Analyze my diet?

[Katie P]

So here's my question.....I haven't seen really any results other than the most important LOL....feeling healthy & looking at food completely differently!
But I'm wanting to tone up. I'm not that far from being where I need to be just need to switch my body composition around to being firm (I'm 26 5'4" & probably weigh somewhere around 125-130)

Here's my workout schedule
about 5x a week I'm at the gym for maybe 1hr -1.5hr --I lift weights for about 45min 4days a week. I may add cardio with the weights or lift heavy...I like to switch it up. I do cardio on the eliptical/ bike/ or tredmill or my cardio is when I lift weights & do kinda calisthenics. I may do walk the other 2days that I'm not at the gym

Here's my typical diet:
Breakfast: Banana smoothie (maybe 3 bananas) 2tbsp cocoa powder/ wheat grass & spirulina powder & ground flax
snack: a couple pieces of fruit or nuts & fruit
Lunch: Salad with tons of veggies a little avacado/ apple cidar vinegar
snack: 1 avacado & veggies
Dinner: Fruit salad/ or another greens salad & some dessert like raw fudge or coconut balls
***If I'm still hungry throughout the day I'll typically add extra fruit***

I guess I'm just curious on things I could do differently
Thanks

[Veronica01]

I'm 23, 5'4 and 134 so pretty close to you. I'm starting to go to the gym 3-4 times a week too alternating weights and cardio. Maybe you have too much fat in your diet, having avocado for lunch and dinner and nuts and fruit at lunch. I've been eating a lot of nuts in my dinner recipes and haven't noticed any weight loss so i am thinking i can only do that once or twice a week. I also try not to eat more than half an avocado every few days as yummy as they are. Maybe just make more smoothies to fill yourself up instead?

[Katie P]

Do you really think that's too much fat? It may average out to be 1 or 1.5 avacado & 1 serving of nuts/day....fat is essential for our diets....I guess that's what I'm not sure of b/c I feel like if I take out fat then I'm adding more carbs---I think that's where I get confused.

[Veronica01]

Most people suggest closer to 80% carbs, and 10% fat and protein is the best optimum health and weight. I cannot get my fat down that low. I am still wanting to try a lot of recipes with nuts and avocados right now so it's much more than that and i can't really expect to lose weight. Usually 2 tablespoons of nuts a day would be sufficient and some oil for salads, or half an avocado, maybe a whole one. Also you are having flax every day as well, you are getting plenty of fat. Fat is essential, but it is the most calorie dense nutrient so we need far less than carbs and protein. If you up the fruit you are eating, do not feel guilty. Feel free to eat lots of varieties of fruit and not just bananas. If you are wanting to tone up I suspect you should reduce the fat and have maybe only small amounts of nuts or some avocado, not both every day at every meal.

[RawKnitster]

I would not change anything except possibly lowering the fruit (slightly) and upping the greens, but who among us would not benefit from that. I sure would.

If you wanted to lose weight (doesn't sound like you do), then you could reduce the fats and high sugar fruits, but probably only on days you are not doing a heavy workout.

I've read about David Wolfe's sunfood triangle. He states an optimal balance is equal amounts of fruits, fats, and greens. It is hard to figure equal amounts because he bases it on dry weight.
Example: Fruit is 90% water so 1lb of fruit = 1.6 ozs, Nuts have no water so 1.6 oz is the dry weight.

And ideal raw diet for me would consist of 10%protein, 30% fat and 60% carbs, (based on % of calories). Since our carbs come mostly from fruit,60% is enough. But that's just my opinion.

Congratulations on doing so well. I wish I had some or your workout ethic. :)

[gs4life]

i just want to point out that everyone is different. while only 60% carbs works for rawknitster, 90% (or more) carbs work for me. i eat a lot of fruit and don't have a lot of overt fats. i've never felt better...i've slimmed up and toned up...i have more energy than i ever could have imagined.

so, the only thing i would suggest is if you're not happy with your results thus far to change your approach. you could give a lower fat/higher fruit diet a couple of weeks...and/or a lower fruit diet...and see what works best for you. but one thing i have heard from a lot of people is that when our diets are high in fat (and i mean over 30%) then fruit can give us a problem.

good luck on finding the approach that works for you!

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

So here's my question.....I haven't seen really any results other than the most important LOL....feeling healthy & looking at food completely differently!
But I'm wanting to tone up. I'm not that far from being where I need to be just need to switch my body composition around to being firm (I'm 26 5'4" & probably weigh somewhere around 125-130)

Here's my workout schedule
about 5x a week I'm at the gym for maybe 1hr -1.5hr --I lift weights for about 45min 4days a week. I may add cardio with the weights or lift heavy...I like to switch it up. I do cardio on the eliptical/ bike/ or tredmill or my cardio is when I lift weights & do kinda calisthenics. I may do walk the other 2days that I'm not at the gym

Here's my typical diet:
Breakfast: Banana smoothie (maybe 3 bananas) 2tbsp cocoa powder/ wheat grass & spirulina powder & ground flax
snack: a couple pieces of fruit or nuts & fruit
Lunch: Salad with tons of veggies a little avacado/ apple cidar vinegar
snack: 1 avacado & veggies
Dinner: Fruit salad/ or another greens salad & some dessert like raw fudge or coconut balls
***If I'm still hungry throughout the day I'll typically add extra fruit***

I guess I'm just curious on things I could do differently
Thanks

I understand your concern about essential fats in the diet, but I know there are certain raw foodist (long term) who usually only have fats(or high fat foods like avocado/coconut/oils/nuts etc) about twice a week. It seems to work for them, although I do believe everybody is different. I think that having avocado for lunch and snack and then nuts earlier in the day may just be too many fats. I often notice when I am eating too many fats, that I will get that "hungover" fat feeling and a little irritable the next day.

You could probably do with upping your greens(as could I:)) and I wouldn't say reduce the fruit unless this occurs naturally, which it probably will, if you are upping the greens. I find greens stop me craving sugary or fatty things too much. Maybe increase your cardio if you want to lose fat or do stretches to encourage the muscles to appear long and lean. I hear pilates are good for toning and posture also.

Thats my opinion, anyway.

[cara4art]

I'm with Irish Vegan Girl on the idea of upping the greens, and cutting back somewhat on the fats. You don't have to eliminate them altogether, as they are good - just space 'em out a bit, and in smaller quantities. This you might have to experiment with. Some people find they lose body fat with eating coconut oil and avocadoes as their main fats, for example(but that still doesn't mean you just load up on them though). Easiest way to get significantly more greens without adding fat(as is typical with many salads) into your diet is by way of green smoothies. You will also have the benefit of automatically upping your protein into a easily bio-available form that is low in fat, AND cutting cravings. I would also suggest swapping out your smoothie flax seeds for chia seeds. Google these, and you will see that these have a myriad of benefits, not the least of which that they are very hydrating and filling, and slow the release of sugars from fruit into the bloodstream. I was using flax seeds in my smoothies, but personally have found the chia seeds to be even better. This protein thing is important along with the carbs especially with working out. Don't forget your cardio too.

[circle]

veronica i am 23, too! wow! you seem so much more mature then me. ^_^*

[Katie P]

So you all think eating about 50g of fat a day is too much? Just curious

[Colorawdo girl]

Your body knows what it needs. I have never been concerned one bit with fat on raw.

[gs4life]

for me 50g of fat is way too much. maybe it's not for other people. i would venture to say that it's not working for you...or at least something you're doing isn't working.

i now know what works for me after about 4 or 5 months trying out different ways of eating raw. on a "typical" day i'll eat 4 or 5% of my calories from fat...most days i don't eat overt fats. then there are days where i'll have a tablespoon or 2 of milled flax or half an avocado. around the holidays i'll uncook some desserts with nuts, etc., but on a regular basis i do best without eating much fat.

plug what you eat in a typical day into fitday or some other free food log website to keep track of what you're eating & how you're feeling. if you take note of what you're doing and how you're reacting, soon enough you'll find what works best for you.

[Veronica01]

veronica i am 23, too! wow! you seem so much more mature then me. ^_^*

LOL Aww thanks. My mom has always said that, I just read a lot and try things myself. I'm eating lots on this diet and still feeling great!