Is it Really That Simple?
BarbaraCarr1981
Posts: 903 Member
Hey ya'll.. Is it really that simple?
1) Eat at a deficit and hit macros EVERYDAY.... (maybe a mess up or two each month)
2) Lift heavy 3 times a week (progressing weights as needed)
3) Do cardio 2-3 times a week (walking, little jogging, nothing too intense)
Results: FAT LOSS? would you see big results in a month when ur 25% bf now? or would you need more like 3 months of consistency?
1) Eat at a deficit and hit macros EVERYDAY.... (maybe a mess up or two each month)
2) Lift heavy 3 times a week (progressing weights as needed)
3) Do cardio 2-3 times a week (walking, little jogging, nothing too intense)
Results: FAT LOSS? would you see big results in a month when ur 25% bf now? or would you need more like 3 months of consistency?
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Replies
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sounds right to me....the binging in the meantime got me before........0
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How much binging is okay though? OR is it NONE. absolutley none. If u binge once, then u gotta start all over again???0
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For most people, it's that simple. If you have a medical condition or something, there might be some extra steps, but for the majority of the population, that's what it takes.
As far as binging goes, it does undo your work if you eat over maintenance calories, but unless you eat triple the amount you normally would in a day, it's probably not a big deal. If you go 200 calories over your goal, it's probably not going to hurt anything at all, because most folks have quite a difference between their goal calories, and their maintenance calories.0 -
Leave off #3, and you've pretty much got it. I don't do any of that, and I'm losing fat.0
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Calories in must be less than calories out. That is the simple fact. How you accomplish that varies from which person you talk to, which website you look at, which book you read. There lies the confusion and complications.0
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Leave off #3, and you've pretty much got it. I don't do any of that, and I'm losing fat.
I get that most people are obsessed with weight-lifting on here, because it works for them, but NO cardio? What if you like cardio?0 -
How much binging is okay though? OR is it NONE. absolutley none. If u binge once, then u gotta start all over again???
Start over at what?
Binging, as in "OMG I totally lost control" is never okay. Having a planned meal every once in a while that doesn't fit your calorie and macro profile is fine. If it's happening often enough that you're not losing weight (or that you're gaining weight), then you need to cut back. Pretty simple.0 -
It's that simple!!
One binge definitely won't ruin all your progress, but obviously it's best to avoid going over your calorie/macro goals if you want fast results. Try to eat treats in moderation, that way you won't be tempted to binge on them because you miss them so much!
I think at 25% you can definitely see results in a month, but you'll obviously see bigger results over time. Definitely take photos!! I took a photo of my arm last month, and another one yesterday, and was AMAZED at the difference - I hadn't lost any weight, but my arm definitely lost fat!!
Hit your macros as often as possible but if you don't always hit them it's not going to make a huge difference. Macros are only super important for super-lean, bodybuilder types. At 25% it's not that big of a deal yet. Just make sure you're getting enough protein for all that lifting!0 -
Leave off #3, and you've pretty much got it. I don't do any of that, and I'm losing fat.
I get that most people are obsessed with weight-lifting on here, because it works for them, but NO cardio? What if you like cardio?
I didn't say stop doing it if you enjoy it. I was implying that it's not necessary.
In reality, a calorie deficit is the only thing you need for fat loss, but eating enough protein and doing enough strength training to preserve your lean body mass will go a long way toward getting you to a body fat % you desire, which seemed to be where the OP was headed.0 -
Leave off #3, and you've pretty much got it. I don't do any of that, and I'm losing fat.
I get that most people are obsessed with weight-lifting on here, because it works for them, but NO cardio? What if you like cardio?
I didn't say stop doing it if you enjoy it. I was implying that it's not necessary.
In reality, a calorie deficit is the only thing you need for fat loss, but eating enough protein and doing enough strength training to preserve your lean body mass will go a long way toward getting you to a body fat % you desire, which seemed to be where the OP was headed.
^Agree with the above. When I was in the best shape I've been in (my profile pic), I was lifting with no cardio at all. I'm on my way back to that point by doing pretty much the same.0 -
Leave off #3, and you've pretty much got it. I don't do any of that, and I'm losing fat.
I get that most people are obsessed with weight-lifting on here, because it works for them, but NO cardio? What if you like cardio?
I didn't say stop doing it if you enjoy it. I was implying that it's not necessary.
In reality, a calorie deficit is the only thing you need for fat loss, but eating enough protein and doing enough strength training to preserve your lean body mass will go a long way toward getting you to a body fat % you desire, which seemed to be where the OP was headed.
For those of us who don't have access to heavy weights, I do cardio (5-6x a week) along with some old-school strength training (such as sit ups and push ups), will this be considerably less effective than lifting heavy weights?0 -
Im gonna keep doing some cardio because i like taking my son out for walks and because it should speed up the fat loss im looking for.... and i do need work on the binges. Over the weekend I think i ate roughly 3000-3500 calories on sat and sunday. I was at a wedding and visiting relatives. Pigged out big time! And this weekend is a family reunion. I really want to eat all the delicious foods there but if i want this to work i guess im gonna have to lean towards proteins and veggies there and just have one little dessert for a treat and maybe a fat treat like meat balls in sweet n sour sauce too. Dunno... Gotta keep with it though and stay on track.0
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Also, I have controlled type 1 diabetes and controlled hypothyroid BUT I've lost weight before NO PROBLEM! I was just doing cardio and light weights 3-4 times a week and eating healthy (no logging). 4 months and 15lbs gone. Of course i lost LBM too though by doing this. This time i wanna stay STRONG!0
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All you really NEED is #1. You will lose fat (and probably some muscle)
You can add #2 if you want to keep your lean body mass.
You can add #3 if you want to eat even more while you lose.0 -
For those of us who don't have access to heavy weights, I do cardio (5-6x a week) along with some old-school strength training (such as sit ups and push ups), will this be considerably less effective than lifting heavy weights?
Personally I wouldn't recommend doing that much cardio unless you absolutely LOVE it. There's a lot of conflicting opinons out there, but there seem to be some studies suggesting that an excess of cardio can actually slow metabolism and cause the body to hold onto excess fat. Cardio is fine in moderation, just like everything else.
As far as strength training without weights, it's do-able though probably a little less effective. Building strength is all about progression, so if your'e doing 20 pushups a day your body isn't going to change anything, because it can already do 20 pushups. Make sense? If you can't get to a gym check out a home strength program. I just did the Jillian Michaels Body Revolution and surprisingly loved it. It wasn't as effective as lifting heavy but I definitely saw better results than expected. It's a DVD series you can do at home with some pretty light dumbbells (I used 3s, 5s, and 8s). There's other programs out there like P90X. You may also want to look into Convict Conditioning, it's an intense home strength program that uses absolutely no lifting equipment.
If it was me I'd cut your routine down to 3 days of cardio a week maximum, and at least 3 days strength. Make sure your cardio includes HIIT as well! That's just me, though... do what works for you.0 -
Have you fixed your logging accuracy problem? If so the only other thing you really need is patience. I think I've answered this question from you 3 or 4 times. Are you really still not understanding it? If so, which part if confusing you? Are you just hoping to get more answers? What's the deal?0
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It's cumulative. The overall amount of energy you ate versus the overall amount of energy you burned will determine the results. It doesn't matter if the graph of your intake is flat or bumpy. What matters is the area under the graph.How much binging is okay though? OR is it NONE. absolutley none. If u binge once, then u gotta start all over again???0 -
It really is that simple, what isn't simple about it is life, emotions, eating for reasons other than hunger, parties, birthdays etc. etc.
I would also add my 2 cents for what its worth to #3 don't be afraid of intensity in your cardio. Sprinting or HIIT is great for aiding fat loss.
In terms of the binging issue, it really depends on how many calories you consume in a binge. Refer back to #1, if you maintain an overall calorie deficit with the occassional binge you should still lose weight. If binging is negating your deficit then you won't lose. The key with a binge is to get past it and get straight back on track, don't let it snowball into a full day/weekend/week0 -
I find that not only do you have to change physically but also mentally. I always used to eat heaps when I was with friends. Recently, I have started looking at my friends who are slim and healthy - they usually don't eat stuff, even if it right in front of them. So, that is what I am also doing. Don't eat it just because it is there. Every little thing that you eat that you know is not healthy, will slow down your progress. And, in the long run, it is probably not worth it! Try and get through your next get together without over eating - I promise it will get easier and easier to resist all the treats
Obviously, I am no pro at this, and still have a few pounds to lose, but I found that it is working for me. 0 -
Leave off #3, and you've pretty much got it. I don't do any of that, and I'm losing fat.
You're right, cardiovascular exercise does not as much fat as an increased muscle mass. In fact the cardio workout heart range is above the fat-burning range for walking and jogging. But cardiovascular workouts have benefits such as improved cardiac output, lower blood pressure and resting heart rate (over-time), lower cortisol levels and improved circulation, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to incorporate a cardiovascular warm-up period before weight training.0 -
i dont lift weights
exercising 3 times a week????????? NO
mor e like 60 minutes of cardio a day
i also eat what i want and stay under calories always ...........
exercise them off0 -
i dont lift weights
exercising 3 times a week????????? NO
mor e like 60 minutes of cardio a day
i also eat what i want and stay under calories always ...........
exercise them off
If you want to make sure you're losing fat and not just weight, you should consider lifting.0 -
In for Groundhog Day.0
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i dont lift weights
exercising 3 times a week????????? NO
mor e like 60 minutes of cardio a day
i also eat what i want and stay under calories always ...........
exercise them off
Lifting weights would preserve your muscle mass. And three times per week is plenty.0 -
Leave off #3, and you've pretty much got it. I don't do any of that, and I'm losing fat.
I get that most people are obsessed with weight-lifting on here, because it works for them, but NO cardio? What if you like cardio?
I agree...cardio is essential along with strength training.....I combine the two and look how super buff I am!!0 -
It is that simple, but you'll never know it if you don't hit what you're supposed to every day. If you mess up one day you should be fixing it later in the week. IE- if I have to eat out and by the powers that be force me to eat 700+ calories past my daily limit, I'm either going to subtract 100cals per day from my mouth. Weekly macro/caloric averages are a little more important than daily averages.
All this s&@? About lifting heavy is really overrated with the females on this board who are trying to lose weight. Main goal here is to lose fat, not build muscle, so when you're at the gym your main goal should be to keep your heart rate elevated until you're done. Unless you have slabs of muscle that you're desperately afraid of losing while dieting, lifting heavy weights should not be the focal point of your routine.
A person in a 500 deficit should lose 1lb a week if they are measuring properly and calculating correctly.
Creating a bigger deficit will result in more immediate weight loss, but will hurt more in the long run for those who want to continue losing weight, because you'll have to keep dropping cals to very low levels.0 -
In for Groundhog Day.
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i feel like i am experiencing deja vu.0
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i dont lift weights
exercising 3 times a week????????? NO
mor e like 60 minutes of cardio a day
i also eat what i want and stay under calories always ...........
exercise them off
If you want to make sure you're losing fat and not just weight, you should consider lifting.
Or just go for a smaller deficit. Lifting isn't strictly neccessary for fat loss but will help with body composition goals0 -
Yes, of course.0
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