Many greetings... and a little stuck...

[CrisciMalosh]

Greetings fellow nerds/rebels! My name is Cindy (or Crisci, or Criscindy, I answer to them all)

 

I have recently switched to a mostly paleo diet (about 75% of the time is all you will get out of me) and am now struggling to get enough calories because of my current adherence to Fast 5. (Intermittent fasting, fast 19 hours a day, eat for 5) I have been losing very consistently on this eating style (went from 216 to 182 while still eating crap most days!) but am wanting to add some nice strong dense muscle. (I am working on 100 push ups on my knees currently, 250 squats, 200 sit ups/ crunches currently, but want the actual sit up)

 

Any clue how much I should be eating to achieve this? I am horridly weak, and will not accept that any longer. I am woefully ignorant on how much food I should be eating, and of what sorts (but learning more all of the time) I would try to add a nutrition class to my class load, but am afraid that in Wyoming it would be garbage and I don't really have time for that amongst all of my more important biology and chemistry classes (want to teach biology and chemistry, 2 more years!)

 

Another note: because of the long term IF, I am never hungry, so whatever amount of food I need will be force fed to myself at first.

 

Thank you for reading this, and any answers I might get from you guys!

C

[Barfly]

Hi Cindy!

 

Just one word: plastics. No, wait, that's a different movie.  Protein, that's the word I was thinking of. Get plenty of protein. And good fats: avocado, olive, e.g.  Also, try not to eat processed carbs (crap?) :-P  Do you know your current caloric intake? That's a good place to start.

 

I'm trying IF also, but my goal is to fast for 24 hours a couple times a week.

 

Welcome.

 

Barfly

[Jetikus]

There's a certain mentality for determining the course to the destination you're aiming for.

 

Strength - If you're looking to build Strength, you must push the limits on the amount of weight you can lift. If you don't have a gym membership, then you can use body weight. What you're looking for here is not numbers, but intensity. You WANT to be struggling for that 10th rep on that 1st set. For example: If you're doing 100 squats without breaking a sweat, start doing some 1 legged squats. Push ups getting too easy? Start doing Hand-Stand Push ups (Simply place your feet on the wall and slowly climb up it until you're in a hand-stand position). Pull ups a joke for you? Get a back pack, load it up with books, and see if you're still laughing at the end of your 10th. Also, I think along the lines of multi-muscle activation. When I workout, I want to hit as many muscles as possible so I can get my testosterone flowing and break down more muscles for quicker results. Work outs for Guys are the same for Gals, so don't feel like you can't incorporate the opposite gender's workout into your own. Combine this with some cardio on your off days and you're Golden.

 

Endurance - If you're looking to keep going and going like the Energizer Bunny, then you should train to keep going and going. Low weights with high reps. Again, you can do this with body weight if you don't have a gym. However, you're aiming for eternity here. Also, Cardio is a big thing for endurance training. You will be walking, jogging, running, swimming, yoga, jump roping, and various other exercises. Whereas Strength tests how intense you can make it, Endurance tests how long you can continue.

 

Don't be afraid to search out people who are successful and ask questions regarding their workouts. Most will be happy to talk about them. Others are just jerks.

 

The nutrition for strength and endurance is pretty much 100% Paleo. You want your proteins to rebuild muscle, your veggies for the vitamins and minerals, and your fruits for the carbs needed to produce energy. I've never fasted and I probably never will. I don't count calories because that gets super annoying and tedious after a while. I'm not a fan of being hungry. Ever. Cut the crap food from your diet and eat your fill of the stuff that you know is good for you. If you don't know what's good for you, read up on what is/isn't Paleo.

 

Good Luck! =D

[CrisciMalosh]

my problem is that when I switched to mostly paleo, I only average about 800-1000 calories in a day, and am no where near enough protein... I want to gain strength, but am a total weakling... I can only do about 20 push ups when I am on my knees... but am not getting much in the way of gains....

 

How do I get my calories in without eating too much fat? (too much fat makes me feel icky) I'm lost. I can eat and eat and eat veggies all day, but I get meat overload where I cannot eat anymore. I am the same with fats, I can do an avocado, or some butter... but that is it. I am allergic to coconut, so that rules any coconut products out... Thank you for your responses... I will just keep trying.

[Jetikus]

I'd say just eat more and more often if you feel you're not getting enough. Again, I don't count calories... But since we're talking calories a chicken breast is roughly 250 calories, I believe. 4 of those a day will get you to 1000 calories. The calories in fruits vary, but 1 medium apple has roughly 100 calories, 1 cup of grapes has roughly 65 calories, and 1 medium sized banana has 105 calories. Veggies are known for low calories, high fiber, and good nutrients.1 serving of broccoli, for example, has 50 calories.1 whole tomato is 25 calories.

 

So, if mal-nutrition is what you feel like you're suffering from, perhaps you should up your meat and fruit intake.... or in your case, since you're not a big meat eater, consume more fruit. You can research the number of calories something has by typing the food you're looking at and calories (i.e. "Apple Calories" "Grape Calories" etc.)

 

*shrug* I hope this helps. =)

[CrisciMalosh]

thank you, I am trying all of that stuff...

 

I hope that it helps, I really like how I feel when eating this way, I just worry about not getting enough calories on this WOL

[Morrigainz]

More protein. Meat, eggs, milk. Healthy fats like avocado.

 

Eat as much of those as you can stomach. Then fill the rest in with lots of veggies and some starchy carbs like sweet potato or squash.

 

DON'T go for reps on stuff. Like someone else said, you want to be pushing yourself. So, before going for 100 knee pushups, go for 10 regular pushups. Then 10 decline pushups. Then 10 reptile pushups. Etc.

 

Crunches and situps are a waste of time. You'll be better served with hollow holds and planks.

[CrisciMalosh]

Oh, I know it... but I have this silly idea of getting into the same sort of fitness that my Dad was at this age (He was a Marine Drill Sargent, lol) Thus the wanting to get to those numbers. I want to eventually work up to a regular push up, but cannot even manage one yet =P

[Morrigainz]

Oh, I know it... but I have this silly idea of getting into the same sort of fitness that my Dad was at this age (He was a Marine Drill Sargent, lol) Thus the wanting to get to those numbers. I want to eventually work up to a regular push up, but cannot even manage one yet =P

Yup. What I would do actually is incline pushups instead of knee pushups - they are more what a real pushup is like. Knee pushups don't engage the core as much and personally I've found them more difficult logistically. So start with a wall if you have to - then move to lower and lower things. Tables, chairs, whatever's handy and you can do 3ish sets of 8-15 reps. I found once I stopped training knee pushups and started inclines, I had a LOT better luck!

[CrisciMalosh]

thank you for the advice... when my muscles quit screaming I will give it a shot =D  I am going waaaay out of my comfort zone... I like yoga.... yoga is relaxing and doesn't hurt, lol. (pretty obvious I need strength, isn't it?)

[Jetikus]

Oh, I know it... but I have this silly idea of getting into the same sort of fitness that my Dad was at this age (He was a Marine Drill Sargent, lol) Thus the wanting to get to those numbers. I want to eventually work up to a regular push up, but cannot even manage one yet =P

 

It's not a silly idea. =)

[CrisciMalosh]

It's not a silly idea. =)

Thank you! You are the only person to tell me that! Most people I know fail to see the reasoning behind wanting to be as strong as my Marine daddy when I am not going to be a Marine.

 

=D

[Morrigainz]

I don't think it's silly either! I'd love to be able to do 100 pushups!

[CrisciMalosh]

=D I knew that it would be a good idea to join this forum! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!

[Morrigainz]

=D I knew that it would be a good idea to join this forum! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!

I KNOW RIGHT.

 

We often approve of actions that might otherwise be considered silly. Like squat ladders. *shudder*

[CrisciMalosh]

... egad... that is not for me... lol...

[Morrigainz]

Also see JDanger's quote in my signature.

 

Yeah. I did not do the squat ladder. Haha.

[CrisciMalosh]

I think I might seriously injure myself if I even attempted that. (or at least my ego, the worst injury of all)

[CrisciMalosh]

Is it possible that I actually only need the 800-1000 calories? I forced myself to eat a really big lunch, and feel so full and icky, and am at only 750 calories for the day... I cannot imagine trying to get another 750! Ugh.

 

I already have 21 grams of fiber, and 45 protein, and 56 in other carbs... how am I going to double that in only one meal? Uhg. I mean, and entire chicken quarter only has 20 grams of protein, and I can barely eat that... 

 

Sigh. It's really hard to get to that 113 grams of protein recommended by my calorie counting website.... let alone the 113 carbs without eating grains... am I trying to complicate this too much? Should I really just only eat what my body wants?

[Morrigainz]

To some extent, yeah you should eat what your body wants. 

 

On the other hand...if you are tracking correctly (weighing and measuring portions, not just eyeballing and guesstimating) then...you should be eating a lot more. Are you familiar with the concepts of BMR (basal metabolic rate) and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)?

 

If not, I'd suggest reading up on them and learning exactly WHY you need to be eating more.

 

For quick and easy protein, do protein shakes. Bonus: milk has carbs in it too. I've used a few different types of protein powder. And you are not 100% paleo so I wouldn't worry about organic, grass-fed sources of powder.

 

For carbs - starchy carbs. Sweet vegetables. Think a sweet potato or a squash. Saute up some onions and green pepper. That'll help get you where you need to be.

[CrisciMalosh]

Some of those calories came from a protein shake actually =)

 

and yeah, scientifically I know that I need to eat 1500-1750 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week (according to my TDEE) I just don't know how to do it without pasta or bread (which make me feel really bloated and icky too)

 

What it really and truly is, is the fat from the meat. I cannot stand to eat the skin off of my chicken... so I don't. I eat lots of sweet potatoes and squash, but still struggle... I think I broke myself by being vegan in my young teens, then ovo-lacto for a few years after that... now I just cannot eat the protein that everybody says that I need. It just feels like SO...MUCH...FOOD. I mean, my lunch was 3 cups of salad, with provolone, roast beef, and a WHOLE avocado... and it was only 600 calories... 

 

I am just nerding out about it so much right now.... I desperately want to be healthier for my two kiddos... I keep freaking out. My husband's answer to it seems to be to take my to pizza hut once a week, to get me a high calorie day, lol.

[Morrigainz]

That's not a bad idea. If you're really struggling, you can do a few lower days and a few higher days - as long as your calories average out. Not saying that Pizza Hut is necessarily the best choice, but IIFYM....

 

Otherwise, what about protein sources like fish? Tuna, salmon, whitefish, tilapia (which you can make taste like anything) are all great protein sources AND you get the Omega-3s that you don't get as much from other sources.

 

Eggs are great too - as long as you eat the whole thing, not just the white!

 

Maybe 2 scoops of protein? Depends on the kind of powder you get too. The ones I've been getting have 20-24g protein per scoop.

[CrisciMalosh]

I can barely make myself choke down one serving of protein shake, lol... and I have to mix it into my coffee... I am slowly figuring it out... I am just a massive worrier... drives everyone around me a little crazy. 

 

I just have to work myself up to force feeding myself for awhile... I let my IF get waaaaay out of hand... thank you for your support. I will try to incorporate your ideas into my day more =D

[Morrigainz]

I can barely make myself choke down one serving of protein shake, lol... and I have to mix it into my coffee... I am slowly figuring it out... I am just a massive worrier... drives everyone around me a little crazy. 

 

I just have to work myself up to force feeding myself for awhile... I let my IF get waaaaay out of hand... thank you for your support. I will try to incorporate your ideas into my day more =D

Ooohhhh protein in coffee??? Yeesh.

 

What kind do you have? I've actually had two that are quite tasty...mix a scoop with 1 or 2 cups of milk and it's like a milkshake...seriously.

 

Optimum Nutrition Nitro Core 24 Chocolate (so so good)

 

BSN Syntha-6 Strawberry (not as A+++++ as the chocolate but still yummy, have also had their cookies and cream)

[CrisciMalosh]

I use nature's bounty optimal solutions vitamin and protein shake... it is lower in protein, but also has the omega-3's and some fiber in it, which I can also tend to lack in

 

Coffee is the only drink that I can drink that has sweet in it... I don't like milk shakes or sodas at all anymore. I tried mixing it in milk the first day, and couldn't drink it at all.

 

I've tried other protein shakes, but they all taste pretty bad to me, and give me an upset stomach... =/ I also have to be really careful because of a coconut allergy... you would be surprised the number of things with coconut in them!