Lost 6 lbs in 10 days - overweight - here is what I did.

[Anonymous]

NP here.
For years, I listened to the people who said you can’t outrun your fork. I believed diet was the key. I gave up my previous dedication to lifting and cardio because so many studies said diet was the thing to worry about and exercise didn’t really matter for weight loss. I started to gain weight but would be very discouraged about losing it because losing seemed so complicated. Exercise didn’t really matter... and then what should I eat?? Which diet?? Eventually I became frustrated, ceased all efforts and gained 20 pounds.

I’m now losing that weight slowly and successfully by exercising hard 5 days a week (weights, TRX, spin class); walking the dog for an hour each morning; and eating a lot more vegetables and lean protein/a lot less sugar and processed food.

I’m a 48 y.o. premenopausal female and am defying all of the DCUM negativity about how you have to follow a certain diet; exercise doesn’t matter; women in their 40s have a harder time losing weight...

I also have to say that the psychological benefit alone from working out hard has given me motivation to stop eating crap. I believe diet and exercise go hand in hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I lost 6 lbs because I am overweight 41 M. I would like to share what I did:

1. Drink twice as much water.
2. No processed food period.
3. Walk/Run 1 mile a day without any break.
4. Green Tea once a day.
5. Skip Coffee, Salt, and Sugar as much as possible. I drank decaf coffee only.
6. Delay morning breakfast at least to 10 am.

I used to be 180. Now I am 174. Any thoughts or recommendation to maintain and lose more weight?

Most of what you lost was just water weight. A pound is 3500 calories so unless you ate 21,000 less calories than you normally would have in a ten day period, it wasn't actual weight loss. However all the habits you are moving to are good ones and they will over time lead to weight loss. You should feel a lot less bloated.

Wrong. Some day (soon, I hope) it will become more common knowledge that losing/gaining weight is extremely complex, much more so than this calories in/calories out mindset.

Not soon, it seems that it already happened in some studies. I am relatively thin and maintain that you don't just gain 100lbs without noticing, that takes some effort, but it might be that thin people do have it easier and are nasty judgy biatches.
https://www.msn.com/en-ph/health/wellness/new-study-finds-slim-people-have-a-genetic-advantage-when-it-comes-to-maintaining-their-weight/ar-BBSKvwi?li=BBr8YXP

[Anonymous]

Oh, and I love this quote from that article:
"This research shows for the first time that healthy thin people are generally thin because they have a lower burden of genes that increase a person's chances of being overweight and not because they are morally superior, as some people like to suggest," commented lead author Professor Sadaf Farooqi. "It's easy to rush to judgement and criticize people for their weight, but the science shows that things are far more complex. We have far less control over our weight than we might wish to think."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here.
For years, I listened to the people who said you can’t outrun your fork. I believed diet was the key. I gave up my previous dedication to lifting and cardio because so many studies said diet was the thing to worry about and exercise didn’t really matter for weight loss. I started to gain weight but would be very discouraged about losing it because losing seemed so complicated. Exercise didn’t really matter... and then what should I eat?? Which diet?? Eventually I became frustrated, ceased all efforts and gained 20 pounds.

I’m now losing that weight slowly and successfully by exercising hard 5 days a week (weights, TRX, spin class); walking the dog for an hour each morning; and eating a lot more vegetables and lean protein/a lot less sugar and processed food.

I’m a 48 y.o. premenopausal female and am defying all of the DCUM negativity about how you have to follow a certain diet; exercise doesn’t matter; women in their 40s have a harder time losing weight...

I also have to say that the psychological benefit alone from working out hard has given me motivation to stop eating crap. I believe diet and exercise go hand in hand.

So essentially you're saying that you stopped exercising but didn't create calorie deficit either? Of course you gained weight!

That doesn't prove excercise is more or even equally effective than diet for weightloss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here.
For years, I listened to the people who said you can’t outrun your fork. I believed diet was the key. I gave up my previous dedication to lifting and cardio because so many studies said diet was the thing to worry about and exercise didn’t really matter for weight loss. I started to gain weight but would be very discouraged about losing it because losing seemed so complicated. Exercise didn’t really matter... and then what should I eat?? Which diet?? Eventually I became frustrated, ceased all efforts and gained 20 pounds.

I’m now losing that weight slowly and successfully by exercising hard 5 days a week (weights, TRX, spin class); walking the dog for an hour each morning; and eating a lot more vegetables and lean protein/a lot less sugar and processed food.

I’m a 48 y.o. premenopausal female and am defying all of the DCUM negativity about how you have to follow a certain diet; exercise doesn’t matter; women in their 40s have a harder time losing weight...

I also have to say that the psychological benefit alone from working out hard has given me motivation to stop eating crap. I believe diet and exercise go hand in hand.

So essentially you're saying that you stopped exercising but didn't create calorie deficit either? Of course you gained weight!

That doesn't prove excercise is more or even equally effective than diet for weightloss.

DP. I have done what you are suggesting, created calorie deficit, major one, heck I would do IF for 36 hours and watch and eat less the day after and cut carbs and etc... Nothing, until I went back to exercising. I think there are two mistakes people make when it comes to exercise and weight loss or gain. Completely sedentary life style of many adults in the US, no walking almost anywhere, rest of the world is not this sedentary, and second mistake is that loss of muscle mass makes it harder to burn down calories when sedentary. Muscle burns more calories per day when sedentary than fat. Obesity experts tell this to patients, no 1 way to lose more calories is the old fashioned way, by moving more. Exercise is effective for weightless when done right. All these Drs must be quacks according to you?
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/8-ways-to-burn-calories-and-fight-fat#1[url]

[Anonymous]

First of all, this article does not compare exercise to diet, and it does not say excercise is more effective than diet. It's focus is entirely on how to *burn* more calories. Whereas you can simply not consume that many calories that you'd have to burn later via exercise.

Do you see what I mean?

Besides, we now know that points 4-6 are BS, sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First of all, this article does not compare exercise to diet, and it does not say excercise is more effective than diet. It's focus is entirely on how to *burn* more calories. Whereas you can simply not consume that many calories that you'd have to burn later via exercise.

Do you see what I mean?

Besides, we now know that points 4-6 are BS, sorry.

You must be the IF poster. You keep starving and we'll keep eating and exercising and being skinny anyway. You do you recliner weight loss program.

[Anonymous]

I’m not willing to starve myself via IF — I eat a healthy diet and stay a normal weight by making sure to incorporate weight training and cardio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here.
For years, I listened to the people who said you can’t outrun your fork. I believed diet was the key. I gave up my previous dedication to lifting and cardio because so many studies said diet was the thing to worry about and exercise didn’t really matter for weight loss. I started to gain weight but would be very discouraged about losing it because losing seemed so complicated. Exercise didn’t really matter... and then what should I eat?? Which diet?? Eventually I became frustrated, ceased all efforts and gained 20 pounds.

I’m now losing that weight slowly and successfully by exercising hard 5 days a week (weights, TRX, spin class); walking the dog for an hour each morning; and eating a lot more vegetables and lean protein/a lot less sugar and processed food.

I’m a 48 y.o. premenopausal female and am defying all of the DCUM negativity about how you have to follow a certain diet; exercise doesn’t matter; women in their 40s have a harder time losing weight...

I also have to say that the psychological benefit alone from working out hard has given me motivation to stop eating crap. I believe diet and exercise go hand in hand.

So essentially you're saying that you stopped exercising but didn't create calorie deficit either? Of course you gained weight!

That doesn't prove excercise is more or even equally effective than diet for weightloss.

No, it doesn’t, and that’s not what I said. I believe diet and exercise go hand in hand, as I stated. I also believe that when we overcomplicate weight loss advice or tell people that one way is “the” way, it confuses and discourages some people and makes all efforts seem like they won’t work.
Eat less sugar and processed food, increase muscle mass for more efficient calorie burning, and incorporate cardio for heart health and mood lift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You must be the IF poster. You keep starving and we'll keep eating and exercising and being skinny anyway. You do you recliner weight loss program.

First, there is no single 'IF poster' on this forum, there are many of us here
Second, believe it or not, I am not starving at all not eating from 7 pm till 1 or 2 pm. Eating around the clock is a pretty recent invention for humans.

And I am glad if what you do works for you, I really am. It's just that for many if not most others, it's not an optimal way. All I am saying is that you *can* lose weight only with exercise - but it will be a lot slower. You can't argue with the numbers in that table, i.e. creating calorie deficit of 600 cal vs. losing 250 cal a day via exercising.

Of course, it's awesome if you can do both

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not willing to starve myself via IF — I eat a healthy diet and stay a normal weight by making sure to incorporate weight training and cardio.

Good for you. The problem is, that I am overweight (lightly obese) and I need to actually create a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. That means I need to remain in a state of constant under eating until I reach my goal weight. I have extra pounds on my body right now so I've got to exercise appropriately. Running, jumping around, squats, etc are terrible exercises for heavy people and those exercises are a great way to wind up with joint problems down the road. Want to blow a knee? Do burpees every day for 3 months straight - you'll be out walking one day and SNAP....

I am taking off the weight with diet first. I have started to incorporate some fairly light exercise into my diet to maintain healthy blood glucose levels (I'm monitoring). The more I stay in the healthy blood glucose range, as opposed to pre-diabetic range, the less likely I am to overeat. Intermittent fasting helps me to do just that. I've lost close to 40 pounds in a little over 4 months which I am thrilled with.

I went on starvation diets when I was much younger where I exercised and ate very low calorie or not at all for a stretch and took weight off fast - maybe I ate nothing more than a can of tuna every day for several weeks and jogged 3 miles every day. That isn't the same thing as intermittent fasting where I concentrate on getting high quality nutrients into my meal window.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not willing to starve myself via IF — I eat a healthy diet and stay a normal weight by making sure to incorporate weight training and cardio.

Good for you. The problem is, that I am overweight (lightly obese) and I need to actually create a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. That means I need to remain in a state of constant under eating until I reach my goal weight. I have extra pounds on my body right now so I've got to exercise appropriately. Running, jumping around, squats, etc are terrible exercises for heavy people and those exercises are a great way to wind up with joint problems down the road. Want to blow a knee? Do burpees every day for 3 months straight - you'll be out walking one day and SNAP....

I am taking off the weight with diet first. I have started to incorporate some fairly light exercise into my diet to maintain healthy blood glucose levels (I'm monitoring). The more I stay in the healthy blood glucose range, as opposed to pre-diabetic range, the less likely I am to overeat. Intermittent fasting helps me to do just that. I've lost close to 40 pounds in a little over 4 months which I am thrilled with.

I went on starvation diets when I was much younger where I exercised and ate very low calorie or not at all for a stretch and took weight off fast - maybe I ate nothing more than a can of tuna every day for several weeks and jogged 3 miles every day. That isn't the same thing as intermittent fasting where I concentrate on getting high quality nutrients into my meal window.

And after you lose weight, you do know that you will have to create a calorie deficit compared to a person that was never overweight to maintain your weight once you achieve it? Hence your weight loss program is catered to you and not by any means what you are presenting it as, rule for all. It might be much harder for person weighing 125lbs to lose 5 lbs in their 50s than for a very overweight person. That is why, for many, exercise is a solid advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not willing to starve myself via IF — I eat a healthy diet and stay a normal weight by making sure to incorporate weight training and cardio.

Good for you. The problem is, that I am overweight (lightly obese) and I need to actually create a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. That means I need to remain in a state of constant under eating until I reach my goal weight. I have extra pounds on my body right now so I've got to exercise appropriately. Running, jumping around, squats, etc are terrible exercises for heavy people and those exercises are a great way to wind up with joint problems down the road. Want to blow a knee? Do burpees every day for 3 months straight - you'll be out walking one day and SNAP....

I am taking off the weight with diet first. I have started to incorporate some fairly light exercise into my diet to maintain healthy blood glucose levels (I'm monitoring). The more I stay in the healthy blood glucose range, as opposed to pre-diabetic range, the less likely I am to overeat. Intermittent fasting helps me to do just that. I've lost close to 40 pounds in a little over 4 months which I am thrilled with.

I went on starvation diets when I was much younger where I exercised and ate very low calorie or not at all for a stretch and took weight off fast - maybe I ate nothing more than a can of tuna every day for several weeks and jogged 3 miles every day. That isn't the same thing as intermittent fasting where I concentrate on getting high quality nutrients into my meal window.

And after you lose weight, you do know that you will have to create a calorie deficit compared to a person that was never overweight to maintain your weight once you achieve it? Hence your weight loss program is catered to you and not by any means what you are presenting it as, rule for all. It might be much harder for person weighing 125lbs to lose 5 lbs in their 50s than for a very overweight person. That is why, for many, exercise is a solid advice.

When I get down to more a more normal weight I will incorporate strength training and I will be do some cross training (walking/joggin, biking and swimming). Exercise is MUCH easier when you are more of a normal weight. As far as calories go, I am really not eating super low cal now. But I use intermittent fasting to fit in some heavier meals and even some alcohol. I really do not feel at all deprived.

[Anonymous]

^Also, there really aren't too many people fretting over how to lose 5 or 10 pounds. It's not that hard to lose such a small amount of weight. Their metabolisms aren't lugged down by excess fat so they should be able to take that weight off with very minimal effort.

But the folks with 40, 50, 100+ pounds to lose really can use some tips as to how to maintain a calorie deficit long term. These are the folks who are in it for the long haul. And they are not going to be able to take that weight off through exercise alone. They will need to make significant changes to their diet, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^Also, there really aren't too many people fretting over how to lose 5 or 10 pounds. It's not that hard to lose such a small amount of weight. Their metabolisms aren't lugged down by excess fat so they should be able to take that weight off with very minimal effort.

But the folks with 40, 50, 100+ pounds to lose really can use some tips as to how to maintain a calorie deficit long term. These are the folks who are in it for the long haul. And they are not going to be able to take that weight off through exercise alone. They will need to make significant changes to their diet, too.

It's been hard for me, so speak for someone else. I will lose 5lbs and gain it back for 3 year now or more. After my long not diagnosed Lyme disease, it literary takes me weeks to lose it and just about a day to gain it back. And if I don't pay attention, I start gaining more and more weight. So, now I have to watch it before it turns into 15, 20, 40 lbs all the time. Funny how people assume that some "thinner" people do not struggle with weight gain issues. Long gone are the days of my 20s when today I could pig out, and tomorrow watch what I ate for a bit and be perfectly fine weight wise.