Trying to be less Porky

elcomfarto · October 2015

Afternoon. I need some help. I'm male, 35 years old, 5'9" tall, I weigh 15st on the nose/210lbs/25kgs (I Googled the conversions, if they're wrong, blame the computer). I'm in 36" waist trousies.

My lifestyle is moderatley active (I think). I walk around 25 minutes a day from the station to the office, and I do 1 hour total CV on a Cross-trainer and treadmill around 3 times a week.

I've cut out all beer and nice food and am currently living off rabbit food (Shreddies with sultanas for breakfast, soup/salad then fruit for lunch,) then out of the Weight Watchers cook book I found from about 8 years ago for tea.

I'm consuming less than 1660 calories per day (tracked on the app). In my first week I lost 5lbs (down from 215 to 210lbs), weighing myself last Saturday morning. Between Saturday and Wednesday I lost nothing, despite a couple of trips to the gym.

I'd like to know if I'm eating enough/too much, and whether the cardio I'm doing is the mest/most efficient.

I know this may be a bit premature, but the instant-plateu thing has happened to me before and I want to stay motivated this time. I'd like to get down to 13st (and stop my boxers leaving judgemental marks around my tum). Please help me because green tea tastes like pond water and it's a waste if I'm drinking gallons of it when it won't help.

Ta.

janejellyroll · October 2015

You don't have to cut out "nice food" (or beer), you just need a calorie deficit. If you hate what you're eating, switch it up (and maintain the deficit).

Expecting to lose in a few days is unrealistic -- you need to take a long term view, more than a couple of days. Despite doing everything right, there are going to be days where you don't lose.

Why drink green tea if you don't like it? What do you think it is going to do to help you?

WBB55 · October 2015

totally typical results.

(1) Did you use the "moderately active" setting on the MFP ap? Or are you logging exercise (and then eating back the calories it gives you?)

(2) Do you weigh all your food on a digital scale?

(3) That first 5 lbs was due to water loss. When you overeat, glucose is stored in your body attached to water molecules. If you eat at a deficit for a few days, your body uses those glucose molecules to fuel your movements. You've lost that extra water weight. If you continue to eat at a deficit, your body will start to metabolize fat to fuel your movements. This process might take a while to get going. Just keep eating at a deficit. (But let us know about the answers to #1 above. You might be able to eat MUCH more and continue to lose at a steady pace.)

benzieboxx · October 2015

You're going to burn yourself out with that route. Just adjust your calories and portions for all the foods you do love. You shouldn't be depriving yourself of the things you love to eat.

Sued0nim · October 2015

elcomfarto wrote: »

Afternoon. I need some help. I'm male, 35 years old, 5'9" tall, I weigh 15st on the nose/210lbs/25kgs (I Googled the conversions, if they're wrong, blame the computer). I'm in 36" waist trousies.

My lifestyle is moderatley active (I think). I walk around 25 minutes a day from the station to the office, and I do 1 hour total CV on a Cross-trainer and treadmill around 3 times a week.

I've cut out all beer and nice food and am currently living off rabbit food (Shreddies with sultanas for breakfast, soup/salad then fruit for lunch,) then out of the Weight Watchers cook book I found from about 8 years ago for tea.

I'm consuming less than 1660 calories per day (tracked on the app). In my first week I lost 5lbs (down from 215 to 210lbs), weighing myself last Saturday morning. Between Saturday and Wednesday I lost nothing, despite a couple of trips to the gym.

I'd like to know if I'm eating enough/too much, and whether the cardio I'm doing is the mest/most efficient.

I know this may be a bit premature, but the instant-plateu thing has happened to me before and I want to stay motivated this time. I'd like to get down to 13st (and stop my boxers leaving judgemental marks around my tum). Please help me because green tea tastes like pond water and it's a waste if I'm drinking gallons of it when it won't help.

Ta.

Hi

I was an inch shorter and around your starting weight when I started

I am a girl

I lost most of my weight consuming around 1500 calories plus 50% exercise calories so probably around 1800 calories

I did not eat rabbit food just carefully weighed and logged food

I would switch out a lot of your cardio for a progressive resistance programme to preserve your LBM, maybe 2or 3 30 minute cardio sessions for cardio vascular health

Also accept weight loss is not linear ...you need to average your loss over 6-8 weeks ...you may well go up and down week to week

I use a fitbit and am generally more active now than before, it automatically logs extra calories to MFP and I eat them all and do 3 x gym sessions concentrating mainly on progressive free weights

There's lots of great programmes if you are interested I can post them if you want

And stop drinking green tea FGS ...it isn't helping you do anything but increase your water consumption

starwhisperer6 · October 2015

I love the "judgment marks" That cracked me up completely so thank you for that. Everyone is right just relax you won't lose every day.

Sued0nim · October 2015

I also, most importantly, eat everything in moderation, make it fit across the week

That said my tastes have changed and I have go to meals that I enjoy and know how many calories they are

You can use any recipe you like and the recipe builder on MFP (just weigh the finished dish and set your servings based on how many 100g portions they are) it is easy to adapt most recipes but there's lots of "healthy" internet recipes

Hairy bikers cookbook is good
Bbc good food
I love some of the recipes on http://www.skinnytaste.com
- check out chicken cacciatore the crock-pot (slow-cooker) one ...I make this with courgettes and more peppers and it's yum on basmati rice (100g is enough)

Also for a quick work lunch the BOL veg pots over a bag of watercress, spinach and rocket ...around 300 calories ish ..very filling...thai coconut curry and lentil sambar are my go to

Sued0nim · October 2015

My breakfast is 270 calories and includes 100ml semi skimmed milk that I use in coffee throughout the day

I have cartons of two chicks egg white in the fridge (an egg would work but I'm intolerant to yolk)

I put a lump of frozen spinach in the microwave for a minute, then chop in mushrooms and big splash Worcestershire sauce for a minute (both covered)

pour in 80-100g egg white, add triangle laughing cow light cheese and microwave for a minute whilst a slice of warburtons white thick farmhouse goes in toaster.

Take bowl out, mix it up with a fork, so the cheese mixes in add a slice of honey roast ham (chopped up), or 10g grated mature cheddar ..back in microwave for 20 seconds

Dump on toast (there's normally extra that I pop on the side)

Lots of freshly ground pepper

Huge mug of coffee

It's a great and filling start to the morning..beats shred dies

VykkDraygoVPR · October 2015

No need to cut out tasty foods. I've lost a bit over 20 pounds so far, and I eat pretty much what I want. Just have to log accurately. If you don't have a kitchen scale, then I'd recommend buying one. Weigh all solids, and measure all liquids.

But, yeah. I drink whiskey, eat pizza, fries, burgers, ice cream, etc. I don't drink much beer, but that's because it make my allergies go nuts (had 4 this week though). I just make sure they fit into my daily goals. If you don't like green tea, don't drink it. It doesn't have any magical weight loss effects.

As far as stalls, plateaus, just be patient. If you are confident in your logging, then you should eventually see a difference. Water weight can mask fat loss pretty easily. Last week, I was up every day. But my pants fit better, and I can button my suit jacket without worrying about it popping off. The water weight eventually levels out, and drops off. As long as I see progress somewhere, I don't worry about it.

elcomfarto · October 2015

Thanks a lot folks...I'm on the 'Lightly Active' setting on MFP. I weigh some (not all) of my food, but not on a digital scale. I stay within my limit every day, then any exercise I do goes on top of that deficit-wise (I don't eat/drink my allowance then eat more if I've exercised). I'm going to start back on the weights and decrease the amount of running/x-trainer to add variety.

I had a few beers and a curry on Saturday night. I could get used to a diet like this.

WBB55 · October 2015

elcomfarto wrote: »

Thanks a lot folks...I'm on the 'Lightly Active' setting on MFP. I weigh some (not all) of my food, but not on a digital scale. I stay within my limit every day, then any exercise I do goes on top of that deficit-wise (I don't eat/drink my allowance then eat more if I've exercised). I'm going to start back on the weights and decrease the amount of running/x-trainer to add variety.

I had a few beers and a curry on Saturday night. I could get used to a diet like this.

I highly recommend weighing your food on a digital food scale. They often cost under $10.

joanjfrancis · October 2015

elcomfarto wrote: »

Afternoon. I need some help. I'm male, 35 years old, 5'9" tall, I weigh 15st on the nose/210lbs/25kgs (I Googled the conversions, if they're wrong, blame the computer). I'm in 36" waist trousies.

My lifestyle is moderatley active (I think). I walk around 25 minutes a day from the station to the office, and I do 1 hour total CV on a Cross-trainer and treadmill around 3 times a week.

I've cut out all beer and nice food and am currently living off rabbit food (Shreddies with sultanas for breakfast, soup/salad then fruit for lunch,) then out of the Weight Watchers cook book I found from about 8 years ago for tea.

I'm consuming less than 1660 calories per day (tracked on the app). In my first week I lost 5lbs (down from 215 to 210lbs), weighing myself last Saturday morning. Between Saturday and Wednesday I lost nothing, despite a couple of trips to the gym.

I'd like to know if I'm eating enough/too much, and whether the cardio I'm doing is the mest/most efficient.

I know this may be a bit premature, but the instant-plateu thing has happened to me before and I want to stay motivated this time. I'd like to get down to 13st (and stop my boxers leaving judgemental marks around my tum). Please help me because green tea tastes like pond water and it's a waste if I'm drinking gallons of it when it won't help.

Ta.

joanjfrancis · October 2015

I feel your pain. muscles weighs more than fat you might be toning up so try measuring your self.

Yi5hedr3 · October 2015

No alcohol, and keep carbs below 100 grams per day

TheopolisAmbroiseIII · October 2015

joanjfrancis wrote: »

I feel your pain. muscles weighs more than fat you might be toning up so try measuring your self.

I'm sure you mean muscle weighs more than an equal volume of fat, because someone's bound to jump on you for that statement with an intentional misunderstanding of the wording.

Also, with intense strength training exercises and perfect diet you can gain about 10lbs of muscle in a year.

With healthy dieting, an overweight person can lose 104lbs of fat in a year.

You'll never outpace fat loss with muscle gain, especially since you'd be extremely hard pressed, some might say impossible, to put on anywhere near that even that much muscle while still losing fat.

Kalikel · October 2015

First, you need to learn to cook healthy foods in way that you like. This "rabbit food" thing sounds like you're not enjoying what you eat and have fallen into the sad trap of thinking that healthy food cannot taste good. Go learn how to make healthy food that you LIKE to eat.

Second, you may not lose weight every week. Patience isn't just a virtue, it's a requirement when you're losing weight. Stick with it and you will succeed!

Sued0nim · October 2015

elcomfarto wrote: »

Thanks a lot folks...I'm on the 'Lightly Active' setting on MFP. I weigh some (not all) of my food, but not on a digital scale. I stay within my limit every day, then any exercise I do goes on top of that deficit-wise (I don't eat/drink my allowance then eat more if I've exercised). I'm going to start back on the weights and decrease the amount of running/x-trainer to add variety.

I had a few beers and a curry on Saturday night. I could get used to a diet like this.

Nope

Weigh everything

Buy a digital scale from Argos or amazon

azulvioleta6 · October 2015

Are you getting enough protein? Are you doing any strength training?

I agree that you need to re-evaluate how you are eating and why.

Bshmerlie · October 2015

I agree with the others. A digital scale for weighing food is a must have. Without it there's really no way you can know for sure exactly how much you are really eating. As others have said you don't have to eat rabbit food or drink gross tea. Eat the same foods you did before just eat less of them. The best diet is the one you can stick to for the long haul. You don't really want to go to some extreme way of eating or exercise because as soon as you stop it you will gain the weight back. Instead just eat smaller portions of the types of foods that you like and start to make healthier choices along the way. When you finally reach your goal weight you'll know how to eat to keep it off forever.

Trying to be less Porky

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