Weighing nearly 400 pounds, man walks off half his weight

[DangerAardvark]

Input < output is the basis for all weight loss. The specifics vary, but the principle doesn't. Just like fad diets fail, but intelligently managing your diet doesn't.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Train

Originally posted by: Jeff7
The really easy guide to weight, which most people just don't get:

Input > Output, weight will be gained
Input = Output, weight will be maintained
Input < Output, weight will be lost


Get out and do something to expend the chemical energy you're ingesting, or else take in less energy. Too many people can't seem to grasp this, and that's why losing weight through exercise has become newsworthy.

While its a good "Rule of thumb" its hardly a fixed equation.

For example, if someone starts eating less, the body can sense the need to "save up" and slow the metaboism way down, storing more fat.

If you start to eat a lot more, the body senses that it doesnt need to store up because theres a plentiful supply, so instead it increases the metabolism and may even burn off some fat in the process.

In both of these instances, the rule of thumb is counter-productive.

Everything in moderation + strength + cardio workouts usually works out well in the end. You cant focus on just diet or just excercise, they are too inter-dependent to try and change just one variable.

That's only when you're taking in such a low amount of calories that your body thinks you're starving and kills your metabolism. When you're taking in a couple hundred calories below what you're burning, then you're fine and you will always lose weight. And you're completely wrong about the "plentiful supply" thing. When you have a plentiful supply, your body takes the extra bit of the "plentiful" and converts it to fat. Always. You always need to be taking in less than you're burning to lose weight. None of this "plentiful supply will increase your metabolism" crap. If your body needs 2500 calories a day and you're taking in 2000-2200, you will always, always lose weight. If it's the same situation and you're taking in 2800 calories a day, you will always, always gain weight (unless you're a crazy ectomorph).

Also to address Ryan and CrazyShiz's elaborated version of his point, if you lift weight while trying to lose weight, you will maintain your muscle and lose your fat. This is the only way you won't become one of those fat, skinny guys. So Ryan is wrong in the manner that, if you do what Jeff7 says correctly, you will be grand. CrazyShiz is right though because if you do it without any lifting, you'll just lose both and be, like I said, a fat skinny guy.

 

[Special K]

One problem is that people aren't rigorous enough with their weight loss/gain efforts. Most people understand that food contains calories, and excess calories lead to fat gain, but they implement haphazard strategies such as "cut out all soda" or "don't eat after 7 pm". While these things *could* work, they only address one part of everything you consume in a day. It does you no good to cut out soda for the day, but then eat pizza later that night, or drink several beers.

Many people could achieve much better results if they tracked what they ate each day using Fitday. Enter what you eat each day, and see exactly how many calories you are consuming. Combine this with weighing yourself each morning, and you can make small, controlled adjustments to your food intake as necessary.

Tracking what you eat will give you a much better perspective of your eating habits because everything will be reflected in the count of calories.

Weight training and cardio are good too, of course. I am only speaking about diet in this post.