Does anyone know a weight loss strategy???

[Garry.bell]

Hi, I am 23 years old and have been gaining on pounds and this is getting to me. The thing is that after several efforts of exercise and dieting, I don’t seem to get any slimmer! There are many ways to lose weight, but I have exhausted all the ways I know. I have consulted a few people but all of them have been telling me the same thing. It isn’t helping me and only making my fears worse.

Is there some way to make me feel better!!!

[Weeble29]

There are many ways to feel better about yourself and lose those pounds Garry. I see that your 23, but what is your weight and height? One universal tip is you must mainatain consistancy with your workouts. If you do the proper amount of running, treadmill, or elyptical coupled with a good diet you will lose the weight. Cardio is hated by many people, but unfortunately it is necessary for your goal and the diet is equally if not more important. You will find good diet ideas in the nutrition section of this site and don't be afraid to ask your fellow EF members any questions because thats what were here for. Turn that fear you talk about into a motivational tool to start getting after this weight-loss. You can do this if you dedicate yourself, make the commitment and start working toward your goal. Remember...consistancy consistancy consistancy!!!

[Russ_s]

Garry,

Welcome, hope you find what you've been searching for. You didn't give any information like what's your weight now? Are you doing anything right now?


Weight loss is tricky but I'll tell ya whats been working for me. I've been trying to cut down my fat but keep the muscle I gained. I'll give you a bit of backstory and tell ya whats been working for me.

I Began the year at ~180 lbs.

Jan through June lifted heavy ate right, took suppliments, and I got up to ~198. Still had the chubby belly and wanted it gone. So I switched from lifting heavy to doing cardio and supersets at lighter weight. In April I only lost roughly 5-8 lbs, but this morning I was 181.

Wake 645 - gym 30 mins on a treadmill. HIIT training. Google it. I go 2 minutes jogging, 2 minutes walking and back and forth. Reason I do this in the morning is supposedly your body is out of food so it has to delve into your fat reserves to supply you with energy. This isn't necessarily every day, typically 3-4 out of a work week.

7:30 Breakfast - 4 egg omelet with some mushrooms, onions, peppers, and seasoning. Glass of milk.

11 - pre-workout snack - 1/2 can of tuna, dab of mayo, some crackers

12 Gym - spend 20 minutes focusing on a body part- abs/shoulders/chest/ whatever. 20 minutes doing 3 "supersets" - Grab an EZ curl bar throw some weights on it, I go at 50 then 55 then 60 lbs total, then do the following exercises non-stop without putting the bar down in sets of 10...
-Bent over Row
-EZ Bar Curl
-Tricep Pull (thats the name I was given) Switch your grip so your palms are facing you. Put your hands close to each other and lift bringing your elbows as high as you can and the bar to your chin.
- Shoulder Press
- Goodmorning
- Lunges
- Squats
- Deadlifts

Doesn't sound like alot but doing that 3 times with like a short break between, if you ain't sweating/cursing add some weight or it might not be for you.

I finish this off with some more treadmil or bike time just to cool down.

1pm - Lunch, Typically leftovers, I like chicken, pasta/rice, and a small fresh Deli Salad. I gotta have my diet Dr. Pepper also. My big cheat each day.

3:30 Snack - Currently Pineapple (mmmmmmmm I love pineapple) grapes, carrots, apples.. Buy a bunch on sunday cut it all up and split it all in small containers you can grab each morning.

6-7 dinner - typically healthy, depends on my wife. As few carbs as I can cause all my activity for the day is through. And take smaller portions. Best exercise I ever found was something called "One plate push-off" or something like that. U have one plate of food, push away from the table, if your still hungry in 10 minutes grab a smaller plate and use that.

9 snack - Fish oil capsule, 1/3rd cup 1% cottage cheese, a few carrots, bit of brocolli, whatever fruits we have...

Thats my day, my wife calls it a bit obsessive, but it works for me. Weekends are up in the air, I usually eat unhealthy 1/2 the weekend big meals, lots of carbs, maybe a cigar/cig, and I enjoy beer way more than I should also. But I'm still losing weight. so I don't mind splurging.. ya gotta cheat every now and then.

Hopefully theres something in there that might help ya out.

A few tip's I've picked up are things like..
1)You can't give up. When I go to lose weight it usually takes 2 weeks or so before the weight starts coming off, but then I go down almost a lb every other day.

2) Drink lots of water, I drink roughly 1/2 gallon if not more of water just at work.

3) eat lots of fruits and veggies. Try for every meal (remember eat many small meals).

4) Do you have your meals planned out? Do you know what your eating for the most part?

5) Start slow, from what I gather alot of people start all gung-ho then burn out, quit, and go back to their old ways. Changing habbits is hard.

6) The thing that got me started was my honeymoon 2 years ago, I saw some pics of myself on the beach and it was like "Wait, do I really look like that" I was pushing 220, and flabby. I printed those pics and have one by my gym cloths in the closet, and one in the locker at my work gym, every day I go there I see it. My friends can't belive it's me except they've been with me the whole time. But I use my "Fat pictures" as inspiration to do another set.. or get up in the morning.

7) For weightloss you don't really need to spend hundreds of dollars on suppliments, or buy wacky contraptions. Like weeble said, consistancy and a good diet are huge keys to weight loss.

sorry gotta get to work........

[torofuerte]

Originally Posted by Garry.bell

Hi, I am 23 years old and have been gaining on pounds and this is getting to me. The thing is that after several efforts of exercise and dieting, I don’t seem to get any slimmer! There are many ways to lose weight, but I have exhausted all the ways I know. I have consulted a few people but all of them have been telling me the same thing. It isn’t helping me and only making my fears worse.

Is there some way to make me feel better!!!

Don't let this get to you. Feel better in the sense that you are aware of your weight and that you are willing to do something about it. This puts you light years ahead of the majority of people (who either don't care and think they are "fine", or are too lazy to do something.)

You need to understand that body sculpting, losing weight and getting into acceptable physical shape is

1. a life-long commitment, and
2. somewhat slow process.

It takes between 10 months to two years of consistent work to get decent results for most. Some people do faster, but they are the exception.

There are many ways to do go about it, some better than others. This is what I would recommend to you (it would require a 1.5 - 2 year commitment, though.):

1. Learn about nutrition. I suggest you check Dr. Berardi's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Nutritional Programs & Protein Prejudice" - read this article and learn it from top to bottom.

2. Go to Amazon.com or B&N and get Mark Rippetoe's "Starting Strenght, 2nd Edition" - this is going to be your bible for the next 2 years.

3a. Get familiar with CrossFit and join a affiliate gym in your vicinity.

If there is none, then

3b. Check StrongLifts.com, read their articles and try their 5x5 program.

4. Read this post I wrote at bullshido.net. It tells you how to calculate how much you need to eat to gain or lose weight.

As you do these four steps above, you need to make an 18-24 month commitment to follow the programs in 3a (crossfit) or 3b (StrongLifts 5x5).

It is a 18-24 month commitment of arduous work, following either program to the letter, no deviation, no additions, no wondering if you need to do additional work, cardio, bicep curls or anything like. It is a take it as-is, or leave it.

You take either program as-is for 18-24 months while educating yourself on nutrition.

Assuming there are no serious physical impediments, if you put up with that hard work consistently, to the letter, without deviations or alterations, and without breaks for 18 to 24 months, and I can guarantee you will get results.

I don't know if will work for you if you choose to take just pieces of those programs, or if you do them outside of the guidelines presented above.

Other posters may have other suggestions.

This is the only one I have. Hope it's of help.

[Italianangel]

I think my question is mainly, your definition of slimmer. Does this mean you are not looking for any significant muscle gains or just meaing drop fat and are find with muscle gains.....

[Italianangel]

also, share your meal plan for a day or 2 of eating and what you do for fitness.....