New Nerd Looking for Support and Nutrition Advice

[Salmon17]

Hey Nerds!!

 

My name's Samantha, I'm from Ottawa ON and have been struggling with my weight since I was 14 (now 26).

Due to complications from being extremely overweight as a teenager - I had PCOS, a fatty liver (to name just a few) and just felt like complete crap physically and emotionally. At 16, they put me on Metformin to regulate my hormones and it ended up making me suuuper sick and I dropped 75lbs in 6 months only to regain it by the time I was 22.

Then I went to teach ASL in South Korea and was placed in a really small town and gained 40 more pounds in a year out of complete loneliness and depression; I came back feeling a total failure.

 

When I got back I weighed 225lbs (I'm 5'4) and am currently sitting at 142lbs, so I have made huge progress by changing my eating habits, doing kickboxing, yoga, etc. I joined a gym and got a personal trainer in March and have improved my physique by leaps and bounds even in the two months I've been working with him. I still have a lot of work to do, but I feel I've done it right this time; it's been almost three years but I've built a lot of muscle and look way better than the first time I lost weight. It hasn't been a result of being ill, I've worked my ass off (literally!) and have learned and adapted to healthier life changes that have become a part of my day-to-day routine.

 

I have always had a big interest in learning real strength training (not those stupid machines!!) but never pursued it before now out of nerves of going to "the guys section" of the gym and not having a goddamn clue what to do, how to do it, etc., which is why I got the trainer. I LOVE IT! It has completely changed the way I  look at fitness and I look forward to each workout and learning something new. I'm never going back to the 30 minute treadmill, 30 minute machine weight routine 'cus it's useless and miserable.

My real challenge is nutrition and finding a diet that works for me. I just love bread. ALL the bread..and chips..and popcorn lol. Also, I'm just unsure of what to eat and when, to get the lean, firm body I'm working for (nutrition isn't part of the trainer deal, unfortunately). I'm also curious about supplements; what kinds should I use? When? Should I use them at all? It's all foreign to me so any help or advice I could get about this would be incredibly helpful.

So happy to be a part of the Rebellion - keep fighting the good fight folks
Looking forward to talking with you guys

 

Sam

[JPrev]

First of all, congratulations on all of that progress!  You've clearly got the discipline to achieve your goals, and that's the hardest thing of all.

 

As for nutrition, there's no reason to drop bread if you don't want to.  The only thing that matters for fat loss is whether or not you're eating less than you burn.  You can eat literally anything you want; so long as you're in a caloric deficit, you'll lose fat.  Now, you'll want to get enough protein as well to make sure you preserve muscle while dieting (call it 1g/lb for a nice round number; you'll also have to keep lifting heavy to keep the muscle around), but otherwise your macronutrient choices are completely up to you.  Any dieting styles that aim to exclude certain food groups are simply trying to "trick" you into a deficit by removing foods that are calorie-dense and easy to over eat.  However, if you can exercise caloric control, you're free to eat whatever you want.

 

For supplements, they are not necessary.  Some people take protein powder because they find it easier to incorporate; personally, I get 150g of protein without powder and without difficulty.  Cost might be a convincing factor though, depending on where you get your protein sources.  Some people take other supplements for lifting performance (like creatine), but it's not necessary either.  Other kinds of supplements - like multivitamins - are completely unnecessary; there's no evidence to support that they help more than whole foods, and it's very unclear if orthomolecular amounts (having way more of a vitamin than you need for daily function) gives any extra benefit.

 

In all, if you want to get a "lean, fit body," the trick is to keep lifting heavy, get your protein, and eat fewer calories than you burn.  The fat will shed over time, leaving behind a "toned" look thanks to your hard-earned muscles.  No supplements required.

[Salmon17]

Thank JPrev I really appreciate that.

 

I plan on killing it in the gym and I'm really working on getting my diet under better control.  I don't think I could drop bread/grains completely - I'm Italian! but I need to cut back for sure and try to get better sources for those delicious carbs.

 

Cost is definitely an issue so I'm still considering the supplements, but I'm not 100% convinced. Does anyone have any recommendations that I could look over? I'm at a complete loss and don't want to fall into an advertising trap that will damage any of the gains I've made in terms of upping weight at the gym and lowering it on the scale.

[juudar]

It's inspiring to see all the hard work you've put in. Congratulations!

I don't have any suggestions for you ('cause I'm a newbie), but JPrev seems to have you covered.

Welcome to the Rebellion, Sam!