I'm interested in some advice from the brain trust, i figure i'll get a good range of opinion here.
First a little back story. I'm 33 and have always had a very high BMR, lived of crap for years. Over the last 4 years (which have coincided with having kids) my body fat has creeped up. i currently sit at 6' and about 165lbs, but with a body fat percentage of 17.4% (up from 16% last year). My second daughter is now 4 months old and life is getting a llittle more in control so i figure i can devote some time to getting back in shape. My wife is keen as well, although
My problem is i am so fricking hungry at work. I'm a teacher and i think i stress eat sugar too much. I've been looking at ways of lasting from 7 am (when i leave for work) to 11 am (break time) ive tried flap jacks and whole grain muffins but i seem to just crave sugar like crazy anyway.
The other day i bought a 1.5kg tub of protein powder on special offer for £10. I got a diet version as it was the only one there, i'm assuming that just means less carbs and sweetner instead. My workout routine is currently 3 focus T25's with the wife, 2 hours of basketball and a sneaky gym session for about 30 mins in between coaching commitments on a sunday (kettle bell swings, tri dips, pull ups, bench press, single leg swimmers press circuit) . I suppose my main question is how should i use the protein? is it worth doing it both in the am as an apetite suppressor and after workouts? Surely thats overkill for my level of activity?
I'm interested in any opinions, ideally i'd like to maintain that rough weight, maybe a bit lighter and drop my body fat to about 12% by this time next year
re: sugar, stop buying shit with lots of sugar (sugar is not the end of the world, but massive difference between getting some in greek yogurt vs. getting a ton in a snickers bar). that will go a long way. being a teacher i imagine other teachers may bring in sweets and snacks and crap to share in the teachers lounge, so you'll still be tempted - and can give in sometimes, obvs - but limiting the opportunities still helps
re: being hungry, protein is the most filling macronutrient so try to focus on foods higher in that as opposed to mainly carbs. try some variants of eggs (deviled, boiled, etc), nuts (do NOT take the entire bag, measure out a small portion and put in separate ziplock), greek yogurt, etc. vegetables are good options too given the super low calories. microwaving a bag of frozen vegetables is filling though do be warned you'll probably temporarily hate whichever veggie it is by the end of the bag. piling in broccoli is healthy but not the most enjoyable. also consider bringing in cooked chicken breast or thigh from the night prior; having a microwave helps here but cold works too.
re: shakes, use them however the hell you want. seriously. i know you bought one on sale, but in the future do check the label and ensure it's not loaded with a bunch of additive BS. sometimes paying a little more is worthwhile. anyway, the main idea is to have a significant intake of protein. how you get there is not that important. protein shakes are just an easy avenue because they're liquid/easy to consume and an instant 20some grams of protein. if you can get adequate amounts with only one shake, that's fine. if you need two, or two is more economically feasible than using other foods, that's fine too.
timing, again, is whatever the hell you want. if you have minimal time in the morning, making a shake could be more convenient than eggs or bacon or whatever else. or if you do have time, then whipping up a few eggs and keeping the shake + some nuts as a snack is fine. or have it at both times. it's all about the big picture - you (speaking generally) want your calorie intake to be based on wanting to lose/gain/maintain weight. once you have an idea about that, you basically do whatever you want so long as it gets you there.
I saw a intro to veganism on her kindle, might have to divorce if she goes tofu crazy
anecdote:
my cousin married this massive, holier-than-thou entitled cunt. surprisingly, she is a vegan. not so long ago, he'd eat a wide variety of delicious and healthy and enjoyable food. in a matter of a few years, she has beaten into his head that meat is evil both ethically and from a health perspective, and basically pressured him into changing his diet based on her beliefs. he's currently a pescatarian, and she has even admitted - in all seriousness - that she is intentionally trying to change his habits, with this being the first diet step prior to hopeful conversion of veganism.
he should divorce.
