1. #1
    Grunt
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    A quick weight loss question

    I am a 17.5 y/o and i'm trying to lose some weight. I currently weigh 190 lb/86.1825 kg and am 5ft 10in, my goal is not really to build a large amount of muscle mass, I just want to stop looking so tubby in the stomach area.

    Currently i eat around 3 to 4 smallish meals a day. For breakfast it is usually an apple and a nutrigrain bar. For a Lunch i have a sandwich and a small amount of almonds. Then in the afternoon i usually eat a nutrigrain bar, yogurt, and another apple. Then finally for dinner i usually have pasta or something of the variety with chicken or steak. For drinking i drink around 1.5 to 2L of water each day and have a glass of milk with dinner. I don't take any of the supplements cant afford them.

    For exercise I do 5k a day after i get home from school. I do the 5k in anywhere from 27 to 30 minutes. Then after dinner i usually do about 50 push-ups and about 100 sit-ups. I cant afford a gym membership and I have no real exercise equipment i have to do everything on my own.

    I am new to this kind of stuff and i was just trying to figure out if this is healthy, and right now i have taken off 3 pounds a week for the past 3 weeks following this guide and I am just checking to see if this is a good idea at all.

  2. #2
    Yeah, sounds like you've got it pretty well figured out. One thing I can spot that you might want to take a look at is finding some new muscles you can work without a gym membership. Anything to use extra muscles that you can think of. A lot of cardio without working your muscles can actually lead to them weakening in the long term if you're not careful. Squats, leg raises, planking are the extras I can think of off the top of my head.

    If money is an issue I'd also check into whether any gyms in your area have any deals on. If you catch them when they're offereing a deal some places will be as cheap as a buck a day and not require a signup fee.

    Otherwise, maybe save up and buy a couple cheap free weights so you can do basic stuff like bicep curls.

  3. #3
    High Overlord okteej's Avatar
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    On the surface you have a good setup but there are a few things to note:

    1. If you stick to that same diet for weeks and weeks, you're going to get very bored and psychologically drained. You'll be less motivated to stick to it, more likely to pick at other unhealthy food, and some may argue that your psychological boredom can cause hormonal changes that may stunt your weight loss. The fix? Do some research on nutrition and weight loss science. Some good starting points are active.com and runnersworld.com. You'll get some great ideas.

    2. The best way to boost your metabolism is to alternate three types of cardio. I'm going to assume you're going with running, but the following applies to biking, elliptical, rowing machine, etc. The three types are: Speed Intervals, Moderately Paced Workouts, Long Workouts. On your speed intervals, you will push the most amount of effort for short spurts of time. Moderately paced workouts are consistent, unbroken pieces with a good huffing and puffing effort but you should still be able to talk in short sentences. Your long workouts should be anywhere from 60-90 minutes and should be an effort that you feel like you're working but you can talk in full sentences. The aforementioned websites give much more detail on workouts like these.

    3. As far as your pushups/situps go, keep that up! But when you are starting to be able to complete those numbers with more ease, up the numbers or even consider adding some weight. A simple backpack with textbooks strapped tightly on your upper shoulders makes a perfect weighted addition to your pushups.

    Best of luck!!

  4. #4
    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/...-build-muscle/

    check out this guide.simple body weight circuit routine. then check out others on the site.

  5. #5
    You really need some more vegetables, specifically greens, in your diet. Try some spinach, sautéed or roasted asparagus, steamed Brussels sprouts, or broccoli with your dinner over the pasta. A baked sweet potato is a decent choice as well as a side. Snack on some carrots and grape tomatoes instead of the nutrigrain bar and apple in the afternoon. For breakfast, could have a cup of berries mixed in with your yoghurt (I recommend trying out plain Greek yoghurt) or even have that for lunch. You can make yourself an omelette using 2 whole eggs and a side of veggies for breakfast. Do you like sea food? Tuna salad would make a nice lunch. I like sardines as well because they contain your important omega 3's .. just make sure to buy the ones packed in WATER & not oil (escp soybean oil .. read the back label). By the way, for any pan-frying or sauteeing you do, I recommend using refined organic coconut oil. I would suggest using home-made ghee (clarified butter) but organic butter is pricey and understandable if you cant dish out the money.

    You should check out some exercise challenges from Zuzana Light on her YouTube channel .. http://www.youtube.com/user/ZuzkaLight?feature=watch (ZWOW). Just do your best! Can find alternatives to some of her exercises and just find some heavy object to replace some of her kettle-bell moves with. You will likely need more fuel, though. Where stuff starts to get a little more complicated Should probably have an extra serving of complex carbs and more protein. Don't do the work outs every day, 4x a week is sufficient .. and probably best to only eat that extra fuel on the days you do them.
    Last edited by handsdown; 2012-04-09 at 11:01 PM.
    you fill my lungs with sweetness & you fill my head with you.

  6. #6
    One thing I'd add is to do some squats and/or "jumpies" in with the pushups/situps. If you don't have the money for a gym membership (some places can be as cheap as $10 a month if you're thinking they're more expensive. My Gold's Gym is only $10 a month, though the startup was $30 for students) then add in weights however you can. A backpack with textbooks loaded in it can be good for the squats and can make a decent weight for bicep curls, a lot of stuff really. You don't need a weight that's specifically supposed to be lifted in order to lift something. Better than nothing, right?
    ಠ_ಠ

  7. #7
    The Patient Cynon's Avatar
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    Figure out what you're BRM is (Base Metabolic Rate). This is the amount of calories you can have throughout the day WITHOUT doing any exercise. Once you find that out, try to stick around that number -- too few calories will cause your body to hold in bodyfat, and not burn.

    Also, try eating about five small meals a day, with most of your calories in the morning and taper off in the afternoon and evenings. DO NOT skip meals.


    "History does not allow freedom to be defended by the weak and the timid." -- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953

  8. #8
    Related to the OP's focus on calisthentics - What do you guys feel about high-rep stuff like the 100 pushup workouts http://hundredpushups.comor the 50 pullup workouts? Are these actually good alternatives to resistance training? I mean... 100 pushups is a lot of strain on the joints. Do they even help pack on muscle or is it more of a 'if you don't have a gym nearby' thing?

  9. #9
    How can you be tubby at 190 pounds? I am 5'11" and when I was 186 pounds, everyone thought I was sickly thin. Anyway, sounds like you are doing great at losing the weight. The only thing I would add to what the others said is vary up your diet a little, say different fruit, and such. Also, there are some sites out there that can help you turn your home into a makeshift gym using household items like dinner chairs and brooms.

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