Weight Loss Thread

Elurin_sl said:

It's amazing what carbs do to you. My morning weight is pretty steady, but I've been working on that challah bread (see cooking thread) and so my carbs are up probably about 50 grams higher than normal. My morning weight is steadily going up 1 pound every day for the last 3 days. I actually look more cut than I did without the extra carbs, which is strange to me (although I've read about bodybuilders doing a carb load just prior to a show, but I'll admit I don't understand why or the science behind it at all). I'm sure not working out for the last week isn't helping my weight either. I can't wait for these shingles to go away (outside of the incredible pain).

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Basically your muscles were dehydrated and now they're over compensating and full of water. It's temporary, but awesome while it lasts

Elurin_sl said:

It's amazing what carbs do to you. My morning weight is pretty steady, but I've been working on that challah bread (see cooking thread) and so my carbs are up probably about 50 grams higher than normal. My morning weight is steadily going up 1 pound every day for the last 3 days. I actually look more cut than I did without the extra carbs,

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The added weight is most probably water weight from the extra carbs. I weighed in at 81.80kg on 21st April which was after a heavy night of sugary carbs, and once I cut carbs out my diet again it had gone down to 78.8kg by the 27th April.

I actually find that I look and feel "spongier" after eating carbs, but yeah bodybuilders/fitness models will carb deplete by not eating any carbs for 4-6 days and then carb load, because the muscles are so depleted of glycogen, they go crazy and suck as much up as possible when carbs are reintroduced. They'll also eat a high carb, high fat, high sodium meal on the day of a show/shoot which accelerates the process of driving fluid into the muscle cells

Elurin_sl said:

It's possible that the cut has nothing to do with shingles. I'm not especially stressed though, and outside of that, I don't know what else would cause my immune system to suppress for me to get shingles. Could just be one of those random things, or cancer.

I was looking at being done in about a week and a half. Not sure what I'll do now though. Kind of shitty timing.

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Shingles is the reactivation of the chicken pox virus that has been dormant in your system since you had chicken pox as a kid. Probably just a random coincidence

I'm confused as to why carb depleting and then loading would be desirable though? What effect does depleting have? Is there some kind of physiological effect that carbs have on glycogen depleted muscles that makes them extra large as opposed to ones that have a level amount of glycogen?

Once I started using MyFitnessPal daily to track my calories/macros (I had just counted calories up until around the end of March), I noticed that I limited my carbs way more than previously. I think it's led to my best weeks for weight loss. I'm not going super low like most of you, but generally 120-150g a day (and 190ish since I made that damn delicious bread). I actually think I enjoy eating less carbs, to be honest. I fill up on protein/fats, and if I'm still hungry, just eat like 150g of some kind of vegetable. I figure once I start eating at maintenance again I'll probably be full all the time.

When they're depleted they go into starvation mode and when carbs are reintroduced they hold on to every bit they can. If you have to go long periods without carbs then your body holding on to as much as it can is very useful from an evolutionary stand point.

As far as how it's beneficial, it only is from a cosmetic point of view. Your muscles temporarily look much fuller, but the depletion phase is counterproductive to actual training. Bodybuilders do it because they just have to look good while they're on stage or for the photo shoot.

McCheese_sl said:

Yeah but don't you have the 'drinking garlic butter' addiction?

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I lost a hundred pounds this last year. I still drink butter, but I replaced garlic with coffee. Tastes good.

Himeo_sl said:

I lost a hundred pounds this last year. I still drink butter, but I replaced garlic with coffee. Tastes good.

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That's impressive. From what staring weight to what current weight? Was it all through diet or did you work out as well?

McCheese_sl said:

That's impressive. From what staring weight to what current weight? Was it all through diet or did you work out as well?

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Starting Weight: 410
Current Weight: 296

Mostly diet. I've been weight lifting since March.

You could probably lose that weight just from removing soda and bullshit from your diet.

Either way, good job.

So after a month back in the gym, I'm still a giant pussy:

Bench: 175
Squat: 235
Deadlift: 255

5x5 is good for a linear progression, though. Once I'm done with the semester I'll probably change the routine (so next Monday).

For reference, in October I was at 205, 275, 315. So that's why I'm saying I'm a giant pussy. Oh well, strength goes fast.

I'm 190, 5 6'. Fitting 36 waist jeans (and they are getting tight).

What's the easiest thing I should be doing to start? I have a granola bar for breakfast everyday, followed by a normal lunch, and then a hearty dinner (that my partner cooks). I do drink diet sodas, although at most 3 a day, the rest is water.

I do not exercise at all, and I know that's my main issue. I've in the past tried a lot of things, so this is not my first time trying to exercise: Running, Yoga, lifting, heck even walking is a chore to me. I suffer a lot from migraines so a day without pain is a happy day for me, no need to add physical pain to it.

Having said that, I think the most 'fun' I had was dancing to one of those Wii Just dance games. I'm afraid of starting hard, but I think I could do a couple of songs a day in the morning, and add a song/week until I do 8/10 a day.

I don't personally cook, and I've done the lean cuisine thing, taste terrible and always feel hungry an hour later. I want to change my body to at least fit in a 32 waist. Help

I'd say in addition to some kind of moderate exercise you should figure out exactly what you're putting into your body. You said "normal lunch" and "hearty dinner," but what do those mean? Spend some time using a site like Myfitnesspal to track everything you eat. It's not something you need to do forever, but you might be surprised at how many calories you're putting into your body without realizing it.

Dinners are definitely hearty, so a couple of steaks with rice, or some oven baked chicken, pork ribs. Lunches are so so, I have to eat near work usually, so that could be from a burger from habit with fries, pasta, a philly cheesesteak.

Your lunch sounds worse than your dinner. A burger with some fries is generally going to be more calores than a steak with some rice or a piece of chicken with a vegetable and a potato (unless you're eating a porterhouse or prime rib every night with 3 cups of rice).

You also need to recognize how much you need to eat per day and how much you're actually taking in. Portion sizes matter.

We'd need more information before we can help, but start here:Calorie Calculator

It's not an exact science, but it will give you an estimate. Since you do no exercise, put either sedentary or BMR and then subtract 250-500 cals per day. But honestly, I'd just join a gym and start lifting.

Result
You need 2,111 Calories/day to maintain your weight.
2,111
You need 1,611 Calories/day to lose 1 lb per week.
1,611
You need 1,111 Calories/day to lose 2 lb per week.
1,111


I have a gym membership... I just never go. I hate regular gym cardio, can't run (hate it hate it), jogging, tried yoga and shit but don't like any of that.

You hate it because its uncomfortable, and you are new at it most likely. Go running 10 times (running every second day), and you will likely find your mindset changing with the progress.

Tetrian_sl said:

You hate it because its uncomfortable, and you are new at it most likely. Go running 10 times (running every second day), and you will likely find your mindset changing with the progress.

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Actually I did couch to 5k and felt miserable. Some people just can't do running.

Obtenor_sl said:

Actually I did couch to 5k and felt miserable. Some people just can't do running.

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you should try DDP yoga and clean up your diet

Obtenor_sl said:

Dinners are definitely hearty, so a couple of steaks with rice, or some oven baked chicken, pork ribs. Lunches are so so, I have to eat near work usually, so that could be from a burger from habit with fries, pasta, a philly cheesesteak.

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It sounds like you're judging healthiness based on size, which is a horrible way to judge it. Just because a meal is "hearty" doesn't mean it's a calorie bomb or incredibly unhealthy. Like Itlan said, your dinners sound pretty reasonable. Oven baked chicken and rice is a perfectly sensible dinner. On the other hand, a burger and fries from a place like 5 Guys could easily be far less filling and appear a lot smaller, but have way, way more calories.

One of the biggest small changes anyone can make to reduce weight is to simply stop eating out so much. Generally speaking, fast food--and especially fried stuff--is going to be way worse for you calorie-wise than an equally filling meal you bring from home. If you really can't prepare food at home to bring, then simply make better choices when you go out: instead of fries, get a salad or veggies. Instead of a philly cheesesteak, get a grilled chicken kabob. Etc.

*Edit* And I hear you on the running. People have told me the same thing: "Just get used to it and you'll like it!" Fuck no, running is awful and I'll never, ever enjoy it. There are other ways to get cardio, and cardio isn't even necessary anyway.

Sorry Obtenor, I meant join a gym and do some weight lifting. Fuck bullshit cardio, especially if you don't enjoy it.

My cardio comes from a basketball men's league, playing frisbee with my bros (in our polos with popped collars and visors), football, etc.

Also, distance running is fucking terrible. Sprints aren't as bad, they're quicker, and they're more effective. So try that.

Obtenor_sl said:

I'm 190, 5 6'. Fitting 36 waist jeans (and they are getting tight).

What's the easiest thing I should be doing to start? I have a granola bar for breakfast everyday, followed by a normal lunch, and then a hearty dinner (that my partner cooks). I do drink diet sodas, although at most 3 a day, the rest is water.

I do not exercise at all, and I know that's my main issue. I've in the past tried a lot of things, so this is not my first time trying to exercise: Running, Yoga, lifting, heck even walking is a chore to me. I suffer a lot from migraines so a day without pain is a happy day for me, no need to add physical pain to it.

Having said that, I think the most 'fun' I had was dancing to one of those Wii Just dance games. I'm afraid of starting hard, but I think I could do a couple of songs a day in the morning, and add a song/week until I do 8/10 a day.

I don't personally cook, and I've done the lean cuisine thing, taste terrible and always feel hungry an hour later. I want to change my body to at least fit in a 32 waist. Help

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As pointed out, you need to first figure out EXACTLY what you are eating. Use a site / app like My Fitness Pal to calculate your intake. Try and be as precice as possible. My first couple weeks on the site, I just logged what I actually ate (pre-diet). I was making some food choices that were marketed as "healthy" but were absolute calorie bombs. I was taking in over 3k calories a day easily. Knowing where you are at now will allow you to make better food decisions later.

The next step after getting into the calorie deficit routine was figuring out which foods were actually fuelling my body better vs "empty calories". This became very apparent once I started up regular gym excercise. I could eat under my calorie limit, but if the food I ate was junk then I had zero energy in the gym and would burn out quickly.

So many of these things come into play overall when a person takes up a diet / fitness plan.

Eating out alot seems to be what ducks most people. So easy to chow down 2k+ calories in one meal out.

Learning to cook a bit helps alot too cause all those prepared meals either suck or are terrible for you. But it kinda depends on whether you like to cook, just don't be one of those people who refuses to put salt or a tiny bit of oil on your meat cause you are trying to be too good, then ya fall off the wagon and eat out cause the things you cooked tasted terrible.