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The ever unpopular "I need to lose weight" thread


FNBADAZ06

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It's time.........time for me to start shedding the extra pounds I've put on during the last 10-15 YEARS of my life. I emphasize the time frame as it's really a truth that most of us don't gain those extra pounds overnight by eating that ONE slice of pizza, but over the course of several months and years as your lifestyle changes. The issue at hand is I don't want to wait another 10-15 years it took for me to put on the weight to actually get rid of it !!!!!

So, what is a realistic expectation of weight loss solely by watching what you eat without adding any extra physical activity...can it be done ? Sure it can, but at what time frame..and is that really a realistic goal ?

Well, for me I decided to go back and reintroduce myself to some basic health knowledge so I can temper my expectations.

First up is remembering what my approximate resting metabolic rate (also known as Basal Metabolic Rate) if I wanted to create a calorie defecit to help my weight loss. The resting metabolic rate is your metabolism when you are just going through your ordinary day and is expressed in calories burned per day.

Here's a chart I found online for both men and women :

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I'm 5'11", so I'm in the general ball park of 1885 calories a day. 1885 calories a day just going thru the motions of life. That doesn't sound too bad.

So, how much is the equivalent calorie count to equal one pound of fat ?

Everything I've found says that one pound of fat is equalvalent to 3500 calories !!!! :eekYikes !!!!! This is going to take a lot more than just watching what I eat if I want to beat my 10-15 year weight gain plan, as it appears if you wanted to lose 2 pounds of fat in a week, you would need to eat a 1000 calorie deficit per day for a week. And I need to lose more than just two pounds :smilelol

I guess this means I'll need to augment my diet with a bit of excercise as well after all :facepalm:

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Eating for one person and moderate exercise works.

This was me in July.

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This is me now...

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I'm down about 70 lbs and around 10" off my waist. Like you say... You can't really expect to do it without exercise. Not only do you need to burn the calories, but lean muscle mass burns calories even at rest. So the more fit you are, the faster you'll burn off the calories. Get with yer boy Steg. He will hump you into shape...

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Eating for one person and moderate exercise works.

I'm down about 70 lbs and around 10" off my waist. Like you say... You can't really expect to do it without exercise. Not only do you need to burn the calories, but lean muscle mass burns calories even at rest. So the more fit you are, the faster you'll burn off the calories. Get with yer boy Steg. He will hump you into shape...

Very true, Big Poppa :thumbs

It's amazing how much you've dropped when I saw you at Sidewinder's place....you're damn near half the man you were before :smilelol

I'm starting from right around the 240 mark.....aiming for around 50 on the loss.

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Bright side it....less weight = quicker e.t.'s!!! :3gears:

VERY TRUE, Dean-O......and it's much cheaper for me to lose the weight vs adding more HP to the car :facepalm:

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Victor, where did you find those charts? I ask because I've been using calculators like this http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm to figure it out. It shows my base intake as 1500 or if I have a "desk job" even though I am physically active I pick that. It says I should eat 1800 to maintain. Awesome! I try to stick around 1200 if I don't exercise, it doesn't always work but in three months I lost 15 pounds and i've just been losing slowly since then. The biggest challenge (for me) in weight loss is alcohol. There are sooooooo many calories in any grain alcohol, any sugar alcohol and all the good beers/ciders. UGH.

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I'm in on this. I gained 20 lbs during Jackie's pregnancy. Last week I was 215 lbs. This morning I am 211. I'm aiming for 190 lbs.

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Am also re-dedicating myself to fitness, after getting myself back into awesome shape I then purchased a Corvette and joined ACE. 10 lbs a year partying with you clowns + 4 years = Jim's a tubby boy again Treadmill - 20 minutes in the morning before work Treadmill - 30 minutes in the afternoon after work Eat sensible food, sensible portions, less carbs (and good carb only) and approx 1800 to 2000 calories per day 2 weeks - 5 lbs down

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You should not base your intake soley off a chart but use it as a STARTING POINT to calculating your calorie intake as is it so individual and theres a lot more determining factors. There is so much information online that contradicts itself so its really hard to get some good information. Im not going to go into detail with all the formulas as it is far easier/more accurate to go off real life experimenting. Ive always gone off the rule of no more than 2lbs per week but starting out you will initially lose a lot more. People cant have the "Biggest Loser" mentality and expect the same results as someone weighing 500lbs will be able to drop a lot more weight than someone half their weight. Im going copy/paste some information off my forum which Ive used for quite some time..........

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Victor, where did you find those charts? I ask because I've been using calculators like this http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm to figure it out. It shows my base intake as 1500 or if I have a "desk job" even though I am physically active I pick that. It says I should eat 1800 to maintain. Awesome! I try to stick around 1200 if I don't exercise, it doesn't always work but in three months I lost 15 pounds and i've just been losing slowly since then.

The biggest challenge (for me) in weight loss is alcohol. There are sooooooo many calories in any grain alcohol, any sugar alcohol and all the good beers/ciders. UGH.

Mir.....I got them from here

Get This Ripped

Interesting you bring up alcohol......in todays Live Science at MSNBC, they have an article called "7 Biggest Diet Myths", with alcohol consumption being number 6:

"At 7 calories per gram, alcohol is what scientists call a "non-trivial" calorie source. (A gram of fat has 9 calories, while protein and carbs, including simple sugars, have 4 calories per gram.) So imagine their surprise when, in a 13-year study of 19,220 U.S. women, teetotalers were more likely to become overweight than women who regularly imbibed beer, wine or liquor.

The link remained even after accounting for a slew of lifestyle factors, including exercise habits, nutritional intake and smoking status. "We are quite confident that the association we observed is due to the biological effect of alcohol," lead researcher Dr. Lu Wang of Harvard Medical School told LiveScience.

She cautions, however, that the study followed women who were initially a healthy weight, and does not promote alcohol as a weight-loss tool. The study was published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. "

http://www.livescience.com/14690-7-biggest-diet-myths.html

My beer drinking definetly contributes some to my waistline, and is one of the vises I'll give up to reach my goals....but I'm not a heavy comsumer of alcohol to begin with and most of my beer drinking is during social events which includes eating all the fried foods associated with it.

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What is a Calorie?

A Calorie is a unit of energy. The human body needs energy to work. Humans acquire energy through food consumption. The amount of calories in a food can be found on nutritiondata.com, or where possible, on the food's packaging.

What is a Macronutrient (Macro)?

The energy (Calorie) content of all foods come from the macronutrients in the food. The macronutrients you need to know about are protein, fats, carbohydrates and alcohol. Macronutrients are the fuel that gives your body energy.

-One gram of protein provides 4 Calories.

-One gram of carbohydrates provides 4 Calories.

-One gram of fats provides 9 Calories.

-One gram of alcohol providies 7 Calories.

The macronutrient content of a food can be found on nutritiondata.com, or where possible, on the food's packaging.

What is a Micronutrient?

Micronutrients are required by your body to operate properly, or in a healthy manner. Micronutrients include things like vitamins and minerals. Micronutrients are like the "oil", "brake fluid", etc. that keep your body running smoothly. The micronutrient content of foods can be found on nutritiondata.com. "Whole" foods generally contain more micronutrients than "processed" foods.

BODY COMPOSITION

Of all the things the body is made of, the most important components are muscle, fat and water.

-A marathon runner has LOW muscle mass, and LOW fat mass.

-The average, sedentary person has LOW muscle mass, and HIGH fat mass.

-A "toned" person has MODERATE muscle mass, and LOW-MODERATE fat mass.

-A sprinter/weightlifter/bodybuilder has HIGH muscle mass, and LOW fat mass.

-A sumo wrestler has HIGH muscle mass, and HIGH fat mass.

Body fat percentage (BF%) is a good measure of body composition. As a guideline for men (for women add 5%):

-BF% < 10%: Six pack abs, ripped.

-BF% 10%-15%: Shapely abs, muscular shape evident without flexing. Waist < hips.

-BF% 15%-20%: "Soft" looking, some muscular shape for highly muscular individuals. Waist ~ hips.

-BF% 20%-25%: Love handles (men), thunder thighs (women). Waist > hips.

-BF% 25%-35%: Obese.

-BF% 35%+: Morbidly obese.

GAINING AND LOSING WEIGHT

-To gain weight, you need to take in more calories from food than your body expends.

-To maximise muscle gain and minimise fat gain, you need to eat a GOOD DIET and EXERCISE including WEIGHT TRAINING.

-Aim to gain 1-1.5kg or 2-3lbs a month, any more may result in excessive fat gain.

-To lose weight, you need to take in less calories from food than your body expends.

-To maximise fat loss and minimise muscle loss, you need to eat a GOOD DIET and EXERCISE.

-Aim to lose 2-3kg or 4-6lbs a month, any more may result in excessive muscle loss.

SET CALORIE AND MACRONUTRIENT GOALS

CALORIES

-If you want to gain weight, multiply your maintenance by 1.1.

-If you want to lose weight, multiply your maintenance by 0.9.

-If your calorie target is below 1500, consider extra exercise to increase your maintenance as it may be difficult to intake adequate amounts of macro/micronutrients.

PROTEIN

-Protein is important for muscle gain and recovery, among other things.

-Aim for 2 grams per kg of body weight, or 1 gram per lb of body weight.

FATS

-Fats are NOT BAD, in fact, fats are important for satiety, hair/skin health, hormonal health, etc. Do not neglect dietary fats. Fats are TASTY!

-Aim for 1-2 grams per kg of body weight, or 0.5-1 grams per lb of body weight. Aim for the lower target if you are trying to lose weight, and the higher if you are trying to gain.

CARBS

-Carbohydrates are generally used by your body just for the energy content. But they're tasty and commonly found.

-You do not need to make a solid target for carbs but make sure you get some.

ALCOHOL

-Alcohols are not necessary for your body.

-Less is better but some is fine.

DESIGNING(?) A DIET

You do not need to design a daily food plan and follow it religiously. It can be a good exercise to do in order to get an idea of the amount of food you should be eating though.

You need to keep track of what you eat, and know how to count calories and macronutrient amounts. See here for some pointers. Track EVERYTHING YOU EAT, including that cookie you had as a snack, the dressing on your salad, etc.

Your primary goals are:

-Reach your protein and fat goals (excess is OK as long as you do not break any other goals)

-Eat a variety of "good" foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts, meats, fish, wholegrains.

-Drink plenty of water.

After fulfilling these goals for the day, you can consume ANYTHING* you want in order to reach your calorie goal. Aim to hit your calorie goal as accurately as possible.

*Use common sense.

Secondary goals (which should be achieved with a good diet) include:

-Enough fibre to keep you "regular".

-Avoid trans fats.

-Avoid excessive amounts of salty foods.

By reaching these primary goals, you should get a good range of micronutrients to keep you healthy. Feel free to read this thread for more information on macro/micronutrients, sources and uses.

Things you do not need to do (unless you are a very high-performance athlete, in which case you should not be reading this):

-Eat x meals a day. It does not matter how many times a day you eat, or when. All that matters is what you eat per day.

-Take a multivitamin. Micronutrients are generally absorbed much better by the body when they have come from a whole food source.

-Eat this before/after a workout. current scientific consensus suggets that nutrient timing is irrelevant.

-Take casein/"slow acting" protein or eat cottage cheese before bed to prevent going "catabolic". If you eat a proper daily diet, you won't go "catabolic".

-Buy supplement x which promises "insert outrageous claim". If they worked and were legal and safe, I wouldn't have wrote this. See below...

SUPPLEMENTS

...are not necessary. See this excellent article (and the following parts if you wish) for a good discussion of why supplements aren't necessary for most people.

-Protein powders are fine and can help you reach your protein goal easier. They are practically a "food" anyway, be sure to consume them along with a variety of other protein sources in your diet.

ASSESSING YOUR DIET

Before starting your new diet (and exercise program), measure your body weight and your body fat percentage. Feel free to take photos as well.

Follow your new diet for AT LEAST 2 weeks before measuring again and passing judgement. Resist the temptation to measure daily as natural fluctuation occurs.

If you are trying to lose weight but have not lost weight, either:

-Reduce your calorie target by 5% (multiply by 0.95)

-Increase the amount of exercise you do.

If you are trying to gain weight but have not gained weight:

-Increase your calorie intake by 5% (multiply by 1.05)

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Water:

Dihydrogen oxide (H2O) or water is a colourless, tasteless liquid under normal circumstances. Liquid water is essential to life and therefore is the most important and essential nutrient. Water is obtained by drinking and by eating food. It is mainly lost through perspiration, respiration and urination. Water contains no calories.

Water is the basis for the fluids of the body. Water makes up more than two-thirds of the weight of the human body. Without water, humans would die in a few days. All the cells and organs need water to function. Water is the basis of blood, saliva and the fluids surrounding the joints. Water regulates the body temperature through perspiration. It also helps prevent constipation by moving food through the intestinal tract and eliminates waste from the body through filtering by the kidneys. The human brain is around 80% water by weight and is very sensitive to dehydration. For a bodybuilder, adequate hydration is just as important than adequate nutrition. In a survival situation, hydration is much more important than nutrition.

Protein: Protein is one of the basic components of food and makes all life possible.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. All of the antibodies and enzymes, and many of the hormones in the body are proteins. They provide for the transport of nutrients, oxygen and waste throughout the body. They provide the structure and contracting capability of muscles. They also provide collagen to connective tissues of the body and to the tissues of the skin, hair and nails. Proteins contain 4 calories per gram.

MEATS - Meat cuts should be lean, trimmed & skinless.

- Poultry: Chicken, Turkey, Goose, Game Birds, etc. (Be sure to remove skin. If buying ground meat ensure it is lean.)

- Red Meat: Any quality lean meat from Cows, Elk, Buffalo, Kangaroo, Game. (If buying ground meat ensure it is lean.)

- Other Meats: Pork, Lamb, Lean Ham, etc. (Ensure you buy the leaner cuts as these meats can be quite fatty.)

- Fish: Fresh Cod, Snapper, Salmon, Swordfish, Canned Fish. (Most fish are lean but the fattier fish are high in healthy fats)

- Shellfish: Includes: Mussels, Oysters, Scallops, Prawns, Lobsters, etc.

DAIRY - Choose mostly low fat dairy products

- Milk, Powdered Milk (Choose mostly skim milk. Can be Cow/goat/sheep, etc)

- Low Fat Cottage Cheese & Natural Yoghurt. (These foods include the benefits of bacterial cultures to improve gut health)

- Cheeses & Other Dairy Products. (Cheeses are very high in fat, choose softer cheeses where possible)

- Eggs, Powdered Egg (Egg whites are pure protein, egg yolks contain fat and protein)

VEGETABLE PROTEINS - Vegetable proteins are often "incomplete" so it is wise to vary them or add dairy/meat

- Raw Nuts & Seeds: (These are also high in healthy fats and contain carbohydrate)

- Grain Protein: (Many grains eg: wheats, rices, etc contain significant amounts of proteins)

- Bean/Vegetable Protein: (Soyabeans are the main protein source here, although other beans and vegetables contain protein)

PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS These are available in powders/bars/drinks/etc.

- Whey Protein: (A fast digesting milk protein. Available in various forms/fractions)

- Casein Protein: (A slow digesting milk protein.)

- Soy Protein: (Derived from soyabeans.)

- Egg Protein: (Primarily the protein albumin, this is a slow digesting protein)

- Vegetable Proteins: (Can be found in the form of Wheat, Pea, Spirulina Protein, etc)

- Amino Acids: (These are the building blocks of proteins. They are present in protein containing foods or available as free form powders or capsules. The essential amino acids * are amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body from other available resources, and therefore must be supplied as part of the diet. "Complete" proteins contain all of these, whilst "incomplete" proteins do not. The amino acids are:

Alanine, Arginine, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Cysteine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine*, Leucine*, Lysine, Methionine*, Phenylalanine*, Proline, Serine, Threonine*, Tryptophan*, Tyrosine, Valine*

Carbohydrates: Complex carbs also contain fibre.

Carbohydrates are the chief source of energy for all bodily functions and muscular exertion. They are necessary for the digestion and assimilation of other foods. They help regulate protein and fat metabolism, and fats require carbohydrates to be broken down in the liver. They also provide some of the structural components necessary for the growth and repair of tissues. All carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram.

SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES - These are the small molecule carbohydrates or sugars

- Sugar Cane & Sugar Beets (The main commercial sources of sugar)

- Fresh Fruit & Berries (These contain mainly fructose, a low GI sugar)

- Honey (Honey contains a mix of glucose and fructose)

- Milk (Milk and milk products contain the sugar lactose)

- Prepared Sugars (Glucose/Fructose/Lactose/Maltose, etc. Found in drinks or free form)

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES - These are long chains of simple carbohydrates, that breakdown to release sugars

- Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin & Squash

- Yams, Parsnips & Other Root Vegetables

- Corn, Oats Wheat & Other Grains.

- Wholegrain Flours, Breads & Pastas.

- Brans, Weet Bix & Shredded Wheat Cereals.

- Ancient Grains (Amaranth, Millet, Teth, etc).

- Basmati, Brown & Wild Rice.

- Raw Nuts, Seeds, Beans, Lentils, Couscous & Other Pulses, etc.

- Vegetables such as Carrots and Peas.

Fats / Oils: All oils ideally should be cold pressed, extra virgin and of high quality.

Fatty acids are individual isomers of what we more commonly call "fats". There are potentially hundreds of different fatty acids, but just a few dozen that are commonly found in the foods we eat. Nutritionists commonly classify dietary fat as either saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated, based on the number of double bonds that exist in the fat's molecular structure. For each of these three classes, there exists a large number of different chemical variations or "isomers". These include the EFA's or Essential Fatty Acids. Fats are required to produce and build new cells. They are a source of energy and are critical in the transmission of nerve impulses and brain function and development. They are also involved in the synthesis of other essential molecules such as hormones. Fats contain 9 calories per gram.

VEGETABLE FAT SOURCES - These are mostly high in mono and polyunsaturated fats and contain EFA's

- Flaxseed, Hempseed, Evening Primrose, Almond, Canola, Olive and Most Other Plant Oils.

- Whole Raw Nuts & Seeds (Some whole seeds need to be cracked or ground to be digested)

- MCT Oils (These are medium chain saturated fats derived from coconut oil, available as a supplement)

ANIMAL FAT SOURCES - These can be high in mono and polyunsaturated and saturated fats and contain EFA's

- Salmon, Cod, Halibut, Shellfish & Other Fatty Fish/Fish Oils (Fish are high in unsaturated fats and EFA's)

- Dairy Products (Can vary in fat content wildly and can contain high levels of saturated fat)

- Lean Meat & Poultry (Even when trimmed and skinless, these provide fat. Can be high in saturated fat)

- Eggs (Only the yolk contains the mainly saturated fat)

Fibre - Fibre has no caloric value but is still classed as a macronutrient

Dietary fibers are large carbohydrate molecules containing many different sorts of monosaccharides. The key difference between fiber and other carbohydrates is that they are not broken down by the human digestive system.

There Are Two Types Of Fiber: Soluble & Insoluble

These are often found together in the same source.

Soluble fibres can be dissolved in water (hence the name). These fibers are beneficial in that they can slow the speed of digestion due to their thickness. They are also helpful in maintaining artery health.

Insoluble fibers are such things as cellulose which do not dissolve in water. Insoluble fibers do not affect the speed of digestion. They are beneficial to gut health.

- Broccoli / Cauliflower / Cabbage

- Celery / Lettuce / Spinach / Watercress

- Mushrooms / Onions / Carrots

- Green Beans / Peas / Asparagus / Kale

- Bean & Vegetable Sprouts / Beetroot / Leeks

- Cucumber / Zucchini / Aubergine

- Tomato / Capsicum / Silverbeet

- Frozen Mixed Vegetables

- Any Other Non-starchy Vegetable (or similar) of Any Colour

- Any Grain or Grain Product

- Fruits & Berries

- Legumes

Macronutrient Needs

Once you work out the above, you can work out how much of each macronutrient you should aim for. This should NOT be based on a generic RATIO of total calorie intake such as '30:40:30 or 40:40:20 Your body doesn't CARE what % intake you have for macronutrients. It works in terms of SUFFICIENT QUANTITY per LEAN MASS or TOTAL MASS. This is one of the areas that is MOST often confused - so to try to make it as simple as possible:

1. Protein: Believe it or not - Protein intake is a bit of a controversial issue. In this, the general recommendations given in the 'bodybuilding' area are nearly double the 'standard' recommendations given in the Sports Nutrition Arena. And to run through BOTH areas......

GENERAL sports nutrition /most studies out suggest that in the face of ADEQUATE calories and CARBS then the following protein intakes are sufficient:

STRENGTH training -> 1.2 to 1.6g per KG bodyweight (about .6 / pound)

ENDURANCE training -> 1.4 to 1.8g per KG bodyweight (about .8 / pound)

ADOLESCENT in training -> 1.8 to 2.2g per KG bodyweight (about 1g / pound)

BUT they also acknowledge that protein becomes MORE important in the context of LOWER calorie intakes, or LOWER carb intakes.

Some general 'bodybuilding' guidelines would be as follows:

- If bodyfat UNKNOWN but AVERAGE = 1-1.25g per pound TOTAL weight

- If bodyfat KNOWN = 1.25-1.5g per pound LEAN weight

If you are VERY LEAN or if you are on a LOW TOTAL CALORIE INTAKE then protein becomes more important - so:

- Average bodyfat, lower calorie intake = 1.25-1.5 per pound total mass

- Bodyfat known, lower calorie intake = 1.33-2 per pounds lean mass

If you are VERY OVERWEIGHT, VERY INACTIVE, and NOT on a lower calorie diet then you can decrease slightly BELOW the above levels:

- overweight or high calorie intake = ~ 1 x LEAN mass to 0.8-1 x total weight in pounds

Anecdotally, most find the HIGHER protein intake better for satiety, partitioning, and blood sugar control. So UNLESS you are specifically guided to use the GENERAL sports nutrition guidelines, I would suggest the BODYBUILDING values.

2. Fats: Generally speaking, although the body can get away with short periods of very low fat, in the long run your body NEEDS fat to maintain general health, satiety, and sanity. Additionally - any form of high intensity training will benefit from a 'fat buffer' in your diet - which acts to control free radical damage and inflammation. General guides:

Average or lean: 1 - 2g fat/ kg body weight [between 0.45 - 1g total weight/ pounds]

High bodyfat: 1-2g fat/ LEAN weight [between 0.45 - 1g LEAN weight/ pounds]

IF low calorie dieting - you can decrease further, but as a minimum, I would not suggest LESS than about 0.35g/ pound.

Note 1: Total fat intake is NOT the same as 'essential fats' (essential fats are specific TYPES of fats that are INCLUDED in your total fat intake)...

3. Carbs: VERY important for athletes, HIGHLY ACTIVE individuals, or those trying to GAIN MASS - Carbs help with workout intensity, health, and satiety (and sanity). But there are no specific 'requirements' for your body. Carbs are basically used by most as 'the extra stuff'.

For 'general folk' to calculate your carbs you just calculate it from the calories left over from fats/ protein:

carb calories = Total calorie needs - ([protein grams as above x 4] + [fat grams as above x 9])]

carbs in grams = above total/ 4

If you are an athlete - I would actually suggest you CALCULATE a requirement for these as a PRIORITY - then go back and calculate protein / fat:

moderately active: 4.5 - 6.5 g/ kg (about 2 - 3g/ pound)

highly active: 6.5 - 9 g/ kg (about 3 - 4g/ pound)

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You should not base your intake soley off a chart but use it as a STARTING POINT to calculating your calorie intake as is it so individual and theres a lot more determining factors. There is so much information online that contradicts itself so its really hard to get some good information. Im not going to go into detail with all the formulas as it is far easier/more accurate to go off real life experimenting. Ive always gone off the rule of no more than 2lbs per week but starting out you will initially lose a lot more. People cant have the "Biggest Loser" mentality and expect the same results as someone weighing 500lbs will be able to drop a lot more weight than someone half their weight. Im going copy/paste some information off my forum which Ive used for quite some time..........

Agreed.

What many don't realize is that those contestant's on the shows are spending 24/7 with the show's nutritionist and fitness teams...they don't have their normal 9-5 job to go to. And, a 500 lbs person is going to burn WAY more calories performing routine excercises than an average overweight person....it just takes way more energy to move a 500 lbs mass.

On average, in the past with my dieting and weight/cardi training, I lost on average 10 lbs a month...but went as far as 15 lbs one month when I really put my mind to it.

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Just some info I find helpful. This is one of my faves and what boggles people how I can get away with eating "junk" and still be in shape.....

Discretionary Calorie Allowance (Body Building Edition)

Discretionary Calories Allowance (DCA) is the difference between your daily caloric intake and your essential calories needed to meet nutrient requirements. In other words, it’s the extra calories you have after you eat all the essential calories, all within your total caloric intake.

- http://rockwellfitness.com/?page_id=1240

Body builder’s & athletes generally need a different quantity of macronutrients than regular sedentary folk - we're not looking to simply survive, we want to get big and strong! I'm using guidelines more suited for active individuals outlined in the Calculating Calories and Macro’s sticky for this example.

Quick example:

-200lb man at 20% body fat wants to lose weight

-Maintenance calories: 3000

-Calories to cut: 2400

-1.5g protein per lb/LBM: (1.5 * 160) 240g

-0.45g fat per lb/BW: (200 * 0.45) 90g

-Calories from fats + protein minimums: (240 * 4) + (90 * 9) = 1770

-Calories from reaching minimums taken from calories to cut: (2400 - 1770) 630

-He has 630 kcal left to fill with whatever foods he chooses and still lose weight as a result of remaining in a calorie deficit.

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Best advice/tips I can give are......

1) Be patient! Dont have high expectations of getting a beach bod in a couple weeks. Understand it takes time and the slower the approach the better. Crash diets do nothing but cause yo-yoing.

2)Track what you eat. A lot of people say they know what/how much they are eating, but if you actually weight it out and write it down its far from what you estimated. Tracking macronutrients is key and once you get good at it you can fit in those discretionary calories and still lose weight successfully.

3)Be Flexible. The harder you make the diet the more likely it will be to fall off it resulting in a spiral binge fest. Allow yourself CONTROLLED cheats. Eating another 500 cals one days wont pack on weight, especially in a caloric deficit. Dont feel guilty about it either and try to compensate by chopping calories. Also dont let it become an excuse to eat everything in site in hopes that your body wont be able to absorb all those delicious calories. It will slow digestion in order to process..........all of it.

4)Construct your diet around your life, not the other way around. I once was the person carrying all my meals around in tupperwear like typical bodybuilders do in fear of going catabolic if I dont eat every 2 hours. Eat as many meals a day necessary to make it easy for you to hit your cal intake by the end of the day. READ THAT AGAIN. Your NET intake by the end of the day justifies your weight loss, not meal frequency.

5)Take it easy with cardio. Its nice to incorporate it as a TOOL for weight loss but dont rely completely on it. Too much cardio will run you down. Ive seen a lot of people try to keep up with crazy amounts of cardio, skip a session, then feel they have "failed" and start binging. Make it bearable. Id push more of actual weight training than cardio as it still has calorie burning affect and will also help increase LBM.

And last but not least, be CONSISTANT. This is key. No one gets into shape by going on a 12 week diet. You must accept it as a lifestyle change.

Im sure Ill think of more lol.

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See, the issue with alcohol isn't always the drink itself. My Captain & diet may not have a huge amount of calories in it, but after about four of them I'm ready to eat everything and anything that has no nutritional value. I really should work out more, but lately I literally just don't have the time to do it. Hopefully it will slow down enough where I can have that hour to myself to go to the gym. Until then, I try to park farther away (of course I did that already in the Z) and take the stairs.

Before and after pics... scary.

When I was 18

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Now (ugh)

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Hoping to get back near that "when I was 18" stage!!

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yeah I need to loose quite a bit. I need to drop about 135 to get down to where I'm healthy. being a truck driver for 8 years doesn't help.lol

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Guest badbobs95

Eating for one person and moderate exercise works.

This was me in July.

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This is me now...

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I'm down about 70 lbs and around 10" off my waist. Like you say... You can't really expect to do it without exercise. Not only do you need to burn the calories, but lean muscle mass burns calories even at rest. So the more fit you are, the faster you'll burn off the calories. Get with yer boy Steg. He will hump you into shape...

OMG, you're almost handsome. Posted Image Keep it up and you gunna be a chick magnet. Good job Pappa. I'm workin on the same thing. My problem is after three surgeries in the last two years, and another one this month, I haven't been able to do a whole lot. Now I'm making excuses. Posted Image

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I'm starting at a mind boggling (to me) 238 lbs.......the heaviest I've ever weighed in my life :banghead And to think back in the early/mid 80's, at the peak of my high school/collegiate athletic career I was low 170's and a hydrostaticly measured (at the U of A labs) 4% body fat.

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My turn to confess... I've been about 330 for awhile now, so it was time. My goal = 250 (I'm 6'-3") My plan: (started 01/2012) Cut Carbs to less than 100 a day no more than 2000 calories a day Less internet porn... oh wait, wrong thread. So far I'm doing OK, 3/4 weeks I have had a calorie deficit of more than 500 calories per week. Carbs bounce between 90 and 150.. It can be a hard one to control. I watched a movie called "Fathead" and I have been able to really survive on the suggestions from it. cut carbs.... I need to find a scale next week to see how it's going but just from a size perspective all my levis are falling off now.

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That's awesome, Dwayne :thumbs Maybe we can use this thread to keep everyone who's attempting some weight loss from falling off the bandwagon.

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