Help needed: Reintroducing food and fitness

[Vegan]

Hi

I'm new to this forum.

I'm a 5" 6' 22 year old girl who weights about 10st 4lb at the moment (144lb) and I am just reintroducing food after spending 8 months on a meal replacement diet where you abstain from all food and only drink four shakes a day. I lost 8 1/2st on the diet, which was great.

I've decided to become vegan now that I am reintroducing food (for a number of reasons) after spending a good 5 years before hand being veggie.

Below is a detailed list of the exercise I have done and food I have eaten since reintroducing food. Just briefly here I'll say that I go to boxecise for an hour once a week and run 2.5k most mornings. I usually try a 5k run once I a week.

What I'd like to know is:

a) Do I eat the right amount?
b) Is my diet healthy?
c) Will my diet together with the execise I do help me to tone up?

Obviously losing 8 1/2st was fabulous but now I'm really keen to concerntrate on getting really fit, toned and healthy. I want to wear a bikini for the first time ever! Lol.

Thanks for your help

LLGirl


Saturday 14 March

5K Run

30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

Vanilla Shake
Pumpkin soup, salad and small portion of chocolate cake (1/3 of a slice)
Salad with okara and mixed beans
Handful of grapes
Spoonful of peanut butter
Stick of celery with mustard
1/4 cup soup mix with 2 teaspoons of swiss bouillon

2.5k walk

30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

Sunday 15 March

2.5k Run
30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
40 crunches
15 press ups

Handful of grapes
Small bunch of grapes
Apple
Handful of berries
Picking at pasta, couscous and textured vegetable protein while cooking
1 wholewheat pitta filled with couscous
1/2 pitta filled with chickpeas
2 hour walk
Mixed bean salad with okara
Fruit salad with two teaspoons of plain soy yoghurt

10 minutes on the rower
30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

Monday 16 March

2.5k Run
30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

Porridge with fruit salad
2 teaspoonfuls of plain soy yoghurt
Small pot of plain soy yoghurt with raspberries
Wholewheat pitta with couscous and lettuce
3x pepper sticks
3x carrot sticks
CD case sized tub of pepper and carrot sticks
2 spoonfuls of couscous
1/2 block of tofu with cinnamon, 1 banana, 1 apple and small handful of grapes mixed with tablespoonful of plain soy yoghurt and drizzle of maple syrup

Tuesday 17 March

No run
30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

5 grapes
2 small squares of Green & Black Maya Gold
Wholewheat pasta with textured vegetable protein, tomato, mushroom, mixed beans and sweetcorn
Small tub of plain soy yoghurt with 18 blackberries
2 small squares of Green & Black Maya Gold
2 teaspoonfuls of plain soy yoghurt
Handful of grapes
3 dried apricots (you will see alot of this particular food item!)
4 carrot/pepper sticks
Tofu, carrots, green peppers, chickpeas in mustard, parsley and corriander
Small mixed lettuce salad

30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches
20 sit-up toe touches
50 alternate toe touches

Wednesday 18 March

2.5K Run
30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

10.00
1/4 cup (UK cup) of porridge
1/2 fruit salad
13.45
1/2 tub of pasta salad with tomato, mushroom, mixed beans, pepper, textured vegetable protein
17.00
Small pot of soy yoghurt with grapes
2 small squares of Green & Black Maya Gold
18.00
3 dried apricots
4 slices of apple
4 teaspoonfuls of plain soy yoghurt
20.30
1 wholewheat pitta with couscous containing celery, onion, carrots, chickpeas and lettuce
2 teaspoonfuls of yoghurt
2 teaspoonfuls of peanut butter
4 teaspoonfuls of apple sauce

30 seconds holding the plank
30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
30 crunches
50 alternate toe touches
10 ball lifts (lying flat and passing a gym ball from your hands to your feet, down to the floor and back up again)

Thursday 19 March

2.5k Run
30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

8.00
1/2 cup (UK cup) of Fruit n Fibre
Soy milk
11.20
1/4 fruit salad
12.10
10 Calorie soup
2 carrots worth of carrot sticks
4 broccoli florets
14.00
Tub of raisin shredded wheat
17.00
Small pot of plain soy yoghurt with dried apricots
2 small squares of Green & Black Maya Gold
18.15
2 tablespoons of plain soy yoghurt
3 teaspoons of apple sauce
20.45
Pasta in tomato sauce with pepper, mushroom, onion, tomato and broccoli with tofu
Small mixed lettuce salad
4 teaspoonfuls of plain soy yoghurt
3 dried apricots
30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches
50 alternate toe touches

Friday 20 March

No run
30 crunches
20 reverse crunches
20 crunches

7.45
Small handful of Fruit n Fibre and raisin shredded wheat
10.30
1/2 cup (UK cup) of Fruit n Fibre
Soy milk
14.00
4 peanuts
Wholewheat pasta with tomato, mixed beans and sweetcorn
15.45
1/2 fruit salad
16.30
3/4 cup of soymilk
2 peanuts
17.00
Small pot of plain soy yoghurt
dried apricots
2 small squares of Green & Black Maya Gold
18.45
Wholewheat pasta with tofu, peppers, mushrooms, onions
23.15
10 Calorie soup
CD case sized tub of pepper sticks and broccoli florets

Saturday 21 March

30 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

Brighton Vegan Fayre - tried pratically every vegan food under the sun
Can't remember what I ate. Loads basically.
"Proper meals" included:
Breakfast - two slices of white toast, one portion of beans, one portion of plum tomatos, half a portion of mushrooms
Lunch - Spicy mexican bean burger in white bun with side salad and fruit smoothie
Dinner - 1 apple, 1 banana, grapes, soy yoghurt
Had some Love Potion No. 9 Conscious Chocolate too

40 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

Sunday 22 March

2.5K Run
40 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches
50 alternate toe touches

7.30
2 apples
10.45
1 slice of brown toast
1 portion of baked beans
1 portion of plum tomatoes
1 portion of mushrooms
12.45
2 handfuls of grapes and strawberries
3 handfuls of mixed dried fruit (raisins, currents and sultanas)
16.00
Wholewheat pitta with carrots, broccoli, mushroom and Cheezly mature cheddar
16.45
Hot chocolate with soymilk
18.00
Handful of grapes and strawberries
Picking while cooking:
Textured vegetable protein, veg, wholewheat pasta
20.45
2 wholewheat pittas, salsa, plain soy yoghurt, mixed mexican beans with veg.
21.00
Square of Conscious Chocolate

Monday 23 March

2.5K Run
20 seconds holding the plank
40 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

8.15
Porridge with dried figs and apricots
10.20
1/3 iced finger
6 dried apricots
6 grapes
12.00
Homemade vegetable soup with wholewheat pitta
14.40
Apple
15.20
2 dried apricots
4 grapes
17.00
Small pot of plain soy yoghurt with strawberries
17.20
1 dried apricot
3 grapes
20.30
Tofu, pepper, carrot, mexican beans and Cheezly mature cheddar
2 wraps
Salsa and plain soy yoghurt
1 square of Conscious Chocolate
2 handfuls of mixed dried fruit
40 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

Tuesday 24 March

2.5K Run
40 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches
8.20

1 dried apricot
1 grape
1/4 cup (UK cup) porridge with dried figs and mixed dried fruit
10.40
1 cup (UK cup) of grapes
12.00
Wholewheat pasta in tomato suace with tomato, pepper, onion and textured vegetable protein
Small mixed lettuce salad
14.40
Apple and handful of grapes
15.45 (I was really hungry here)
23g packet of Rice Krispies Multi-grain Shapes (85 calories)
17.00
Small pot of plain soy yoghurt with grapes and strawberries
20.00
2 peppers stuffed with couscous, carrot and cucumber sticks
23.00
Half cup of dried fruit
2 tablespoons of plain soy yoghurt
teaspoon of swiss bouillon
40 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches
50 alternate toe touches

Wednesday 26 March

No run - boxecise later

40 crunches
30 reverse crunches
20 crunches

8.15
1/4 cup (UK Cup) of porrided with dried figs and mixed dried fruit
10.30
1 cup (UK Cup) of grapes
12.40
Homemade vegetable soup
1 wholewheat pitta
Small salad of mixed lettuce
14.30
Apple
15.45 (really hungry by this point despite my apple?)
1 cup (UK cup) of Fruit n Fibre
Soymilk
17.00
Small pot of plain soy yoghurt with grapes

18.00 - 19.00
Boxecise, including:
60 crunches
15 press-ups
25 seconds holding the plank

19.30
Banana
20.45
1/2 block of tofu with broccoli and cherry tomatos, couscous and 1 wholewheat pitta
1 12g bag of pineapple slices (33 calories)

[5kgLifter]

Answers found in bold, to make it easier

Originally Posted by Vegan

Hi

I'm new to this forum.

I'm a 5" 6' 22 year old girl who weights about 10st 4lb at the moment (144lb) and I am just reintroducing food after spending 8 months on a meal replacement diet where you abstain from all food and only drink four shakes a day. I lost 8 1/2st on the diet, which was great.

First of all, congrats on the weight loss, and on exercising to maintain it.

I've decided to become vegan now that I am reintroducing food (for a number of reasons) after spending a good 5 years before hand being veggie.

Below is a detailed list of the exercise I have done and food I have eaten since reintroducing food. Just briefly here I'll say that I go to boxecise for an hour once a week and run 2.5k most mornings. I usually try a 5k run once I a week.

What I'd like to know is:

a) Do I eat the right amount?

Whether you are eating the right amount cannot really be ascertained by the list of foods, I would say, however that the foods seem sensible and balanced, you have carbs/protein etc...not sure about the EFA's, is there good fats in the diet; olive oil etc? If you are not gaining weight, and the intake is similar to what you had on the liquid diet then it may be okay, as long as you are not going overly low in calories. You need to find out how much calorie-wise, you are consuming, and then work out how many calories you should be eating due to your height/weight etc, look up BMR calculators online, there should be a few. Also, keep an eye on whether you lose weight, and if so, make sure it's not too much in any one week.

b) Is my diet healthy?

As, I said, the diet appears to be balanced, but check on your EFA's and calorie intake, due to the exercise that you are doing, the body will need more fuel to stay healthy.

c) Will my diet together with the execise I do help me to tone up?

I'm not really too certain how far 2.5k or 5k is, since we work in miles over here, but be careful that there is not too much stress being given to the knee joints, since I notice you run everyday; people that run themselves, may be able to comment more on this part of your exercise routine. I also notice in your exercise listing is that you do way too many abdominal exercises; you would do better to do those 3 times a week, with more intensity (use a weight plate to make it harder to do less etc), and to incorporate a whole body weight routine, which would tone every part of you and make you stronger at the same time. Abs exercises will only tone and strengthen the abdominals, they cannot spot reduce fat, or any other potential issue there is in that area; the cardio will do that. Is there a problem of excess skin due to the weight loss (please feel free not to answer this if you feel it's too personal), but if that is the issue, abs exercises will not help resolve the problem, unfortunately.

Diet and exercise together will indeed help you to tone up, and that is the best way to approach a healthy lifestyle.

Obviously losing 8 1/2st was fabulous but now I'm really keen to concerntrate on getting really fit, toned and healthy. I want to wear a bikini for the first time ever! Lol.

Thanks for your help

LLGirl