vegan "low-carb" "diet"

[pseudo_vegan]

This is probably a pretty ridiculous idea...and I'll probably get all kinds of wrist-slapping reponses (maybe?) but I'm at a loss right now...

I'm fully aware that there will always, always, ALWAYS be those in better shape than me, be thinner/leaner/stronger, etc. I'm fine with that. What I'm not fine with is my flabbish arms. :furious: Seriously. I lift weights. Maybe I'm not lifting "enough" or something...but when one sacrifices proper form to lift more, or can only do like two reps...does that even do ANYTHING? I don't know.

Alright so my point is...is I'm going to try to [somehow] do a vegan "low-carb" diet.../meal-plan. I have a soft spot for baked goods (uh, see mid-section, please) but I thought I could somehow..."balance" the less-than-whole grains I occassionally eat with the running/cardio I do. While I'm not gaining any [fat] weight, persey, I'm also not toning like I want to. So I'm going to try this for a week or two, just to see if it makes a difference.

I see several woman at the gym with nicely toned arms. And I don't have that. So my fridge is stocked full of...soy...go infertility!!...and the like. Right now I feel dead serious about this. I don't know how it will affect my running/cardio though, since activities like those require 'quick-fuel'...well no, because then I'll be burning fat-calories I guess...I digress.

Any thoughts? Anyone? :help:

:nigel: Cheers.

[Mskedi]

but when one sacrifices proper form to lift more, or can only do like two reps...does that even do ANYTHING? I don't know.



Here's the most important thing I can say to that: Never NEVER sacrifice proper form to lift more. For one thing, you won't be working on the right muscle(s) and it won't ever help you do it in proper form, and for another you will INJURE YOURSELF.

Second -- if you can only do two reps, you're lifting too much. If you're pooping out after ten, you're probably okay. If you have to, do the weights with no, er, weights on them at all and FOCUS ON FORM. Again, you won't tone your arms at all if you're just working your back (which is usually what people who don't follow form on arm exercises overwork) and you will HURT YOURSELF.

If you need to, start with 1 lb weights. Go through all the arm exercises you want to perfectly, focusing on the muscles you want to work. Try doing three sets -- there's a lot of variance on how to do this, but I do 12 reps at my lowest weight, 10 at my mid, and 8 at my highest.

Ex: bicep curl: 12 at 5 lbs + rest
10 at 8 lbs + rest
8 at 10 lbs + rest

If you're arms are flapping, you'll probably want to work on your triceps. Those are easy muscles to cheat so, again, you're going to want to focus on form. Work slowly, and with light weights at first.

Your first week you may only use 1 or 3lb weights for every set. Your second week maybe you'll use 1 lb weights for your first set, and 3lb weights for your second and third step... eventually you'd move to 1,3,5 then 3, 5, 8 etc...
If you can't finish the last set, that weight is still too heavy for you. Finish it with a lighter weight.

I'm not going to touch the whole diet thing. I'll let someone else do that.

[pseudo_vegan]

I'm not going to touch the whole diet thing. I'll let someone else do that.

:lol:

I do everything for upper work, not just back...

I do various curls for biceps, and different things for triceps...and while I do have some definition, I have to 'flex' or being doing the exercise (like cable-pulls for triceps).

And I don't crap-out after two...but I see people (men) lifting SO MUCH weight and doing like four reps so...I just didn't know if that was some "trick-o-the-trade" or if they're just fooling themselves :kiss:

:nigel: C.

[eggplant]

Important: You cannot "spot-reduce." In other words, if your arms are flabby, lifting weights is not going to make you lose fat from your arms. It will build the muscles on your arms, which will probably make your arms look better, but the only way to reduce the fat on your arms (or anywhere else) is to lose weight. Everybody's body is different, so people lose weight differently. For instance, when I lost weight, everything slimmed down except I still have a mound of flab on my lower belly. No amount of sit-ups will take that flab away. I'd have to lose more weight, which I don't want to do because I'm at a good weight now. I've just learned to accept my belly as a legacy from my ancestors...

As for the low-carb thing, I think it's great if you want to cut down on or eliminate refined carbs from your diet (I have), but please don't feel that it's a good idea to cut out "good carbs" like whole grains and certain veggies and fruits. You'll be missing out on a lot of essential nutrients and fiber. Just cut down on things made with white flour and sugar.

[Professor12]

First of all congrats on your commitment to staying healthy and being fit. I agree with all of Mskedi's comment regarding the weight lifting; proper form is the key to getting the desired benefits from lifting. Otherwise you are at the very least not targetting the proper areas and possibly risking injury.

I would however not reccommend a low-carb diet (for anyone). Nutritionally, most low carb diets are high protein and relatively high fat, both of which have been shown to be detrimental to overall health. Furthermore, carbohydrates are the body's primary source of fuel for everything from brain function, to the regulation of your heart, to fueling your running workouts. If you were to attempt a low carb diet and run, your body would be forced to start burning fat/protein for fuel. Both of these processes are very inefficient compared to burning carbohydrates and as a result your workouts would suffer tremendously.

Another key thing to understand is that no special "diet" is going to make your arms tighter. One of the big myths in mainstream conciousness is that spot removal of fat (toning) is possible. We are all born with a genetically predetermined allocation of fat cells which is impossible to change without surgery. Some carry fat on their hips, some on their thighs, and perhaps for you, on the arms. The only way to minimize this is to lower your body fat percentage while increasing your lean muscle mass. The latter can be achieved through lifting while the former requires creating a calorie defecit.

I hope this helps.

[MollyGoat]

I don't see why you can't cut out baked goods without going on a "low-carb" diet. Low-carb diets eliminate or reduce all of the healthiest foods. Legumes, vegetables, fruits....

Basing your diet on one food (like soy) is a bad idea, too.

[pseudo_vegan]

::le sigh::

A lot of this stuff I already know...I guess I didn't fully explain myself and my position in my OP...I know it's not possible to spot-reduce; I often create a calorie deficit between food/exercise, just not enough to lose weight. I don't gain, but I don't lose, and I'm "okay" with that b/c I'm generally on my "goal" weight, +/- a pound.

I guess my issue is that of the places I have "left" to lose weight from (stomach area [typical for females--no offense], the upper arms/thighs)...it seems it REQUIRES the using of fat for fuel. I probably sound really stupid for someone who's into nutrition/fitness as much as I am...but I also work for a distributing company of sports' supplements, and I've read sample diets from competitive lifters and their competition diets ARE designed to burn the fat, etc. for fuel so that they can get cut.

/shrug

This is more of an experiment, I think. It'll probably last like a day and then I will eat cereal or something :p

Plus, it's slightly improbable that I will consume too much 'fat' from my protein sources because I bought some tofu dogs that have 17 grams of protein, but like 1 gram of fat...

...blah. Again, this'll probably be like a day-thing for me :D

:nigel: Cheers.

[MollyGoat]

I'd hesitate to base your diet on that of competitive lifters. They generally eat very, very unhealthfully.

[pseudo_vegan]

I'd hesitate to base your diet on that of competitive lifters. They generally eat very, very unhealthfully.

I completely agree. I guess I'm looking more towards the general idea of what it takes to get "cut"...even for just a week :-/

:nigel: C.

[Elena99]

I have a soft spot for baked goods (uh, see mid-section, please)

Other people have said what I would say, but I wanted to point out that I thought that sentence was cute.

Anyway, how low carb is low carb? How many carbs per day are you after, and how many do you eat now?

[SeaSiren]

Note everyone said carbs=energy which you need during the day....but NOT at night (you don't need lots of energy to sleep)! Stop eating carbs in the late after noon and go for higher protein foods. I found this helps me immensly and helps to rebuild my muscles.

So in essence you are not going "low carb" or even "high protein", just moving them around to be more useful.

Also, you really should cut way back on refined carbs...but you already new that. ;)

[zoebird]

ok, you could be 'overtraining' your arms. I've talked about it before. look it up.

as for the diet, easy:

all the green veggies that you can handle
1-2 pieces of fruit per meal
beans, seeds--sprouted
nuts
1 serving of whole grain/complex carb per day (meaning, 1 sm red potato; OR 1 piece of ezekiel bread; OR one serving steel cut oats; OR--get the idea?)
1 tbsp of quality fat per day (coconut, flax seed, hemp, whatever)

NO: refined carbs, no complex carbs, no grains, no starchy veggies (such as potatoes or peas), no juice, and absolutely no white sugar!

Drinks allowed: water, tea (no sweetner, no juice not even of a lemon), 1 cup of coffee per day

This diet does work. you don't do it 'ad infinitum' but until you get to the lean-ness you desire, then you add in more grains (i don't do more than two servings per day, but that's me).

[CaptainSwab]

Why can't you add lemon to the tea or water?

[astro]

Here's the most important thing I can say to that: Never NEVER sacrifice proper form to lift more. For one thing, you won't be working on the right muscle(s) and it won't ever help you do it in proper form, and for another you will INJURE YOURSELF.

Second -- if you can only do two reps, you're lifting too much. If you're pooping out after ten, you're probably okay. If you have to, do the weights with no, er, weights on them at all and FOCUS ON FORM. Again, you won't tone your arms at all if you're just working your back (which is usually what people who don't follow form on arm exercises overwork) and you will HURT YOURSELF.

If you need to, start with 1 lb weights. Go through all the arm exercises you want to perfectly, focusing on the muscles you want to work. Try doing three sets -- there's a lot of variance on how to do this, but I do 12 reps at my lowest weight, 10 at my mid, and 8 at my highest.

Ex: bicep curl: 12 at 5 lbs + rest
10 at 8 lbs + rest
8 at 10 lbs + rest

If you're arms are flapping, you'll probably want to work on your triceps. Those are easy muscles to cheat so, again, you're going to want to focus on form. Work slowly, and with light weights at first.

Your first week you may only use 1 or 3lb weights for every set. Your second week maybe you'll use 1 lb weights for your first set, and 3lb weights for your second and third step... eventually you'd move to 1,3,5 then 3, 5, 8 etc...
If you can't finish the last set, that weight is still too heavy for you. Finish it with a lighter weight.

I'm not going to touch the whole diet thing. I'll let someone else do that.

Pretty good advice right there :up:

[pseudo_vegan]

ok, you could be 'overtraining' your arms. I've talked about it before. look it up.

:whip:

:cry:

Eek.

FTR, Elena99, I looked back through fit day and I average around 250 carbs/day...so I picked 100/day...just to try and see what that's like.

/shrug

:nigel: C.

[zoebird]

swab: juice. it's just to get people off the juice of things. It's ok to eat lemon with your tea or water, but just don't juice it into your tea or water.

[CaptainSwab]

Ok, that makes sense. :)

PV, I typically don't agree with low carb diets per say, but like to follow a diet that is more like zoebirds. I think the things that she posted are more about making the right choices and you don't really limit the fruits and veggies that you can eat, like on low carb.

Last summer my husaband and I stayed with my in-laws while looking for a place to live around here. She was hard core into Atkins that summer and drove me crazy. She was trying to get my husband to try it. One day at dinner, they were all eating hamburgers and salad. Dave went to grab more salad and his mom said (no joke), don't have more salad, that will make you gain weight, have another hamburger!!!!!!!???? That is what I don't really like about the low carb diets. To me, that type of thought is just crazy. I don't like how they limit their veggies and think they should have more protien instead.

I do think that low-carb is on the right path of throwing out junk like white bread and sugar though.

[pseudo_vegan]

I do think that low-carb is on the right path of throwing out junk like white bread and sugar though.

I still plan on eating plenty of veggies...some fruits...I will "work up" to the ones with higher GI's in a week or so...

That's the whole issue I have though is that I already DON'T eat white bread/rice/pasta...

Or, if I do, it's like a [vegan] muffin I buy once a week (and not every week)...and it's like a 'treat' for myself if I get up and go out for an hour-long run in the morning...

And/or I consume them (meaning any bread-type product) when I know I'll be burning it off through exercise...

...but I just can't get any tone/definition in my arms (or, anywhere really) unless I'm "flexing"... :-/

Perhaps I just don't have what it takes to look like that. /sigh

:nigel: C.

[catswym]

:whip:

:cry:

Eek.

FTR, Elena99, I looked back through fit day and I average around 250 carbs/day...so I picked 100/day...just to try and see what that's like.

/shrug

:nigel: C.


100g/ day is the bare bare minimum a person should be eating. 250 sounds wonderful!

i don't think reducing carb intake will make your arms less "flabby".

[Jinga]

PV, my advice to you ...

1) Don't count 'carbs'. It will make you crazy. Just cut down on the empty, highly refined, sugary carbohydrates. 100grams per day of carbohydrates is not enough to sustain a healthy active body. Reducing junk food should be enough to decrease those energy level peaks and crashes that go along with refined grains and that make you extra hungry.

2) Try changing your workout every 4-6 weeks. You have probably become stuck in a rut ... the dreaded 'plateau' where your body becomes used to your routine and you stop seeing progress. Sign up for a new class, try a new activity, anything new to challenge your body.

[SeaSiren]

If your looking to build arms I suggest checking with some of the bodybuilders at:
http://www.veganfitness.net (http://www.veganfitness.net/)

or

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/phpBB2/

[brownieB26]

I'm not a fitness expert, and I've never studied fitness and butrition, etc. But I've read that fi you want to burn the most fat, skip the carbs at dinner and exercise first thing in the morning. You'll feel like crap the first day or two, but it works to some extent.

And lay off the froot loops, fatty :whip: (I love youuu!)

[Professor12]

My general advice in light of the other comments would be to continue with your current fitness program with an increased focus on the upper body weight lifting. Cutting carbs will only jeapordize your cardio which is very important if you want to maintain an overall lean, fit physique. From my limited interactions with body builders, most train in cycles. For the majority of the time they eat high cal, high carb, high protein diets looking to bulk up as much as possible. Only when it is time for competitions will they transition to a "cutting" phase which usually invovles a low carb diet. These kind of diets aren't sustainable and the only purpose within the body building context is to decrease body fat while maintaining as much lean muscle mass as possible. Personally I would rather have a stable, nutritious diet and be fit rather than force my body through what amounts to yo-yo dieting to tone up a bit.

On a slightly different topic, can anyone actually link scientific studies that show that eating/eating carbs after a certain time has any effect on weight or body composition? From what I know this is another popular nutrition myth that gets tossed around a lot and cited in diet plans but seems to have no scientific backing.

[Jinga]

On a slightly different topic, can anyone actually link scientific studies that show that eating/eating carbs after a certain time has any effect on weight or body composition? From what I know this is another popular nutrition myth that gets tossed around a lot and cited in diet plans but seems to have no scientific backing.

I had never even heard that before this thread. Everything I read always says that the basis of weight loss and gain is calories in vs. calories out .. not time of day, macronutrient ratio, etc.

[katmango]

I had never even heard that before this thread. Everything I read always says that the basis of weight loss and gain is calories in vs. calories out .. not time of day, macronutrient ratio, etc.


I think its a myth too. Carbs,calories ,whatever..can't tell time.