[gemlou]

hey guys

this is my first time posting here so first i'd like 2 say hi. right well my problem is that i need to lose weight and don't know the best way 2 go about it. i'm 5'5" and a US size 8 and i'm aiming for a 4. my diet at the moment is really bad, full of carbs and crap, so i'm lucky not to be about a size 16 lol. anyway last summer i did a high protein/ low fat/basically no carb diet and got to a size 4 in about 7 weeks, trouble is i felt sooo tired and moody and brain fogged. in october i had a miscarriage after 3 months and got v.depressed and stopped working out etc and put the weight back on v. quick.
i now have a ball in 7 weeks time and need 2 get down 2 a size 6 (4 would be nice) however i am currently studying for my end of year exams for my history degree and can't afford 2 feel brain fogged.
looking over cutting diets lots of people seem to eat oatmeal with protein 4 breakfast, and i love oatmeal!!! would my weight loss be significantly slower eating some carbs for breakfast? i was thinking i could have the oatmeal after HIIT. i would really like to find something that i could stick 2 as a lifestyle, rather than a crash diet if u know what i mean. many thanks.
gemma xxx

[Effie_drine]

Hi and Welcome!

A no carb diet is extremly hard to do unless you are going into a contest.

You can get your goal weight by, eating clean foods and watching your portion sizes. The best time to have carbs is in the morning so oatmeal is perfect and will not slow your weight loss goal. Oatmeal also seems to stick with you longer than other breakfast foods. Making you fell less hungry later in the day. Another plus for oatmeal is it is a low glycemic carb*.Explained below*

Another key point in weight loss is flushing yourself with water. Make sure you are drinking 8-10 glasses of water daily, you will be surprised at the effect, it will have on your weight loss goal.

*Low Glycemic Carbohydrates: Just like there are good fats, there are also good carbs. These “good carbs’ are the ones that fall low on the glycemic index, also known as “low GI.” The following is a list of good low GI carbs that you might consider adding to your diet.

Green apples, Grapefruit
Yams
Red potatoes
Oatmeal
Strawberries

Hope this helps, Effie

[gemlou]

thanks for the quick reply. how much EFA should i be looking at getting into my diet?

[Effie_drine]

Ideal EFA consumption is about 9tsp per day

EFA's participate in hormone regulation, and are great for healthy hair, nails and skin. Best of all, EFA’s are not stored in your body as fat. EFA's trick you body into thinking it has consumed enough fat, and causes your body to use its stored fat as energy. There are several great brand's out there I like udo's oil.

Good Luck!

[gemlou]

right, ok how does this look guys:

am - HIIT
meal 1 - 1/2 cup oatmeal + 4 egg whites
body doctor workout programme
post workout - soya shake (can't stand whey)
meal 3 - soya shake + tbsp flax oil
meal 4- tuna salad + veg + tbsp flax oil
meal 5 - 5 egg whites

how does this look. obviously i will only be doing the body doctor weights/yoga workout 3 Xs a wk. the other days i tend to swim or go circuit training, and i also cycle 2 miles to university and back everyday. usually go clubbing 4 nights a week but this shall be curtailed to twice a week for the next few weeks until exams are over . anyway guys if i stick religiously to this exercise and diet do u think i'll get into my ball dress?
i'm hoping because my diet has been so bad and i've been slacking off the gym for a bit, that the first few weeks it'll come off quite quick before slowing down which is cool. i just need to drop a dress size by the end of june, and then my next target is to drop another by mid september for my birthday. this time i'm in it 4 the long haul

[Effie_drine]

I'm not a fan of soy products there have been several studies that show 30 or more grams of soy can shut down thyriod production. And it has been shown to raise estrogen levels which will make it very hard to lose weight.

You have six weeks to get to your goal. I see nothing stopping it. watch your soy intake and you should be right on track.

[Effie_drine]

Found a study

Soy and Thyroid Disease
by Mary J. Shomon


This is not information that the powerful and profitable U.S. soy industry wants you to know
Soy products increase the risk of thyroid disease. And this danger is particularly great for infants on soy formula
Dr. Mike Fitzpatrick, an environmental scientist and pytoestrogen researcher makes it clear that soy products can have a detrimental effect on both adults and infants
High consumption of soy products are also proven to cause goiter
Soy products contain isoflavones which are considered to by endocrine disruptors
Daniel R. Doerge, Ph.D., says, “I see substantial risks from taking soy supplements or eating huge amounts of soyfoods for their putative disease preventive value.”
Not much is being done in the U.S. to make parents aware of the thyroid-related dangers of soy formulas, or to alert the public that heavy soy consumption may be a danger to thyroid function
According to the Soy Online Service, for infants, any soy is too much. For adults, just 30 mg of soy isoflavones per day is the amount found to have a negative impact on thyroid function
More detailed information on the dangers on soy can be found in an in-depth online article on Soy and the Thyroid.



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Soy has also been implicated in causing gyno in non steroid using males. Although soy looks good on paper it is a poor choice of protien for bodybuilders.

[Liftingchic]

Effie is on fire tonight with great info

[Effie_drine]

Gem do you already have your gown picked out?

You are going to look great! Just keep thinking positive.

[gemlou]

yeah, it is beautiful. off the shoulder, baby pink satin to the floor. it really suits my colouring as i'm very pale skinned, with blue eyes and blonde hair. just need 2 sort out the body!!! thanks 4 all ur help guys. where abouts are u from effie? i'm currently studying at warwick university in the united kingdom.