I have a wedding coming up so I want to slim down significantly. I have until mid June next year.
I was wondering what the best diet and workout to do for this would be. But I don’t want to lose too much strength . I am not as bothered about the size though.
I am grossly overweight 5 5 270-273lb
48 inch belly
52 inch chest
Forearm 14 inches
Bicep 17 inches
Quads 27 top part
Calves 15
Neck 18 inches
My Recovery abilities are not great . Upperbody a bit better than lower body. I can only tolerate about 1 main exercise 3-5 sets per workout without big drop off in strength.
I am aiming to be 80 kg or about 175lb .
Any input is very much appreciated . I know I have not always applied advice in the past but I am very motivated now.
finding your maintenance calories is a good start, but given your stats - I’d imagine you could follow @T3hPwnisher’s “don’t eat like an asshole” diet and do quite well.
Thanks. I have cleaned it up a bit. I am not really gaining or losing any but I find it difficult to consistently drop weight. Mornings and evenings seem to be the worst times for bad food choices.
That said, we’re looking at losing 100lbs in 7-8 months.
32 weeks for 100lbs of weight loss. So around 3lbs a week for a solid 32 unbroken weeks.
This
Went out the window a LONG time ago. Just from being 100lbs lighter in and of itself the weights you can move are going to take a sharp dive. One can argue that STRENGTH isn’t lost if done right: just leverages and the ability to capitalize on mass moving mass.
But when you dedicate yourself to 32 unbroken weeks of losing 3lbs a week: THAT is going to cause some strength loss.
Personally, I would find the fat loss to be the right goal here. I went through my own mini version of this, dropping 30lbs and shifting my training focus from maximal strength to strength conditioning. It was a great decision, but I had to be at peace with the fact that my max lift glory days were done.
3283 calories at maintenance according to an online calculator.
How low I need to eat below this ?
Should add a lot of cardio?
I looked it up about 1500 calories below 3283 to lose 3 pound per week. So surviving on on 1500 calories…I do not presently do a lot , so it should be doable.
I have also never really counted calories . But I will have to learn. There are aps to help.
You replied to me, so I’ll say I’ve never counted a calorie in my life and would have no idea how to go about nutrition with that approach.
If you’re in a compromised state of recovery (low calories), adding a bunch of training seems like a REALLY bad idea. Especially since you already struggle with recovery.
Yeah, just being big is good for strength. The same amount of muscle could be under the fat, and the smaller version will be weaker. It sucks, but it is what it is.
With this goal, muscle will probably be lost as well. The good news is that muscle memory is a thing. It comes back faster than it was originally built.
Assuming that calculator is accurate (it’s probably close, might be off a bit but it’s a good starting point), to lose 3lbs/wk you would need to generate a:
1lb = 3500cal x 3lb = 10,500cal deficit/wk
OR 1,500cal deficit/day
Full disclosure: That’s rough, but it is possible. Your calculation of ~1500cal daily intake is probably very close to accurate in my opinion (this number will go down as your weight drops).
As @T3hPwnisher mentioned, you are going to lose absolute strength, but relative strength will increase significantly. Not that my opinion matters, but a 2xBW deadlift at 300lbs is not as impressive as a 2.5xBW deadlift at 200lbs. As a relatively jacked 220lb dude, I have to believe in this or I would feel that my 500lb deadlift is shit… good thing is I don’t! At any rate, strength can be rebuilt later, but a wedding photo cannot be re-taken after the fact. You should include strength training as you are dieting to help reduce muscle loss, but I’d bet >90% of weight lost in your case will not be muscle; this should not be considered a sticking point for you and your goals IMO.
Anywhoo, you will want to start eating lean protein, and lots of it, alongside low nutrient-density carbs and veggies. Regardless of whatever diet you choose to do, the one thing that will make any diet work is a caloric deficit; any dieting modality will work so long as it has that keystone.
@throwawayfitness knows more about weight loss than anyone I know, and he’s lost more of it than anyone I’ve ever spoken to… he may be willing to point you in the right direction.
I was a calorie counter and could certainly guide you, and @jskrabac is a rocket surgeon on the subject, but I don’t think it’s the right route for you at this point.
Clean up the food quality, lighten your lifts significantly, and focus on steady-state cardio would be my advice. I’ll bet it’s April before you have to rethink that.
You should detail this out a bit. What have you cleaned up. Are you drinking any calories (alcohol included, protein shakes not)? Do you eat fried food (which would include chips), how much? Deserts (candy, pastries, oreos, little debbie)?
I think a lot of people’s issues stem from these type of things. Of course there are people who eat clean, and still have trouble, Just not to many of them.
What are you doing to burn extra calories? How many minutes a week? This is also a big thing. It’s also great for weight maintenance. I’d think about prioritizing some cardio / calorie burning into your training since your goal is not an easy one (but possible). I’d focus on something sustainable. Start slow. Maybe 20 minutes walking on an incline to start. Eventually get up to 30 minutes. It doesn’t seem like much, but when done consistently it adds up. For me at least 30 minutes a day would burn over 300 calories. That is over a lb in two weeks.
This (100lb in less than a year) is a huge goal. Ive never done anything like it but i know it can be done. The important thing IMO isn’t the HOW, its the WHY. with sufficient motivation anything is possible. If you lose motivation, i don’t care how perfect your plan is, you will fall off the wagon and start gaining back.
2 huge points draw from this: 1) daily, hourly even, focus on the goal. Hold a clear picture of it in your mind. NEED it. It must drive you.
2) be prepared to forgive yourself should you fail along the way. Example, lose 30lbs in a month, celebrate with a drinking binge, gain 5 back… many people at this point (which should never happen in the first place, obviously) will give up, and gain it all back, then hate themselves more. You must be prepared to accept setbacks and learn from them, pick up the pieces and strive on.
Also. Walk. Constantly. Park further from the store. Walk around the block. Just move. An hour per day would be a good starting point.
And got gods sake no booze or fast food. Black coffee. Lean protein, veggies. Of course.
An analogy I read a long time back completely changed my thinking on this for the better, because I used to be one of those guys that thought “I already screwed up: might as well make it a bender”.
When you’re driving and you get a flat tire, do you get out and flatten the other 3, or do you change the tire and keep driving?
Absolutely spot on: mistakes will happen, we acknowledge them and move on.
Good luck! As others have said, your goal is ambitious but doable. These forums can provide plenty of help.
Two cents: in addition to cleaning things up, reflecting on any specific food triggers might also help. if there are particular times of the day (i.e., right before bed) or situations (i.e., hanging out with a certain group of friends or family members) when you find yourself constantly eating when you shouldn’t or more than you should, targeting those could go a long way toward meeting your goals.
It is definitely a problem…I need to cook my own meals . Lots of burgers and chips otherwise.
I find it difficult to avoid eating junk food if it’s there.
Come on, man, you know these questions aren’t for an Internet forum. Let’s not kill ourselves hoping we’ll look a little better in shorts.
I think everything you asked is kind of missing the forest for the trees (except the metformin question, which is a little more akin to steering for one of the trees). Thinking about any of that stuff is only going to serve as a derailer - it happens to me, too. It’s very easy to let perfect be the enemy of good, but you’ll end up spending all your time on mental exercises vs. just doing. Your goal simply requires a long period of stringing together a handful of good habits; the consistency is hard enough, so let’s not make it harder.
Whatever is on the label are the calories. I’m not sure I understand the question.
