Looking to Lose 8-10 Lb of Fat

kishenr
kishenr Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

I am a 25 yr old male, I weight about 158 lb and I am 5' 7". I have noticed that I have been getting fatter over the past 6 months, and this is due to a few reasons:
* I started a new job
* Have not had a chance to exercise much, I currently lift weights 2 times a week and run 2-3 miles twice a week
* My diet has changed from a relatively healthy diet to a pretty "bad" diet

I have had a lot of trouble losing weight in the past, the last technique that worked for me basically did not let me eat more than 1200 Calories while lifting 5x per week.

I guess I am just lost right now on how to proceed. Last year, I followed the P90X training schedule and diet schedule and it did not seem to have much an effect expect gaining muscle, but I did not really lose much fat. I am an avid calorie counter and I am looking for some new advice on how to start over and achieve my goal!

Thanks!

Replies

  • unknownexile
    unknownexile Posts: 52
    how do you know you did not lose fat did you measure bf%?
  • AnabolicKyle
    AnabolicKyle Posts: 489 Member
    count calories & lift
  • Sierra_christine89
    Sierra_christine89 Posts: 156 Member
    Not really advice leaning towards the Diet part of the question, but surround yourself with people who are motivating (or add people on here who are) and people who will help support you! Tell them your plans so you feel accountable, and don't fall back on your goals!! That goes along with opening up your diary to your friends on here so you also feel accountable for not eating as healthy as you should be. :)
    From experience (probably not the same from a girls stand point) but eating 1200 while trying to build muscle doesn't work. You definitely have to fuel your body with more calories, and more protein than what you could possibly try to give yourself within 1200 calories.
    You should look up your BMR, and your TDEE. That's definitely helped me lose weight, and gain muscle, and I did that around the same time I did P90x as well, and that helped a ton, but I didn't follow the diet plan? So, maybe it works differently for everyone!

    Best of luck!! :)
  • TimTomakin
    TimTomakin Posts: 23 Member
    Hi All,

    I am a 25 yr old male, I weight about 158 lb and I am 5' 7". I have noticed that I have been getting fatter over the past 6 months, and this is due to a few reasons:
    * I started a new job
    * Have not had a chance to exercise much, I currently lift weights 2 times a week and run 2-3 miles twice a week
    * My diet has changed from a relatively healthy diet to a pretty "bad" diet

    I have had a lot of trouble losing weight in the past, the last technique that worked for me basically did not let me eat more than 1200 Calories while lifting 5x per week.

    I guess I am just lost right now on how to proceed. Last year, I followed the P90X training schedule and diet schedule and it did not seem to have much an effect expect gaining muscle, but I did not really lose much fat. I am an avid calorie counter and I am looking for some new advice on how to start over and achieve my goal!

    Thanks!

    It's damn hard to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Building muscle requires a caloric surplus while losing fat requires a caloric deficit. I would focus on only one or the other.

    You may want to stop counting calories and start counting macros. Most "bad" diets are carb heavy and protein is usually left far too low. Counting macros will help you ensure you're getting enough protein to maintain/build muscle, getting the right amount of carbs for bulking or cutting and you're eating enough healthy fats to aid in testosterone production.

    Lifting 5x a week while eating in a deficite will most likely cause you to burn muscle for energy. Also with that high of frequency of lifting, your body is not getting enough rest. As a beginner, 3x a week is plenty.

    At 5'7" and 158 lbs you're in your ideal weight zone. Losing fat will be harder because our bodies need some fat. Also, carbs and salt cause you to retain water. So when you eat a very high amount of carbs and salt on a daily basis, you can hold 10 - 15 lbs of water weight. Lower your carbs to a respectable level, try to reduce sodium and drink PLENTY of water.
  • kishenr
    kishenr Posts: 2
    Awesome thanks for the replies.

    What kind of macro breakdown should I be aiming for?

Categories