<p>GOOD advice Fergs. Ya'll know I'm such a Mom so bear with me on this. Stay away from all the protein gimmicks will ya? Please? It scares the heck out of me. I have a college football player that works with me and he'd gotten on that kick until they'd found blood in his urine & found his kidney's just weren't functioning well. He was taking far too much product from GNC. Don't do something harmful. Just eat well. Do it right. Navy2010 can probably give you some good advice as well if we can wake her up!! ;)</p>
<p>I do okay with eating out/drinking sodas. I rarely eat fast food or drink sodas anymore, but I end up eating alot after school. I'm not fat, but I need to quit eating junk so I can lose weight to increase speed & make pullups and pushups easier. Right now I have cereal for breakfast and poptarts for lunch (need to stop those, not too nutritious), and I always end up pigging out once I get home from school. On the bright side, I have 2 academy seminars and boys state in june, so I won't have an opportunity to stuff my face. I'm also switching from football to cross country next year, so that'll help out.</p>
<p>I used to take protein and then I tried creatine, but I decided to stop as both of them left me feeling dehydrated alot of the time.</p>
<p>erbium: Have you tried eating small meals all day long instead of trying to eat less and then wind up pigging out? You'll have more energy for your workout (more energy = better workout = more calories burned), and you won't feel as hungry (thus you will eat less after your workout = less calories sitting in your stomach as you sleep = less stored energy/fat). The more water, whole foods, fruits/veggies, and healthy food you eat, the more you will like it...and soon you'll find yourself in a terrible downward spiral of being a health nut who trembles away from pizza and soda (hah).</p>
<ul>
<li>All day long: 2000 mL of water</li>
<li>Morning workout time!</li>
<li>Breakfast: cereal or fruit</li>
<li>Snack: granola bar or fruit</li>
<li>Lunch: half a sandwich (easy on the dairy--cheeze, condiments), yogurt/apple/banana/fruit</li>
<li>Afternoon workout time!</li>
<li>Post-Workout: apple/orange/fruit</li>
<li>Dinner: Anything the size of your fist.</li>
<li>Snack: granola bar/fruit (last thing is to be eaten 3 hours before you fall asleep/sit down/become immobilized)</li>
</ul>
<p>Ferg/Fergs/Ferggy/Father/fergsonfire: Thanks! I will do! My graduation present to myself? A chin up bar. :) Plus, the YMCA is only 2.5 miles from my house.</p>
<p>Oh, and TacticalNuke, I'm a girl, but that's no excuse! I will conquer these pull up things.</p>
<p>dictatoranna, that sounds like a really good plan. Only thing I can't do is 2 L of water per day. I drink ALOT of water. Apart from that, I'm going to give it a shot tomorrow.</p>
<p>I have to work back up to 2 L a day (that's what Coach had us on during cross-country and track, but then again, we live in hot, humid, suck-your-fluids-out Georgia).</p>
<p>Oh, I heard somewhere about these people who dieted and fasted for God. They would pray and such and give it up to God. If they did have a sweet tooth for a bit of candy, then they'd have the candy, but then they'd take it out of their meal. Each of their three meals a day was the size of his or her fist. For example, if they wanted cake, then they would have a small slice of cake. When dinner came around, then they would subtract that cake from the allotted meal size.</p>
<p>JM: who has time to sleep?????</p>
<p>Moved our daughter back home on Friday (3 trips), graduation from Fordham on Saturday followed by dinner with the usual suspects- shipped the thorpedo back up to school that evening- then followed behind on sunday to stand in torrential rain for a lax game- 3 hr drive home trying to air-dry with the defroster on high- </p>
<p>home to annabelle, who has discovered paper- she is a regular paper shredding machine- with pieces too small to pick up with your hands, but just big enough to clog my vacuum cleaner on a regular basis-</p>
<p>one more prom and 2 finals to go and this PG year is OVER- he takes his boat out for a trial run tomorrow (the one he has been building)- so will get to lug that home if it doesn't sink (which would not be good for a budding archectitect)- along with all his other "stuff"....last lax game played today (thank goodness, no major injuries! whew!)</p>
<p>-but he is already hounding us to get the "real" boat in the water- which the dear hubby has yet to bottom-paint (little does the thorpedo know I am saving the waxing for him!!! ;) )</p>
<p>So it's diet you want. Lets see. Will give you the short verson.</p>
<p>Losing weight: limit the carbs and saturated fats (or anything made with highly processed white flour)- stick to proteins as main source of calories. Everything in moderation. Fruits will make you hungry. </p>
<p>Building muscle or athletes: can add SOME carbs back in (you need the energy) but again stick to whole grain sources and stay away from the highly processed ones- fruits are good, but stick to the ones with a low glycemic index as opposed to others that will just boost your insulin levels up and make you even more hungry-</p>
<p>if you need to build muscle, you can add in some whey (if you can even get it down)- but make sure you are drinking lots of fluids to keep your kidneys healthy and only take before you work out-</p>
<p>forget the creatine- not enough data out- not worth it, IMHO. Take a good multi-vit instead- not tons of them...just a good overall vitamin (centrum is good)</p>
<p>stay away from carbonated sodas (they only bloat you anyway and you don't want to pass gas in the cadre's face trying to do those pullups ;) ).....and I will repeat this again (do I dare?)....if exercising, gatoraide/poweraide/etc are better fluid replacements than free water (bottled or otherwise).....which can dilute your electrolytes even further and cause LOTS of problems if you are not careful-(cramping the very least of them)..... so SOME water is ok, but take some gatoraide as well if exercising heavily....you need the potassium and there's none of that in plain old water. </p>
<p>Fruits, while good for a quick burst of energy, will only raise your insulin levels (which make you hungry all over again) so stick to scrambled egg whites for breakfast- they are not only a good source of protein, but they will hold you a lot longer than fruits or carbs, and you will get more Kcals from them as well, which is what you need. Avoid drastic insulin swings (aka blood sugar level highs and lows) and you will feel a lot better and with a lot more energy....that means whole grains, proteins, most veggies (certain fruits in moderation) and unsaturated fats (including certain nuts and seeds). Appeitizing, I know. If you start chirping or sprouting feathers you know you have overdone the nuts and the seed thing. </p>
<p>chocolate: lets face it, hard to give it up. Dark is better than milk or white, so if you are going to cheat, at least do it with the good stuff. Just try and eat just one. </p>
<p>Red wine is good for body, mind and soul, so if you are of age (adults only please) do have a glass! (or two!!!) ;)</p>
<p>To lose weight, south beach is better than atkins, and weight watchers is still good for teaching portion control- but you have to be into counting points, and who wants to do that.</p>
<p>Like everything else in life, moderation is the operative word....unfortunately a lesson I have not learned very well, but I am trying (27lbs as of today- don't want to be the fattest mom on I day! ;) )</p>
<p>Oh- and exercise- to lose, to build, whatever. Light weights to tone and/or lose, heavy weights and reps to build. I hate to exercise, but I am certainly getting my fill of it chasing Annabelle all over this house and picking up all those bits of paper she leaves in her wake- what a imp she is!!!! Good thing she is so cute or else I would have her packed up and sent to JM's house as a snack for her beasts!! LOL!!!
(awe, she is looking at me this very minute with those big black eyes of hers- and making me feel guilty for even having such a thought! Oh my!) </p>
<p>gtg- the hubby is cooking dinner and I am starving! ( i think the bf is here as well- that will be enough to cause me indigestion for sure! ugg!!!)</p>
<p>Ferg - you definitely have the "team work" concept dead on. Especially during plebe summer. I don't anticipate any issues from the mids I've been listening to the past few months on CC. But, as a "regular" coming in, you KNOW there are ALWAYS those that do not ....conform. </p>
<p>I have to agree with the likes of Wheelah44, keepon, etc. in saying keep your mouth shut but don't hesitate to help another mid. Odds are at one or more points, that mid needing help will be you. ;)</p>
<p>You're smart enough to "know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. ;)</p>
<p>See you soon my friend.</p>
<p>Alright, lets see where to start. </p>
<p>Raimius - if you up your workout up your food. Eat more protein and fewer carbs so that your body stays in an anabolic state. Most importantly if you want to gain muscle mass, EAT and go heavy on the weights. Mainly Eat.</p>
<p>Jamzmom - I don't supplement that much, especially protein shakes. I get most of my stuff naturally via meat, I love me some meat. I do however use creatine and multivitamins which are good for you. So I would not be too worried. That and I know my body very well so I know what I can and can't take.</p>
<p>Dicto - you should be drinking more than 2L of water a day. I drink that much in one workout. Everyone should drink water, lots and lots of water. If you don't workout out that hard drink a gallon a day. Only increase it from there. Especially being as you are in georgia, thats the armpit of america, I was stationed in kings bay for a bit and it sucked. </p>
<p>As far as other dietary questions, I will take them as they are directed to me. I could write a book about that stuff and I don't feel like it right now, its late. However I will comment that creatine does work. (usna2010) It is a naturally occuring substance in the body and allows for muscle exertion for a longer period of time before burning the body's own supply of creatine. Essentially it is an endurance aid for weight lifters. </p>
<p>Finally Wvdad - Yeah there are always non-conformists. I love those guys, because when they break, they get broke HARD. Always a good laugh. But as far as keeping your mouth shut, I think I will have a hard time trying not to laugh at some 20 year old kid straight out of high school trying to tell me what its like in the "real" navy. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA</p>
<p>
[quote]
However I will comment that creatine does work. (usna2010) It is a naturally occuring substance in the body and allows for muscle exertion for a longer period of time before burning the body's own supply of creatine. Essentially it is an endurance aid for weight lifters.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Can you please give me your source for this information? I would be most interested in seeing the studies and reported data.....always open to learn new things!</p>
<p>The more I read, the more I'm just going to say, "The HELL with it!" and declare myself officially overweight, and he that doth not like it can laugh over my grave!</p>
<p>But I'll die with a smile on my face! :D</p>
<p>^^ advice to live by! ;)</p>
<p>Navy2010, gotta love copy & paste right into an email to my mid. He has terrible eating habits. Too many preservatives me thinks. I always love your sound advice. Hey! Annabelle better behave or you'll have to threaten her with not getting to wear her little navy dress to I-Day. One of my little monsters would love her to pieces & play & play. The other is a grouch who sits on the couch & growls. </p>
<p>Zap, here's how I see it; I'd give up chocolate, but I'm no quitter!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Zap, here's how I see it; I'd give up chocolate, but I'm no quitter!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>LOL! :D</p>
<p>I like it!</p>
<p>JM - the good thing is, dark chocolate is relatively lo-carb!</p>
<p>Zaph - don't give up! The first few days are the hardest (like any addiction!). Just cut out the sugar & starch and those extra lbs. will fall off! Get adequate protein (probably at least 50 grams for you), drink lots of water & keep your carbs under 40 grams (keep it really low, like 10-15 grams for the first ten days or so). </p>
<p>Once you get over the sugar addiction you will have so much energy & feel fantastic, while losing the extra "stuff" AND getting healthier. </p>
<p>Hey, with lo-carb, you can have steak, lobster (w/ butter!), eggs, cheese, most veggies, some fruit, bacon, sausage, fish, chicken... Don't worry, your cholesterol won't go up as long as you keep the carbs low (there is NO minimum daily requirement for carbohydrate - you don't need any!). The risks involved with lo-carb are when people cheat & cause a rise in insulin levels which trigger the body to store the fat & cholesterol in their diet. You won't store it as long as you're releasing glucagon instead of insulin.</p>
<p>Incidentally, regarding performance, here's a quote from Barry Sears, the trainer of the Stanford University Swim Team that won 8 gold medals in Barcelona (not bad for a major country, let alone one school!):<br>
[quote]
"Completing a typical marathon will require 2,000 calories of energy. That also happens to be the maximum amount of carbohybrate a marathoner can store in the muscles and liver: about 2,000 calories. If the marathoner uses only his stored carbohydrates, he may not have enough energy to complete the race.
On the other hand, if the same 150-pound marathoner has 10 per cent body fat, this translates into 15 pounds of total fat. About 3 pounds of that total is not accessable for energy because it's in places like the brain.
Since there are 3,500 calories per pound of fat, this amount of accessable fat potentially provides the runner with 42,000 calories of energy - more than twenty times the energy available from stored carbohydrate."
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You just have to switch to your "reserve tank" by not refueling w/ carbs. It works!
BTW, I am NOT suggesting that potential mids try to adhere to any sort of diet during Plebe Summer or any other time! This post is for informational purposes only and/or for the benefit of those who might need to shed a few pounds or are interested in such things. But, no matter who you are, Sugar = Bad!</p>
<p>
[quote]
BTW, I am NOT suggesting that potential mids try to adhere to any sort of diet during Plebe Summer or any other time!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's near impossible anyway.</p>
<p>First indication clothes-wise I had on the effectiveness of my diet so far is a pair of trousers I can practically stuff two of me in, and a blue blazer that I had fitted in December but which now feels a bit like a hefty bag.</p>
<p>Woo-hoo! </p>
<p>For the record, appearance is EXTREMELY important at USNA. People will judge you almost immediately (fairly or not) by how you look. If you're a slob (overweight), you'll be looked down upon until you earn otherwise. I know this from experience.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info.</p>
<p>You should've went to West Point...thats all I can say. Haha...</p>
<p>No seriously, I understand where they are coming from with the height-weight/body fat % and everything. First and foremost its important that you are able to perform the necessary tasks. Then, you need to look sharp. Do you look "fat"? I know a guy at my school whos 27% and can run a 400 in less than a minute. Hes a football player, so they would allow him to weigh that much, but my point is weight doesn't neccessarily make you unfit. </p>
<p>BTW, I don't know about that carb deal. I am not into diets. I lost 50 lbs running. Didn't change my eating habits whatsoever (I took a week off of running and gained 15 lbs back for a short while:)) and I still lost weight. I prefer to eat what I want, and just excersise to take of the excess. These "no exercise" diets sound like a load of bull to me.</p>
<p><a href="I%20took%20a%20week%20off%20of%20running%20and%20gained%2015%20lbs%20back%20for%20a%20short%20while">quote</a>
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's the problem with carb-based fuel source - unless you maintain that high activity level, you'll gain weight. (And that's the reason why plebes & mids should & could eat anything they want - because they are expending vast amounts of energy - they will switch to their "reserve tank" of fat burning without limiting carbs). Those of us with less activity have to watch it more closely. </p>
<p>Fat is a far more efficient source for energy consumption anyway - you just can't eat sugar w/ it. (I realize that this is on the USNA forum & really applies more to us parents at this time - but y'all will be old like us one day & avoiding heart disease, diabetes, obesity & high cholesterol might be of concern to you!). </p>
<p>Maintaining optimal HEALTH by limiting the sugar intake so as to avoid blasts of insulin into the body is the idea here, not following a "diet" or getting rapid weight loss (shedding the extra pounds just happens to be one of the side benefits!).</p>
<p>I was borderline obese I believe my freshman year. I was about 6' 235lb. Started running (REALLY slow and short distances at first) and cut back on eating fast food all the time, and now I'm 6'3" and just under 200lb (with significantly more muscle mass). Both my physical and mental health are MUCH better. I plan on spending all summer working out for cross country (just switched from football) and for swimming, but it's most important to me for a decent CFA score. If I lose more weight, it'll just make everything easier for me, so I decided to diet and excercise instead of just excercise.</p>
<p>WVDad- thanks so much for your support of Fergsonfire -something he probably hasn't mentioned is that he use to be a nationally ranked swimmer with distance butterfly being his specialty - he has massive shoulders and legs and has always been amazingly strong. The kicker with the stupid neck and waist measurement is that it all depends on who is doing the measuring and if they are placing the tape in the correct place. </p>
<p>It frosts my cookies that that he is considered "fat" by Navy standards - look at the football players!!</p>
<p>Keep that positive reenforcement coming!!</p>