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I have changed it up a bit, let me know you opinion...

Brocksterdanza
Brocksterdanza Posts: 208 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I only have about 30 pounds left to go and would be about 25 if the holidays didnt happen. Nonetheless, i am where i am. I generally worked out at home doing t25 or some insanity type program. However, i found myself bored and getting burnt out. So i have made the following changes. Let me know what you think will happen if things stay constant to the following:

Still eating at a 750-1000 calorie a day deficit.

Not eating anything with the exception of fruit after 6 pm

Doing stronglifts 5x5 program (compound lifts... deads, squats, bench, overhead, Bent over rows) 3-4 days a week

Adding interval cardio on eliptical machine (1 minute hard, 1 minute light, etc) for 20 minutes 4 days a week

Adding stair machine 10 minutes a day 3-4 days a week.

Im usually in the gym right at an hour and I generally make a deal with myself that i do not leave the gym without a 850-1000 calorie a day burn (polar HR monitor worn at all times)

My question is this, can i expect to shed pounds while lifting and doing this interval cardio? I know that muscle in more dense than fat, however, i am really pushing to get below the "obese" category for insurance purposes.... I weigh 240 right now and there are very few folks here where i live that can run and do the things i can do. I dont want to weigh 240 and look muscular and still get dinged by the dang BMI standards. I hate BMI and all that it stands for. My BP is near perfect to the point that nurses do a double take of my weight when they see whats going on there. I leave the DR dejected each time because in order for me to be in the "ideal" weight range and not considered obese, im going to have to weight something i havent weighed since high school. It is what it is....... what say you?

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    You're not going to build muscle in a caloric deficit, so you won't look more muscular.

    You'll lose weight; doing 5x5 and cardio is absolutely fine.
  • Brocksterdanza
    Brocksterdanza Posts: 208 Member
    Thanks Isaack.... not really concerned at this point about looking more muscular... Im just wanting the rest of my weight to come off. I dont want to still be in the obese category and in my past experience with insanity, i dropped a bunch of weight, but alot of it was lean muscle and i was very weak when i started lifting again.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    The deficit is where you'll lose. The lifting will help you maintain your muscle mass. Keep up the great work!
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    Brocksterdanza wrote: »
    Thanks Isaack.... not really concerned at this point about looking more muscular... Im just wanting the rest of my weight to come off. I dont want to still be in the obese category and in my past experience with insanity, i dropped a bunch of weight, but alot of it was lean muscle and i was very weak when i started lifting again.

    You're completely fine. As long as you increase your strength (don't confuse this with muscle mass!) and your cardio improves and you lose weight - everything should be fine.
  • Brocksterdanza
    Brocksterdanza Posts: 208 Member
    Should i ditch the lifting and just do cardio? My fear is that i will lose my muscle that i do have and will look skinny fat.
  • Brocksterdanza
    Brocksterdanza Posts: 208 Member
    also, will the lifting stall or delay my weight loss? I have been on this about 2 weeks and have not weighed yet.
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    DON'T DITCH THE LIFTING! You actually have it backwards--the lifting will keep you from looking skinny fat. Cardio is great for overall fitness/getting a larger caloric deficit.

    But yes, you might get into a stall, which is why you should take measurements and pictures so you don't get discouraged.
  • Brocksterdanza
    Brocksterdanza Posts: 208 Member
    But my goal is to it be labeled as obese via bmi standards... Will I still lose pounds if I lift? My insurance is driving me crazy because I'm obese just because of poundage.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    The lifting will not stall your weight loss, if anything, it will increase it. It will help you lose more fat % as opposed to fat and muscle. You will not be GAINING any significant amount of muscle mass, because you will be eating at a deficit, you will just minimize the amount of muscle lost, while maximizing fat loss.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    Brocksterdanza wrote: »
    But my goal is to it be labeled as obese via bmi standards... Will I still lose pounds if I lift? My insurance is driving me crazy because I'm obese just because of poundage.

    Yes, you will lose pounds with lifting.

    The whole mechanic for losing weight is being in a caloric deficit - it doesn't matter if the only exercise you do is moving your thumbs, running down the stairs or lifting rocks.

    Keep going with the 5x5 stronglifts and cardio, and maintain your caloric deficit!
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    Brocksterdanza wrote: »
    But my goal is to it be labeled as obese via bmi standards... Will I still lose pounds if I lift? My insurance is driving me crazy because I'm obese just because of poundage.

    I should clarify that my stall was about 2 weeks, which seemed like a long time because I had been losing about 1.5-2 pounds a week before that. As the posters below me pointed out, lifting will preserve the muscle you have while you lose fat.

    You can do this. I had a BMI of 32.3 August 30th and it's 27 as of the other day. (I am 5'6")
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