How I Lost 30 Pounds....Over 20% Body Fat...And Still Keep It Off...Tips And Tricks

Originally posted by Miraj

Originally posted by kimish
Star and flag for you OP. Good job, educate the people.

Please don't flag this guy, Its shockingly apparent that his theories are not based in any bit of scientific fact, and are probably based off of reading bodybuilding forums and magazines.

Listening to people like him is what set me on the wrong route to losing weight for several years. When I finally did it my way, I lost lets see.. 50 lbs.

So what you're saying is...

I lost weight, you lost weight, but you take exception to the fact that I say 'cardio' is overrated for weight loss?

Great thread. I support it 100%. I think you are absolutely correct. I used a similar approach and did exactly the same thing. I lost 17 lbs this year, and kept it off.

Most don't realize they need less calories to live on. Most eat anything they want, anytime they want, if it is available. This takes a toll on longevity, as studies have shown.

A good friend of mine lost a LOT of weight. I asked him how he did it. He was 60. He said he drank a Slim-Fast for breakfast, one for lunch, and ate 1/4 his regular dinner portion. Believe me, he lost a lot of weight. It set him back on the road to health.

Like you, I believe it is a numbers game with calories. The trick, as you show, is to develop your own baseline. I use a scale I got at Costco that shows the body fat, calories, BMI and weight. I check every morning first thing, before anything else. That way I can see if I am getting off track.

Now I want to get into the Normal BMI, which means I need to lose another 5 lbs. No big deal, now that I have my own body mathematics.

Know your body. The OP is right on.

Originally posted by Prove_It_NOW
reply to post by Unknown Origin

 

Long term cardio without any intervals will eventually kill you slowly and attack your lung capacity.

Sure you may have lost weight...but your resting metabolic rate is not as high as someone who for instance does a circuit program or weight training.

Your average weight loss will be minimal compared to the methods I stated....

Why lose 500 calories running and panting for an hour and a half, when you could lose 1000-1200 busting your A** for a HALF hour and have a longer lasting burn effect for days, as compared to a few hours of burn zone after jogging?

Makes no sense for losing weight NOW and fast

I do both. Actually, I do an entire regimen of stretching, weight training and I finish it with my daily run. I also do frequent bike rides, walks, hikes, tennis, basketball and a lot of other stuff.

Originally posted by Unknown Origin

reply to post by Unknown Origin

 

I do both. Actually, I do an entire regimen of stretching, weight training and I finish it with my daily run. I also do frequent bike rides, walks, hikes, tennis, basketball and a lot of other stuff.

LOL NOW you mention all that 'other stuff' but originally attributed it to "running"

CAUGHT YA!!!!!

What about YOGA ????

Why nobody mentioned Yoga when it comes to weight . The fact is Yoga acts as cardiovascular workout when done properly in room temperature and with the proper power Vinyasa Yoga flow ,not to mentions it boosts up metabolisms and helps with the release of toxins .

One hour of Yoga a day does wonders.

Use this calculator will show you how many calories you can burn while practicing yoga:

www.bikram-yoga-noosa-australia.com...

Secret is to make it pleasurable and fun , see the benefits practice the breathing, read about it and will bring great changes body and mind .

Namaste

reply to post by lisa2012


YOGA is awesome. I've dated "yoga girls" and their bodies are by far the best...

do it for the children ladies...think of the kids.

Awesome! Great advice. I agree with most of what you've posted.

Funny, right?

Anyways, just a few pionts.

You have slowed your metabolism down to almost a grinding halt. The metabolic rates of some people who are overweight have been shown to be nearly non existent. As little as burning 100 calories a day at resting rates.

The brain alone needs about 135 grams of glucose a day to operate functionally. That's about 400 calories.....

Eat a pizza...a whole one. Eat fried foods. Eat Burgers...fries. Yes....be a fatty for a day.

The shocker is, you might wake up the next morning and find you actually are THINNER.

Pretty cool how that works, huh? There's actually a good reason for it. And bodybuilders incorporate this effect just before shows. It has to do with carb restriction....and then carb loading and is usually just a difference in subcutaneous water retention, between the muscle and the skin.

Screw all talk of 'carbs', fats, sugars, proteins, "light", blah blah blah.

Just concentrate on calories for now. Hit your goal every day for the first few weeks.

Indeed, for fat reduction calorie restriction is a must. However, as we've been discussing, those carbs and sugars can prevent fat loss. So, it's imperitive to monitor carbohydrate intake if you're overweight.

Otherwise...good stuff. Exercise and food choices you've outlined here are spot on.

reply to post by DevolutionEvolvd



Yes, I didn't notice that I typed the wrong number for resting rates. I screwed up. Maybe my whole thread should be deleted for the one mistake.

Sorry, I'm just a little PO'd now and need to get off the comp. thanks for the compliments otherwise.

reply to post by DevolutionEvolvd



It would be absurd to tell someone to eat CARBS all day, even if I think they are overrated as a "fat maker".

People need to be sensible about eating. But lowering carbs would help IMMENSELY for changing your eating habits, especially if you're repairing muscle.

reply to post by Prove_It_NOW


However innocent that mistake may be, it's still very significant. One that warrants correction.

Originally posted by DevolutionEvolvd
reply to post by Prove_It_NOW

 

However innocent that mistake may be, it's still very significant. One that warrants correction.

Agreed. I had the number in my head and something else came out. The '100' is somewhere in my head still for resting rates. I thought maybe per "something something", like per hour, or per day (when awake)

I know that resting rates of some Obese people are very low, staggering compared to "normal".

I can't go back and edit the number to be accurate since it's been quoted and commented on, so I have to leave it there.

Originally posted by Prove_It_NOW

I know that resting rates of some Obese people are very low, staggering compared to "normal".

This is absoultely true. For some reason (that's what many researchers say when they can't figure something out) obese individuals react to calrie restriction identically to skinny people. Compensatory changes begin to manifest suggesting the individual is starving (increased appetite, lower body temp, lethargy) even though there is plent of fuel in the fat cells. This gets back to what I was talking about in my other thread. The fat isn't being released from the fat cells in obese subjects that simply restrict calories. (hint, hormones are involved)

Originally posted by DevolutionEvolvd

Originally posted by Prove_It_NOW

I know that resting rates of some Obese people are very low, staggering compared to "normal".

This is absoultely true. For some reason (that's what many researchers say when they can't figure something out) obese individuals react to calrie restriction identically to skinny people. Compensatory changes begin to manifest suggesting the individual is starving (increased appetite, lower body temp, lethargy) even though there is plent of fuel in the fat cells. This gets back to what I was talking about in my other thread. The fat isn't being released from the fat cells in obese subjects that simply restrict calories. (hint, hormones are involved)

edit on 23-9-2010 by DevolutionEvolvd because: (no reason given)

But for the time being, all we know is that more calories used out than in, is what burns stored fat. It's a biological must. That's the only known method, there is no other on the entire planet.

If a hormone is the secret to regulation, it needs to be studied more in depth and gain funding.

But for 99% of people I've seen, the methods I describe work. Anything anomalous at a hormone level is just that...anomalous.

And this thread isn't about anomalies within weight loss....YOUR is.

reply to post by DevolutionEvolvd


I also should have mentioned that I live in Los Angeles. People are mostly around nominal weight here. Some people are 'fat' but it's average 20-30 pounds overweight or the classic beer gut.

When I was a kid, there were more Obese people here, during the 80's and 90's. But to see an Obese person here NOW is rare. I see videos of people from the Midwest a lot and they look totally different though. It's a noticeable difference.

So what is the link?

I've also seen people collectively lose more weight in the past 2 years, before my eyes.

Less money and less food?

More education about caloric intake?

More exercise? A more 'fit' culture?

And have you looked at foods being sold in markets for the last few years? A high concentration on calories being reduced. I remember buying food only 10 years ago and it had WAY more calories than now. I think food manufacturers got the hint finally.

American society as a whole is actually LOSING weight. It's across racial and ethnic lines.

We're not really the 'fat Americans" we used to be. Something changed and I think it's the education about caloric intake alone, and we're watching it now.

reply to post by Prove_It_NOW



WTF. Dude, you just said you don't do cardio, but you trained in multiple martial arts and do P90X?

Do know what cardio is? I want to know what kind of martial disciplined you trained in if it didn't get your heart racing.

I just think it's extremely stupid to tell fat people "You don't need cardio" which is why I posted. Yes, unless they have a serious heart problem, they need to do cardio.

I looked at your post, and it's pretty much the BB(bodybuilding.com) bible; Cardio bad, yams good, lift weights good.. ect.
I agree if you just sit around all day, vegetables as carbs are fine.. But if you actually work out, even weight lifting, you need bread, pasta, rice, ect.

reply to post by Prove_It_NOW


Pretty much.. I've seen a lot of people who are told "Just lift weights brah" and get on this great diet, but they have almost no exercise done. And eventually quit because they don't see results other than some weight lifted. Long distance running enforces discipline.

Star Flag OP, If it worked for you then more power to you.

I have been doing the fitness thing for nearly 20 years and even got into amateur body building after the Army.
All I can say is that there is so much BS out there and like one poster claimed a good percentage comes from fitness mags and BB.com.

Everyone is different and body types play a significant role. I'm 50% mesomorph and 50% endofatty, so have to work a little harder at maintaining my appearance than say Joe blow action hero.

Not everything works the same for everyone else.
For you calorie deficit is the winner, for others hiit training and a balanced diet. For me it was weight training, light cardio and carb cycling. Which I don't recommend very often, though it may just be me that had an issue with it.

There is one thing however I think is key to fat loss above all other things, and that is the necessity to drink at least a gallon of water every day. Could be wrong stay away from bro science!

Congratulations on your weight loss. Sounds like you have awakened your metabolism, which is one of THE keys to losing weight, and keeping it off.

My husbands family is filled with people you could only call obese.

I have been told by a few that they were just destined to be that way because they come from a "fat family", but when you look at childhood photos, almost every one is nowhere close to being overweight. Because they think it is inevitable that they will be fat, they allow themselves to eat whatever they want, and no exercise either.

When they tell me I'm so lucky not to be overweight, I usually tell them what I do that helps me stay thin, and I do many of the same things that you do.

What I tell them to do is not necessarily what I always do myself, because I don't need to, (lol, do what I say but not what I do) but most of it is.

What I tell them:

STOP drinking pop, especially diet pop, Stop using sugar substitutes. START looking at food labels to see what ingredients are in them and what the serving size is, because sometimes it's a lot less than what you think.

Start drinking more water or water with lemon.

Eat 4-6 small balanced meals or snacks a day, but if your schedule can't allow you to do this, make sure that you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, and make your earliest meals the larger ones.

When first getting started, look at portion size and measure it out, until you get used to seeing what the portion should look like.

Try to eat dinner at an earlier time, and use a smaller bowl, plate, etc.

Drink a full glass of water before your meal. Also, if you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water first.

Eat a piece of fruit about 10-15 min before eating a meal.

VERY important, chew food thoroughly and eat slowly, really tasting and enjoying the food.

Eat good fats such as avocado, nuts, real butter, olive oil. If I make any baked goods, I only use olive oil.
I don't use vegetable oils, shortening or margarine. (Any kind of margarine is a BIG no-no, health-wise.)

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. I try to have a vegetable and a fruit at dinner.

Dessert is ok, occasionally, but be aware of the portion size and make the calories count by eating something like all natural ice cream ( 1/2 cup = 140 calories but getting some calcium and other nutrients) or all natural pudding. Put on some whipped cream, and a squirt of chocolate syrup, also low in calories, but high in the" I'm getting a real treat" factor.

Get moving. Walking, dancing to your favorite music, housework, gardening or yard work is exercise.

By following this basic plan, (but not sweating the details) my metabolism is so high, that I can eat anything I want and I cannot gain any weight. I have to eat quite a bit just to maintain the weight that I am right now. (I would like to gain a few pounds back, lol.)

I recently heard about an exercise method called Short Burst Training or SBT, that I am going to start with my daughter, who was told recently by our doctor to lose about 30 pounds.

Short Burst Training is where you work out with high intensity for a short period, then rest for a slightly longer period for several reps, depending on your starting exercise level.

Studies done seem to show that SBT gives the same type of results as cardio but with even better fat burning results, and less long term stress on the body. Best of all, it takes very little time to get the same results, according to info I have found.

Short Burst Training

A new study, published in The Journal of Physiology, shows that short bursts of very intense exercise -- equivalent to only a few minutes per day -- can produce the same results as traditional endurance training.

The new study was conducted on 16 college-aged students who performed six training sessions over two weeks. Eight subjects performed between four and six 30-second bursts of "all out" cycling separated by 4 minutes of recovery during each training session. The other eight subjects performed 90-120 minutes of continuous moderate-intensity cycling each day. Total training time commitment including recovery was 2.5 hours in the sprint group, whereas the endurance group performed 10.5 hours of total exercise over two weeks. Despite the marked difference in training volume, both groups showed similar improvements in exercise performance and muscle parameters associated with fatigue resistance.

Congratulations again! and keep telling people about your method.

Now, if I could only get some of my relatives to join ATS !

Originally posted by Miraj
reply to post by Prove_It_NOW

 

WTF. Dude, you just said you don't do cardio, but you trained in multiple martial arts and do P90X?

Do know what cardio is? I want to know what kind of martial disciplined you trained in if it didn't get your heart racing.

I just think it's extremely stupid to tell fat people "You don't need cardio" which is why I posted. Yes, unless they have a serious heart problem, they need to do cardio.

I looked at your post, and it's pretty much the BB(bodybuilding.com) bible; Cardio bad, yams good, lift weights good.. ect.
I agree if you just sit around all day, vegetables as carbs are fine.. But if you actually work out, even weight lifting, you need bread, pasta, rice, ect.

When I say "cardio" I mean the usual status quo exercises that are based almost solely on cardiovascular.

Like jogging, swimming, elliptical, etc. I kind of assume ATS people are smart and know what I mean.

And yes, any "boot camp" or intensive exercise is going to get your heart pounding, that is a given.

That's why I usually put the word 'cardio' in quotations.

Ya see, I sorta think that ATS people would 'get' what I mean but alas, such isn't the case.

So next time I must be even MORE specific. I'll take note.

And I don't own weights, or go to the gym, I don't hang out with weightlifters.
It's very closed minded to say I 'sound like' something and dismiss it. I didn't mention anything about YAMS either.

And I eat bread, just low calorie bread. But before most workouts I eat fruit, which is sufficient for exercise.

All the crap people say that you need to 'load up on carbs' is entire gym speak. It's funny because YOU actually sound more like the gym meat head type than I DO.

reply to post by Prove_It_NOW


That's fine. I'll leave you to your thread. Enjoy.