[TheDamnBoy]

I’m 5’10” 180 with about 11-13% adipose tissue, been doing this since I was 18 back in 2001

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by TheDamnBoy

I’m 5’10” 180 with about 11-13% adipose tissue, been doing this since I was 18 back in 2001

I'm 5' 10" and weigh 178lbs. This is down from over 200lbs...

No fancy diet. Well, I did cut out high calorie/low nutrition (highly processed) foods pretty much. (On doctor's orders I already was on a low sodium/low cholesterol diet and this included much reduced red meat consumption.) Just started counting calories and got as far under 2K per day as I could -- no pun -- stomach. (My target was 1K calories per day and I was in the 1.5K to 1K calories per day.)

To my surprise I was not hungry. Weighed myself every morning. Kept a diary. Weight came off. I continued to exercise -- some light jogging, bike riding, or rowing machine when the weather outside was not conducive to jogging/bike riding -- but not to burn mega calories but for the exercise/physical activity and for some cardio benefit.

Weight was going down and got down to about 177/178lbs. Then I got hungry. Started eating more. Weight loss stopped. But still avoiding high calorie/low nutrition foods.

Weight has stabilized.

While I would like to get my weight down to 175lbs or even 170lbs my doctor says he is quite happy with my weight. So I have a diet intended to maintain my current weight. Which is pretty much the same diet I followed to lose weight. The difference is now I eat more but calorie intake is still below 2K.

Update: Down to 172lbs. Oh and I'm 5 foot 8 inches tall. Guess I've shrunk some. Not sure what I did to resume my lower caloric intake and not get hungry.

[Stlthnmrdrd]

16 hour intermittent fasting.
Keep calories below maintenance.
High protein diet.
Low intensity cardio (light jogging, walking).
Weight lifting.

Fat loss is all about diet, not the intensity of the workout.

[TheDamnBoy]

Originally Posted by Stlthnmrdrd

16 hour intermittent fasting.
Keep calories below maintenance.
High protein diet.
Low intensity cardio (light jogging, walking).
Weight lifting.

Fat loss is all about diet, not the intensity of the workout.

So true, but it is easier if you have a good amount of muscle. One more thing, fasting is best used for maintaining, I see it as the most advanced way to diet, but everyone is different and do what best works for you.

[chassis]

Originally Posted by TheDamnBoy

I’m 5’10” 180 with about 11-13% adipose tissue, been doing this since I was 18 back in 2001

Good numbers. How do you estimate or calculate % adipose?

[Gemini562]

Originally Posted by Stlthnmrdrd

16 hour intermittent fasting.
Keep calories below maintenance.
High protein diet.
Low intensity cardio (light jogging, walking).
Weight lifting.

Fat loss is all about diet, not the intensity of the workout.

Sooo true! I've been experimenting with a new routine to drop some weight. Instead of eating throughout the day, I stick to an 18 hour fast and eat all my meals within a 6 hour window. At first, it was a bit challenging, but I got used to it quickly. I also make sure to keep my daily calories just under what I burn, and I prioritize high-protein foods to help with muscle maintenance and hunger.

What I've learned is that diet is the real key to losing fat. The type of workout matters less than what and how much you're eating.

[TheDamnBoy]

Originally Posted by chassis

Good numbers. How do you estimate or calculate % adipose?

I just use the eye test, my scale says 24% yet I have a six pack, even when I’m seated and not slouching

[Bald Guy]

I'm supposed to be about 170 lbs. I've been pushing 250-260 lbs lately but trying to fix my act ASAP as I continue to follow my PCP's advice alongside. I don't want diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol issues. 39-40 years old currently. The sooner I get back on track, the better.

[chassis]

Originally Posted by Bald Guy

I'm supposed to be about 170 lbs. I've been pushing 250-260 lbs lately but trying to fix my act ASAP as I continue to follow my PCP's advice alongside. I don't want diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol issues. 39-40 years old currently. The sooner I get back on track, the better.

You can do it.

[Bald Guy]

Originally Posted by chassis

You can do it.

.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Bald Guy

I'm supposed to be about 170 lbs. I've been pushing 250-260 lbs lately but trying to fix my act ASAP as I continue to follow my PCP's advice alongside. I don't want diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol issues. 39-40 years old currently. The sooner I get back on track, the better.

Cycling has worked wonders for me. I was nearly 300lbs in 2017 (6'3") and started cycling that year. By keeping a 1000 cal/day deficit and riding every day for an hour or so, I dropped almost 100lbs the first year. Cycling can be pricey to get into, but once you have a bike and the gear you need, there's very little ongoing cost. Texas also might not be the best place to cycle due to the heat, but your season could probably run well into December and start in late February, maybe. Get a smart trainer and ride indoors if it gets too hot (or cold). I wish I had started cycling on my 40's instead of waiting until I was 58.

[Bald Guy]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Cycling has worked wonders for me. I was nearly 300lbs in 2017 (6'3") and started cycling that year. By keeping a 1000 cal/day deficit and riding every day for an hour or so, I dropped almost 100lbs the first year. Cycling can be pricey to get into, but once you have a bike and the gear you need, there's very little ongoing cost. Texas also might not be the best place to cycle due to the heat, but your season could probably run well into December and start in late February, maybe. Get a smart trainer and ride indoors if it gets too hot (or cold). I wish I had started cycling on my 40's instead of waiting until I was 58.

Will motorcycling work as well?

; )

[BWBike]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Cycling has worked wonders for me. I was nearly 300lbs in 2017 (6'3") and started cycling that year. By keeping a 1000 cal/day deficit and riding every day for an hour or so, I dropped almost 100lbs the first year. Cycling can be pricey to get into, but once you have a bike and the gear you need, there's very little ongoing cost. Texas also might not be the best place to cycle due to the heat, but your season could probably run well into December and start in late February, maybe. Get a smart trainer and ride indoors if it gets too hot (or cold). I wish I had started cycling on my 40's instead of waiting until I was 58.

Cycling does indeed work. For me, riding and racing bicycles for many years kept me in top shape. I don’t race anymore and don’t ride daily any longer either (I’m aging out). I still keep trim by walking and some riding.

The bottom line is one needs to figure out how many calories your body needs to stay the same, then consume fewer calories. If you exercise less, you need to eat less.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Bald Guy

Will motorcycling work as well?

; )

Not so much.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by BWBike

Cycling does indeed work. For me, riding and racing bicycles for many years kept me in top shape. I don’t race anymore and don’t ride daily any longer either (I’m aging out). I still keep trim by walking and some riding.

The bottom line is one needs to figure out how many calories your body needs to stay the same, then consume fewer calories. If you exercise less, you need to eat less.

That right there is the secret. When I first started riding and was nearly 300lbs, my maintenance intake was over 3000 calories/day. If I rode 1-1/2 hours, I'd burn 900-1000 calories. So I could eat 3000 calories and still have a 1000 calorie deficit for the day. Do that for a week and you're down 7000 calories, which is roughly 2lbs. I was seriously surprised how much I could eat and still lose weight. But when you do lose weight, you need less to maintain, so losing more weight gets a bit more difficult. Now at ~200lbs, my maintenance intake is just under 2000 calories/day. So if I want to continue to lose 1lb/week, which is 3500 calories, I need to have a 500 cal/day deficit. With slightly less than 2000 calories max if I don't exercise, a 500 cal deficit means I can only intake 1500 calories, which isn't much at all. So if I want to eat well, I need to exercise daily, which I do. I'm averaging 1100 calories burned through exercise daily.

[chassis]

Weight stability = caloric balance.

Weight loss = caloric deficit.

There is no other way.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by chassis

Weight stability = caloric balance.

Weight loss = caloric deficit.

There is no other way.

Didn't I say that?

[MyZ4Coupe]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Not so much.

If you do some spirited dirtbike riding you will burn a lot of calories 🙂

Sitting on a cruiser and hitting up Dairy Queen.... Not so good lol

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by Bald Guy

I'm supposed to be about 170 lbs. I've been pushing 250-260 lbs lately but trying to fix my act ASAP as I continue to follow my PCP's advice alongside. I don't want diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol issues. 39-40 years old currently. The sooner I get back on track, the better.

Look into Noom. It worked for me. I call it "Weight Watchers for the 2020's". There is no magic, it is simply a mechanism to track caloric intake combined with some really good psychological lessons on why you eat, what makes you "hungry" and how to properly fuel yourself mentally and physically.

Like many posts above, weight loss is all about caloric deficit. The problem is making that deficit work for you. The first step is abandon the term "diet" or anything that is a temporary solution. They just don't ever work because your brain is waiting for it to be over, only to return to your previous behavior. I think in the back of my head I knew that, but it was the lessons contained in the Noom program that finally made it click for me.

Started in April 2001 at 6'2" / 278 lbs. Ended a year later at 212.5. No hardcore exercise but plenty of increased activity (walking, biking, walk / jogging, no real weight workouts). Stopped using the app and logging food and the weight stayed steady, except that since I wasn't constantly logging food, holiday times became a little more out of control. And then slowly, each thanksgiving and Christmas, the weight would go up 2-3 lbs. (Per Noom, weigh yourself every day and I continued to do that). Tried using My Fitness Pal to track but I found that I just couldn't discipline myself enough to do it. My own fault. So went back on it about 2 months ago and already back down 5 lbs.

This time I am doing better about weight training trying to build overall muscle tone since I'm now over 50 and want to continue to be healthy. Don't need to bulk, those days are over, lol. Just want functional strength for life and sports (MTB, golf, etc.).

The lessons I learned:
Log what you eat.
Weigh yourself every day.
Try to eat as much food as possible that has low caloric density (under 1 calorie per gram of food). Avoid as much as possible of high caloric density (1 calorie per less than 0.5g).
Don't deprive yourself of treats, but log them and be honest.
Weigh everything especially if it's a treat. A serving of ice cream is a LOT smaller than you think.
Plan ahead when eating out. Look at the menus, know what you're going to order.
When eating out, grab a to-go container at the start of your meal and immediately put a large portion in it.
Make sure you're getting enough protein. It's way harder than you think.
Drink lots of water!

Many other small things but all about making sure you're truly aware of what you are eating and most importantly:

DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.

Whether that's intermittent fasting, keto, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, or just old fashioned calorie counting, the thing that enables you to change your lifestyle permanently is the best. Not what works for your buddy, your gym partner, or your co-worker. What works best for you.

It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle change.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Make sure you're getting enough protein. It's way harder than you think.

It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle change.

I have that issue with protein. I'm always well below what I should be getting. But I'm also on a very low cholesterol diet, so that makes it harder because I need to avoid meats and other things with higher cholesterol numbers.

But yes, it's a permanent lifestyle change. Going back to big sammiches for lunch and snacking at night is not an option.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Look into Noom. It worked for me. I call it "Weight Watchers for the 2020's". There is no magic, it is simply a mechanism to track caloric intake combined with some really good psychological lessons on why you eat, what makes you "hungry" and how to properly fuel yourself mentally and physically.

.
.
.
.
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The lessons I learned:
Log what you eat.
Weigh yourself every day.
Try to eat as much food as possible that has low caloric density (under 1 calorie per gram of food). Avoid as much as possible of high caloric density (1 calorie per less than 0.5g).
Don't deprive yourself of treats, but log them and be honest.
Weigh everything especially if it's a treat. A serving of ice cream is a LOT smaller than you think.
Plan ahead when eating out. Look at the menus, know what you're going to order.
When eating out, grab a to-go container at the start of your meal and immediately put a large portion in it.
Make sure you're getting enough protein. It's way harder than you think.
Drink lots of water!

Many other small things but all about making sure you're truly aware of what you are eating and most importantly:

DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.

Whether that's intermittent fasting, keto, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, or just old fashioned calorie counting, the thing that enables you to change your lifestyle permanently is the best. Not what works for your buddy, your gym partner, or your co-worker. What works best for you.

It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle change.

This video from Jeff dropped yesterday. Literally 95% of it is what I learned in Noom (as I said, it's not revolutionary, it just worked for me).

Very sound advice.