21 F , needs help with protein intake and workout

[degb]

@kafs What do you take in those two meals

 

[kafs]

@degb Mostly home made meal- 2-3 chapatis , dal / sabzi , salad that's it .( no track of calories)

 

[grandma2]

@kafs You can have soy, do not worry about it. Same for dairy, unless it causes you issue with pcos or you are intolerant.

You can workout at least thrice a week. Start with beginner friendly variations of push-ups, pull ups and squats. Include burpees, inchworms, lunges. If possible get resistance band or adjustable dumbbells, it will give you lots of options.

Start tracking your calories. Include legumes, tofu, soya, lentils and dairy, if not lactose intolerant or asked by doc to avoid.

Estimate your current protein intake and gradually increase the protein intake. Start with 0.8 gm per kg per day and see how your body responds. Increase it over time.

Start getting active. Pcos improves with reducing body fat, resistance training and active lifestyle.

Increase step count.

 

[grandma2]

For protein supplement, if you must, then go for plant based protein, if avoiding dairy, otherwise go for isolate, if budget is not issue and you are lactose intolerant but not very sensitive.

Also, if possible, enroll under a good coach. ( who is not fear mongerer and actually talks about calories, exercise and healthy lifestyle.)

 

[kafs]

@grandma2 Hey, nope, I'm not lactose intolerant. I've mostly cut back on dairy because of PCOS, though I still enjoy curd and paneer occasionally. Soy's okay in moderation as advised. So yeah, getting enough protein is a real struggle, especially since I'm a vegetarian. I'm on the hunt for a good protein powder. Got any recommendations?

 

[grandma2]

@kafs 50 gms of soy, 200 gms of curd, 60 gms of dal and 50 gms of legumes, this will roughly give you 60 gms of protein.

If you still want one, then what's your budget?

 

[kafs]

@grandma2 I'm hardly working out these days. Dn you think the total calories would be too much then? My TDEE is only around 1400 calories.

 

[grandma2]

@kafs Calories from above food comes to around 700. You can aim for lower protein intake to start with or start getting active. At least increase the step count. Your bmr should be around 1250-1300. And tdee with no activity should be 1400-1500. It will be very tough to lose body fat.

 

[kafs]

@grandma2 So, what should I do now? My weight is already pretty low, and I want to maintain it. But my arms look really flabby from all this fat buildup. Not sure if it's because of my height. Also, dealing with a bit of fat around my lower abdomen and sides.

 

[grandma2]

@kafs Please check the dm. I'll try to help you in detail.

 

[cffshpgrl43]

@kafs Take lab tested whey(Isolate if you have budget)
Add Beans, Sprouts, soya chunks, tofu and milk
Hitting 60gm protein is very easy.

 

[susanm]

@kafs Those calculators are grossly inaccurate. If it says 22% then it probably would be 30%+.

Only a DEXA Scan can give you the right measure.

Forget about everything and just get into the habit of going to the gym regularly first. Then think about your diet and supplementation.

Being a vegetarian, you are already in a handicap. Since you can't digest milk, pick up some whey isolate later.

 

[orangeseven]

@kafs are you avoiding whey & dairy due to pcos?

i also have pcos so i take low fat milk. i'm actually on a homeopathy treatment for pcos & few other things and was advised not to have high fat foods like dairy products & nuts. so i switched to low fat milk aka slim milk in market.

for whey i took the whole truth since their ingredients are better. altho it is a bit expensive. my back up to this would've been cosmix.

i read this study and im not that smartest in the room when it comes to these discussions but i think it is Okay to take whey even in pcos. my understanding is: if you take protein it'll be slowly digested which will not result in insulin resistance and spike. (anyone please feel free to correct me i'm still learning all this)

also op, I'm 25f 63kg and similar situation. i recently started bodyweight training at home 3x a week for 40 to 60min and other 6 to 7x a week i do stretching/yoga mobility stuff for 20 to 60min. I've seen my strength increase and stamina get better. a month back i was 64.5kg.

i made a similar post to yours a month back to understand diet planning. i eat nonveg so it's slightly easier for me to get the protein intake now but whey definitely helped reached 60-65. on my post someone suggested to use my fitness pal app to get an estimation of what you're eating. i was hesitant to track and get picky about things as it can lead to bad relationship with food. however, this helped me plan better. I'll probably use the app for a month and I'll have enough idea. i don't weigh my food or anything. just approx values with Google help.

 

[lwr70]

@kafs Do you eat eggs?

I'm curious about protein powders, but whey and dairy are no-gos due to my condition

See if isolate whey would be fine or not. People who are lactose intolerant often opt for whey isolate.

Idk, if you are talking about PCOD here or LI. But check it out.

Pea protein is an alternate to soy protein.

Also, I'm keen to build some muscle strength since I tire out easily (thanks to my lazy kid days). Any easy strength exercises I can do without stepping into a gym?

Strength will come from resistance training and I doubt it's possible at home. Yeah you can do calisthenics and get resistance bands, but Its probably gonna be jhamela for you.

It'll just take a week or two to get used to the gym, no need to be nervous about going there.

Lastly, I'm totally new to all this fitness stuff. While I'm okay with my look, that belly fat is bugging me. I really want to feel healthier and more confident.

Cardio for fat burning. Belly will be the last and most stubborn to get rid of, so don't get demotivated.

Be in Calorie deficit.

 

[kafs]

@lwr70 Hey, no eggs for me, and I'm not planning to start eating them. I avoid dairy because of PCOS—it's what most dietitians recommend these days. I'm seriously considering joining a gym because getting strong at home is tough, like you said. Some people say yoga and Pilates might help, but I'm not completely sure about that. When it comes to cardio, I tire out fast, probably because I'm not very strong. I'm already in a calorie def (eating around less than 1300 calories a day) and usually only manage two meals. My biggest struggle is getting enough protein. That's something I really need to keep track of.

 

[amberdawn007]

@kafs

(eating around less than 1300 calories a day)

That sounds too low. Don't overdo the deficit it'll do more harm than good.

 

[kafs]

@amberdawn007 Nah, I'm not doing it on purpose. I usually just have two meals a day, barely hitting 1300 calories, maybe up to 1500 at most. My TDEE is around 1400 calories since I hardly ever work out and I'm naturally petite because of my genes ;(

 

[amberdawn007]

@kafs Why do you wanna lose more weight? 44kg is already low. Is it the belly fat only?

 

[kafs]

@amberdawn007 I've got a bit of belly fat (mostly in the lower abdomen) and some fat spread across my body, mostly due to my medical condition. Right now, though, loosing fat isn't my main focus. I'm focused on making healthier choices to feel good and energetic, which indirectly addresses it. My goal is to build strength and feel great in my body. + I don't want to lose any more weight, want to stay in the 45-50 kg range.

 

[amberdawn007]

@kafs Maybe you can check out plant protein supplements? Nakpro has a pea + brown rice blend which is pretty good. you can join a gym but forget about losing belly fat and strength, you'll target them both by staying consistent. Get a good workout plan and follow it consistently