RANT: Careless Weightloss Goals!
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IronPlayground
Posts: 1,594 Member
I'm going to take a few minutes and rant a little. It's that time of year again where people are looking to better themselves and set goals for weight loss. I've seen the posts all over the place with challenges folks have set for themselves or competitions with others. While all these are great, the focus doesn't need to be just on weight. If you are doing these types of things and the only marker for success is what the scale reads, you're doing it wrong! If you are eating below BMR on daily basis, you're doing it wrong! If you don't know what BMR means, you're doing it wrong! If you don't know what your BMR or TDEE is, you're doing it wrong! If you haven't taken measurements, you're doing it wrong! If you haven't calculated your body fat percentage, YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG!!!
This is what people tend to miss when trying to lose weight. If you are eating a very low calorie diet, you will lose weight, not only from fat, but from lean body mass, as well. The scale doesn't tell you which one the weight loss is coming from. This is why gauging your success by body fat percentage is a better way to go.
Calculate your BMR! Calculate your TDEE! Take 20% from TDEE and eat at that level! Lift weights and eat sufficient protein. Recommended at least .8 grams/lb of body weight. This will help preserve LBM. If you like cardio better, fine, but still find time to get in a couple strength training sessions per week.
Lastly, don't be in such a hurry to hit some goal. You want this transformation to last. Take is slow and learn how to eat, what workouts you enjoy and what eating pattern fits your schedule.
This is what people tend to miss when trying to lose weight. If you are eating a very low calorie diet, you will lose weight, not only from fat, but from lean body mass, as well. The scale doesn't tell you which one the weight loss is coming from. This is why gauging your success by body fat percentage is a better way to go.
Calculate your BMR! Calculate your TDEE! Take 20% from TDEE and eat at that level! Lift weights and eat sufficient protein. Recommended at least .8 grams/lb of body weight. This will help preserve LBM. If you like cardio better, fine, but still find time to get in a couple strength training sessions per week.
Lastly, don't be in such a hurry to hit some goal. You want this transformation to last. Take is slow and learn how to eat, what workouts you enjoy and what eating pattern fits your schedule.
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Replies
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:flowerforyou:0
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but... there's that wedding coming up in a month! I just HAVE to get that last 75 lbs off.0
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Great post dude0
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Lastly, don't be in such a hurry to hit some goal. You want this transformation to last. Take is slow and learn how to eat, what workouts you enjoy and what eating pattern fits your schedule.
People don't realize that getting the body you want can take years.0 -
and also :flowerforyou: 0 -
Lastly, don't be in such a hurry to hit some goal. You want this transformation to last. Take is slow and learn how to eat, what workouts you enjoy and what eating pattern fits your schedule.
this
1000 times
I have lost weight in 6 months before, this time I'm in for a long run, and I love it!0 -
Do all of this, if you are this guy. If you are your own person, do what works for you.
I regularly eat below my BMR but always over 1200. I exercise fairly regularly, mostly cardio and have never done any strength training in my life. I've lost 28lbs over the last 7 - 8 months and am still losing slow and steady. Another 10-12lbs and I'll be very happy but I'm pretty comfortable with my exercise and food plan so don't see the need to make any huge changes once I hit that 'goal'.
This is about changing my life and being happy with it not about making weight loss and fitness the be all and end all.
I'm really pleased that your plan works for you and you are absolutely right that understanding how your body works and what your stats are is a huge help. Just don't assume its the only way!!!0 -
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well Im SICK of folks saying you MUST count BMR & TDEE ( the newest & latest macros for self-imposed gurus to insist everyone follow or else fail)
Im sick of people like the OP overcomplicating weightloss... eat a well balanced diet, take in less than you put out & exercise that includes stregnth training...you will lose weight and/or inches... SIMPLE... to hell with TDEE, BMR, counting points, calories, etc... I dont need to know or to count my body fat percentages...
if keeping a ledger and making a grad school project out of your daily meals works for you, so be it, but dont act like its the ONLY way for folks to shed pounds....0 -
Do all of this, if you are this guy. If you are your own person, do what works for you.
I regularly eat below my BMR but always over 1200. I exercise fairly regularly, mostly cardio and have never done any strength training in my life. I've lost 28lbs over the last 7 - 8 months and am still losing slow and steady. Another 10-12lbs and I'll be very happy but I'm pretty comfortable with my exercise and food plan so don't see the need to make any huge changes once I hit that 'goal'.
This is about changing my life and being happy with it not about making weight loss and fitness the be all and end all.
I'm really pleased that your plan works for you and you are absolutely right that understanding how your body works and what your stats are is a huge help. Just don't assume its the only way!!!
I think you will find that this will work for just about everyone barring any type of medical condition.
You seem to miss the part of LBM.0 -
lol. thanks for the heads up.0
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Awesome Thread
:drinker:0 -
well Im SICK of folks saying you MUST count BMR & TDEE ( the newest & latest macros for self-imposed gurus to insist everyone follow or else fail)
Im sick of people like the OP overcomplicating weightloss... eat a well balanced diet, take in less than you put out & exercise that includes stregnth training...you will lose weight and/or inches... SIMPLE... to hell with TDEE, BMR, counting points, calories, etc... I dont need to know or to count my body fat percentages...
if keeping a ledger and making a grad school project out of your daily meals works for you, so be it, but dont act like its the ONLY way for folks to shed pounds....
It's actually quite simple!0 -
well Im SICK of folks saying you MUST count BMR & TDEE ( the newest & latest macros for self-imposed gurus to insist everyone follow or else fail)
Im sick of people like the OP overcomplicating weightloss... eat a well balanced diet, take in less than you put out & exercise that includes stregnth training...you will lose weight and/or inches... SIMPLE... to hell with TDEE, BMR, counting points, calories, etc... I dont need to know or to count my body fat percentages...
if keeping a ledger and making a grad school project out of your daily meals works for you, so be it, but dont act like its the ONLY way for folks to shed pounds....
Who pi$$ed on your Weetabix??
Doing the math WORKS.0 -
Great post and couldn't be more true! always good to read! :bigsmile:0
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well Im SICK of folks saying you MUST count BMR & TDEE ( the newest & latest macros for self-imposed gurus to insist everyone follow or else fail)
Im sick of people like the OP overcomplicating weightloss... eat a well balanced diet, take in less than you put out & exercise that includes stregnth training...you will lose weight and/or inches... SIMPLE... to hell with TDEE, BMR, counting points, calories, etc... I dont need to know or to count my body fat percentages...
if keeping a ledger and making a grad school project out of your daily meals works for you, so be it, but dont act like its the ONLY way for folks to shed pounds....
Query: How does one know they are taking in less than they are putting out without calculating calories and TDEE/BMR?0 -
So you mean if I do 2 hours of cardio a day, eat 1000 calories, and aim for 4 lb weight loss a week, even when I only have 20lbs to lose, I am doing it wrong??? Then after 2 weeks of no results, I will post on the forum complaining about not losing weight..
Or even better, I will lose all my weight, and complain that I still have a stomach that doesn't look ripped and toned, and can't see my abs even though I did a ton of cardio and ate 1200 calories a day.. I am at my goal weight but I have flap everywhere...
Seriously people.. calculate your numbers and be patient and work hard, you will get there.0 -
Love this article. Gist is: low cals + cardio = fat + muscle loss; higher cals + lifting = fat only loss. There is NO QUICK FIX.
http://blog.metaboliceffect.com/2012/03/29/are-you-measuring-weight-loss-or-fat-loss/0 -
Lastly, don't be in such a hurry to hit some goal. You want this transformation to last. Take is slow and learn how to eat, what workouts you enjoy and what eating pattern fits your schedule.
People don't realize that getting the body you want can take years.
He'll give it up eventually if I keep on asking :noway:0
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