A little overweight..

[bobparsons36]

You really need to exercise a little each day...

Eating less and eating more often is definitely a proven way to lose weight.

[NY BLUE 86]

You really need to exercise a little each day...

Eating less and eating more often is definitely a proven way to lose weight.

You mean eating less and exercising more often :p


Basically you should eat six small meals per day. Sometimes this is not realistic. Even if you are only able to eat three meals per day you can still lose weight. You need to eat a lot of protein; your body uses more calories to digest the protein while at the same time preserving healthy muscle tissue. Also, do not drink calorie drinks, only drink water. Meat, vegetables, water, and whole grains will help set you on the right track.

Hope this helps.

-NY BLUE 86

[remdog]

It takes a lifestyle change. Whatever you do you have to ask yourself if you can continue to live under these circumstances for the rest of your life. It's easy to lose weight but more difficult to keep it off. I lose 50 pounds every 2 years because I keep putting the weight back on.

I admit, I love to eat. I'll eat all day long if my wife isn't there to call me chubs. ;)

When I lose weight I reduce my daily caloric intake to sustain my desired weight. For instance, if I want my desired weight to be 180 then just add a zero onto that and so 1800 calories should be your daily goal and no more. Then make sure to exercise even if it is going out for a walk with the wife or something in the evenings after dinner.

Personally I have a thyroid issue so it's a bit hard to regulate my metabolism but its not impossible to lose weight. Just takes a bit more effort.

[smallrunner]

I have lost a total of 20 pounds so far! So I'm halfway to meeting my goal!

[LincolnDouglas]

Nice. Just remember to keep it off. Start a normal regiment and commit.

[smallrunner]

I have now lost a total of 30 pounds, with only 10-15 more pounds to lose! Thanks to everyone for all of their advice.

[amhrinda]

I have now lost a total of 30 pounds, with only 10-15 more pounds to lose! Thanks to everyone for all of their advice.

Congrats! I know how tough this is. I have always been a stocky guy, so the entire time I was in the Marines, I was constantly crowding my max bf% (18 by neck and waist measurement) I tried a lot of diets, supplements, etc. Nothing ever really worked.

Fast forward two years after joining the BoP (Belly over Pants). I found myself on Morning Watch in a housing unit, comin home tired at the end of my night, and for what? It's not like going up and down stairs all night is that rough. I noticed just how out of shape I had gotten, and it really bothered me. I went from a thick 215 to 260 pounds in just two years. But, two years of not working out much (the BoP FIT is a joke) and eating road food will do that to you.

And like many have said here, eat better and exercise more. After all this time, instead of looking for a shortcut I made a lifestyle change instead.
One of my Gunny's always said it wasn't rocket science. Eat less crap, exercise more. 6 months and 40-45 pounds later (and a lot of miles on my running shoes) I am about to be back under 220, and feeling a lot better.

Keep up the great work smallrunner, you can do it.

Also, I strongly recommend Crossfit. Go to their website and follow it like your Bible. And get a kettlebell and keep running.

[Savio]

Try to cut out fast food, even if you work out regularly. It's hard for me, cause I don't have time to cook, but I know it'll help me out in the long run with heart problems I might get in 20+ years

[Bob Loblaw]

Major 1+ to what most here have said...I lost 40 lbs in about 6-8 months and have kept it off for 2 years now. Watching EVERY SINGLE CALORIE (just so I would REALLY understand the impact of that one little tiny candy bar) and being religious about working out (30 min of cardio 4-5 times a week) is a recipie for success...BUT DON'T GET GOING FROM 0-60 IN ONE DAY! For it to stick, it HAS to be a lifestyle change. I'm no longer in the "must lose this weight" category, I'm in the "do what I can to keep this healthy weight I am now and make it leaner" category. To "maintain" and not go back to your previously unhealthy weight, you have to be deligent and you have to have overhauled the way you think about eating (inputting) and exercising (outputting). Good luck! If I can do this, anyone can!!!

[towncop]

Try to cut out fast food, even if you work out regularly. It's hard for me, cause I don't have time to cook, but I know it'll help me out in the long run with heart problems I might get in 20+ years

Fast food is from the Devil! I love the stuff. I totally agree with you though. Cut the crap out.

[RR_uel]

Hi everyone. This is my first post. I just want to start off saying that I'm glad to have joined this forum. I'm no newb forum user, however. I've been doing the forum thing for years in the auto and moto world.

Anyway, I plan on becoming a police officer in the next year. I have a degree in Kinesiology (concentration in Exercise and Fitness) with a minor in Nutrition for Physical Performance.

I'm also a certified personal trainer (NCSF, NSCA). In addition, I'm in the Naval Reserve; One of my collateral duties is Physical Fitness Testing Proctor. My job is to enforce the Navy's policy on physical fitness/performance by testing our members bi-annually.

I was wondering what is a good or ideal diet plan. I've tried south beach, Slimfast, lemonade diet,and etc. None of these seemed to work even though I stuck to them and the doctors say I need to lose a good 35 pounds, but they don't give me any suggestions except for the ones above. So I was wondering what has worked for you in the past? Any suggestions to lose these pounds?

None of those diets are good for you. They don't compensate for a balanced diet. You also stand the chance of losing muscle. STAY AWAY from those diets. And who are these doctors who suggested them for you? They are morons.

I would second the calorie counting. If you're a male around 6ft you can expect to burn anywhere from 2000 to 2300 calories a day.

Incorrect. Metabolism depends more on a person's weight and especially lean muscle weight. I'm only 5'9" and my Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is already at around 2000 calories. If I include my workouts, I need anywhere from 2500 to almost 3000 calories daily.

I'd aim for some type of cardio every day, if possible. If just starting try to get at least 20 mins - 30-40 is better, at a HR that's about 60-70% predicted HRmax (220 minus ur age).

For optimum fat metabolism, I suggest lowering the 60-70% to 40-50%. And do NOT use percent of HR max. That is an underestimation. You guys should be using percent of Heart Rate Reserve (Karvonen Method) as this is closely ties in with percent of a person's actual VO2 Max, an accurate method of determining how intense a person should exercise with regards to fat vs carb burn. To those who don't know, VO2 has to do with the amount of oxygen your body consumes for each breath of air.

When I lose weight I reduce my daily caloric intake to sustain my desired weight. For instance, if I want my desired weight to be 180 then just add a zero onto that and so 1800 calories should be your daily goal and no more.

Unsatisfactory advice.

Again, caloric need is based on a person's weight and especially lean weight.



I have a list of formulas you guys can use if you need them. I'll try to post them up later.

[CityOfChicago]

For optimum fat metabolism, I suggest lowering the 60-70% to 40-50%. And do NOT use percent of HR max. That is an underestimation. You guys should be using percent of Heart Rate Reserve (Karvonen Method) as this is closely related to a person's actual VO2 Max. VO2 has to do with the amount of oxygen your body consumes for each breath of air.

I believe in the KISS method, which was why I posted 220 - age vs 220-RHR - age + RHR. And the underestimation is why I picked a higher percentage. Assuming a person is 20 years old and has a RHR of 60bpm, my suggestion equals a range of 120-140bpm, and Karvonen is 116-130bpm. The ranges are pretty similar.

[Big_Montana]

The Gentelmen is right especially the Calories part, and the big important part that a LOT of people miss today, when they advertize all these stupid fad diets, you'll notice they always say 80% of the weight you will loose is pure bodyfat (or some stupid statistic like that), that means your loosing weight at such an unsafe rate even if you are exercising are doing something so stupid that 20% of the weight you loose is Muscle, you will then therefore REDUCE you lean muscle mass, therefore reducing your base rate of calories burned per day, which then makes it harder to maintain whatever weight you end up stoping the DIET at.
Diets don't work for the specific fact that sooner or later you go off them, if you want to weigh less (or weigh more with less bodyfat), you have to either change your lifestile perminatley in some small but livable way (Whole milk to 2% milk, or watter with lunch instead of soda, or something small and simlple, you won't loose weight instantly but you will loose it and keep it off). or add muscle mass (which by the way doesn't have much to do with cardio, that's weightlifting mostly).

whatever anyone advertises don't expect to gain muscle or loose fat with any speed whatsoever and have it stay off, the people who do that and have it stay off, do it over a period of years.

[RR_uel]

I believe in the KISS method, which was why I posted 220 - age vs 220-RHR - age + RHR. And the underestimation is why I picked a higher percentage. Assuming a person is 20 years old and has a RHR of 60bpm, my suggestion equals a range of 120-140bpm, and Karvonen is 116-130bpm. The ranges are pretty similar.

I also believe in the KISS method. Calculating percent of HRR is simple:

1. Find max heart rate (and as you mentioned, 220-age)
2. Subtract resting heart rate from max heart rate.
3. Multiply difference by desired percent.
4. Take product of that and add resting heart rate.
5. Done

Example: 220-20 yrs = 200 HR max. If resting heart rate is 60, then 200-60 = 140. 140 X .5 (50%) = 70. 70 + 60 = 130 beats per minute (50% of HRR method)

It takes a few more steps, but it's still a simple calculation. It's better to be accurate than to underestimate which is what your method does.

I know this for a fact. My degree concentration is in Exercise and Fitness. One of my classes was a cardiology class (ECG interpretation), where each of us students had to get on a treadmill to measure our VO2 maxes by placing an oxygen breather mask on our faces with electrodes attached to our torso to monitor heart rate.

[RR_uel]

The best method in determining correct exercise intensity is to do a graded exercise test. It's the thing I just mentioned above, regarding the treadmill, heart rate monitor, and breather mask.

This, however, is not feasible for us. Why? It's very expensive (you have to go to the doctor or a college with an Exercise Science degree program), and you need to find time and have patience to do this.

If this is not possible, the next best method is the method that I just mentioned (percent of HRR), using the calculation in the above post.