Loosing weight for better mpg

[PaleMelanesian]

I need a "like" or "thanks" button for that post! Good stuff!

I'm mostly sedentary, so it looks like I'm at about 2100 calories break-even.

[CPLTECH]

Just to chime in here,
According to studies Dr Mercola & others quote, not all calories act the same once in the body. Out of 100 calories in a can of pop they say one calorie goes to fat IF it is made with cane sugar. Forty calories goes to fat IF high fructose corn syrup. So, is it any wonder we all have been developing what used to be affectionately referred to as a “beer belly” since the 70’s-80? Diet pop still causes the drinker to gain weight, just look at the ones who guzzle it. HFCS is in so many foods, even your loaf of bread.

In our area, Pepsi Throwback, Mtn Dew Throwback, Sierra Mist Natural varieties are available if you look hard enough. Keep in mind that white sugar is more expensive than HFCS, so you know which they are going to push if retail price is same.

OK, back to cars…

[phoebeisis]

CRT1
Gotta be a wrestler-right?
Possible it is MMA or another Martial Art
But wrestlers are absolute Fanatics about weight!
I'm 61 yo-still weight myself SEVERAL times a day-pointless, but wrestlers are compulsive bunch-can't turn it off.
You give good advice-crazy wrestler probably!

Andrew-great improvement-
It is REALLY REALLY REALLY hard to add lots of actual muscle mass-over what your genes have in mind for you.
Heavy weight lifting-5-8 reps 3-4 sets- 6-8 or so different exercises- can add maybe 20 lbs of actual muscle mass over 3 years on someone as tall as you.
20 lbs of actual muscle mass is a HUGE difference-
And when you aim to gain muscle mass-you ALWAYS add some fat tissue at the same time- if you eat exactly as many calories as you burn- you'll will be fighting MILLIONS of years of evolution which is telling your body-don't add more mass to feed-you are only getting "just enough"
So you have to eat "more" if you want to be bigger. You can then cut the fat off after you add the muscle mass-"get cut" as the body builders say.And you ALWAYS lose some muscle mass when you lose weight-go catabolic.Not much if you are careful- but some.

So eat more high quality protein-at least 1.5 grams per KG- some suggest MUCH more.
Get some weights-a bench-Smiths type with captured bar is reasonably safe-
Kick sand in their faces on your next trip to the Pacific!!
Dead lift
Power clean
Lat pulldown- but do it with a narrow grip- not that stupid body builder wide grip
One arm row
Upright row-high pull
Bench Press
Some sort of other press-dumbell presses are reasonable safe
Curls-yeah just for flash- but why not!!

Do the lighter weight stuff first-warm up etc- them the "hard stuff"
Crunches also-daily- or whatever abd exercise you like-some do bent leg lifts hanging from bar-good for back etc
Keep records- how much-how many reps you did-FOR EVERY WORKOUT-
Push yourself to get One more rep!! Yes your form will suffer slightly-be careful you don't "cheat' too much.
Records are good motivators.
Since you are an adult-work, wife kids- you will have "bad days" where you'll go backwards-expect them-ignore them. Try to schedule on Fridays-Sundays when you can really really concentrate on the workout. Hard to do on work nights.


Luck
Charlie
PS-Every other day is fine-all exercises 3.5 days a week-or just 3x week. Wed-Fri-Sun
If you work fast-little rest between sets -circuit training- it will give an aerobic effect- but will hurt muscle mass increase some.
To get max muscle mass-long rest between sets- maybe 5 minutes.Yeah 3 sets 8 exercises 24x5 + 24x1 150 minutes- 2.5 hours!! Not practical-less rest fewer sets, fewer different exercises- 6 exercises 3 sets each 2 minutes rest 18x2 + 18x1= 54 minutes

[CRT1]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

I need a "like" or "thanks" button for that post! Good stuff!

I'm mostly sedentary, so it looks like I'm at about 2100 calories break-even.

ANDREW, Here is Part II

Today, let's see what the healthy weight range is for your height, decide where you want to be and calculate a new daily calorie target.


CALCULATE YOUR BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/ass...bmi/index.html

BMI Formula: weight (kg) / [height (m)]2

Example: Weight = 68 kg, Height = 188 cm (1.88 m)
Calculation: 68 ÷ (1.88)2 = 19.24

OK, so at 68kg and 1.88m tall you Body Mass Index (BMI) is 19.24. This is very healthy but on the lower end of the "Normal" range. In this case "Normal"= healthy NOT as in normal, average American.

The normal range is a BMI of 18.5-24.9. For your height that translates into 65.3-88kg (144-193 lb)


PICK YOUR DESIRED WEIGHT AND CALCULATE NEW BMR

OK, so pick a new weight you would like to be at and go back and do the BMR calculation for your height at the new target weight. This is what I would suggest eating each day and eventually your weight will converge to your target.

This works obviously if you are trying to lose or gain weight. Rather than focusing on cutting x number of calories per week to lose y number of pound, just focus on changing your intake to the new level you will need to sustain the rest of your life.

DISCLAIMER: Everyone's metabolism is a little different so you might find toward the end you may need to add some extra calories or shave some off to balance things out.

PUTTING ON MUSCLE, NOT FAT

So that is all well and good but if you are not stressing your body adequately the extra calories will turn into fat, rather than lean muscle mass. Obviously it is better to stay skinny and healthy than put on fat.

The Surgeon General recommends 300 minutes of moderate activity per week or 150 minutes of more intense workouts. This is a minimum commitment we need to make to ourselves to keep our bodies in good working order.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/39...rgeon-general/

I my experience 60 minutes x 3 days per week is about the minimum for getting everything in and feeling great. Is that something that you can find the time for? Will you be working out at home or in a gym?

FOR WEIGHT LOSS, EXERCISE IS KEY

For those who would like to lose weight it is very easy for our body to go into "starvation mode" when we start to cut back on the calories. This is when the body decided a famine is coming on and it starts to partially shut down as to preserve calories and the fat just does not come off. Moderate exercise, even a brisk walk at your lunch break each day, will help keep your metabolism up and weight coming off.

[PaleMelanesian]

Wow again. Thanks.

I ate about 1900 calories yesterday and it was a typical day for me. So that explains things. If I want to gain 10, to 160 lb I need 2147 a day.

I'm hesitating on committing to a serious workout plan. What I've done so far was just "drop and do xx pushups" during my morning routine. Do 1 set, make coffee, do another set, set out breakfast, do another set and then eat. I know it's good to do but...

I'll be doing everything at home. I have no equipment (that's why I started with pushups). I'd like to put in a pull up bar and add that to the routine.

Oh, and I tried declined pushups with feet on the sofa. That knocked me down from 33 per set to 22. That's a good thing, right?

[ALS]

FOR WEIGHT LOSS, EXERCISE IS KEY

For those who would like to lose weight it is very easy for our body to go into "starvation mode" when we start to cut back on the calories. This is when the body decided a famine is coming on and it starts to partially shut down as to preserve calories and the fat just does not come off. Moderate exercise, even a brisk walk at your lunch break each day, will help keep your metabolism up and weight coming off.

When I was younger I could starve my weight off easily, now forget that happening. Like I said before, I love my new tread mill. Every night after work I set it for an hour at 3.2 miles per hour with a three percent incline and a TV remote control. An hour later according to the display I've burned off 750 calories. I keep my caloric intake at 1,000 or slightly less per day.

I've been on this work out routine about three and half weeks and have lost eighteen pounds.

It still comes down to how many calories you're putting in your mouth each day. You have to be persistent on knowing pretty close to how many calories your eating and especially drinking everyday. It isn't going to help you lose weight if you're working out two hours a day at the gym, yet you are still sitting down for dinner with a two liter of Coke and a large pizza with everything on it.

The toughest part is the first two weeks of starting a major diet or exercise program. Once you get past that two week point it is almost like running on automatic. It all starts when you have seriously decided it's time to do something about your weight.

Four weeks ago I could pull into a Wendy's drive through and look at a picture of a half pound double burger with cheese combo and think oh I want that right now. Today I have absolutely zero desire for one of those burgers.

[TheStepChild]

And another thanks for posting the calorie calc thingy.


I clean the floors in one Dr office every 2 months, so I watch my weight on their scale. Hanging right around 195 for over the last year, except one time I didn't weigh in because my pants felt tight and I didn't want to see an over 200 #.

Down to 186 yesterday.

Was 155 when I got married in 2001. Idk what happened. Oh wait, I do know

[Ophbalance]

Something else that's really helped me is getting a food scale. Guessing the weights on your foods kinda sucks for accurate reporting. I portion my lunches out ahead of time and then just grab my baggies when it's time to eat.

[PaleMelanesian]

Originally Posted by ALS

I keep my caloric intake at 1,000 or slightly less per day.

That's impressive!

[ALS]

I was talking to a dietitian at a party probably twenty five years ago and remembered her telling me that when you're dieting you shouldn't go below 1,000 calories per day.

Otherwise your body sees a drop in nutrition and goes into starvation mode making it a whole lot harder to lose the extra weight.

Let me add if you also exercising while dieting and consuming <1,000 calories per day your body can and will burn muscle as well as your fat reserves for energy.

You'll end up still losing weight but not just from the loss of fat but from the loss of muscle also.