BF% in a 391lb man?

[GoldDragon]

Hi all i tried to follow the details on here after reading the stickies:-

Intermediate Formula - Harris Benedict Formula

STEP 1 - Find your BMR
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) -
( 6.8 x age in year )

This number provides your Basal Metabolic Rate. Your Basal Metabolic Rate is
essentially the minimum caloric intake to maintain basic life functions.

STEP 2 - Apply the 'Activity Modifier'

Quote:
1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation =
BMR x 1.2
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) :
Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5
days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) :
Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or
2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
Find the multiplier that fits closest to you and multiply it by your BMR.

FINAL STEP - Subtract 500 calories to find your cutting calories.

This formula provides an accurate starting point IF you use the appropriate
modifier. Many people over/underestimate their activity level which can
totally screw this formula up.

I am 391lbs, 72 inches, 33Yo work out 3x a week at the gym and a wee bit at home ( 25 mins a day on my off days ) so i selected option2 which is 1.375

calculation goes as this. : 66 + (6.23*391=2435.93) + (12.7*72=914.4) - (6.8*33=224.4) = BMR of 4388.90 - 500 cals = 3888.90 ?

now that seems one hell of a lot more then my doc wanted me on? he said 500 cals a day ? i thought he was an idiot!

as after reading all the weight loss tips and info on here i was wondiering if i should drop that a bit more? my goal is to loose 100lbs and bulk up so i get some decent muscle groups.

i have stopped all soft drinks ( soda ) all chocolate and sugar and sweets and all the things i used to eat.
i have a limited budget so i am a bit stuck on diet items?
i would appreciate any good suggestions for committed dieter and look forward to sharing my success with you all.

Tim.

[Grandfather]

whoa.
i think at 500 cals and at your weight, he wanted drastic results because that weight is pretty unhealthy.
i think eating at 3888.90 calories would allow you to lose weight slowly while retaining muscle you have
not an expert but maybe at your weight a drastic cut in calories while you lose some weight fast and then a slow increase to the original formula depending on your weight could be ok.

there are people better suited to answer this on here though.

[Pumpkin431]

if you're eating anywhere from 1800-2800 i dont think you'll have any problems...

im tryin to stay near 1800 , and im loosing like 2+ pounds a week

[TheManofSteel]

Two of the best foods are also cheap: tuna & whole grain rice

At above 300 pounds you can just cut down to a regular 2000 calorie diet for starters and then work you're way down. Especially if this is your first time working out-

[puretorque]

Bro i would recomend losing 200lbs, then if you have to, bulk slooooooowly.

[JBU2010]

Hey Tim,

Congrats to taking the step to establishing a healthier lifestyle.

BMR Based On Weight
1 x 177 Kg x 24 = 4257

BMR With Bodyfat Percentage Calculation
Taking your bodyfat percentage into account, your adjusted BMR is 3618 calories per day. This is equal to 151 calories per hour.

Total Daily Calories Burned
Adding in your activity level, we times your BMR by 1.65. This means that your approximate total calories burned each day is 5970.

Macronutrient Breakdown In YOUR Diet
Protein Grams: 293 Grams Per Day.
Fat Grams: 100 Grams Per Day.
Carbohydrate Grams: 976 Grams Per Day.

Source: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa64.htm

I hope the information above is helpful. And yes, your doctor is an idiot. You'd be starving yourself based on his or her recommendation. A pound of fat contains 3500 calories. Healthy weight loss is about 2 pounds per week (7000 calories).

7000 (total calories in 2 pounds of fat) / 7 (number of days in a week) = 1000 (calories to subtract from your adjusted BMR)

Subtract 1000 calories from what your body needs to start losing weight. Remember, the heavier you are...the more nutrients your body needs. If you aren't taking a multivitamin already, start doing so when you can.

[BuckSpin]

1st, congrats on deciding to make a change. I respect that.

You're getting some good advice. To be honest at your starting weight even if you just really cleaned up your diet & ate lean proteins, fresh veggies/fruits, whole grains, etc. you would almost certainly start to lose weight & probably at a decent clip in the beginning. Add in some exercise & that will only speed up the loss.

And view it as a lifestyle change, not a diet. That alone will, over time, guarantee success for you.

It didn't go on overnight, its not gonna come off overnight. But if you make a commitment to a healthy lifestyle it WILL come off!!!

[GoldDragon]

thanks for all the info.. and the inspiration!, i have gone to the gym about 8x now and just about to leave in 10 mins for the 9th visit. i see this as a life changing decision. a commitment to actually getting a life living it instead of existing. as it dawned on me after my marriage went pear shaped i had a motorbike accident and my mother and grandmother died i was not living ,. i was literally just existing. comfort eating. playing the computer all day. being depressed but not having the guts to get up and do something about it.

but thankfully i dug myself out and i am for the long term, going to do something about it. commitment is my middle name. i don't care if it takes 3 years i will get there

after doing a lot of reading i have decided on a calorie controlled diet of about 2500 a day just to focus on weight loss with lots of cardio and some weights as i have been doing. i have already noticed a difference in the last 2 months as i have lost about 9lb as when i started i was 401lbs.

my diet was consisting of fruit, brown rice, veggies, some pasta and chicken and lean meat. before it was anything quick and easy and junk like.
I am keeping a log book of exercise and what i eat daily ( just started today ) so i can see if i go wrong.. Is there somewhere online i can keep this so others can see it and comment on it?

yet again thanks for the input, it really means a lot to me.

TIM

[Ronik]

Hey bud! First I want to say congrats on making the commitment here. There's absolutely not a single thing on earth more rewarding than doing so, and you sound like someone ready to make a serious change.

As for online weight loss journals - there are a few out there that are free and easy-to-use, but my personal favorite is Fitday [ http://fitday.com/ ]. This website allows you to input custom food data under your own personal profile, set weight loss goals, and even show calories burned based on excercise. In other words, it's got everything you'll ever need. xD

Plus, you can set your profile to public so that others can see what you're doing. It's superb motivation.

Best of luck, and keep us updated on the forums!

EDIT: Your doctor should not be advocating a 500 calorie diet. It seems you're already more knowledgable than he is about what's appropriate for sustained weight loss (2500cal a day is perfectly fine, if a little bit under for someone of your size). So just keep reading everything on these forums and website so that you continue learning. The pounds will fly off, guaranteed.

[Braindrop]

Congrats on making the change! Subbed.

[Vindeez]

Good idea keeping the log book, you should keep one of when you workout to and how much you did on the treadmill and weights lifted, etc. Seeing real progess is an amazing feeling.

[n_bob]

Congrats on decideing to change! Looks like you've gotten a lot of good advice. Just stay focused and keep with it, it'll surprise you how much better you feel after just eating right. If you ever get discouraged just come back on here there's a lot of motivating stuff here.

[GoldDragon]

just weighed myself im now down to 365 in just a few weeks started off at 391 then 371 when i joined here and now 365 yay

im gonna keep it up..

[cbrickhouse]

i don't know why you think you have to eat "diet foods" to lose fat. eat tons of veggies, fruit, and low fat proteins like turkey, chicken and tuna and you will lose fat. i have been eating a steady diet that fills me up and i have lost almost 80lbs in 9 months. don't buy stuff just because it says "low fat", you can still be eating too many calories. eat naturally, and you will feel amazing.

[precisou2004]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin431

if you're eating anywhere from 1800-2800 i dont think you'll have any problems...

im tryin to stay near 1800 , and im loosing like 2+ pounds a week

"I am LOSING weight; I have great weight LOSS results and LOOSE is when ur pants fall off or if your wife/gf had 15 kids" LOL

[GoldDragon]

Originally Posted by precisou2004

"I am LOSING weight; I have great weight LOSS results and LOOSE is when ur pants fall off or if your wife/gf had 15 kids" LOL

LOL yeah.. my kids can all fit into a pear of my jeans but im gonna keep them so i can see a real before and after .

[precisou2004]

Originally Posted by GoldDragon

LOL yeah.. my kids can all fit into a pear of my jeans but im gonna keep them so i can see a real before and after .

"pair" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GoldDragon]

Originally Posted by precisou2004

"pair" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Opps sorry dyslexic im afraid
spell checker for the win!

[pats55583]

2,000 calories is ridiculiously low for someone of your weight. You should be able to take off the first 50 pounds easily by eating between 2800 and 2900 calories a day over a 6 month period.

[juggerburn]

Originally Posted by GoldDragon

Opps sorry dyslexic im afraid
spell checker for the win!

don't worry, you are far from the only one around here that says loose when the correct word is lose. i think it's driving me and a few other people crazy lol.

[crupiea]

The math can be tricky for bigger guys.

those numbers really dont take into consideration the quality of the body. Muscle is active and burns calories while fat justs sits there.

I would try shooting for about 2400 per day for a week and see what happens. I bet you will lose weight at that level.

As for the diet. You didnt really get to be 391 by just drinking soda and eating sweets did you? I assume the answer is no. If it is, then you arent going to get anywhere just by eliminating those things. It will be a start.

Just like buying running shoes would be the start of a carreer in marathon running but you still have to train.

Food is the same way, you are going to have to actually get the food down to make any measureable progress.

It sint as hard as it seems. You can do this.

Start by getting a book and writing down everything you eat. This will give you a good idea of whats what.

You will want to eat about 6 times per day. 2400 divided by 6 would be about 400. Look for items that are cheap, edible and around 400 calories each.

Dont burden yourself too much at this point with overthinking the carbs and protien and such as this. That will come in time.

When i started i ate canned soup, ravioli in a can and that sort of stuff for about 6 months and lost about 60 lbs doing it. Get a jar of dill pickles to munch on too becasue they are low in calories and gives you some crunch.

If you are serious, then after you get going, the momentum will have you wanting to get better ingredients.

Now for the bad news. No more beer.

Now, get out to the store, buy the food, eat it and workout everyday. Thats all you need.

If the 2400 doesnt work then lower it down by 100-200 per day until it does work.

Best of luck.

[awahl63]

Great losses so far...keep at it Buddy

[FadeawayJ23]

As a former 450 pounder, I started at 3000 a day on lifting days and 2500 on cardio days. At 300 now, I am still at about the same eating habits and still losing. Like anything else, try it and see what happens. If the results are not up to your satisfaction after ample time, change and adapt. Best of luck to you.

[CirJay]

Congrats to taking the step to establishing a healthier lifestyle, and for losing the wieght you have lost so far.

[izaktj]

I believe staying in the 2500kcal range is the way to go. And the Dr who said you should take 500kcal per day....well....wtf? lol

[GoldDragon]

ive been sticking to about 2500 a day for a few weeks now and i have actually gained some weight.. but lost inches...

i was always a big bloke, but after my motorbike accident i ate a lot of junk food and sat about all day.. this luckily has changed now so I'm a lot more active than i was. i go to the gym for 2 hours three times a week now and do some weights at home on my off days .. as well as walk the dog.

im eating a lot more healthily now.. beer was not ever an issue for me as i only socially drink, ( had a crate of beer in the fridge for over 11 months and had 7/12 in that time.. lol ) Fruit, veg and no junk now is how ive changed..

i have updated a progress pic, not much change but i feel better. can do a lot more and my weights i can lift have gone up and up. from as little as 5kg up to 32.5 and others from 15 to 60kg.. free weights at home i have gone from ( single arm ) 2kg-8kg and I'm trying to progress it up slowly.
i get my BF% checked again soon. but in the mean time i will keep it all up and going.. and still aim to change my life completely.

some progress is better than none