Help! I'm losing weight

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Comments

  • tx14
    tx14 Posts: 244
    no such thing as unhealthy food, only unhealthy diets.
    I think Aapje is suggesting him to fuel up more.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    tx14 wrote:
    no such thing as unhealthy food, only unhealthy diets.
    I think Aapje is suggesting him to fuel up more.

    But the best fuel isn't refined sugar and fat!
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • tx14
    tx14 Posts: 244
    you know most people get on just fine without a diet of wholewheat pasta and boiled skinless chicken breast.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    tx14 wrote:
    you know most people get on just fine without a diet of wholewheat pasta and boiled skinless chicken breast.

    Yes, yes, I know it's not giong to kill you and that you can eat fried chicken and Lucozade all day if you want, I was just trying to advise the best way to increase weight and stay healthy...
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Headhuunter wrote:
    tx14 wrote:
    no such thing as unhealthy food, only unhealthy diets.
    I think Aapje is suggesting him to fuel up more.

    But the best fuel isn't refined sugar and fat!
    Headhuunter, you're right.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • tx14
    tx14 Posts: 244
    Headhuunter wrote:
    tx14 wrote:
    you know most people get on just fine without a diet of wholewheat pasta and boiled skinless chicken breast.

    Yes, yes, I know it's not giong to kill you and that you can eat fried chicken and Lucozade all day if you want, I was just trying to advise the best way to increase weight and stay healthy...
    no that would be a bad diet. a mars bar before the journey home would be at least functional though.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    tx14 wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    tx14 wrote:
    you know most people get on just fine without a diet of wholewheat pasta and boiled skinless chicken breast.

    Yes, yes, I know it's not giong to kill you and that you can eat fried chicken and Lucozade all day if you want, I was just trying to advise the best way to increase weight and stay healthy...
    no that would be a bad diet. a mars bar before the journey home would be at least functional though.

    It would certainly give you energy in the form of refined glucose and fat but I'm afraid it's far from an ideal source of fuel... So again, bad diet.
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  • tx14
    tx14 Posts: 244
    I'm not so informed about nutrition. can you explain why refined sugar is bad? if he's gonna burn it all up in the next hour, would it matter?
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    You can only add muscle, fat or both.

    If you try adding weight by eating lots of sugary stuff you'll probably you end up skinny but with a pot belly.

    For increasing calories without adding crap try making your own bread and chucking in loads of seeds (pumpkin and flax are good and make the bread taste nice). Lots of eggs, coconut oil, oily fish (Lidl's smoked trout and mackerel and cheap and yummy) will give you lots of calories without the fat inducing insulin spikes.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    tx14 wrote:
    I'm not so informed about nutrition. can you explain why refined sugar is bad? if he's gonna burn it all up in the next hour, would it matter?

    Well OK, if you're going to burn all the refined sugar off in the next hour then fine, but the fat will remain. However your body can only absorb a certain amount of refined glucose for use per hour, so it's possible that some of the refined sugar in your Mars Bar will not make it into the blood stream for use and will be converted to fat for storage, whereas maltodextrin which is what most energy drinks and bars consist of, can be absorbed in much larger quantities... Well that's as far as I understand it anyway
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • tx14
    tx14 Posts: 244
    pastryboy wrote:
    You can only add muscle, fat or both.

    If you try adding weight by eating lots of sugary stuff you'll probably you end up skinny but with a pot belly.

    For increasing calories without adding crap try making your own bread and chucking in loads of seeds (pumpkin and flax are good and make the bread taste nice). Lots of eggs, coconut oil, oily fish (Lidl's smoked trout and mackerel and cheap and yummy) will give you lots of calories without the fat inducing insulin spikes.
    for a sec I thought you were going to make a seeded loaf with eggs and fish.
  • tx14
    tx14 Posts: 244
    Headhuunter wrote:
    tx14 wrote:
    I'm not so informed about nutrition. can you explain why refined sugar is bad? if he's gonna burn it all up in the next hour, would it matter?

    Well OK, if you're going to burn all the refined sugar off in the next hour then fine, but the fat will remain. However your body can only absorb a certain amount of refined glucose for use per hour, so it's possible that some of the refined sugar in your Mars Bar will not make it into the blood stream for use and will be converted to fat for storage, whereas maltodextrin which is what most energy drinks and bars consist of, can be absorbed in much larger quantities... Well that's as far as I understand it anyway
    point taken.
  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    If you're interested in learning then read up on insulin spikes as that's the main consequence of a large ingestion of fast absorbing carbohydrates.

    If you're really interested you could read up on de novo lipogenesis but, as the name suggests, it can all get pretty complex.

    Basically you want to base your diet around natural, unprocessed foods that are slowly digested and converted to energy slowly rather than pump a ton of calories in at once which your body can't use and is forced to store as fat.
  • jame58rown
    jame58rown Posts: 263
    Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm 5ft 8 (172cm) and weigh 57.2kg (9st 0lb) According to bmi calculaters I'm underweight. I'm not skin and bone per say. My arms look like a cyclists if you know what I mean (skinny but toned) I have a 6 pack and my quads are on the large side because of cycling. Whats wrong with me?! or is this normal for an active person?
    A less active friend of mine is not as tall as me, but weighs more and is'nt fat at all. Infact he's pretty toned.

    Is there anyone else who's 5ft 8? If so whats your weight?

    Thanks.
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    jame58rown wrote:
    Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm 5ft 8 (172cm) and weigh 57.2kg (9st 0lb) According to bmi calculaters I'm underweight. I'm not skin and bone per say. My arms look like a cyclists if you know what I mean (skinny but toned) I have a 6 pack and my quads are on the large side because of cycling. Whats wrong with me?! or is this normal for an active person?
    A less active friend of mine is not as tall as me, but weighs more and is'nt fat at all. Infact he's pretty toned.

    Is there anyone else who's 5ft 8? If so whats your weight?

    Thanks.

    That does seem low. 5'10" and 72Kgs here

    Edit: Not to say it's not healthy, obviously I know nothing of the specifics
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  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    I'm 5`8 and 12st but i'd rather be 11st.
    You probably just have very little fat and skinny arms.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    I don't each much processed food, eat homemade bread usually, generally eat good grub. To demonstrate my level of healthiness, I've gone past growing my vegetables onto growing fruit and herbs (e.g three types of mint). I even make my own compost.

    I think I have the idea when it comes to healthy eating, just need to fine tune the quantities of carbs, protein etc to increase weight.

    DDD are you of Septic stock? Never heard of a Black Brit eating pigs guts. Feet, maybe, but not guts.
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  • tx14
    tx14 Posts: 244
    pastryboy wrote:
    If you're interested in learning then read up on insulin spikes as that's the main consequence of a large ingestion of fast absorbing carbohydrates.

    If you're really interested you could read up on de novo lipogenesis but, as the name suggests, it can all get pretty complex.

    Basically you want to base your diet around natural, unprocessed foods that are slowly digested and converted to energy slowly rather than pump a ton of calories in at once which your body can't use and is forced to store as fat.
    thanks for the direction.
  • peterst6906
    peterst6906 Posts: 530
    Weight is a simple mass balance.

    Energy in < energy out = weight loss

    Energy in ~= energy out = weight maintenance

    Energy in > energy out = weight gain

    How you take the calories in is also important, but the simple mass balance remains.

    If you want to maintain your current weight, eat more, especially complex carbs.

    Eating pancakes and whole wheat breads is a good way to take on more good energy sources that are low in fat, but also provide some protein in addition to carbs.
  • Aapje
    Aapje Posts: 77
    Headhuunter wrote:
    tx14 wrote:
    no such thing as unhealthy food, only unhealthy diets.
    I think Aapje is suggesting him to fuel up more.

    But the best fuel isn't refined sugar and fat!
    I think that a diverse diet is the basis. That said, EKE_38BPM doesn't seem to have a bad diet (although I don't know the amount of veg he eats at dinner). It seems diverse, has got 1-2 pieces of fruit in it (I would make that a mandatory 2) and quite a bit of low-GI food.

    The real issue just seems to be that the amount of calories is too low. The pre-commute breakfast consists of slowly-digested porridge. There is nothing wrong with adding a healthy amount of sugar, that will burn off during the commute and should reduce the chance of burning muscle.

    The second breakfast is again low-GI, while the muscles need energy to recover. Nothing wrong with a sugary drink here and there to help them.

    The Tea and biscuits snacking is a wasted meal. Low calories, while filling the stomach to reduce hunger. The opposite of what is desired. Scrap that meal or make it a real one.

    Sandwiches at lunch are fine. If the sandwich filling is low-fat, it is a good idea to add real butter to make a nice fat/carb mix. Try to eat 6 slices of bread total, if possible.

    The Post lunch snack is probably too small again. Several pieces of fruit might be a good idea.

    Pre commute fuelling is too fatty and not sugary enough. I suggest muesli bars or flapjacks. It's ok for them to be a bit fatty.

    Dinner, loads of veggies for your crucial minerals, vitamins, etc. (Mashed) potatoes, rice or pasta for calories. A bit of meat or fatty fish for protein. Eat fatty fish at least once a week (can also be eaten on a sandwich)!

    Supper, cheese on toast sounds filling, so you probably don't eat too much of it. I regularly eat 4-6 slices of bread late in the evening, for instance. Try to increase the size of this meal. Try different foods if eating too much of a certain food items interferes with your sleep.

    Dont: start doing strength/musle building exercises while still commuting. This will increase musle mass, which will burn more calories, which will worsen your problem. A daily 2x15 mi commute is sufficient to be healthy.
  • Aapje
    Aapje Posts: 77
    jame58rown wrote:
    Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm 5ft 8 (172cm) and weigh 57.2kg (9st 0lb) According to bmi calculaters I'm underweight. I'm not skin and bone per say. My arms look like a cyclists if you know what I mean (skinny but toned) I have a 6 pack and my quads are on the large side because of cycling. Whats wrong with me?! or is this normal for an active person?
    A less active friend of mine is not as tall as me, but weighs more and is'nt fat at all. Infact he's pretty toned.

    Is there anyone else who's 5ft 8? If so whats your weight?

    Thanks.

    Ultimately it depends on your fat percentage. If you have very little natural muscle mass it may be ok. Do you get sick easily? That is an idicator that your far percentage is too low.
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    jame58rown: I'm 5'9" and come in at 76kg, was 66kg a year ago, I thought I looked toned cos I had a 6 pack but looking back, I was gaunt but thats me. Click for a before/after shot, warning contains mild male nudity :lol:

    For anybody struggling with holding weight, I found this helpful video :lol:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3nA2zqeX5Q

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