Lose weight before TSHTF!

I posted a thread similar to this a long time ago.

This one is not so much for debate as it is for gathering knowledge.

I'm a kid. I don't know nearly enough about anything.

I've been facing an extremely annoying problem lately. I am not a fat individual, but my tummy and thighs could do with some slimming. And it really bothers me when I sometimes think that I can't do all the fun physical stuff I used to. Granted, I still do it, parkour and whatnot, but it's a bit more difficult than it used to be. I'm not okay with that.

My lower legs and arms are cut, in almost perfect shape.

My thighs and tummy are a little bigger than they used to be. So, here was my first approach.

1 - Working out. I've been doing leg lifts and sit ups every day, or every other day, for the past three weeks or so. I don't think I've really lost any weight, but I do feel a lot better.

2 - Fasting. Usually, I have to fast for over a day to truly feel the effects. I have very vivid dreams, I feel lighter and more healthy, and I feel very close to God.

3 - Trying to slaughter the negative parts of my self confidence. That's a mental issue.

I feel like I'm generally healthier than before, but I'm not getting slimmer.

I also invented the Vanilla Egg Shake. Three eggs, milk, and one of my Mamaw's vanilla protein shakes. A brew of protein.

Perhaps I'm not trying hard enough? I work out for at least ten minutes each time.

So, sorry for the uninformative thread, but I would like each of you who have experienced this to share what has worked for you in losing weight.

Yes, I am insane, because I have WW3 on my mind.

If TSHTF, what would I do? I have a lot of kids in my family to look after.

I can't afford to be unfit for taking care of them.

This should be a team effort, between all of us. Everyone should do this!!

Suggestions?

Wouldn't you want to gain as much 'reseves' as possible considering finding food may be a major problem?

Originally posted by InTheLight
Wouldn't you want to gain as much 'reseves' as possible considering finding food may be a major problem?

I think I have enough... besides, when your body is in starvation mode, your muscle gets sacrificed before your fat does.

I want to know I won't get tired out if I have to run. I hate running, but if it's needed, it's needed. I wanna be as reliable as possible.

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


If you have a good gun you don't have to run.

Eat your calories in the morning and afternoon. Evenings take a break and drink low caloric drinks and do not eat past 6PM. The pounds will fall off after a while. If you feel sugar/simple carb cravings in the late evening think about taking some prescription anti-fungal treatments. Ketoconazole is one you might ask your doctor about.

I'm with InTheLight on this one. Don't lose weight, stock up! Sure the muscle goes first, but what comes after that? Your best bet is to be fat AND muscular. Tough, maybe--but not impossible. Just look at any wrestler from before 1990. Haha.

Seriously though...it's a tough choice. You want to be fit enough to run and forage for food, but you (or I) would want to have enough of a ponch to be able to live that extra day or two and stay those extra few degrees warmer at night.

Hmm. Maybe the "fat wrestler" training regimen really is the way to go! I gotta get to the store and grab some slim jims and a six pack!

If you want to lose weight, stop doing sit ups and leflifts... you can't burn fat in a certain part of your body...

More effective: running, cycling or whatever cardio you would like to do. everything else is nonsense. btw. fasting is not good if you want to burn fat. better eat normal.

You should prepare yourself,just in case.
A few years back I did a thread about something similar.
Basically fast or starve yourself for a few days to see how your body reacts and how to deal with it.
What kind of medical conditions you may have that may complicate things.

Eat 5-7 times a day. Veggies should be two of these meals and all meals should be small.

Situp/crunches don't work like we want them too. Planks are much better for the core. The additional muscle should also increase your fat burn.

Distance is key. Running two miles builds speed. Jogging for eight builds endurance and burns far more fat.

As far as a SHTF type thing:

Make a realistic list of what you think you will have to accomplish. Then actually DO these tasks. Over and over if you have to. It serves two functions.

1) builds the muscle that is actually needed to perform the task

2) creates "muscle memory" making performing the task much easier under stress.

ETA - none of your daily calories should be from liquids if you want to lose weight. Especially if any for of sugar or starch is involved.

Alright, first thing’s first - sits up on their own do very little! There are many many better exercises to do for abdominal/core strength and conditioning than sit ups. Without cardio and working off that layer of fat on your stomach, you could do 3,000 sit ups a day for two months and you will see very little to no difference. Unless you have flawless form, most people tend to use muscles in their hips whilst doing sit ups. They can also put a lot of pressure on your discs in your back - no good long term!

Fasting is not very good, and certainly not sustainable. There’s nothing wrong with eating. Cut out processed foods. Cut out potatoes and other starchy foods. Substitute white bread (very bad for you) with wholemeal and white rice with brown rice, but try to limit both. Eggs are high in protein and fairly high in fat too. The average egg has around 5g of fat, but only about 1.5g of that is saturated. Most of the fat is in the yolk, whilst most protein is in whites. If you want to lose weight as opposed to gaining then when you have a protein shake with egg separate the yolk and whites and only put the egg white in. Give the yolk to your dog or something, they love eggs.

Ten minutes each time meaning? Meaning your work outs only last for ten minutes in total a day? Whilst being better than nothing, it’s no where near enough to even make a dint in your fitness and weight loss goals - unless you have an incredibly strict diet, but then you won’t improve cardiovascular system and all round general fitness and well being.

Eat around 6 small meals a day - portions about the size of your fist. Plenty of veggies and lean meat. Lots of fish too. Bake, steam and poach most food - avoid frying. Limit fruits as they have a lot of fructose which is a natural sugar. 5 veggies and 2 fruits a day is a good guide. You don’t need to avoid sugar like the plague, but just be mindful of food/drink sugar contents. One teaspoon is about 4.4 grams. A can of coke has around 40 grams of sugar... You wouldn’t put 10 teaspoons in your coffee, would you? If you have two sugars in your coffee, gradually over a few days begin to reduce that. Just avoid soft drink and most “fruit” juices. Make your own in a blender with a bit of cold water and some ice. Sugar loaded drinks are only okay if you’ve just played a hard 2 hour game of football or smashed yourself in the gym, then you may need a bit of lift - but chances are you won’t work out hard enough to merit that, those sorts of energy expulsion levels are what pro athletes do. Sports drinks are the same. Stick with water and plenty of it. If you really run yourself ragged get some Hydralyte and stock up on that.

I’d say increase your work outs to around the 90min mark. Warm yourself up with about ten minutes of cardio. Launch yourself into some weight training for around a 60-70min and finish up with around 10min of cardio again. If you really want to drop the weight fast, cross train cardio (10min on the bike, 10min on the rowing machine, 10min on the treadmill and so on) at varying intensity levels, otherwise known as interval training, for at least 40min.

The best method of losing fat while toning and strengthening is to super set everything. Basically lift a weight on x for 12 reps, when you’re just about at failure put the weight done and immediately pick up the next weight down and go again. Do as many as you like - 2, 3, 4 different weights provided you go to failure on the last set. Testosterone levels increase when working large muscle groups with free weights - such as legs. It’s basically like natural steroids.

Box jobs with very good footwear is also fantastic for explosive power in your legs, as well as toning.

Originally posted by 200Plus
Eat 5-7 times a day. Veggies should be two of these meals and all meals should be small.

Situp/crunches don't work like we want them too. Planks are much better for the core. The additional muscle should also increase your fat burn.

Distance is key. Running two miles builds speed. Jogging for eight builds endurance and burns far more fat.

As far as a SHTF type thing:

Make a realistic list of what you think you will have to accomplish. Then actually DO these tasks. Over and over if you have to. It serves two functions.

1) builds the muscle that is actually needed to perform the task

2) creates "muscle memory" making performing the task much easier under stress.

ETA - none of your daily calories should be from liquids if you want to lose weight. Especially if any for of sugar or starch is involved.

edit on 29-1-2013 by 200Plus because: (no reason given)

Extremely good advice, thank you!

To the rest of yall as well

Uh...when SHTF you actually want to be a little fat. You'll need that fat as a buffer to protect yourself from the extremes of adapting to the new way of life after SHTF.

I know a guy who did alright for himself in the navy. before he went into buds he was told "dude stock up and get a little more fat on you before you start." Turns out you literally will die (or get surveyed out, quit, get rolled back at best) in buds if you don't have enough body fat to get you through.. Turns out the lean and mean gazelles are the ones that washed out not the porkers. Of course when the " porkers" got through with buds they were lean and mean, but legit. Can't say that for the guy who tries to push their body and organs to the limit of their abilities who started with 6% body fat. 12-15% body fat is just right if your serious about survival.

Don't get fooled about being super thin, or being able to "free run" through the environment, with having anything to do with the realities of surviving when SHTF. Here's some good advice. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. DOn't get too hung up on your moderate body fat gain.. It actually will work in your favor if SHTF.

Originally posted by XxNightAngelusxX

Originally posted by InTheLight
Wouldn't you want to gain as much 'reseves' as possible considering finding food may be a major problem?

I think I have enough... besides, when your body is in starvation mode, your muscle gets sacrificed before your fat does.

I want to know I won't get tired out if I have to run. I hate running, but if it's needed, it's needed. I wanna be as reliable as possible.

Actually, your fat is what gets sacrified first. But muscle does have a tendancy to drain the bodies reserves as well. And muscle is harder to maintain. If you survive a TEOTWAWKI event...it'll all work out.

Or you'll be lunch for some zombies. Kidding! I'm kidding.

Get a pedometer and see what mileage you are walking daily. Then step it up a notch, speed and distance. It worked for me. Keep up the upper body workout as well.

Didn't change my diet, but at 10 miles a day (Iknow it sounds like alot, but it really isn't) I lost 31 pounds and had to replace all my pants.

That said, I must warn you to not overdo it. I've been laid up with Sciatica for two months and have gained five pounds...even trying to eat right. But if you are laid up...what can you really do? I've went from 200 miles a month to 10. Be careful.

How much wheat are you eating?

Check out the book "Wheat Belly"

www.wheatbellyblog.com...

I'm 52 and havn't eaten wheat in years. I have no "wheat belly" unlike all my friends...

And this

www.youtube.com...#!

What you are doing is kinda counter productive.
lifts and sit-ups don't really burn calories. You are going to want to do some running. Fast/Slow it does not really matter. jogging for 4 miles is not really better than running 2, that is just a myth fat ladies tell themselves while they read on the treadmill.
Fasting throws your whole metabolism off too, you want to eat 3 times a day at least and 6 times is ideal.
For practical reasons you are going to want some fat on you. Fat is a long term energy source to some extent but we are not bears, you will not live that much longer because you are overweight. The brain still needs glucose and it will eat your muscles to get it.

Originally posted by TDawgRex
Didn't change my diet, but at 10 miles a day (Iknow it sounds like alot, but it really isn't) I lost 31 pounds and had to replace all my pants.

haha, I've dropped almost that just giving up alcohol. I knew it was dead calories, but freaken heck, without even trying.

Also OP, the one key thing to remember is, you don't diet. You choose a way of life.

If you diet, it's temporary. Short term, and you intend to go back to how you ate previously. Faulty thinking creating faulty outcomes. People wonder why they call it a yoyo diet.

Fasting is the same, imo.

If you maintain the right eating/exercise lifestyle, you don't need to diet or fast.

At least that is how I consider it... but this thread has a LOT of good advise in it... even the gun part lol

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX

I'm a kid. I don't know nearly enough about anything

That one statement makes you one of the brightest ATS Members

Hang in there, you will get it done

Originally posted by aLLeKs
If you want to lose weight, stop doing sit ups and leflifts... you can't burn fat in a certain part of your body...

More effective: running, cycling or whatever cardio you would like to do. everything else is nonsense. btw. fasting is not good if you want to burn fat. better eat normal.

this is very true.

you dont want to fast. everytime you shock your body with fasting, it goes into calrorie hoarding mode. you want to eat "normal" and snack in between meals. this keeps your metabolism up and burnig hard to help drop weight.

and definately cardio cardio cardio.

I don't want to disagree with anyone here, and Cardio is of course good and necessary, HOWEVER

Simple facts

1. It is all just numbers.. Work out and burn more than you consume
2. NEVER EVER FAST as so perfectly stated by other Members
3. Weightlifting/Muscle Building is the most effective way to keep the weight off

Allow me to explain number 3..

It is a simple physiological fact that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest and during any activity.. FACT

Weightlifting at a fast pace will get you into a nice fat burning zone and your body will maintain that high metabolism for a much longer period than by running, biking etc

As with all things, use moderation and mix things up sometimes.. Also as previously stated, situps will NOT reduce your waist..

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX

I am not a fat individual, but my tummy and thighs could do with some slimming. And it really bothers me when I sometimes think that I can't do all the fun physical stuff I used to.

what has worked for you in losing weight.

So you want to lose weight and get a little stronger and fitter to do the 'fun physical stuff?'

First off, don't look in the mirror for a couple of weeks...it'll just put you off! Treat it like a SoB troll that wants to stop you reaching some small goals.

The extra fitness and the weight-loss can go together using cardio-training and resistance exercises each day.

For cardio, swimming is golden and you can take your time using breast-stroke or crank it up with front-crawl. It's good cardio and easy resistance work too. Downside is not everyone can afford or have the time for getting in there 3-4 times a week. Maybe twice a week and set small goals? The aura of fitness comes quickly though.

Like it or not, running is a quick way to get fit and increase the metabolism. At first, it's sometimes just enough to keep going and all the technique and speed-changes can come later on. Small goals again. If it's treadmill time, aim to keep going until a specific minute or at a certain speed or for a definite distance. If it's street-running, aim for the end of the block and come back. Push past one lamp-post and aim for the next. Don't care about going fast, it's cardio and conditioning and will fire up the metabolism.

Cycling is great for cardio and building the biggest muscles in the body. Riding to somewhere is also easier on the boredom than running or swimming.

A big reason to shun the mirror is the gains are slow and happening under the skin. So the fat stores are being burned and fat-mass is being swapped for muscle mass. The muscles burn away about 10 times the amount of calories as fat so your metabolism increases and you just can't see it right off. You can find that you don't lose much weight because it's muscle replacing fat and when the scales are telling you haven't lost what you want to lose...it'd demoralising.

The hard thing to keep up is the resistance exercises even though they're the easiest to do anywhere and anytime. So mix up your press-ups...use wide-arms and standard. Do sets of 20 each and any time of day. Now and then, do narrow press-ups to fail and then do the wide to fail too. Really boosts upper body strength and tone. Do more if 20 is too easy...less if too hard. Get your plank on! So easy, you can watch TV and maintain versions of plank to harden your core. Lunges on each leg...start with 20 each leg x3 and see how it feels next day? No pain then try 40 x3 and so on.

The only equipment needed in any of that is a pool and a bike, but the most important things are enthusiasm and stubbornness. They're only basics to get going with and yet they cover core, arms, legs, cardio and chest.