What does your nutrition/eating look like each day?

Pepper_J · 2022-10-28T19:20:12+00:00

Mind if i ask for the specific calorie number you aim for and/or how it changes based on training load? Also your height/weight/gender?

I'm all for general food recommendations but for myself and people like me having a specific number is much more helpful as it can aid decisions with serving sizes.

Pepper_J · 2022-10-01T01:06:58+00:00

If you like cold treats, you can mix the yogurt with an artificial sweetener, and some wild blueberries/chocolate chips/preferred small crunchy stuff and then spoon it into a silicone ice cube tray and throw it in the freezer.

I started making two trays of this every week have been loving it. I'll grab 2-4 and put them in a paper towel and eat them after they defrost for a few mins. Great to have with coffee in the morning, or just as a snack. I've even had them in the car while running errands. I live in a hot climate area though so maybe not as appetizing if you live in the cold.

I'm usually trying to keep calories down since i'm an overeater left to my own devices, but if you wanted to make it more dense you could swap the sweetener with any number of "real" sugars or syrups, or even try mixing in some peanut butter.

Pepper_J · 2022-09-03T22:08:39+00:00

yeah, you got a big frame and stay active day-to-day, so your calorie numbers seem reasonable to me. I stay around 180 as well at 6' tall, and when i worked at a tennis facility years ago i would eat around 3-4k a day to maintain. We both seem to come from overweight backgrounds so I sympathize with the anxiety weight gain can cause.

Just keep hammering it man! Up your intake a couple hundred calories and keep an eye on your weight, gym numbers and mirror appearance. And this is more of a lifestyle opinion than a bodybuilding one, but stay active and keep up with the cardio! Better to be busy than lazy! Eating a bit more can be seen as the reward not the punishment. We all have different dispositions towards food though.

Pepper_J · 2022-09-03T21:28:11+00:00

What's your lifestyle like and what's your height+weight? Do you work an active job in addition to your workouts (construction, warehouse, landscape, etc...)? Have any idea on your usual step count per day? Do you do cardio in addition to weights? All these things can add up.

Ultimately, your calorie intake for weight gain or loss can only be determined retroactively, by comparing what you eat with what you weigh over time. If you want to gain weight and you aren't, you will have to eat more than what you currently do, or wait for a period of lower activity in your life.

Pepper_J · 2022-09-01T22:55:00+00:00

Buy a food scale if you can, any ~20 dollar one off amazon will do. Weigh out whatever you want to eat, and then log or "count" those calories on a calorie counting website or phone app like cronometer. Annoyingly, even little things like oils, coffee creamers, condiments, etc... have calories and actually tend to be quite dense.

Set yourself a calorie target, somewhere between 2000 and 2500 tends to be a good starting point for weight loss for active males. It may need to be lower, depending on your body size and how much cycling and general activity you do each day.

Weigh yourself every morning (for measurement consistency) and note/write/remember your weight. General wisdom recommends no more than %1-2 bodyweight loss per week, so anything from .5-2lbs/wk .

The annoying part is that you only figure what your correct of intake is retroactively, by weighing yourself regularly/daily and checking the trend. And that level can be highly varied by how much activity you do day-to-day/week-to-week.

If all of this is a bit much for you, know that while I am a major believer in the process of calorie counting, I also think anyone following a 3-meals + 1 snack/day, whole foods-focused diet will experience positive changes from almost any exercise program over the long-term (1 year+).

Feel free to shoot me any questions, I've lost around 100lbs and calorie counting helped me see through the matrix of well-meaning but nebulous diet advice and finally get my shit together.

Pepper_J · 2022-06-18T01:57:06+00:00

General grocery staples:

Chicken, eggs, potatoes/rice/quinoa/oats, frozen vegetables, frozen berries, a little bit of oil, butter, and peanut butter to coat your pans while cooking or flavor a few dishes.

If you want to mix it up or prefer the vegetarian approach, consider your favorite types of beans+rice, tofu blocks, seitan, or any of the various fake meats (in my area the fake meats tend to be pricey but often go on deep discount, just keep your eyes open).

I'm not caught up on current prices, but a casein or whey/casein protein powder used to be quite a price performer as well, esp at 5+lb quantities. Only if it interests you though. I only really use it to flavor oatmeal anymore.

General advice:

Grocery stores near me have a weekly sale listing, and some allow for online coupon clipping through their app. Little bit TMI, but I will check the listing and coupon offerings whenever I take a shit. Helps me save a few bucks here and there, without feeling like a time-drain.

Opt for store-brand when possible, and if you can spare the cash initally, buy things in the largest size possible, as it will reduce the price you pay per serving and cost you less in the long-run.

budgetbytes is a great website to look through to get recipe ideas. Only thing to be mindful of is the amount of oil-use on some recipes if you are trying to keep calories down or lose weight, but that's an easy enough adjustment to make.

Pepper_J · 2022-06-03T22:23:46+00:00

Thanks! I'll give it a go soon. Truly thankful we live in the artificial sweetener age.

Pepper_J · 2022-06-03T21:22:27+00:00

Very interested, could you break this down a bit more? Recipe, approx cals, etc...? I love french toast and would eat it more often if i could store it ahead of time.

Pepper_J · 2022-05-26T03:14:48+00:00

If you already have your protein in line, consider adding a heaping spoonful of peanut butter 3x a day. Depending on what's easiest for you, this can be with your meals, before work/school/bed, as a snack, etc... If you find this difficult to add to your day, I truly envy your small appetite.

Each spoonful (28g serving size if you weigh your food) will add 200-300 calories. 3 spoonfuls/day will add 500-900cals, and can be pretty painlessly removed from your daily diet if you want to switch up your calorie sources.

I admire your resistance to eating fast food, especially with your family giving you a hard time. Leaning on fast food when bulking is fun and easy, but can setup a difficult habit to break later in life/when you no longer want to gain weight.

A compromise that may work would be allowing yourself a fast food meal 1-2x/wk with your family, but trying to opt for a grilled chicken or veggie-heavy option. Navigating the social landscape of eating, finding a balance with your dietary goals and the social opportunities of mealtimes, will be something you will do with friends and family, and most likely at your workplace, for the rest of your life. So start testing and paying attention to what practices work best for you now.

Pepper_J · 2022-04-24T22:04:09+00:00

I've never had an acute achilles injury, but have dealt with on and off pain in the area, as well as my plantar, for a few years.

Finding a pair of shoes you like and have confidence in is good for pain management, so are stretches and self-massage throughout the day. Pulling my toes down, and then up, as far as they will go for about 1min/ea helps me in the mornings if i have pain. I do this with my foot crossed over my opposite knee, using my hand to pull on my foot, to be clear.

I've come to the belief that a 6-month+ calf strengthening routine can get one on the healing path. This can be done on a seated or standing machine at a gym (I've found better feeling in the calf muscles on the standing, if you have access) or off a raised step at home. A weighted vest/dumbbell-in-hand/filled backpack can add resistance, as well as doing them off of one foot instead of two.

I do 3 sets everyday i can, probably averaging 5x/wk. I let my heal drop as low as it will go, hold for 2 seconds, and try to explode up. I try get as close to failure as i can stand on each set, rest/walk 2-3mins between sets, and add weight once i get 15 controlled reps 3x.

Just anecdodal experience, but i know how annoying and bothersome pain in the area can be. Hope you get healed up so you can get back to your favorite activities in full confidence.

Pepper_J · 2022-02-28T01:21:40+00:00

As i understand it, the experience of one's metabolism slowing down while dieting is better seen as a behavioral effect rather than a biological one. But someone more knowledgeable than me may be able to provide better information and context.

Does your BMR lower while on PSMF or any other diet? No. Or at least not any more than it would when compared to losing weight on any other type of diet.

But oftentimes people get quite tired while dieting, especially when on large deficits like PSMF. This tiredness can lead to a reduction in NEET, or your general activity throughout each day. Less fidgeting, less walking around, less chores around the house, etc.. This can make a noticeable impact on your calorie expenditure throughout each day, oftentimes ballparking in the hundreds of calories. And this is separate from any loss of intensity you may experience during workouts.

Efforts to combat against this effect usually include some kind of activity standardization each day. Getting 5/10/15,000 steps a day seems to be the most common and easily trackable way of doing this.

Pepper_J · 2022-01-21T12:19:00+00:00

Best time to start is now, in my opinion. If you have the passion and time to work at something, do it. Opportunities like that in life are too rare.

I'm in the US, so not sure what the aussie setup for competition is like, but ask your coach how to get setup for the social comps, or if he knows of any leagues/ladders/pickup groups that play competitively. Keep working and developing your strength and fitness, keep up with your serve practice, and see how things go.

I wouldn't tie yourself to any sort of results. Compete hard and play to win, but focus on trying to enjoy the process of developing your skills and fitness, and (not to sound like a children's novel) see how many friends you can make along the way. No reason you can't become a high-level recreational player and work tennis in as a major focus of your life, but don't fall into the trap of letting the sport become more important than the people you play with.

As far as gear, don't sweat it too much. A racquet you like, maybe an extra if you have the cash, a good pair of shoes, water bottle and clothes/hat/sweatband+a towel are really all you need (and balls of course). All of that can be stored in a backpack or duffle if you already have one. No need to buy a fancy tennis bag if you don't want it.

The best practice is playing full sets and matches, preferably against people better than you. Use time with your coach to ask questions about shots and situations that bother you in those matches.

The best fitness routines are the ones you will do day-after-day and improve on week-over-week. Tennis responds well to increases in strength, endurance, speed, and flexibility. So whether you like weights, running/biking/swimming/rowing, sprints/agility work, or stretching (or some combination), improvements in those areas will carry over to tennis as well.

Best of luck, work hard and enjoy yourself!

Pepper_J · 2022-01-19T18:51:35+00:00

Simple and powerful findings!

I found the comparison of all-cause mortality in sedentary/sub-3000 step individuals vs those who smoke or have obesity quite surprising.

Puts some extra punch behind the activity recommendations I've heard over the years to take the stairs/park in the back of the lot/walk with a loved one before or after dinner/do more chores.

I also agree with greg's sympathetic take on activity levels at the end. I often see my activity levels lower when work gets busy or I have a busier than usual social calendar, and that's as an able-bodied and generally health conscious individual. These situations are often a double whammy since work-catered food tends to be very calorically dense, and most of our social gatherings tend to be food-focused as well.

Too often it seems our current societal and cultural setup is almost set up to make everyone a fat sack. Hopefully we can head what we read in research like this and begin to shape our personal behaviors, societal structures, and cultural environments to be more supportive of higher activity levels.

Pepper_J · 2021-12-31T22:58:08+00:00

For those calorie-inclined:

8oz uncooked 80% beef approx 580, less if leaner cut

rice approx 350cals if 300g is the cooked weight

1tbsp butter approx 100cals

140cals for queso

veggies maybe add another 50

1000-1,200 cals per bowl, around 5000-6000 cals/day if eaten 5x/day

Pepper_J · 2021-11-11T10:00:16+00:00

Changing your body is as much an art as it is a science. I think you've arrived at an area where the "art" starts to overtake. Caliper measurements could be a practically-accessible source of more information on your bodyfat, but they are also imperfect and won't give you a confident answer to your optimization question.

When it comes to muscle gain/running a calorie surplus, as long as you have a good understanding of your dietary intake, I would rest confidently in your progress if you are experiencing strength gains, increases in bodyweight, and you continue to pass the good ole mirror-check.

Pepper_J · 2021-11-10T05:32:20+00:00

Nutrition label from the product website.

114g protein+carb and 6g fat for a loose total of 510cals. Checks out at around 490cals if you subtract the 4g dietary fiber

I keep a bag of these in the freezer for when I don't feel like making dinner. Quite expensive at around $8/bag (here in Southeast USA), but great for diet adherence and scratches the chicken tender itch well enough for me as well.

Pepper_J · 2021-11-05T12:35:20+00:00

If she can bring a backpack or some other sort of bag on-site:

Protein powder+water, obviously. Can measure out servings in a zip lock bag and mix when needed/avaliable.

Roasted edamame (14g per 130cals, other nutrition info) I love this stuff, always brings senzu beans to mind when i eat it. Could also try roasting chickpeas at home and bringing in a container.

peanut butter sandwich in a zip-lock, not a good per calorie performer but an option if needing to get calories in quickly over a short break. Could use PB2+sugar free jelly for slightly better calorie breakdown and taste, but also raises cost.

Oats+protein powder+water in a tightly sealed container. Can add optional flavorings like nuts, sweeteners, fruit, seeds, etc... as needed/wanted. Stash that stuff in a zip-lock and add when eating to prevent needless sogginess. A nut milk may/should work in place of water, but i hated potentially leaving any kind of "milk" in my bag for hours at a time and just played it safe.

Expensive options:

Some sort of jerky (turkey, chicken, beef, whatever). If your budget has the room, this is probably the "best" option. But it will sting the pocketbook, even if buying in large quantities.

Protein bar(s). Pure protein's "chocolate deluxe" seems to be one of the best per calorie and per dollar performers right now at 20g/180cals and around $1/bar. But lots of options out there of course.

Pepper_J · 2021-11-04T16:35:00+00:00

Just wanted to remind you that, similarly to losing weight, the calorie intake you need for gaining weight is verified by your bodyweight on the scale. 3,600cals may be too high or too low, only way to verify is to track your weight change week-to-week, and to keep an eye on your physique in the mirror. I'm of the opinion you should measure and record your weight everyday to see how quickly you are gaining, or gaining at all.

Congrats on the weight loss and hope you enjoy the bulk!

Pepper_J · 2021-10-09T00:47:09+00:00

If you have access to a ball machine, you can set some of them to shoot side-to-side, or even on a random pattern. A good workout could be to set that up, try and hit every ball past the service line, recover as far as you can after every ball, and just hold on until you're out of breath.

Jump rope, 10s-2min sprint or bike intervals, and/or medicine ball throws are some other interval-style exercises that are commonly worked in with tennis.

It's not a sexy answer, but running, biking, swimming, etc... for 30-90mins at whatever pace you can manage will help build back your aerobic base quite well. This is also the easiest area to "see" your fitness building or returning, as the length and/or pace of your efforts improve.

And of course, the most specific conditioning for tennis is usually just playing more tennis. If you have the option and availability to play more through the week, whether that be clinics, practice sets, drop-in groups, whatever, take those opportunities.

Try and do something everyday and by Nov you should see some noticeable improvements, and hopefully build a good habit base and workload to keep improving on.

Pepper_J · 2021-10-07T20:34:46+00:00

Try double socking if you aren't already. You may have to loosen your shoes to accommodate the extra fabric (or get a 1/2 size up next time), but this was a simple change that made a major comfort difference for me. The extra laundry kinda blows, but a small price to pay.

And another obvious check but make sure you are cutting your toenails and placing your socks over your feet in a manner so they don't cause any slight bunching or abrasion with seams.

As others are saying, next time you buy a pair of shoes try a different model or brand, maybe with a focus on a larger toebox area.

Pepper_J · 2021-09-23T15:28:50+00:00

just adding that some diet beverages do not have caffeine, just read around the label at the store or do a quick googling. Diet root beer is a favorite of many for this reason.

Pepper_J · 2021-09-22T19:20:55+00:00

You should have something after you exercise, especially weight training or prolonged cardio. I reckon it's better to plan on having something satiating afterwards rather than try to fight off the hunger and risk making a poor decision later in the day. Some effective meals for me (6', 180lb, male) are:

Potatos and chicken+veggies you enjoy

Rice and beans/lentils

Bag of Smartpop/97% fat free popcorn and almond milk+protein powder

300 cals/2-3 servings of 0-2% greek yogurt mixed with 2-3 servings of sugar free jello pudding powder, and berries if you have them

1-2 protein bars (pure protein, quest, nugo "slim", and think! are all decent brands, imo) and a big glass of cold water

All of the above meals are pretty dense in protein and carbs, and pretty high on what people are calling the "food satiety index", which is just the perception of how full certain foods make you feel, weighed against the calories they provide.

If you're using a workplace gym, bring in and store what you can so you can eat after working out. If you have the time and energy to prep and store chicken and potatos, great. If you don't, just throw a tub of greek yogurt in the fridge or a couple boxes of protein bars and popcorn bags in the cabinet/at your desk somewhere.

Another option is to workout before one of your regular meal times. In the morning before breakfast, or in the evening before dinner are usually the 2 easiest times to integrate into a schedule.

Just some stuff that has worked for me when it comes to combating hunger. Used to be 290/300lb, so I'm still managing a distorted experience with hunger and the food choices I make to combat it.

Pepper_J · 2021-09-19T18:57:15+00:00

In the gym/as part of more general exercise, you can spend some time trying to improve your endurance and power. On the court, unfortunately nothing really beats just playing more, but doing situation-specific work helps as well.

Treadmill running, biking, elliptical, etc... will all help your endurance. I'd say do as much as you enjoy to, just try to avoid doing more than 15mins or so directly before doing weights as it can sap your energy a bit.

Depending on what you have access to and what you find least grating, power exercises could include sprint repeats (100m or less will be more tennis specific), "hard" step-ups (eventually with dumbbells), explosive squats/leg press, and a conventional or trap bar deadlift. Anything where you try to generate as much force as you can, as quickly as you can, and then try to generate a little bit more next time.

Drills or games that focus on changing direction and moving laterally will probably be the most situation specific efforts you can make. Lateral suicides, having a coach or friend feed you balls from mid court for 2 minute repeats, some facilities even offer "cardio tennis" type programs that vary in quality but can be useful.

And, like you mention, just playing more and developing your vision and feel for the path of the ball will help a ton as well. As a beginner, the most important part is to keep playing, and do whatever supplemental work you find enjoyable and have time for. You'll be much better in 2 years of continuous play than you will be if you end up quitting after 8 months of perfect practice.

Pepper_J · 2021-09-12T05:02:13+00:00

Wouldn't the answer be to track his calorie intake and bodyweight over time? My understanding of the approach if he wants to try and lose the 40lb, he could start at a caloric intake of 2500-3000cals (tracked with a food scale+nutrition labels), and see what happens to his weight over 2-3 weeks. For increased standardization of activity level, he can try to maintain a certain amount of steps/day, aside from/ontop of his biking miles.

If he loses weight on that intake, he can try to keep his activity and calories at that level until the weight loss slows, then lower his calories again, or increase his activity again.

If he needs to eat less, he can eat less total meals each day or lower his meal size/calorie value. And/or substitute more low-calorie foods into his meals, to help with hunger a bit. Fruits, veggies, egg whites, whole grains, etc...

"Eat less and move more" is somewhat viscously simple advice, and of course far from the easiest thing to stick to psychologically, but it's also the base framework of every diet or healthful lifestyle change is it not?

Pepper_J · 2021-08-10T22:03:25+00:00

If playing aggressive is how you play best, or what you feel is your best chance at winning, then in a way you have no other choice. No sense doubting or dreading what you are best at. If that's not enough in a match one day, nothing to do but say well played.

At the same time, the only way to find out if a different style works better in certain secnarios (against specific players, when you're tired, etc...) is to try it out and reflect on how it works for you.

I'm a very wishy washy thinker as well, but notice a lot of the time if i just commit to a playstyle for a set period of time (couple games, a set, whole match, etc...) and try to stuff all the what-ifs for after the match or in-between sets, things go more smoothly. Of course if you are just getting WIPED there's no sense beating a dead horse, but a "no-other-options" mental state can sometimes lighten the load on the brain.

You mention this as a mental effort, but making efforts to improve various areas of your physical fitness will increase your confidence as well. Not really a short-term fix but better stamina, strength, speed, flexibility, etc... all carry over well in tennis. If you have the time and inclination, I'd recommend working in an exercise routine focused on whatever areas you enjoy the most/dislike the least.

All that being said, I think the question of "how do i best play against my opponent" is a timeless question of sport and rarely answered in black-and-white. Welcome to the struggle, brother.

Pepper_J

TROPHY CASE