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On the topic of weight loss

flapjackflapjack Registered User regular
edited February 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
So, I've put on some weight recently. Right now, I'm sitting at about 189 lbs, and I'm a 6'0 male in my mid-twenties. As of a year or so ago, I was about 165 lbs. I feel like a big part of the weight gain came from getting a new job; in my prior position, I was on my feet and moving around a decent amount four or five days a week. At this job, I'm at a desk, all day. My activity level has plummeted.

I've never really been one for exercise or even dieting, but I've been trying to turn that around recently. I've been putting in 20 minutes or so a day, five days a week, on an elliptical trainer for the past couple of weeks. Depending on my pace, the console tells me I burn roughly 250 calories per session doing this. I've also started keeping a food diary and have shifted gears and am trying to be more conscious regarding what I'm actually putting into my body.

In researching all this, though, I noticed that there's a lot of information out there and it doesn't always jive. I've always found the PA H/A community to be really on the ball, so I figured I'd pose the question out here. What should I be doing regarding fitness and diet? Right now I've set my goal at losing 1-1.5 lbs a week. As I understand it, to lose a pound of fat requires a 3500 calorie deficit. I set up a MyPlate account and it gives me a daily target of 1650 calories for 1.5 lbs a week, and closer to 1800 for 1 lb a week. Does this sound roughly accurate for someone of my body dimensions? In the same vein, is it a good idea to try and trend to those numbers as close as possible during the week, e.g. not go too much under/over on any given day?

Sorry for what I'm sure are pretty basic questions about this stuff. I've never really had a lot of experience with fitness before. In the end, it'd just be nice to be able to fit into the same clothes I was able to a year ago.

flapjack on

Posts

  • DragonPupDragonPup Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    How muck takeout are you ordering? That is a big part of what caused me to gain weight when I switched to desk work?

    DragonPup on
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  • flapjackflapjack Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    A lot when I started, but I've been tapering it off a lot over the last month or two (as I noticed myself getting larger, basically). I also don't drink much soda, and if I do it's diet.

    flapjack on
  • DragonPupDragonPup Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Good call on tue take out. I limit myself to once a week since most takeout is big enough for lunch and dinner.

    On a typical day, what do you eat at work for meals and snacks?

    DragonPup on
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  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    That sounds like a really low amount of calories for intake, but it would probably work. My solution has always been to amp up the activity level. It really helps if you can find something you like doing anyway (for me it's rockclimbing or biking), then do that for a few hours a few times a week. I eat well, but don't watch it too closely (IE, there's still bacon, beer etc. in my diet). I've kept my weight around 170-180 (depending on season/muscle, as I ski too) without any concern for diet whatsoever (though I will note I love salads and veggies).
    Eating less will get you there, but doing more will get you there in a happier manner (from what I've seen).

    schuss on
  • flapjackflapjack Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    DragonPup wrote: »
    Good call on tue take out. I limit myself to once a week since most takeout is big enough for lunch and dinner.

    On a typical day, what do you eat at work for meals and snacks?

    I try and vary it, though with this project's deadline it's been unfortunately static. Sometimes a can of soup, sometimes a sandwich I bring from home, sometimes one of those microwaveable things that are about 300-450 calories a pop you can buy from the store. I don't really snack at work anymore; if I get the urge to snack, I get up and walk to the breakroom and get myself a cup of water. Sometimes I'll bring like, a Kashi peanut bar or other granola-type bar to work with me as a snack though.

    flapjack on
  • SarcastroSarcastro Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    In the call center I used to work at, it was pretty much the expectation that everybody would gain 20 pounds. After work exercise is pretty much the only cure; sitting at a desk all day basically means you can gain weight on three small meals a day.

    I'm sure the bases will get covered, but y'know, snack healthy, do what you can to keep stress levels low and make sure you move around on your breaks. A nice around-the-block with a buddy at breaks or lunchtime instead of catching up on websites does wonders.

    Sarcastro on
  • flapjackflapjack Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    So it sounds like aiming for those caloric intake goals MyPlate sets for me and getting some good after-work exercise is the way to go. The exercise shouldn't be too bad; I have an elliptical machine at home that I've been enjoying using the past couple of weeks. I can ramp that up past 20 minutes a day no problem.

    For calorie goals, I've read that it's best not to under-intake on calories as well. So I should be aiming between that 1650-1800 I'm guessing? A couple days ago I missed lunch (crunch time) and with exercise after work my daily intake was something like 1050-250=800 calories, which I'm pretty sure is not great for me.

    flapjack on
  • EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Being a lot under isn't bad, but you could end up very hungry and overeating as a result.

    Always overestimate how many calories are burned from exercise. For example, I think the "standard estimate" for bike riding for someone of my height/weight is about 40 cal/mile, but I would count 25 because you don't know if you're really working as hard as you should be and, again, it's better to be under than over.

    Finally, the biggest thing most people run into is simply being hungry. If you can not be hungry and be on a diet, it's easy. That's why a lot of people suggest reducing carby foods -- carby foods will make your blood sugar spike and then drop, making you feel hungry (and if you're really on a diet potentially lightheaded or headachey). Not to mention that you tend to not feel full for very long AND carbs have more than twice as many calories compared to protein or fat. 150 calories of eggs and bacon in the morning stick with me a lot longer than 250 calories of oatmeal, bagel, or donut.

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  • SliderSlider Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Eating isn't necessarily the cause, but rather how much of it you eat.

    I would never recommend dieting or seriously restricting yourself to a certain amount of calories, unless you're a career bodybuilder or something.

    If you're lifting weights, you need more food for fuel and will be consuming more calories.

    Also, I'm 5'8, 165lbs. Meaning, you were skinny at that weight. Most people who are 6'0, will usually weigh around 190-200lbs, if they are in decent shape.

    Anyway, change your workout every few weeks....and perform some abdominal exercises at the end of your workout.

    The more muscle you have, the more fat and calories you'll burn.

    Slider on
  • corcorigancorcorigan Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Eat fewer calories than you burn. Voila, weight loss!

    It all seems so easy when it's written like that.

    corcorigan on
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  • AphostileAphostile San Francisco, CARegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Be sure to not just focus on the calories of food that you are eating but also the types of food you are eating. As someone mentioned above, eating a lot of carbs causes your insulin to spike, then crash. Not a good thing.

    An elliptical is all well and good if you're getting your cardio in, but you may wish to take a look at HIIT cardio if all you're putting in is 20 minutes a day. You'll see far more results with HIIT than you would "standard" cardio.

    Also, are you doing any weight training at all?

    Aphostile on
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  • ConnorConnor Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Echoing Slider a bit here but to me it sounds like you just need to add some exercise to you life. At 6'0 165 is damn skinny and you sound like you had a bit of the "fat skinny person" syndrome. You are putting on some fat due to changes in stress and eating more calories than your body's metabolism can handle. You need to speed up your metabolism with exercise and start watching the quality (quantity will take care of itself if you are eating good foods) of the calories that you are eating.

    Don't get stuck in the all too common mistake of simply controlling your weight by how much food you eat, or what types of food etc.. (dieting). Turn your body into a damn machine that can tear through quality calories by adding an hour of exercise 4-5 days a week.

    Connor on
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  • NamrokNamrok Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I've never had the best diet. However, I do exercise a ton! It seems to balance out mostly. I'm 6 ft and weigh more than you, but its a healthy weight. Mostly muscle.

    Honestly, it's best to just try to have an active lifestyle. Make friends who like to be active. Join a team. Do martial arts. Going to the gym and using an elliptical or lifting weights is nice, but it gets boring very quickly and its easy to run out of steam. But you go mountain biking with your friends every weekend and you'll be hooked. Hit a rock climbing gym 2 or 3 days a week with coworkers.

    Mixing social events with exercise is the best way to make sure you stick with it. And you even get to have fun too.

    Namrok on
  • flapjackflapjack Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I appreciate all the responses. It sounds like eating good types of food and getting some solid exercise in will be the way to go. I can't really ramp up the exercise beyond the 20 minutes or so at the moment, but I should be able to shortly once this project for work is completed and my free time goes way up. Then I should be able to work a solid hour of exercise in, no problem.

    flapjack on
  • Uncle LongUncle Long Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Start lifting weights. Most people who try to lose weight have no idea what they're doing, go about it the wrong way, give up after losing a couple of pounds and then gain back what they lost. A lot of that is because while people know and think about cardio as a sure fire way to burn fat, they don't think about weight lifting as a way to tone your body, gain lean muscle and develop a faster metabolism. Used in conjunction with cardio and eating right, weight lifting will make a substantial difference in the speed with which you lose weight and how you actually look once the weight is off.

    Uncle Long on
  • agentk13agentk13 __BANNED USERS regular
    edited February 2011
    You could try increasing the time you spend on the elliptical. While I haven't found the time since last Tuesday (my schedule is a little tough to work with and I'm behind on schoolwork), I generally like to jump on the elliptical for the length of the News Hour, with the elliptical set at a high level of resistance to push my muscles. My eventual goal is to burn 1200 calories in one of these sessions, with my current output being around 900.

    agentk13 on
  • CambiataCambiata Commander Shepard The likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Exercising doesn't actually help you lose weight all that much. Don't get me wrong, exercising is important for health and is something you should do frequently even if you were at your ideal weight. But don't expect exercise alone to cause noticeable weight loss unless you're very hardcore about it. And therefore you can't use exercise as an excuse to eat that one fatty food you've been craving because you burned X amount of calories so you "deserve it."

    The way to lose weight is reducing the calories you consume. It doesn't even matter what calories you put in, as long as there is enough of a reduction. That said, there are obviously some foods that are more filling than others. You can lose weight eating only twinkies but you'd be hungry (and bored) since you could only eat 10 twinkies or so before you hit your calorie limit. Moreover, on a strictly health level, you're better off eating foods you cooked yourself than prepackaged & processed foods.

    Cambiata on
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  • FoodAddictFoodAddict Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Cambiata mentions a good point.

    "I deserve to eat this unhealthy thing cuz I went to the gym" is the easiest trap to fall into. I'm not saying you could never eat indulgent stuff ever again, but when you are in crunch mode, prepare to make sacrifices. Say you dedicate a month to losing _____ amount of weight. At least for that month, lay down the rules w/ an iron fist. At the end of that month, you will be glad you stuck to your plan of eating healthier.

    This is even harder for people who used to be skinnier while doing less. You still have memories for eating ice cream cake and yet staying thin. I myself am 5'11'' and used to weight 155 no matter what I ate. 4 burgers at a time from Wendy's didn't make a dent back then. Today, completely different story.

    FoodAddict on
  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    However, working out more does raise your base metabolic rate, as well as provides a slightly more fulfilling way to lose weight. If I go out to dinner, I want to be able to have the steak and not feel bad about it.
    Losing weight is about consuming more calories via activity/daily life than you take in as food. By eating less or more healthily, you reduce one side of the equation; by working out you reduce the other side. If you work on both at the same time, your chances for success are much higher, especially since it's way too easy to snack on something and blow your whole meal plan apart.

    schuss on
  • AphostileAphostile San Francisco, CARegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    If all you have is 20 minutes to do cardio then DEFINITELY do HIIT cardio.

    Longer moderate intensity cardio sessions burn more calories, so do that when you can, but be efficient with the time you DO have!

    Aphostile on
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  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Slider wrote: »
    Eating isn't necessarily the cause, but rather how much of it you eat.

    I would never recommend dieting or seriously restricting yourself to a certain amount of calories, unless you're a career bodybuilder or something.

    If you're lifting weights, you need more food for fuel and will be consuming more calories.

    Also, I'm 5'8, 165lbs. Meaning, you were skinny at that weight. Most people who are 6'0, will usually weigh around 190-200lbs, if they are in decent shape.

    Anyway, change your workout every few weeks....and perform some abdominal exercises at the end of your workout.

    The more muscle you have, the more fat and calories you'll burn.

    bodybuilders eat like hogs, they just have to eat certain things

    some suggestions to use more calories and almost never feel hungry:

    OP: Lift weights twice a week and get your cardio workout to 30 minutes.

    Eat breakfast, preferably a lean one (an egg and two egg whites scrambled, coffee, and a raw veggie, for example).

    Take a multivitamin (to reduce cravings triggered by need)

    Use a "third of the plate" rule of thumb at dinner - the entree should cover an area of about a third of the plate, and a veggie dish another third, or be about the size of your fist in the absence of plates.

    have a microserving of protein or veggies between meals, and one right before bed with a big glass of water.

    Sequester large servings of fructose. (IE don't have a giant glass of OJ with a big bowl of cereal)

    oh...and accurately track what you eat. That alone will make a difference, I almost guarantee it.

    JohnnyCache on
  • oldsakoldsak Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Just to mention a source of calories many people overlook: alcohol.

    All alcoholic drinks have calories (and slow down your metabolism I understand), so take that into account.

    oldsak on
  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    oldsak wrote: »
    Just to mention a source of calories many people overlook: alcohol.

    All alcoholic drinks have calories (and slow down your metabolism I understand), so take that into account.

    it's worth noting that neat alcohol has calories.

    You can save some calories by having a skinny bitch instead of a white Russian but not as many as you think.

    JohnnyCache on
  • ConnorConnor Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    oldsak wrote: »
    Just to mention a source of calories many people overlook: alcohol.

    All alcoholic drinks have calories (and slow down your metabolism I understand), so take that into account.

    it's worth noting that neat alcohol has calories.

    You can save some calories by having a skinny bitch instead of a white Russian but not as many as you think.

    There are around 230 calories in a White Russian vs. around a hundred for a serving of vodka.

    Connor on
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  • EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    And getting into the carby thing, alcohol calories metabolize differently. Better to have a drink of whiskey (all alcohol calories) than a beer (some alcohol calories, mostly carbohydrate calories).

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  • FirstComradeStalinFirstComradeStalin Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    How do you get to work? Maybe start biking or walking if possible. Or maybe intentionally park like a mile away to force a little bit of movement into your general life, not just your workouts.

    FirstComradeStalin on
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  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Connor wrote: »
    oldsak wrote: »
    Just to mention a source of calories many people overlook: alcohol.

    All alcoholic drinks have calories (and slow down your metabolism I understand), so take that into account.

    it's worth noting that neat alcohol has calories.

    You can save some calories by having a skinny bitch instead of a white Russian but not as many as you think.

    There are around 230 calories in a White Russian vs. around a hundred for a serving of vodka.

    my point being many people think the rum without the coke is "diet"

    JohnnyCache on
  • The Smartest Man?The Smartest Man? Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    These might be common knowledge, but here are some bits of wisdom that I feel might be helpful:

    Never shop in a grocery store while hungry.

    Get rid of any soda or sweets you have laying around the house. If you can imagine an ad aimed at sugar loving kids or has a woman using trigger words like "rich, velvet, luxurious, sensual, creamy, indulge, etc." for a product in your domicile, trash it.

    If I remember correctly from my running class in college, when it comes to running (not sprinting), it's not the amount of time or how fast you run, but how far you go. Energy burned = Length. A person that walks a mile burns as much energy as someone that runs a mile. I find this nice to know if you have a set goal to go a certain distance and have ample time to spend.

    If possible, perhaps consult someone that knows quite a bit in making behavior modification programs.

    Think of changing your weight not so much as a number chart, but a solid change in lifestyle. It's going to be easier to say "avoid this and that" instead of marking down each single damn calorie you stuff into yourself. People tend to burn out from all that number crunching and dive back into bad habits.

    If you think it's unhealthy but really like it, save that item for a small weekend treat for doing everything else right during the week.

    Antioxidants are bullshit. Don't buy into them.

    The Smartest Man? on
    So it goes...
  • Uncle LongUncle Long Registered User regular
    edited February 2011

    If I remember correctly from my running class in college, when it comes to running (not sprinting), it's not the amount of time or how fast you run, but how far you go. Energy burned = Length. A person that walks a mile burns as much energy as someone that runs a mile. I find this nice to know if you have a set goal to go a certain distance and have ample time to spend.

    This is inaccurate.

    Intensity of exercise is important. For an off the cuff example, think of running your car and fuel efficiency. In this case, fuel is calories. Running at slow constant speeds will burn less fuel than putting the pedal to the metal and, in the case of interval training, slow constant speeds are going to burn less fuel than sudden bursts of acceleration interspersed in constant slower speeds.

    Intensity of exercise has lasting effects aside from just the calories burned during the activity, particularly when considering anaerobic exercise (like the sprint portions of High Intensity Interval Training and weight lifting).

    OP: Eat whole foods, cook your own food, learn to recognize when you are satiated, not when you're bloated full. Incorporate both strength training and aerobic exercises into your workout. This will take more time but if you can set an hour aside three days a week to lift and to run then you will be doing more to improve the quality and amount of your lean muscle mass, increasing your base metabolism, and doing more, generally speaking, for your body and weight loss goals than walking 20 minutes every day.

    Uncle Long on
  • ConnorConnor Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Uncle Long wrote: »

    OP: Eat whole foods, cook your own food, learn to recognize when you are satiated, not when you're bloated full. Incorporate both strength training and aerobic exercises into your workout. This will take more time but if you can set an hour aside three days a week to lift and to run then you will be doing more to improve the quality and amount of your lean muscle mass, increasing your base metabolism, and doing more, generally speaking, for your body and weight loss goals than walking 20 minutes every day.


    It is as simple as this. There is no magic bullet.

    Connor on
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  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Also, find physically active hobbies that you WANT to do. This way going to the "gym" (Be it a regular gym, pool, climbing gym, spin class etc.) doesn't feel like work, but something fun. Not to mention you'll be more inclined to do it more than 3 times a week and/or for longer than an hour.

    schuss on
  • RisenPhoenixRisenPhoenix SUPER HOTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    6'5" male, I started at 340lbs in July of last year. I'm now 290lbs and continuing to lose.

    Couch to 5K for Cardio and Starting Strength for Strength Training. I happily endorse both programs - they're easy to follow, allow for people who really aren't physically inclined and have plenty of resources available to you.

    RisenPhoenix on
  • DoctorArchDoctorArch Curmudgeon Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Uncle Long wrote: »

    If I remember correctly from my running class in college, when it comes to running (not sprinting), it's not the amount of time or how fast you run, but how far you go. Energy burned = Length. A person that walks a mile burns as much energy as someone that runs a mile. I find this nice to know if you have a set goal to go a certain distance and have ample time to spend.

    This is inaccurate.

    Intensity of exercise is important. For an off the cuff example, think of running your car and fuel efficiency. In this case, fuel is calories. Running at slow constant speeds will burn less fuel than putting the pedal to the metal and, in the case of interval training, slow constant speeds are going to burn less fuel than sudden bursts of acceleration interspersed in constant slower speeds.

    Intensity of exercise has lasting effects aside from just the calories burned during the activity, particularly when considering anaerobic exercise (like the sprint portions of High Intensity Interval Training and weight lifting).

    Here is Runners World breaking down the old myth. Link.

    OP: And workout with someone else. I had a hell of a time keeping a gym schedule by myself, but with the fiancée we keep to a schedule well and are seeing the results.

    DoctorArch on
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  • Mr. J.H. GumbyMr. J.H. Gumby Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    If you decide to try HIIT, give this site a look.
    I've been following the workouts (or trying to) for only a couple of weeks so i can't tell you yet if it works for weight loss or not, but I can say they are really fun and challenging.
    She has workouts (usually full body) and challenges (focused on parts of the body) I would recommend you to begin with the workouts and try the challenges when you feel stronger

    Mr. J.H. Gumby on
  • The Smartest Man?The Smartest Man? Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    DoctorArch wrote: »
    Uncle Long wrote: »

    If I remember correctly from my running class in college, when it comes to running (not sprinting), it's not the amount of time or how fast you run, but how far you go. Energy burned = Length. A person that walks a mile burns as much energy as someone that runs a mile. I find this nice to know if you have a set goal to go a certain distance and have ample time to spend.

    This is inaccurate.

    Intensity of exercise is important. For an off the cuff example, think of running your car and fuel efficiency. In this case, fuel is calories. Running at slow constant speeds will burn less fuel than putting the pedal to the metal and, in the case of interval training, slow constant speeds are going to burn less fuel than sudden bursts of acceleration interspersed in constant slower speeds.

    Intensity of exercise has lasting effects aside from just the calories burned during the activity, particularly when considering anaerobic exercise (like the sprint portions of High Intensity Interval Training and weight lifting).

    Here is Runners World breaking down the old myth. Link.

    OP: And workout with someone else. I had a hell of a time keeping a gym schedule by myself, but with the fiancée we keep to a schedule well and are seeing the results.

    Ah, I see. Thank you both for shattering my ignorance and providing the correct information in a timely matter =).

    The Smartest Man? on
    So it goes...
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