Blonde will make thin ....Here we go again !

[zerofive]

I'm not sure, I don't really like counting everything but know I'm having a lot less than usual. If I struggle over the next few weeks I might start counting the calories & protein etc.

Absolutely no reason to count everything forever more, that would be a tragic waste of time and effort

I think it's good to count calories and macros - only for a week or so - to get a good idea of what you're eating and what sort of nutrients your favourite foods contain etc. You will be able to identify very quickly if you are eating too much or too little, or if your macronutrient ratios are good or horrible.

It sounds like more of a drag than it is. You eat 3 meals per day with a few healthy snacks. Just have a look at the back of the packet before you scarf it down and make a quick note somewhere.

The reason I'm saying this is that a very common problem for people who are "on a diet," to eat too few calories. With a quick look at your daily intake, it's easy to see why you felt weak at the gym on chest day! I'm in the process of re-working my diet because I'm not eating quite enough and I feel like I eat loads!

I'll post my diet today and see what iRaise makes of it

[EvilPie]

I'm not sure, I don't really like counting everything but know I'm having a lot less than usual. If I struggle over the next few weeks I might start counting the calories & protein etc.

Like Sean says you don't need to do it forever just until you have an idea of what you're really taking in.

When you're really honest with yourself and note down everything you'd be surprised what a difference the little things made.

For example:

200g of cooked chicken is about 220 calories and 48g of protein with zero carb/fat.

200g of cooked chicken + the tbsp. of olive oil you cooked it in is 350 calories, 48g protein and 15g of fat.

1 tin of tuna in brine is 130 calories, 30g of protein and 1g of fat

Add just one tbsp full (40g) of hellmans lighter than light and it's 160 calories and 2g fat

Change that to standard light mayo and it's 235 calories and 12g fat

Up it to normal mayo and you're a whopping 417 calories and 33g of fat. That's just tripled the calories for what seems to most like a healthy meal 'cause it's just a tin of tuna with a little blob of mayo.

So yes we know that light mayo doesn't taste great but it really does make a difference to your diet.

[sovietsong]

glad you said that matt as i was about to ditch the light stuff & return to normal mayo!

I will try to be more specific when posting next week, not really sure what all this macro stuff is about but calories are simple to check.

Todays Food

Shreddies 60g - half pint of milk
Apple
Low fat Prawn Mayo sandwich from tesco - can't remember exactly but it was c300 cals
pasta & spicy pesto for tea.

Turned down beers after work as i'm out sunday so don't want to get hammered tonight & then have a kebab!

[sovietsong]

I'm not sure, I don't really like counting everything but know I'm having a lot less than usual. If I struggle over the next few weeks I might start counting the calories & protein etc.

Absolutely no reason to count everything forever more, that would be a tragic waste of time and effort

I think it's good to count calories and macros - only for a week or so - to get a good idea of what you're eating and what sort of nutrients your favourite foods contain etc. You will be able to identify very quickly if you are eating too much or too little, or if your macronutrient ratios are good or horrible.

It sounds like more of a drag than it is. You eat 3 meals per day with a few healthy snacks. Just have a look at the back of the packet before you scarf it down and make a quick note somewhere.

The reason I'm saying this is that a very common problem for people who are "on a diet," to eat too few calories. With a quick look at your daily intake, it's easy to see why you felt weak at the gym on chest day! I'm in the process of re-working my diet because I'm not eating quite enough and I feel like I eat loads!

I'll post my diet today and see what iRaise makes of it

Looking forward to seeing what you're eating!  Googling macro's as we speak.

[sovietsong]

Based on my current weight i should be consuming the following to maintain my weight

2688 calories
156g protein
74g fat
337g carbs

how do i now calculate what i should eat to get max weight loss without being too unhealthy?

[zerofive]

Based on my current weight i should be consuming the following to maintain my weight

2688 calories
156g protein
74g fat
337g carbs

how do i now calculate what i should eat to get max weight loss without being too unhealthy?

Eat that amount of protein everyday, but reduce overall kcals (ie reduce carbohydrate and fat intake)

Start by reducing the kcals by about 200. If, after a couple of weeks, you're not losing weight then you can drop some more. If you find yourself getting tired all the time then you can add some kcals back in. It's all about finding what works for you.

Dropping 200 cals is as simple as dropping 50g of carbs, which shouldn't be difficult at all using those numbers (337g of carbs is A LOT of food)

[sovietsong]

Based on my current weight i should be consuming the following to maintain my weight

2688 calories
156g protein
74g fat
337g carbs

how do i now calculate what i should eat to get max weight loss without being too unhealthy?

Eat that amount of protein everyday, but reduce overall kcals (ie reduce carbohydrate and fat intake)

Start by reducing the kcals by about 200. If, after a couple of weeks, you're not losing weight then you can drop some more. If you find yourself getting tired all the time then you can add some kcals back in. It's all about finding what works for you.

Dropping 200 cals is as simple as dropping 50g of carbs, which shouldn't be difficult at all using those numbers (337g of carbs is A LOT of food)

i want to lose 1kg a week for 12 weeks.  I'm competitive & want to do it fast & now.  I know this might not be the "correct" way but its the only way i know.

I was thinking dropping to 2k cals would be a good start?  I want this done yesterday!

[sovietsong]

I currently weigh 118kg

this was me when the thread started.  Obv 102kg is much better.  I want to be 90kg asap

[vegaslover]

If fast is the way you want to go I would say reduce the carbs by a lot. Works for me but can be bad for muscle growth/maintenance. Looking at your diet that will be bread and the shreddies.

[iRaise]

Based on my current weight i should be consuming the following to maintain my weight

2688 calories
156g protein
74g fat
337g carbs

how do i now calculate what i should eat to get max weight loss without being too unhealthy?

Eat that amount of protein everyday, but reduce overall kcals (ie reduce carbohydrate and fat intake)

Start by reducing the kcals by about 200. If, after a couple of weeks, you're not losing weight then you can drop some more. If you find yourself getting tired all the time then you can add some kcals back in. It's all about finding what works for you.

Dropping 200 cals is as simple as dropping 50g of carbs, which shouldn't be difficult at all using those numbers (337g of carbs is A LOT of food)

i want to lose 1kg a week for 12 weeks.  I'm competitive & want to do it fast & now.  I know this might not be the "correct" way but its the only way i know.

I was thinking dropping to 2k cals would be a good start?  I want this done yesterday!

Is stopping you getting it at all! Or at best stopping you maintaining it.

[sovietsong]

Based on my current weight i should be consuming the following to maintain my weight

2688 calories
156g protein
74g fat
337g carbs

how do i now calculate what i should eat to get max weight loss without being too unhealthy?

Eat that amount of protein everyday, but reduce overall kcals (ie reduce carbohydrate and fat intake)

Start by reducing the kcals by about 200. If, after a couple of weeks, you're not losing weight then you can drop some more. If you find yourself getting tired all the time then you can add some kcals back in. It's all about finding what works for you.

Dropping 200 cals is as simple as dropping 50g of carbs, which shouldn't be difficult at all using those numbers (337g of carbs is A LOT of food)

i want to lose 1kg a week for 12 weeks.  I'm competitive & want to do it fast & now.  I know this might not be the "correct" way but its the only way i know.

I was thinking dropping to 2k cals would be a good start?  I want this done yesterday!

Is stopping you getting it at all! Or at best stopping you maintaining it.

I can see the logic but I have lost 16kg & maintained it. I've had bursts of weight loss then periods of maintaining it.

[iRaise]

Based on my current weight i should be consuming the following to maintain my weight

2688 calories
156g protein
74g fat
337g carbs

how do i now calculate what i should eat to get max weight loss without being too unhealthy?

Eat that amount of protein everyday, but reduce overall kcals (ie reduce carbohydrate and fat intake)

Start by reducing the kcals by about 200. If, after a couple of weeks, you're not losing weight then you can drop some more. If you find yourself getting tired all the time then you can add some kcals back in. It's all about finding what works for you.

Dropping 200 cals is as simple as dropping 50g of carbs, which shouldn't be difficult at all using those numbers (337g of carbs is A LOT of food)

i want to lose 1kg a week for 12 weeks.  I'm competitive & want to do it fast & now.  I know this might not be the "correct" way but its the only way i know.

I was thinking dropping to 2k cals would be a good start?  I want this done yesterday!

Is stopping you getting it at all! Or at best stopping you maintaining it.

I can see the logic but I have lost 16kg & maintained it. I've had bursts of weight loss then periods of maintaining it.

I can't find a response right now that won't make me seem out of line or negative. But when I have some time I will try and go into some detail into it. Unless you're the exception to trend, which is possible but extremely unlikely if you're A using this thread or B don't use or understand macros, you are at risk of a relapse. Maybes not today or tomorrow, but to evade it forever without a sound and solid appreciation of nutrition and a mindset where you understand how the body works seems a long stretch.

I don't wanna be negative but I do want to be constructive. I have no idea what you weighed over the last ten years. But plotting a Graph is always interesting reading. 

Health and fitness is a never ending battle. Well it ends, but it ends when your dead.

[iRaise]

Based on my current weight i should be consuming the following to maintain my weight

2688 calories
156g protein
74g fat
337g carbs

how do i now calculate what i should eat to get max weight loss without being too unhealthy?

Eat that amount of protein everyday, but reduce overall kcals (ie reduce carbohydrate and fat intake)

Start by reducing the kcals by about 200. If, after a couple of weeks, you're not losing weight then you can drop some more. If you find yourself getting tired all the time then you can add some kcals back in. It's all about finding what works for you.

Dropping 200 cals is as simple as dropping 50g of carbs, which shouldn't be difficult at all using those numbers (337g of carbs is A LOT of food)

i want to lose 1kg a week for 12 weeks.  I'm competitive & want to do it fast & now.  I know this might not be the "correct" way but its the only way i know.

I was thinking dropping to 2k cals would be a good start?  I want this done yesterday!

Is stopping you getting it at all! Or at best stopping you maintaining it.

I can see the logic but I have lost 16kg & maintained it. I've had bursts of weight loss then periods of maintaining it.

Als being on here and already losing 16kg tells me you have/had a huge amount to lose. Never under estimate how hard consistency is  I'm sure someone as dedicated as Matt can attest to that.

[sovietsong]

Based on my current weight i should be consuming the following to maintain my weight

2688 calories
156g protein
74g fat
337g carbs

how do i now calculate what i should eat to get max weight loss without being too unhealthy?

Eat that amount of protein everyday, but reduce overall kcals (ie reduce carbohydrate and fat intake)

Start by reducing the kcals by about 200. If, after a couple of weeks, you're not losing weight then you can drop some more. If you find yourself getting tired all the time then you can add some kcals back in. It's all about finding what works for you.

Dropping 200 cals is as simple as dropping 50g of carbs, which shouldn't be difficult at all using those numbers (337g of carbs is A LOT of food)

i want to lose 1kg a week for 12 weeks.  I'm competitive & want to do it fast & now.  I know this might not be the "correct" way but its the only way i know.

I was thinking dropping to 2k cals would be a good start?  I want this done yesterday!

Is stopping you getting it at all! Or at best stopping you maintaining it.

I can see the logic but I have lost 16kg & maintained it. I've had bursts of weight loss then periods of maintaining it.

Als being on here and already losing 16kg tells me you have/had a huge amount to lose. Never under estimate how hard consistency is  I'm sure someone as dedicated as Matt can attest to that.

i can see what you're saying, i was 118kg 3 years ago, i haven't lost weight on a steady & slow basis, i've lost 3-4 kg over a couple of months & then maintained & then i've repeated this.  Maybe its not the best way to do it but its the way i've done it & i know myself.  I'm compulsive & competitive, TK seems to be the same.  He goes through a major cut & probably then puts the weight back on.  I try to go hard & then maintain. 

Anyway the last 6 months for me have been pretty tough personally but now I'm getting back on my feet & i want to lose 12kg.  I want to do this in 3 months.  its not a crazy target & i'd love to do it quicker but that will be really hard. 

This thread is great, i've picked it up & dropped it as i've gone & the support from zero & matt along with all the other members has always been outstanding, having somewhere to post is very much like people going to slimming world & getting support from the group. 

So I've taken onboard the info from Matt & zero & will be actioning this, ensuring i have enough protein, carbs & fat while keeping calories low.  I've read so much & know fundamentally what is good and what is bad but think if i'm a little more scientific about it the results will improve & thats what i'm after.

I'm doing plenty at the gym & with the weather picking up i'll be back on the bike very soon, also will be getting my dog back which means two nice walks a day.

90kg here i come.

[Ant040689]

Read all posts since my last. Good luck to all of you. Some serious shiftage of weight there Soviet, well done. Share the same annoyance with you about calorie counting, look up the "John McDougall program for maximum weight loss" for a left field alternative to your current diet if you fancy. Even if not applied it will be a decent alternative on board.

Not taking down my weight anymore. I think from what I am eating and body composition I am in and around the target weight. I just need to tone up now. As you all know I am protective and love the diet that I have basically done without much exercise losing 108lbs to date in 15 months. So that is sorted.

Now though I really need help on effective exercise. I am unfit. My goal is to be muscular (so not too big) for football as well as quicker than I am and have a lot more stamina. At present and for the last 2 days straight I have ran 3 miles a day at 1.5x walking pace (very slow) and on every other day I am going to do a full body dumbbell workout with 15kg on each one.

The routine is to hit around 3 sets of 10-15 reps everywhere I can, reducing for problem areas. Should I be going harder? Is this ok as an introductory plan to build baseline fitness or is it not enough? It feels good as a start.