I am having a difficult time losing weight as I am doing long course training. I know the story, “calories in calories out, etc.” My problem is the more I train, the more hungry I am. What are some good weight loss strategies while one is training for long course? I cut my calories/carbs too low and I am zapped of energy. I am open to any and all suggestions but liposuction is not an option nor is duct taping my mouth.
For a mid morning snack, I usually eat yorgut and for an afternoon snack, I eat almonds, about 28. That has helped me lose weight.
Popcorn with garlic salt and no butter or zero calorie imitation butter spray.
Crystal Light drink
are a couple.
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I have grown to like some of the 100 calorie popcorn snack bags. It is only 100 calories and it is pretty much popcorn.
A small can of tuna in water. It’s 80 calories and packed with protein. That’ll stick around longer than a snack with carbs.
Also try fresh veggies such as broccoli.
Recent studies show milk/chocolate milk is one of the best thing to drink after your long workouts. Its got a good balance of carbs, fat, protein and naturally suppresses your appetite. I have been having my wife LOAD up on the cherry tomatoes. 10 cherry tomatoes is only 14 calories and they fill you up faster than you would guess.
I am down 40 lbs since Xmas, here is the general deal thats worked for me:
Breakfast = 1 Ensure. I use about 1/3 of it as my coffee creamer and pound the rest. Always have it after my work out if I have something on tap that morning.
Lunch = Salad ala left over. I basically search the fridge for some sort of “protein / meat” thing. 2 Scoops of that in the bottom of a Tupperware. Fill in the rest of it with Romaine Lettuce. Dressing is a mix of hot sauce (no calories) and Basalmic Vinegar (minimal like 5 maybe?) calories.
Dinner = 1 Plate of whatever my wife cooks. Don’t go crazy on serving size. I try not to pick off my kids plates, though i am not always successful. When the wife breaks out the ice cream I run screaming from the room (think Home Alone).
So far its working. I also lift weight, low weight high reps, and do sit ups in the Ab Lounger 2 after every non-long work out. I am at 10% body fat for the 1st time in a long time, maybe ever? and I am turning 36 in a month. I am not one of those freaks of metabolic nature either. If I eat fattening food, I get fat quick. My whole family (parents / brothers / sisters) are all over weight and “big boned”. So this isn’t one of those recommendation posts from someone who can eat like a horse and not gain weight anyways.
FiberOne bars.
Sorry, I know they’re processed. But they’re 140 calories and over a third of my daily
fiber requirement. That doesn’t matter when you’re young. When you’re old, you
start thinking about it. And they’re sweet. And chocolately. And fast. And they
fill you up. And costco carries them.
-Jot
Biggest thing is to stay natural. I am not an organic/natural freak - but the less artificial food you eat, you will see the results if you establish that as a habit. I just went through about 4 weeks in which I shed 15 pounds to really get light. My keys & favorite foods:
-Kashi 7 Whole Grain Cereal, you can get a good amount of calories (good calories).
-Have fruit around you all the time, when the urge hits (and I feel you) grab oranges, apples, & bananas…or whatever fruit you love
-Granola bars (Oats & Honey)
-Chicken, I grill about 5 breast every Sunday and put them in the fridge, take them to work and eat them.
-Pasta, red sauce, with chicken or turkey-meatballs
-Eat lots right after your workout and go easy on dinner
Good luck
Sugar snap peas and carrots are delicious together. Basically any vegetables are good and nutritious and you’ll get more benefits than just low calorie. Fruit is my snack of choice though, grapes, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, etc. Nuts like walnuts, almonds, pecans with some raisins are good as a little trail mix, a little higher calorie though. I make smoothies quite a bit with just frozen dole mixed fruit in a blender then filled to the same level as the fruit with a combination of orange juice, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, or any fruit juice i have. But if i want the easy way (and a little expensive) out, I go for a lara bar, the Apple pie, cinnamon roll and pecan pie are my favs. Along with being good tasting, a lot of these foods possess great anti-inflammatory properties to promote recovery after workouts! Enjoy!
I don’t train long course, but I am very lean and train a decent amount. Some of the healthy snacks that I like to have include:
Fruits and veggies–strawberries, bananas, carrots, rasperries, watermelon, bluberries, apples, pears, etc.
Granola bars–Quaker makes a bar with simple healthy ingrediants–Simple Harvest Bar, they also make a Simple Harvest oatmeal too. Very short list of ingrediants and you can understand all of them
Yogart–low fat and low sugar varieties
Cottage cheese w/ fruit
Animal crackers–the low fat ones
Apples due to fiber content. Helps you feel full.
I find that the greek strained yogurt, Fage 2%, is much more filling/satisfying than the runnier regular yogurt. It is more expensive, but has less calories and much more protein than most yogurt. I get the plain and add a little honey.
I eat before I work out and then again when I get home. Then I try to not let myself think “I deserve this treat” or “I don’t have to worry about eating this since I worked out today”. The problem with long course training is that you are working out SO much, it seems like you SHOULD be able to eat a lot of food, no problem. Not a good plan.
FiberOne bars.
Sorry, I know they’re processed. But they’re 140 calories and over a third of my daily
fiber requirement. That doesn’t matter when you’re young. When you’re old, you
start thinking about it. And they’re sweet. And chocolately. And fast. And they
fill you up. And costco carries them.
-Jot
yum… love these and they really do leave me feeling much fuller than I would have expected.
I’m in the same boat but have found that eating as much as I can early in the day makes for less desire to snack later.
The only way to lose and still have energy to train is to time your eating when it get’s used by your body instead of stored.
Since you are busy you will have to train yourself to eat a lot early and shut your hole 2hrs before bed unless it is a bit of protein and some fruit.
All the best,
Andrew
Read the book Enter The Zone. That and The Zone Diet are crucial to cutting weight IMO. It’s worked for me, but sticking to it has been my downfall… those damned Nabisco fools and their stinking double stuffs! 
When you are trying to lose weight, you don’t eat any snacks. Hope this helps.
You may want to try one of the online calorie counters. Other than counting caloires, they break down CHO,Fat, Protein and other nutritional values. Sometimes people aren’t taking in enough calories. I have worked with people that increased their caloric intake and lost wt. This is rare, but this group is usually athletes with no hx eating disorders. If you are getting enough calories, you really need to make sure you don’t cut too much to drop the pounds. Can you get your metabolic rate checked and determine how many caloires you need at rest? Not sure if you can get this done at the hospital, but maybe a local univeristy.
If you aren’t working out soon after your mid morning snack, make this your lite snack. Maybe fruit an/or small serving of nuts or peanut butter. A small serving of nut is only 12 - 30. You probably need more to eat before your workouts. Not sure of your weight, but if below 150 - 1/2 of a powerbar type is better than a whole for a mid morning snack or spend all morning eating the bar as time allows.
You can’t go wrong with food that comes from the ground or that grows on a tree. If you are really hungry, you probably need food or lacking in something.
Before sure you are getting Carbs, fat and protein in each of your three main meals. Breakfast is a mistake meal for most. It is usually low fat and protein. Most people grab a banana or eat oatmeal or have cereal with skim milk. By adding peanut butter to the piece of bread in better than eating the plain bread. This also lowers the GI index.
Drink water over fruit juices and soda. (I drink diet soda and I know it is full of chemicals and I also ate a chocolate moon pie today)
At least for a while, look at total caloric intake and outake. I have dropped about 8 pounds since training for CdA and eating over 3000 calories a day and weigh about 119. I am making sure I take in enough calories especially on the bike and eat when hungry. I usually eat healthy stuff such as carrots, bananas, and eating lots of beans for protein. I think I have cut calories but eating beans for protein. Yes, I do eat meat and even started eating red meat, again several years ago.
I’m not a registered dietitation, but do have a good nutritional and sports medicine background. A good dietitation can look at your current diet and make some changes with out using on of the online things. Find one in your hospital and get some free advice.
When you are trying to lose weight, you don’t eat any snacks. Hope this helps.
Yes, but what about the rule of eating 6 times a day. I thought this helps speed up your metabolism, keeps your energy levels even, etc?
I use fruits and nuts. Make sure to eat breakfast because that helps jump start your metabolism in the morning, especially if you don’t work out in the AM. I have some fruit mid mrning, and some nuts and protein in the midafternoon before my workouts. For what it’s worth, I’ve lost about 10-15 lbs in the last 2 months, but some of that is getting off a Navy ship with the fatty foods and being able to get back on the bike and in the pool.
Read the book Enter The Zone. That and The Zone Diet are crucial to cutting weight IMO. It’s worked for me, but sticking to it has been my downfall… those damned Nabisco fools and their stinking double stuffs!
I try to keep my snacking to a minimum, but lots of times when I just can’t resist, I reach for a Zone bar. They’re really tasty and well balanced.
Other folks have mentioned popcorn without butter. I used to be a butter maniac. I buttered everything to death (almost mine). I’ve learned that olive oil and a little sea salt or kosher salt tastes almost exactly the same as butter whether it’s on popcorn or veggies and it’s much healthier.
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