I'm Trying to shed 25-30 pounds by June 2nd

[fpr4]

I'm 6'2, 225 and want to get down to 200 by my birthday. Essentially amounts to losing 6-8 pounds per month. I feel like this is going to be a struggle over the winter months. Anything I can cut out or add to my diet to assist my goal? I have basically eliminated fast food altogether at this point. I drink a fair amount of coffee. Does this have any affect on a weight loss plan? I am going to try and start exercising 6 times a week to elevate my heart rate for a period of 30-45 minutes. Any meal suggestions? Any other suggestions? EDIT: You can now track me at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/fpr4

 

[Neo_Version 7]

PM member Connemara. He is the resident expert on healthy meal plans and exercise.

 

[Zackb911]

Just some key thoughts from years of working out and changing my weight....

I've tried a lot and it really comes down primarily to calories in vs calories out. You need to changed what you eat, you need to know what you're eating, portion control, and calories. It's a hell of a lot easier to avoid calories going in than to burn them off.

How is your coffee; Cream, sugar? Think you can make the switch to tea? Matcha tea is great because you actually consume to tea leaf, lots of antioxidants.

Drink a lot of water too, especially before every meal as it partially fills your stomach.

If you must go out to eat... portion control, portion control, portion control. Eat only half of whatever is on your plate. Even if you don't feel full then, wait, your brain will register 15 min later and you'll be fine, plus you have another meal for later.

When I want to cut down my diet becomes almost vegetarian, steel cut oats for breakfast, lots of beans, leafy greens, etc..

 

[DerekS]

I could have my old coke dealer Kool-Aid give you a call....a 3 week coke binge should do the trick.

 

[fpr4]

I drink my coffee straight, black... no cream, no sugar... nothing added. I gave up soda last fall. I had switched from diet to regular (because I heard such terrible things about artificial sweeteners) but just reduced the total number I would drink each day. In September I gave them up altogether.

What are some snack suggestions? I picked up a bag of whole natural (no salt or seasoning) blue diamond almonds yesterday. Are these a good snack option? What can I eat during that afternoon lull when I feel like I am going to fall over?

 

[bradster66]

Originally Posted by Zackb911

Just some key thoughts from years of working out and changing my weight....

I've tried a lot and it really comes down primarily to calories in vs calories out. You need to changed what you eat, you need to know what you're eating, portion control, and calories. It's a hell of a lot easier to avoid calories going in than to burn them off.

How is your coffee; Cream, sugar? Think you can make the switch to tea? Matcha tea is great because you actually consume to tea leaf, lots of antioxidants.

Drink a lot of water too, especially before every meal as it partially fills your stomach.

If you must go out to eat... portion control, portion control, portion control. Eat only half of whatever is on your plate. Even if you don't feel full then, wait, your brain will register 15 min later and you'll be fine, plus you have another meal for later.

When I want to cut down my diet becomes almost vegetarian, steel cut oats for breakfast, lots of beans, leafy greens, etc..

Absolutely agreed. The fundamental key is calorie deficit or surplus. You can choose not to excercise and reduce caloric intake to a level below what your body normally uses in a day and you'll lose weight. Add exercise and it will go faster.

I'm no guru and check with Connemara for some tips. You'll want tot make sure you don't miss out on protein and other essential elements. That was just it in a nutshell. I've lost 20lbs since limiting my daily calories someone between Thanksgiving and Xmas. No other change in exercise or anything. The beer was the toughest to curtail.

Water is a great filler and another tip I have to feel full is to use a Metamucil or other fiber that you mix with water 2 or 3 times a day. The right product won't leave you tethered to the sh$tter or off-gassing like a landfill.

Best of luck to you and I think your goal is very doable. Stick with it!

 

[Alex C]

Originally Posted by fpr4

I drink my coffee straight, black... no cream, no sugar... nothing added. I gave up soda last fall. I had switched from diet to regular (because I heard such terrible things about artificial sweeteners) but just reduced the total number I would drink each day. In September I gave them up altogether.

What are some snack suggestions? I picked up a bag of whole natural (no salt or seasoning) blue diamond almonds yesterday. Are these a good snack option? What can I eat during that afternoon lull when I feel like I am going to fall over?

They're good in moderation. I'd suggest weighing out an ounce and figuring calories. They're filling and a good afternoon snack, but if you have a whole bag with you it's easy to gorge.

Count your calories. Use LoseIt.com (and it's iPhone app if you have one) or something similar like Fitday, etc. and catalog everything you eat. I've lost 35 pounds since July with occasional working out and a lot of calorie counting.

 

[Beefeater]

Originally Posted by Zackb911

Just some key thoughts from years of working out and changing my weight....

I've tried a lot and it really comes down primarily to calories in vs calories out. You need to changed what you eat, you need to know what you're eating, portion control, and calories. It's a hell of a lot easier to avoid calories going in than to burn them off.

How is your coffee; Cream, sugar? Think you can make the switch to tea? Matcha tea is great because you actually consume to tea leaf, lots of antioxidants.

Drink a lot of water too, especially before every meal as it partially fills your stomach.

If you must go out to eat... portion control, portion control, portion control. Eat only half of whatever is on your plate. Even if you don't feel full then, wait, your brain will register 15 min later and you'll be fine, plus you have another meal for later.

When I want to cut down my diet becomes almost vegetarian, steel cut oats for breakfast, lots of beans, leafy greens, etc..

Totally agree. I am 6'4 and in mid-October weighed in at 222 lbs. My wife weighed in at 146 lbs and is about 5'2. We both decided to change in the above manner including drinking tea and dropping the coffee. We began to add lots of fish/chicken/turkey, dropping red meat and processed foods almost entirely. We began exercising 6 days a week as well.

However, the key thing to me was portion control, and we too only ate about 1/2 of what was on our plate when we did go out and limited protein to 4 ounces when we ate at home. Our reward to ourselves was New Year's in New Orleans but we still only ate about 1/2 of what was presented to us, worked out everyday, drank what we wanted, and we each still came back about 2 lbs lighter. We were quite surprised.

Anyway, it can be done and done right. As of today, I weigh 191 lbs and my wife weighs 121 lbs. We both have accepted it as a lifestyle change and aren't going back.

 

[Lagrangian]

Originally Posted by fpr4

I'm 6'2, 225 and want to get down to 200 by my birthday. Essentially amounts to losing 6-8 pounds per month. I feel like this is going to be a struggle over the winter months. Anything I can cut out or add to my diet to assist my goal? I have basically eliminated fast food altogether at this point. I drink a fair amount of coffee. Does this have any affect on a weight loss plan? I am going to try and start exercising 6 times a week to elevate my heart rate for a period of 30-45 minutes.

Any meal suggestions? Any other suggestions?

Research PSMF (= protein saving modified fast). Whatever macronutrient intake you decide on, I'd highly recommend you try to get a decent amount of protein from your diet to stave off lbm losses. As mentioned before, the calorie deficit is the key thing here - maintain it and lose the weight.

Conne will advise further.

 

[jslade]

On the topic of simply maintaining a caloric deficit in order to lose weight, how do diet drinks (0 calories) affect weight-loss?

 

[fpr4]

Originally Posted by jslade

On the topic of simply maintaining a caloric deficit in order to lose weight, how do diet drinks (0 calories) affect weight-loss?

I've found that diet drinks increase your appetite. That aftertaste you get from drinking a diet soda seemed to give me dry-mouth and I would be eating more often...

BTW, i think I'm gonna post some "before" pic(s) in a few.

 

[indesertum]

no effect.

there's a lot of alarmist reports out there from seemingly credible people, but the research that proves artificial sweeteners to be anti-diet is very slim and most studies are poorly made. there's been several research reviews every few years and they all point to artificial sweeteners not having any influence on dietary intake.

^probably a placebo effect. there's good research showing aspertame and the like does not increase hunger or appetite

if you're really paranoid (or somebody manages to convince you that sucralose is evil because of the 3 chlorine molecules) you can try stevia (marketed as Only Sweet, PureVia, Reb-A, Rebiana, SweetLeaf, and Truvia)

 

[fpr4]

Here's some pics of where I am. Gimme hell. Call me a fatass. Trust me, I'll use it for motivation

Where I have been in the past 5 years. I doubt I will ever get back to a 31 inch waist (not sure if I even want to). Like I said, hoping to drop 25-30 pounds and hopefully get back to a 33 or 34 inch waist...

 

[mm84321]

Originally Posted by indesertum

if you're really paranoid (or somebody manages to convince you that sucralose is evil because of the 3 chlorine molecules) you can try stevia (marketed as Only Sweet, PureVia, Reb-A, Rebiana, SweetLeaf, and Truvia)

Beat me to it.

Aspartame contains 10% methanol (wood alcohol) that gets broken down in the body to formaldehyde, and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. There has also been linkage of nerve damage due to excitotoxicity, and brain tumors. I'd say avoid diet sodas, and other artificially flavored foods, whether you're on a diet or not.

If you're interested further, watch this movie:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...1488524526735#

The history and politics behind the FDA's approval of aspartame consumption is pretty shocking.

 

[mm84321]

OP, I have some books by Lyle McDonald in PDF form on rapid fat loss and protein sparing diets that I could e-mail you. If you're interested send me a PM.