Ask me anything about fat/weight loss....

Dtregle

good stuff..

TheOfficialEpic

where can i go to get my body fat tested?

Most commercial gyms will do it for you for free, but they aren't very accurate. Hydrostatic testing is pretty much the most accurate, but very hard to get done. Calipers are a good in between. Find a knowledgeable personal trainer if it really means a lot to you. What's most important is your overall health and how you look in the mirror to yourself. If you're healthy, look great and feel great in your own eyes then who cares what some little machine says.

TheOfficialEpic

I would like to know if cardio, whether it be jogging, jumping rope, burpees or jump squats, created equal. I have a friend that feels that jogging is a waste of time. I feel if your heart rate stays in the burning zone no matter what it is you are benefiting from it. I usually burn between 450-600 calories jogging according to HRM. I know weight training is needed and I do weight train 3 days a week. The other 4 days is usually jogging 45-60 minutes. Should I be doing something different?

It all burns calories. And technically, you don't have to do an ounce of cardio and you can still lose so long as you're in a deficit. If you like to jog, then jog....so long as at the end of the day, week, month you're in a consistent deficit, you will lose. Cardio, jumping rope, burpees, weights...they're all tools to a better and fitter body.

jkrim941

On your diary page, you can see your totals for up to 5 different items daily. What 5 items do you think are the most important to keep track of?

Right now I am watching carbs, fat, sodium, sugar and protein. I was watching fiber intake, but I always eat fiber rich.

TheOfficialEpic

A deficit is a deficit. Don't eat back your calories. Example: I know on average if I don't do anything throughout the day, I'll burn around 2,500 calories give or take. Say I want to be in a 500 calorie deficit every day and that I am burning 600 calories a day via added activity. Add that 600 to my 2,500 and I have 3,100 calories I've burned for the day. My goal now would be to intake around 2,600 calories for that day to make a 500 calorie deficit. Understand?....If I were to eat back my 600 calories burned from added activity, then I would be just back up to maintenance not losing or gaining.

I agree with most of what you are saying (and thanks for the thread) - but doesn't this assume the person is on maintenance calories? Some people (and this is the way MFP is set up if you have it set to any "weight loss" goal) have a deficit built into their daily recommended intake...

This is true! But once again, a deficit is a deficit whether you're creating it with tons of exercise, a little diet and exercise, all diet, or what not. All things equal, three people who's maintenance is 2,000. Each decide on a 500 calorie deficit. Person A decides to burn an extra 500 calories via exercise alone, person B decides to reduces his calories by 500 but no exercise, and person C decides to burn an extra 250 calories via exercise while also reducing his calories 250 a day. Each person is still in a 500 calorie deficit at the end of each day.

skinnybabe123

Thanks for doing this. Please tell what are the ideal Macros for a women who is 33 yrs, 232 lbs 5 ft 6 inches and wants to be at a goal weight of 150lbs . and how many calories to intake on a daily basis

SheehyCFC

I think what he's saying is to figure out your TDEE accurately, then don't eat back exercise VS marking as sedentary in MFP and then eating back the calories in the database, which are oftentimes way off. My issue is with how you figure out your TDEE correctly. This one seemed the most fine-tuned, but it also seems kind of on the high side.

http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

thanks for the link, and answering the question... and I hope you are right, but OP - can you please clarify what you meant by not eating back caloric deficit created by exercise?

**EDIT - nevermind, OP answered it 2 posts above. Thanks. I was worried people may read it and do DOUBLE deficit... thanks for clarifying and once again for fielding all these questions

TheOfficialEpic

Working out for 6 weeks 30 - 60 min 4 -5 days a week. Limiting processed carbs. Not seeing any weight loss. I am a 41 year old female. I am 5'1 and weigh 160. Have been trying to loose weight and am so discouraged. I try to keep my caloric intake around 1400 a day.

Any ideas?

Hmmm....might be hidden calories, water weight, dieting for too long without a break, stress, etc. I'd really examine the diet more at first though. Coffee is a culprit to many people. Salads also. Creamers and dressings can get ya in trouble VERY fast. Also might wanna reduce the calories another hundred a day for the next week and see what happens.

TheOfficialEpic

What can I do to loose when I've hit a plateau? Was loosing and now it went in reverse?? Still exercising, changing as to not do the same everyday. Eating the same as well.

Same here I have upped my calorie intake because I thought 1200 was to low and I platued quickly on it. I now get 1590 is that to much?

Not necessarily. Remember, metabolism rules everything....and unfortunately, it can be very fickle at times. I talked about this before a little earlier. Lots of times the plateau is just your body fighting you because it's not convinced. You're usually just a week away from seeing more results. If this is NOT the case though, you need to try one of the following, and then re-evaluate again in another week. It's all about testing reevaluate wait test re-evaluate again.

1) Try lowering the calories a little more each day, and then reevaluating after about a week.
2) Try upping the cardio a lil throughout the week and then reevaluating.
3) Try a refeed day and then go back to your deficit for a week and then reevaluate.

It takes time but is WELL well worth figuring your own body's language out for yourself.

supergirl6

First - thanks for doing this!

My question: I started out at 330 lbs and since December I've lost 33 of them. I do strength training 3 days a week and cardio on those days plus 2 more for a total of 5 days at the gym (for about 1 hour each day.) I was losing 2-3 lbs a week and I was eating between 1500-1900 calories depending on my workout for the day.

Then at the end of March I decided to alter my strength training a little bit and do less on the machines and more with my own body weight and/or dumbbells. More squats, step-ups, push-ups, crunches with a medicine ball, and arm work with dumbells. It felt great and was so much harder than my normal workout. But my weight loss came to an abrupt halt. I even started gaining. After 4 weeks of hovering betwee 299-305 I stopped doing those workouts and went back to what I had been doing, thinking maybe I had too much of a calorie deficit to be strength training that hard and would need to up my calories to build muscle but not end up losing fat. Being the weight that I am, I feel like I need more weight loss right now.

Now I am into week 7 since my last weight loss and I still haven't lost anything. I've tried a week of eating more and I've tried taking a week off of working out, but that didn't do anything one way or the other. I fluctuate between 299-306 every couple of days. My food has not changed and I still work out 5 days a week. Is there something I can do to jump start my weight loss again? I am afraid of tinkering with my routine without knowing what I'm doing.

Squidgeypaws007

Overtraining.

Yes overtraining will severely screw up your efforts. Train smart and make sure you're recovering. If you're overtraining, not only are your workouts getting less and less efficient, but your hormones are getting screwed up too. The body is trying to protect itself and will lower your metabolism to do so. Train hard, but always make sure you're recovering.

As far as TDEE and BMR. These are good things to know of, but easier still is just slowly reducing the calories on a weekly basis till you begin losing at the rate you want. Back in the day, I would go to aggressively with the caloric deficit someone else told me to do, and I'd notice myself losing fat very fast, but muscle mass just as fast! And when I would bulk, I would take in too many calories. Yeh I would add muscle good, but I also just added a ton of body fat! Take it slow and steady and your body will reward you a lot better.

Thank you! In terms of recovery what would you say is an appropriate thing to do? Take 24 hours rest? Eat more protein?

And as for eating below BMR would you recommend bringing calories back up and then taking the amount down? Or slowly bringing the calories up and then back down?

SandysNewLife

Any exercise ideas for a sagging stomach ? Ive lost 63 lbs and my stomach seems huge yet.
ty !

Squidgeypaws007

This is true! But once again, a deficit is a deficit whether you're creating it with tons of exercise, a little diet and exercise, all diet, or what not. All things equal, three people who's maintenance is 2,000. Each decide on a 500 calorie deficit. Person A decides to burn an extra 500 calories via exercise alone, person B decides to reduces his calories by 500 but no exercise, and person C decides to burn an extra 250 calories via exercise while also reducing his calories 250 a day. Each person is still in a 500 calorie deficit at the end of each day.

And this is a good explanation!! I think I'm finally understanding 'stuff'!! xD

clehman71

bump

TheOfficialEpic

I really appreciate you reaching out. I started losing weight seriously February of 2011. I've been able to lose about 40 pounds and keep it off. I haven't been losing consistantly for a few months now. As of about 3 weeks ago I started replacing my bread for sprouted bread and making better choices than I have already been making. I don't drink sugary drinks or fried foods and all that horrible stuff. I hired a personal trainer 2 weeks ago and training 1- 2 times a week. I do some group exercise a couple days a week also. Because of my work schedule I pretty much only get my workouts in THursday-Friday. Maybe that's what i'm doing wrong? Working out 2 days in a row for about 2-3 hours. I log my food here and i'm usually always under so I'm sure theres a deficit. I haven't seen a move on the scale and can't stand looking at my body anymore. I'm 228 and need to lose at least 50 pounds. Please help/teach me to find the simplicity in my mind to lose the weight. I'd like to lose a significant amount in 6 months time and don't want to lose any more time. Thank you.

Don't go the speed demon route. Take the slow and steady. Enjoy the ride. Your body will look much better in the end. And your mind will feel a lot better. As I said in the last post, the metabolism can be fickle at times. Keep yourself in a daily deficit, and don't do ANYthing drastic. Make a deal with yourself: 1-3 pounds a week lost no matter what. Check yourself every midweek to make sure you're on track. Track everything. Not just measurements and weight, but keeping a food journal so you can know how your body responds to different foods and the amounts of calories you take in. Learn your body and enjoy the ride. Take pride in all the small successes that lead up to the bigger goal yeh.

paulasue145

I've learned SO much today! I can't THANK YOU enough!!!! ........... And... thanks to Everyone who asked such Great questions too!

:happy:

TheOfficialEpic

I have no question. Just wanted to say that GOOD GOD YOU ARE INCREDIBLE TO LOOK AT.

Lol. *Epic blushing*.

TheOfficialEpic

I generally work out 40-50 minutes per day, 5 to 6 days a week. Until now, I have done it all at once in the mornings (sometimes all cardio, Tuesday and Thursday cardio and lifting) but have recently wondered if my metabolism would be better served doing 2 25 minute sessions, one in the AM, another in the PM...to boost my metabolism twice. Does it matter?

Not so much. I always come back to the bigger picture. And for you that is that you're GETTING the exercise. There are TONS of effective programs for any and everything out there. It's just a matter of picking one and sticking with it. If you're trying to lose weight and you are consistently in a caloric deficit, you WILL lose weight regardless of how or when the exercise is done. Sometimes I exercise early, sometimes late, sometimes three times a day, and other times NONE! But if my goal is to cut, then what matters most to me is the deficit.

mom2gar

What's the best activity for a pear shaped female to do to balance out and be less of a pear? And best activity to boost the girls, when there is a rotator cuff injury?

Thanks!

First address the injury fully. You don't want to do like I use to do and come back halfway healed just to reinjure it and be on the sidelines even longer.

Secondly, if completely healed and the doc gives the go-ahead. Offsetting the pear shape is just a matter of increase the upper sides of the body. E.g. putting more work into the the medial and rear deltoid, and the latissimus dorsi. Side and reverse lateral raises, upright rows, wide-grip lat pulldowns, and pullups are wonderful for this.

Thanks for the reply - planning on Dr and poss surgery in a couple of months.

TheOfficialEpic

I agree with SheehyCFC....any thoughts on what they say? If the deficit is built in,then you would need to eat back your exercise cals to keep your body functioning - correct? we may be saying the same thing, just in different ways?????

A deficit is a deficit. Don't eat back your calories. Example: I know on average if I don't do anything throughout the day, I'll burn around 2,500 calories give or take. Say I want to be in a 500 calorie deficit every day and that I am burning 600 calories a day via added activity. Add that 600 to my 2,500 and I have 3,100 calories I've burned for the day. My goal now would be to intake around 2,600 calories for that day to make a 500 calorie deficit. Understand?....If I were to eat back my 600 calories burned from added activity, then I would be just back up to maintenance not losing or gaining.

I agree with most of what you are saying (and thanks for the thread) - but doesn't this assume the person is on maintenance calories? Some people (and this is the way MFP is set up if you have it set to any "weight loss" goal) have a deficit built into their daily recommended intake...

Here is another example, and this is actually from yesterday. I was planning on consuming 2,500 calories yesterday and not working out....a friend calls me and convinces me to workout with them. I burned about 400 calories in that time. Now the 2,500 calories I had planned on consuming for the day was bumped up to 2,900. I ate my exercise back. If I would have stuck to my initial plan of 2,500 without the exercise, I would have netted a deficit of around 250.....but I exercised so to keep myself back to around my originally decided upon 250 deficit, I had to eat back my exercise. I THINK this is what you guys are tryin' to get me to answer.

SuffolkSally

I've just started going to use the gym again after a long lapse, to use the weight machines. I've started doing 30 reps, x 30kg for leg work (extensions, abductors, adductors), 25 x 15kg lateral pull downs, 25 x 7.5 kg pec deck, 50 x 25kg abdominal crunches. This is now quite comfortable, and I'd like to up it a bit - am I better off incressing the weight or increasing the number of reps? I'm not aiming to bulk up, would like to be more toned and replace some of the flab with muscle!

I'm losing weight, eating well, and do cardio (walking and elliptical trainer as well.

Advice appreciated!

TheOfficialEpic

My question is about leg/hip/butt exercises. I have lost over 240 pounds in the last 20 months. I still have 47 pounds to go to hit a normal BMI. I am doing 5 days of weight training, 3 days lower body and 2 days upper body + cardio daily. I just started the weight training last week so I am not expecting miracles to happen overnight. My question is on my lower body days can I do my exercise video at lunch (Bottoms up Joyce Vedral) It is a 50 min video that incorporates dumb bells into lunges, squats etc. 3 sets, higher weight each set Then after work go to the fitness center and do leg presses and other leg exercises on the machines? I know you are supposed to wait 48 hours for muscles to recover but if you are doing it all on the same day is that ok? I also have an elliptical at home that I use and I climb the stairs outside my apt 15 flights, two times a day. My legs are very flabby looking from loose skin from the weight loss, but not anywhere near as bad as some others. For the amount of weight I have lost I have been very fortunate with the skin issues. Thanks for your input. I am really trying to make a difference by 4th of July week. I will be on the water and in a swimsuit all week. Thanks!

I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. I like the way Charles Glass puts it: Once you blow up a stick of dynamite, you can't blow it up again.

Hit the muscle hard and then let it recover. More is not always better. Be patient and give the strength training some time to do it's thing. You've already come SO far. You can probably almost see the finish line from where you're at. Enjoy the last few lengths yeh.

cabaray

bump

TheOfficialEpic

I currently weigh 178 lbs, I'm 5'6 and I would like to be at 155 lbs. On MFP, I'm set at 1200 a day with a 640 daily calorie deficit.

This morning I burned 546 calories doing 30 minutes of Chalene Extreme strength training and 30 minutes of TurBo Fire. This is my daily routine (mixing it up a bit), but ST and cardio every day.

I'm really confused on the "daily calorie deficit" and eating back calories.

I hope you can help me with this. I want to make sure I'm not overeating and defeating my goals.

Does this mean I should be eating 1840 net calories a day of should I stick to 1200 calories a day?

Thanks a bunch for all your help on this thread. I have read all the posts and it seems like you are here to help us.

The app will tell you if you're on track at the end of each day yeh. I will add back though, that the app does not take into consideration extraneous variables: Thyroid, overtraining, stress, metabolism drops, genetics, etc. The better question is ARE YOU LOSING? If you are taking in 1,500 and losing then keep it up! But if you're taking in 1,300 and not, then you need to reevaluate. Remember: Metabolism rules everything.

InnerFatGirl

Is 13.5lbs in 8 weeks a good, healthy weight loss?

TheOfficialEpic

Well where to start! I was doing greag when i first started and nowmive been stuck for over a month! Ive been reading so much about how u should eat more to lose and eat a certain amount of carbs and protein and fats lol this is all so confusing to me! I just want to get back to losing weight again! I dont workout hardcore but im building myself up and am hoping to join a gym soon! But im atleast doing a jillian dvd everyday!injust need simeone to tell me what to eat every day lol...imnot picky i love all veggies n fruits im just so confused and cant get back fully on track to see the results i want! I feelmmy muscles getting bigger and stronger i just need to get the fat off of them haha! Thanks for any input!:sad:

Start with the app. Set your goals. Make them realistic. Track your calories, and make sure you're consistently in a deficit. Hold yourself to no less than one pound loss a week. Rinse and repeat.

chergarr73

I generally work out 40-50 minutes per day, 5 to 6 days a week. Until now, I have done it all at once in the mornings (sometimes all cardio, Tuesday and Thursday cardio and lifting) but have recently wondered if my metabolism would be better served doing 2 25 minute sessions, one in the AM, another in the PM...to boost my metabolism twice. Does it matter?

Not so much. I always come back to the bigger picture. And for you that is that you're GETTING the exercise. There are TONS of effective programs for any and everything out there. It's just a matter of picking one and sticking with it. If you're trying to lose weight and you are consistently in a caloric deficit, you WILL lose weight regardless of how or when the exercise is done. Sometimes I exercise early, sometimes late, sometimes three times a day, and other times NONE! But if my goal is to cut, then what matters most to me is the deficit.

Thank you!!

KarinaPerez87

My HRM says I burn more calories than the treadmill when I do HIIT.. which I just started 2 weeks ago. However, I only sweat... a little. But I feel my heart rate high but I don't get why i'm not really sweating? Will this still result to weight loss by keeping a healthy meal plan and consistent hiit???

aj_31

REST WEEK?

Okay so I've been lifting and doing cardio at least 5-6 days a week since the beginning of the year. I'm going to Mexico at the end of this week.

Do I take it as a rest week and not do any weights/cardio or do I try and get something in while I'm there? I'll be swimming, walking, snorkeling, etc but should I get in an actual workout or take it as a rest week? I ask because its an all-inclusive so I will be drinking a lot of alcoholic drinks.

Your thoughts?

TheOfficialEpic

What advice would you give to someone who is struggling to stay motivated in the face of sloowwww results due to hypothyroid? Or any insight on how to make the process a little faster? I'm not looking for a quick fix, but it just seems like the end is nowhere in sight at 2lbs a month....and this is with medication!

Link up with people with the same goals. At this point, I couldn't get out of shape if I wanted to. All my friends now are other personal trainers, dancers, yoga practitioners, kickboxers, models, etc. If every time you turn around somebody is pushing food in your face or saying things like "You don't need to change, you look fine".....then it's always gonna be harder for you. Stay active on sites like this one also. Create a favorites list on Youtube with tons of inspirational vids. Lastly, just learn to love it. They're not workouts anymore for me. It's my passion. It gets me up in the morning, and I fall asleep thinking about it.