How to lose fat for Noobs

[illninofan21]

Just continue for a few weeks with the calorie drop and the added cardio.

The truth is, I probably don't need it.

I'd rather just focus on getting this "eating less" thing right...you know, finding the sweet spot for my body in terms of caloric intake and expenditure through weight lifting.

[illninofan21]

Also, does anyone know of any website that can help you calculate calories to help you figure out how to lose a desired amount of fat (in my case, 1.5-1.75lbs) per week?

I know that all I have to do is eat less and do a lot more anaerobic resistance training (weight training)...but I'd like to take some of the guess work out of it.

[Insight]

Also, does anyone know of any website that can help you calculate calories to help you figure out how to lose a desired amount of fat (in my case, 1.5-1.75lbs) per week?

I know that all I have to do is eat less and do a lot more anaerobic resistance training (weight training)...but I'd like to take some of the guess work out of it.

the one at freedieting.com is pretty good. to lose 1 lb a week, subtract 500 from the "Maintenance" value. to lose 1.5 lbs, subtract 750. to lose 1.75 lbs, subtract 875 cals. i don't think you can really get that precise though

[illninofan21]

the one at freedieting.com is pretty good. to lose 1 lb a week, subtract 500 from the "Maintenance" value. to lose 1.5 lbs, subtract 750. to lose 1.75 lbs, subtract 875 cals. i don't think you can really get that precise though

Ballpark should be good enough...

Better than (not even) same universe estimate...

[illninofan21]

98 MINUTES OF WEIGHTLIFTING (based on what I did today):

Weight Lifting: general
501
Weight Lifting: vigorous
1002

Damn...no wonder I'm not getting there as fast as I'd like. Gonna need a bit more.

[th3pwn3r]

98 MINUTES OF WEIGHTLIFTING (based on what I did today):

Weight Lifting: general
501
Weight Lifting: vigorous
1002

Damn...no wonder I'm not getting there as fast as I'd like. Gonna need a bit more.

No, no and no. It's not your training if you're training that much time that is the problem. Your diet probably sucks if you're not getting results you desire or you're just expecting too much, too soon.

[illninofan21]

No, no and no. It's not your training if you're training that much time that is the problem. Your diet probably sucks if you're not getting results you desire or you're just expecting too much, too soon.

notsureifsrs.jpg

[hankst]

notsureifsrs.jpg

He's serious. And he's right.

Experience I made during my current cut: if you cut your calories too low, water retention may mask fat loss and result in a stall on the scale which can be very demotivating. A refeed (high carbs, moderate protein, low fat) should solve this problem.

[dcfenix12]

If you need to lose 2lbs per week do you still want to consume about 10-12x's what you weigh in calories?

Obviously you want good calories and everything, I weigh 212 - I should consume 2012 calories to help reach my Mar 15, 15 lb trim?

[th3pwn3r]

If you need to lose 2lbs per week do you still want to consume about 10-12x's what you weigh in calories?

Obviously you want good calories and everything, I weigh 212 - I should consume 2012 calories to help reach my Mar 15, 15 lb trim?

If that allows you to lose 2lbs per week consume 2012 calories. I'd probably go with 2010 because that's our current year and that's kind of cool

Seriously though, you may need to adjust. Personally since I'm retarded and not worried about muscle loss I'd start lower with caloric intake.

[dcfenix12]

If that allows you to lose 2lbs per week consume 2012 calories. I'd probably go with 2010 because that's our current year and that's kind of cool

Seriously though, you may need to adjust. Personally since I'm retarded and not worried about muscle loss I'd start lower with caloric intake.

You think less than 2010 is healthy though? Maybe i'll see how many calories I used to take and trim that

[th3pwn3r]

You think less than 2010 is healthy though? Maybe i'll see how many calories I used to take and trim that

Define "healthy". I'd consider losing fat while keep muscle mass to be healthy as long as you're mentally stable and not getting sick in any way, shape or form.

[illninofan21]

He's serious. And he's right.

Experience I made during my current cut: if you cut your calories too low, water retention may mask fat loss and result in a stall on the scale which can be very demotivating. A refeed (high carbs, moderate protein, low fat) should solve this problem.

Yeah, raising your calories (just slightly) in general sounds like a better idea for that matter...more activity is good, but where would I get that energy from?

In any case, starting today I'm going to go back to monitoring everything I eat since I made a nifty little log to write everything in.

[th3pwn3r]

but where would I get that energy from?

Probably from the places you have energy, it's called your fat stores.

[illninofan21]

Probably from the places you have energy, it's called your fat stores.

That's not the only place you store energy...there's also muscle loss if calories are TOO low.

That was the context of my last post.

[ckckck]

I'm a 16 year old male, 175 cm (5"9) tall and I weigh 73 kg (160 lbs).
I want to lose bodyfat to 10%~, how much calories do I need tot cut? (the total amount, not deficit)
Also, days where I practice B-ball, is it okay to eat more calories that day or should i stick with the same?
Thanks!

[th3pwn3r]

That's not the only place you store energy...there's also muscle loss if calories are TOO low.

That was the context of my last post.

There's also muscle loss if the calories aren't too low.

I'm a 16 year old male, 175 cm (5"9) tall and I weigh 73 kg (160 lbs).
I want to lose bodyfat to 10%~, how much calories do I need tot cut? (the total amount, not deficit)
Also, days where I practice B-ball, is it okay to eat more calories that day or should i stick with the same?
Thanks!

You need to cut 1 calorie per day from your maintenance to loose fat

[hankst]

Yeah, raising your calories (just slightly) in general sounds like a better idea for that matter...more activity is good, but where would I get that energy from?

In any case, starting today I'm going to go back to monitoring everything I eat since I made a nifty little log to write everything in.

You didn't get what I was trying to say. Go as low as you can handle without going insane; the only thing that will happen to you is some water retention which masks fat loss.

I, for myself, am dieting at 1000 kcal per day at the moment to compensate for a little cheat (sub 3k, nothing fancy) I had last weekend.

Edit:
Muscle loss is nonexistant as long as you keep lifting weights without dropping intensity and get enough protein. There's even a study (quoted in "Eat Stop Eat") in which several male test subjects engaged in resistance training while eating 80 g protein per day and only a three digit amount of calories for weeks - and guess what: no muscles were lost.

[th3pwn3r]

There's even a study (quoted in "Eat Stop Eat") in which several male test subjects engaged in resistance training while eating 80 g protein per day and only a three digit amount of calories for weeks - and guess what: no muscles were lost.

NO WAI DUDE! You're going to lose so much muscle going from 250 pounds to 200 since you were so jacked in the first place. Nobody could possibly survive on such little calories bro!

[Teflon_Don]

You didn't get what I was trying to say. Go as low as you can handle without going insane; the only thing that will happen to you is some water retention which masks fat loss.

I, for myself, am dieting at 1000 kcal per day at the moment to compensate for a little cheat (sub 3k, nothing fancy) I had last weekend.

Edit:
Muscle loss is nonexistant as long as you keep lifting weights without dropping intensity and get enough protein. There's even a study (quoted in "Eat Stop Eat") in which several male test subjects engaged in resistance training while eating 80 g protein per day and only a three digit amount of calories for weeks - and guess what: no muscles were lost.

I really don't know how you go that low--I'd be effing miserable.

@illninofan21--Listen to these guys. They are right. I'll set 800kcal/day (all from protein) as an arbitrary calorie floor which you shouldn't go below. The trick is to progressively lower kcals (while lifting heavy weights, consuming sufficient protein, EFAs, and vitamins) to the level at which you are losing body fat at a rate acceptable to you AND you aren't on the edge of going postal. Drop the kcals until you find that sweet spot at which the ecstasy of fat loss is balanced by the misery of dieting.

Pay attention to fatigue, DOMS that lasts for too long, sore joints, insomnia, irritability, obsessing and dreaming constantly about food, and mental acuity. If you feel yourself slipping, or you can't sleep, or you're not recovering, then up the kcals or do a refeed (high carb/low-fat--same protein) for 24-48hrs.

Its a process of continual monitoring and adjustment.

[th3pwn3r]

I really don't know how you go that low--I'd be effing miserable.

@illninofan21--Listen to these guys. They are right. I'll set 800kcal/day (all from protein) as an arbitrary calorie floor which you shouldn't go below. The trick is to progressively lower kcals (while lifting heavy weights, consuming sufficient protein, EFAs, and vitamins) to the level at which you are losing body fat at a rate acceptable to you AND you aren't on the edge of going postal. Drop the kcals until you find that sweet spot at which the ecstasy of fat loss is balanced by the misery of dieting.

Pay attention to fatigue, DOMs that lasts for too long, sore joints, insomnia, irritability, obsessing and dreaming constantly about food, and mental acuity. If you feel yourself slipping, or you can't sleep, or you're not recovering, then up the kcals or do a refeed (high carb/low-fat--same protein) for 24-48hrs.

Its a process of continual monitoring and adjustment.

Is the Don already lean? It starts getting hard on such little calories around and below 10% in my opinion and experience. With more body fat it's not nearly as bad and I didn't have issues with insomnia when on 600-800 because I learned to eat a couple hours before bed, insomnia...no problem brah!

[wadesouza]

so many people are obsessed with calorie counting. make it easier on yourself and focus on eating quality foods in proper portions, being more active, reducing stress, and getting an adequate amount of sleep. food shouldnt make you a slave, it should be an empowering source of energy to fuel your day

[nondualism]

so many people are obsessed with calorie counting. make it easier on yourself and focus on eating quality foods in proper portions, being more active, reducing stress, and getting an adequate amount of sleep. food shouldnt make you a slave, it should be an empowering source of energy to fuel your day

This is TERRIBLE advice. If you don't know what you're taking in, getting results is a matter of guesswork.

[hankst]

I really don't know how you go that low--I'd be effing miserable.

Oh, I am, but I keep the greater goal in mind. And when I go down to 1000 it's usually only for a few days, not more than a week. pwn3er is the real masochist, starving and losing muscles for months, brah.

Btw, average kcal for my current cut (1 month): 1700 (cheat days included). That's not terribly low.

Edit:

Edit:
Muscle loss is nonexistant as long as you keep lifting weights without dropping intensity and get enough protein. There's even a study (quoted in "Eat Stop Eat") in which several male test subjects engaged in resistance training while eating 80 g protein per day and only a three digit amount of calories for weeks - and guess what: no muscles were lost.

Just took a look again:

Research on men and women undertaking a very low calorie diet found that even with a 12 week
long diet consisting of only 800 Calories and only 80 grams of protein per day, the people in the
study were able to maintain their muscle mass as long as they were exercising with weights three
times per week.

Eat Stop Eat, page 37

Bryner RW. Effects of resistance training vs. Aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie
liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate. Journal of the American College of
Nutrition 1999; 18(1): 115-121


Just in case someone doesn't believe me .

[illninofan21]

I really don't know how you go that low--I'd be effing miserable.

@illninofan21--Listen to these guys. They are right. I'll set 800kcal/day (all from protein) as an arbitrary calorie floor which you shouldn't go below. The trick is to progressively lower kcals (while lifting heavy weights, consuming sufficient protein, EFAs, and vitamins) to the level at which you are losing body fat at a rate acceptable to you AND you aren't on the edge of going postal. Drop the kcals until you find that sweet spot at which the ecstasy of fat loss is balanced by the misery of dieting.

That's the tricky part for me...at least trying to get a ballpark estimate. Lately I've been just shooting in the dark and (while I'm noticing changes in many ways, more on that in a second) I'm a little far behind for coming up on ten weeks (at least by my standards, and taking into account how much weight I planned on losing).

Pay attention to fatigue, DOMS that lasts for too long, sore joints, insomnia, irritability, obsessing and dreaming constantly about food, and mental acuity. If you feel yourself slipping, or you can't sleep, or you're not recovering, then up the kcals or do a refeed (high carb/low-fat--same protein) for 24-48hrs.

Its a process of continual monitoring and adjustment.

The only one out of that list that I would list as a "potential concern" is the staying up too late...though I figure that I'm getting enough rest anyway considering the fact that:

A) I'm setting PR's in two lifts (275 on bench as of last night and 400 on DL as of this past saturday...ten weeks ago I was at about 250 and 350 respectively O_O!)
B) Generally speaking, I'm using heavier weights on most all exercises.
C) When I am sore, it usually wears off after about a week (at the very latest).
D) I don't really get fatigued even after working out three-five times a week for about somewhere between 70-90 minutes.

...etc.

Still though, I plan on going back to monitoring my kcals (at least from an intake standpoint) so that I can at least get a more concrete idea.

[illninofan21]

This is TERRIBLE advice. If you don't know what you're taking in, getting results is a matter of guesswork.

I agree...and I have about two years worth of experience as proof (take that as you will...speaking from my own perspective).

Even if your diet is as clean as a whistle, if it's just a shot in the dark don't expect much in terms of results.

I'm getting really tired of the "don't think about it too much" approach. It's our choice.

[ckckck]

There's also muscle loss if the calories aren't too low.



You need to cut 1 calorie per day from your maintenance to loose fat

wow thanks for the advice.
I only get about 80 g protein from food, do I need to buy supplements to add protein to lose weight?

[Teflon_Don]

wow thanks for the advice.
I only get about 80 g protein from food, do I need to buy supplements to add protein to lose weight?

Or you could eat more protein containing food, like lean meats and cottage cheese.

[ckckck]

Or you could eat more protein containing food, like lean meats and cottage cheese.

Then I exceed my calorie numbers lol = no weight loss

[hankst]

Then I exceed my calorie numbers lol = no weight loss

Because protein powder does not contain calories. Yep. Makes sense.