i'm currently overweight, weighting at 18.5 st, i have just started the gym doing weights for an hr 3 times a weeks full body work out and cardio for an hr 3 days a week, and on a sunday i'm thinking of going swimmin for an hr on sunday

mon - weights
tues - cardio
wed - weights
thurs - cardio
fri - weights
sat - cardio

can you tell me if this is ok to work out this way?

also i need to know what to eat, i know to eat regular about 5 - 6 meals a day and drink plenty of water but i aint got a clue on what to eat. do i eat lots of protein and cut down on carbs? i want to eat healthy but not sure, where can i get a week rota on what to eat?

Can some1 help plz?

thanks

your exercise plan looks perfect. Here's a basic 101 on diet for weight loss:

Calories are the primary factor in determining fat loss. You must have a caloric deficit (burning more than you are eating) on a consistent, daily basis or you will not lose fat. Conversely, if you eat too little, your body will slow its metabolism and hang onto fat, so you have to find the right range for your body. General rule of thumb is 10-12x bodyweight in calories each day (higher in the range if you're working out). Or use one of the online calculators to identify your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and then account for daily activity level to more accurately determine how many calories you burn each day and thus figure out how much of a deficit you need to safely lose weight. If you can, divide those daily intake calories into 4 - 6 small meals to eat throughout the day (every 2-3 hours). It will keep you from being hungry and preventing binges and keep metabolism up so that you will use the nutrients and burn fat more efficiently and even out blood sugar levels. Avoid drinking your calories (juice, dairy, soda) and keep it limited to water and unsweetened teas for best health and fat burning.
Once that is in order, check the content of your diet.
You need to be getting enough protein to build and maintain lean muscle mass (which keeps metabolism high) which is generally .8 to 1g per pound of body weight. It can be up to 2g if you're extremely active. This will also help keep your body from storing fat. Egg whites, chicken or turkey breast, fish, lean beef, even nuts, soy beans, tofu, various legumes and dairy.
Carbs should be complex. Avoid sugars and white foods when possible (white bread, white rice, pasta etc) because your body metabolizes them like it would sugar which increases likelihood of fat storage. Whole grain breads, oats, and brown rice and the like are burned more slowly and less likely to be stored. The key is to keep blood sugar levels fairly even. Vegetables and grains are always a good choice, fruits are ok, but don't overdo it (high sugar).
You must have fats. They are not the devil. But fat has 9 calories per gram (as opposed to 4 calories per gram for carbs and protein) so those calories can add up fast. A little healthy/unsaturated fat each day will help your body to use it's own fat for fuel (under a caloric deficit), as well as regulate hormones and various body functions. Olive oil, flax oil, avocadoes, fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, nuts and seeds all have good fat.


Hope that's helpful. If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask. :D good luck!

complex carbs? does that mean no pasta? or when buyin pasta or anything with carbs do you have to look to make sure it has low or no sugar?

also when buy food does have to be low in fat?

White flour is a starch, and technically it is complex, but it still causes a spike in blood sugar which is what you want to avoid. Whole wheat pasta is better, but pasta in general should not be a staple of your diet. Do try to avoid sugars (especially Hgh Fructose Corn Syrup which they put in *everything* these days) but eating as much whole food like fresh fruits and veggies as you can rather than processed foods can make it much simpler.

Be careful about "low fat" foods. Very often they have the same (or more) calories as their full fat counterparts. They will often use starches in place of fats as a thickener, so it's really not doing much good in many cases. Make sure you get some good fats, but avoid saturated fats like butter, whole milk, beef etc. Pay more attention to calories than fat, and try to keep the fat you do eat healthy and you'll be fine.
And don't completely eliminate anything you love from your diet just yet. Just minimize the unhealthy things until you feel more confident in eating healthier. Have a cheat day that you allow yourself one bad meal of something you know should be off limits. It can help you to eat cleaner the rest of the week and will not set you back unless you really binge.

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