Fitness people:Want to lose 20lbs by xmas.. possible?

[sparks87]

I want to lose about 20-25lbs between now and the end of the year, I'm currently 21 years old at 5'7 weighing 13 stone, I have a bit of a belly and a bit chunky on the face. I think I'm about 2 stone overweight, although I wouldn't call myself unfit...

Anyway I recently took up going to the gym, I go 4-5 days a week and do 45 mins an hour CV mixing Rowing cycling and running (very little running, I find rowing better), I also do about 30 mins on weights. In my first week I have no idea how how much I lost becuase I didn't weigh myself, I think it must have been a pound or two.... I am bloody shattered after every session though, but I don't feel I'm overdoing it dangerously. Overall I would like to get down to about 11 stone by February but my aim is 20lbs by xmas, which is roughly 2lbs a week. Am I going about this the right way?

Typical day eating:

Breakfast: Branflakes and Banana

Snack: Another banana

Lunch: Tuna and Sweetcorn Sandwich

Snack: Apple

Tea: Roast Chicken potato stuffing. Other days I might have chicken or beef stir fry, or maybe Spag bog.

Don't eat sugar or chocolate crisps, or drink tea or coffee and consume approx 1.5 - 2 liters of water per day, I've also cut down alcohol to just 3 drinks (Strongbow/Magners) per week.

[GKP]

Yes, but are you happy?

[jamesc_1729]

I'd say you are on the right track... you have a good diet and also you are right to do weights as well as CV. It is a popular misconception amongst people losing weight that they should lay off the weights cos it will make them bulk up - Lifting Weights actually increases metabolism and therefore helps weightloss!

having said all that, 25lbs is quite an ambition target. would think you should step up amount of time on CV. - Do you have a bike?? if so you could spend an hour a day cycling outside in addition to gym time for some variety.

good luck with it all - it is essential to have targets when ona fitness/strength program.

Edited by jamesc_1729 on Saturday 18th October 20:22

[Shaw Tarse]

Diet sounds healthy (esp compared to mine)
You may gain weight as muscle is heavier than fat when going to the gym,I was obese (according to weight /height)
But will be more toned.

[Penny-lope]

2lbs a week is do able, and at that rate, it should stay off. But it probably won't be easy

First off too many bananas...high in natural sugar, so swap one for another fruit type

Sweetcorn Again, high in sugar Try red onion instead

Oh and I found the weight dropped off when I used to go on the exercise bike (15mins approx before every meal)

Now where is that bloody bike

Edited by Penny-lope on Saturday 18th October 20:29

[turbobloke]

Add in a few long walks or similar to increase calorie use at the same time as calorie intake is reduced.

[sparks87]

Ok so say I added an hour a day cycling, combined with the above minus one banana I should hopefully lose the fat? Thanks for the suggestions people... keep em coming!

[captainzep]

2lbs/1kg is the maximum safe amount to lose per week.

So technically its achievable.

Personally I'd forget about highest weight loss in shortest time. I'd aim at finding a regular form of exercise you can really get into -running, rowing, swimming, walking, gym, aerobics, dancing, specific sport you enjoyed at school, whatever.

Cut back with the food a bit and enjoy a healthy diet with the odd treat rather than a hateful virtual fast. Resist temptation most of the time but not always.

Don't let xmas get in the way of the life change too much.

Find a nice and acceptable way to create a small calorie deficit every week and enjoy the inevitable weight loss over a longer period of time. -This will mean that you will be less likely to be asking us the same question this time next year.

[yellowtr]

I have been training for 3 years now and have lost over 3.5 stone and now down to about 13.5 stone and about 13.5% body fat-I was well over 28% at one stage. Its been hard graft, but now I can pretty much eat what I want but I do train 6 days a week. 20lbs is achievable yes, but keeping it off will be a real challenge.

If you want to try and lose the weight, then my own experience is to concentrate on CV work. I would say try doing 60 minutes of low intensity "body fat" cycling, but keeping an eye on your rate and sticking to it-its not easy. I have to maintain a constant 122RPM which is trickier than it sounds. Do that for an hour and you are doing very well-the sweat pours off me. When you have finished, cool down and do lots of stretching and then shower-do not do weights as your body will get confused. Next day do weights-plenty of free weights and not heavy ones. Less is more Next session do CV again. Then weights, etc, etc.

Food wise, eat less but more frequently if that makes sense.

Good luck!

[turbobloke]

sparks87 said:

Ok so say I added an hour a day cycling, combined with the above minus one banana I should hopefully lose the fat? Thanks for the suggestions people... keep em coming!

Top banana

[Bernie-the-bolt]

I have the following Monday through Friday lunchtime

Breakfast - 30g snap crackle and pop + semi skimmed milk

Lunch - Same as above

Evening meal, weightwatchers home made meal (Thai curry or something similar) and a weightwatchers pudding.

No snacks at all through the day apart from sugar free gum (which eaten in excess can give you the sts....)

Run 10k 3 or 4 times which takes about 50 minutes on my treadmill (per 10k ).

Weekends (inc. Friday night).

What I want to drink Friday night, Saturday morning, sensible breakfast, no snacks, salad for lunch, evening meal, what I want to drink. Go to bed

Run 10k once a weekend

Lost 1 1/2 stone in 4 months, weight is stable and I'm happy.

Edited by Bernie-the-bolt on Saturday 18th October 21:03

[carmonk]

Eat 1700 cals a day. Walk 2 miles a day. Sorted. Next.

[Penny-lope]

Bernie-the-bolt said:

I have the following Monday through Friday lunchtime

Breakfast - 30g snap crackle and pop + semi skimmed milk

Lunch - Same as above

Evening meal, weightwatchers home made meal (Thai curry or something similar) and a weightwatchers pudding.

No snacks at all through the day apart from sugar free gum (which eaten in excess can give you the sts....)

Run 10k 3 or 4 times which takes about 50 minutes on my treadmill (per 10k ).

Weekends (inc. Friday night).

What I want to drink Friday night, Saturday morning, sensible breakfast, no snacks, salad for lunch, evening meal, what I want to drink. Go to bed

Run 10k once a weekend

Lost 1 1/2 stone in 4 months, weight is stable and I'm happy.

Can I ask, have you worked out how many cals you are eating, because to me that sounds very very unhealthy. For starters, have you ever heard of fruit and veg? Or do you add tonnes of extras at tea time?

[Bernie-the-bolt]

Penny-lope said:

Bernie-the-bolt said:

I have the following Monday through Friday lunchtime

Breakfast - 30g snap crackle and pop + semi skimmed milk

Lunch - Same as above

Evening meal, weightwatchers home made meal (Thai curry or something similar) and a weightwatchers pudding.

No snacks at all through the day apart from sugar free gum (which eaten in excess can give you the sts....)

Run 10k 3 or 4 times which takes about 50 minutes on my treadmill (per 10k ).

Weekends (inc. Friday night).

What I want to drink Friday night, Saturday morning, sensible breakfast, no snacks, salad for lunch, evening meal, what I want to drink. Go to bed

Run 10k once a weekend

Lost 1 1/2 stone in 4 months, weight is stable and I'm happy.

Can I ask, have you worked out how many cals you are eating, because to me that sounds very very unhealthy. For starters, have you ever heard of fruit and veg? Or do you add tonnes of extras at tea time?

I do eat veg in the evening, but eat sensible amounts of food rather than eating loads of the wrong type and that depends on the menu I'm cooking. We cook every night with fresh produce rather than fast food out of the freezer and I try and include good nutritional veg to have a balance, but my post could only have a précis of my diet.

Butternut squash, mushrooms, hairy grass (broccoli), peppers, small amounts of potatoe and parsnip etc are included but it's about moderation rather than quantities.

Running helps and I enjoy it, and I eat cereal during the day because it's easy

[Penny-lope]

Bernie-the-bolt said:

Penny-lope said:

Bernie-the-bolt said:

I have the following Monday through Friday lunchtime

Breakfast - 30g snap crackle and pop + semi skimmed milk

Lunch - Same as above

Evening meal, weightwatchers home made meal (Thai curry or something similar) and a weightwatchers pudding.

No snacks at all through the day apart from sugar free gum (which eaten in excess can give you the sts....)

Run 10k 3 or 4 times which takes about 50 minutes on my treadmill (per 10k ).

Weekends (inc. Friday night).

What I want to drink Friday night, Saturday morning, sensible breakfast, no snacks, salad for lunch, evening meal, what I want to drink. Go to bed

Run 10k once a weekend

Lost 1 1/2 stone in 4 months, weight is stable and I'm happy.

Can I ask, have you worked out how many cals you are eating, because to me that sounds very very unhealthy. For starters, have you ever heard of fruit and veg? Or do you add tonnes of extras at tea time?

I do eat veg in the evening, but eat sensible amounts of food rather than eating loads of the wrong type and that depends on the menu I'm cooking. We cook every night with fresh produce rather than fast food out of the freezer and I try and include good nutritional veg to have a balance, but my post could only have a précis of my diet.

Butternut squash, mushrooms, hairy grass (broccoli), peppers, small amounts of potatoe and parsnip etc are included but it's about moderation rather than quantities.

Running helps and I enjoy it, and I eat cereal during the day because it's easy

So is an apple or an orange. It's just as important to eat fruit too

But if am honest, I prefer to munch on veggies rather than fruit too

[Bernie-the-bolt]

Penny-lope said:

Bernie-the-bolt said:

Penny-lope said:

Bernie-the-bolt said:

I have the following Monday through Friday lunchtime

Breakfast - 30g snap crackle and pop + semi skimmed milk

Lunch - Same as above

Evening meal, weightwatchers home made meal (Thai curry or something similar) and a weightwatchers pudding.

No snacks at all through the day apart from sugar free gum (which eaten in excess can give you the sts....)

Run 10k 3 or 4 times which takes about 50 minutes on my treadmill (per 10k ).

Weekends (inc. Friday night).

What I want to drink Friday night, Saturday morning, sensible breakfast, no snacks, salad for lunch, evening meal, what I want to drink. Go to bed

Run 10k once a weekend

Lost 1 1/2 stone in 4 months, weight is stable and I'm happy.

Can I ask, have you worked out how many cals you are eating, because to me that sounds very very unhealthy. For starters, have you ever heard of fruit and veg? Or do you add tonnes of extras at tea time?

I do eat veg in the evening, but eat sensible amounts of food rather than eating loads of the wrong type and that depends on the menu I'm cooking. We cook every night with fresh produce rather than fast food out of the freezer and I try and include good nutritional veg to have a balance, but my post could only have a précis of my diet.

Butternut squash, mushrooms, hairy grass (broccoli), peppers, small amounts of potatoe and parsnip etc are included but it's about moderation rather than quantities.

Running helps and I enjoy it, and I eat cereal during the day because it's easy

So is an apple or an orange. It's just as important to eat fruit too

But if am honest, I prefer to munch on veggies rather than fruit too

Great, I'm having a chat with a vegi rather than a meat eater.....

[Penny-lope]

Bernie-the-bolt said:

Great, I'm having a chat with a vegi rather than a meat eater.....

Well if you don't count the Pork, Lamb, Turkey, Chicken, Ostrich, Venison, Rabbit, Quail, etc etc etc

But I would rather have a whole tray of roast veggies anyday

[Bernie-the-bolt]

Penny-lope said:

Bernie-the-bolt said:

Great, I'm having a chat with a vegi rather than a meat eater.....

Well if you don't count the Pork, Lamb, Turkey, Chicken, Ostrich, Venison, Rabbit, Quail, etc etc etc

But I would rather have a whole tray of roast veggies anyday

Now we do include roast veggies as part of our diet, can't beat them imo.

[Olivera]

sparks87 said:

Ok so say I added an hour a day cycling, combined with the above minus one banana I should hopefully lose the fat? Thanks for the suggestions people... keep em coming!

Are you honestly saying that you have only started exercising recently, but are now doing 45 mins cardio + 30 mins weights in the gym + 1 hour cycling 4 to 5 times a week? Either you have an inherently high level of fitness or your level of exersion is not high enough. Imo training 2-3 times a week (1 hour a session mix of cardio/weights) is enough for the moment providing you are exerting yourself and find it a challenge. Its also far more sustainable over the long term. I've lost count of the number of threads where people state "How can I lose weight/get fit" and then proceed to describe their new regime which allegedly has them training for 20 hours a week. Try and find a level of exercise which is challenging but sustainable for the long term.

Edited by Olivera on Saturday 18th October 21:38

[Twincharged]

Penny-lope said:

2lbs a week is do able, and at that rate, it should stay off. But it probably won't be easy

First off too many bananas...high in natural sugar, so swap one for another fruit type

Sweetcorn Again, high in sugar Try red onion instead

Oh and I found the weight dropped off when I used to go on the exercise bike (15mins approx before every meal)

Now where is that bloody bike

Edited by Penny-lope on Saturday 18th October 20:29

...or eat greener bananas- they're less sweet because less of the starch inside them has been converted to sugar. Also good for some good bacteria in the intestine (the name of which escapes me). Obviously they don't have to be completely green, but not quite ripe ones would work.