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I'm just getting into lifting after having lost significant weight over the last few years. While my diet (now) is easy for me to control and I generally eat very healthy (paleo), I've never had an interest in really measuring my food.Now, I am interested in diving into the world of lifting. While my weight is at an acceptable number right now for general health (it could be a bit better), I would like (for one time in my life) to get SERIOUSLY lean and bigger/stronger and follow some specific protocols (like carb nite or CBL and/or shockwave) to make that happen. My biggest concern right now is around measuring my nutritional intake.How does everyone measure how much of fat/protein/carb you are having? That seems insurmountably impossible to me yet people talk like they KNOW they had exactly xg protein yeterday.How do you get started "knowing" how many grams of
food there are in front of you? Do you weigh everything? Do you weight it before you cook or after?Also, what about things that have a mix of ingredients, what do you do about that? Imagine staring at a casserole that has: squash, cream, onions...how can I possibly estimate what's in there!? Please be specific and basic. I'm JUST getting started with this and tend to be a very rigid thinker, so specific detail would really be appreciated.Thanks in advance! 🙂 I'm just getting into lifting after having lost significant weight over the last few years. While my diet (now) is easy for me to control and I generally eat very healthy (paleo), I've never had an interest in really measuring my food.Now, I am interested in diving into the world of lifting. While my weight is at an acceptable number right now for general health (it could be a bit better), I would like (for one time in my life) to get SERIOUSLY lean and bigger/stronger and follow some specific protocols (like carb nite or CBL and/or shockwave) to make that happen. My biggest concern right now is around measuring my nutritional intake.How does everyone measure how much of fat/protein/carb you are having? That seems insurmountably impossible to me yet people talk like they KNOW they had exactly xg protein yeterday.How do you get started "knowing" how many grams of food there are in front of you? Do you weigh everything? Do you weight it before you cook or after?Also, what about things that have a mix of ingredients, what do you do about that? Imagine staring at a casserole that has: squash, cream, onions...how can I possibly estimate what's in there!? Please be specific and basic. I'm JUST getting started with this and tend to be a very rigid thinker, so specific detail would really be appreciated.Thanks in advance! 🙂
So running the Search button at the top will greatly help you find the answers you seek!Pretty much buy yourself a kitchen scale and make use of it. I always weigh my food prior to cooking it and go off those macros along with the macros from the labeling on the package. Mixed ingredients? Make it yourself and track the amount you use. It's not difficult to log and make note of the things you eat.Use myfitnesspal as a place to help log foods, or do it by hand in a notebook.
I cook. A lot. So, I guess I'll just start weighing all my food then. 🙂Do you ever eat out? I had a large bowl of Pho soup for lunch today. Is there a practical way to measure that kind of thing? (slices of beef, tendon, meatballs, broth, rice noodles)Or is it "good enough" to eyeball it (once you get some experience seeing the measurements)? Do the "really hardcore" folks just NEVER eat out?
Eat out basically once a year, my birthday. Its almost impossible to judge foods that you eat out it comes down to how meticulous you want to be, what your goals are and how fast you wanna get there
For true peace of mind, it's easier to just cook your own food and eat at home. I messed up my first few weeks of CNS because I was unaware that even savory-tasting Asian cuisine is prepared with sugar, and my weekly trips to a Thai restaurant were bouncing me out of ketogenesis. The only really safe thing to order at a restaurant is steak or a bunless hamburger without ketchup, and if you have a legit gluten sensitivity even that is a risky order.That said, the more you weigh and measure ingredients, you get pretty good at judging the weight/amounts of ingredients in restaurant dishes, and you can get the info from MFP later.Some restaurant chains, like Chick Fil A and Red Robin, are really good about posting their nutritional info and offering low-carb alternatives.
It's nothing “really hardcore” about eating out? I personally enjoy cooking, and making meals. Just a preference, plus I can't really eat out. So that is another main reason. Eye balling it can work, if you're a robot and know how to accurately measure a 6oz Sirloin fresh off the grill, then by all means.
I also prepare my food myself about 90% of the time, but I also go out to eat with my girlfriend once or twice every two weeks. In this case eyeballing can help if you are an experienced cook and are used to measure your ingredients with a scale – BUT it is much easier to order a steak and a salad with dressing (olive oil, vinegar) on the side for instance. I see no problem in making smart food choices.
I also prepare my food myself about 90% of the time, but I also go out to eat with my girlfriend once or twice every two weeks. In this case eyeballing can help if you are an experienced cook and are used to measure your ingredients with a scale - BUT it is much easier to order a steak and a salad with dressing (olive oil, vinegar) on the side for instance. I see no problem in making smart food choices.
Agree. And until I get lean this will probably be my approach.Honestly, although my wife and I eat out probably ~1/wk, I don't really eat that much garbage anymore. The biggest "loss" for me will be the Pho soup. No telling what's in the broth, could have sugar or whatever. I think I may have to learn to cook it. With the rice noodles might be good for a carb night.Otherwise, things I order when eating out are usually very paleo: a steak or scallops, some basic veggies. That kind of thing. At least that way even if I can't measure, I can easily model my day to prepare for that meal and then *know* that I'm within a reasonable tolerance for the day. Hell, maybe I'll bring a scale to dinner. 🙂Oh, and yesterday I measured everything I ate and put it in myfitnesspal. VERY enlightening!Thanks for the input everyone.
(I'm just responding to the title of the thread) A) Nowhere near enoughB) Still a bit hungryC) Okay that'll hold me for awhileD) Ah I should eat less next timeE) Whoa that was a lot of foodD) Can't...move...roll me to the toilet please.
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