Trying to lose 20 #'s in a month and a half

un4spider
un4spider Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 6'0" tall and weighed in at 202 when i started running twice a week one week ago. I'm trying to figure out if it's better to keep running twice a day or switch to insanity in the morning and a run at night. I changed my diet up, now taking in 1500 calories a day, or at least as close as i can get. Is it feasible that I'll lose this weight and most of my belly fat in that period of time? I'm not expecting to be ripped, but i need to go from a size 36 to a 32.

Replies

  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Why 1.5 months? Probably took you years to get where you are, right?

    You're going to burn muscle eating 1500 and running.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    Why the time limit?
    Why not set reasonable goals?
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    As long as you don't care to keep your LBM it's possible, not overly healthy though. I assume you're a dude, I'm 5'11" and am currently losing about 1.5 pounds a week on 2300 cals a day. I doubt 1500 is enough to fuel your workouts, based on my own experience. And as stated above, why the timetable?

    Rigger
  • un4spider
    un4spider Posts: 6
    It's because I have to be in a movie where my shirt is going to be off most of the time. I'm not worried about getting ripped, but my body has decided the only real fat I have is all in my stomach. I need it to be gone
  • un4spider
    un4spider Posts: 6
    Well, my diet says 1500, but after exercising twice a day, it's actually closer to 2200
  • un4spider
    un4spider Posts: 6
    I'm also lifting weights four times a week, trying to keep my muscle mass
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    At 6' and 202 you should be in a 34 or 33. I'm in a 34. Lift more and run less.

    Rigger
  • un4spider
    un4spider Posts: 6
    So you don't think that the running will help slim me down? I was thinking of switching to insanity in the am and running in the pm
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    So you don't think that the running will help slim me down? I was thinking of switching to insanity in the am and running in the pm

    Sure, but it sounds like you need more muscle. You and I are about the same weight (I'm 204) and an almost identical height 6' vs 5'11" A size 36 falls off me, I'm betting you have more body fat than I do. Running will help you shed weight, but it won't tighten anything up. I'd lift and do cardio at about a 60-40 ratio, that's just me though. I wore a size 33 all day Sunday, and I have a few pairs of shorts in a 32 for next year, and I can wear those too.

    Rigger
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    If you are going to diet aggressively then you need to keep in mind the difference between slimming down and losing mass. You want to lose fat but not lean mass, therefore:

    1. Ensure you get plenty of protein (around 1gram per lb of body weight)
    2. Switch out one of your cardio routines for resistance training.

    When you are dieting aggressively, you want to make sure you are hanging on to as much muscle as possible, so resistance (weight) training is crucial! It also keeps your metabolism high for a longer period than cardio training so is great for fat loss.

    I understand this is for a short period of time and while the most sensible option is always to do this over a longer term and more gradually, I realise saying that is not going to deter you from going at this aggressively.

    The other option you have is to cut the cardio and calories, and look at something like a PSMF (Lyle's Rapid Fatloss Handbook is an example of this type of program). It is hard going but probably the best way to shed fat and water weight in the really short term.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Well, my diet says 1500, but after exercising twice a day, it's actually closer to 2200

    Oh, so 1500 net, after exercise? That's ok, but it's not going to get you where you want to be. For 20 pounds in 6 weeks, you need a deficit of around 1800 calories a day. That's a big deficit, and lifting will definitely not get you there.

    Can you do something more reasonable, and then get the rest off in the sauna? Like fighters do?
  • un4spider
    un4spider Posts: 6
    I'm trying to get a lot done in a short term, I know. I fully plan to go to a more regular routine once we wrap, but until then, I'm desperate to lose as much as I can quickly, but not a risk of my health. I can't afford to buy any program, so I'm going to have to do it the old fashioned way. My plan is this: insanity every morning, weights and running every night. Eating 1500 net calories every day. Does this sound like a good plan?
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    Not really.

    By exercising so much, then eating back all those calories, you'll be spinning your wheels a bit and not getting the most efficient results.

    My advice would be to workout what your deficit needs to be for the result you're after, then work out a consistent meal plan that fits your macronutrient needs (probably high protein, relatively low carb and fat). Do what ever exercise is needed to bridge the gap between the cals you are eating and the number you need for your fat loss.

    eg:

    You want to lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks, that means a daily deficit of 1500-2000 calories PER DAY. The rate at which you lose will depend on a number of factors, most of which are out of your control at this point (genetics, metabolic efficiency, current level of fat and muscle mass etc) but these are the sort of numbers you should be concentrating on.

    You set up a diet that (for example) has you eating 1500 cals per day. Assuming you have an average metabolism and you are not too active outside of your exercise sessions (eg a desk job) then your RMR is probably around 2400 cals per day. This leaves you with the task of burning ~900 cals per day in exercise - a pretty tough ask!

    Then there is the issue of fatigue. You might keep this up for a week or two, but most people would burn out pretty quickly with this sort of activity level, increasing the likelihood of injury or deviation from your diet. The high intensity cardio combined with weights and running... every day... is a recipe for disaster in my humble opinion.

    Personally, to get this aggressive I'd cut back mostly on the diet. I would eat around 1500 cals per day (TOTAL, not NET. Perhaps min 150P/30F/100C), but would hit the gym for a weight session 5-6 days per week, and cut out the insanity. Instead I would make every effort to increase my caloric deficit through low intensity cardio. If you are an experienced runner then you might get away with running regularly, but otherwise make an effort to walk or ride everywhere, and increase your activity level as much as possible without taxing your body too heavily.

    Just my thoughts; best of luck!
  • ngyoung
    ngyoung Posts: 311 Member
    You could like that amount of weight but that doesn't mean it will be your belly fat. You could probably get about half of it gone. I went from 240 to 170 and I still have a little spare tire left.

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