Need help/tips with serious weight loss

dgobbett

I was hoping to get some advice / help to keep me on the right track. I am a very heavy guy, I started my weight loss journey earlier this year at 425lbs and have lost 65lbs to date. I focus mostly on cardio since money is a bit tight for me, and I cannot afford a gym membership at present but I try to get creative for strength training.

I am 5'11 and 30 years old

I am still losing weight, I am currently eating 2300 calories a day which is about 1000-1500 deficit from my TDEE based on a few sites I have used to determine the number (3300 - 3700) I am still dropping weight, I am in control of my diet, and have a good handle on my choices. There have been times of late I have felt depleted energy wise, exhausted throughout my day..I sometimes do and don't eat back my exercise calories, I am wondering if that could be the cause?

My need here is advice to make sure I am losing the right kind of weight. I want to make sure I am losing mostly fat mass and not lean muscle but I imagine I will lose lean muscle as a get smaller as my body will no longer need the muscle to support my large frame/weight.

Can anyone suggest anything I can do to ensure I am maximizing my returns and being the most efficient I can be. I also have a question about protein intake, the rule I keep reading is either 1g per 1lb of body weight and also hear 1g per 1lb of lean body mass I am not sure how to incorporate 360g of protein into my diet without drinking Chicken/Whey Protein smoothies 3-4 times a day so I am wonder what would be a good goal to shoot for.

Thanks in advance.

chad_phillips1123

Sounds like you've done great so far!

My advice, assuming your goal is to lose fat and retain/build muscle, is to work in some bodyweight exercises (pushups, squats, pullups, etc). There are a lot of strength building workouts that you can search for like that that don't require gym equipment. You could also of course just find things around that are heavy and use them (I used to use some gallon jugs with sand in them as dumbells). Personally my exercises change through the year. Currently I'm swimming mostly; November I'll start to transition and do some swimming and start weightlifting; Dec - Apr is mostly going to be weightlifting and maybe some treadmill for cardio).

As for protein, I've seen estimates from .5g of lean body weight to 1g of body weight. As still a big guy, I'm not gonna be getting huge amounts of protein (>200). I focus on getting at least 15% of cals from protein and as I lose weight I keep the protein I'm eating but try to cut back on carbs. I eat a lot of chicken, quite a few protein bars (Premier yogurt bars have 30g pro), and some greek yogurt and whey protein. With a serious amount of weight to lose, one's diet (and exercises) will change as they get smaller, require less calories, have to work longer/harder to get the same caloric burns, and probably develop various fitness goals in addition to just losing weight.

Best advice is just to keep trying new things, never give up, and find what works for you!

wkwebby

Since you don't have a gym membership, you def need to get creative about the weight lifting. However, you can do body weight exercises (since you are a big guy) and this will help to retain your muscle.

This would include: body squats, push ups, pull ups eventually (if you can get a bar that will support your weight that hangs over doors). Lift heavy furniture (safely, with legs, not back, or just using your arms for curls).

Fill a couple of back packs with tin cans of food and do curls, or put them on either side of a pole and bench press these. Sounds weird, but I saw it on an episode of Extreme Couponers (she bought so much stuff, she used it as weights for a work out). If you have extra tires around (the bigger the better), you can flip them (it is one of the Crossfit exercises) down your driveway and back again (or across lawn). This will work up a sweat and can also be considered some cardio in there.

Mowing lawn with an old fashioned lawn mower (not self propelled) is hard work, not quite weight training, but it is a good exercise. Good luck!:happy:

dgobbett

Sounds like you've done great so far!

My advice, assuming your goal is to lose fat and retain/build muscle, is to work in some bodyweight exercises (pushups, squats, pullups, etc). There are a lot of strength building workouts that you can search for like that that don't require gym equipment. You could also of course just find things around that are heavy and use them (I used to use some gallon jugs with sand in them as dumbells). Personally my exercises change through the year. Currently I'm swimming mostly; November I'll start to transition and do some swimming and start weightlifting; Dec - Apr is mostly going to be weightlifting and maybe some treadmill for cardio).

As for protein, I've seen estimates from .5g of lean body weight to 1g of body weight. As still a big guy, I'm not gonna be getting huge amounts of protein (>200). I focus on getting at least 15% of cals from protein and as I lose weight I keep the protein I'm eating but try to cut back on carbs. I eat a lot of chicken, quite a few protein bars (Premier yogurt bars have 30g pro), and some greek yogurt and whey protein. With a serious amount of weight to lose, one's diet (and exercises) will change as they get smaller, require less calories, have to work longer/harder to get the same caloric burns, and probably develop various fitness goals in addition to just losing weight.

Best advice is just to keep trying new things, never give up, and find what works for you!

Since you don't have a gym membership, you def need to get creative about the weight lifting. However, you can do body weight exercises (since you are a big guy) and this will help to retain your muscle.

This would include: body squats, push ups, pull ups eventually (if you can get a bar that will support your weight that hangs over doors). Lift heavy furniture (safely, with legs, not back, or just using your arms for curls).

Fill a couple of back packs with tin cans of food and do curls, or put them on either side of a pole and bench press these. Sounds weird, but I saw it on an episode of Extreme Couponers (she bought so much stuff, she used it as weights for a work out). If you have extra tires around (the bigger the better), you can flip them (it is one of the Crossfit exercises) down your driveway and back again (or across lawn). This will work up a sweat and can also be considered some cardio in there.

Mowing lawn with an old fashioned lawn mower (not self propelled) is hard work, not quite weight training, but it is a good exercise. Good luck!:happy:

Thanks for the advice, I have really broad shoulders and have trouble doing any pushups (even the 'girl ones', I am sad to say) I do like the idea of filling gallon jugs with sand for lifting as a thrifty alternative until I can afford a gym membership. I do live in an apartment so space is limited and since I am up here in Canada the weather is getting colder and will no doubt become difficult for outdoor exercise.

I was swimming daily but the colder weather now prevents that, I eat a lot of chicken, greek yogurt, and whey protein powder on occasion to supplement when I am a bit short.

I like these ideas and welcome anymore.

Jetta_C

Wow - congratulations! Have you had your lean mass measured? That's a good thing to do - then you have a baseline. I've done both DEXA and hydrostatic - I don't think much of the other methods because their variance is too high. At least, with the test, you could monitor it going forward. Prices are really coming down on these and you only need them once a year or so.

Cardio peels lean weight off a lot of people as they become slimmer (think professional marathon runner.) That is not necessarily bad - just optimized for a particular activity. You may find, as you get leaner, you have to go easy on cardio or it "eats" your muscle gains. That's me. I keep about 109 lbs of lean, no matter what - no matter if I lift or I don't--because I am a fidgety, energetic person. I don't think my metabolism really wants to carry more than that.

You'll have to find your own equilibrium. Good luck!

wkwebby

Sounds like you've done great so far!

My advice, assuming your goal is to lose fat and retain/build muscle, is to work in some bodyweight exercises (pushups, squats, pullups, etc). There are a lot of strength building workouts that you can search for like that that don't require gym equipment. You could also of course just find things around that are heavy and use them (I used to use some gallon jugs with sand in them as dumbells). Personally my exercises change through the year. Currently I'm swimming mostly; November I'll start to transition and do some swimming and start weightlifting; Dec - Apr is mostly going to be weightlifting and maybe some treadmill for cardio).

As for protein, I've seen estimates from .5g of lean body weight to 1g of body weight. As still a big guy, I'm not gonna be getting huge amounts of protein (>200). I focus on getting at least 15% of cals from protein and as I lose weight I keep the protein I'm eating but try to cut back on carbs. I eat a lot of chicken, quite a few protein bars (Premier yogurt bars have 30g pro), and some greek yogurt and whey protein. With a serious amount of weight to lose, one's diet (and exercises) will change as they get smaller, require less calories, have to work longer/harder to get the same caloric burns, and probably develop various fitness goals in addition to just losing weight.

Best advice is just to keep trying new things, never give up, and find what works for you!

Since you don't have a gym membership, you def need to get creative about the weight lifting. However, you can do body weight exercises (since you are a big guy) and this will help to retain your muscle.

This would include: body squats, push ups, pull ups eventually (if you can get a bar that will support your weight that hangs over doors). Lift heavy furniture (safely, with legs, not back, or just using your arms for curls).

Fill a couple of back packs with tin cans of food and do curls, or put them on either side of a pole and bench press these. Sounds weird, but I saw it on an episode of Extreme Couponers (she bought so much stuff, she used it as weights for a work out). If you have extra tires around (the bigger the better), you can flip them (it is one of the Crossfit exercises) down your driveway and back again (or across lawn). This will work up a sweat and can also be considered some cardio in there.

Mowing lawn with an old fashioned lawn mower (not self propelled) is hard work, not quite weight training, but it is a good exercise. Good luck!:happy:

Thanks for the advice, I have really broad shoulders and have trouble doing any pushups (even the 'girl ones', I am sad to say) I do like the idea of filling gallon jugs with sand for lifting as a thrifty alternative until I can afford a gym membership. I do live in an apartment so space is limited and since I am up here in Canada the weather is getting colder and will no doubt become difficult for outdoor exercise.

I was swimming daily but the colder weather now prevents that, I eat a lot of chicken, greek yogurt, and whey protein powder on occasion to supplement when I am a bit short.

I like these ideas and welcome anymore.

To build up to real push ups, you just need to keep at it. The progression is the following:

1-Do push ups against the wall so you are mostly vertical, but still at a distance to make you sweat when you push away. Place your feet as far away from the wall as you are comfortable to do about 15 in one set (with the last 3-5 a real challenge).
2-Put a stool in front of you and do push ups against that (after the wall becomes too easy). Slowly decrease height of chair or stool.
3-Knees on ground or "girly push-ups" are after the stools.
4-Finally feet on the ground push ups, but wider on the arm placement and feet placement (slightly more than shoulder width apart on both)
5-Feet on the ground and arm placed directly shoulder width apart (as close to body as possible will work your triceps) with feet slightly apart.

The progression can still continue until you can do feet together and one armed, etc. But you can research that at a later date.

The key is to progress at whatever pace you can, without injuring yourself. Keep your core tight with a pelvic tilt (to keep your back in a good straight line) no matter which push up you do (even the almost vertical ones) because it will be good practice when you are doing the on the floor push ups. You'd be surprised at how tightening everything up in the middle helps to get you off of the ground.

Try to do them (even if it is one) then just try and get more in whatever form until you hit 15 (you know when you're on the right intensity if the last 2 or so are really really hard), rest, then repeat for 2 more sets.

Another exercise to build up your shoulders a little bit is to do inverted V push ups. Stand on the balls of your feet, and almost straight legged bend over to an inverted V position. Then just push off the ground as you're still standing on the balls of your feet. Do 3 sets of 10-15 of those and your shoulders will be killing you the next day. OR you can start with an inverted V as close to your feet as possible, then "walk" your hands out until you almost can't support your weight. Then walk them back into the inverted V position. That will be a awesome upper body work out for you at least for a little while.

Planks are always good too! Good luck! Oh, yes, and protein, protein, and more protein! :laugh:

shabaity

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

I'm using this one with incline push-ups once I hit 4 rounds I'm taking my push-ups off the porch rail onto a lawn chair and adding weights to the ones I can with some increase to the plank timers.