3 posts shown.
Thanks for all the support, everyone....
Honestly, the social aspect is the hardest part. You have no idea how brutal it feels to head out with the crew to McDonald's after a workout, sitting there starving while you watch everyone else just demolish their food, and you've got absolutely nothing. I actually avoided going out at first because I was paranoid about what I’d say at the counter—I’d be staring at the water menu and end up ordering a Big Mac instead. It was total chaos. But things are getting easier now. I've discovered some quick, simple recipes I can whip up at home that taste incredible and actually fit within this diet....
Right now, I'm sitting at 200 lbs, and my goal is to burn off enough to hit 185 lbs within seven months. I don't think it'll be much of a struggle once I get back into cycling and hiking....
Thanks again to all of you....
Edward Sanchez72 said:Based on what you just wrote, you are dangerously low on protein... especially considering how active you are.
Beyond just tracking your macros, start tracking exactly how many calories you burn while swimming. Adjust your intake accordingly; feel free to go over 1,500 on those days. That’s actually quite low.
Hmm, I read somewhere—I think it was on a fitness blog—that if you maintain a 500-calorie deficit daily, you'll lose about two pounds a week. 🤷
As for protein, don't worry. I eat plenty of meat. It's not like I'm eating an entire deep-dish pizza; I stick to 4–7 ounces of chicken or turkey breast. Instead of fries, I'll have a salad, some tomatoes, or Greek yogurt (never sour cream). For dessert, I usually just grab some orange juice, grapes, or even just a few glasses of water.
I eat four small meals a day, and none of them exceed about two handfuls of food. That seems to be the sweet spot for me.
My main goal is to lose the belly fat and the "love handles." Since targeted fat loss isn't really a thing, I assume I just need to reduce my overall body fat percentage. Is that right?
THANKS
Hey everyone,
I’m reaching out here because I’m not sure who else to turn to for some actual expert—or at least experienced—advice....
Back in December, about two months ago, I was weighing in at 212 pounds. I'm 5'11" and my BMI was sitting at 29. I'm 25 years old. My job is strictly desk work, which means my activity level has been basically zero for the last three or four years, even though I was pretty active in sports when I was younger. I also smoke, and honestly, my lazy lifestyle has started to get on my nerves.
I finally decided to turn things around. I started studying calorie counts and cutting back my intake significantly. I used to average about 4,000 calories a day. I know that sounds high, but for context, I’d frequently crush eight eggs with ham for breakfast and wash it down with a quart of milk. 👎
Now, I’ve swapped all that junk for massive amounts of fruits and vegetables, which I’ve always liked anyway. I’m hitting about 1,500 calories a day now, but I stay full by eating huge volumes of tomatoes, onions, carrots—basically stuff that fills you up without the heavy caloric load.
I also started swimming three times a week for an hour and a half per session. If I can't make it to the pool, I try to compensate by doing as many sit-ups, push-ups, and squats as I can right there at my office desk....
The thing is, I’ve lost 13 pounds in just three weeks, and now I'm starting to worry. I need some input: am I overdoing it, or is this just water weight dropping off? Either way, my clothes are fitting completely differently—I've already dropped two belt notches.
PLS help... and THANKS!👍