Dieting/Fitness Advice

[hornfan1977]

I posted on the previous topic about fat calories, but I'd like to get some more advice getting myself fit and defined. I'm 5'9 and weigh 188 pounds. I am kinda stocky, so I do have a lot of muscle, but my face/neck, stomach, and thighs are the areas I need to concentrate on slimming and toning. I have already made a comittment to exercising more and eating better, so the will is not in question.

My biggest goal is to lose body fat first. I'm at about 23%, and I want to trim that to around 15 or 16%. Of course I do want to drop 15 pounds or so and be around 170-175, but weight loss isn't my main goal, it's losing body fat and getting more defined. So, with that being said, what regime is going to get me there the quickest. I don't want to be eating the wrong foods that aren't going to help me acheive this, and I don't neccesarily mean the obivous fast foods, junk, etc. I have some knee injuries, so a great deal of running is out of the question. I usually jog/run around 10-12 miles per week, and lift some weights at home 3 days a week. I do 100 situps and 50 pushups a day.

So, for the knowledgable nutricion/exercise gurus out there, what should my dieting approach consist of? Should I just watch calories in vs. out? Should I do the low carb thing and cut out breads, milk, pastas, etc.? Remember, my goal is losing as much body fat as possible and getting myself more lean than it is pure weight loss. Which approach is best?

 

[tropheus]

I already told you what I think about diet.

As for exercise, when I do it, I use an elliptical trainer that I bought a few years back. I don't have knee surgeries, but I do have knee issues with how tall I am. That machine is a workout genius. It's great for cardio (my biggest concern) which helps with the heart and burning calories, but if done right, it helps with muscle tone as well.

I need to do it more regularly and once I do, I'll add 10-15 minutes of free weights as well.

 

[runner]

If you want to drop body fat, then do the following:

1. Go to www.fitday.com and dowload the PC version of this product. It will give you some more guidance on the caloric intake based on your weight and age. You set your goal (lets say 175 pounds by the end of June, and it will tell you specifically how many calories you should eat on a daily basis. It tracks your progress, and is an excellent motivator. I used the online version for a while, but I find the PC version to be much better.

2. Cardio is the fastest way to drop body fat. Swimming, running, eliptical, or bike, they all work. You can also use fitday to record your exercise and see how that impacts the overall caloric balance. I was kind of surprised to find that I burn over 2700 calories per day just sitting around.

3. Drop alchohol from your diet completely. If you drink today, this can make an enormous difference. Alchohol is empty calories, and will pack on the pounds fast if you're not careful.

Do these three things, and you'll start to see results in 2 weeks, and you can be at your goal weight in 2-4 months.

 

[hornfan1977]

Thanks Tropheu and Runner for the info.

Runner-

I understand how you look at how many calories you're supposed to take in per day to lose a certain amount of weight, but my questions have always been about what you eat. Surely, I couldn't just eat 3 bowls of Honey Nut cheerios w/ milk, which would be well under 1000 calories for the day, work out and do cardio, and lose weight. That's why I was trying to get some advice on what food/drinks to eat and consume. Do you have to have the full servings of fruit and vegetables per day for this to work, or is pure calories in more important than what you're eating?

 

[Jim Anchower]

You enter the food you eat into FItday as you eat it and it caculates how many calories you consume. As you approach your caloric limit for the day, quit eating.

Eventually you'll figure out what are the best things to eat and the best times to eat them so you don't have prolonged bouts of hunger.

Fitday is a godsend if you're trying to lose weight or have trouble maintaining under normal circumstances.

Its $20 - well worth the investment.

 

[runner]

Anchower's got it right -- fitday will guide you. In fact, you can get to where it will plan out exactly what the breakdown should be (carbs/protein/fat). I even record in advance when I know I'm going to drink a few beers so if I need to cut back other places, then I do it.

I'm not a big fan of all the fad diets like Atkins, SouthBeach, Grapefruit, etc. I'm sure they work if you follow them, but I prefer to make a lifestyle choice rather than go on a diet for 6 weeks or 8 weeks or whatever. My basic premise is that I try to buy things as close to their natural state as possible: milk, steak, raw vegetables, eggs, etc. Limit all foods that you know are bad for you: booze, fast food, fried food, sodas, etc. Notice I said limit. I like a plate of enchiladas and a couple of margaritas as much as the next guy, and I have them from time to time. I just don't do it three times a week.

So, you could eat three bowls of cereal a day and you'd probably be at 700-800 calories. You'd lose weight for sure, but I don't think it is very healthy. Fitday will show you exactly what the carb/protien/fat breakout is. Pretty soon, you'll know without measuring about how many calories you've consumed in a day.

BTW - especially at first -- measure your food. You'd be surprised how little one cup of cereal is. Most people probably eat 1.5 - 2 cups.

 

[hornfan1977]

Thanks runner, I will definately check out that site. I like what you had to say about dieting. Most people will always tell you absolutely do not eat fast food, drink beer, etc. but, just like you, I believe you can have that, but just to limit it to only say once a week. You don't have to go cold turkey on all your favorite foods, drinks, desserts, etc.

By the way, whoever said that it was harder to maintain a healthy weight and body is dead wrong. It's so much harder when you are overweight and fat and having to drop a bunch of pounds and get your body healthy and in shape. Once your there, you just have to watch yourself, keep exercising and eating right the majority of the time, and your set. Sure, some people may just go back to eating unhealthy and gain all the weight back, but to me, it seems like if you worked you butt off to get there, you're not gonna let yourself go back to where you were before. You have a much larger room for error when you are in a healthy weight range and in good physical condition. If you slip up and haven't been eating right for a week or so and haven't been exercising, it doesn't take you long to get back on track and get where you used to be.