The best advice I could give anyone starting out (with a few images)
robs_ready
Posts: 1,488 Member
This is intended to provide starters with what I consider the basics for beginning their weight loss journey and is not intended for debate.
I started out at 140kg and worked down to 80(ish) over a period of 3 years. I've tried every reasonable diet known to man in that period, along with exercise plans, weight training plans etc...
Here's my indefinite list of what I consider "musts" during that time period, this list is assuming you have no dietary issues and are ok to eat most foods.
1. Unless you have specific conditions, 80% of your diet should be made up of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, unprocessed meats, fish and eggs. As a general rule of thumb, by doing so will allow you to feel fuller for longer. The rest of your diet should consist of some dairy, wholegrains and the occasional weekly treat.
2. In my opinion, weight training is more effective for weight loss than cardio. By weight training I don't mean 10 rep sets then sit on Instagram for 10 minutes. I mean exercise after exercise with minimal rest in between. If done correctly you should be sweating for the period of the workout. Not only does this aid fat loss over a longer period of time, it also restricts muscle loss during a calorie deficit.
3. Cardio is important, if you are not a fan or find it boring, you're better off doing HIIT. Complete 30 second sprints either on a treadmill or cross trainer followed by 1 minute rests, do this for 30 minutes a session and you will notice a considerable increase in fitness, and mental well being.
4. During periods of cravings, eat fruit. Fruit contains sugar and sugar is not bad for you unless you eat it in large amounts. America doesn't have an obesity problem due to a large consumption of oranges... get real, milkshakes contain 30 times the sugar of its natural counterparts. Oranges, apples, bananas, mangos, whatever. Eat them whole, never blend. Sugar is far more welcomed by the body when there is fibre holding it.
5. Eat regularly, every 2 hours eat a piece of fruit or a handful or nuts, this really helps to keep binge eating at bay and prevents you from over eating at meal times.
6. Do not weigh yourself every day, this is a serious mistake and assumes weight loss is linear, in reality it isn't. Also bare in mind your body is made up over 75% water which can confuse the scale readings. Weigh yourself once a week, in the morning, on the same day every week. Remember weight loss does not correlate to fat loss necessarily,
7. Set a deadline, although some people don't like to work this way, having a holiday to look forward to gives you a focus. I'm going to Ibiza in 2 months, I have about 5lbs to go, push yourself.
8. There is no magic pill, no recipe that 'boosts your metabolism', it's all marketing gimmick. Eat natural, exercise and lift heavy, its as simple as that.
9. Once a week, enjoy a 500 calorie treat. If you are serious about your weightloss journey, then weight training and cardio will make a 500 calorie treat incredibly minimal. It is incredibly difficult to eat clean 100% of the time, so treat yourself once in a while.
10. If you have a bad day, forget about it. I've had a bad day at least once a week, and I've still managed to hit my goals in the end. If you do have a bad day, hit that gym and lift heavy, you might as well use some of those calories to good use.
Good luck, once you find your flow and routine, its a piece of piss.
The only thing that stands between you and your goals is time, everything in between is up to you.
I started out at 140kg and worked down to 80(ish) over a period of 3 years. I've tried every reasonable diet known to man in that period, along with exercise plans, weight training plans etc...
Here's my indefinite list of what I consider "musts" during that time period, this list is assuming you have no dietary issues and are ok to eat most foods.
1. Unless you have specific conditions, 80% of your diet should be made up of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, unprocessed meats, fish and eggs. As a general rule of thumb, by doing so will allow you to feel fuller for longer. The rest of your diet should consist of some dairy, wholegrains and the occasional weekly treat.
2. In my opinion, weight training is more effective for weight loss than cardio. By weight training I don't mean 10 rep sets then sit on Instagram for 10 minutes. I mean exercise after exercise with minimal rest in between. If done correctly you should be sweating for the period of the workout. Not only does this aid fat loss over a longer period of time, it also restricts muscle loss during a calorie deficit.
3. Cardio is important, if you are not a fan or find it boring, you're better off doing HIIT. Complete 30 second sprints either on a treadmill or cross trainer followed by 1 minute rests, do this for 30 minutes a session and you will notice a considerable increase in fitness, and mental well being.
4. During periods of cravings, eat fruit. Fruit contains sugar and sugar is not bad for you unless you eat it in large amounts. America doesn't have an obesity problem due to a large consumption of oranges... get real, milkshakes contain 30 times the sugar of its natural counterparts. Oranges, apples, bananas, mangos, whatever. Eat them whole, never blend. Sugar is far more welcomed by the body when there is fibre holding it.
5. Eat regularly, every 2 hours eat a piece of fruit or a handful or nuts, this really helps to keep binge eating at bay and prevents you from over eating at meal times.
6. Do not weigh yourself every day, this is a serious mistake and assumes weight loss is linear, in reality it isn't. Also bare in mind your body is made up over 75% water which can confuse the scale readings. Weigh yourself once a week, in the morning, on the same day every week. Remember weight loss does not correlate to fat loss necessarily,
7. Set a deadline, although some people don't like to work this way, having a holiday to look forward to gives you a focus. I'm going to Ibiza in 2 months, I have about 5lbs to go, push yourself.
8. There is no magic pill, no recipe that 'boosts your metabolism', it's all marketing gimmick. Eat natural, exercise and lift heavy, its as simple as that.
9. Once a week, enjoy a 500 calorie treat. If you are serious about your weightloss journey, then weight training and cardio will make a 500 calorie treat incredibly minimal. It is incredibly difficult to eat clean 100% of the time, so treat yourself once in a while.
10. If you have a bad day, forget about it. I've had a bad day at least once a week, and I've still managed to hit my goals in the end. If you do have a bad day, hit that gym and lift heavy, you might as well use some of those calories to good use.
Good luck, once you find your flow and routine, its a piece of piss.
The only thing that stands between you and your goals is time, everything in between is up to you.
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Replies
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To add to what you wrote, I personally like to measure myself instead of weigh because then I see progress that way!0
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Thanks for the great advice0
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Great advice!!! Thank you!0
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Omg! you look great!0
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Thanks for sharing ..you look really good ..keep up the work
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Perfect advice! And congrats! You're doing a great job!0
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Wow what you have said has inspired me to keep going I've been sticking to this app for 275days and lost 4st 3lb, and I came back from holiday a week ago and struggled to put myself back on track. Defo feeling the over eating. I have a few questions could I add you as a friend so we can talk?
Lisa0 -
Thank you for this post. I love that you are sharing real, healthy, sane and safe advice with people. You've clearly done a lot of hard work and should be proud of yourself. Congratulations and thank you again!0
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Thank you for this post! Today is my day one and your post is real, inspiring and safe! You hvae clearly done a lot of hard work - congratulations!0
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Great advice, thanks for sharing. And you look great0
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Why does fruit have to be whole & not blended? I love my morning smoothies!0
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Cheers for the comments guys, wherever you are in the journey just keep at it, you'll get results If you stick to proper food, it doesn't have to be complicated.
@coalz nothing personal against smoothies, but sugar in that form is no different to a can of coke (but obviously much better for you)
Whole fruit contains fibre which is part of the reason why sugar in this form is broken down over a longer period in the body.0 -
Brilliant post! Thank you
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Everything you said was just perfect, so helpful and insightful! Thank you!0
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Why does fruit have to be whole & not blended? I love my morning smoothies!robs_ready wrote: »Cheers for the comments guys, wherever you are in the journey just keep at it, you'll get results If you stick to proper food, it doesn't have to be complicated.
@coalz nothing personal against smoothies, but sugar in that form is no different to a can of coke (but obviously much better for you)
Whole fruit contains fibre which is part of the reason why sugar in this form is broken down over a longer period in the body.
I'm a little lost here. So I understand that when fruits and vegetables are juiced the pulp is removed meaning the fibre is removed.... but when they are added to a smoothie your still consuming the entire thing. So I'm clearly missing something, is your reasoning because the blender technically digests the food a little more for you meaning it digests quicker?0 -
Why does fruit have to be whole & not blended? I love my morning smoothies!robs_ready wrote: »Cheers for the comments guys, wherever you are in the journey just keep at it, you'll get results If you stick to proper food, it doesn't have to be complicated.
@coalz nothing personal against smoothies, but sugar in that form is no different to a can of coke (but obviously much better for you)
Whole fruit contains fibre which is part of the reason why sugar in this form is broken down over a longer period in the body.
I'm a little lost here. So I understand that when fruits and vegetables are juiced the pulp is removed meaning the fibre is removed.... but when they are added to a smoothie your still consuming the entire thing. So I'm clearly missing something, is your reasoning because the blender technically digests the food a little more for you meaning it digests quicker?
Thanks for the reply, blending removes a large aspect of the digesting process. You're essentially releasing the sugar into a fluid.0 -
Nice post. Im almost 7 weeks into my weightloss and following similar points to yours i have already lost 21 pounds. Its cool to see people who have made it knowing one day i will get there aswell, i have never been more confident in that.0
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marty_smith wrote: »Nice post. Im almost 7 weeks into my weightloss and following similar points to yours i have already lost 21 pounds. Its cool to see people who have made it knowing one day i will get there aswell, i have never been more confident in that.
You will get there with the right attitude towards food I promise you that much. I still have some way to go but stay focused.0 -
Nice work.
On 2, I don't completely agree. Some people like to work out that way, others don't. As for actually losing weight, cardio will burn more calories. I lift with rest periods to maximize strenght gains. I then go get my cardio done, and for that I generally do a mix of steady state jogging and sprints. I also walk, backpack, work on a heavy bag, bike, etc. The only real key on this line item is to do strength training to minimize muscle loss (and perhaps even gain some depending on the individual and training intensity).
On 5, it will vary with the individual but if it worked for you, fatastic. Meal timing itself doesn't really matter, but I don't think you were going there.
Overall, damn fine list!
Edit: my usual typos0 -
Why does fruit have to be whole & not blended? I love my morning smoothies!robs_ready wrote: »Cheers for the comments guys, wherever you are in the journey just keep at it, you'll get results If you stick to proper food, it doesn't have to be complicated.
@coalz nothing personal against smoothies, but sugar in that form is no different to a can of coke (but obviously much better for you)
Whole fruit contains fibre which is part of the reason why sugar in this form is broken down over a longer period in the body.
I'm a little lost here. So I understand that when fruits and vegetables are juiced the pulp is removed meaning the fibre is removed.... but when they are added to a smoothie your still consuming the entire thing. So I'm clearly missing something, is your reasoning because the blender technically digests the food a little more for you meaning it digests quicker?
Think about it this way. If you juiced say three or 4 oranges, would may get a full glass of juice. Even though they are natural sugars, they are way more concentrated and a lot easier to consume. Can you imagine eating 4 apples whole one after the other? I get full after maybe two apples. The fibre in the fruit helps you feel fuller, and for longer.0 -
Fantastic advice - thank you!0
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sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Nice work.
On 2, I don't completely agree. Some people like to work out that way, others don't. As for actually losing weight, cardio will burn more calories. I lift with rest periods to maximize strenght gains. I then go get my cardio done, and for that I generally do a mix of steady state jogging and sprints. I also walk, backpack, work on a heavy bag, bike, etc. The only real key on this line item is to do strength training to minimize muscle loss (and perhaps even gain some depending on the individual and training intensity).
On 5, it will vary with the individual but if it worked for you, fatastic. Meal timing itself doesn't really matter, but I don't think you were going there.
Overall, damn fine list!
Edit: my usual typos
Thanks for the feedback, take point 5 lightly as you're right. It does depend on individual requirements.
Strength training is an excellent way to burn fat if done with short rest and as you pointed out, preserves muscle tissue.
Thanks for the feedback though really appreciated0 -
I love fruits in my smoothies but sugar is sugar. Lately I've been replacing the fruit with pumpkin purée. Much less sugar but still gives that hint of sweetness and adds a nice creamy consistency. Make sure you use one where the only ingredient is pumpkin. Cheers!0
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Wow you look truly amazing thanks for the advice0
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Great job!! Good luck with the last 5lbs and have fun on your trip. THANK YOU for sharing your success/tips/ideas/etc. @robs_ready0
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Just the motivation I needed. Thanks for sharing.0
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Very sensible advice thanks for sharing.0
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robs_ready wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Nice work.
On 2, I don't completely agree. Some people like to work out that way, others don't. As for actually losing weight, cardio will burn more calories. I lift with rest periods to maximize strenght gains. I then go get my cardio done, and for that I generally do a mix of steady state jogging and sprints. I also walk, backpack, work on a heavy bag, bike, etc. The only real key on this line item is to do strength training to minimize muscle loss (and perhaps even gain some depending on the individual and training intensity).
On 5, it will vary with the individual but if it worked for you, fatastic. Meal timing itself doesn't really matter, but I don't think you were going there.
Overall, damn fine list!
Edit: my usual typos
Thanks for the feedback, take point 5 lightly as you're right. It does depend on individual requirements.
Strength training is an excellent way to burn fat if done with short rest and as you pointed out, preserves muscle tissue.
Thanks for the feedback though really appreciated
So, out of curiosity, a variation of metabolic resistance training - something like circuit training with resistance/cardio intervals? I find such routines work very well, at least for me.0 -
GreenIceFloes wrote: »robs_ready wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Nice work.
On 2, I don't completely agree. Some people like to work out that way, others don't. As for actually losing weight, cardio will burn more calories. I lift with rest periods to maximize strenght gains. I then go get my cardio done, and for that I generally do a mix of steady state jogging and sprints. I also walk, backpack, work on a heavy bag, bike, etc. The only real key on this line item is to do strength training to minimize muscle loss (and perhaps even gain some depending on the individual and training intensity).
On 5, it will vary with the individual but if it worked for you, fatastic. Meal timing itself doesn't really matter, but I don't think you were going there.
Overall, damn fine list!
Edit: my usual typos
Thanks for the feedback, take point 5 lightly as you're right. It does depend on individual requirements.
Strength training is an excellent way to burn fat if done with short rest and as you pointed out, preserves muscle tissue.
Thanks for the feedback though really appreciated
So, out of curiosity, a variation of metabolic resistance training - something like circuit training with resistance/cardio intervals? I find such routines work very well, at least for me.
Yeah exactly, anything that works muscle groups and increases the heart rate. It's not for everyone but it yields best results.0 -
robs_ready wrote: »GreenIceFloes wrote: »robs_ready wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »Nice work.
On 2, I don't completely agree. Some people like to work out that way, others don't. As for actually losing weight, cardio will burn more calories. I lift with rest periods to maximize strenght gains. I then go get my cardio done, and for that I generally do a mix of steady state jogging and sprints. I also walk, backpack, work on a heavy bag, bike, etc. The only real key on this line item is to do strength training to minimize muscle loss (and perhaps even gain some depending on the individual and training intensity).
On 5, it will vary with the individual but if it worked for you, fatastic. Meal timing itself doesn't really matter, but I don't think you were going there.
Overall, damn fine list!
Edit: my usual typos
Thanks for the feedback, take point 5 lightly as you're right. It does depend on individual requirements.
Strength training is an excellent way to burn fat if done with short rest and as you pointed out, preserves muscle tissue.
Thanks for the feedback though really appreciated
So, out of curiosity, a variation of metabolic resistance training - something like circuit training with resistance/cardio intervals? I find such routines work very well, at least for me.
Yeah exactly, anything that works muscle groups and increases the heart rate. It's not for everyone but it yields best results.
Absolutely.
Also, great list. Cheers on reaching your goals!0
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