Weight to lose...what to cut first?

[AHardDaysNight]

No, I'm not talking about surgery...

 

I have 50 pounds to lose, and most of that is in my belly. I have already talked about starting an exercise regime, but where do I start?

 

Keep in mind that I've never lifted weights in my life! Although I have been on the treadmill.

 

I have looked at a few sites, and I'm going to start off by doing this...

 

- 20/30 mins on the treadmill, working up to 45 mins and getting more experienced

- lifting 10 sets of 5 pounds per arm, per leg, and per everything

- trying to learn how to do pushups and situps properly (right now, I just flop around aimlessly)

- Cutting out sodas completely, cutting down coffee (although leaving creamer), cutting out fast food completely

- Drinking more water

- Anything else?

 

I am currently 5'10" and 220 pounds, most of the fat in my belly region. I am not hesitant to go to the YMCA, and have a membership...just don't go, sadly. I am about to change all that, but what do I need to know, being almost 29 and technically obese, at least by the BMI?

 

If you are a skilled gym person, please let me know how I can start off? I want to start off slowly, and build up slowly.

[tman666]

First of all, congrats on making the choice to make a positive change in your life. Fitness is a life long pursuit. While you might have 50 lbs to lose, your goal should be but one piece in the grand scheme of things regarding your overall fitness goals.

 

If you understand a couple of basics, you'll be winning half the battle.

 

The first thing you need to keep in mind are that the laws of thermodynamics apply to the body. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only transported. Also, in order for the amount of energy in a closed system to stay the same, the amount of energy entering the system has to equal the energy leaving the system. Simply put, in order for your body to stay at a constant mass, you have to be taking in as many calories as you're expending during the day. For weight loss, you have to be taking in less calories than you're expending during the day.

 

With your lowered caloric intake in mind, the next item to look at are macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Protein is the key. You need to make sure that each of your meals includes quality protein. Good sources of protein include lean meats, greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, fish, etc. These should be staples in your diet. Avoid fattier and saltier meats such as deli meat, sausage, fatty ground meats (get 90/10 or better if you can), chicken wings, etc.

 

For your nutritional breakdown, shoot for at least 1 gram of protein per target lb of bodyweight per day. For example, if you want to weight a lean 175 lbs, make sure you're getting in at least 175 grams of protein per day. Once you've hit that goal for the day, the remainder of your calories can come from either carbohydrates or fats. Try to consume carbohydrates either first thing in the morning or right before/after workouts.

 

You'll probably want to keep a food journal for a few weeks to get a good idea of how many calories you're actually taking in. Many folks honestly have no idea, and are often shocked to find out how much they're overeating.

 

As far as training goes, your first step will be to start being more active. Move as much as possible throughout the day. Focus on improving your flexibility, speed, and power. A good way to start this is with bodyweight only exercises such as unweighted squats, push ups, high knees, jumping jacks, etc.

 

Keep in mind that your goals will be best served if you make changes to your lifestyle. "Yo-yo" dieting will get you nowhere. Make sure that the changes you make are reasonable enough for you to sustain in the long term.

[CarrieT]

I have been mostly overweight my entire life (47-some odd years).

 

And I have been on every diet and taken every type of pill to lose weight.

 

I have joined gyms and gone on the extremes and now - FINALLY - I am seeing hope and change.

 

For me, it was not tying myself to a daily regiment of exercise which I knew I could not maintain. It was giving up "white food" (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes), making sure I had some form of leafy green every day (usually sauteed kale or chard with scrambled eggs in the morning), and walking at least three times a week.

 

After Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, et al, for me it was the Southbeach Diet that worked; fresh greens and proteins, mostly with limited carbs and sugars.

 

It is a LIFE decision and not a diet. I was a professional food-and-wine writer and believe me, I LOVE my food. And I eat out a lot, but I just make healthier decisions; fish instead of a burger, salad instead of fries, etc. I don't deprive myself and still treat myself to a burger once in a while, but not the French fries.

 

I'm also a doughnut addict. But I limit myself to a few bites and don't beat myself up when I throw half of it away.

 

I've lost 80 pounds and have another 20 to go and it was not fast; almost two years... a little more than a pound a week, but I have never felt deprived. When someone brings in amazing pastries to work, I allow myself a few bites - but not a whole one. Things like that. It can work if you make it a lifestyle choice and not a short-term, "I'm going on a diet" idea.

[KathyM]

No, I'm not talking about surgery...

 

I have 50 pounds to lose, and most of that is in my belly. I have already talked about starting an exercise regime, but where do I start?

 

Keep in mind that I've never lifted weights in my life! Although I have been on the treadmill.

 

I have looked at a few sites, and I'm going to start off by doing this...

 

- 20/30 mins on the treadmill, working up to 45 mins and getting more experienced

- lifting 10 sets of 5 pounds per arm, per leg, and per everything

- trying to learn how to do pushups and situps properly (right now, I just flop around aimlessly)

- Cutting out sodas completely, cutting down coffee (although leaving creamer), cutting out fast food completely

- Drinking more water

- Anything else?

 

I am currently 5'10" and 220 pounds, most of the fat in my belly region. I am not hesitant to go to the YMCA, and have a membership...just don't go, sadly. I am about to change all that, but what do I need to know, being almost 29 and technically obese, at least by the BMI?

 

If you are a skilled gym person, please let me know how I can start off? I want to start off slowly, and build up slowly.

I would suggest cutting down on sugar. Drink diet soft drinks rather than sugary soft drinks. I read that people gain 5 lbs. per year if they drink soft drinks on a regular basis. Also, substantially reduce the fatty foods you are eating. The deserts, the junk food, the fatty fast food. Reduce the amount of bread you eat. Reduce the amount of bananas and corn you eat--they tend to increase stomach fat. And exercise at least every other day. I had always had a high metabolism and never had to think about what I ate, but now that I'm middle aged, I have to actually work at it. I work out on the treadmill and weights at least every other day, sometimes more often. I only eat yogurt and juice for breakfast, seldom eat fast food, and have cut out deserts and soft drinks. Occasionally I'll have those, but I realize I can't get away with eating that stuff anymore. And I can't get away with not going to the gym. I've never been overweight, but I did last summer get up to the higher level of what is considered normal weight for my height when I was visiting my mother for the summer, and she always wanted to go to the all-you-can-eat buffets, and was always making deserts. And I ate a lot of bread then too. After I got back, I switched my eating habits and exercise habits and lost one lb. per week, until getting to the lower end of my normal weight range, which is where I want to stay, but I have to work on it by watching what I eat, and working out every other day. I walk on the treadmill at a reasonably fast pace for 30 minutes at least every other day. I also lift weights and do crunches. By doing that, I lost 1 lb. per week.

[Electric.man]

Hello AHardDaysNight,

 

Congrats on your choice, it's always a very daunting task to undertake. I have been morbidly obese for most of my life (I'm 31 and I was an obese child, carrying it up until I was 27), and I can testify that there are few things that make you feel empowered and self-confident as being able to "sort yourself up", so to speak.

 

Tman666 has covered all the basics very well, but I still urge you to seek the help of a qualified professional for the dietary part.

 

The reason for it is that each one of us is different from the other; For example I am quite the "tank man" - imagine a build similar to a rugby player, or a powelifter; So even whit the goal of loosing about 100 pounds (yuck!) my diet had to take this into consideration. So again, do yourself a big favour and take the easy route: consult a qualified doctor.

 

As for the exercise, the best way to do it is to start easy. Again, I was in the same situation: never done anything barely related to exercise for years. My life was bed-car-work (sitting)-car-couch-bed then rinse and repeat the next day. I started the exercise with a very simple routine:

 

- 30 minutes on the threadmill, brisk walking;

- Three 10 minutes sessions on other aero machines (standing bike, cross-country, step machine...whatever really).

 

Repeat this exercise three times a week. I started introducing weights after a couple of months of aerobics-only workout. Again, seeking the help of a fitness instructor will ease your job immensely.

 

Last but not least, a few suggestions from my experience (100 pounds shed):

 

- Alcohol should be eliminated;

 

- Soft drinks should be left out too; There are "diet" versions that theoretically could be consumed, but the problem is that they will give you more "sweet cravings", and finding other sweet stuff without tons of sugars might be a complex task;

 

- Don't rush: weight loss is a long term task;

 

- Take your exercise routine slowly: it will feel very hard in the first couple of weeks, don't try to overdo it;

 

- Schedule your exercise around your life, it will give you less excuses to skip it (example: if you usually go to the movies on Friday, don't schedule a training session on that night);

 

- If you hold a full time job, bring the gym bag with you in the morning and go do your exercise straight after work: going home and trying to get out again might become quite a taxing task, especially in the cold months;

 

- Don't skip meals: You might think you're helping your diet taking it less food, while all you're doing is making it so that your body believes you're going to starve and stockpiles on your next meal;

 

- Don't allow yourself to grow cravings: a cookie or a small slice of cake every now and then won't do you any hurt and will make it so that you don't grow an uncontrollable desire for them (as it's usual in a state of "deprivation" from something);

 

- Eat in public, diet at home: there are few things more annoying than other people picking up on you for being on a diet when you're serious about it;So, if you know you're going out with your friends, schedule your diet around it: for example, if you are supposed to have a main meal at lunch and only a small snack for dinner, switch them around. Of course, once you're out it's not a good idea to order a 1-pound burger swimming in mayonnaise and blue cheese, but nobody will mock you if you get a ham and lettuce sandwich...

 

- Coffee is ok to drink, as long as it's black and you don't go mental with sugar in it...in other words, it's ok if you make yourself a cup of black coffee at home, or drink an espresso and put in either sweetener or half a teaspoon of sugar; Big sugar bombs such as Starbuck's iced coffees and frappucinos are a definite no-no (and they're not even coffees anyway);

 

- Final: persist. You won't see immediate results, but they will come. Also, as you loose weight it will be increasingly difficult to keep loosing. Don't let it discourage you!

[betterdeal]

One small tip is to spend at least 20 minutes eating each meal, or chew each mouthful twenty times. Can help change guzzling into more moderate eating style and help you feel fuller on less food (save money!)

[breakfastmeat]

Eat what you should eat and it will drop on its own. I have a good amount of weight myself to lose. Since May, I've dropped 22 lbs. I had a knee injury which negatively impacted my leg work but now that it's healed I'm getting back into the swing of things. In the gym, go by what your body's limits are. Don't push it, don't hurt yourself.

[josie54]

It might also help to focus on what you should eat, as well as what you shouldn't. Low-sugar, high-water-content, high-protein foods will help you keep your metabolism fired and your appetite down.

 

So with every meal, try to eat a LOT of vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, peppers, etc.), and smaller amounts of protein (lean meats, beans, lentils, fish, etc.). Big salads with a light vinaigrette dressing are great. Snacks such as nuts or yogurt (protein), or melons (high water) are your friend, because they fill you up and keep you going.

 

Sugar fires your appetite, so I agree with the previous poster who said to cut sugar out of your diet as much as possible.

 

That said, do not fail to treat yourself with your favorites once in a while. Just stay away from pre-packaged foods. But if you're good with your food 90 percent of the time, that means that when you're at a restaurant or at a special occasion, you can afford to have that dessert. Indulging once a week or a couple times a month, if such indulgences don't send you on a binge, can be a great way to keep you on track the rest of the time.

 

When I was dieting, I would make room in my "calorie budget" for parties or holidays (eating a little less and exercising a little more in preparation) so that I wouldn't feel deprived.

 

For the most part, I also keep the "bad stuff" out of the house. It can be the stuff you just grab on impulse when you're at home or at your desk that can sabotage your best intentions. If you keep that under control, then you don't have to be quite so strict with yourself when you're at a fun event.

 

On the exercise front, do not underestimate the power of interval training to stoke your metabolism. (One to two minutes of cardio at a slow pace interspersed with one to two minutes of cardio at a high pace--such that you absolutely cannot have a conversation and are breathing really heavily.) Working interval training into your weekly exercise sessions, when paired with a smart eating plan, both cuts back on your appetite and speeds up the rate of weight loss.

[breakfastmeat]

It is a LIFE decision and not a diet. I was a professional food-and-wine writer and believe me, I LOVE my food. And I eat out a lot, but I just make healthier decisions; fish instead of a burger, salad instead of fries, etc. I don't deprive myself and still treat myself to a burger once in a while, but not the French fries.

 

BINGO. It's not a diet it's a lifestyle change. You have to be more watchful about your intake and make choices of what to eat. I used to cram whatever junk was tasty into my face, so I had weight problems.

 

You don't go on a diet, you change your lifestyle. For good.

[Yellow_Duck'y]

I am not a health guru by any means, what has worked for me is I eat a hearty salad with protein (veggies, grilled chicken, mixed nuts) with fat free dressing with a dab of regular dressing, and a cookie on occasion and on the weekends I don't restrict myself if I'm out to dinner or something. I have the cookie because I have a sweet tooth and one cookie takes the edge off. I lost 12 pounds over a 3 month period, my BMI is 21, but I am looking to lose another 5 pounds. Munching on celery helps cut cravings for me, so I mix that in too.

 

Find a method that works for you and that you're comfortable with.

[NXS]

I think it's important that you don't skip breakfast, this is a common mistake people make. Porridge is really excellent for breakfast, it gives you a feeling of being full and releases energy slowly for the next few hours so it can keep you going for most of the morning. Either eat it plain or with cuts of fresh fruit or raisins.

 

I agree with the other poster about "white food", particularly bread, rolls, pastries etc. you'll need to almost completely cut these out. You can eat wholewheat pasta instead of the normal refined varieties. Wholewheat pasta is also great for filling you up and slow releasing energy.

 

Lifting weights and running on threadmills is not for everyone, personally I find it extremely boring. I like to go for a swim, sometimes in the sea but mostly the local swimming pool, or go for a hike or walk instead. Occassionaly I go surfing which I find the best exercise of all, it doesn't feel like exercise just great fun and I can sometimes spend hours out there without noticing the time. Anyway try not to make it too much 'work' and if you get bored with the gym you could switch to something different for a while. Maybe a hike up the mountains, or a long cycle or learn how to play tennis or squash.

 

So best of luck with it.

[AHardDaysNight]

I can't cut creamer out of my coffee. It tastes disgusting black.

 

That being said, I will take everything else into advisement. Thanks!

[D-Lish]

If you want to lose weight quickly, cut out carbs and sugar.

[AHardDaysNight]

If you want to lose weight quickly, cut out carbs and sugar.

 

Thanks D-Lish!

 

I guess I should cut the creamer, too. Bleech!

[ambersnap]

Lessen carbohydrates and eat more protein. Get an exercise routine that you can do at least twice a day. Eat quick healthy meals in a day. Most important is diet and exercise

[CarrieT]

Thanks D-Lish!

 

I guess I should cut the creamer, too. Bleech!

 

I am also one who can't drink coffee without creamer. But are you using the fake creamer stuff (that is almost entirely high-fructose corn sugar) or actual cream?

 

Anything in moderation is fine but you would be much better served if you gave up all coffee and sodas and just drank water or clear tea for while. That is often the deal-breaker for people going on diets because they are so addicted to the caffeine and chemicals in coffee and sodas.

 

I still allow myself an occasional cup of coffee (about one a week), but I don't use fake creamer - only the real stuff - and it is in moderation.

[AHardDaysNight]

I drank it black today, and actually didn't miss it.

 

I drink lots of coffee, sometimes 5-6 cups per day, and I can't really cut down. Every time I try, I end up with headaches supreme!

[CarrieT]

I drank it black today, and actually didn't miss it.

 

I drink lots of coffee, sometimes 5-6 cups per day, and I can't really cut down. Every time I try, I end up with headaches supreme!

 

That's because you are going through withdrawals. Start by tapering down; 4-5 cups a day for a week, then 3-4 cups a day for a week...

 

You get the idea. In two months, you will have decreased your coffee consumption significantly.

 

It isn't that coffee has calories or anything, but excess of coffee increases urinary secretion, For some who are battling weight, diuretics may seem like friendly allies, but in reality, harsh diuretics like coffee may do more harm than good. When you urinate too often, you lose magnesium, potassium, sodium, and Vitamin B1.

 

Caffeine might work by stimulating the adrenal glands, which revs up the body’s fight-or-flight response. This “fight or flight” response causes the body to release sugar into the blood as muscle fuel. If you don’t use this sugar, the sugar triggers a release of insulin. This leads to temporary signs of a condition called insulin resistance. As well as making weight loss more difficult, some experts believe that insulin resistance increases can your risk of both type II diabetes and heart disease.

 

 

Caffeine might work by stimulating the adrenal glands, which revs up the body’s fight-or-flight response. This “fight or flight” response causes the body to release sugar into the blood as muscle fuel. If you don’t use this sugar, the sugar triggers a release of insulin. This leads to temporary signs of a condition called insulin resistance. As well as making weight loss more difficult, some experts believe that insulin resistance increases can your risk of both type II diabetes and heart disease.

 

 

Don’t try caffeine to help you speed up your metabolism, keep in mind that caffeine’s a stimulant and too much can cause nervousness, insomnia and other problems.

[AHardDaysNight]

Thanks Carrie.

 

So I suppose my attempt at using coffee as a weight loss mechanism did more harm than good?

 

I'll have to cut it down more, and just drink water.

[CarrieT]

Thanks Carrie.

 

So I suppose my attempt at using coffee as a weight loss mechanism did more harm than good?

 

I'll have to cut it down more, and just drink water.

 

In the long term, yes.

 

Coffee is not a weight-loss mechanism. It is just another substance our body has to digest and in the long run, has little benefit.

 

Don't get me wrong; I love the taste of coffee (as I love the taste of most things), but 5-6 cups a DAY is a lot for your body to process for very little benefit.

[Ugly]

I have lost 15 kg 3yrs back and still stable.A good read in the link i posted.

 

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=129247741