On a diet......

[oalcock]

I am currently trying to loose weight and get fit! Can anybody help me with these questions;

 

*Today I have totted up my calorie intake (for breakfast and lunch) and it is 465. In the gym this morning, I burnt a total of 320, does this mean that in theory my intake is now 145 or does it not work like that?

 

*Is it wise for me to still intake 2500 calories a day while going to the gym daily, or would it be healthy for me to have less calories and go to the gym? (daily recommended allowance)

 

I know it sounds quite an effeminate post, and I know this isn't a health forum - but you lot always seem to know everything about everything!

[irsprint84]

I ve lost 14 pound sin two months, squash and cycling plus about 1500 cals a day (but its a very strict diet but very nutitional)

[Millgate]

I'm not an expert on these things at all but my missus goes to Slimming World and she's lost loads of weight over 12 months. That has been just by eating properly too. I bought her a gym membership but she never went.

 

She's never been fat but she put weight on after i got with her without me even noticing but now she's back to the same weight as before.

 

There's a plan called the extra easy diet and it seems to work! Check it out

 

Cheers

[jinnantonnixx]

Simplistically, if calories out > calories in you will lose weight (from stored fat).

 

It's far more complicated (unfortunately). You body will consume more calories after a workout as the metabolism is still elevated, so calculating calories expended is quite tricky. Also, as you become 'good' at an exercise, your body will become more efficient at that activity, making calorie calculations even more difficult.

 

However, if you drastically restrict calorific intake, you body will do what it can to preserve fat (famine mode). This probably isn't your goal.

 

I'm pretty fit (cycle + exercise every day) but struggled with a couple of extra pounds. I got the Paul Mckenna Book "I can make you thin" and lost about 12 pounds since Christmas (slowly, but it's just fat loss - I can see that). Turns out I was wolfing my food. A simple change made all the difference.

Edited August 9, 2011 by jinnantonnixx

[Flakes]

if you do not eat atleast 1500 calories a day you will gain weight this is because 1500 calories is the minimum intake your body can handle any less than this and your body enters starvation mode and keeps hold of as much fat as it can.

 

remember that going to the gym increases your metablism so if you burnt 320 calories at the gym in one session you will continue to burn more calories than normal for about 8-12 hours after excercise so dont take that 320 calorie burn as the maximum you would of lost.

 

recomend a healthy varied diet, aiming for atleat 1500 calories a day upto 2000 calories with exercise and you will lose weight and tone up.

[oalcock]

I ve lost 14 pound sin two months, squash and cycling plus about 1500 cals a day (but its a very strict diet but very nutitional)

 

On most days I don't know how I managed to intake 2500 calories anyway, it seems a lot!

[irsprint84]

if you do not eat atleast 1500 calories a day you will gain weight this is because 1500 calories is the minimum intake your bady can handle any less than this and your body enters starvation mode and keeps hold of as much fat as it can.

 

remember that going to the gym increases your metablism so if you burnt 320 calories at the gym in one session you will continue to burn more calories than normal for about 8-12 hours after excercise so dont take that 320 calorie burn as the maximum you would of lost.

 

recomend a healthy varied diet, aiming for atleat 1500 calories a day upto 2000 calories with exercise and you will lose weight and tone up.

 

I m doing quite well, squash (sport) is 1000 cals an hour. I eat alot of chicken, fish, turkey, veg drink, green leafed salads, soya with cearel and dont touch any bread brown or white!

[Oaktech]

the simple maths, is put in less than you are burning, but make sure they are worthwhile calories,

 

Plenty of protien for muscle repair, minimal amounts of refined sugar, a good amount of carbs such as pasta and rice. and minimise the saturated fat intake. be sure to get enough water on, and enough salts.

 

my suggested calorie intake is around the 1800 mark as i have a fairly sedentary job at the moment, and i'm cycling a lot.

[Flakes]

On most days I don't know how I managed to intake 2500 calories anyway, it seems a lot!

 

dont forget to count in drinks tea and coffee depending on how much milk you take can be 30-50 calories a drink. did you know that getting it wrong by 100 calories a day can add upto 2 stone in weight within 1 year? (embarrassing bodies fact channel 4 lol)

[oalcock]

I read that a cup of coffee with full fat milk only contains 7 calories, is this incorrect then?

[oalcock]

I have looked again - 24.5 calories in instant coffee with semi skimmed milk and 2 sweetners.

[irsprint84]

Dont drink coffee and have soya milk, plus no added sugar robinsons when thirsty. Remember when ona diet dont feel it is any actually diet, I m not watching my cals I m just feeling better and know Im eating better with losing alot of cals

[oalcock]

What about tea?

[AWicher]

There is also the fact you are "Burning" calories just to keep you alive, and this will vary from person to person.

[AWicher]

oh, and i can +1 on the cycling!! bloody good sport. I signed up for this Cycle to work thing last year, and can't thing of a day i don't want to be out cycling now

 

I'm no cavendish, but hay.

 

SportsTrackLive | awicher

[bossman]

Eating sensibly with no in between meals and doing any form of exercise will mean you lose weight, slimming world lets you eat regular meals i.e. green days made up of pasta, rice and salads plus fat free yoghurt and plenty of fruit, red days when you can eat meat with your meals etc, save your sins for the weekend and your able to have a couple glasses of wine (If you want).

 

3 weeks in and nearly a stone lost and I always seem full and have lots of energy.

[oalcock]

OK so last week I burnt in total 5236 calories on the gym equipment and travelled half a marathon. The machines tell you at the gym all the info using one of those gym keys. I have also not eaten above 1500 calories a day. How come I haven't lost any weight at all yet?

[tech_guy]

Because of that bag of chips on the way home from the gym?

 

;-)

[oalcock]

Incorrect, i've been good!

[NikChillin]

If you are working out you will build muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. I could usually tell if I am getting toned up by the way my clothes fitted or how loose they felt.

[Butters]

OK so last week I burnt in total 5236 calories on the gym equipment and travelled half a marathon. The machines tell you at the gym all the info using one of those gym keys. I have also not eaten above 1500 calories a day. How come I haven't lost any weight at all yet?

 

As your body is likely in Ketosis due to under eating whilst increasing your aerobic output. This then means your body when it gets food is likely to try and store it in case it occurs again.

 

If your significantly increasing your exertion, you need to maintain a higher level of calories to cause your body to safely lose weight rather than shock your system causing it to store more fat reserves. Try carrying on with the exercises but bring your calories up to around 2000 and I'd also add Omega 369 capsules into your diet, they are wonders for fat burning.

[oalcock]

I am sure I can handle a little more food, I am just disappointed now as I feel my efforts have been worthless for the past week.

[NikChillin]

I am sure I can handle a little more food, I am just disappointed now as I feel my efforts have been worthless for the past week.

Don't be impatient, it takes time. Don't become obsessed with the calories either, try and enjoy it and keep motivated. I tried a calorie controlled diet when I was 18 and lost the will to live after two weeks! I got fed up weighing stuff. I decided the best option was to do regular exercise and eat sensibly.

[laptopsandspares]

I'd say keep heart and keep plugging away at the exercise as you will see a difference if you contiune to burn 5000+ a week at the gym and eat sensibly. I read on a runners forum that you (I) need to cover 20 miles a week for it to impact on your (my) weight. Thats a lot of distance, I'm not doing anywhere near that on foot yet but am seeing a difference. I think because most of the miles are before 7am, see below. Don't forget the 2500 per day RDA isn't really based on our more sedatory lifestyles. I'm deskbound most of the day and when I was calorie counting I was no where need that threshold and still putting it on. you need blood sugar to funtion mentally but you don't particularly need carbs if you are on your bum a lot. I'm not saying miss carbs and eat sugar but try and factor this in to your meals. You need a balanced diet for sure to stay healthy but that balance will vary depending how you are burning it. a good carb lunch if you are going to the gym in the evening is a good idea or you'll feel fatigued and not train efficiently.

 

Here's what is working for me. As much as possible, I exercise in the morning. Personally (not saying this works for everyone), I find it's more efficient for me. the kids have me up at 5.30 anyway so i'll chuck on my running shoes and go out, or jump on the bike for between 1/2 an hour and an hour. I try and eat less in the evening so I'm running on empty in the morning which kick starts my body fat burning for energy. Generally I'm eating more mid-day and less in the evening. Early doors runs wake me up and gets the metabolism going so anything I do eat should burn off quicker and I think it's more efficient than doing it in the evening and then going to bed. It does make me feel a bit sick sometimes but that's a by product of burning fat so if you can tolerate it, feel as sick as you can.

 

I also choose the most inefficient method of exercise i can stand. Cycling is an incredibly efficient method of transport but this means it's not very efficient and burning calories. I do a 20-30 mile ride at the weekend, = about 1000 calories. a 1hr 6mile run burns about the same. The trade off is cycling is much lower impact and better to help build up fitness levels again, but you need to put the miles in. I'm not a swimmer but I'm told it's very good for calorie burning and when i do go, a couple of lengths at a time certainly does me in. So in the gym, look at the stepper machine rather than the treadmill, or at least put a reasonable incline on it.

 

Keep it varied to keep your motivation up and also, if you train hard, make sure you have rest days, or even a week off every now and then. Motivation gets you exercising but habit keeps you at it but if you can be honest with yourself and tune into your physical well being (sounds a bit hippy), if you are feeling wrecked, stop or you could injure yourself. I know I'm getting a cold if my 5k run makes me sweat too much and I only ever managed 10k without stopping by learning to ignore my head telling me to stop because i was tired, and listened to my body. If my legs/kness/feet didn't hurt and i wasn't coughing up blood, i'd keep going. Conversley this is true, if I'm really struggling on a run/ride, and my knee hurts, I'll stop and go home.

 

Guys on here have already made the point that as you become fitter and more efficient you'll burn less calories per mile, as you lose weight (and you will), you'll use less energy to move. work toward keeping your exercise levels going up and chop and change to exercises that you are not so good at. If the treadmill is feeling easier, jump on the rowing machine (I hate the rowing machine). Finally, don't forget being fitter will be better for you regardless of weight loss so if you can now run 3 flights of stairs without getting puffed out when 2 weeks ago a trip to the coffee machine left you wheezing, you are in better chape already, even if the scales haven't moved. But they will. I'd put money on it.

 

Has anyone thought of starting a EduFatclub? I bet there are loads of people who would benefit from a buddy system to co-motivate with, or a friendly text in the morning to get you out the door?

 

Runkeeper and Endomondo fitness apps for smartphones are a good way or tracking progress too. I got a friendly e.mail saying "congratulations, you've joined the 500 mile club" last week. cheered me up and I went for a run. It only took me 2 years :D

 

Keep at it.

 

D

[maveriick]

I use myfitnesspal.com They have both Android and Ipod-pad apps.

it is very good, some basic information including your weight, height etc and how much you want to loose each week and it customizes your caloric burn for each day. Also you should intake some of those used calories if you do not you will end up starvation mode...

If you want we could start a community on there for this group... I was doing so well last year then fell off... Now I am trying to get back on the horse... I changed my Gym to closser to home...

 

If you join (it is free) friend me maveriiick

Thanks