The BASIC weight loss strategy. No gimmicks.
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nice post - recommended it for a sticky0
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Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
This is what becomes soooooooo frustrating about reading these boards, when people start of their posts with something along the lines of " Don't bother answering if you aren't going to agree with me or tell me what I want to hear." It's has to be either something or someone else's fault that I can't lose weight."
The other bugaboo are those that rail about calorie counting - "Who wants to do that for the rest of your life?" To use an analogy here - your car has a gas guage and the gas pump tells you how much you are putting in. Without the gas guage people would litter the roads with cars that were out of gas. And if there wasn't an auto shut off on the pump we'd all be walking around with gas on our pants.
What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?0 -
Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
This is what becomes soooooooo frustrating about reading these boards, when people start of their posts with something along the lines of " Don't bother answering if you aren't going to agree with me or tell me what I want to hear." It's has to be either something or someone else's fault that I can't lose weight."
The other bugaboo are those that rail about calorie counting - "Who wants to do that for the rest of your life?" To use an analogy here - your car has a gas guage and the gas pump tells you how much you are putting in. Without the gas guage people would litter the roads with cars that were out of gas. And if there wasn't an auto shut off on the pump we'd all be walking around with gas on our pants.
What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?
Why?0 -
Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
This is what becomes soooooooo frustrating about reading these boards, when people start of their posts with something along the lines of " Don't bother answering if you aren't going to agree with me or tell me what I want to hear." It's has to be either something or someone else's fault that I can't lose weight."
The other bugaboo are those that rail about calorie counting - "Who wants to do that for the rest of your life?" To use an analogy here - your car has a gas guage and the gas pump tells you how much you are putting in. Without the gas guage people would litter the roads with cars that were out of gas. And if there wasn't an auto shut off on the pump we'd all be walking around with gas on our pants.
What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?
Yes that is the ultimate goal, but since weighing/measuring only takes about 5 minutes of my day then why not just continue doing what works?0 -
Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
This is what becomes soooooooo frustrating about reading these boards, when people start of their posts with something along the lines of " Don't bother answering if you aren't going to agree with me or tell me what I want to hear." It's has to be either something or someone else's fault that I can't lose weight."
The other bugaboo are those that rail about calorie counting - "Who wants to do that for the rest of your life?" To use an analogy here - your car has a gas guage and the gas pump tells you how much you are putting in. Without the gas guage people would litter the roads with cars that were out of gas. And if there wasn't an auto shut off on the pump we'd all be walking around with gas on our pants.
What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?
No. The ultimate goal should be learning what works for you to best fuel your body.0 -
I have been very successful, 147lbs lost in 10 months, with the following plan. But I also have been very unsuccessful, gained 165lbs in 28 months because I lost my focus, drive and got depressed. Im on my way back and following this plan. Hope it helps, it comes down to calories in vs calories out. I made this in 2009. I am now revisiting it and have been on board for less than a week and I have double digit losses already. My official weigh in will be on Monday. Chaeck back to my page for my results. WE CAN ALL DO IT! KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE!
The D.E.A.N. Diet
D- Determination
E- Excitement
A- Attitude
N- Never, Never, Never Give up!
D- Determination, Make a personal decision to keep your sights set on reaching your goals and keeping your eye on the prize and be diligent in your fight!
Step 1: Decide what your target weight is going to be, use the BMI calculator to help but YOU decide what your goal weight should be. Multiply your goal weight by 10 and this will be your maximum number of calories allowed in a day. Subtract 500 from your maximum daily calories and this will be the minimum allowed. Try and have a minimum of 2 fruits and 2 veggies a day and drink water, sugar free flavored water and teas and minimal diet sodas.
Example: Goal weight of 200 lbs, your max calories will be 2000 and your min would be 1500.
E- Excitement, be excited for whats to come from your new Dedication to your new personal health revival! Pump yourself up every day with self affirmation and positive thoughts; you are your own best coach!
Step 2: Exercise at least 3 days a week, do 30 min of cardio 3 days a week and at least 15 min of weight lifting 3 days a week. You can do them both on the same day, but change it up each week and keep the body guessing. Do a min of 4 lifts of 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps and focus on the major muscles (chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, legs) you’re not trying to be a body builder but just speeding up your metabolism.
A- Attitude, Make sure your attitude reflects your Dedication and Excitement towards your path to the healthier you! Your attitude will show in your commitment to gym time and the honesty in your food log. Surround yourself with people that also exude this attitude, positive thoughts lead to positive results!
Step 3: Adjust; you are not plateauing unless you have gone 2 weeks without a pound lossed, if you are than subtract 250 calories from your max and bump up your cardio by a day and move on. Never go below 1200 calories in a day. Never have the same calorie intake each day, make it range from your min to your max on a daily basis, keep your body guessing. The human body is the most adapting organism in the world, keep it guessing and change your routine often.
N-Never, Never, Never Give Up! There will be times that you have not kept to your plan, it’s OK, you’re human. But remember your Dedication, Excitement and Attitude on your path to the healthier you! Keep your eye on the prize and know that you’re not remembered for your failures but how you react and achieve after you fail!
Step 4: Record EVERYTHING you put in your mouth every day in a meal log. Eat whatever you want but be 100% honest to yourself and record it and don't go over your daily max's. If you do go over, don't worry and don't quit. You just get right back to it the next day. If you want to lose it faster cardio more! It's all about calories in versus calories out. Also it is very important for you to know that your weight fluctuates all day, so pick a time of day to weigh in and only weigh in at that time of day. It takes 3500 calories to equal 1 pound of fat. So burn it before you wear it!
My Bio:
I started this diet in hopes to win the war against my obesity, I have had double digit loss weeks and I have had double digit gain weeks! But I have always had my eye on the prize; the prize is reaching my goals. It took my doctor telling me that I was not going to see my kids grow up to get me to change my lifestyle. I have started many of diets and have lossed a whole lot of weight to only gain it all plus more back. You must be in a spot in your life that is going to motivate you to stay on track and bounce back in times of failure. I started this war January 2009 at 445 pounds and popping high blood pressure medicine. It is now September 2009 and I have lost 135 pounds and my blood pressure is 112/65 with not a pill taken! I still have 45 pounds to lose to reach my goals but I am dedicated, I am excited, I have a very positive attitude and I will never, never, never give up until I have reached my goals! This diet has worked for me and if you make it a priority in your life it will work for you. If you want to keep following my personal fight against my obesity I blog about it in order to keep my goals in my sights at all times. My blog page is located at www.deanables.blogspot.com. The name of my blog is The Big and Tall of it All; feel free to read about my ups and downs in my personal battle against my obesity and hopefully it will help and inspire you in yours! God bless and good luck in your new D.E.A.N. Adventure!
-Dean Ables0 -
I believe it's subjective. Personally for me, I WILL NOT ever deny myself of cultural foods, desserts or eating out. So it makes sense to count when I do this or I'll easily exceed my total calories daily every time. Could I get away from counting, measuring, etc.? Sure I could, but just like spending money, you may sometimes forget the small things and in the end it all adds up.Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?
Seriously? Maybe it is easy for you, who presumably is allotted more calories, but by your own calculation, I only get to eat about 1400 calories a day. That's HARD.
When a couple bites of cake for a co-worker's birthday takes away at least 1/10th of your entire day's food - that's hard.
When you're jimmying together a "dressing" out of straight vinegar and black pepper at a salad bar to keep your all-veggie and lean protein lunch salad under 300 calories - that's hard.
When you can't enjoy a nice dinner out with friends unless you pretty much fasted all day (or be the friend ordering a side salad, no cheese - I'm sure you'll get invited back) - that's hard.
When you make veggie snack bags for work containing carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and celery - and run them through MFP to find that at 75 calories each, you've actually made a sizeable dent in your daily calories with vegetables alone - that's hard.
I don't understand this obsessive need to pretend it is super easy to keep calories low. It isn't easy, and that's OK. Why can't we acknowledge that it is easy to understand but hard to do, and it is the only way to lose weight? That it sucks, but if you keep with it, you'll have success?0 -
What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?
Seriously? Maybe it is easy for you, who presumably is allotted more calories, but by your own calculation, I only get to eat about 1400 calories a day. That's HARD.
When a couple bites of cake for a co-worker's birthday takes away at least 1/10th of your entire day's food - that's hard.
When you're jimmying together a "dressing" out of straight vinegar and black pepper at a salad bar to keep your all-veggie and lean protein lunch salad under 300 calories - that's hard.
When you can't enjoy a nice dinner out with friends unless you pretty much fasted all day (or be the friend ordering a side salad, no cheese - I'm sure you'll get invited back) - that's hard.
When you make veggie snack bags for work containing carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and celery - and run them through MFP to find that at 75 calories each, you've actually made a sizeable dent in your daily calories with vegetables alone - that's hard.
I don't understand this obsessive need to pretend it is super easy to keep calories low. It isn't easy, and that's OK. Why can't we acknowledge that it is easy to understand but hard to do, and it is the only way to lose weight? That it sucks, but if you keep with it, you'll have success?
I think they're talking about monitoring your calories when you finally get to maintenance. You wouldn't be cutting calories for ever or else you'd disappear. Sooner or later you have to transition to a state of maintenance (unless you plan to run cut/bulk cycles, of course)... how do you handle that state? By logging still? Or by finding an intuitive system that works?0 -
What's so hard about monitoring the fuel that drives your body?
Seriously? Maybe it is easy for you, who presumably is allotted more calories, but by your own calculation, I only get to eat about 1400 calories a day. That's HARD.
When a couple bites of cake for a co-worker's birthday takes away at least 1/10th of your entire day's food - that's hard.
When you're jimmying together a "dressing" out of straight vinegar and black pepper at a salad bar to keep your all-veggie and lean protein lunch salad under 300 calories - that's hard.
When you can't enjoy a nice dinner out with friends unless you pretty much fasted all day (or be the friend ordering a side salad, no cheese - I'm sure you'll get invited back) - that's hard.
When you make veggie snack bags for work containing carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and celery - and run them through MFP to find that at 75 calories each, you've actually made a sizeable dent in your daily calories with vegetables alone - that's hard.
I don't understand this obsessive need to pretend it is super easy to keep calories low. It isn't easy, and that's OK. Why can't we acknowledge that it is easy to understand but hard to do, and it is the only way to lose weight? That it sucks, but if you keep with it, you'll have success?
I think they're talking about monitoring your calories when you finally get to maintenance. You wouldn't be cutting calories for ever or else you'd disappear. Sooner or later you have to transition to a state of maintenance (unless you plan to run cut/bulk cycles, of course)... how do you handle that state? By logging still? Or by finding an intuitive system that works?
You will also find that it'll get slightly easier as you become more accustomed to what you can afford within your calories. You'll start thinking within your calorie goals (do I have an apple for a snack, or a hard boiled egg?) and get a gut sense of what "just right" looks like.0 -
Multiply your goal weight by 10 and this will be your maximum number of calories allowed in a day. Subtract 500 from your maximum daily calories and this will be the minimum allowed.
800-1300 calories a day? Yikes. No thank you. I'll stick with the other guy - 1400 is hard, but your thing is impossible
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Uh, so if someone is 200lbs and they want to be 120, then their total max would be 1200 then you subtract 500 for a net of 700? Sorry, but it's stuff like this that complicates how BASIC weight loss works.Step 1: Decide what your target weight is going to be, use the BMI calculator to help but YOU decide what your goal weight should be. Multiply your goal weight by 10 and this will be your maximum number of calories allowed in a day. Subtract 500 from your maximum daily calories and this will be the minimum allowed. Try and have a minimum of 2 fruits and 2 veggies a day and drink water, sugar free flavored water and teas and minimal diet sodas.
Example: Goal weight of 200 lbs, your max calories will be 2000 and your min would be 1500.
While I'm a proponent of exercise, you'll notice I didn't mention it in the OP. Exercise is for fitness and health and NOT for weight loss. It contributes to one's TDEE though.Step 2: Exercise at least 3 days a week, do 30 min of cardio 3 days a week and at least 15 min of weight lifting 3 days a week. You can do them both on the same day, but change it up each week and keep the body guessing. Do a min of 4 lifts of 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps and focus on the major muscles (chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, legs) you’re not trying to be a body builder but just speeding up your metabolism.
A "plateau" is 6 weeks or more of no weight movement while being CONSISTENT. Anything less is a stall. The whole "calorie cycling" theory is a gimmick touted by "gurus" to sell more books. One can keep the same ROUTINE for years. Just changing the intensity, duration and resistance can be enough.Step 3: Adjust; you are not plateauing unless you have gone 2 weeks without a pound lossed, if you are than subtract 250 calories from your max and bump up your cardio by a day and move on. Never go below 1200 calories in a day. Never have the same calorie intake each day, make it range from your min to your max on a daily basis, keep your body guessing. The human body is the most adapting organism in the world, keep it guessing and change your routine often.
It's a diet plan. And like most diet plans, 90% will fail because they aren't sustainable in the long run. While I don't disagree with the affirmations, I do disagree with the diet plan itself.
A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Multiply your goal weight by 10 and this will be your maximum number of calories allowed in a day. Subtract 500 from your maximum daily calories and this will be the minimum allowed.
Are you kidding? According to that formula, I'd eat 1650 at maintenance. My BMR is 1750. I cut at 1850 and maintain north of 2200. This might work if you have no muscle mass whatsoever, but I prefer to have a figure.0 -
Multiply your goal weight by 10 and this will be your maximum number of calories allowed in a day. Subtract 500 from your maximum daily calories and this will be the minimum allowed.
Are you kidding? According to that formula, I'd eat 1650 at maintenance. My BMR is 1750. I cut at 1850 and maintain north of 2200. This might work if you have no muscle mass whatsoever, but I prefer to have a figure.
Yea, that theory cuts my TDEE in half. No thanks...lol.0 -
To count when you eat cultural comfort foods or to count daily til you die?
I believe it's subjective. Personally for me, I WILL NOT ever deny myself of cultural foods, desserts or eating out. So it makes sense to count when I do this or I'll easily exceed my total calories daily every time. Could I get away from counting, measuring, etc.? Sure I could, but just like spending money, you may sometimes forget the small things and in the end it all adds up.Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I use the "trip meter" on my car when on road trips, or when I'm trying to learn more about my car, but I don't reset it weekly when I refuel for in town commuting.0 -
Exactly. I'd be at 800-1300 as well. No thanks.Multiply your goal weight by 10 and this will be your maximum number of calories allowed in a day. Subtract 500 from your maximum daily calories and this will be the minimum allowed.
800-1300 calories a day? Yikes. No thank you. I'll stick with the other guy - 1400 is hard, but your thing is impossible0 -
To count when you eat cultural comfort foods or to count daily til you die?
I believe it's subjective. Personally for me, I WILL NOT ever deny myself of cultural foods, desserts or eating out. So it makes sense to count when I do this or I'll easily exceed my total calories daily every time. Could I get away from counting, measuring, etc.? Sure I could, but just like spending money, you may sometimes forget the small things and in the end it all adds up.Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Elite athletes track their calories all the time. In my opinion, if the average joe is trying to be the best that they can be (cliche much), they will have to track everything forever.0 -
To count when you eat cultural comfort foods or to count daily til you die?
I believe it's subjective. Personally for me, I WILL NOT ever deny myself of cultural foods, desserts or eating out. So it makes sense to count when I do this or I'll easily exceed my total calories daily every time. Could I get away from counting, measuring, etc.? Sure I could, but just like spending money, you may sometimes forget the small things and in the end it all adds up.Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Not being a ****, but aren't all foods cultural foods? I mean they all originated in some culture, somewhere. Or is it an Americanism that I haven't heard before?0 -
wow. ok, not me.
To count when you eat cultural comfort foods or to count daily til you die?
I believe it's subjective. Personally for me, I WILL NOT ever deny myself of cultural foods, desserts or eating out. So it makes sense to count when I do this or I'll easily exceed my total calories daily every time. Could I get away from counting, measuring, etc.? Sure I could, but just like spending money, you may sometimes forget the small things and in the end it all adds up.Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Elite athletes track their calories all the time. In my opinion, if the average joe is trying to be the best that they can be (cliche much), they will have to track everything forever.0 -
wow. ok, not me.
To count when you eat cultural comfort foods or to count daily til you die?
I believe it's subjective. Personally for me, I WILL NOT ever deny myself of cultural foods, desserts or eating out. So it makes sense to count when I do this or I'll easily exceed my total calories daily every time. Could I get away from counting, measuring, etc.? Sure I could, but just like spending money, you may sometimes forget the small things and in the end it all adds up.Shouldn't the ultimate goal be: learning to appropriately fuel your body without having to count/weigh/measure?
A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Elite athletes track their calories all the time. In my opinion, if the average joe is trying to be the best that they can be (cliche much), they will have to track everything forever.
Not me either...lol. I'm just saying that I can see the need to track forever, so I wouldn't consider not tracking calories an end goal.0
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