Big Change

[dankelt]

Without knowing exact details on the foods I can only make some basic suggestions. I can provide more recommendations if you provide details on:

• What protein bar(s) are you using?
• What tortilla are you using for your wraps?
• What ham and roast beef you are using? Specific brands/flavors.
• What portion sizes are you using of the meats? Can you estimate or measure the amount of cottage cheese?

If you have the packages handy can you post the nutritional values? Specifically calories, fat, protein, carbs, fiber and serving size.

After making some estimates on your meal plan it looks like your daily caloric intake is pretty close to where it needs to be. Which is really surprising because I would have to assume you would be losing weight. I figure you are around 2500-2600 calories. This is of course made by making quite a few assumptions. Outside of calories there are some major changes I would make to your meals. My suggestions are:

• Eat 6 square meals each consisting of 40g carbs, 40g protein, and 9g fat. This will work out to be a 400 calorie meal. Your current meals are anywhere from 150 to 800 calories.
• Toss the orange juice, it is nothing but sugar, you might as well be drinking a can of coke.
• After your workout have a balanced meal, use whey as your protein source. For example make a smoothie with whey and fruit.
• Switch the 2% cottage cheese for non-fat (not a big difference but it will help)
• Toss the sweet peas, again, lots of sugar.
• Toss the sugar-free jello, the artificial sweeteners can play games with your blood-sugar and insulin levels.
• Toss the yogurt, unless you get the stuff with no sugar added. Even then use sparingly.
• Toss the shake-and-bake. These are usually almost all refined carbs.
• Overall, I'd like to see more protein and less carbohydrates.

All of these things will likely help, but realistically you may need to drop your caloric intake. Perhaps your metabolism is just a bit slower than normal. The bottom line is exactly that... calories in must be less than calories out/burned.

-Dan

[Maljonic]

Originally Posted by bigthunder

I'm going back to eating sensible, lifting and doing the bike 20 minutes a day. I'm also going to add a 2 mile walk to and from the gym. I'm going to try really hard not to weigh myself for a month August 3rd. I'm shooting for 415 lbs.

Are there any other parts of the above you haven't been doing?

[onehappymom]

BigThunder~
It doesn't look as though you are on track with your weight training either therefore you aren't reaching your mamixmum potential. You must go 12, 10, 8, 6, 12,12. Without the burnout at the end you are not maximizing your potential. You must push yourself to the point where you couldn't possible lift that weight one more time. The weights will play a critical role in your weight lose so if anything nail this down early, without compromise. Keep the weights lighter at first if needed and then increase gradually when possible but each time with each muscle group do the burn out. Make sure your doctor is made aware of your new lifestyle so he can advise you as well on how much is too much to start with it.
Dankelt has nailed it on the food intake. You must reduced those calories and sugars. You must have a proper balance between protein and carbs and you must eat every 2 to 3 hours, there is no other option if you desire success. You commited to yourself not to weigh yourself until August 3 so why did you do it? You need to ask yourself why you broke that commitment to yourself. Figure it out and I think you will have some success over your food and exercise when you realize that breaking your commitments you are sabatoging your BFL goals. Losing weight is not easy and it won't happen over night so don't expect a 15 pound weight lose in a month's time especially when you are adding weight training to your routine as your muscles will weigh more than your fat.
Good Luck!

[bigthunder]

Maljonic
I don't understand your question. After Atkins I have been doing what I said I would be doing. Well except the weighing once a month, so I got curious shoot me.

Onehappymom
I'm really happy you believe in BFL so much, but it isn't the only way. I lift weights similar to BFL in the fact that I use the 12,10,8,6,12 method but instead of a second excercise for the same muscle group, I do the 12,10,8,6, 12 method for 3-4 different excercises for the same muscle group. Trust me when I say it is just as intense a burn as your method. The weighing myself monthly wasn't a commitment, it was just an idea. BFL and losing weight is a commitment. It's something that I am still dedicated to.

dankelt
Good grief that's a lot of writing, so let's get started answering the questions.
I eat zone bars and this week I tried some Clif bars.
I use Flat Out wraps.
I eat Hormel cooked ham(probably not a great choice, but it's cheap and I'm unemployed) and the roast beef is dulucci. I just tried Pastomi, how is that? I figure each wrap has 3-4 ounces of meat on it.
I can't stomach fat free cottage cheese. Probably 4 ounce servings.
tossed the OJ in favor of an ON protien shake double scoop about 500 calories.
I figure my intake is around 2500 calories. I figure any less and it will effect my workouts. Please remember that I am 6'6" and I require more nutrition than normal people do.

[dankelt]

Ha, you think that's a lot of writing. You're lucky I couldn't figure out how to embed the excel spread sheet I made of your diet into this post!

Ok, so here are a few more recommendations:

• Get bars with less sugar. Look for ones that use sugar alcohol. Most of the bars I use have less than 3g of sugar. Some ones I like: EAS Carb control, pure protein and Met-Rx protein plus.
• Pastrami can be good and can be bad. Just make sure you get the low fat stuff. Try to find meats with a protein/fat/carb radio of 10/1/1 (that is if you eat a serving that's 10g protein it should be 1g carb and 1g fat.

The cottage cheese thing is surprising to me. I can't even tell the difference and I used to eat 4% prior to BFL. The 2% isn't super bad, but just try to keep the serving sizes in check.

Ok... now for the hard part. I know you're going to push back on what I'm about to say, but all I ask is that you stay open minded and perhaps, just perhaps give it a try... I mean, what's the worst that could happen?

So the bottom line is that you are not losing weight. This simply means that you do not have a calorie deficit. There are only to variables in this equation:
Calories In (Eaten)
Calories Out (Burnt)

Yes, I have taken into account your size, height and lean mass when I speak about calorie requirements. But the fact still remains, you are not losing weight. Now it's true there are a lot of things you can change as I and others have suggested that will help you be more efficient at burning calories. But these things will make only a minor impact. The fact that you are not even at a calorie deficit yet tells me you are no where near low enough to adversely affect your workouts or your general health. This means one of two things.
1. As mentioned before your metabolism is slower than what we are estimating.
2. You are actually getting more than 2500 calories.

Either way you look at it you need to get less calories. What you're not taking into account is that you have plenty of calories on "reserve". There is absolutely no reason why you can't get by on a sub 2500 calorie diet.

So here is what I'm asking you to do... For at least one week I want you to follow the suggestions I made in my last post and in this post above and shoot for a maximum of 2000 calories. I mean, you are putting in all of this hard work going to the gym, watching your diet, etc, etc and you're getting no where... You owe this to yourself! One week, give it a try, that's all I ask.

-Dan

[bigthunder]

We'll compromise. I'll finish this week out at 2500 calories and see what happens. If no progress, we'll do it your way. I'll even try the fat free cottage cheese. It's so strange, I've never had problem losing weight before when I put my mind to it.

[JamesK]

Just checking in..we started the same week (me on the 19th) I hope that you are feeling healthier and encouraged as you proceed.

[GaTo]

Originally Posted by bigthunder

We'll compromise. I'll finish this week out at 2500 calories and see what happens. If no progress, we'll do it your way. I'll even try the fat free cottage cheese. It's so strange, I've never had problem losing weight before when I put my mind to it.

BigThunder it seems to me what the problem is that you might not be eating ENOUGH food. At 6'6" and 426lbs 2500 calories is to low for you. You'd be better off in the 3500 calorie range. I'm 5'8" 228lbs and roughly 2400 calories is my ideal calorie range for me to cut weight.

When you eat to little calories you send your body into a starvation type mode. Your body thinks it's not getting enough food so it's holding onto every single calorie (one of the ways is by slowing your metabolism) it can and is storing it as a supplementary energy source (i.e. fat)

Resting Energy Expenditure

Check out the link above.

[Chris]

Good calorie recommendations are usually based on lean body mass rather than total body mass. I don't think 2500 is too low. Check out this post: Calorie Calculator

[bigthunder]

I checked out that sight and they said to MAINTAIN my weight I should take in 3500 calories, but further down it caculated around 2800 calories a day to lose weight. I do like your idea better. I'm still having a heck of a time losing the weight, but I suspect it might have a lot to do with all my my muscles screaming back to life. I'm sure sure that will level off in a week or two.

[GaTo]

It should be stated that by no means am I a nutritional expert....

Originally Posted by Chris

Good calorie recommendations are usually based on lean body mass rather than total body mass. I don't think 2500 is too low. Check out this post: Calorie Calculator

Hi Chris I have to respectfully disagree with you there. Unfortunately it appears that the google doc you posted has been vandalized because when I visited it the cells were all changed around. *The link To the calculator I provided factors in lean body mass. (on that subject it is hard to get an accurate body fat percentage if obese using tape measure or calipers....Your looking at more of a ball park figure if anything)

Now not to say that it's impossible for thunder to lose the weight he wants at that caloric level (peoples bodies are different) I just think he's better off starting at the higher level and moving his way down. Not to mention it will help jump start his metabolism (according to some studies) * *

Originally Posted by bigthunder

I checked out that sight and they said to MAINTAIN my weight I should take in 3500 calories, but further down it caculated around 2800 calories a day to lose weight. I do like your idea better. I'm still having a heck of a time losing the weight, but I suspect it might have a lot to do with all my my muscles screaming back to life. I'm sure sure that will level off in a week or two.

Hey big based on the following stats (I wasn't sure what yours were)

A 26 year old male 6'6" weighing 425lbs has a Resting Energy Expenditure of about 3586 calories (calories burned if you just did nothing but rested all day) but since you probably do more than lie flat on your back all day you end up burning more calories than this. Especially since you are also probably working out. What you need to remember is that the more you workout the moe fuel your body demands.

With that being said remember that these numbers are all estimate which require tweaking per each individual.

Based on the stats above... Someone with a Light DAILY activity level (Light walking, house cleaning, golf)
4447 is the number of calories your body would require to function properly an maintain your current weight

Now it is recommended that when you are trying to lose weight (the healthy way) that you do not exceed more than 2 pounds of bodyfat per week. Assuming that 3500 calories = 1 pound of fat and 7000 = 2 pounds you want to cut the daily calories by anywhere between 500-1000 calories per day.

So to lose 1 pound a week you subtract your daily maintenance calories of *4447-500= 3947cal per day.

To lose 2 pounds a week you subtract your daily maintenance calories of 4447-1000= 3447cal per day.

As stated your miles may vary so give it a try (if you want)

[Chris]

I like it when people challenge me... and it's the whole point of a discussion board.

Your points make a lot of sense.
BT, have you tried eating higher calories as GaTo suggested? I've been thinking about this post a lot since yesterday. It is entirely possible that your system is in shock from too drastic of a calorie cut. Higher calories may just do the trick.

[bigthunder]

I have now finished 6 weeks, the half way point. I have lost 19 lbs and put on a bunch of muscle, especially in my lower body. No injuries, no pain, I feel good. I hope to keep this up and hit -40 lbs by the end of the 12 weeks.

[JamesK]

Congrats bigthunder!!! You can do it.

[bigthunder]

Thanks james, I appreciate the motivation. I plan on turning it up to 11 for the next 2 weeks. I plan on working out the next 13 days straight and taking my birthday off. I want to give myself a birthday present by losing 12 lbs in 13 days. This would mean my weight would start with a brand new number. I don't plan on weighing myself until the 22nd, I'm so excited.

[schoonma]

I have lost 12 pounds and I am on day 4 in my sixth week. When I do that spredsheet that Chris posted it states that I need 2500, that is with my activity being light, since I have a desk job, and my goal is to lose fat.

I can tell you that I have been tracking my calories on fitday.com and I have been under 1500 and once in a blue moon I might hit 1600....I was only getting 1100 to 1200 so I made sure to check my calories.

Would you suggest upping my calories? 12 pounds in 24 days is not too bad and actually a very healthy way to lose weight, about 2 pounds per week.

Thanks!
Mary Ann

[bigthunder]

Well, I'm no expert, but 1500 seems awfully light to me. I would shoot for 1800-2000 calories, especially if you are being faithful to your BFL workout regiment. You need those extra calories to build the muscle and you don't want your body to think you are going into starvation mode. I don't understand what your 12 pounds in 24 days is in reference too, but yes 2 lbs a week is good.

[schoonma]

Thanks for the reply Big Thunder

I have only missed 1 cardio workout and I have not missed any weight lifting sessions in the almost 7 weeks I've been doing BFL - missed one cardio session because I had the WORST cold and I was so sick and weak.

The 12 in 24 days was a typo I have dropped 12 pounds and I am on week 6 day 4 so I guess it's more like 42 days.

I feel I am eating quite a bit now so I will have to try and add an additional 300-500 calories I have become a fat-o-phobe so this might be a little hard for me to do.

Keep up the good work, you are an inspiration.

Mary Ann

[bigthunder]

I only managed 5 days this week and had to take Wednesday off, but I still managed to take off 3 pounds. That seems to be my average, I can live with that.

[JamesK]

I really think you are going to meet your 12 week goal bigthunder. Keep up the pace and don't give yourself any excuses for slacking.