How I Lost 13 lbs This Month

[LeafUF]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

Because if your aim is to lose weight, then why would you take unnecessary nutrition of a sort which would conceivably undo the caloric deficit you've just achieved through your exercise routine ?

Well that critique while valid is hardly specific to protein shakes and I would say not very accurate. I am not talking about taking weight gainer shakes here. A scoop of whey protein which I take post workout with ground flax seed doesn't even crack 200 calories.

If it fits into your daily goal there is nothing wrong with a protein shake and I would argue that drinking a casein shake during the day or a whey shake post workout would actually keep you from taking in more calories if you instead ate a whole food meal.

[busigator96]

i just take amino acids in my vitamins. 5 calories. it's protein without the fat/calories.

[Sir_Gibby]

I take fish oil.

Unfortunately, the gill-producing side effect has done nothing for my weight but has all but assured me of my coming badass'ness in a Waterworld-esque future.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by LeafUF

Well that critique while valid is hardly specific to protein shakes and I would say not very accurate. I am not talking about taking weight gainer shakes here. A scoop of whey protein which I take post workout with ground flax seed doesn't even crack 200 calories.

If it fits into your daily goal there is nothing wrong with a protein shake and I would argue that drinking a casein shake during the day or a whey shake post workout would actually keep you from taking in more calories if you instead ate a whole food meal.

There is nothing magical about a protein shake. People have been building and/or preserving muscle without them forever. That said, there is nothing wrong with them, provided that by their use you do not exceed your caloric requirements.

Also, why would you want to substitute a protein shake for real food, unless you were in a tremendous rush and simply had no time to eat ?

[ForsythCoGator]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

There is nothing magical about a protein shake. People have been building and/or preserving muscle without them forever. That said, there is nothing wrong with them, provided that by their use you do not exceed your caloric requirements.

Also, why would you want to substitute a protein shake for real food, unless you were in a tremendous rush and simply had no time to eat ?

I believe you answered your own question....who has time to eat these days?

[ryanhoward812]

Dude I am exactly your height and weight when you first started. At 5'9 170 I too wanna lose a lil off the stomach for summer time. Great workout bro. Im gonna mimick your workout for the summer as I have to cut to 147 for College wrestling in the fall. I noticed that when I personally have weighed in the 150's like you do that I am really really lean. At 155 I had like 8 percent body fat. I am 24 though so that may have alot to do with that but when i get into the 150's im a really skinny dude. Great workout though.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by ForsythCoGator

I believe you answered your own question....who has time to eat these days?

How is it that people can carve two hours out of their day, five or six days a week, to drive to and from the gym and spend too much time in the gym ... and not have time to eat ?

[LeafUF]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

There is nothing magical about a protein shake. People have been building and/or preserving muscle without them forever. That said, there is nothing wrong with them, provided that by their use you do not exceed your caloric requirements.

Also, why would you want to substitute a protein shake for real food, unless you were in a tremendous rush and simply had no time to eat ?

I never said there was anything magical about them. In fact in a previous post in this very thread I said the truth is you don't need them. I use them because I simply do not have a lot of time. My commute is long and cramped limiting the amount of food I can comfortably carry. So, I bring a whole meal or two and a shake to the office. When I get home usually late I try to eat a solid meal before heading to the gym. By the time I get back home its late and I certainly dont feel like cooking again so I usually make a shake and either use flax seeds or a handful of almonds. Again, making sure that I am not exceeding my daily goals.

I guess you could say I am pro solid food and protein shakes. On weekends when I do have time I will most likely eat all solid meals.

[G8RBrave]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

How is it that people can carve two hours out of their day, five or six days a week, to drive to and from the gym and spend too much time in the gym ... and not have time to eat ?

Two hours a day? It takes me 45 minutes to work out, 15 to shower and get back to work on my lunch break.

But part of the reason people have a hard time finding time to eat is because exercising does eat up yet another waking hour of your day. Couple that with working 8 hours, an hour commute, and trying to find some family time during the day and it does become difficult.

That's the main reason I go on my lunch breaks now. I just did not have time after work, and I can't bring myself to get up at 5 am.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by G8RBrave

Two hours a day? It takes me 45 minutes to work out, 15 to shower and get back to work on my lunch break.

But part of the reason people have a hard time finding time to eat is because exercising does eat up yet another waking hour of your day. Couple that with working 8 hours, an hour commute, and trying to find some family time during the day and it does become difficult.

That's the main reason I go on my lunch breaks now. I just did not have time after work, and I can't bring myself to get up at 5 am.

I'm the guy who argues incessantly that we eat way too much. A 150lb man wanting to lose more weight probably needs fewer than 1,600 calories a day *just to maintain that weight.* To continue to lose weight he probably needs to chop into that. That's not very many calories. So - and maybe it's just me - if I can't consume very many calories a day, I want to make the most of what I can consume by eating solid food.

[ForsythCoGator]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

How is it that people can carve two hours out of their day, five or six days a week, to drive to and from the gym and spend too much time in the gym ... and not have time to eat ?

It's called kids! We have time to go to the gym each day and not much for anything else besides baseball, cub scouts, ice skating, brownies and various parties....Our kids have a bigger social calendar than we do! If we didn't go to the gym, we would be insane!

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by ForsythCoGator

It's called kids! We have time to go to the gym each day and not much for anything else besides baseball, cub scouts, ice skating, brownies and various parties....Our kids have a bigger social calendar than we do! If we didn't go to the gym, we would be insane!

Let's stop centering your lives around our kids. Let's take them to the gym with us and get them under a squat bar! Problem solved!

[busigator96]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

Let's stop centering your lives around our kids. Let's take them to the gym with us and get them under a squat bar! Problem solved!

that's a plan if you want your kids to stay short! lol

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by busigator96

that's a plan if you want your kids to stay short! lol

Well, I don't want my kid to be taller than me.

[G8RBrave]

Make that 26 lbs since May 1.

More importantly I'm down to 13% body fat from 24 or so. I want to get to 10% before I start bulking back up.

[PIMking]

Congrats!!!

I lost 50 lbs since Christmas. went from 205 to 155 and I'm 5'9. Went from a 38" waist to a 32" waist.

Before (rapid city, Ellsworth AFB)


Before at the sugar bowl



After. (not the best pic but you can tell)

[PIMking]

Larger picture sorry.

[PIMking]

Older fat (at a friends in Iowa)


Newer not so fat

[wygator]

I've been on a slow and steady weight loss program...17 lbs so far at about 1.5 pounds per week. 35 lbs to go.

I tried extra low calorie (1200 to 1400) per day. Was getting good results initially but found it very difficult to maintain.

I found this calculator that estimates your true daily calorie needs and recommended diet calorie levels. It also suggests that men shouldn't drop below 1500/day and women below 1300.

http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php

Anyway, I put in my specs (age, weight, height, sex, level of activity). It said my daily calorie burn is 2400 and I should use 1700 as my diet figure.

I am carefully counting calories daily and using V8 juice, fusion and (raw) milk as toosl to help get good balance and nutrition into my daily food intake. I also do aerobic and weights 2x/week. I'm 55 now and have found that 2x/week works better for me than 3x due to longer recovery time associated with aging.

The 1700/day is much easier to maintain than 1300 and I'm seeing steady results. Not as gratifying as dropping 3 or 4 lbs in a week, but when I hit my target, I think I will have established great maintenance habits.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by wygator

I've been on a slow and steady weight loss program...17 lbs so far at about 1.5 pounds per week. 35 lbs to go.

I tried extra low calorie (1200 to 1400) per day. Was getting good results initially but found it very difficult to maintain.

I found this calculator that estimates your true daily calorie needs and recommended diet calorie levels. It also suggests that men shouldn't drop below 1500/day and women below 1300.

http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php

Anyway, I put in my specs (age, weight, height, sex, level of activity). It said my daily calorie burn is 2400 and I should use 1700 as my diet figure.

I am carefully counting calories daily and using V8 juice, fusion and (raw) milk as toosl to help get good balance and nutrition into my daily food intake. I also do aerobic and weights 2x/week. I'm 55 now and have found that 2x/week works better for me than 3x due to longer recovery time associated with aging.

The 1700/day is much easier to maintain than 1300 and I'm seeing steady results. Not as gratifying as dropping 3 or 4 lbs in a week, but when I hit my target, I think I will have established great maintenance habits.

That's pretty much what I did. I took in about 1700 a day and upped with the Fruits and veggies instead of junk food and worked like a charm.