fitness4fun

This is from bb.com too not sure where to place it, but maybe someone can put it in the right area

The most common type of newbie on this message board is not someone who's never lost weight, rather, it's someone who's been losing weight but doing it in an unproductive way. I'm going to take my best shot of answering all of their common questions in one mega useful post.

Q. I have been eating 1500-1800 calories a day, I now understand this is wrong. How much should I eat and what results should I expect?

A. One of the simpler algorithms to find your cutting calories is to multiply your bodyweight by 15 to get an approximation of your maintenance calories, then subtract 500 to get your cutting calories. So a 200 lb man would have a maintenance calorie level of 3,000 calories, and can lose weight on 2400-2600 calories a day. If you've been under eating (starving) for a prolonged amount of time, you may gain weight when you begin to eat more. Don't get discouraged and keep eating. Treat your body good, give it fuel to run off of. The only time this formula does not work is when you are extremely overweight, in which case I would not recommend ever trying to cut on more than 3,000 calories (and never less than 1800).

Q. Should I just do cardio and cardio only until I lose the weight?

A. No. You might lose a lot of weight by doing just cardio, but you will be losing muscle in the process. Lifting weights is the only true way to transform your bodie's shape. By lifting weight you will retain and possibley put on muscle, thereby increasing your metabolism, making it easier to burn fat, and improving your physical appearance. Lifting weights should be your priority, cardio can come second.

Q. I am 250+ pounds, and am about to spend a zillion dollars on supplements, is this a good plan?

A. Absolutely not. You do not need to spend money on supplements/thermogenics at this point in time. The only supplements recommended to newbies are the following:
- Whey Protein for after intense workouts
- Multivitamins
- Fish Oil (Essential Fatty ascids, this is a general health issue that can help spur fat loss)


Q. So what am I supposed to be eating?

A. Wholesome unprocessed foods. Now that you're ready to start losing fat the "right way", you are going to make a new dedication to learning about nutrition. YOU (not me, nor this post, nor anyone on this message board) are going to spend time searching the forums and the internet for information on how to eat properly. In general you will be eating things like chicken, tuna, brown rice, yams, walnuts, and other tasty treats, but the topic of nutrition and food choices is much too large to answer in this FAQ.

Q. Cardio fasted in the morning is better?

A. I don't know, I don't care, it's been argued to death and no one can agree on one answer. The fact that you DO the cardio is much more important than WHEN.

Q. I don't have a gym membership, what do I do?

A. Get one, it is the most important and rewarding investments you will ever make in your life. Scrounge up change, bring back cans to the store, or beg on the streets if you have to. Get over your social axieties. Go to the gym and lift weights there. They have all of the equipment you need. While you're there, see about getting a personal trainer for a few sessions. A personal trainer will help you get started in the world of weight lifting, they will watch your form and give you a basic plan you can start with.

Q. Is it true that I only want to lose 2 pounds a week?

A. Absolutely, anything more than that is unhealthy. The only time this rule does not apply is when you are very over weight (280+lbs), in which case, losing 1% of your total bodyweight per week is completely acceptable.

Q. What's a refeed? How do they compare to a cheat?

A. A refeed day is one day a week where you eat a surplus of calories. This does not mean you get to binge out on pizza, and it does not mean you can stuff your face all day long either. What this means is that you eat the same foods you normally eat only in a greater quantity. This will help keep your muscle full of glycogen, and help keep hormone and metabolism levels normal. Cheats are "dirty" refeeds, and include things like pizza and icecream. Avoid meals like these at all costs.

Q. My schedule makes it hard to eat 6 meals a day, are protein bars or protein shakes okay?

A. No. Protein bars are nothing more than glorified candy, and protein shakes by themselves do not constitute as a "meal". I don't care how crazy or hard your schedule is, there is a way for you to scarf down a 3.5oz piece of chicken on organic whole wheat bread in a dark corner when no one is looking. You must eat real food. If it tastes like chocolate, it's probably not the best thing to be eating. Also please mind not to eat too much protein (see the answer about nutrition).

Q. How can I stay motivated?

A. There are NUMEROUS ways to help stay motivated. Something that I found helpful was keeping a log of my weekly weight in my signature here on the forums, between that and posting with other people in similar situations, my motivation has stayed on track. Other things you may want to try is starting a "weight loss journal" on the board here so people can help motivate you and discuss your regimin with you, or you can try making a goal sheet. Lifequest did a wonderful job of explaining them here.

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:bigthumbu Female Bodybuilder here

Pj-Macx

This is great Fitness... Thank You!!!

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Co-Owner @ BodyBuildingXtreme

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SouthCaliDiva

My favorite:

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It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.
It is by the juice of sapho that thoughts acquire speed,
the lips acquire stains. The stains become a warning.
It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.

Dan

That is a good one SCD and I do not do anything on empty if I can help it.

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