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

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HomerX

Member
Mar 2, 2010
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I'm losing close to 1.88 lbs week on avg. I'm getting close to my 180lb goal. Should I start eating more to slow down the weight lost?

1,88 lbs is probably a bit on the fast side but not too fast... Your weight loss will slow down automatically the lighter you get. If you feel comfortable with the amount you eat it should be ok.

Probably eat a bit more and start some heavier resistance training... I think you "real" goal is looking better/living healthier and not reaching a magical number...? Joining a gym will be very helpfull!
 
Mar 22, 2002
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It's been close 4 months now since I started changing my eating habits (as an asian decent, too much rice in my diet).

I was 222lbs @ 5'10" in height. And currently 187.7lbs (Probably lost alot of water weight :confused: ). So i'm guessing in the neighborhood of 190-191 lbs so far on average last week.

I've been doing squats (air squats, very little equipment on hand or no gym), back exercises, reverse crunch, and also upper weight strength with my bands/15 lb dumb bell. I feel better now, and can see definition on my body (Losing my man boobs to man chest ! :) ). But the belly fat is the only thing that i need the tackle.

I'm losing close to 1.88 lbs week on avg. I'm getting close to my 180lb goal. Should I start eating more to slow down the weight lost?

What would you recommend for me to reach my goal :)?

1.8 pounds per week is a bit on the high end. Especially without sufficiently weighted exercises, you may be losing a fair amount of muscle mass. I'd say eat a bit more (maybe 100-200 calories per day more) and get into a gym. The exercises you're doing are good, but they aren't optimal for maintaining muscle mass. If you want to get rid of your belly/man boobs, you're gonna have to keep the rest of your muscle and reduce your body fat %. You can do this best through a proper weight training program (as shown in the original thread) and being in a caloric deficit. You've got the caloric deficit thing down. Now you just need to get on a comprehensive resistance training program :)
 
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darkxshade

Lifer
Mar 31, 2001
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Since we're sort of on the subject, I'll just ask here. I could use a bit of clarification on online BMR calculators. At 29 years, 5'8, 165lbs, they peg me at 1700-1900 calories. While I don't meticulously measure every bit of food I eat to the calorie, I do keep a rough estimate[to the high end to be safe] by using food labels and calorie count websites based on portion size. That said, my daily intake might be as low as 1600 calories[if I'm overestimating my intake because as I've said I estimate to the high end] to as much as 2100 calories[If I'm spot on]... the variance depends on whether or not I had an extra snack likely the result of a more active day, etc. So lets just say for simplicity sake I'm maintaning a daily caloric intake of about 1800-1900 calories. I'm currently cutting and attempting to reach bf levels of 10% or lower.

Now the clarification part. Am I right to believe that the numbers provided by these calculators to mean the bare minimum of calories I should eat to maintain daily bodily functions? I should know better since this seems sort of implied as it is a "BMR" calculator but then some of them then go on to say this is the number of calories you need to eat to maintain if your daily activity levels are sedentary which throws me off completely as if it's more of a maintenance calculator instead of a BMR calculator. Not that I live a sedentary life but I'd like to think that once I've reached my bf% goals/cutting that I could ease my activity levels, eat more normally and not gain weight/fat as a result. So are these calculators BMR calcs or maintenance calcs?

Activity Level:
I do about min 4+hrs of high level cardio a week[consists of HIIT and SS running
I do about min 5+hrs of casual walking/week mostly after meals or with free time[add 3hrs if you include my commute to work]
I lift ~3hrs/week.
I sleep at least 8 hrs/day.

Once I stop cutting, I will prob stop my walking routine or at least walk a lot less and prob do about 2hrs of high level cardio/week while upping my caloric intake to about 2200-2500 calories. Do you think I will be able to maintain once I make this change?
 
Mar 22, 2002
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Yeah, the BMR calculator is supposed to calculate your basal (resting) metabolic rate. The link I provided has both BMR and maintenance calculators. The statement about calculations being for sedentary individuals is likely meant for the maintenance calculators. Those calculators are really, really far off. That's why I base it off of the BMR calculator, since, although they aren't exact, they give a much better ball park range.

BMR is essentially the number of calories your body needs to survive if you laid in bed all day without moving, eating, thinking too much, etc. It is the minimum anybody should eat to maintain their metabolism and still lose weight. I'd say try to make absolutely sure you're eating more than 1700 calories. When I cut, I weighed less than you and took in 2200 calories per day. IMO, I'd say eat 2000-2200.

If you stop cutting, you're likely going to need more than 2500 calories, especially with those activity levels. I typically do 2-4h of intense cardio per week, but when I do it, my caloric need is over 3000. Essentially, if you're not cutting, make sure to just eat when you're hungry. Unless you have poor hunger signaling, that should be enough to tell you how many calories you need.

I mean, I imagine the only thing limiting you would be recovery (through sleep, diet, hydration, low stress levels, etc). Remember to work into an increased level of activity so you don't injure yourself. Then all your hard work, cutting, lifting, and running would be all for naught.
 

darkxshade

Lifer
Mar 31, 2001
13,749
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Basically since I'm not following a strict calorie counting regimen, the numbers I throw out could be for all I know inaccurate which is why I like to be safer than sorry by aiming for what I think is 1800 calories[what your bmr calc suggested for my stats] since it may very well be 2000 or more on the basis that people tend to eat more than they think they ate. Some things I can't measure accurately so I use a guesstimate.

For practicality here's todays routine for me:

9:30am - 3 egg whites scrambled with 1/2 tbsp olive oil to grease pan + 1/2tbsp soy sauce to flavor + 2 strips of bacon [200 cals]
10:30am - a bunch of cherries... like 15 [50cals]
11:30am 3/4cup fat free milk + 1.5cups cheerios [225 cals]
1pm - a regular banana [100 cals]
2:30pm - 1/2 my lunch [whole lunch consist of 8oz of oven roasted pork + 2-3 cups of frozen veggies steamed -brocolli, cauliflower, carrots] [300 cals *my est*]
4:30pm - 2nd 1/2 of my lunch [300 cals *my est*]
5:30pm - a banana [100 cal]
7:30pm - dinner [1.5cups of veggies same as the ones for lunch + 6oz of a meat... havent decided yet] [400 cals *my est*]
9:00pm - snack[somewhat healthy] I haven't decided on, usually popcorn or maybe nothing at all [+100cals]
unknown - Prob snack on some cherries here and there as I move about the house; also have blueberries at home [+100 cals]
other - if I were to lift today, it would be the same deal except also add in a pwo shake with 1 scoop whey[+100 cals]

So that's like 1800-1900 calories with what I think are estimated high ends calorie wise, the smoking gun being how accurate I am with my lunch & dinner[hard to get a reading on how much calories is in home cooked meat]. I'm not lifting today so I didn't add the 100 for the pwo shake.

My activities today:

I did a 1 hr fasted cardio walk @ 3mph in the morning
Will probably do 30 mins of HIIT after work
Will have spent 1 hr additionally walking as a result from work commute and after dinner walk[I do this so I don't snack, let my hunger settle].


edit:
I would also like to add that there are also things in play that are out of my control or unaccounted for in these calculations which is also why I shoot for such low numbers.

For example, I also take 3 servings of fish oil a day and at 10 cals/serving that's 30 calories. Then there's the half n half I add into my coffee which is 40calories but I leave that out since I'd just explain it away by saying the additional calories I burned as a result of the caffeine consumed will have offset it.

Additionally, it's impossible for me to accidentally undereat and take in 1000 calories once in a while but it's very possible to over eat. Next week, I'll be joining a group of friends for happy hour at a wings joint and I have a weakness for wings and may very well eat over 3000 that day. So by aiming for a lower caloric intake, I'll let random events and unaccounted for caloric intake to even out my daily average, whatever that may be. As far as what I can control, that's where the 1800/day comes from.
 
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magomago

Lifer
Sep 28, 2002
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Can I just add that if you will aim for <10&#37; BF, you probably need to be very focused on exactly what you intake. i say this only through observation of others, that those who do seem to hit the very low levels of body fat do so by exercising amazing discipline. The body naturally doesn't want to go that low.... someone correct me if I'm wrong plz =)
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
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NEW TOPIC: Vitamins for shorty.

Alright, been digging through the thread for a while now and got lots of good advice. But I need specific help on my vitamin intake. Have been excercising (poorly) for the last year cuz I feel like a tub of lard and want to change it. Biggest issue is not time or motivation, but energy. Even though I've been doing about 2 miles a day I still feel tired all time, especially during my jog. Pretty sure its related to diet. I've slowly been working my way off junk food and onto healthier stuff. But you never truly realize how obsessed our society is with processed starch until you start a healthier lifestyle. Seriously, just go to the grocery store and look around. If its not pure sugar damn near everything is some sort of highly processes starch. Most of the entrees, almost all of the snacks. Its kinda sad and scary at the same time. Also depressing, cuz it means fewer options for health minded individuals. And for guys like me addicted to junk food its a real challenge. Anywho, I've been slowly increasing my protein and seriously increasing my fiber, specifically from green vegetables. Changed over carbohydrates to slightly more healthy things than pizza and chips.
But I still dont feel too energized most of the time. Often feel myself desiring a nap in between classes. The jogs are helping my heart, but not my gut or my energy.

Been using those silly little FRS fruit chews but I think those things must just be a placebo effect cuz whenever I need the energy they just dont seem to work at all. I think I need a customized vitamin solution. I need something that helps me better utilize the food I'm taking in. My mom researched her needs and ended up taking about 12 little pills a day, but they actually do seem to work for her.

So, since I couldnt find a good vitamin thread here in H&F, was wondering if we could start right now. I am 5'3" and 210 pounds. Lost 5 pounds through shame and determination but obviously I need a lot more. Eventually wanna get down to 150 or so. I try to eat a balanced meal 4 times a day, again lots more greens than I used to get, and healthier proteins. For many years I've been taking One A Day vitamins, and I dont think they do much. Switch between the Mens, Energy, Weight Loss varieties and I never notice any difference.

If you were gonna custom make a vitamin pack for a guy with a relatively tame lifestyle whos trying to exercise a lot more and slowly improved his diet recently, what would you put in it?
 
Mar 22, 2002
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Well, I'm gonna begin by telling you that a multivitamin is not the solution to your energy dilemmas. Vitamins very rarely actually have a visible effect, unless dealing with a diseased individual. If you eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies, you will not be deficient in vitamins.

How have you been sleeping? How many hours? What about your stress levels? All of these things can affect the body in such a way that you feel drained and lethargic. Do you have any diseases like type two diabetes, hyperlipidemia, arrythmias, hypertension, etc? Your BMI is around 37 so that doesn't likely come without its repercussions.

Have you checked with your doctor before starting your exercise program? With your weight, you could definitely have some pathologies going on that would effect your energy levels. Go to the doctor, get your blood pressure, and have them take blood and run a lipid profile and get your glucose levels. If you have hypertension, resistance training right out of the gate is a bad idea (due to very high pressures created with weightlifting). If you have diabetes, you need to get that under control before you start any exercise. Taking your symptoms and your BMI into mind, it is fairly likely diabetes is the cause of your ill-feeling. Having a high blood sugar will actually make you feel exactly as you described. With stage II obesity, I would not be surprised at all if this was the cause. Fat stores in the body release inflammatory compounds that reduce insulin sensitivity. The fatter you get, the more insulin resistant you get.

It's best to go check with your physician before anything because it's quick and harmless. A multivitamin is actually the last thing you need to worry about. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but there are some more pressing issues that could be controlled and addressed. Let me know what the doctor says :) I really hope this doesn't discourage you, but I hope it motivates you even more to continue your quest for weight loss. If you normalize your weight, many of your potential health problems can be alleviated or lessened. If this is a topic a bit too personal for this thread and you have more questions, feel free to PM me.
 
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shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
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Well, like I said, I was not looking for A multivitamin. I was looking for advice on all the vitamins and shit I should be taking if I am just getting back into being physically fit.
Last blood panel I had nothing special popped up. It was for my kidney stones but the doctor wanted the full gamut anyways. No diabetes. No problems with insulin or cholesterol (which struck me as odd, being I've been out of shape for so long). I get 8 hours of sleep each night. I have nothing going on in my life right now, so if I'm stressed, its due to gremlins. Been jogging about 2 miles a day for several months. While it gets me nice and sweaty it doesnt seem to be killing my gut or giving me much more energy. Given that I've switched over to a much healthier diet in the past couple months, I assumed my body was simply not metabolizing my energy properly. Thought there might be some things to help me out.
 

HomerX

Member
Mar 2, 2010
184
0
0
I was looking for advice on all the vitamins and shit I should be taking if I am just getting back into being physically fit.

Nothing...

You really need no Supplements in order to loose weight etc...

Been jogging about 2 miles a day for several months. While it gets me nice and sweaty it doesnt seem to be killing my gut or giving me much more energy.

How long do you jog for 2 miles? Do you run relatively slow with low intensity?
No additional resistance training?

2 miles low intense cardio wont burn huge amounts of body fat nor will it build up your fitness lvl significantly...

For an overweight starter it is ok, but after several moths and with a good diet you should be able to do much more...

Probably do a more intense training only 4 times a Week and give your Body a rest inbetween...

Given that I've switched over to a much healthier diet in the past couple months, I assumed my body was simply not metabolizing my energy properly.

Any details? What do you eat and how much?

Considering that you changed your diet and started running, 5lbs weight loss over several months seems a little bit slow...
 

darkxshade

Lifer
Mar 31, 2001
13,749
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Speaking from personal experience, after having gotten back into the habit of fitness, I can say that as I continually improved my lifestyle, it wasn't until I changed my diet when I finally started to notice improved energy levels and overall alertness... And that was about 3 months ago. It's all relative but before 3 months ago, I ate pretty healthy compared to your average bloke but it wasn't until I introduced more fruits & veggies and replaced processed foods that I really felt great physically and mentally.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
17,365
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As an example, my breakfast is mostly fruits, some yoghurt (yogurt?) and a small slice of banana bread.
Lunch was a green salad at Hooters and baked chicken sammich. (The kinda stuff I used to hate and now make a regular part of my day). Afternoon snack will probably be celery, its one of the few greens I can have regularly and not get tired of. Dinner will be steamed mixed veggies and some small serving of beef. I dunno yet.

Think I need a lot more protein. Maybe get into the tofu thing or start liking tuna. I hate tuna. But I know its the most popular way to start eating better. I cant have too many nuts. Most of them contribute to my kidney stones. Peanuts, cashews and almonds are the worst.
 
Mar 22, 2002
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As an example, my breakfast is mostly fruits, some yoghurt (yogurt?) and a small slice of banana bread.
Lunch was a green salad at Hooters and baked chicken sammich. (The kinda stuff I used to hate and now make a regular part of my day). Afternoon snack will probably be celery, its one of the few greens I can have regularly and not get tired of. Dinner will be steamed mixed veggies and some small serving of beef. I dunno yet.

Think I need a lot more protein. Maybe get into the tofu thing or start liking tuna. I hate tuna. But I know its the most popular way to start eating better. I cant have too many nuts. Most of them contribute to my kidney stones. Peanuts, cashews and almonds are the worst.

Ok, so your profiles were alright. When did you get that checked?

Also, that breakfast is full of just plain sugar. Fruits are great when balanced with other foods. If you just eat a ton of fruit though, you will definitely have a small crash or suffer from low energy levels. I'd say incorporate some eggs into your breakfast and drop the banana bread. To increase your overall protein consumption, you have a lot of options: chicken, fish, beef, lamb, milk, beans, low fat cheese, and lots more.

And to address your original question - there isn't a vitamin that stands on its own that will fix your problem. Diet is frequently the problem and you need to hone that in before you worry about supplements. These vitamins are unlikely to help you with your energy levels, but the few that are have good research backings to improve overall health and cellular function are fish oil and vitamin D.
 

thepd7

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2005
9,429
0
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As an example, my breakfast is mostly fruits, some yoghurt (yogurt?) and a small slice of banana bread.
Lunch was a green salad at Hooters and baked chicken sammich. (The kinda stuff I used to hate and now make a regular part of my day). Afternoon snack will probably be celery, its one of the few greens I can have regularly and not get tired of. Dinner will be steamed mixed veggies and some small serving of beef. I dunno yet.

Think I need a lot more protein. Maybe get into the tofu thing or start liking tuna. I hate tuna. But I know its the most popular way to start eating better. I cant have too many nuts. Most of them contribute to my kidney stones. Peanuts, cashews and almonds are the worst.

I used to hate Tuna, then I started eating things like "Thai Spicy Chili Tuna" and putting mustand in the Tuna. I still love it but it's bearable and a great way to get protein. Another option is salmon (they have it in packets just like tuna) or to actually buy a fish like mahi mahi that is less fishy.

Also, can you do Almond Butter? Is it the actual nut or what it's made of that contribute to kidney stones.
 

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
30,160
3,300
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just started on fitness journal.
grr.. on either fitday or sparks, how do i add a turkey sandwich?

2 slices whole wheat bread
2 slices turkey
1 slice provolone cheese
spicy mustard

How do i that particular sandwich?
 
Mar 22, 2002
10,484
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just started on fitness journal.
grr.. on either fitday or sparks, how do i add a turkey sandwich?

2 slices whole wheat bread
2 slices turkey
1 slice provolone cheese
spicy mustard

How do i that particular sandwich?

You add the individual pieces... at least, that's what I did. I'm not sure if you can make a group and then just click "Turkey Sandwich," but I know you can just use your common items list. It's a bit more work, but it's pretty easy. Slice size varies between packages quite a bit so if you really want an exact calorie count, you're gonna have to weigh it.
 

Stojakapimp

Platinum Member
Jun 28, 2002
2,184
0
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just started on fitness journal.
grr.. on either fitday or sparks, how do i add a turkey sandwich?

2 slices whole wheat bread
2 slices turkey
1 slice provolone cheese
spicy mustard

How do i that particular sandwich?

Not sure about fitday, but on thedailyplate, you can create your own meals. It's great for if you tend to eat the same things over and over again, like a turkey sandwich. Instead of having to add each individual item, you would just click on the meal that you created.
 

kieranduffey

Junior Member
Sep 15, 2010
2
0
0
splendid job! Your post is very informative. Thanks for sharing

Our health is gradually diminishing by the growing civilization

Nowadays, The effect of globalization has increased the restaurant's culture.
Due to modern lifestyle people were gaining weight due to lack of awareness.

I hope your post can help you people who are looking to loss their weight and to maintain good health.

_______________________________________________________________

kieran duffey
 

kieranduffey

Junior Member
Sep 15, 2010
2
0
0
Hi Dude,

Extreme richness doesn't do much good if health isn't good and one can't enjoy the richness.Effective health care is therefore essential in maintaining and improving the quality of life
______________________________________________________

Kieran Duffey
 
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Mar 22, 2002
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I love spam and discussion of things unrelated to weight loss. This is a discussion about physiology, not of culture and its contribution to obesity. That's left to the more politically-driven threads.
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,190
85
91
madgenius.com
Awesome thread, very good info...at the moment, I am far too busy to work out, so I was hoping to maintain weight.

My question is this, should I still take fish oil pills? I've never thought about it before, but I never eat fish, I dislike the taste....the benefits look solid though.

Do fish pills taste like crap? How much/often should I take them?
 
Mar 22, 2002
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Awesome thread, very good info...at the moment, I am far too busy to work out, so I was hoping to maintain weight.

My question is this, should I still take fish oil pills? I've never thought about it before, but I never eat fish, I dislike the taste....the benefits look solid though.

Do fish pills taste like crap? How much/often should I take them?

Yeah, I'd definitely say take some if you can afford to. If you buy enteric coated fish oil pills, you likely won't have the "fish burps" that come along with non-enteric coated ones (they open up deeper in the gut). Those ones don't really taste like anything. I mean, 1200mg of DHA/EPA is typically enough to promote good health. Some people take a lot more, some take less. With normal fish oil pills, that's about four pills a day (2 in the morning, 2 at night).
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,190
85
91
madgenius.com
I'll have to stop by Whole Foods on the way home, pick some up ... GF works there, we get a decent discount .. 30&#37;.

Are there issues with taking more? I plan to do 2200~ calories a day, and try to just sustain my weight...6 foot, 220 LBS, age 23.

Would it even be possible to lose weight @ 2200 calories?