*** Big Fat Weight Loss Thread ***

[Martynt74]

As AndyCr15 has advised its all about tracking, knowing what you are eating and how much you need to eat to achieve your goals. Although i would warn, give your size its not going to be a lot of calories!

For reference im 5'7" and exercise 4 days per week at the gym doing weights, and hit 10k steps per day consistently and i was maintaining weight during my recent maintenance phase on 2.2k-2.3k cals per day, when i want to drop weight i have to go down to 1.8k or below to do this!

Yeah, it's amazing how little calorie intake needs to be for weight loss, especially with minimal amounts of activity. Realistically one takeaway could easily put you over the days target, so sorting out meals is probably the priority here.

 

[Kelt]

Fellas, I really need to lose some flab.
Since the wife left me, I have been living off takeaways and that's caused me to balloon.

I am 5'3 and currently weigh 73 kilos. I need to get down to 65 kilos. Most of my flab is in my belly and my thighs.

I don't work out or go to the gym. I have an excercise bike and a 10kilo weights at home.
I need to get in shape to be an eligible bachelor again!

What's working for me at the moment is cycling and intermittent fasting.


I only eat between 10-6, and get out on my bike as much as I can.

 

[AndyCr15]

What's working for me at the moment is cycling

Cycling is definitely what has made the difference for me. What works is 1) I really enjoy it and 2) I can sustain the exercise for long periods (eg I can easily cycle for 3 to 6 hours, it's almost impossible not to have a deficit then!)

Just another note and I try not to bang on about this but I'll mention for @ATiRubyfan (and please remember, I lift weights too) but I don't think weights is a good option if your main goal is to lose weight. For example, I wear a Whoop now, which is generally very stingy about calories (always much lower than Strava says I've burnt) but it thinks a 15 minute jog burns as many calories as a 45 minute weight lifting session. Again, this is if your main goal is weight loss, if nothing else really matters. There are many benefits to lifting weights, it's definitely something I recommend, I'm just saying, if your main purpose is to drop some weight, I think you're better off going for a run or a cycle

Unrelated, I've started stretching and working on my core a little. Wahoo SYSTM has 'Yoga' and 'Strength' videos which I've started doing in the last seven days or so. It's quite a nice way to start the day. Flexibility is that element of fitness we don't think about much and something I used to have and I've recently realised I really should put some effort back into it as I get older and less flexible...

 

[ATiRubyfan]

I have this strong suspicion that science is correct about metabolism slowing down as you age. I am currently 37. As soon as I crossed 30, this flab issue began.
I do not eat red meat ( beef or lamb ) these days. I only have cake once a year on my birthdays. I even stopped eating ice cream years ago. I don't drink or smoke either.

Somethings which I have that found work in the past are :
- Egg and limeade diet - A glass of limeade made from quarter of a lime followed by two boiled eggs. Repeat every three hours. I once tried this for three days and lost a kilo a day. It then took a month for the weight to come back!
- K9. It's some aloe vera cleansing package you find on Amazon. It helps you lose some kilos by removing the food coating left in your intestines!

 

[SixTwoSix]

I have this strong suspicion that science is correct about metabolism slowing down as you age. I am currently 37. As soon as I crossed 30, this flab issue began.

There are varying studies which say anything from 2-10% per decade of aging (emphasis more around 1-3% rate) - I also felt like once I was past 30, it was harder to keep the weight off, wait til you hit 40

However, when I really look into it, past 30 my social life changed, my spare time was used differently, my job role also changed a little - I was simply moving less and having more opportunity to eat extra. In my case at least, any slowdown of metabolism was secondary to causes within my own life for the struggle in keeping my weight down.

 

[tom_e]

I put a pair of 36inch waist bottoms on the other day. I've never managed that in the whole of my adult life, always got stuck at the 38.

Near enough 40lbs down now.

 

[montymint]

I put a pair of 36inch waist bottoms on the other day. I've never managed that in the whole of my adult life, always got stuck at the 38.

Near enough 40lbs down now.

Well done my dude!

It's the wins like that which really push you on

 

[tom_e]

Well done my dude!

It's the wins like that which really push you on

Cheers, it is. You don't tend to notice until you drop that belt notch or change clothes sizes but it definitely keeps you motivated.

 

[AndyCr15]

When I go to Amazon past orders and search for belt...



(I think the 30-32 was overly optimistic though and went back )

Annoyingly, it wasn't until 'the end' that I found the Grip6 belt. Save yourself some money and order one if you're just starting weight loss!

 

[ic1male]

Do you guys reckon it's worth doing some light weights on my non-running days? I don't know what happens to your muscles if you tear them whilst in a calorie deficit?

 

[tom_e]

Do you guys reckon it's worth doing some light weights on my non-running days? I don't know what happens to your muscles if you tear them whilst in a calorie deficit?

Always worth adding in some resistance training.

 

[SixTwoSix]

Do you guys reckon it's worth doing some light weights on my non-running days? I don't know what happens to your muscles if you tear them whilst in a calorie deficit?

Based on your post yesterday about already feeling sluggish, i'd wait until you feel a bit more normal. Doing weights as well will likely impede your recovery at this point, however long term, I always advocate doing some sort of weight/resistance training regularly, whether on a diet or not. The evidence is getting stronger all the time that it's benefits are not just immediate/short term but long term if you keep it up regularly.

 

[MikeTheNative]

When I go to Amazon past orders and search for belt...



(I think the 30-32 was overly optimistic though and went back )

Annoyingly, it wasn't until 'the end' that I found the Grip6 belt. Save yourself some money and order one if you're just starting weight loss!

Wow you really like that one belt lol
Didn't fancy a change?

 

[AndyCr15]

Wow you really like that one belt lol
Didn't fancy a change?

Tbf, it was good quality, well priced and let you select the size you wanted. Easiest thing was to stick with what works

Do you guys reckon it's worth doing some light weights on my non-running days? I don't know what happens to your muscles if you tear them whilst in a calorie deficit?

As I posted about recently, maybe some light stretching routines or a bit of core work, which often also gets overlooked?

 

[ic1male]

As I posted about recently, maybe some light stretching routines or a bit of core work, which often also gets overlooked?

Yeah, I've been having a look at Peloton (don't shoot me!) and they have a strength training for beginners which starts off with six episodes of just stretching and performing the motions without any weights. So I'll start doing that when I've finished my Couch 2 5K in a few weeks.

 

[tom_e]

When I go to Amazon past orders and search for belt...



(I think the 30-32 was overly optimistic though and went back )

Annoyingly, it wasn't until 'the end' that I found the Grip6 belt. Save yourself some money and order one if you're just starting weight loss!

Mine is similar and I'm just about to add another to the list. That's two belts down since I started this weight loss

 

[AndyCr15]

Mine is similar and I'm just about to add another to the list. That's two belts down since I started this weight loss

This is what I'm saying though, buy a Grip6 and never worry about it again I didn't find them until I'd lost all the weight...

 

[throwaway4372]

I love my braided elasticated belt. Defo a 'never go back' sort of thing.

 

[Alice In Wonderland]

Yeah, I've been having a look at Peloton (don't shoot me!) and they have a strength training for beginners which starts off with six episodes of just stretching and performing the motions without any weights. So I'll start doing that when I've finished my Couch 2 5K in a few weeks.

What about doing some "Plank" type stuff too?

I think isometric exercises can be really helpful to add in.

 

[Syla5]

Do you guys reckon it's worth doing some light weights on my non-running days? I don't know what happens to your muscles if you tear them whilst in a calorie deficit?

I was in a calorie deficit from Dec-Apr and now back in a deficit again. Recovery after sessions just takes a longer thats all, and capacity/intensity adjusts compared to sessions while not in a deficit. Training weights actually encourages the body to retain muscle as well, due to them being used.

For reference my only training is weights, 4 days per week, 7 exercises per routine, and each contains at least 1 of the big 4, so i squat, bench, deadlift, and press. My weights have all gone up since i restarted training, and anyone fresh to training, even in a deficit will make gains, especially so in a newbie lifter.