lost 50lbs need to lose 20 more - help

laura1_04
laura1_04 Posts: 12 Member
edited October 2014 in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm 20 years old, 5'10 and 172 lbs - i've managed to lose 50lbs over the last year and a half but would like to lose a further 20 (or around that) by mid march (20 weeks).

I'd like to know if anyone has any advice on whether i'm eating ok at the moment - feel free to look at my diary. I currently weigh 172lbs, I'm aiming for 1600 cals (which is my BMR), 40% protein, 35% carbs and 25% fat.

I also exercise 3/4 times a week - each session consists of 10 mins hiit on the cross trainer, 10 mins hiit running and a variety of heavy resistance strength exercises. I know my cardio is low but i struggle for time to fit everything in as i go before work.

Any advice would be welcome to help me shift the last 20lbs as i'm struggling to lose at the moment!

Replies

  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    imo, you are not eating enough. I weigh a bit less than you and I net 1900, eating above 2000 on workout days.

    Losing weight is all about calorie deficits. You don't need to workout to lose weight. Also, you might want to consider only doing one HIIT session at the gym, ~2x a week is more than enough. Keep it at ~15 minutes, and this saves you some time. Or you can go in twice a week just for hiit, and then 3-4x a week for strength training (depends on your program - 3x if doing full body, 4x if doing some kind of upper/lower split)

    But calculate your estimated energy needs to maintain your current weight based off of activty level, and then subtract 20% from that and set as your goal. Wait a month or two before deciding if you need to lower it at all because your intake will likely be higher than your current intake and could affect superficial scale gains. You can either calculate with exercise included and eat that every day (average out your exercise so that you can get a daily exercise amount, e.g. 30 minutes 5x a week might be 24 minutes 7x a week) or don't include exercise and just log it on here and eat back all the calories.

    Then it's all about monitoring and changing as needed :)
  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
    laura1_04 wrote: »
    So I'm 20 years old, 5'10 and 172 lbs - i've managed to lose 50lbs over the last year and a half but would like to lose a further 20 (or around that) by mid march (20 weeks).

    I'd like to know if anyone has any advice on whether i'm eating ok at the moment - feel free to look at my diary. I currently weigh 172lbs, I'm aiming for 1600 cals (which is my BMR), 40% protein, 35% carbs and 25% fat.

    I also exercise 3/4 times a week - each session consists of 10 mins hiit on the cross trainer, 10 mins hiit running and a variety of heavy resistance strength exercises. I know my cardio is low but i struggle for time to fit everything in as i go before work.

    Any advice would be welcome to help me shift the last 20lbs as i'm struggling to lose at the moment!


    Lift heavy weights. It really will
    Make a difference

    Also. Recheck your macro settings every once in awhile. Iifym.com
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Diary is not open.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    laura1_04 wrote: »
    So I'm 20 years old, 5'10 and 172 lbs - i've managed to lose 50lbs over the last year and a half but would like to lose a further 20 (or around that) by mid march (20 weeks).

    I'd like to know if anyone has any advice on whether i'm eating ok at the moment - feel free to look at my diary. I currently weigh 172lbs, I'm aiming for 1600 cals (which is my BMR), 40% protein, 35% carbs and 25% fat.

    I also exercise 3/4 times a week - each session consists of 10 mins hiit on the cross trainer, 10 mins hiit running and a variety of heavy resistance strength exercises. I know my cardio is low but i struggle for time to fit everything in as i go before work.

    Any advice would be welcome to help me shift the last 20lbs as i'm struggling to lose at the moment!

    Laura,

    Congrats on your weight loss! 20 pounds is not much, so it's going to come off a whole lot slower. Make sure your calorie profile is set to lose .5 pounds per week. Trying to lose at 1 pound per week for so little is aggressive for so little to lose. Have patience, the rest will come off if you eat at a calorie deficit.

    Also, remember that weight loss is not linear and fluctuates at any given time. :)
  • laura1_04
    laura1_04 Posts: 12 Member
    ana3067 wrote: »
    imo, you are not eating enough. I weigh a bit less than you and I net 1900, eating above 2000 on workout days.

    Losing weight is all about calorie deficits. You don't need to workout to lose weight. Also, you might want to consider only doing one HIIT session at the gym, ~2x a week is more than enough. Keep it at ~15 minutes, and this saves you some time. Or you can go in twice a week just for hiit, and then 3-4x a week for strength training (depends on your program - 3x if doing full body, 4x if doing some kind of upper/lower split)

    But calculate your estimated energy needs to maintain your current weight based off of activty level, and then subtract 20% from that and set as your goal. Wait a month or two before deciding if you need to lower it at all because your intake will likely be higher than your current intake and could affect superficial scale gains. You can either calculate with exercise included and eat that every day (average out your exercise so that you can get a daily exercise amount, e.g. 30 minutes 5x a week might be 24 minutes 7x a week) or don't include exercise and just log it on here and eat back all the calories.

    Then it's all about monitoring and changing as needed :)

    Hi thanks so much for all your advice, I have a couple of questions.

    Firstly, I had an assessment a few weeks ago telling me that my BMR is 1603, so surely if I eat consistently at that I won't go into starvation mode and will continue to lose fat and not muscle as well? (I actually lost most of my weight on 1300 cals before I realised which I know is bad)

    Second, so if I went to the gym 4 times a week - two sessions including short HIIT as well as weights, and the other two just weights that would help maximise fat loss? What would you suggest as a warm up on weight only days? I've also considered sprints which is supposed to be good for burning fat.

    Third, what is your opinion on cheat days? I limit myself to one meal that I love/sweets/Chocolate every two weeks.

    Thanks again for your help!!
  • laura1_04
    laura1_04 Posts: 12 Member
    missdibs1 wrote: »
    laura1_04 wrote: »

    Lift heavy weights. It really will
    Make a difference

    Also. Recheck your macro settings every once in awhile. Iifym.com

    Thanks, I do lift heavy weights - normally 3 sets of 8-10 reps but I'm not doing barbell squats or anything that involves going in the 'man' room as I'm too embarrassed, I do goblet squats with a dumbell and use dumbells and the gym machines would you say this is effective enough?

    Thanks again!
  • laura1_04
    laura1_04 Posts: 12 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Diary is not open.
    Should be now :) sorry
  • laura1_04
    laura1_04 Posts: 12 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    laura1_04 wrote: »
    So I'm 20 years old, 5'10 and 172 lbs - i've managed to lose 50lbs over the last year and a half but would like to lose a further 20 (or around that) by mid march (20 weeks).

    I'd like to know if anyone has any advice on whether i'm eating ok at the moment - feel free to look at my diary. I currently weigh 172lbs, I'm aiming for 1600 cals (which is my BMR), 40% protein, 35% carbs and 25% fat.

    I also exercise 3/4 times a week - each session consists of 10 mins hiit on the cross trainer, 10 mins hiit running and a variety of heavy resistance strength exercises. I know my cardio is low but i struggle for time to fit everything in as i go before work.

    Any advice would be welcome to help me shift the last 20lbs as i'm struggling to lose at the moment!

    Laura,

    Congrats on your weight loss! 20 pounds is not much, so it's going to come off a whole lot slower. Make sure your calorie profile is set to lose .5 pounds per week. Trying to lose at 1 pound per week for so little is aggressive for so little to lose. Have patience, the rest will come off if you eat at a calorie deficit.

    Also, remember that weight loss is not linear and fluctuates at any given time. :)

    Thanks for the advice! But is it not possible to lose 1lb a week as I'd really like to get it off quick. I've seen so many stories of celebs and stuff that have done it quick so it must be possible right?
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I personally think a pound a week is fine to shoot for. Odds are your estimates will be off and you'll accomplish less. But if you shoot for less you could accomplish so little you give up in frustration, especially if you're under the belief that you can't healthfully eat less.
  • madisonamanda
    madisonamanda Posts: 78 Member
    edited October 2014
    THIS!



    "
    Lift heavy weights. It really will
    Make a difference

    Also. Recheck your macro settings every once in awhile. "

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