Never dieted before. How much weight can I safely loose in 3 weeks?

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docmirror

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I'm in my 50s, and about 35-40Lb overweight. I want to get down to a more comfy weight and I want to do it before ski season gets going.

I'm not going to go on some obscure Kale only diet. I'm going to lightly modify my intake and try to do it mostly with a regimen of exercise at the gym 3 times per week, and reducing my carbs.

Back when I had knee surgery I was on a training program for rehab, and I stuck with it carefully. I lost 20Lbs in a matter of a month, so that's what I'm aiming at, but honestly - that sounds too aggressive for someone my age and reduced stamina.

Good general health, but I need to get some weight off my knees and ankles for skiing this winter. Again, I don't want to go on some weirdo food regimen.
 
you may well lose 20 lbs in one month....but, what you'll be amazed with is how quickly you'll gain it back plus an extra 10 a couple of months later. :D
 
1 to 2 pounds a week is recommended. You didn't put it on in three weeks. It won't come off in three weeks either. I find it is easier to stick with the program if you do it with excersise (it adds calories to what you can eat and gets you ready for ski season).
 
If you cut carbs(I'm looking at you alcohol) and strength train 20 lbs in a month is easy. You can't out run the spoon, almost all of the weight loss is diet, not exercise. Cardio will make you fat. Low carb and strength train hard, but don't hurt yourself.
 
Back in 2000 I weighed in at 255 and looked and felt terrible. I went on a diet and began exercising. In just shy of 8 months I had dropped down to 180. So I dropped 75 lbs in that time frame, ~ 10 lbs per month. I stayed sub 190 for quite a while but the weight slowly crept back on. 14 years later, I weigh 220 which has been my weight plus or minus a few lbs for about 2 or 3 years. It is still better than 255 but I too want to lose some of it again. Losing weight isn't all that hard but keeping it off requires more effort though contrary to popular opinion, you do not necessarily gain it all back and then some.

Good luck. I'm sure you can get it done.
 
docmirror said:
I'm in my 50s, and about 35-40Lb overweight. I want to get down to a more comfy weight and I want to do it before ski season gets going.

I'm not going to go on some obscure Kale only diet. I'm going to lightly modify my intake and try to do it mostly with a regimen of exercise at the gym 3 times per week, and reducing my carbs.

Back when I had knee surgery I was on a training program for rehab, and I stuck with it carefully. I lost 20Lbs in a matter of a month, so that's what I'm aiming at, but honestly - that sounds too aggressive for someone my age and reduced stamina.

Good general health, but I need to get some weight off my knees and ankles for skiing this winter. Again, I don't want to go on some weirdo food regimen.
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You little pig o.......:D.....:redface:


Eat less, walk /excersize more...
 
I think my target will be 10Lb per month. Even if I don't reach the target I'm hoping to exchange some fat for muscle. I used to be real toned in college as I was on the hockey team(go Bruins) and had a low BMI, but time and food have taken their toll. I'd just like to exchange some guy for abs or glutes, even if I don't really drop a lot of weight.
 
Phoenix said:
Cardio will make you fat.
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What!?? Yeah look at all those fat runners... :rolleyes2:

Strength training is fine, because muscle uses more calories than fat. But to say cardio will make you fat is flat wrong information. Watch your alcohol, sugar, and fat intake. 30 - 40 minutes of moderate CARDIO exercise 4- 5 times a week. Up the intensity as you get more fit. If you can sing while you cardio, youre not exercising hard enough. If you cant talk, you going too hard.
 
I've lost 10 in a week without trying. 1 to 2 is what everyone recommends
 
Phoenix said:
If you cut carbs(I'm looking at you alcohol) and strength train 20 lbs in a month is easy. You can't out run the spoon, almost all of the weight loss is diet, not exercise. Cardio will make you fat. Low carb and strength train hard, but don't hurt yourself.
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I agree you will never outrun the spoon, but exercise, both cardio and resistance training, is important in order to increase, or at least maintain your metabolism. The problem with dieting with no exercise is that your BMR decreases in response to the reduction in calories. You don't necessarily have to kill yourself in the gym, but some concerted effort needs to be put in. There are ultra fat people out there that have locked themselves into a vicious cycle where they can't exercise because they're too fat, and can't lose weight by dieting because they starve (i.e. have organ failure) before the fat will come off because their metabolic rate is so low.
 
Folks, I didn't want to turn this into a wizzing match. Just need some help on dropping a bit of fat, and maybe losing a bit of weight. I want to exercise because I want to get in skiing shape, and I want a little better BMI.

As for what YOU've dropped, well thanks but not really helpful unless you advise how you did it, and if it worked ok.
 
docmirror said:
Folks, I didn't want to turn this into a wizzing match. Just need some help on dropping a bit of fat, and maybe losing a bit of weight. I want to exercise because I want to get in skiing shape, and I want a little better BMI.

As for what YOU've dropped, well thanks but not really helpful unless you advise how you did it, and if it worked ok.
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I went to Nicaragua for a week. Lots of hiking, soccer, and somewhat healthy food. Get on a macro diet plan, and you'll lose fairly quick.
 
docmirror said:
Folks, I didn't want to turn this into a wizzing match. Just need some help on dropping a bit of fat, and maybe losing a bit of weight. I want to exercise because I want to get in skiing shape, and I want a little better BMI.

As for what YOU've dropped, well thanks but not really helpful unless you advise how you did it, and if it worked ok.
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Come on out to Jackson Hole and ski the big one....... You WILL loose weight...
 
doc, I lost around 30lbs diet alone, no exercise. Cut back carbs like you suggested, cut out alcohol. It's not a "fad" diet but the one I did was the Dukan Diet.

It's all vegetables all you want for the first week, then you start introducing meats, etc. No bread, no alcohol. You can read up on the diet if you're interested, I won't regurgitate it here.

First month I dropped 10 lbs. I've put it all back on now, so I'm back in the same boat you are unfortunately..actually I've gained a bit more due to my job getting more sedentary.

Please do update this thread when you pick something and if you have any success.
 
I went through a body transformation when I was 18 (you can thank the U.S. Army for that) which was basically a thirty pound reduction attributable to intense physical activity coupled with a reasonable diet. I managed to maintain that for many years though daily exercise, but there was a point in my life where I changed careers, let my diet slip, and quit exercising. At one point I was 30 over again.

My coworker told me "Arrow, you're getting fat." A light went off. I literally, that day, during lunch time, walked over to the gym across the road and signed up, then I reverted back to the strict low carb diet I grew up on, and the weight came right off. That was probably about 15 years ago.

It's still off (thank you 24 Hr) mainly because I exercise every day, seven days a week, and maintain a low carb diet for the most part. There is two challenges to weight loss - losing it initially (exercise and diet), then maintaining it (find some balance between exercise and diet that works.)
 
I have heard that 1 pound per week is a safe, healthy, realistic amount to lose with eating properly and exercising.
 
1 to 2 lbs a week is ideal. Usually anymore and your losing muscle. Obviously the more muscle you have the more calories you burn at rest. Plus initially it will take a few weeks for your body to adjust to a fat burning state. So eat right. .6 to 8 oz of chicken, cup of brown rice or sweet potato and a cup of vegatable. Eat 7 meals a day, cut out sugar and high glycemic foods, cardio for 20 to 30 minutes daily and weight train 3 to 4 days a week. It will come off you just need to want it. If you slip no big deal one bad meal won't hurt but pick back up the next meal..there are calculators out there to help you figure your base metobalic rate. Then you can add about 500 calories and that will be your daily goal. Then we can get into macros. Haha

good luck!
 
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If you do the true Atkins ,no carb,you can loose up to 15 the first week. Then you better do exercise and weight training,or it will come right back. Lost 22 in a month and gained back 8 the struggle continues. Of course I still do cocktails .
 
Dont rule out meth either.
I bet it will take the pounds off and you will be able to ski uphill
 
You don't gain or lose fat or muscle in days. The majority of the initial big weight lose with low carb is nothing but water weight. If you go low carb with strength training you will most likely see a little rise in weight before it starts going down because you will start building muscle. I would reduce calories however you best prefer but carbs are very helpful in strength training so I wouldn't go Adkins crazy if that's your plan.

MotoFliers muscle gain/fat loss plan (not really mine but you know what I mean)

1) Figure out your maintenance calories TDEE

2) Subtract about 500 cal however best suits your lifestyle 9cal per gram of fat, 4cal per gram of protein, 4cal per gram of carbohydrates.

3) Use free app such as myfitnesspal to track calories

4) Start a basic 5x5 training routine
 
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SixPapaCharlie said:
Dont rule out meth either.
I bet it will take the pounds off and you will be able to ski uphill
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MDMA and derivatives were originally sold as diet pills back in the day. Forget your alkaline water, that was when snake oil had venom.:D
 
Whatever plan you guys put Doc on, I'm in too. I'm 50, 5'11, in good health, and until 5 years ago I was around 160. I'm around 205 now. I don't look any heavier than I did 5 years ago but I feel it.

I get a solid workout every day during spring summer, but nothing in the fall/winter. I hope to lose some weight based just on my diet.
 
MotoFlier said:
You don't gain or lose fat or muscle in days. The majority of the initial big weight lose with low carb is nothing but water weight. If you go low carb with strength training you will most likely see a little rise in weight before it starts going down because you will start building muscle. I would reduce calories however you best prefer but carbs are very helpful in strength training so I wouldn't go Adkins crazy if that's your
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Spot on! I try to tell people this but they never listen. You didn't lose 15 lbs of fat in a week. You lost water weight. Don't fixate on the scale because if your building muscle weight will increase. Just starting out you can be gaining muscle while losing fat but it will take a few weeks for your body to adjust.

For workout look up starting strength by Mark ripetoe

Or

What I'm doing now is Jim Stoppani short cut to size. He also has a short cut to shred. He lays a whole plan out eating and training. In 12 weeks you can be a different person. It's not easy but rewarding. We need carbs so don't cut them all the way out.
 
I second (or third or fourth) the low carb approach. Here are a couple of suggestions that will keep it simple and manageable:

- Eliminate processed carbs altogether (white bread, white pasta, white rice etc);

- Reduce other grains, milk products and starchy vegetables like potatoes;

- Eat primarily lean meats and fish, avoid the bacon/porkbelly and the rest of the good stuff;

- Have at least one serving of fiber with each meal (helps modulate insulin levels)

- Eat several smaller meals rather than a few big meals (if work and life allows);

- Carb cycle: Eat more carbs after you have exercised, reduce carbs on days when you don't; and finally

- make your last meal of the evening carb free - salad/veggies and a lean meat. Eat mor chikin'
 
This is what I did.

Breakfast: 1 cup of steel-cut oats, with butter and sugar. I make a batch of six servings once per week and portion them out into individual pyrex bowls with lids. Then just add a tad of water and microwave and stir.

Lunch and Dinner: 3 cups of mixed frozen veggies stir-fried in wok, with cut up chicken, or a piece of fish. I make premade packets, enough for several weeks, and portion them into ziplok freezer bags and freeze them. Cook in wok.

Snack: 1/2 cup nuts, usually almonds or cashews

Desert: Natural peanut butter, without sugar added.

It's not the fat that gets you, it's the sugar and salt. Those are the killers. Especially sugar.

Oh, and drink a ton of water.

I ate that way 6 days a week, religiously. On Sundays, I ate whatever I wanted, as much as I wanted.

Using this, and simple daily walks of 2 miles, I lost about 5 pounds per week.
 
It is science. It takes @ 3500 calories to gain a pound of fat. To lose 1 pound of fat you need to burn 3500 calories more than you consume over a given time. If you eat 3500 calories less than you burn in 7 days, you would lose @ 1 pound. 3500 calories less in a month, 1 pound, you get the idea. In general, if you don't have any specific health issues, a balanced diet is what most experts recommend. Step one is to determine your TDEE (Total Dietary Energy Expenditure), this is the total amount of calories you burn per day (typically averaged over a week or month). From this number you subtract by the rate you want to lose. For example, I weigh 190 lbs. and my TDEE is @ 2600 calories per day based on my activity level. To lose 1 pound per week I would eat 500 less, or 2100 per day. I exercise everyday by the way. How you get to that number is strictly a personal preference, you want to go low carb, have at it, paleo....go for it. I follow a IIFYM (If IT Fits Your Macros) diet, meaning I base my diet off of X% of Protein/fats/carbs and if what I want to eat fits, I eat it. There is lots of Bro-Science out there, beware.
 
mikeinbama said:
It is science. It takes @ 3500 calories to gain a pound of fat. To lose 1 pound of fat you need to burn 3500 calories more than you consume over a given time.
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+1.

3600 calories = 1 pound of fat.

A lot of quick drop weight is coming from water weight which does replenish. You are looking for fat reduction over the long term.

Putting that 3600 number into context:
20-25 miles of running.
Walking 40-50 miles.

At the end of the day, you can't beat the math. Do more. Eat less.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
mikeinbama said:
It is science. It takes @ 3500 calories to gain a pound of fat. To lose 1 pound of fat you need to burn 3500 calories more than you consume over a given time. If you eat 3500 calories less than you burn in 7 days, you would lose @ 1 pound. 3500 calories less in a month, 1 pound, you get the idea. In general, if you don't have any specific health issues, a balanced diet is what most experts recommend. Step one is to determine your TDEE (Total Dietary Energy Expenditure), this is the total amount of calories you burn per day (typically averaged over a week or month). From this number you subtract by the rate you want to lose. For example, I weigh 190 lbs. and my TDEE is @ 2600 calories per day based on my activity level. To lose 1 pound per week I would eat 500 less, or 2100 per day. I exercise everyday by the way. How you get to that number is strictly a personal preference, you want to go low carb, have at it, paleo....go for it. I follow a IIFYM (If IT Fits Your Macros) diet, meaning I base my diet off of X% of Protein/fats/carbs and if what I want to eat fits, I eat it. There is lots of Bro-Science out there, beware.
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Yes but calories are not equal. You process and either burn, or store carbohydrates completely. Fats and proteins are metabolized much less efficiently, on a caloric basis.

Remember that everything has to be broken all the way down to glucose for either energy, or fat storage. Carbohydrates are nearly there. Proteins have to be broken down into aminos, which are used first for muscle building and replacement, then to carbohydrates and eventually to glucose before it stores as body fat.
 
Low carb is the way to go. At your age if you did a strict Atkins with exercise it should melt off. Keep it to less that 20-25 a day. For fiber you can take physillium husk capsules before meals.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Yes but calories are not equal. You process and either burn, or store carbohydrates completely. Fats and proteins are metabolized much less efficiently, on a caloric basis.

Remember that everything has to be broken all the way down to glucose for either energy, or fat storage. Carbohydrates are nearly there. Proteins have to be broken down into aminos, which are used first for muscle building and replacement, then to carbohydrates and eventually to glucose before it stores as body fat.
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A calorie is a unit of measure, they are all exactly one calorie. However, I get what you are saying and its basically correct. The rub is, the net effect difference is so small in practice as to be inconsequential. Your average, slightly overweight, 50 something guy would see a difference measured in ounces over months in terms of weight loss. That just isn't enough to matter in terms of losing a few pounds. Something else to consider is sustainability of diet, no diet works that you cant stay on it. Different people have different likes/dislikes in terms of eating and you have to find the plan that works best for you. The science is the same no matter which eating plan you choose.
 
Youre starting to regret ever asking the question aren't you...?
 
I retired 7 months ago and just decided to eat less and exercise more. No complicated diat. No focus on carbs or proteins, just less. Has to be something simple that I can maintain. 2 to 3 miles every day walking or time on a stationary bike. I'm down about 15 lbs. so about 2 lbs per month. Also, blood pressure wasn't bad to start with but is improved (120s over 60s with no meds). I'm 75
 
Graueradler said:
I retired 7 months ago and just decided to eat less and exercise more. No complicated diat. No focus on carbs or proteins, just less. Has to be something simple that I can maintain. 2 to 3 miles every day walking or time on a stationary bike. I'm down about 15 lbs. so about 2 lbs per month. Also, blood pressure wasn't bad to start with but is improved (120s over 60s with no meds). I'm 75
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/thread
 
Why not go see a physician that works with weight loss? I lost 30# in 5 weeks last spring and am 1-2# under that today. No starvation, no procedures, no crazy exercise. There were calorie restrictions, for sure, but I never went hungry. If you want your plane modified you see a specialist. Why is your body any different?
 
Day #1 of my new plan of eating better.

Office cutie brought me coffee and donut to my desk. I didn't have the heart to tell her no, so...

This is going to be harder than I thought. But it's 10:15 a.m. and so far that's all I've had so the day's not lost yet. Maybe a Lean Cuisine frozen meal for lunch.
 
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