Losing weight/fitness thread

[BrianM]

My fitness pal works, I did it for over a year and lost 2 stone, dialled in 3 weeks before my holiday in August last year, dropped to 15% body fat and kept all my muscle mass, for that 3 weeks I was on 1500 calories a day, minimum 10,000 steps a day and 3 to 4 weights sessions a week, you need to be disciplined, simple as that, get up early to get your steps in, food prep is key, I ate the same things for 3 weeks as well.

 

[SteveW86]

My fitness pal works, I did it for over a year and lost 2 stone, dialled in 3 weeks before my holiday in August last year, dropped to 15% body fat and kept all my muscle mass, for that 3 weeks I was on 1500 calories a day, minimum 10,000 steps a day and 3 to 4 weights sessions a week, you need to be disciplined, simple as that, get up early to get your steps in, food prep is key, I ate the same things for 3 weeks as well.

Yeah I like the routine. Monday to Friday I’m eating oats for breakfast with some raisins and chia seeds. Lunch is rice tuna and spinach with some soy sauce, dinner will be a variant of chicken, boiled potatoes and green veg. Will also have a protein yoghurt at some point in the day.

This gives me a bit more flexibility for the weekends with food too.

 

[PaulMdj]

My fitness pal works, I did it for over a year and lost 2 stone, dialled in 3 weeks before my holiday in August last year, dropped to 15% body fat and kept all my muscle mass, for that 3 weeks I was on 1500 calories a day, minimum 10,000 steps a day and 3 to 4 weights sessions a week, you need to be disciplined, simple as that, get up early to get your steps in, food prep is key, I ate the same things for 3 weeks as well.

But would it of worked on its own?

That’s @Orikoru issue, he seems to want just MFP to do it all for him.

@Orikoru my lad is Autistic and I have hells own job trying to get him to exercise, his issue is very much dimilar to yourself, ask him to come for a walk with me and he’s so bored in minutes or, I’ll take him to the gym and after 25 minutes bimbling on a treadmill he’s ready to leave, but ask him to take the dog for a walk and he’ll walk with him for hours, I’m not suggesting you get a dog, just hoping you can find the distraction which helps you.

 

[PaulMdj]

5K jog today with a couple of “drills” mixed in, bit cold and windy, but nice to be out.

 

[Aztecs27]

To lose 1lb of fat a week I think you need a calorie deficit of about 3500 for that week.

I’ve read articles that suggest it doesn’t matter where the calories come from, but for me that’s a load of bull. I’d rather eat lots of calorie “light” food, than not much calorie dense food.

I don’t know the answer, but what how many calories do you think that slice of cake had? There are so many hidden calories in food when eaten out, even just from how the food is cooked that it can be a bit of a minefield

Whilst this is obviously the best way to decide what you eat - for weight loss, it actually doesn't matter what it *is*.

Case in point - I weighed myself yesterday - after 17 days of better eating, more exercise (swimming twice a week) and less (to no) snacking.

I was 10lbs lighter than when I started. Now, granted, 10lbs in 17 days is A LOT and not sustainable, but I've been restricting my calories to less than 2000 a day where possible and eating much cleaner....BUT, this hasn't been the case for 17 days solid.

some highlights of what I've eaten since sunday;

- Sunday afternoon - arrived at kids party a whole hour early. Kids were fractious, so I found the nearest McDonalds to treat them to a happy meal. I, of course, also had a Chicken Fajita Wrap (479 cals).
- At the kids party, I helped myself to a few sweets that were on the party food platter - as well as a nugget and a sausage.
- Sunday evening - late back from party, kids both not feeling great (too much ice cream probably). Really cannot be arsed to cook, wife fancies a McDonalds....so McDonalds again. Chicken Fajita Wrap and Fillet O' Fish (316 cals - they're delicious, I won't be told otherwise)
- Tuesday - All day off-site meeting at Thatchers Brewery in Somerset (can highly recommend the tour btw). Lunch in their Railway Pub (also highly recommended) where I had a burger with all the trimmings (cheese, bacon, brioche bun, the lot) alongside a pint of Cloudy Lemon (around 250cals on it's own).
- Tuesday dinner - long drive back from Somerset. Got daughter from nursery and in bed just in time for Wife to arrive home after Son's swim club session at around 8pm. Was around 8:30 by the time he'd showered and was in bed....so....McDonalds, again. This time Chicken Fajita Wrap and Surf N' Turf (570cals-ish)

Now, I didn't weigh myself this morning and after last night's Indian (although I had Salmon Shashlik, a small amount of rice and half a naan, so nothing too extravagant), I presume I'll not have dropped any more.

But the point is, making "sensible" choices when you do eat rubbish calories makes a massive difference and can still mean you're in a deficit whilst remaining full. We even went to Wagamama on Saturday without the kids (shopping for Wedding Shoes) - I'd usually have 3 portions of bao buns (6 in total) and a main dish with rice, chicken etc. I cut back on the Bao Buns and replaced actual rice with Cauliflower Rice, which saved around 300 cals.

The most sustainable way of losing weight is to try and make it less of a chore and not completely remove stuff you enjoy, because you'll actually stick to it (I'm sure everyone's heard multiple people bang on about this on the internet, but it's true)

Find 2-3 things for breakfast and lunch that you enjoy - work out what the calories are the first time you do it, then you don't have to keep tracking it daily. I know today I've had 250cals for breakfast (ignoring the pain au chocolat that was calling my name in the office kitchen ), 200cals for my coffee and will have circa 450-500cals for lunch with my chicken and burrito rice bowl. Leaving me around 900 cals for dinner and other snacks.

 

[Fromtherough]

Whilst this is obviously the best way to decide what you eat - for weight loss, it actually doesn't matter what it *is*.

Case in point - I weighed myself yesterday - after 17 days of better eating, more exercise (swimming twice a week) and less (to no) snacking.

I was 10lbs lighter than when I started. Now, granted, 10lbs in 17 days is A LOT and not sustainable, but I've been restricting my calories to less than 2000 a day where possible and eating much cleaner....BUT, this hasn't been the case for 17 days solid.

some highlights of what I've eaten since sunday;

- Sunday afternoon - arrived at kids party a whole hour early. Kids were fractious, so I found the nearest McDonalds to treat them to a happy meal. I, of course, also had a Chicken Fajita Wrap (479 cals).
- At the kids party, I helped myself to a few sweets that were on the party food platter - as well as a nugget and a sausage.
- Sunday evening - late back from party, kids both not feeling great (too much ice cream probably). Really cannot be arsed to cook, wife fancies a McDonalds....so McDonalds again. Chicken Fajita Wrap and Fillet O' Fish (316 cals - they're delicious, I won't be told otherwise)
- Tuesday - All day off-site meeting at Thatchers Brewery in Somerset (can highly recommend the tour btw). Lunch in their Railway Pub (also highly recommended) where I had a burger with all the trimmings (cheese, bacon, brioche bun, the lot) alongside a pint of Cloudy Lemon (around 250cals on it's own).
- Tuesday dinner - long drive back from Somerset. Got daughter from nursery and in bed just in time for Wife to arrive home after Son's swim club session at around 8pm. Was around 8:30 by the time he'd showered and was in bed....so....McDonalds, again. This time Chicken Fajita Wrap and Surf N' Turf (570cals-ish)

Now, I didn't weigh myself this morning and after last night's Indian (although I had Salmon Shashlik, a small amount of rice and half a naan, so nothing too extravagant), I presume I'll not have dropped any more.

But the point is, making "sensible" choices when you do eat rubbish calories makes a massive difference and can still mean you're in a deficit whilst remaining full. We even went to Wagamama on Saturday without the kids (shopping for Wedding Shoes) - I'd usually have 3 portions of bao buns (6 in total) and a main dish with rice, chicken etc. I cut back on the Bao Buns and replaced actual rice with Cauliflower Rice, which saved around 300 cals.

The most sustainable way of losing weight is to try and make it less of a chore and not completely remove stuff you enjoy, because you'll actually stick to it (I'm sure everyone's heard multiple people bang on about this on the internet, but it's true)

Find 2-3 things for breakfast and lunch that you enjoy - work out what the calories are the first time you do it, then you don't have to keep tracking it daily. I know today I've had 250cals for breakfast (ignoring the pain au chocolat that was calling my name in the office kitchen ), 200cals for my coffee and will have circa 450-500cals for lunch with my chicken and burrito rice bowl. Leaving me around 900 cals for dinner and other snacks.

Wagamama’s is a great place to eat and stick to a calorie deficit - if you’re sensible. Chilli chicken ramen is 500 odd calories. The brisket version is approx 200 calories more. Huge portion and satisfying.

A woman at work has a sister who is a nutritionist. She explained where people often go wrong is eye balling and hidden calories. She advised a colleague to weigh everything where possible. Not realistically going to happen. However, the hidden calories is worth thinking about. Oil in a pan, salad dressing etc etc. Also, the use of butter on toast or jacket potatoes often doesn’t get considered.

 

[Aztecs27]

1250m in the pool this lunchtime. Felt like hard work today - I think probably I was under fuelled as I've never been so hungry after a swim as I was today.

closing in on 8k swam for the year.