[Fireproof]

Sometimes for us that view working out as more than a hobby or necessity, but as a passion, it's hard to remember a time when we were not well educated on the subject of proper training principles or nutrition facts.

But almost every day, I end up in a discussion with someone about training or dieting and common myths or misunderstanding always seem to surface in the conversation. It's no wonder with the conflicting information on the 'net, the sensationalism in the media, and the aggressive promotion of new supplements, whether they are worth anything or not, that people remain so confused. Additionally, everyone is looking for an easy fix. Have cellulite? All you need is thigh cream! (Remember that, lol?) Need to lose weight? Just take a carb-blocker or fat-blocker pill. I could go on.

So I thought for those new to Clutch, that I would put together:

A very simple guide for getting started on the weightloss journey.

It's easy to be overwhelmed when people are pointing you to articles here, studies there...do this, don't do that... So my intent with this post is to give people some "quick and easy" rules to follow while they continue to learn more about the science or physiological reasons behind the recommendations. In otherwords, I'm not going to write a book about why I've recommended these things - I'm asking readers to have a little trust that these represent pretty universal recommendations by those that understand how the body works. But I do encourage everyone to continue to quench their thirst for knowledge by participating in the discussions here, reading the articles, purchasing some of the recommended books, etc.

So without further ado...here we go:

Basic Assumptions:

I'm assuming the reader is somewhere between 15-40% bodyfat (a typical out-of-shape adult) and has no physical or nutritional limitations. (If any exist, let us know and we can work around those constraints).

Setting Expectations:

Before you get started on your fat loss efforts, it's important to have realistic expectations. For the most part 1-4 pounds of fat loss per week is a good target to shoot for. If you have a lot to lose, you will be in the upper range and possibly above that. If you are not that overweight, or are a smaller female, you might expect the lower range. It's very individualistic. But I wanted to throw the range out there so that you don't expect to lose 10 pounds per week like those on The Biggest Loser. They are in a very controlled setting, doing hellish amounts of exercise on very low calories. Additionally, a more gradual weightloss plan is best to avoid any rebound weight gain as you transition from your diet phase to your maintenance phase.

Additionally, your body holds a lot of water. You could see a big drop the first week if you cut out a lot of starchy carbs from your diet (each gram of carb (glycogen) in your muscles holds three grams of water - so when you cut out a lot of carbs and deplete your glycogen...you do the math). Additionally, due to changes in diet and other factors, there could be decent daily fluctuations. If seeing a 2 pound gain in one day can wreck your day, it may be best to measure only once/week so you can watch the overall trend rather than daily fluctuations. If you can handle the ups and downs mentally, then it could be educational to see what food choices do to daily weight on the scale.

The Fat Loss Guide

At the very basic level, what you are dealing with is Calories In versus Calories Out. Basic laws of physics at play. You'll read in places about the merits of Low-GI carbs versus High-GI carbs. Or cutting out sugar. Or strategies around food selection. But while there are certainly ways to optimize your diet for health or performance or even fat loss, for the average joe who is 30 pounds overweight, none of that is really going to make a difference right now. The key factor for you, if you are in that category, is to burn more calories than you are consuming. Once you get to the 10% bodyfat level, then we can talk about how to rid your stubborn fat and get ripped.

But even then, don't believe the hype when people tell you you have to eat 100% clean to get shredded. Here I am at about 6% bodyfat - and would you believe I had pizza a few times and burgers a couple times in the month prior? Believe it.


Okay - so let's move on. The other thing I constantly face with people looking to me for help with losing weight is that they don't want to have to count their calories. Please note - in the game of calories in versus calories out, I highly recommend counting calories!! It's a great way to learn how much you are really eating (most people way underestimate) and it's very useful when trying to troubleshoot stalled weightloss progress.

But, since I'm a realist, and know that many people aren't going to make that level of effort, here's an attempt at some guidelines or parameters to help you get started without counting calories. And in most cases, if you are coming from a largely sedentary lifestyle with plenty of junk food eating, you'll make progress.

Controlling Calories - Without Counting

If you must try to attempt to diet without counting calories, be my guest. Just realize that you may not see the progress you want because there's a high likelihood that you may be underestimating how many calories you are really consuming, or overestimating how many you are expending during the course of a day. But a good guideline is the "Body For Life" guideline of using the size of your closed fist as a guide. Your three big meals during the day should consist of a balance of proteins, carbs, and fruits/veggies. (Fats are of course in there, but usually come attached to one or more of the above, so in the interest of not getting too prescriptive, I'm not including them. As long as you are supplementing with fish oil caps or using healthy oils for salad dressings, etc, you will be getting your essential fat intake.) As for portion size - make sure that your protein portion is the size of your fist (or less) and the same for your carbs. Fresh veggies or fruit don't have to be as strictly controlled.

Outside of the three big meals (which are likely not "big" compared to what you've been eating - remember, you ARE trying to diet), you can have one or two healthy snacks to keep hunger at bay, etc. A small serving of nuts, some beef jerky, an apple, a small protein bar, etc, all make for decent choices.

Controlling Calories - With Counting

This is my preferred method to ensuring your diet is in order. Not only will you learn a lot about how many calories are in the foods you eat, but you'll also learn a lot about how many calories you can eat while losing weight. The first step is determining your maintenance calories. I'm going to give you some rules of thumb to quickly determine this in your head below. But if you'd like, you can also use our Maintenance Calories Calculator to use three common methods for calculating caloric need. But a good rule of thumb for maintenance is to start with 15 x Bodyweight = Calories you can eat while maintaining your weight. If you tend to put on fat easily, it may be a little less. If you have trouble gaining weight or have a really fast metabolism, it's probably a little more. But 15xbw is a good starting point.

So to create a caloric deficit, you'd probably want to start in the range of 11-13 x Bodyweight. So, if you are a 200 pound male, your maintenance is probably somewhere around 3000 calories/day (plus or minus). To begin your diet, you might want to start in the range of 2200 - 2600 calories/day. Give that a shot for a couple weeks and then adjust up or down from there. If you are losing too rapidly, you can allow yourself to eat more. If you aren't seeing the progress you want, you can eat a little less or you can increase your calorie expenditure by adding extra cardio or weight training sessions during the week.

That should get you off and running. Remember - these are rough guidelines. Everything can and should be tweaked for you specifically - based on your metabolism, activity level, etc. But the important thing is to get started. This post is getting long, so I'll follow it up in the next post with a few more guidelines.


-Fireproof

[Fireproof]

FP's Beginner's Giude to Fat Loss - Continued

Here are some additional parameters to help you to stay on track and move in the direction of healthy eating and an active lifestyle:

Nutrition Guidelines
· Drink lots of water!! A good target is to drink your bodyweight X 0.55 in ounces. Hydration is very important for reduced bloating, increased nutrient transport to your body, and flushing away burned fat and other impurities. It also gives your mouth something to do and keeps something in your hand besides the bad stuff.
· Eat at least 4 times per day (target = 5), but make sure it doesn’t cause you to eat more than you should – you should just be spreading out your calories more. Some people claim that this speeds up metabolism or that eating only a couple times per day slows it, but after much research, I have found it doesn't make a measurable difference. BUT - eating frequently can help people avoid the "fast then binge" cycle. If you try to only eat a couple times a day on reduced calories, you will most likely cave and make up for it with a binge at some point. Frequent eating also helps satiety and feeling like you are not starving yourself.
· Include protein in each meal. This helps with satiety and also helps reduce lean-tissue loss while dieting.
· Stick to foods listed in our Bodybuilder's Grocery list. These are foods high in nutritional value and low in non-essentials (sugar, sat fats, etc).
· Keep in mind that your DIET is about 75% of your progress. Really. It's much easier to keep 500 calories from entering your mouth, than to burn off 500 calories in the gym in the evening, trust me!

Resistance Training Guidelines
· Minimum recommendation is 2-3 weight sessions per week. If you do two sessions, make them full-body workouts (spread them out during the week). If you can make three, alternate upper and lower body workouts. Comprise your workouts with compound exercises (think squats, overhead press, bench press, pushups, pullups, etc.) And many of these can be bodyweight exercises if you are just starting out. I'll put together some beginner workout plans soon.
· Upper body = if you don’t have time to do the complete workout, at least do chest, back and shoulders. Chest and back exercises recruit triceps and biceps respectively, so you’ll be exercising them at the same time – just not as directly as you would otherwise.
· Lower body = if you only do one exercise for lower body, do squats or lunges. Both are complex movements that recruit many muscles.
· Don’t forget abs. And if fat loss is your goal (versus strength gains, for example), keep rest intervals short.

Cardio Training
· Minimum recommendation is 2-3 cardio sessions per week.
· Do at least 2 high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions of at least 20 minutes – 30 minutes would be preferred. You can read more here at Clutch about HIIT methods and the reasoning behind it. The equipment is your choice - treadmill, bike, elliptical, stairclimber, the street...

Supplementation
· A good daily multivitamin and fish oil capsules are highly recommended. Pick them up at Planetary Nutrition.
· Meal replacement protein shakes to replace a typical fattening meal and help control calories.
· Protein bars for traveling. Sometimes a healthy meal isn’t an option – so I’ll eat a protein bar instead.


Okay - so that about does it. And if you miss a workout, or blow a meal, it's not the end of the world. Remember - consistency is just starting over again, and again, and again. So just keep plugging away. Anything you do is better than sitting on the couch with a bowl of ice cream in your lap!

-Fireproof

[REDNIVOR]

Awesome! I'm going to print this out and read it later on, looks like it might be of use to me in terms of reinforcing certain points to keep me on task.

[LeanBulk]

great post fireproof! lots of GREAT information here for not only the beginners, but also those who have been training for years. really drives home some of the more important points that atleast I know I tend to forget somtimes.

[Domineaux]

Thanks Fireproof, I am going to use this as a rough guide for my wife and I to follow.

If we can do just these few steps then we can at least be making progress which is where anything should start really.

[Redneck]

Eggcellent!

[Fireproof]

Thanks guys - I hope that you find it useful. I wrote it "off the cuff" so I'm probably missing some details here and there. But I wanted to address a few issues I see today (some I could hit on a little bit better):

1. People get overwhelmed when they get on these boards and start seeing so much advice. I've really had people say to me "there's just so much to learn, I'll never learn it all" and they get caught in "analysis paralysis." So the key point is to just getting started with some improvements in your diet and exercise. Even if you don't know how to best optimize everything - you can probably figure out how to change some things to start eating less and start exercising more.

2. Trainers or those giving advice on the net need to keep in mind people's individual differences and their particular goals. I can't tell you how many times I've seen on other boards where people start talking about taking maltodextrin+dextrose+whey post-workout drinks after every workout or you won't make any progress - to NON-ATHLETES who just want to lose some weight. The fact of the matter is, some people aren't so passionate about this stuff as we are. You can't expect everyone to get to that level of detail or optimization of their diet. If I pushed that on some of the people I've coached to lose weight, they would've gotten frustrated and given up. The most they need to hear with something like that is "try to drink a protein shake or eat something with carbs and protein after you workout."

I could go on, but those are a couple things I was thinking about when I wrote the above...

[flavadave4]

Great stuff here.....Thanks for sharing your expertise with us!

[lkfdancer]

For me joining this site was a bit overwhelming and even though I know things about nutrition and I have been working out for quite a while it was a bit intimidating. As Kryptic reminded me, every one has info to share if nothing more than to offer encouragement. I felt stuck with what to do next to see improvement so this was a great jump start. THANKS!

[Fireproof]

Great - thank you! Glad it was helpful!

[Fireproof]

In my attempt to be brief and to the point, many of you may have questions or need clarification. So post up, and we'll definitely discuss.

I got a couple of questions from my wife that I will use to kick-off the Q&A.

Q: Regarding the simple maintenance calorie computation of 15xbody weight. Does that assume no exercise? So when you cut calories to the 11-13 x bodyweight range AND add exercise, it’s a double whammy?

A: No, that rule of thumb doesn't assume zero exercise, but rather an average activity level with around 3 workouts per week. Again, everyone has different basal metabolisms, so you may need to adjust up or down to move the needle. But that's a good starting "estimate" from which to base your first calculated caloric deficit.

And a further clarification - I said to "start with" 11-13 x bodyweight range. If you have been dieting for a long period of time, or are pretty lean already, your body will start fighting against you (I need to do a writeup on all the dieting signals in the body) and it will become harder to lose weight. So after time, for continued weightloss (fatloss), you may need to go even lower, like in the 8-10 x bodyweight range.


Q: Will weight loss still take place at the 11-13 level with NO exercise – just a little slower?

A: In otherwords, can one lose weight with dieting alone? Well, yes, it's possible. However, there are so many benefits to exercise, particularly weight training, from a "freeing up" of fatty acids standpoint as well as a nutrient partitioning standpoint, that I don't recommend trying to just "diet off" the pounds. In otherwords, exercise will help you "give up" the fat more easily as well as use it for fuel. And, when you consistently exercise, the incoming calories more preferentially go to repairing muscles or refilling glycogen, rather than fat stores. So you have less chance of storing fat. Plus, you get to eat more when you add in exercise, which helps to fight off "starvation signals" in the body.

Good questions.

[haiz69]

This really is a great general guide. Thanks FP!!

[texasmouth]

Maybe the most informative thread....EVAH. I have linked people all over to this thread....and this site.

Thanks FP.

[Fireproof]

Great! I'm glad you found it useful!

[Watcher]

Very useful post!! Thanks for always laying down the truth without all the hype. Being new.....again, and again now, I need this stuff even if I already know it. Motivation comes in the form of knowledge too!

[blaargracer]

The biggest thing that makes fat people in our culture is the view is food as an emotional release instead of a practical tool for survival. It is okay to enjoy foods, but people are too attached. Once I learned to eat pragmatically I've found that when I do "over do it" on calories it doesn't matter because working two jobs makes it almost impossible to eat everyday. And sometimes when I'm going to school and have a lot of expenses, I totally overeat when I'm offered free food because I know that I'll need it. I think if people learned to see food, even good, flavorful well cooked food, as a means to an end[to fuel the body to whatever goal you think you have in life] then obesity would probably cease to be an issue.

Just my two cents on a sort of philosophy behind diet.

[nateobot]

As a beginning 'dieter', thanks.

1. People get overwhelmed when they get on these boards and start seeing so much advice. I've really had people say to me "there's just so much to learn, I'll never learn it all" and they get caught in "analysis paralysis." So the key point is to just getting started with some improvements in your diet and exercise. Even if you don't know how to best optimize everything - you can probably figure out how to change some things to start eating less and start exercising more.

This has been my experience on other forums/books/etc. I have printed out your first two posts as a guide.

[cmtarske]

WOW!!! great info thanks!

[cardiokitty]

okay, maybe you can help. I am not so much trying to lose weight as I am trying to firm up. I have not been real physically active for a couple of years and I have one of those mommy bellies. I have nearly crunched myself to death and it is not working all that well. My legs are awsome and my be-hind seems to be disappearing all together and that was deffinately not what I was shooting for. When I started everything could use a little lift but now most of me is fine.
Can you get a mommy belly to tighten up without surgery? Is there a special workout I can do? Please help if you can...I'm desperate. Summer is almost done in Georgia but I want to be in a bakini next summer.

[Fireproof]

I don't know if this describes you or not, but let me explain something I see/hear a lot. There are some women that want to lose fat in places and drop overall weight, because they are heavier than they want to be. That's pretty straightforward, but doesn't sound like it's you.

Then there are women who are okay with their scale weight, but due to their body composition (percentage of fat or their lean mass to fat mass ratio), they are unhappy with the way they look. This either manifests itself in a 'skinny fat' person - where they are not big or heavy, they just carry a decent layer of fat everywhere and as such don't look 'toned' or athletic or fit. OR one might be disproportionate - they might be skinny on top, but have a big butt or big tummy or whatever.

In either of those two cases, to improve the look of the physique and the overall body composition, losing fat is necessary, but in a way that you maintain muscle. This is where many non-educated dieters get it wrong. They just crash diet and end up losing muscle WITH the fat, and their composition doesn't improve. But with consistent resistance training and proper diet, you can maintain the muscle (and possibly build a little) while losing the fat. You would then slowly transition to a more 'toned' or athletic physique.

Now of course, having kids wreaks havoc on the abs and stretches them out - which could be the problem, versus a layer of fat on top of them. It does take some time (and effort) for them to get back in shape. It could be that your stomach muscles are stretched and distended or it could be a layer of fat on top of it. Is it more "pooched out" or is it more a layer of fat? Can you pinch an inch (or a few)?

[cardiokitty]

It is a layer of fat over my abs and the skin is of course stretched to make the poochy sag that I must hide with tight jeans. I seem to be toning everywhere else. I am losing some of the fat in my belly but the more I lose the more it droops. Some women would be like "hey I'm already married so who cares what I look like now?" but that is not me. My husband is gorgeous and fit and I want him to be proud to sport me off in public or in front of his friends. He says he is proud of me but I look in the mirror and just cannot fathom it. I am 5'6" @ 160lbs, but I have a lot of muscle. Even my abs are rock solid but you can't tell anymore due to the protective bubble wrap I have developed. I work out in the gym 2 times a day, three times a week. I work hard! I drink lots of water and I am on a strict diet. I take the creatine before and sometimes after a workout, usually with a protien shake. I just cannot afford a tummy tuck and I much prefer the physically demanding alternative anyway. I would like to get back to my previous 135lbs. but that is not a huge concern. Losing inches is my target, and I am doing that. I completely understand the concept of water retention, and "muscle wieghs more than fat" so I am not letting the scale discourage me.

[tisdka]

Great info...I have a very demandind day and find it hard to count calories thanks for the info of " Hand Size "

[cardiokitty]

Originally Posted by cardiokitty

It is a layer of fat over my abs and the skin is of course stretched to make the poochy sag that I must hide with tight jeans. I seem to be toning everywhere else. I am losing some of the fat in my belly but the more I lose the more it droops. Some women would be like "hey I'm already married so who cares what I look like now?" but that is not me. My husband is gorgeous and fit and I want him to be proud to sport me off in public or in front of his friends. He says he is proud of me but I look in the mirror and just cannot fathom it. I am 5'6" @ 160lbs, but I have a lot of muscle. Even my abs are rock solid but you can't tell anymore due to the protective bubble wrap I have developed. I work out in the gym 2 times a day, three times a week. I work hard! I drink lots of water and I am on a strict diet. I take the creatine before and sometimes after a workout, usually with a protien shake. I just cannot afford a tummy tuck and I much prefer the physically demanding alternative anyway. I would like to get back to my previous 135lbs. but that is not a huge concern. Losing inches is my target, and I am doing that. I completely understand the concept of water retention, and "muscle wieghs more than fat" so I am not letting the scale discourage me.

[Fireproof]

How long has it been since you've had your last child. Sometimes it just takes a while for everything to get back into shape. When you get pregnant, your stomach muscles relax and spread apart to allow room for the belly to grow. So first, they have to shrink back. And the skin has to shrink back. And if you have a layer of fat in there, that could hinder it.

It's really hard to know if you can get it as firm as you want it. But countless women have done it - it just takes a lot of time, patience, and hard work.

At your height and weight, you probably have some fat in there contributing to the problem. So I would just try to keep at it, target 1-1.5 pounds per week of fat loss, and see how you look after dropping 15 pounds (which should put you around 145, right?) (Though it's hard to say what would be ideal for you without pics. But based on your comment of "getting back to 135" it seems like this might be a good initial target).

Think of it as a 12-week challenge.

[cardiokitty]

It has been 9 years since the last stomache stretcher, but I got quite lazy and did not work to get it off in time. I don't know if there is enough if any elasticity left in my skin.
As for losing wiehgt...Not likely. I know I have not really given it much time thus far but it seems that I am gaining wiehgt. I look better, but I started this Journey at 161 and am now at 167. I started June 29. That is not long. I know that I am developing muscle that is taking the place of the fat and muscle wieghs more than fat but good lord if I keep gaining wieght I am going to look like Hulk Hogan in a mini skirt. I don't think my hubby would stick around long, do you? I know that I am not likely going to get all muscular without stuff like Steroids or something but I am already outmeasuring my ol man in arms and legs. Little or no fat there. Boy is he not liking that.LOL!
And even if I knew how to post a pic, I'm not sure I'd want everyone to see me. I'm a little shy!