The Basic Formula for All Weight Loss
audjrey
Posts: 360 Member
Decided to post this in response to someone else's question but to help a larger audience, namely anyone who wants to lose weight but doesn't know how to get started.
Firstly, let me congratulate you for choosing MFP. I think like most of us here you'll find it instrumental to your success, not only because it takes the guesswork out of counting calories, fat grams, sugar, carbs and protein, but because it is filled with so many knowledgeable people willing to help support you in your goals along the way.
Many people have a rough idea how many pounds they want to lose. That's important because the first key to goal-setting is to begin with the big picture. Already knowing how much you want to lose puts you halfway there.
The second key is to set a timeline. So say, for example, you need to lose 100 pounds and want to give yourself one year to lose the weight. Get out a calendar and circle that date one year from now as your final weigh in date. The circle on the calendar represents your final goal. Some people I know like to hang the calendar in a place where they can always see it as motivation to help keep them on track.
Still working with that number of one year, now you need to divide 12 months into 100 pounds. This will give you approximately 8.33 pounds to lose each month for the next 12 months to achieve your goal.
The third key is to whittle your 12 months into workable weeks. That said, let's reduce the above number further to help you decide what you need to lose each week. 8.33 divided by 4 weeks gives you a total weight loss of 2.08 pounds a week. Now that you know what you need to lose each week, you can begin using MFP to help build your daily dietary caloric intake needs accordingly.
The fourth key is to understand that 3,500 calories equals one pound of body fat. And, still using the figures above, because you need to lose a little over 2 pounds a week, you'll need to strive to reduce your caloric intake by 3,500 and burn off 3,500 (if you plan to exercise, which I highly advise), OR you need to reduce your weekly caloric intake by 7,000 calories.
When you look at the numbers I think you'll agree it's much easier to reduce by 3,500 and exercise off 3,500 as a reduction of 7,000 would probably make you feel like you were starving to death.
Finally, strive to do 3-5 days of 35-60 minutes of high intensity, low-impact cardio (swimming, walking, cycling) and 3-5 days of total body strengthening exercises. Take one full day to rest.
So there you have it. The basic scientific formula for all fat & weight loss programs.
Hope you found this read helpful
Firstly, let me congratulate you for choosing MFP. I think like most of us here you'll find it instrumental to your success, not only because it takes the guesswork out of counting calories, fat grams, sugar, carbs and protein, but because it is filled with so many knowledgeable people willing to help support you in your goals along the way.
Many people have a rough idea how many pounds they want to lose. That's important because the first key to goal-setting is to begin with the big picture. Already knowing how much you want to lose puts you halfway there.
The second key is to set a timeline. So say, for example, you need to lose 100 pounds and want to give yourself one year to lose the weight. Get out a calendar and circle that date one year from now as your final weigh in date. The circle on the calendar represents your final goal. Some people I know like to hang the calendar in a place where they can always see it as motivation to help keep them on track.
Still working with that number of one year, now you need to divide 12 months into 100 pounds. This will give you approximately 8.33 pounds to lose each month for the next 12 months to achieve your goal.
The third key is to whittle your 12 months into workable weeks. That said, let's reduce the above number further to help you decide what you need to lose each week. 8.33 divided by 4 weeks gives you a total weight loss of 2.08 pounds a week. Now that you know what you need to lose each week, you can begin using MFP to help build your daily dietary caloric intake needs accordingly.
The fourth key is to understand that 3,500 calories equals one pound of body fat. And, still using the figures above, because you need to lose a little over 2 pounds a week, you'll need to strive to reduce your caloric intake by 3,500 and burn off 3,500 (if you plan to exercise, which I highly advise), OR you need to reduce your weekly caloric intake by 7,000 calories.
When you look at the numbers I think you'll agree it's much easier to reduce by 3,500 and exercise off 3,500 as a reduction of 7,000 would probably make you feel like you were starving to death.
Finally, strive to do 3-5 days of 35-60 minutes of high intensity, low-impact cardio (swimming, walking, cycling) and 3-5 days of total body strengthening exercises. Take one full day to rest.
So there you have it. The basic scientific formula for all fat & weight loss programs.
Hope you found this read helpful
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Replies
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i can do it! i can do it! i will be the fat woman who could! i can do it! i can do it i can do it!:laugh: 0 -
Thanks! It looks like I need to work out more than what I've been doing each day! 0
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bump thanx 0
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Ie heard that in order to really lose weight you have to eat back your calories lost from exercise. This is so your net intake is at least 1200 (in my case). Do you know if this is true. I started my journey Jan 1 and ive lost 25 pounds, ive never eaten back calories. Not that im kinda stuck I asked around and that is what I was told. Any suggestions???0
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I think there are a lot of other factors as well---as I have always followed the above method most of life only to fail quickly.
You need to eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism fueled.
To turn into a fat burning machine--you need to choose where you are going to cut those calories out from? I chose carbs--not all carbs but all processed carbs and for now I do not eat anything with flour in it either. I will once I hit my goal weight. Lots and lots of veggies for me. And lots of lean protein and some healthy fat.
Its definitely worked for me---No, I am not talking Atkins style---thats just plain unhealthy--I am talking fresh whole foods---PERIOD!
Not bacon--not fried hamburgers--not pork rinds...you get it.0 -
Ie heard that in order to really lose weight you have to eat back your calories lost from exercise. This is so your net intake is at least 1200 (in my case). Do you know if this is true. I started my journey Jan 1 and ive lost 25 pounds, ive never eaten back calories. Not that im kinda stuck I asked around and that is what I was told. Any suggestions???
I do not eat back my calories--however, I wear a HRM and my calorie burn is never more than 300 or 400. I don't kill myself like they do on the biggest loser. This works for me, not sure what works for others.0 -
@ Stacey - plateaus are inevitable and sometimes can happen quite frequently if you are doing the same thing day in and day out.
Many people have differing opinions about net calories, but science dictates that in order to preserve your proper daily functions and not lose muscle, you need to consume approximately 1,200 calories each day.
This number represents the amount of calories your body needs to breathe, digest, basic muscle movement including blinking your eyelids and heart rate, eliminate feces, proper cell division and function, etc. Oftentimes what happens when people go chronically below the required 1,200 calories, cells becomes impaired, muscles diminish in strength and size, thyroid levels drop, metabolism becomes sluggish, immunity becomes compromised, etc.
It's really hard to say what's really going on in your case except to say that change is most definitely needed. Of course change can come in the form of eating back enough calories burned to get you back to the 1,200 range, or it could entail switching up your exercise program, perhaps doing a little more strength training and less cardio or vice versa, or both.
Or perhaps, if you always do the treadmill for 30 minutes every day at 3.5 mph, maybe you need to start interval training. Walk on a flat surface for 3 minutes then jog 1-2 minutes at your targeted heart rate. Add a minute here and there of steep hill climbing, carry a backpack with 5 pounds in it while you walk, etc. There's all sorts of ways to get creative with your workout without having to hire a trainer.
Does this make sense?
Though this may not apply to you, over my many years of coaching others I have found, on occasion, clients eat more than they record because they forget to record that tbsp of mashed potatoes and that chocolate covered almond. All calories count. Just thought I'd mention this in case it applies to others who might read this post.
If you eat the same foods and intake approximately the same number of calories everyday you might consider eating a little lighter one day and a little heavier the next and alternate for about a week to confuse your metabolism. Of course I would do this in conjunction with any changes that I've made to my exercise program. After about a week resume normal eating but keep up with the new exercise changes.
Of course there's so much more that can be said about how to get out of plateaus. This is just a few ideas to ponder.0 -
This just in, courtesy of Cathe.com
"The American College of sports medicine (ACSM) says that the daily calorie level consumed for women should never drop below 1200 calories per day and 1800 calories per day for men. In, some cases this may still even be too much of a reduction and could cause severe health problems and cause your BMR to drop significantly."
Of course every human body is different and responds differently, so while we all want to know what is 'normal' or what works for everyone else, what works for one might not always work for another.
Keep on keeping on!!0 -
Great, thanks!!0
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There it is. The big secret.0
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