Very Confused

[fatdaddy]

There is so much info out there to loose weight, it's UNBELIEVABLE!

This influx of info has only led me to more questions. Here is my real life scenario and maybe you guys/gals can shed some light.

I'm ok at limiting my calorie intake. I do however have gone back to my old 1200 calorie meal twice today (my 11th day into loosing weight) since I was invited for meals at the relatives.

But besides that 1 cheat day out of 10 or 20 days, I'm not such a bad boy. So I should be loosing weight, maybe slowly, but I'll be loosing (I think). But then I read that the only calorie intake I should be having (if world was a perfect place) were protien calories. That got me to think, wouldn't it make more sense for me to simply subtitute my meals with a protien shake or something like it?

I don't even know whats out there, I'm a total n00b at this nutrition stuff. Then I see a lot of people using whey shakes, what the heck is that? Isn't that just another name for protien?

Anyways, main question again is: wouldn't it make more sense for me to simply subtitute my meals with a protien shake

[smitsky]

...wouldn't it make more sense for me to simply subtitute my meals with a protien shake

No. This would not be a good idea in general. Protein drinks are supplements. They are meant to supplement a solid diet.

[fatdaddy]

that makes it hard.

[smitsky]

that makes it hard.

Take a look at pu12's advice here, starting with post #2 in this thread:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=975970

[smitsky]

Pay special attention to his section on cutting. You need to cut.

Exercise and diet are more beneficial to losing weight, than are either done seperately.

[Bronkko]

thats understandable.

i came here in april knowing squat and now feel with lots of help from lots of people and a desire to learn i have a good foundation in regards to nutrition that will help me from this point forward.

as long as you have the desire.. you will learn. keep at it.

[smitsky]

Are you able to get in any exercise? You'll need Cardio for sure. Weight training will help. You have not stated whether you are exercising at this time...

[Jules Verne]

I'm going to be brutally honest here:

At your stage, don't sweat the details - just eat less calories. Try to exercise portion control when eating with friends.. Seriously, exactly what you eat is not going to make much difference. You have at least several months or more to work on getting you diet

Start exercising - preferably including lifting weights but at least cardio and/or some sporting activity.

They start worrying about diet macros etc...

Keep going though setbacks - you are still going to do a lot better than the way you were (presumably) eating before.

The above link is good though.

[Jules Verne]

But then I read that the only calorie intake I should be having (if world was a perfect place) were protien calories. That got me to think, wouldn't it make more sense for me to simply subtitute my meals with a protien shake or something like it?

No and No. You read that wrong. Don't do anything that sounds 'fad' - especially when you have a lot to lose. IMO you need to get to a lifestyle changing, sustainable diet first.

Remember there is a lot of info for people wanting to get from say 10%BF to 6-7% on this site (i.e. already in good shape but wanting to get really ripped) as well as info for people with a lot more weight to lose. The strategy for the former case is going to be a lot more 'strict' than I think it should be for the second case.

[DarinK]

No and No. You read that wrong. Don't do anything that sounds 'fad' - especially when you have a lot to lose. IMO you need to get to a lifestyle changing, sustainable diet first.

Remember there is a lot of info for people wanting to get from say 10%BF to 6-7% on this site (i.e. already in good shape but wanting to get really ripped) as well as info for people with a lot more weight to lose. The strategy for the former case is going to be a lot more 'strict' than I think it should be for the second case.

I like this advice. I think sometimes new people come here and have a hard time distinguishing the difference between a lifestyle diet, and a bodybuilding/cutting diet. I know that my current diet is not feasible for most people trying to get in basic shape. It's a pretty strict cutting diet, doesn't allow much room for error, very basic as far as food choices. It's not a "healthy lifestyle" diet. So good post for explaining the difference.

[fatdaddy]

thats understandable.

i came here in april knowing squat and now feel with lots of help from lots of people and a desire to learn i have a good foundation in regards to nutrition that will help me from this point forward.

as long as you have the desire.. you will learn. keep at it.

If there is anything in me, it's the desire to learn

[fatdaddy]

Are you able to get in any exercise? You'll need Cardio for sure. Weight training will help. You have not stated whether you are exercising at this time...

I do very little cardio each day. Mostly I'm just cutting back on the amount of food I eat. I have a good elliptical but I get board very easily (trying to overcome it)

[fatdaddy]

also, some people prefer cardio over lifting and some people the other way around. So I'm in a process of ordering my powerblocks. Which would you guys prefer? I noticed a couple of people spoke of cardio here and only 1 for lifting.

[Quadroplex]

Cardio will help burn calories, but that's it for the most part. Thus, it can be substituted by restricting the amount of calories you eat per day (don't go below 2000 though!). If you want to burn fat and keep burning it lifting weights is the way to go. Muscle weighs more than fat, which does discourage some people when they first start working out and see the scale. However, fat just sticks to you, muscle burns it, and that's what matters most. For the long term metabolism boost go with lifting.

[Jules Verne]

If you want to burn fat and keep burning it lifting weights is the way to go. Muscle weighs more than fat, which does discourage some people when they first start working out and see the scale. However, fat just sticks to you, muscle burns it, and that's what matters most. For the long term metabolism boost go with lifting.

Yes, at some point, hopefully in the not-to-distant future you need to start lifting.

I think everybody should work out with weights in some form or another. Even people I know who are competitive cyclists (and don't want to gain mass) lift weights - even for their upper body - in the off season. If nothing else it can stop you developing muscle imbalances and therefore help prevent injuries, if done correctly.

[iLLestOne]

Here's something you can read while on the elliptical Is there a tv by it!? Watching sports while doing cardo always makes it go by real fast for me..might wanna try that.

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1526539

"Overweight subjects were assigned to three groups: diet-only, diet plus aerobics, diet plus aerobics plus weights. The diet group lost 14.6 pounds of fat in 12 weeks. The aerobic group lost only one more pound (15.6 pounds) than the diet group (training was three times a week starting at 30 minutes and progressing to 50 minutes over the 12 weeks).

The weight training group lost 21.1 pounds of fat (44% and 35% more than diet and aerobic only groups respectively). Basically, the addition of aerobic training didn't result in any real world significant fat loss over dieting alone.

Thirty-six sessions of up to 50 minutes is a lot of work for one additional pound of fat loss. However, the addition of resistance training greatly accelerated fat loss results."

[bgnb]

cardio burns calories while you do it and then stops when you stop:

resistence training burns calories while you workout and then up
to 36 hours afterwards (a lot depends on the intensity).

workouts should be 20 minutes, hit major muscle groups once
a week and then rest ...

try working out first thing in the morning to up-ramp your
metabolism to burn more calories all day. I do 'steps' while
waiting for my coffee to perc ... on the bottom step of a staircase
I step up left leg, step up right, step down right, step down left equals 1 rep.

In two weeks I am up to 300 'reps' with 20 lbs of weight.

also cut down on useless food ... no pop, milk, juice, just water!

cut out wheat ... some people 'react' to it and have spikes
in blood sugar which will make you fat.

salmon is very good as it contains healthy fats and protein.

forget protein drinks ... you will still be hungry and will
consume more calories ... better to have an egg white
omelette with some salmon and spinach and be full on
good food!

[Cybernaut]

There is so much info out there to loose weight, it's UNBELIEVABLE!

This influx of info has only led me to more questions. Here is my real life scenario and maybe you guys/gals can shed some light.

I'm ok at limiting my calorie intake. I do however have gone back to my old 1200 calorie meal twice today (my 11th day into loosing weight) since I was invited for meals at the relatives.

But besides that 1 cheat day out of 10 or 20 days, I'm not such a bad boy. So I should be loosing weight, maybe slowly, but I'll be loosing (I think). But then I read that the only calorie intake I should be having (if world was a perfect place) were protien calories. That got me to think, wouldn't it make more sense for me to simply subtitute my meals with a protien shake or something like it?

I don't even know whats out there, I'm a total n00b at this nutrition stuff. Then I see a lot of people using whey shakes, what the heck is that? Isn't that just another name for protien?

Anyways, main question again is: wouldn't it make more sense for me to simply subtitute my meals with a protien shake

If you gotta have a shake as a meal, make a meal out of your shake.
Example, I put banana and Kashi GO Lean cereal in my whey shake all the time. Sometimes, strawberries, peanut butter, or oats.

It's never gonna be quite as good for you as a meal with salmon, brown rice, and broccoli or whatever, but if it means the difference between you failing or missing a meal, then by all means.

You can probably lose weight right now by doing just about anything, just because you're making an improvement. Perhaps the most important thing is to not slow your metabolism too much. Eat enough. Cardio makes weight loss a lot easier.