build muscle/tone up but lose weight at same time?????

[garycref]

hi, I am 14 stone, 6tf got a minor beer gut, I have started doing weight training again and using a mountain bike. I need advice on the following:

What supplements should I use to gain muscle and can I use a slimming suppliment at the same time (please don't advise against using suppliments)

What foods should I eat and what should I keep clear of?

Lastly, how much should I excercise each week..ie, gym Monday, weights Tuesday. Run Wednesday ect...to lose weight and tone up in the shortest amount of time.

Many thanks for any advice

[dr b]

Eat: plenty of lean protein, whole grains, vegetables. Keep fats at less than 30% of total calories; avoid saturated fats. Basically no empty calories (& cut down on beer - *sob*)

Exercise: every day, just be sure to give any particular muscle group a day off between exercise sessions. Alternating weights and cardio is a good way to go.

Nothing to say about supplements since your question precludes my giving the best possible advice about them.

[garycref]

could I have some examples of lean protein....is this things such as streak and fish..and is it possible to lose weight whilst eating high protein foods??

[dr b]

lean protein = skinless poultry or fish. Avoid red meat as it's high in "bad" (saturated) fats. Fat should be monounsaturated to the greatest extent possible (olive oil, nut oils, etc. fish oils are also good. Stick to low- or non-fat dairy products.)

Losing weight is a simple equation: calories expended must exceed calories taken in. There are no magic bullets that let you get around this fact. If you're exercising an hour a day (say) you'll be expending a lot of calories. Keep the food intake to 2000-2500 calories a day, but make the calories count - maximum nutrients packed into those calories.

Also, be patient. Your question ends by stating you want to do this in the shortest possible time. Then what? Exercise & eating well is for the rest of your life, so if you get there in 6 months instead of 6 weeks, you'll still get there. The danger in wanting it all too fast is that you'll get discouraged & give up if results are slower in coming than you like.

I'm 48 and have been exercising (and eating well) for 30+ years. My plan is to die running when I'm 87!

[garycref]

thanks for the advice..it's most helpful...one thing that I know I'm doing that is bad is snacking during work...I get very hungry and eat say a chocolate bar inbeyween meals....this is because I need the energy to get they the day...I'm a painter and decorator and so my work is effected if I'm hungry and had hi energy.....what can I subsitute the chocolate and crisps for??

[dr b]

Nothing wrong with eating at work to keep your energy up if you have a physically taxing job. (In fact the paradox of what you're trying to accomplish is that all the exercise will make you hungrier at first.) Try substituting bananas, apples and/or nuts (or some trail mix with nuts and dried fruit). These things are very dense and will fill you up, but also have a lot of nutritional value. And, since chocolate bars are exceedingly tasty, have one a once or twice a week too (alternate the healthy and "sinful" days). Eating should still be fun, after all, and as long as you maintain the equation calories out > calories in, you'll be fine. At some point you will have lost all the weight you care to (and will have redistributed it to where you want it to go) and then you just have to maintain calories in = calories out.

I had knee surgery 3 months ago, and my "calories out" plummeted due to the forced inactivity. So, I had to be extra careful with the calories in (still gained 3 pounds!) Now I am back to exercising daily and am glad of it.

Good luck!

[garycref]

thanks for the advice...I'll keep you posted how I do