Weight Loss

Can someone help me out with something? I’m overweight, have an under active thyroid...I have been doing hiit cardio for a week (I know, not long) and do 1 minute of all out running the best I can, then briskly walk for 2-2 1/2 minutes...I cut out all sugars and increased protein...I know I shouldn’t weigh myself but all be damned I gained 3 pounds! What else does a person need to do?

 

All I can say is
You need to raise your core temperature by walking longer if you can.
Drink lots of water
Reduce your intake
This is the basic formula to lose weight
And above all, make it your lifestyle no matter what.
If you quit now, it’s harder to start again

 

One of the big problems with starting a new workout system and checking your weight frequently is the fluctuation caused by fluid intake. If you are working out harder you are hopefully drinking more fluids, which will cause your weight to bounce depending on when you check it. I run 70+ miles per week and usually lose between 4 and 6 pounds per run. Depending on when I check my weight I can be up or down 5 pounds. Make sure you are checking at the same time each day, and don't worry too much if you are drinking a lot more water because of the workouts.

 

Unless you have a condition that prevents it, lift weights. Heavy. IMO it's the best weight loss program there is.

 

Reduce your calories.

While the overall mix and content of your calories might have changed (less refined carbs and more protein), you still need to be aware of your overall total calorie consumption.

You won't lose weight if you eat an additional 1000 calories, for example, than before even if those additional 1000 calories are whole, quality macro nutrients.

Total calorie consumption counts. The overall mix of your total caloric consumption matters, but it will not matter if your total consumption far exceeds your energy expenditure. In other words, you not only cannot outwork a bad diet, but you also cannot outwork an oversized diet.

 

Most people think working out leads to weight loss but in most cases it’s all about the diet and daily caloric deficit.

If you lost 10lbs while really dieting and regular working out / exercising, 8lbs would be from the diet and 2 from exercising. Doing both is ideal for obvious overall improved health.

Reducing carbs/sugar, portion control, and intermittent fasting usually drops lbs very efficiently.

 

I don't disagree with anything you've said, but I am curious about one thing.

I know that intermittent fasting (or IF) is very popular nowadays, especially for weight loss and especially as it relates to insulin resistance/sensitivity as way to shed fat and thus extra pounds.

While I don't necessarily dispute that (though I am not sure it is entirely accurate), I have lingering doubts whether the real reason IF works for weight loss is simply a matter of calorie restriction. If you're only eating once a day (OMAD), or doing a 16:8 or 20:4 IF protocol, it just means by force of nature you're going to be eating less since it's simply not really feasible nor practical to consume a regular day's worth of calories (~2000 calories) in, say, one meal, or within a short window of time (either 8 or 4 hours).

 

When I lost 35+ pounds in a few months it was the combination of all of the above. I was only eating between 12pm and 8pm but did have a morning coffee daily. I agree caloric deficit is the key and this is just another piece that can assist with that.

 

Wanna bet?

A full rack of baby back ribs from TGI Friday’s is 1,590 calories.
An order of mozzarella sticks at TGI Friday's is 820 calories

Just one slice of New York City pizza is 400 to 500 calories.
A serving of cheese and tomato deep-dish pizza from Uno’s is 1,750 calories.
Both before toppings.

Chili's nachos, topped with ground beef, cheese, jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and guacamole are 1,590 calories.

An order of 10 wings at Buffalo Wild Wings contains about 750 calories.

 

Sure, but no one eats like that everyday.

And if they did, they would be dead. So losing weight would be the least of their concerns.

 

Not dead, but obese. And they are. People of average height don't break 250 nibbling on celery 5 days/week, and you don't drop dead on the spot from eating poorly.

2 slices of pizza for lunch, then nachos, a dozen or so wings and a couple beers during a football game? Easy day. There's 3500+ calories right there.

Mozz sticks and a rack of ribs at Friday's? Many would have that for dinner without batting an eye.

Then there's the drinks, snacks and desserts...

 

Right, so could you imagine if those people were not doing IF?

They'd be eating over 10,000 calories a day (3 x 3500+)!

 

I read a study several years ago (if I recall where I will post it) which was a case controlled comparison between IF and non-IF with calories held constant. Weight loss what not statistically significant. What IF can often do though is put you into ketosis, which makes it easier to resist the urge to scarf. My take is that IF helps by making you less interested in eating tons of calories.

 

I'm buying up all the Cole Slaw. It's out of stock, everything else I'm buying is out of stock also. It's intellectual property under unilateral export controls. You cannot patent or copyright a trade secret.

If it was March, I wouldn't be talking about Cole Slaw. Right now Cole Slaw is where you want to be.

 

Losing weight is a mixture of consistency and focus. You have to live in a caloric deficit for long periods of times.

 

I once had a brief bout with weight loss, but I was able to overcome it with scrambled eggs, tater tots, and lasagna.

 

You can get a prescription for Thyroxine, which will boost your metabolism. Also take a vitamin supplement which includes Iodine.

When you go from the run to the walk, try to go back to the run after you've caught your breath. Try to at least make a mile. Then try to bring your time down.

"Caloric Restriction" means starving yourself. Start by skipping breakfast. Go as long as you can without eating. And then only eat small meals. Eating a big meal is the worst thing, because you will stretch out your stomach, and you will be hungry again soon. You want to get to a point where you can only eat 1/2 sandwich.

Losing weight is difficult. Most people don't have the will power to do it.

 

biggest difference to my fat loss journey was to buy a digital scale. Weigh out your meals. I stay very lean year round because I know how many calories I eat and I can adjust up and down accordingly depending on if I'm cutting or bulking. 99% of people have no idea how many calories they actually consume.

 

I bought a glass ashtray so I can smoke a Marlboro Red at my desk and drink whole milk for breakfast.

 

Make sure you have your labs tested. Treat the thyroid. There’s been good advice given here about diet. Keep exercising, eating sensibly, and make it a lifestyle. IF is fine, but the idea is to keep the calories controlled.

 

I don't know why anyone would want to skip breakfast. If I was your employer and I knew you were skipping breakfast, I'd send you home. What reason is there to begin the day without at least a couple of eggs? Are you training for the Olympics?

 

Look in to IF. I’ve been doing it for 2 years, dropped and kept off 35 lbs. a few things...
If I don’t eat sugar at night I’m not hungry in the morning And I enjoy my black coffee.
I am not hungry until 1 or 2 pm
I have a lot of energy and focus when fasting
I feel like I can eat anything I want at my late lunch and dinner so every day I don’t feel like I’m dieting.
Sometimes I’m not even hungry until dinner.
Usually gravitate towards healthier stuff now by choice.
Usually on weekends I’ll still eat a big brunch but then I feel sluggish all day
My gird and stomach issues went away
I don’t crave sugar and know the difference between hunger pangs and sugar cravings
It’s amazing how quick you lose sugar cravings and realize sugar makes you feel like crap.
Have read a lot about autophagy and believe that the body spends time healing itself

I went through years Of weight and food and stomach issues. Trained for half marathons and never lost a pound. IF and cutting out sugar was the key. I feel great and feel like it’s easy.

Not trying to preach but remember my 15 years of failed diet and exercise trials. nothing worked. Scale never moved. Kids see pics of me now and say oh that was chubby dad. At 54 it feels good.




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There's no magic bullet.

Stop eating what you've been eating and start eating what you've not been eating.

For me....no sugar and no fat. From there, eat just about anything you want and you'll still lose wt. Went from 205 to the low 170's a year ago and kept it off.

It's not a diet. It's a mindset.

 

To make it really work you need to go calorie deficit for a period of time, combined with regular exercise, healthy foods, cut out sugars and alcohol.

I lost 35 pounds in 3 months by eating regularly but healthily and walking 6-8kms a day.

Drink lots of water.

Regular weighing at home with digital scales really focuses your mind and it can become addictive setting a weekly target and achieving it.

As said above, its a mindset. You have to be committed and focus on what your ultimate goal is.

I want to shift 50 pounds and keep it off. At 53 that takes hard work and focus.

There are no 'easy outs' unless i guess you go down the lipo route

 

This is basically it. Diet is everything. If you want more muscle, eat more protein and lift. Want to lose fat, less calories, no sugar or bad carbs combined with weights and cardio. I have cut my cardio in half and still at single digit fat % because of my diet. I still lift about 5x per week though.