Metabolism help needed. $$$ money is on the line $$$
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LokiiDokii wrote: »Everyone has already said something about putting your health first, so no more of that from me!
Try drinking green tea throughout the day and also drinking at least 8 full glasses of water everyday. Cut out all sodas!
The metabolic effects of green tea are MINISCULE.
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-benefits-of-green-tea
Staying hydrated is not one-size-fits-all.
Cut out sodas? Sorry, but unless they bring you over your daily calorie goal....sodas (regular or diet) are fine.2 -
There's not really any way to "jump start" or "speed up" your metabolism, so why NOT recommend things that are *actually helpful* for someone trying to lose weight...0
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Exercise wise I'm not great at sticking to it. I think however one of the best exercises for all round fitness is swimming. If I was able to swim I'd definitely be doing it. Green or Pureh tea helped my digestion -also a warm cup of water with a lemon is also good for your digestion. I'm useless for drinking water but it does really help (maybe try a sugar free cordial/squash with it). I've lost 30lbs by just reducing calories and eating smaller portions (not piling up my plate). Spicy food also helps with that feeling of fullness and is low in calories and tasty. EG hot salsa is about 30kcal per 100g. Anyway, good luck with your bet and weight loss.0
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HardcoreP0rk wrote: »There's not really any way to "jump start" or "speed up" your metabolism, so why NOT recommend things that are *actually helpful* for someone trying to lose weight...
I did: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/38781813/#Comment_387818132 -
HardcoreP0rk wrote: »There's not really any way to "jump start" or "speed up" your metabolism, so why NOT recommend things that are *actually helpful* for someone trying to lose weight...
I did: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/38781813/#Comment_38781813
Ok. Be helpful. And don't be presumptuous and dismissive of helpful advice when you assume there's some fad science in it. It's like you're just itching to condescend to someone.0 -
HardcoreP0rk wrote: »HardcoreP0rk wrote: »There's not really any way to "jump start" or "speed up" your metabolism, so why NOT recommend things that are *actually helpful* for someone trying to lose weight...
I did: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/38781813/#Comment_38781813
Ok. Be helpful. And don't be presumptuous and dismissive of helpful advice when you assume there's some fad science in it. It's like you're just itching to condescend to someone.
Not at all. Just trying to help people not waste their time, money and effort on things that won't make any significant difference. Majoring in the minors isn't helpful or productive.4 -
NorthCascades wrote: »I have access to a rowing machine and a stationary bike at my office that started using on Thursday and Friday. I am going to put at least 30 minutes of hard work in on those two machines every day before i head home Monday through Friday. Ill also do 30 minutes of cardio at home on Saturday and Sunday to keep the extra burn going. I am committed to this and will push harder the further along i get.
Do you have access to an outdoor bike? This will be controversial, but in my opinion they're better for weight loss than indoor bikes. The reason is that they're more fun, so you're more likely to use them. Weight loss is a tortoise and the hare kind of thing, it isn't one monumental effort, it's consistency over time. You might burn 200 kCal in a half hour on a stationary bike, but you might have a better time on an outdoor one and stay out a full hour or more.
I'd also suggest looking for hiking trails, canoe rental, etc. You still get calorie credit if you're having fun.
This is certainly true for me. I struggle to last 10 minutes on the bike in the gym but I can happily spend hours on cardio outdoors.2 -
OP, people tend to get hung up on the word "metabolism" and wander off in weird directions, as we're seeing on this thread. You have your base metabolic rate (BMR), which you really can't purposefully change, and your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which you absolutely can change. (I'm over-simplifying concepts a bit, but I'm okay with that.)
I think what you really mean to ask is "what can I do to make sure I'm burning as many calories as possible throughout the day in order to maximize my weight loss without doing anything that would negatively impact my health?" That's a better question, and it's one that has a lot of right answers, like:
1. Incorporate more movement into your day. Take walks, or just breaks to stand up and move a little bit, more often. Park farther away, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.
2. Don't cut your calories too far down. There's some evidence that suggests that too steep of a deficit, for too long a time, may negatively impact your BMR, but that's not why I'm bringing it up. I mention it because there's a LOT of anecdotal evidence that a crazy deficit will make you feel like crap and will make it harder for you to increase your movement during the day like I mentioned in #1. (Just personally, if I'm hungry and cranky, I'll choose the couch over a walk every time).
3. Drink enough water, mostly because it's good for you, but also because it helps flush out water retention. Keep your sodium under control for the same reasons.
4. Find the foods that keep you full. It's a balancing act to maximize weight loss in the short term while still letting you stay in it for the long term. It doesn't matter if you lose a ton of weight in the first month if it means that you burn out and gain it back in month 2.
Good luck with the wager! I'm a competitive person too, so I get where you're coming from. It sounds like it would be a fun project for the two of you.8 -
Build muscle. It helps use energy!1
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bclarke1990 wrote: »I feel like your health should be a much bigger driver than $100.
But yet it still doesnt work as well for me as money either lol1 -
kshama2001 wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »I have access to a rowing machine and a stationary bike at my office that started using on Thursday and Friday. I am going to put at least 30 minutes of hard work in on those two machines every day before i head home Monday through Friday. Ill also do 30 minutes of cardio at home on Saturday and Sunday to keep the extra burn going. I am committed to this and will push harder the further along i get.
Do you have access to an outdoor bike? This will be controversial, but in my opinion they're better for weight loss than indoor bikes. The reason is that they're more fun, so you're more likely to use them. Weight loss is a tortoise and the hare kind of thing, it isn't one monumental effort, it's consistency over time. You might burn 200 kCal in a half hour on a stationary bike, but you might have a better time on an outdoor one and stay out a full hour or more.
I'd also suggest looking for hiking trails, canoe rental, etc. You still get calorie credit if you're having fun.
This is certainly true for me. I struggle to last 10 minutes on the bike in the gym but I can happily spend hours on cardio outdoors.
I dont think thats controversial at all. I think there's a lot to doing fun things over just functional drudgery. I play in two soccer leagues year round and it's a huge benefit for me. Then again, I'm an athlete who does speedwork weekly (HIIT) and likes things that are beneficial AND make me feel good.. so maybe I'll just defer to the body comp experts who weigh themselves daily and travel around with a food scale...0 -
icunurse43235 wrote: »Build muscle. It helps use energy!
While not very precise, this is true! OP, since you don't have ready access to gym equipment, I've added some bodyweight exercise links. Should give you some fun stuff to try and it will be challenging enough until you've progressed considerably.
http://darebee.com/workouts.html
http://www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/15-best-bodyweight-exercises-men
ETA: the men's fitness page lists ab rollouts. I really do no like those and do not recommend them.0 -
I'm doing a 6 month Diet Bet, and it's hugely motivating for me. I *hate* to lose. Being in a competition works wonders (although in mine, everyone can win - it's just that everyone won't and I want to take their money).
Definitely focus on maximizing calorie output and controlling calorie input. The threat of losing my money definitely gets my butt moving on days I don't really want to, and makes me think twice about what I eat. I'd recommend Diet Bet to anyone that wants an extra layer of motivation.0 -
Regarding a few of the recommendations in this thread:
Meal frequency doesn't seem to play a significant role in energy expenditure.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9155494
As far as cardio modality I would very strongly recommend you choose a modality and intensity that allows you the greatest adherence to the program since this will likely impact results more than any incredibly minor differences in acute effects of exercise.
HIIT is fine if you enjoy it however my experience is that most people who are significantly overweight do FAR better on low intensity steady state cardio and additionally selecting modalities with minimal joint impact. HIIT tends to be better suited for athletes who don't typically have to worry as much about weight management or adherence.
Regarding the original post, I would suggest the following things as very general methods:
1) I would eat protein with each meal, probably 30-40g/meal give or take. In addition to being muscle sparing, protein is generally more satiating and it will likely cause a reduction in calorie intake and make adherence easier.
2) I would minimize snacking between meals but I would eat meals that satiate you. This is primarily for satiety purposes and this recommendation will not be a perfect fit for everyone. However, my experience is that this is true for most people, and additionally when people need to snack continuously it's often a sign that satiety is too low on a meal to meal basis.
3) I would eat multiple servings of vegetables, and some fruit, daily provided you enjoy it. They are satiating and nutrient dense and likely constitute an improvement to the quality of your diet.
4) I would greatly minimize heavily refined foods however you may not need to eliminate them entirely. If you decide to eliminate junk food entirely, that's ALSO a fine decision however you may benefit from viewing this as a "temporary abstaining" rather than "I can never eat this again". This mindset difference is valuable for many people.
5) I would use a step counting device and log your steps. The biggest driver to metabolic rate is non exercise activity thermogenesis, or the amount of calories you burn doing non exercise activities that include voluntary and involuntary movement.
6) I would keep multiple metrics to track progress. Weigh yourself daily and take averages of that bodyweight over 7 days to establish a weekly average weight. Strictly compare week to week averages to smooth out the daily fluctuations that naturally occur. Keep various circumference measurements and update them once per month. Take photos once per month. Observe how clothes fit. Monitor training performance in the gym.
- You may think right now that your objective is ONLY bodyweight however it is a mistake to only use this metric in your weight loss process. You need multiple avenues of feedback to demonstrate progress because this will keep somewhat of a reward loop going that may help drive behavior changes as you go.
7) I would establish a social support network. We know social support can go a long way with helping weight loss and so take advantage of this to the best of your ability.
8) As others have mentioned I would do your best to log accurately provided that the accurate logging doesn't derail your efforts by becoming too cumbersome/stressful. You should at the very least, log accurately enough to get results, and if results stop coming you may need to tighten the accuracy with which you track things.
9) Recognize that energy balance dictates changes in bodyweight. You can manipulate your energy intake and your energy output and your bodyweight will tell you whether or not you need to make changes to those variables. And so, observe the data and it will tell you when you need to make changes. Just be sure to look at AVERAGES and not day to day stuff or it will mislead you.
10) Be patient and stay chill. If you find yourself grasping at straws, looking for supplements, looking for detoxes, looking for that ONE WEIRD TRICK, or THE FIVE FOODS TO AVOID then I'd suggest your focus is misguided and you should return to the first 9 items I typed out for you.
That's about all I've got for now, and I didn't originally intend to write a 10 point list but it just sort of happened. Hopefully you find these steps simple and actionable, and good luck!
-Patrick14 -
Regarding a few of the recommendations in this thread:
HIIT is fine if you enjoy it however my experience is that most people who are significantly overweight do FAR better on low intensity steady state cardio and additionally selecting modalities with minimal joint impact. HIIT tends to be better suited for athletes who don't typically have to worry as much about weight management or adherence.
I feel like, for someone who is a significantly overweight non-athlete... c25k is basically their version of HIIT. You think that's fair?
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If you wanted real motivation you should have bet your firstborn.0
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rebeccatackett wrote: »rebeccatackett wrote: »Eating several small meals per day instead of one large meal will help the metabolism. If your body thinks it never gets food, it will hold on to what it gets when it finally gets it. Once it is used to being fed every couple of hours, it will burn it because it knows it will be fed in a couple of hours again. Also, if you go all day without eating, you will tend to overeat just because you haven't had anything all day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and can jumpstart your metabolism.
All myth.
All sound bites from common phrases passed around without a bit of science to back it up.
Sorry.
Nope, sorry. It worked for me!
Worked for you and everyone else who convinced themselves the loss was due to making things overly complicated instead of the fact they just eating at a deficit as well.
And breakfast is irrelevant.1 -
HardcoreP0rk wrote: »Regarding a few of the recommendations in this thread:
HIIT is fine if you enjoy it however my experience is that most people who are significantly overweight do FAR better on low intensity steady state cardio and additionally selecting modalities with minimal joint impact. HIIT tends to be better suited for athletes who don't typically have to worry as much about weight management or adherence.
I feel like, for someone who is a significantly overweight non-athlete... c25k is basically their version of HIIT. You think that's fair?
With no disrespect intended, no I don't think that's fair at least insofar as how I'd communicate the recommendation to someone.
In practice they could be similar if someone needs to walk intermittently between jogging but by design these are quite different.2 -
HardcoreP0rk wrote: »Regarding a few of the recommendations in this thread:
HIIT is fine if you enjoy it however my experience is that most people who are significantly overweight do FAR better on low intensity steady state cardio and additionally selecting modalities with minimal joint impact. HIIT tends to be better suited for athletes who don't typically have to worry as much about weight management or adherence.
I feel like, for someone who is a significantly overweight non-athlete... c25k is basically their version of HIIT. You think that's fair?
With no disrespect intended, no I don't think that's fair at least insofar as how I'd communicate the recommendation to someone.
In practice they could be similar if someone needs to walk intermittently between jogging but by design these are quite different.
Very true.0 -
On the C25K, speaking as someone of similar size to the OP, I don't think I could have been successful at it when I was 300+. Maybe others are different, but I had enough issues doing my treadmills intervals at that weight and did not start it until I was about 275. I would walk more, with light jogging first but I'm in week 5 and next I'll be jogging for 20 mins and I could not have done this if I started 2 months earlier.
But listen to @SideSteel He is smarter than most of us on this topic.2
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