Does this sound like a good fat-loss plan?

[BuggerOff]

Hi, this is my first serious attempt at loosing fat.

Currently I'm 195lbs and aomewhere around 19-21% bodyfat. That's obviously a guess, I wouldn't have a clue exactly what I am. Check my photographs by <a href="http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=2131684">Clicking Here</a> if you want to have a look (Can someone confirm or unconfirm my BF guess?).

My goal is to reach 12% bodyfat in 10 weeks.

My diet plan is to eat 1800 Calories per day for the first five weeks, then cut down to 1500 calories per day for the remaining five weeks. I have no strict guidelines as far as nutrient intake goes, but I take a multivitamin every day and am sure to include a good amount of fruit and vegetables in my diet. One rule I do have is that protein intake must be above 110 grams every day (and is often much higher, especially for the first 5 weeks where I have the extra 300 calories to play with).

Exercise involves strenuous cardio three times per week and high rep (i.e. 10-15), low weight muscle training twice a week. I still get a pump when I go to the gym, but I'm not lifting heavy.

Does this plan sound like it will work? Are my goal's realistic?

Thanks for your help!

[gallerygurl]

No, that doesnt sound like a good plan.
You need more cals than that or you will slow the metabolism way down.
At 195 pounds you should have 10-12 cals per pound of body weight, preferably 12 cals per pound of BW so that you can take it down later.
You need at least 195 grams of protein a day to maintain the lean muscle you have .
Try dividing your cals into a 40/40/20 split of protein%/carb%/fat%....
This is a good place to start with your diet. DONT DO 1500 cals -

As far as the gym-
Why dont you want to lift heavier by the way???

[BuggerOff]

Hmmmm - I thought that was way too high. I must admit, I have heard this before, but I assumed that was if you wanted to loose it really slowly and hardly be inconvenienced by the diet at all.

I want to be hard on myself and shed the fat as quick as possible.

My aim is to go from ~20% bodyfat to a maximum of 12% bodyfat in 10 weeks. Is that a reasonable goal? Could it be acheived by eating what you suggest? 195lbs * 12 = 2340 calories per day sounds awfully high! I thought I wouldn't loose any that way at all!

[gallerygurl]

Read this thread:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...&highlight=BMR

Ill try and find you more but you should not drop your cals to under 9x your bodyweight or your body will think its starving and slow down your metabolism.. Then when you eat "normal "weight loss amounts, like 10-12 cals per pound you will start gaining on them

[pogue]

I agree with gallerygurl. If your calories are too low, you will put yourself in a much higher catabolic state, losing quite a bit of muscle.

Lower your calorie, but go for around ~2000. Keep your protein intake high, do cardio and weight training. Taking a ECA is another good option.

[gallerygurl]

here are some other threads I found
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...tarvation+mode

[BuggerOff]

Hey you guys are really great!

Thanks a lot gullygirl, that info you posted is awesome, thanks!

Just one last question, is it reasonable to set a goal at getting to 12% BF in 10 weeks? (now ~20%)

[BuggerOff]

Erm, I just did that BMI thing and multiplied it by 1.6 (even though I'm a laboror AND I work out MORE than 3 times a week).

It came up with a whopping 3209 Calories!

That means I'd go on a 2700 Calorie diet to loose weight!

I can't imagine it could work. Or if it did, it would be very slow.

My goal is to go from ~20% to 12% (or below) within 10 weeks. Is that possible? Please give me some tips to acheive it.

And thanks very much, gullygirl, those threads are excellent and I'm studying away right now.

[imperfectly_lou]

Is there any particular reason why you have set yourself such a strict time limit? It CAN be done... I have heard of women dropping from 20-12% in their pre-competition diets and training, but it is virtually impossible to keep up that level of strictness for too long....

Losing weight too quickly is not healthy for several reasons....
* It is more likely to be muscle loss rather than fat loss = lowered metabolism
* The fat is more likely to be regained
* Losing weight too quickly can cause stretch marks and puts a lot of stress on the body.

I am sure there others...

Rather than setting yourself those calories limits (which are even too low for a 120lb female), write down what your average daily diet is at the moment and reduce the amount of calories. Bump up your protein to at least 1g per pound of bodyweight (so for you, about 200g). Spread your meals out to 6 or more small meals throughout the day, all with a servig of protein and complex carbs. Drink lots of water and eats lots of veggies.

This is not a quick fix. This needs to be something you can stick with for the rest of your life. What you are proposing is not sensible or realistic.

I would recommend you go no lower than about 2,500cals per day. These things take time, don't expect miracles overnight

[BuggerOff]

Wow thanks.

You guys are just fantastic, I'm lost for words. I feel really lucky to have stumbled across this forum!!!

Well, yeah . My revised diet is going to be 2500 calories.

I have set myself that strict time limit because that's my birthday! Makes a good time to end my goal.

I'm not worried about putting the weight back on. The idea of this diet is to slim down in order to bulk up, if you get my drift. I don't want to start bulking when I'm already ~20% bodyfat as I'd get way too fat. In the long run, I want to put on muscle weight and keep a consistent 15-16% bodyfat. I don't want to be fat, but I'm a rugby player, so I need a bit of weight behind me. (Which is the other reason for the time limit, I don't want to start the season at ~12% BF with possibly quite reduced muscle mass as well! I'd be liable to get smashed up).

If I went on a 2500 Cal diet, and dropped it to 2000 Cal after 6 weeks, could I expect to get down to ~12% in 10 weeks?

Thanks!

[Mauler97]

besides finding a goal calorie intake you should have one day a week where you eat at or over maintence level. Preferably on a big lifting day. And alot of those cals around your workout.
I have no problem eating low cal 1800 or so if you do that. I've been way under my maintence level(1700-2000/compared to 3200) most of my diet except on lifting days and my energy and metabolism is high right now. Also I make sure I get my protein 200-250 grams no matter how few calories I eat.

[gallerygurl]

thats because you are cycling high and low days which is not giving your metabolsm a chance to slow down. Thats a whole different concept. If you he was to maintain under 9 calories per pound of body weight for 10 weeks he will have almost surely went into starvation mode.
He is right tho Bugger you should have high days periodically to keep that metabolism firing. You can drop yuor cals to 2000 without the risk..
The point is not see how low you can go with your cals though, the healthy way would be to see how MUCH you can eat and still lose weight . Your body doesnt like dieting! I think 2500 is a good level for you to start with. That way you still have 500 cals to play around with.

[as0l0]

Originally posted by BuggerOff
with possibly quite reduced muscle mass as well! I'd be liable to get smashed up).

if you do things correctly you shouldn't drop any (maybe a little) muscle. when the seasons starts you should be just as strong or stronger, but leaner and faster.

[gallerygurl]

Hey As010 hows the keto life???

[imperfectly_lou]

In answer to your recurring question, no I do not think it is really likely you will get to 12% in 10 weeks. It isn't impossible but unlikely