Fat loss - how to lose the bulge and gain the ripples

[Cappuccino]

Multivitamin is a must IMO

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally Posted by Cappuccino

Multivitamin is a must IMO

To be honest, research just doesn't support its use unless in pathological populations. I believe I read some research that said it can actually be detrimental to your health. Either way, if your diet is in line, you likely do not need supplemental vitamins and minerals.

[Saint Nick]

Occasionally, I will need to take a few days off from lifting at a time. Already had to do so this past weekend. When I'm coming off of a four or five day break, should I just hit the same weights I have been as long as my diet as been in check?

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally Posted by Saint Nick

Occasionally, I will need to take a few days off from lifting at a time. Already had to do so this past weekend. When I'm coming off of a four or five day break, should I just hit the same weights I have been as long as my diet as been in check?

I'd usually suggest trying to increase the weights lightly, as you will typically be more rested (from a muscular standpoint AND CNS standpoint).

[Turbonium]

Scenario: you want to lose weight and % body fat. You fix your diet to a 3500+ calorie deficit per week (1 lb weightloss a week) with adequate protein. You also do compound lifting and some cardio.

A few months later, you've lost some % body fat, have noticeable stronger muscles, and are actually a few lbs lighter than you were before.

Then, you STOP doing weights and cardio altogether, but maintain your diet (albeit with slightly less protein than when you were doing weights).

What happens to your physique over the next year? What about five years?

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally Posted by Turbonium

Scenario: you want to lose weight and % body fat. You fix your diet to a 3500+ calorie deficit per week (1 lb weightloss a week) with adequate protein. You also do compound lifting and some cardio.

A few months later, you've lost some % body fat, have noticeable stronger muscles, and are actually a few lbs lighter than you were before.

Then, you STOP doing weights and cardio altogether, but maintain your diet (albeit with slightly less protein than when you were doing weights).

What happens to your physique over the next year? What about five years?

If you continue to have a 3500 calorie deficit, you will keep losing weight. However, due to a lack of stimulus to prioritize maintenance of the musculature, you will lose both muscle and fat. Your body composition will be more likely to stay the same (i.e. body fat % will reduce less markedly) due to this.

I'm not quite sure what you mean about the next five years... You can't maintain a 3500 calorie deficit per week for 5 years unless you've got a LOT of weight to lose.

[Turbonium]

Originally Posted by SociallyChallenged

If you continue to have a 3500 calorie deficit, you will keep losing weight. However, due to a lack of stimulus to prioritize maintenance of the musculature, you will lose both muscle and fat. Your body composition will be more likely to stay the same (i.e. body fat % will reduce less markedly) due to this.

I'm not quite sure what you mean about the next five years... You can't maintain a 3500 calorie deficit per week for 5 years unless you've got a LOT of weight to lose.

Sorry, I also meant go to a "normal" no-calorie deficit.

Basically, I'm not lying to myself: there's no way I'm going to be going to the gym once I get to the body composition I want. I just want to know what the endgame is.

I mean, I might do pushups and stuff, but compound lifting? I just can't see myself doing it regularly after a while.

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally Posted by Turbonium

Sorry, I also meant go to a "normal" no-calorie deficit.

Basically, I'm not lying to myself: there's no way I'm going to be going to the gym once I get to the body composition I want. I just want to know what the endgame is.

I mean, I might do pushups and stuff, but compound lifting? I just can't see myself doing it regularly after a while.

You may remain thinner than you would have been previously, but without exercise body fat % increases and muscle mass reduces. Regular exercise throughout the lifetime significantly and very noticeably reduces that gain in fat/loss in muscle. You also have to consider overall health - exercise, for some reason, has been portrayed as a tool... a means to an end. In reality, it is a lifelong endeavor if you actually want to be healthy. Regardless of body composition, endurance exercise has an insane number of benefits, including cognitive improvements, reduced psychologic dysfunction (depression, anxiety), reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, most cancers, etc. Resistance exercise also touts many benefits such as avoidance of osteoporosis, sarcopenia, diabetes, orthopedic dysfunction, and functional disability.

You don't always have to lift, but body weight exercise and serious activity should be a part of your long term plan in life... It's essentially guaranteed to improve your quality of life and lifespan (unless something catastrophic or unstoppably genetic occurs).

[Blackjack200]

Originally Posted by Turbonium

Sorry, I also meant go to a "normal" no-calorie deficit.

Basically, I'm not lying to myself: there's no way I'm going to be going to the gym once I get to the body composition I want. I just want to know what the endgame is.

I mean, I might do pushups and stuff, but compound lifting? I just can't see myself doing it regularly after a while.

Have you started lifting yet? Now that I've see the impact that some modest strength and power improvements have had on my athletic pursuits and overall quality of life, I can't imagine ever stopping. I can't wait to get down to my goal weight and begin to bulk, partially because I really like food, but also because I think that once I'm eating more my strength will improve much faster.

Do you have any athletic goals? Do you play any sports?

[Turbonium]

Originally Posted by Blackjack200

Have you started lifting yet? Now that I've see the impact that some modest strength and power improvements have had on my athletic pursuits and overall quality of life, I can't imagine ever stopping. I can't wait to get down to my goal weight and begin to bulk, partially because I really like food, but also because I think that once I'm eating more my strength will improve much faster.

Do you have any athletic goals? Do you play any sports?

No athletic goals. No sports.

I just want to not look fat anymore, and look at least as good as I did 3-4 years ago, prior to my binge eating sprees. I mean, I have a gut, and it sucks; a huge gut actually. I don't think I can every truly get rid of it. I hope to be able to prove myself wrong, though.

In case it matter: late 20s, 5'9", 185 lbs.

[Blackjack200]

So you do absolutely nothing for recreation that involves physical exertion? No tennis, soccer, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, kayaking, swimming, sailing, dancing, skating, climbing...??

You might want to think about developing an interest in some kind of sport.

Sorry if I sound incredulous, I just can't relate. But if you're really sure that you want to live your life going from one sedentary activity to the next, I wouldn't bother with weights at all. I think that ultimately, looking at muscles in the mirror will not be enough motivation to keep working out.

Diet will get rid of the belly, just figure out what your daily caloric expenditure is (there are a million places you can look it up) and stay under that. Don't forget to adjust down as you lose weight.

[Turbonium]

I don't see a point in only fixing my diet and not doing weights. I already went the diet-only route a few months back and lost 20 lbs, but I quickly plateaued. I need to do weights to really burn calories efficiently (and to be able to eat a bit more without gaining weight, right?).

I like food too.

[Blackjack200]

Lifting weights will not prevent plateaus or help you burn calories efficiently (your body already burns calories very efficiently). You plateaued because you were eating too many calories.

When I went on my diet, I was going through some stuff and didn't start lifting right away, in fact I lost my first 30 pounds without lifting at all. Now, for the last 25 pounds, I've been lifting. No difference whatsoever in the rate of weight loss.

As you lose weight, you need to keep reducing your intake as you body requires less and less food for daily function. If you do this you will not plateau. It's physiologically impossible.

[Turbonium]

Ok, I used the wrong word. Not plateaued. It was just slow going.

I want results, fast. I'm not content sitting on 1-2 lbs loss a week. I want to transform. Like a transformer.

ROBOTS IN DISGUISE.

[Blackjack200]

Originally Posted by Turbonium

Ok, I used the wrong word. Not plateaued. It was just slow going.

I want results, fast. I'm not content sitting on 1-2 lbs loss a week. I want to transform. Like a transformer.

ROBOTS IN DISGUISE.

You just want to lose weight faster? I've got a good link for you, you'll have to wait until I get home this evening though.

[Turbonium]

Originally Posted by Blackjack200

You just want to lose weight faster? I've got a good link for you, you'll have to wait until I get home this evening though.

Basically, I don't do things half-assed. If I'm gonna transform my body for the better, I'm gonna go all out. Dieting alone is literally not going all out (i.e. not doing everything I can).

EDIT: I just want to experience what it's like to literally be like a machine, in the sense of putting all my effort into literally transforming my body for the better.

[Blackjack200]

Here you go, wow did not realize it was so expensive. I haven't read it but I wanted to get a copy for myself. Not sure at that price though...

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/the...dbook#purchase

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally Posted by Turbonium

Ok, I used the wrong word. Not plateaued. It was just slow going.

I want results, fast. I'm not content sitting on 1-2 lbs loss a week. I want to transform. Like a transformer.

ROBOTS IN DISGUISE.

The problem is that losing weight at that rate is suggested for several reasons. It avoids excess muscle loss and formation of blanketed loose skin. There are also other downsides to crash dieting, such as vitamin deficiencies (especially if you're knocking out several food groups).

It's unrealistic to want to transform. How long did it take you to get this way? Did you transform into the person you are? No, it took a long time. It's the same thing to dig yourself out of it.

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally Posted by Blackjack200

Here you go, wow did not realize it was so expensive. I haven't read it but I wanted to get a copy for myself. Not sure at that price though...

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/the...dbook#purchase

I do not support crash dieting regardless of the source. The risks and side effects just aren't worth getting to your ideal body a few months faster. Like I said in the last post... you didn't get fat in 3 months, why should you be able to get un-fat in that time?

[Blackjack200]

I probably wouldn't crash diet myself unless I had a very good reason. The side effects of that much of a caloric deficit alone would be difficult to tolerate. But the amazon reviews seem pretty positive, and it seems like a book rooted in science. Supposedly it explains the safest way to crash diet while retaining as much muscle as possible. Even if I'm not crash dieting I think some of his ideas might be worth reading. No time right now though... and again, too expensive.

[manlymatt83]

:thumbsup; to this It's been helping me a lot!

[shortylickens]

If anyone needs motivation:



http://imgur.com/gallery/t009v