*** Big Fat Weight Loss Thread ***

[Syla5]

The diet as prepared by the nutritionist. Part portion size (small) and the proportions.

People have booked 1-10 weeks on that! Mrs lost 4kg.

1200 really is extremely low. Im a small guy 5'7" and my base metabolic rate, just what i burn with ZERO activity is 1650, factoring in 4 workout sessions per week and daily walking.

My calories to cut weight are set at 1700 and im dropping 1-2lb per week, and I started in the 20-25% BF range so not an extreme high start point.

You can do more harm then good by being on such LOW cals like you are, how long are you set to be on 1200 cals?? i hope only a week or two to kick start a fat loss phase or push a final end phase of a cut, not for the full duration.

Also perfect timing of this video:

 

[NickK]

1200 really is extremely low. Im a small guy 5'7" and my base metabolic rate, just what i burn with ZERO activity is 1650, factoring in 4 workout sessions per week and daily walking.

My calories to cut weight are set at 1700 and im dropping 1-2lb per week, and I started in the 20-25% BF range so not an extreme high start point.

You can do more harm then good by being on such LOW cals like you are, how long are you set to be on 1200 cals?? i hope only a week or two to kick start a fat loss phase or push a final end phase of a cut, not for the full duration.

This is a kick start - for this is a simple kick start. The Mrs too. Essentially this is resetting the approach to food and exercise. There's nothing banned but the approach is to ensure you're aware of the intake and rebalancing for better food. The focus is on making a flatter blood sugar graph.

Weekly shop:


We've got Lentil pasta (a first and it's good!), sourdough bread. Small snacks can be easy peelers or rice cake+small peanut butter+1/2 banana. However I've not felt the need for snacking at the moment.

I wouldn't say the calories are low now as were at home (our portion sizes are a little larger). We were told 1-2lbs/week when at home is good.

Breakfast today - porridge with almond milk+1 strawberry, 4 blue berries, 4 grapes (which is quite sweet) plus seeds, lunch was mange-tout+green beans+sourdough bread (1 slice)+chicken breast+tomato.

WRT the nutritionist etc this is the retreat staff: who-are-we, the nutritionist works for the NHS, Nuffield Health and governing body.. also on the retreat it's supervised and monitored.

 

[Syla5]

Resetting on 1200 calories is a really bad idea. Your food choices are good, your exercise level is good, activity level is good. Approach to food of only 1200 cals per day, very bad. I would trust all the information ive seen over the years over an NHS nutritionist.

Perfect example of an nhs nutritionist my wife looked after their children, both had serious issues with food.

Are you actively tracking your food to know for sure you are eating only 1200cals, because im currently on 1700 and its bugger all!

 

[NickK]

Resetting on 1200 calories is a really bad idea. Your food choices are good, your exercise level is good, activity level is good. Approach to food of only 1200 cals per day, very bad. I would trust all the information ive seen over the years over an NHS nutritionist.

Perfect example of an nhs nutritionist my wife looked after their children, both had serious issues with food.

Are you actively tracking your food to know for sure you are eating only 1200cals, because im currently on 1700 and its bugger all!

Now at home we're probably not completely 1200 I'd expect. Certainly not feeling hungry or low in energy.

From all my normal experience (not research) I suspect that you'd probably quickly find that (a) the body adapts reducing the losses and (b) the body would target muscle protein should the level of fat be too low.

 

[Syla5]

If you aren't tracking your intake, I would strongly suggest you start. Having been on between 1690-2200 cals for the last 6 months depending on diet phase, I know just how little 1690 is, so 1200 is really extreme. If you don't respect how little that is via tracking, you wont then appreciate how easy it is to end up eating too much.

Everything adds up very quickly, a sauce on the side of a plate can add 100 cals, any milk in teas, coffees, can add 100 cals over the course of a day, half a teaspoon too much peanut butter on a rice cake can add 100 cals, a few extra nuts again 100 cals easily.

Also not quite sure what you are trying to get at with points a/b.

 

[Syla5]

Stuck in a bit of a mental space right now. I’m closing in on the end of my cut, but wondering if I’ve set my final target as too low or not.

Might get some pics posted up later to give a view point.

My aim when I started this phase of my journey was to get to a true base so I can then bulk and cut cycle and I won’t have to drop the same fat levels again.

For reference:
5’7”
Started at 12st 3.6lb / 77.8kg 20-25% bf

Target 10st 5lb / 65.8kg 10-15% bf
(so at least 10st 4lb to allow for rebound)

Current weight 10st 7lb / 66.7kg 10-15% bf

I’m very comfortable that the majority of my weight loss has been fat, if not more and I’ve actually put on muscle, now I’m just wondering if the benefits from 2-3 more weeks of cutting are worth it or not!

 

[ic1male]

I haven't lost a jot since coming off keto nearly two weeks ago. This morning I was up nearly 1kg so I don't know what the heck is going on. Looking at my calories over the past week, I should have easily lost another 0.5kg so it's going in the wrong direction! And if you take the Garmin figures right at the end, that is nearly 10,000kcals difference.

Maybe I should try eating more? I don't want to put on any more weight though! I probably won't change anything for another couple of weeks just in case body is still sorting itself out.

Spoiler: Chart

 

[Syla5]

General rule of thumb is if you aren't dropping weight while keeping cals stable then the main factor is still cals and you actually need to lower not increase.

What activity modifier have you used to get your TDEE?

 

[ic1male]

General rule of thumb is if you aren't dropping weight while keeping cals stable then the main factor is still cals and you actually need to lower not increase.

What activity modifier have you used to get your TDEE?

Cripes, I already feel like I'm starving myself.

I picked Moderate - exercise 4 or 5 times per week as the activity. I go running for about 30 minutes 5 times per week. On the other two days, I just go for a walk and sit at the PC playing games. These are the two days I want to do strength training on but I just don't have the motivation to get going with it right now.

 

[Syla5]

As an example i walk a min of 10k steps per day, and do 4 weight workouts per week roughly 1.5-2hrs per session and i only use a light modifier for my TDEE and it seems to be pretty spot on. Im on 1.7k to cut, 2.2kish to maintain.

You have tracked well, been consistent and so its on to the law of thermo dynamics, you need to put less in, not much more to it.

 

[ic1male]

As an example i walk a min of 10k steps per day, and do 4 weight workouts per week roughly 1.5-2hrs per session and i only use a light modifier for my TDEE and it seems to be pretty spot on. Im on 1.7k to cut, 2.2kish to maintain.

You have tracked well, been consistent and so its on to the law of thermo dynamics, you need to put less in, not much more to it.

Thanks for your help, I'll try knocking another couple of hundred off to take it down to 1800kcal daily. So what do you eat on a typical 1700kcal day then?

 

[Syla5]

I have a few staples and dinner is flexible, my main aim is to make sure i hit enough protein, which for me is a minimum 140g per day.

Typical Day: Cals // Carbs /Fats / Proteins

Breakfast:
Protein Porridge: 398 // 45g / 7.4g / 38g
55g Oats
30g Whey Protein (strawberry flavour)
150ml Semi Skimmed milk
30g Mixed Berries

Lunch:
Chicken + Rice: 396 // 34g / 5g / 55g
200g Chicken Breast
40g Long Grain white rice
100g Veg

Dinner:

Quite flexible, Spagbol, Meatballs, Katsu Curry, Sausage Mash and Veg, Casserole, Full english, Fajitas, Chicken Tenders and Chips, Burgers and Chips, Fish potatoe and veg, etc

Usually ranges in the 650-750 Cals range with a macro breakdown range something like: 50-70g / 25-40g / 30-50g

Snacks / Top ups:
100-150g High protein yoghurts
10-25g Granola
30-60ml Semi Skimmed Milk in coffee/s
The occasional cookie/chocolate bar

 

[SixTwoSix]

I haven't lost a jot since coming off keto nearly two weeks ago.

Have you taken into account that you might be taking on water weight after coming off keto? So if the scale hasn't moved but you've got your water weight back, you could have in fact lost some fat over the last few weeks.

 

[ic1male]

Have you taken into account that you might be taking on water weight after coming off keto? So if the scale hasn't moved but you've got your water weight back, you could have in fact lost some fat over the last few weeks.

Hmm, possibly. I haven't really got a way of measuring body fat, the scales I use just pluck a number out of thin air I think.

 

[tom_e]

Hmm, possibly. I haven't really got a way of measuring body fat, the scales I use just pluck a number out of thin air I think.

Pictures. Always take pictures, best way to track progress.

 

[Syla5]

So I feel a progress update post is finally due, im not quite at the end of the cut where i wanted to be before posting pics but im still stuck mentally with what / when to change strategy and shift in to bulk mode.

As i mentioned previously my initial goal was to get to a what i feel is a true base for my height/body structure, so I can then bulk and cut cycle and I won’t have to drop the same fat levels again.

For reference:
5’7”
Started at 12st 3.6lb / 77.8kg 20-25% bf

Target 10st 5lb / 65.8kg 10-15% bf
(so at least 10st 4lb to allow for rebound)

Current weight 10st 7lb / 66.7kg 10-15% bf

Pics as follows:

Starting out 11th December 2021:
Weight: 12st 3.6lb / 77.8kg
Front


Side


Back


Same 3 poses under the same conditions 2nd June 2022:
10st 7lb / 66.7kg
Front

Side

Back


Finally some vanity shots

Spoiler

 

[ic1male]

Very impressive. If I had your starting body, I'd be over the moon!

 

[tom_e]

Nice work @Syla5
You're in a really nice position now to start slowly bulking I'd say.

 

[SixTwoSix]

@Syla5 impressive stuff, consistency wins the day.

 

[Mobius 1]

Decided it’s time I shifted a few pounds of weight. I’ve only really just started (last Tuesday was my first weigh in)

I’m about 5’8 and weighed in at dead on 80.0kg. I’ve been doing pretty much my own thing with regards to meals. Oh, and given up drinking booze for now.

Just weighed in this afternoon at 76.2kg. So I think it’s working! I’m pretty happy so far with the result. I’m thinking actually maybe I’ve cut my calories down a bit too much ?? Honestly though, I’m no hungrier which is great!