know im on the right path and youve shown me how it all works and i really cant ever thank u enough, youve changed my views on so much, and my friends' by clearing up so much confusion and anxiety and oh man...THANK YOU

[Emma-Leigh]

Originally posted by dbflgirl
Thank you so much for posting, Emma. You really cut through a lot of the confusing and contradictory statements I've read. Your words make complete sense.

Anytime you want to share the routine you posted for Anna I'll be all ears, er, eyes.

You are welcome!! Thank you for your kind words!

There is a lot of 'fad' type information out there - but in reality, anything (or anyone) that tells you to "go on this diet you will absolutely loose weight" or "you HAVE to do it this way otherwise you will not see results" or "the ONLY way to do it is like this" is probably not going to do you any good (and will not really give you the results you desire, esp in the long run!).

It is all getting to the real facts about nutrition, training and metabolism (and not just the faddy stuff) and finding what works for YOU and then combining that into a routine and lifestyle that you can live with! That is the real key - you HAVE to be able to maintain the program in the long run and you have to ENJOY what you do! You absolutely have to look at things in the grand scheme of your existance - if you end up restricting yourself so much that you start to hate what you do then there is NO WAY that it is going to work! It is like condeming yourself to a life of yo-yo binging, self-loathing and a downright miserable existance. It is also obvious that it is not going to work!

Generally, nothing that offers a 'short-term fix' for all your body problems is going to work - this is because a lot of problems are not short term problems, they are long standing diet, lifestyle or mental issues that require a long term commitment in order for anything to change (but the companies are not going to tell you that because no one gets rich quick by marketing common sence, dedication and self control!! )... But taking the time and effort to make these lifestyle changes does not mean you have to give up your enjoyable life - you just have to find a happy medium. Taking a sensible approach to diet and training (esp. if you are not planning on doing competitions!) is all that is needed

(Now if we could only get the people selling diets to SELL a sensible, healthy and logical approach to this we would be set! )

Anyway, I think the info that I posted for Ana_banana is here:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hreadid=257583

Good luck with everything!

[Emma-Leigh]

Originally posted by GregElder
I have read hundreds of threads on this site and I have to say this is one of the best if not the best I have read. You write very well and the information is priceless.

Thanks for all the info,

GE

Thank you!

[Emma-Leigh]

Originally posted by ana banana
gosh i tooooottally agree, emma you seriously cant imagine how much youve helped me out with all your informaation, my boyfriend thinks i should build you a shrine from all i talk about what youve told me and how much its helped, but seriously has loads, very influential, informative, and down right useful and has changed me...

Thanks.. That really means a lot to me (Although I kind of feel uncomfortable with the idea of a shrine up somewhere )!! I really hope I have helped and I am glad that you have got some info out of all my ramblings!

although emma....sadly, i have realized my legs are getting too muscular, ive put on 4 kilos, my arms are fab but i think my 'cheat days from hell' are cutting my cutting and im flobbing up with muscle and flab, school stress and social stress is eating my strength and my obsession with my body has been the time outs- sad

Don't get too discouraged. As I said - it is about finding a balance that works for you. Sometimes 'real life' stuff gets in the way and we go backwards! It is not the end of the world and you are better off taking it easy on the training and 'diet' stuff and getting your life back on track before you focus on these relatively minor issues.

Take some time out - evaluate what your LIFE goals are and set your mind on these! Being FIT, HEALTHY and BUFF is not all about 'diet and nutrition' - it is about your outlook on life and you will not get anywhere (or any satisfaction) if you make your life about restriction. It is nothing to do with restriction - in fact, I could probably say that this is what most of your binging trouble is due to!

Being FIT and HEALTHY is about being sensible. Eat sensibly, train sensibly and, most importantly "THINK SENSIBLY"!!! It is all about the MIND - once you get your emotions and psychological act in order the body will follow.

Just remember - YOU ARE IN CONTROL! You can create or destroy yourself with simple thoughts - so concentrate on creating something you can be proud of!

either way i know im on the right path and youve shown me how it all works and i really cant ever thank u enough, youve changed my views on so much, and my friends' by clearing up so much confusion and anxiety and oh man...THANK YOU

I know you are on the right path too - and I know you will ultimately reach your goals! You just have to make the decision to make that mental change and only good things will follow.

[ana banana]

hehehe dont worry i am not into shrine construction, but mentally youve motivated me and changed my perspective on lotsa stuff, it IS about a balance and we only live once so must make the best of it, see the bright side of things which are loads, and carry on with mental emotional and physical health, i should feel so proud of myself for the positive steps that i have taken or are taking to enhance my health and fitness. Individuals often talk about healthy lifestyle changes, but it takes effort and determination to put those thoughts into action. i must keep focusing on my goals however hrd at times and reward myself in a positive manner for those goals that ive already met....and not give up, you should be a motivation expert, so to say it differently, gracias

[ana banana]

Hi Emma i just realized itd be best to post this Q here as uve given me all the nutrition advice i use so yar the best person to ask so this one is about post workout shakes, i tend to make one with 25gs of whey and some oats about 30gs of carb.....question is,

Is there a difference between having a post workout shake after weight training versus cardio sessions? (someone told me that its better to not eat RIGHT after cardio as the body burns more and when u eat it bascially stops...kind of, plus i reckon u dont NEED extra protein as ur trying to burn fat not build muscle...) and also:

Is 2 hours after the shake a good enough time to have a solid meal or is one hour better? and do u count the shake as a meal? coz its about 300 cals and stuff....thank, hope all is going fantastic with you cheers -Anna

[Emma-Leigh]

Hullo!!

Sorry it has taken me a while to get back to you - been a little busy!

Originally posted by ana banana
Is there a difference between having a post workout shake after weight training versus cardio sessions?

There is a semi-difference... But not really... See, at the end of the day it is all really about recovery. The main purpose of your shake is to prevent excessive cortisol release and to re-fill muscle glycogen.

The degree to which your muscle glycogen is depleted depends on a few things - such as your level of glycogen to start with and the intensity of your cardio.

High intensity cardio is more anaerobic - so it draws on glucose as a fuel source. In the absence of a readily available glucose source (like muscle glycogen) it will start to so things like use free amino acids (and other complex biochemical stuff like resort to lactate/lactic acid via the cori cycle... but that is not really important).

Lower intensity cardio is primarily aerobic - meaning that the main fuel for the exercise is free fatty acids (although this alters from person to person and varies according to things like your fitness level, your training history etc etc - so it is not that cut and dry). But don't let that trick you - although the primary energy source is fatty acids, your overall energy expenditure may be less than the higher intensity cardio. This means at the end of the day you are not going to burn 'more fat' with this type of cardio.

Ummm... There was a point in there somewhere

Oh yeah... Ok... High intensity cardio (along with weights) will deplete glycogen stores faster than low intensity cardio. And so it is more important to quickly fuel your body in this sense.

(someone told me that its better to not eat RIGHT after cardio as the body burns more and when u eat it bascially stops...kind of, plus i reckon u dont NEED extra protein as ur trying to burn fat not build muscle...)

The 'not eating after cardio' thing is bollux. At the end of the day it is about 'calories in v's calories out' and if you eat less than you burn, you will loose weight.

If anything, I would say it is more risky for you to not eat after cardio!! Eating after cardio will help with two things:
1. It will pretty much ensure that the calories you eat will go towards feeding and reparining your muscles and their glycogen stores - which means that the calories will not be going to feed your fat cells.

2. It will help prevent you from 'binging' later in the day. By giving your body the energy it craves at this important time, you will ensure that your bodies muscles are adequately recovered. This will mean that you are less likely to leave your body severely energy compromised later in the day (and this is what can lead to late afternoon/evening binge eating - as your body tries to 'catch up' on the energy it missed).

As I said before, it is not about 'protein building'. This does not happen immediately post-workout... But the protein you consume at this time will help re-fill muscle amino-acid pools (used for energy and for protein synthesis) and also your glycogen stores...

So, I would have a shake after high intensity cardio (make sure it is a good mix of carbs and protein) just like after wieghts.

After a low intensity cardio session (staying under 70% max HR) then, if you feel more comfortable, I would think it would be fine to have a solid meal instead - But I would still go for a good mix of carbs and protein. Some fruit would be good to have as this will help stabilise your blood glucose. For example a low intensity morning cardio session could be followed by a breakfast of a big bowl of oats with some fresh fruit and some scrambled egg whites.

Is 2 hours after the shake a good enough time to have a solid meal or is one hour better? and do u count the shake as a meal? coz its about 300 cals and stuff....thank, hope all is going fantastic with you cheers -Anna

Yup - 2 hrs is pretty spot on in my opinion. A good meal of carbs and protein here would be excellent.

If you have done a gruelling cardio workout (or a long duration one) fruit would be a good idea in this meal as well.

Oh - and DEFINATELY count it! Calories are calories!