Easy to follow diets?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Aside from HIIT, have a look at CrossFit. It's very popular in gyms across the world now and it's quite a dynamic style of workout. I think it's big in the US.

Utilising kettlebells in your routines will be good, especially fully body movements like the swings, Turkish get up, etc.

Do you have personal trainers at your gym? They should be able to help you to create what you need.

Are you training for strength & muscle mass? Have you been 'bulking'? Just wondering because it's usually men that are concerned with gaining pounds.

You will find tons on HIIT, it's been around a while. There will most likely be loads of vids on YouTube that you could check out. Any of the bodybuilding forums have articles on them such as Bodybuilding.com.

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/work...ysique-6-weeks

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw40.htm

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/hiit-workout

http://womensrunning.competitor.com/...-workout_14755

I've not tried HIIT yet, I plan to as I want to lose some weight. It's constantly in the fitness mags.

It's a very short routine as well so it's easy to fit in, it's just hard.

[Dying_Swan]

Portion control is important and difficult to regulate when you are used to eating larger portions. One thing a lot of people do is to use a smaller plate. Sounds mad but apparently it works. Also, try weighing portions. It's quite a shock when you realise what a normal portion is! When I was doing weight watchers I was astounded, but bulked out meals with lots of salad etc.

Exercise so important too (I'm terrible at taking my own advice here) but try to find something you enjoy and then it won't seem like a chore

[swgrl09]

Thank you for the links, Terry! I will check them out.

The smaller plates is really interesting ... I will try that. I am going to try to add more salad and things to fill up.

[SADnomore]

Okay, I'm just going to put this out there and am prepared to be pounced on soundly ... I really want to, because of your self-confessed "sweet tooth" (which truly, some would call sugar addiction), which I also suffer from. I am NOT suggesting you buy in long-term, but if you could just follow the induction phase/first 2 weeks of the old Atkins plan, then you could easily satisfy your appetite while at the very same time 'breaking' your sugar addiction. One hurdle at a time, right? So just the two weeks, and after that you can immediately reward your taste buds with berries and apples and other low sugar fruits - honestly they taste so good when you haven't been deadening your tastebuds with processed sweets! Yes, this does mean no sugars other than the small amount present in limited veg, and yes, it is low carb (no grains or potatoes, no fruit or juice) BUT also no limits on the amounts you eat, which can be extremely helpful when you don't want to fear weight gain and you need energy. Includes plenty of satisfying fat. Daily: Pretty much unlimited meat, whatever you like, eggs, one good sized simple salad per day with a low carb dressing (1 g sugar if you can find it, NOT diet) or one you make yourself with oil, vinegar and herbs, 1 cup of steamed veg. 4 oz hard cheese if you eat it. 16 green olives if you wish. Butter is preferred over margarine, help yourself. Ditto cream. You can make chicken soup with just a little bit (like 1 -2 tablespoons) of finely chopped carrot and celery, and have a bowl of that for a change from the meat. Snack on beef jerky (made with the least amount of sugar in the ingredients), or cooked meatballs you make up yourself and keep in the fridge. Hard-boiled eggs. Pork rinds you can find in the shops near potato chips. Called Bac'n Puffs here. Sunflower seeds in the shell. Lots of fresh water, if adding citrus, not too much. This alone will kick start weight loss and allow you to return to a balanced diet, starting off with extra veg. So, a second salad or serving of non-starchy vegetables. The order of the best way to work in other more-carby foods is easily found online. Your basic glycemic index, disallowing higher carbs that deep-down you know you overeat. I seem to remember that milk and that kind of dairy if you use it is meant to be held off until after another week or two of extra veggies (yes there is sugar in milk). Grains are one of the last foods, because we typically eat way too much, and it can kick off a feeding frenzy where you want more and more. When having pasta, you will want way more sauce with meat than noodles. Like 1 cup or less pasta stirred into a bowl of hot sauce. Instead of a sandwich, make the filling and put it over salad. Have a piece of whole grain buttered toast with it. ... Basically, if ALL you do is to break the craving for sweets, which does happen inside of the two-week time frame, then you are hugely ahead of the game! I mean, the suggestion to return in stages to all the things you are otherwise accustomed to eating does come along with the kind of portion sizes mentioned, but if you want to switch to another plan at that point then rest assured that your body has been reset to 'burn' fat as fuel! DO please continue to enjoy avocados, use real butter, full fat dressings and nuts. They will go a long way towards satisfying your appetite and providing Omega 3s our bodies need Bear in mind that alcohol will become the fuel of choice instead of fat (including body fat) whenever you imbibe, and it will take a little time to convert it back to fat-burning. You will want to be take up basic Atkins induction again for a few days.
Marie
One caveat ... years ago my family and I did the whole plan over months, and while I did lose several dress sizes and have have never got that big again, the truth is it put me off meat by the end. I now only eat fish and shellfish and eggs insofar as animal protein, and I admit it is often boring but I am a pescatarian now, lol! Good luck!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Nothing wrong with eggs SADnomore, they are complete proteins...the bodybuilders of old had that right.

I think a high protein diet could be good. The only thing is that the OP is weight training and adding muscle so may be bulking which requires more calories and a lot of protein. So, your suggestion would be good for the protein side but how does it fair on the calories? If more are needed, do you just eat more of certain things so the protein content doesn't go to high?

[SADnomore]

Hi, Terry! Well, of course there is a considerable number of calories in fat, generally 100 per tablespoon, and the Atkins eating plan encourages its consumption alongside the protein. Fat for fuel and protein to feed muscle so that there is no danger of the body breaking down muscles as the body becomes leaner. Calorie counting and portion control are not addressed as such, except in later phases where using smaller portions of higher-glycemic foods is discussed. The objective of Atkins is simple, to reset the body to burn fat, and thereby to use the body's stores of excess fat as fuel. Weight loss, and lean muscle preservation. I did lose 10 pounds of body fat and gain 12 pounds of muscle in my first 6 weeks of weight training and cardio and was doing great until I injured my shoulder in the gym. :( But I don't know much about bulking up, sorry. A cursory google search I just did showed differing opinions on the ability to do this with Atkins, with some suggestions from those who say it can be done.
Good luck all!
Marie

[swgrl09]

I don't think I am bulking? lol! I am so uneducated about this stuff. I am just weight training and doing cardio to get healthier and stronger. Thanks, Marie, for the really detailed post about how to break my sugar addiction. I know it is something I should do and really will help me in the long run.

[SADnomore]

Np, you're welcome! There are still books around, but you can just google and find Atkins and Atkins induction guidelines online. VERY easy to follow, although you can spend a lot of $ on meat, lol! No need to buy the bars or supplements, and as I say, if you get bored with it you can switch to another plan once you stop craving sweets (and don't feed the sugar monster).
Marie

[MyNameIsTerry]

I don't think I am bulking? lol! I am so uneducated about this stuff. I am just weight training and doing cardio to get healthier and stronger. Thanks, Marie, for the really detailed post about how to break my sugar addiction. I know it is something I should do and really will help me in the long run.

Ok, it's just when you mentioned gaining muscle and knowing it wouldn't be lean gains as this is language often used by people trying to make bigger gains in strength, size & muscle where the traditional method is to bulk (loads of calories and high protein) and then cut (high protein but reduced calories) to add weight and then lean themselves out. Diets can prevent this so I just wanted to be sure.

---------- Post added at 05:03 ---------- Previous post was at 05:01 ----------

Hi, Terry! Well, of course there is a considerable number of calories in fat, generally 100 per tablespoon, and the Atkins eating plan encourages its consumption alongside the protein. Fat for fuel and protein to feed muscle so that there is no danger of the body breaking down muscles as the body becomes leaner. Calorie counting and portion control are not addressed as such, except in later phases where using smaller portions of higher-glycemic foods is discussed. The objective of Atkins is simple, to reset the body to burn fat, and thereby to use the body's stores of excess fat as fuel. Weight loss, and lean muscle preservation. I did lose 10 pounds of body fat and gain 12 pounds of muscle in my first 6 weeks of weight training and cardio and was doing great until I injured my shoulder in the gym. :( But I don't know much about bulking up, sorry. A cursory google search I just did showed differing opinions on the ability to do this with Atkins, with some suggestions from those who say it can be done.
Good luck all!
Marie

Thats sounds good for the OP then. Losing & gaining together is going to build a nice physique in a shorter space of time and it's gaining popularity thesedays for those that don't want to spend 6-12 months bulking with loads of fat to then cut for another few months to show off the muscle they have built.

You had some great results then Marie. Thats quite a lot of muscle for a woman to gain in such a short space of time as well as dropping the fat.

[SADnomore]

Thank you, Terry, I guess I can credit the Atkins as well as weight training and cardio for the results ... Unfortunately, despite the muscle and/or taking on too much weight too soon, the ac joint became injured and has since gone on to develop arthritis :P Also, my work doing pedicures (lots of filing of nasty foot callus) for four years contributed to that, apparently, and I seem to have torn something when I decided to get back to the gym a few months ago, sigh. Windshield wiper blade caught the scraper one day when I was using it to clear ice and nearly spun me off my feet causing reverberating screaming pain through the shoulder and down the arm. I am scheduled for an MRI in July (soonest I could get) and have had 2 cortisone shots which have partially resolved pain, but I take muscle relaxants most nights and go for deep tissue massage twice a week. Ugh. Small-boned women need careful coaching! ... Now they tell me that 35 pounds for flys was too much for me
Have a great weekend, you guys!
Marie