[qqforweightloss]

I'm new to weight training and I've heard all sorts of stuff about what you can eat while weight training for weight loss. Right now I do forty minutes four days a week of free weights and resistance stuff. I do cardio the other two days, just on a treadmill for a half hour. I've just started doing this about a week ago, and people keep telling me that I just need to eat more protein and not worry about what I eat otherwise.
Sounds ridiculous to me, could that possibly be true? I'm trying to eat more protein, but I find myself snacking wayyyy too much and I highly doubt results will come with the snacking. MOST of the snacking is comparably healthy, fruit, granola, peanut butter, etc...but still...I feel like I'm just eating too much. At the same time, I keep hearing to make sure NOT to eat too little or I won't build muscle. I want to lose the last fifteen pounds, and this is the advice I've been told.
The workouts aren't what I'm worried about, I have a very educated friend who works out with me and checks my form...it's the DIET I'm concerned about. Honestly...what can one eat, lifting four days a week?
Any help would be so, so appreciated.
I did read through the forum but I couldn't find too many specifics about the diet, so I figured I'd be okay to ask.

[redsox33]

It's not exactly on topic, but, might be useful for you. I injured my back a week ago and since then have not worked out (aside from very light stretching/yoga). I am SHOCKED as to how little I am eating this week. I'm STUFFED after half of a standard-sandwich-size-bread turkey sandwich.

I think this just goes to show you how much you need to eat in order to work out. When I first started working out two months ago, I didn't worry about portion control as much as the QUALITY of my calories. I traded chips for nuts and veggies for example. Then naturally, as the weight started to come off, the appetite really shrunk. I've lost enough weight to not even recognize myself in mirrors or store glass windows (those are the crazy times when you freak out that someone else is wearing EXACTLY what you're wearing!) So I know that this process is working for me.

Ok, I apologize if this was a bit off topic. I'm sure the experts have the real answers, but, for me, I needed to keep my calories up while I incorporated some massive workouts.

[ncuneo]

Any "diet" is fine, although it should be balanced. I calorie count and try to hit all my food groups as best I can. I weight train 2xs (45 mins) a week and do 60+mins of cardio 4xs a week. Honestly losing weight is like 80% what you eat and the exercise is just a bonus, but IMO still a requirement. It's better to burn the fat then to starve it.

[redsox33]

Originally Posted by ncuneo

It's better to burn the fat then to starve it.

+1 for that thought!

[qqforweightloss]

Thanks for the replies guys I really appreciate it! Okay...so I have to say, even though I've been eating "more" than a typical diet, I've been doing my best to make the calories "healthy" ones, like fruits and veggies. I'm staying away from anything processed. Maybe my body is just adjusting to the more intense workouts and that's why I feel the need to eat more.
I've heard that 80% diet thing before...but then I've heard the opposite too. I've found before that it's a pretty even combination for me, but I don't know maybe I just need to eat a lot less! When you're doing the kind of exercise I am, is 1500 calories daily too little?

[srmb60]

You could try putting your foods into an online calorie calculator, see how you've been doing and then cut from there.

Body for Life has some nice dietary guidelines too.

Oh and Krista at www.stumptuous.com She's great!

[ncuneo]

When you're doing the kind of exercise I am, is 1500 calories daily too little

It's a good starting point but you may want to aim a little higher to start and see how it goes. I'm a big believer in losing weight at the highest calorie level possible to preserve your metabolism so that once you reach maitenance you'll hopefully be able to maintain at a higher calorie level. You can see my workout routine in my previous response so our routines are different, your's looks more heavily weighted in weights, mine more cardio. I eat as low as 1400 cals and as high as 2000 cals, but I cycle my cals and my average comes out to be about 1600 per day. I'm not sure which requires more cals, weight training or cardio, not sure it's a big difference. You can checkout freedieting.com for a great caloric needs calculator. And if you think the numbers are too high then shave a little off or just tell it you only exercise 3xs a week. Stay away from the extreme fat loss column though and read the info that is there.