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Hey guys I'm a non-rich average student and I don't really know much about nutrition stuff so I'm not sure if my diet is fitness-worthy. The thing is, I would really really like to get fit and strong but I don't know if I can do that with the resources I have. Going to the gym wouldn't be a problem because it's free for college students. The only foods I eat right now is brown rice(with flaxseeds), oatmeal, plain yoghurt, and milk. Fruits and vegetables are kind of expensive so I buy a packet of veggies or some fruit once a week. Oatmeal is extremely cheap so whenever I get hungry I just eat that. Can I work with this and gain muscle(along with a six pack possibly haha...) or will I just lose a little weight and that will be the end of it? Am I missing some essential nutrients?

I'm a vegan (vegetarian by choice, but with lactose intolerance). I also have a gluten intolerance. Whilst I'm aware gluten-free foods are a remedy to this, I'd like to take a leaf (haha,punny!) out of the paleo book and eat as minimal amounts of grains as possible for the purpose of toning up a bit. I've started doing this,but find that I'm a bit stuck for variety. I feel like my diet's going to become bland very quickly,which means it'll be more tempting to get into the thinking of "Oh,ONE chocolate won't kill me". Are there any vegans out there who've tried to cut grains out completely?

Hi! Several questions, but first background. I am 5'0", female, 18, and about 45 pounds overweight. 1. Half my family is doing Atkins ( the other half doesn't need to lose weight, which makes it really hard ), but I'm having a really hard time doing it because I can't seem to keep my carb count down. I'm eating the right foods, but I keep eating too many vegetables (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, green beans, etc), and I'm never sure if I'm using too much salad dressing (I like French and Caesar). Is there something I can do to make this easier, or is it something I just need to deal with? 2. Paleo vs. Atkins. Is one inherently better than the other? Not just in losing weight, but also in keeping it off and maintaining a healthy lifestyle? One allows fruit and not dairy, and the other allows dairy and not fruit (I love both). Is there a way to mix and match the diets and take the best from each one while still losing weight? With Atkins I can't have cheat days 'cause that messes up the whole body-in-fat-burning-mode thing. Is that how it is with paleo? Does one make you lose faster? Is one more reliable in keeping it off? Will I completely ruin it in paleo if I have cake and ice cream at Dad's birthday or with the occaisonal junk food snack? 3. Can you still lose weight if you're eating grains? Please don't tell me grains are bad for you; I don't believe that (I have evidence to back my belief up), so don't waste your time or mine trying to argue otherwise. I just want to know if the high carb count will counteract my losing weight or keeping it off. 4. Can I lose fat and build muscle at the same time? I don't care about looking muscular or toned or whatever- I just want to be stronger, more flexible, and have better stamina. Can my muscles improve to that while my body is burning fat? It seems to me doing that would help with the burning of fat because it could draw energy from the fat and the new muscle would also eat at the fat. 5. I tend to get bored when I exercise. I was doing a program that would get me up to doing 200 squats (in one set) in a day, and I was doing great, except I would get bored around the 18th rep. I'd like to train myself to run because it's useful in games and in case I ever need to run, but I get bored less than two minutes in. The same for using my stationary bike: it takes about a minute before I get hopelessly bored. I tried setting up so I watched a movie (doctor who, actually! ) while I cycled, but going at a steady pace I wasn't tired at the end, going any faster and I'm completely pooped in about ten minutes. Also when I try to do bodyweight exercises in my room, I can't because the floor squeaks and it disturbs my sisters (don't say do them another time, because I can't). So I guess my question in this, how can I build my strength and muscle in a way that I don't get bored. I'd still like to be able to do 200 squats and pushups and stuff, but if I'm bored I hate it and if I hate it I make excuses to not and if I make excuses I don't improve. I tried upping the intesity (ten jump squats instead of normal squats-to-boredom), but that still gets boring day after day. I think part of the problem might be I'm not being stimulated mentally, only physically. It's especially difficult to warm up, because that's five minutes when I'm not even pushing myself physically. Does anybody have any suggestions to stave off the boredom? And is there a faster warm up I could do in about a minute or less? 6. I'm tired all the time. Not exhausted, just in that want-to-lean-back-and-close-your-eyes kind of way. I get up between 6 and 7 and go to bed never any later than 10, but usually around 9. Am I getting enough sleep? Am I getting too much? Is this a result of a bad diet? Could it be not enough exercise? I'm at the same level of exercise I've been all my life (none) and it's only in the past year or so I've started feeling like this. 7. And finally, is someone willing to acountability buddy with me? Someone my age(ish) and gender (I say age because I'd feel more comfortable with someone my age. With an adult, it just gets complicated because I'm supposed to defer and can't disagree and stuff). I just want someone I can text with who will encourage and hold me accountable, and I'll do the same. I will not meet in person with you, so location doesn't matter. Thank you in advance for any help you can give me. I really really appreciate it.

Hey everyone! So I'm brand new to Nerd Fitness, and I'm on a quest to "level-up" my life, starting with my diet. I eat pretty clean, lots of fruit, meat, and a good amount of veggies with the occasional cheat meal or indulgent dessert. I want to go as Paleo as possible, but as a college student it's going to a bit of a challenge. The dining hall limits my choices. So, I'm planning on starting with small changes, the first one being to cut out grains. I love bread and pasta--basically anything that's packed with carbs. What are some good ideas for meals/snacks that have no wheat or grains? I also want to add more protein to keep me full throughout my hectic class schedule. High protein snacks that I can eat on the go?

So, I've tried a new "diet" regimen to jumpstart my progress. I've stalled in my motivation, and needed a kick in the tush. Mon/Tues, Thurs/Fri = Strict-ish paleo. No dairy, no grains. Sugars from fruit/veg only. I will eat peanuts, though. (Not peanut butter, unsalted peanuts in a nut mix for example). Sat/Sun and Wed = Free, healthy eating. A little pasta is okay, as are things like cheese and milk in my coffee Here's my reasoning: I don't believe in setting myself up for failure. Committing to 24/7 paleo is currently not realistic for the state of my willpower. I literally lasted SIX HOURS last time. 6. Hours. My parents are big cookers, and the weekend is when we do big family meals. They've been great at choosing healthier options, but no rice/pasta/etc would be too much to ask. Also, on Wednesdays my company orders in lunch for everyone. Free food. And it's always amazing. I can make healthier options, and there's no way I would be able to resist. I would smell that curry and totally fold. The result, week 1 - I dropped two pounds. Keep in mind, I did not work out at all this week (my play is in tech week and I literally have no extra time). So, I am dancing a little in rehearsals, but not much. And I dropped 2 pounds! That's awesome. What are your thoughts? Does anyone here do intermittent paleo?

This week I cut 90% of my grain intake. I have already cut sugar and artificial-sweeteners earlier in this challenge. People keep saying things like "where will you get your energy from without those complex carbs?" and "why would you cut out grains? Do you have some kind of health problem where you need to avoid them?" Tonight I got asked by a friend if I was trying to put my body into ketosis and how long I planned on doing it because her nutrionist friend told her that it is bad for the body to keep it in ketosis for long periods. I really didn't know what to say. Aren't the paleo and primal diets lifestyles that can be maintained indefinetly? Why do people keep acting like they are so unhealthy?