TIPS on losing weight

Garrzz wrote: »

I started working out/eating healthy about 2 months ago. I started out at 320lbs and now I am currently at 305lbs. 15 lbs! However, I feel like I should be losing more? I am at 2300 calories a day but I only net about 1800-1900. I usually burn about 500-600 calories each workout. I workout 4-5 times week doing about 35 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weight training. I have been losing inches and my energy levels are much higher, which are a plus, but I just feel like I haven't been losing the lbs like I should be. My goal is get down to 200lbs by next summer. Any advice on what I can do to lose weight? Should I stick more to cardio workouts and less weight training? Should I increase my calorie intake? Any advice would be greatly appreciated?

There is a group for Larger Losers on MFP...it is for people who need to lose more than 75+ lbs....this group has helped me a lot and I am losing weight at a steady rate...you are welcome to join!

Patience is the only extra thing you should be doing. Which I know isn't helpful because it feels better to be doing something active. You're doing great but be aware that 15lbs won't necessarily happen every 2 months and that's when it gets hard when you feel like you're not losing
.. But you probably still are. A lot of people go "well screw it I may aswell just eat what I like" and then end up back on here months later heavier than they were. But lots of other people go "well I'll just have to push through this" and end up on the maintenance page eventually. You'll get there you've got this.

Losing weight is not easy but you've made a really good start.
" I have been losing inches and my energy levels are much higher, " - that must be really encouraging !
I joined Mfp for exercise advice and would like to lose just a little - you've lost much more than me this year !
They say losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise - sometimes I think more like 90/10 as my workouts have little noticeable effect on the scales !
Keep it up !

Congrats. As someone who is larger, you can lose a little faster than someone who is not. 1% of bw a week is a good rate. When you get a little smaller, weightloss won't be as fast. I suggest trying to maintain as much lean mass as possible. Higher protein 1.6g per kilo of bw is good. I suggest 1 gram per pound of target weight.
If you haven't started, lift weights! Get in a good hypertrophy, progressive overload system. Being larger ,and possibly new to the gym, you could gain "some" lean mass while losing. It takes discipline, but is possible. Resist and bite!

I echo what everyone has said but would add that you should continue to do both cardio and strength training and not sacrifice the strength training for more cardio. Increasing your strength helps weight loss in much “bigger picture” ways than cardio alone. When you add muscle mass your body requires more calories even at rest. All my prior weight loss attempts I went hard core cardio and no strength training. This time around I decided to do half cardio and half strength training (3 days each) and my TDEE is so much higher than it ever has been before, which means I can eat more and still maintain (I am in maintenance but it was also true of losing). Not to mention that at 48 my body looks better than it ever has in my whole life.

I listen to a podcast with a Professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard medical school about weight loss called “Food, We Need to Talk” and one episode was if you could only do one physical activity to lose weight what would it be, and he said lift weights (strength training generally). I run between 5-7 miles three times a week and I do a 45 minute barre class three times a week and I rest one day a week (I also average about 17,000-21,000 steps a day). I cannot believe how quickly my body snaps back after a day or two of indulgences. I really credit the strength work.

Good luck and be patient!