newbie looking for advice

[smiley25]

hi all, i was surfing the web looking for diet and fitness info and stumbled on your site... i really like all of the info you have on this forum, it is really helpful... i have been working out for about 8 years... i took one and a half off when i was working and getting my master's degree... it took a huge toll on my body, i went from about 120 up to 145 at 5'3.... all fat mind you. i have been working out regularly/obsessively for about 2 years now and am back to around 125 lbs.. i still have some stubborn body fat that i want to get rid of... i was wondering if any of you could help me out with a good diet plan... i am terrible at math, so all of the ratio/percentages go way over my head!!! i am just looking to switch it up, right now i follow a low/med/high carb split... three days low, two medium and one all out pig out day... any helpful ideas for diet would be greatly appreciated.... THanx!!!

[mac83]

i'm gonna move this to the diet forum for ya hun. you'll get much more help there.

[mtex]

with a masters degree im going to assume you are not in your 20's anymore. that said i will tell you what little i know about dieting. carbs are used for energy. carbs can give you an isulin spike. insulin doesnt care if it stores nutrients to muscles or sugar carbs into fat storage. the older you get the harder these problem areas become. maybe you should cut out the pig out day - usually the problem areas ( luv handles etc) are caused by the fat storage i was just refering to. MrX & spook know MUCH more than me about all the variables of dieting. i have the opposite problem. i try to gain weight - so i never educated myself too much on fat loss & dieting principles

[Sh4dowF4lcon]

welcome aboard and I am sure Mr.X and others will have advice to help you. Be sure to stop by and visit regularly. I agree with MTEX, you can forget the Pig Out day if you want to lose fat. Also the most important component in losing fat is speeding your metabolism. The way you speed the metabolism is with cardio. You need to get your heart rate up at least 45 minutes a day for at least 4 days a week.

I like running sprints and bleachers, but I always run at least 45 minutes to an hour. Your body really wont start churning and burning until after the 30 minute mark. So do not stop at 30. If nothing else get on a tread mill and go fast for 45-60 minutes.

diet+cardio=lose fat

[smiley25]

thanx for the advice... i'll step up the cardio to 30 - 45 min at least 4 days a week... i will get rid of the pig out day too, and concentrate more on the cardio.... again thanx!!!