Weight Problems

[greentea]

Eat breakfast (do not SKIP). Your diet should be mainly carbs so eat fruits and low fat things like wholewheat cereal based food. If you're going to eat, eat small amounts regularly instead of big meals and drink lots of water to resolve hunger pangs. The idea is to reduce intake, so practice discipline, eat the foods you like still but in smaller quantities. If you expend a lot of energy reward yourself with some of that foodstuff.

I cut all fast food from my diet years ago, don't really care for it these days. I swear it must've been the chemicals or something, they don't even taste that good to me anymore, they don't have any strong flavours, taste like bland shit. I'd rather eat a crisp salad with lots of lemon with some grilled chicken, pretty buff. I pretty much eliminated all the foods that I thought were bad e.g fizzy drinks, crisps and a lot of biscuits. Once you cut them you don't really miss them. Trust me.

Start eating fruits like strawberries, grapes or oranges. The sugar buzz you get off fruits is one of the best things you can get from eating food . They have strong flavours too and taste great, I generally prefer fruit to most sugary foods. Sugar makes you happiiiiiii! It also makes them good breakfast food too because the simple carbs in fruit are quickly digested and they contain a lot of water. Foods like bread are good for keeping you full for longer though because they're complex carbs.

You should replace some of the meals you had fast food in with simpler meals such as a sandwich or something healthy. I generally tend to only eat hot food for dinner. During the day I eat lean ham or chicken breast, breads or fruits.

Increase your energy expenditure, I used to work on my abs, gradually I went from 150 situps to 400 and then I started to work on my lower body so I'd do lunges followed by squats. You can tone your muscles as you lose weight, this won't make them bigger but it'll make them more pronounced and increase your muscular endurance whilst using energy.

Be sure to maintain your protein intake too, it should make up about 30% of the food you eat. White meat is the best generally, pretty versatile can be in any meal. Red meat is alright too, just don't eat the visible fat and try to eat lean cuts. Eat some after you exercise because you may gain a bit of mass from exercise in the beginning if you're not hench.

Some more stuff:

Drink cold water with ice. Your body has to expend energy to bring this back to body temp.

Try and be more active generally, weight loss should be considered at all times. Change your routine, try to phase in running instead of walking where you can, like up stairs (Just don't be retarded and stack...). Be less lazy... If you're sitting down and you've got trash get up and put it in the bin, don't try and throw it etc.

Remember what you're doing this for. I think looking good is better than the small satisfaction that eating less healthy food gives you. Have a good look at yourself, decide whether you're dedicated to looking better and if you are then approach it with every enthusiasm!

good stuff jt.

[punyfig]

Fitday is good for keeping a record of your food intake. Breaks it down so you can see how much protein, carbs and fat you are eating too.

[mlproject]

that site is interesting, but would you have to enter your foods every day or does it keep a list of the stuff you eat most?

[angrypork]

This threads been really informative. I have a few questions.

1. A lot of emphasis has been placed on drinking water in this thread. How much is sufficient per day? I usually drink 3-4 bottles a day. Is that sufficient.

2. I'm 5'5 115 lbs and realatively in shape. I have a little bit of a gut. Any suggestions on how to lose that besides crunches, push ups and cardio?

[oOmegaOo]

I've heard that limiting the variety of tastes in a meal helps aswell.

[mike lowrey]

2. I'm 5'5 115 lbs and realatively in shape. I have a little bit of a gut. Any suggestions on how to lose that besides crunches, push ups and cardio?

if you'd go on a diet you'd probably get thinner all over and only lose some of the gut, so losing actual weight is not that useful. so basically different kind of ab excercises are probably the best way. I think regular crunches are ok but they stress the upper abdominals more when you should focus on the lower ones. a couple of ones I have found useful:

1. lie on your back, hands behind your head. lift your legs up and bring one knee at a time towards your head while moving your opposite elbow towards the knee. you can touch your knee with the elbow but you dont have to stretch that far.

2. lie on your back and lift your legs straight up simultaneosly, when going back down leave your feet just above the ground, has much more effect that way. this is a really basic move that targets the lower abs. takes a little practise but you'll notice when it works. you can hold your hands under something if you need to hold your upper body down or hold them at your sides.

3. if you can hang somewhere, you can do a similar excercise to the above one by hanging from a bar and lifting your legs upwards, knees to stomach.

[mrmax]

Does anyone have any tips for someone who wants to actually put on weight? I'm aiming for an extra stone ideally for now as I;m quite skinny. I've put a bit of weight on so far, but mainly from sitting on my arse all day and stuffing myself with cakes and biscuits - which probably isn't a good way of going about it! I know its really a case of eating as many calories as possible, but should I be eating at particular times of the day, like snacking late at night? should I try and avoid any cardiovascular exercise so as to not burn off calories, and just stick with doing some heavy weights?

[startmeup]

as a fellow skinny man, i have the same problem. eating simply wont cut it. I eat at chipotle (fatty salty greasy fast food burritos) every day, 2 1,000 calorie burritos, and then a pizza and 3 salads, and i dont gain any weight. might have something to do with me being on the track team though...

[angrypork]

Thanks for the advice.

[efujobu]

This threads been really informative. I have a few questions.

1. A lot of emphasis has been placed on drinking water in this thread. How much is sufficient per day? I usually drink 3-4 bottles a day. Is that sufficient.

2. I'm 5'5 115 lbs and realatively in shape. I have a little bit of a gut. Any suggestions on how to lose that besides crunches, push ups and cardio?

I suggest you start a weight lifting program..more muscle=less fat. Unfortunately, cardio is essesntial if you want to lose the gut..Performing core excercises with cardio can get rid of that small gut..PATIENCE is a very big key to it..anyway, core excercises meaning abs (upper, lower, and sides) along with working your lower back (back extensions, good mornings, and deadlifts) will help you.

Water intake is also key because if you do not have enough water, then you're muscles are never going to grow since your cells are dehydrated..I drink at least a gallon a day myself..

You need to calculate your caloric intake then ADD 500 calories to it..PROTEIN is the key, protein will help you lose your gut and gain muscle at the same time.

Good luck man.

[keri]

WAter intake is relative to your activity level, weight height, and age. 8+ (8oz)glasses a day is recommened (so about 4 bottles) I am fairly active, run a mile a day and randomly do crunches and whatnot, am about 5'7, and weigh 127, I drink about 6-10 (16 oz) glasses daily. But that is what makes me happy. Pretty much drink how much you wan twhen you're thirsty and cut out all other drinks. Maybe coffe or tea in the morn, but that's it.

Also when eating, use utensils for everything, even toast or sandwiches. In between bites, Set down your utensils, all of them, while ou chew, the after every bite, drink a sip of water, then pick your utensils back up to take another bite. Dont cut your meal in to bites before eating it, cut each bite right before you eat it. This just forces you to eat slower and find out when you are really full (sinc eit takes 20 mins for your brain to register). You'd be suprised at how much one piece of buttered toast fills you up.

[aitsuka]

more meals a day less quantities

excerise everyday three days hard training 1 day light 1 day rest.

[keri]

it sounds corny but it's true - studies show dieters who keep track of what they eat lose a lot more weight because they force themselves to be honest.

On the other hand, when a new dark age comes and food is scarce, your efficient metabolism will keep you warm while chris and ruach and me and mr. p and startmeup and half the forum starve.

bwahahahaha. ah, thankfullness for my love handles and ass.

[punyfig]

that site is interesting, but would you have to enter your foods every day or does it keep a list of the stuff you eat most?

It has a list of pre-entered foods, mostly American. You can also enter your own and fill out the profile of the 'custom foods' so that what you eat and what is noted on the site is recorded accurately. There is also a list of frequently eaten foods You can quickly fill out the records if you eat the same thing day in day out. Then you start to notice those little nibbles swinging you charts right out!

[mike lowrey]

That's a myth, exercising an area does not reduce the amount of fat in the specific area.

You'll need to reduce overall fat bodymass, if you tone your muscles together in conjunction it'll make your muscles more pronounced.

I cant fully agree, from my personal experience losing overall weight doesnt necessarily get rid of it on all areas. I had a bit of a gut and even though I lost weight I still had it, the weight came of from other areas. after excercising the target area I got rid of it too.

[mighty_dope]

water helps your metabolizm. if you don't drink enough, your kidneys, that need lots of it, don't work as good and slows your metabolizm down. that means that you store fat more easily. my sister was anorexic and she would obsess about this kind of shit. this water-weight thing is like imprinted in my brain.

[mighty_dope]

yeah. so drink a ton of water.

[homi29]

my first thought when i saw this thread

[CitySparrow]

I was about 15 pouns overweight a year ago.

Some of you might say that that's very little- i'm a size 28 and went up to 32/34 waist.

But- it is just as hard to lose 15 pounds as a 100- you still have to change your habits .

The 100 pounds will take you longer, but the amount of thinking you have to do is the same.

As many posting on this forum say, There Is No Way- you have to find what works for you.

I decided to cut out all crap in my life

*No ALCOHOL

*No Cigarettes

*No Junk Food

*No snacks/readymade food

*ONLY HEALTY RESTARAUNTS- japanese, fusion, smart mediterranean.

Just without sugar and alcohol, i lost my beer gut and 7 pounds in 1 month.

I'm now back to my former slim self, and I can still bench 200 pounds- that's without protein shakes.

If I did the whole healthfood / fintess routine, i'd be back to more benches, but I don't want to bulk up and have a gym body.

I'm 5'10 short, so I don't want to look like one of those insecure people that gain muscle to look bigger.

What is simply great :

MISO SOUP

GREEN TEA- the cheap $3 gunpowder crap in a paper box- works WONDERS

oatmeal with unrefined raw brown sugar for breakfast (that's th esugar that you have to break with an ice-pick)

I walk about 1 hour a day on average and do pushups.

That's it.

Easy enough.

So if I found something that works for me, i'm sure you can find something that works for you- it's a question of finding a plan that is not heroic, so that you can stick to it for a long time.

None of that yo-yo dieting crap.

You cannot cut out all the fun stuff at once unless you have sports experience/ discipline.

You'll just binge and then feel guilty.

Self-control is a muscle, and unless you have a coach, build it up gradually.

And clean out your fridge- you don't have to throw things out, but jut stop buying new crap.

Some dangerous hidden calories:

JUICES

SODAS

Artificial sweeteners- new studies show that your body messes up it's metabolism when it thinks it gets sugar from aspartame and other crap

SALAD DRESSINGS

any restauraunt food - remember, any restauraunt brings about 10 percent income at the end of the year- they all cut corners!

And one final thing- self-change is like war- just because you lost a battle doesn't meat you lost the war- not untill you fuck up so badly you get diabetes because of your trash eating ways.

So if you can't quit, loose weight, stop drinking, etc- don't hate yourself.

Just try again and don't give up, and stick to things you try for at aleast 2 months.

if you lose 2 pounds a month, that's 20 pounds in 10 months- and it's easy to do that.

Magic pill diets fuck you up, easy solutions lead to hell.

[ten100switch]

any restauraunt food - remember, any restauraunt brings about 10 percent income at the end of the year- they all cut corners!

what the hell does this even mean? why do so many restauraunts go out of business?

[captain5640]

It's mostly about diet, especially if you aren't exercising much. I know where you're coming from about having big time weight fluctuations. I play football and they're constantly on me to gain more weight. If you want to lose weight, eat less than 2000 calories a day. Also, east smaller meals, more often. Up to 5 small meals a day. This allows your body to absorb the food and use it as energy rather than sit in your body and then turn to fat.

[punyfig]

Handy little equation for working out calorie intake if wanting to lose weight: (weight in pounds)x15 - 500calories.

Its a bit rough, but at 158lbs to stay the same weight my calorie intake should hit something like 2370 calories a day (158x15=2370). To start to lose weight (in addition to the exercise that SHOULD be going on!) take off 500. So, my cutting calorie intake is about 1870 calories. If I do that and walk, run, cycle swim or whatever I should start to see a difference.

Not very scientific but as a rough guide its handy to get a heads up on intake and how it can be split between daily meals.

[mizanation]

Hehe, thanks for suggestion mizanation. It's funny because I actually trained BJJ for a bit a few years back and lately I've been meaning to start again, however I just find myself procrastinating. After I'm done work, I'm so mentally and physically drained that I can't find the motivation to do anything, let alone roll around the floor with some other sweaty dudes. Anyways, I know I gotta stop making excuses for myself and jump right back into it. There's a great gym near my place where georges st. pierre and david loiseau train at.

you must be in canada, huh?

the most important thing for weight loss is to change your metality. it's a habit that you eat unhealthy foods and live an inactive life. if you make it a habit of being healthy, it's very easy to stay fit. your mind and body will naturally do what it can to stay healthy.

that's why sports is a great thing. one of my friends has lost 20-30 pounds in a healthy way just by getting into BJJ. competition (against yourself and against the others in the gym) is a great motivator.

visualization is one of the most important things. visualize a healthier you, a stronger, more athletic you and your mind will do the rest to get your body to that image.

also, one more thing. don't take advice from people who never had to lose weight. also don't take advice from people who are overweight (it's funny, a lot of fat people love to preach about ways to lose weight). take advice from people who've lost weight and kept it off.

anyways, good luck. i'd love to hear how you do.

[CitySparrow]

It means restauraunts make very little money and cut corners. Trans oils and other shit.

rotten meat. Bad vegetables. whatever it takes.

it means going out and losing weight don't go well together.

[JonathanTask]

why does drinking a crap load of water

help you lose weight?

i'm trying to lose some weight

when you drink water you feel more replenished and it fills your stomach up inbetween meals so you don't snack as often.

[shiekh]

thanks for the tips guys. it seems like the main advice is drinking lots of water, which i've been trying to do, but any thoughts on drinking diet coke?

diet sodas are really like a placebo, they're not really bad for your but they're not a health drink either. Plus extended drinkage can cause mild dimentia especially if you drink them at room temp or hotter. Best thing to do is cook at home and drink at least half your body weight in oz of water everyday and don't eat after 7pm...any before and after pics?

[renski]

go veg/vegan.

[dnarnya]

i kinda just glanced at the thread but this might be useful...

I eat pretty bad, (fast food, etc) but I only eat 3 meals a day and never snack. I eat nothing in between meals, I rarely work out and I'm thin. I used to be out of shape a tad, but once I stopped snacking and completely cut any kind of caloric beverage out of my diet I have become pretty thin. I also eat meat in only 2 meals, sometimes 3 and avoid excessive cheese/mayo/creamy stuff, and rarely eat sweets. I think what's happening is my calories are staying low so I'm not gaining weight...

[red]

the best way to stay skinny: turn japanese. im not really sure how you can turn japanese though. research it yourselves. lazy fucks.

[mono14]

Asians in general tend to be skinny..