How to loose the next 10 lbs?

[alexplantman]

heelo all..........Need some feedback....

Here's the scenario: current weight - 210, down from 228 in Aug. I was pretty much 225 or so all year. Last time I saw 200 was early '05. I worked out in the gym, ate my 5-6 meals / day. I pretty much guided myself from BFL (BOdy For Life) and it worked pretty good.

The difference now is I have focused on cardio, since I have been mountain biknig more often and wanted to do the 5K, and figured both are cardio and will shred fat fast. I didn't want to hold up weight loss, even if b/c new muscle being gained..

At one point 2 yrs ago I got to 192.. but that was hard. I just want to get the 200 mark, and see if at that point I can work on flattening the abs and love handles that are left and jump on the body building to tone up a bit... oh, I also did some creatine which rounded my muscles nicely, but I definitely do not want to retain water now.

For the last two weeks I have been eating as follows:

a.m. - cottage cheese. I just got some wheat cereal to change breakfast a bit, if needed. I used to eat fat free yogurt so I would have some carsbs, but someone told me the 24g+ of sugar is not helping weight loss, so CUT yogurt out 2 wks ago.

mid a.m. - snack on a protein bar

lunch - When I am on the road, I was just hitting Wendy's spicy chicken and baked potato or the Turkey frescata... either or have more or less the same fat grams. But after posting, I realized the spcicy chicken is fried. so CUT out both. Now, if I have to eat lunch either ceasar salad(chicken) or order a grilled chicken sandwish and just eat the meat. I have to hit some sub places for a turkey sandwich I guess. IF I AM IN THE OFFICE or HOME, I prep a tuna sandwish or deli meat turkey or chicken sandwich....

afternoon snack (b4 going hm from work, so about 4-5pm - protein bar or some cottage cheese.

Dinner: I am in the same boat as lunch sometimes, and have to eat out. If home, tuna/chicken.... Have started to avoid carbs >6 pm.

Night snack: cottage cheese (digests slowly overnight)

btw, the cottage cheese I eat is either fat free or low fat, whichever I find..

Problems tweaked recently:

• cut alot of snacking on the Chex chips (it says like 55% less fat, etc)
• cut my 2 or so diet cokes each day ( I am not convinced on this one., if really needed or not)
• cut the yogurt b/c of the sugar
• Cut my spicy chicken and other "fried" chicken ie chicken nuggets I used to eat for a meal at home...

Excercise: I starte excesising in Aug...

• 3 times / week - walk 5 minutes, jog 30 minutes, walk 5-10 minutes +....
• alternate days (try, b/c it seems lately I can't get to excersise every day, I defintely do NOT skip my jogs though!!) I either walk for 1 hour, ride my mountain bike at the mtb trails (intense and definitely burn calories)
• alternate days also I am going to try to do some micky mouse workout at home with 2 20 lb dumbells I bought...to change up the alternate day routine...
• Eventually in the next 60 days or so, I hope to rejoin a gym. I just have to see where I relo to. and by then, hopefully I can start working my muscles more and build muscle...

tks

[Sportsmedjosh]

have you looked into checking what your body comp is. That might also have a role in the weight your not seeing coming off. Especially if you've been working out. I would stop by a gym or just call one to see if you can make an apt for that. Most places will do it for free. Then work on some more for about 2 weeks and go back and check that and compare to your old body comp. If the % body fat decreases but weight stays the same then you are loosing fat. Personally I would be more concerned with the weight loss.

Once i hear back from you on this. I'll chit chat with the RD and see if we can set you up on something.

[alexplantman]

I'll have to look into that, but gyms are not close to where I am at so it wont be until end of Dec or Jan :( ... when I go join one...

I am wondering, with all the jogging, if I am building muscle on the legs ... The small amount of weights I am doing is more to burn calories, as I am only working with 20 lb dumbells for the specific reason of not gaining muscle weight and I can more easily measure my fat loss.

I got the right meal combo ideas for when i am working out to gain muscle, but this fat loss phase is more difficult than what I thought :rocket and its not even b/c of cravings or anything....

Believe me, I want to get out of this weight loss phase so I can go build some muscle

[Sportsmedjosh]

the jogging you are doing is going to help you out (it's going to be from the eccentric contraction [loading] that going to cause gain in muscle) As far at the 20 lbs weight it's going to help in the long run. I would really focus on technique with that weight. If you also need to make it more difficult as it becomes easier. Try doing exercises with one leg up. For example bicup curl, or shoulder press.

I just re-read your post. I know this might sound wierd. But it might be possible your not consuming enough calories. Like i said let me talk to the RD and we'll post some more useful info.

[alexplantman]

I know what you are saying about maybe not eating enough calories, I was aware of that b4 (1-2 yrs ago) when I lifted, I would eat alot of protein, calories, carbs, and measured fat... but now I cut it down alot thinking i would shred quickly, plus since I am not working out at the gym, where's those calories going to go? I see all these runners skinny as shit.... they definitely aren't building muscle or fat........

I thought of increasing cardio, but I have read that too much is not good either... On days I jog, I can add 30 minutes of walking, or 30 minutes of ab excersises which I am not doing any of.

The issue I have with ab excersise is that when I worked out last time (2 yrs ago), I worked them intensely on alternate days for 6 months but didn't see anything DIFFERENT than just working out with no abs... weird :(

[Sportsmedjosh]

alex i have a solution for you, pm me and i'l get it to you.

[LoveGuinness]

how are those 10lbs coming along?

[alexplantman]

Originally Posted by LoveGuinness

how are those 10lbs coming along?

Down to about 195 from 210 in Dec... I had set a 192 goal for may 1st, but looks like it's not happening :( ...

I recently changed my jogging to be 5 min walk, 32 min jog, and balance of the hour walk to cool down

[LoveGuinness]

eventhough you didnt make your goal, you are so close and looks like you made progress

[alexplantman]

Thanks. Today I was 193, so a lb over, a day late ....

I don't see a problem hitting that 192 by next week, so my new goal is 188 by June 1st. That is just 4 lbs away, 1.17 lbs per week I need to loose.

2 lbs / wk is unrealistic for me, so I'll settle for a lb / wk to loose, hopefully it will be more.

That's 3K calories a week deficit or burn I need. Seems easy since I jog just about every day.. so 400 calories burned (guessing) x 5 days = 2K calories burned + the calorie deficit in my diet.... so a lb / week sounds right

[LoveGuinness]

good luck and your goals sound reasonable!