Male, 176lb, 5'8" - Need Fat Loss Advice

S

Snowber

0
Hi everyone,

New to the forums and I already read all the stickies -- all great advice.

So here is my situation... I would not say I am "fat" but I am "chubby" and could lose some body fat.

A few months ago I was jogging around the block (which consists of up and down slopes). A full jog is about 3 miles, if not more. I was doing this 3-4 times a week. I FELT better, but I didn't think I looked much better. I did this for about a month.

Ramadan came -- I did a month of fasting, was lighter than I was before (I was around 183+) but I realized a lot of it was water weight. Even though, I was eating better and now I've maintained about 175-177lbs.

After Ramadan was over I started a workout plan of about 10-12 reps and two sets of:



I got pretty bored of that after 2-4 weeks.



Now I basically do pushups whenever I can. At first I would workout in the server room at work (lawl) doing Squats/Pushups/Crunches. I did about 10-12 pushups, and 20-25 of squats and crunches and did about 4-6 sets.

I am jogging a lot less now, unfortunately, since I only seem to have little time between Work and School (last quarter of college -- senior project).

My basic meal routine looks like:

Morning : Cereal or Cream of Wheat
Lunch: Chicken bowl with Teriyaki sauce, usually half rice.
Night: Applebees with classmates, I usually consume 600-1000 calories in these sittings.
Throughout the day I might eat a couple peaches as well.

I am middle eastern and it's hard to go without CARBS -- bread is good with everything. Plus, we eat lots of rice too. I can only eat a salad for lunch every so often because it's depressing knowing that's all I had ='(, not very satisfying, even a chicken salad lol.

SO HERE IS WHERE I NEED YOUR ADVICE PLEASE:

I'd like to lose at least 5-10 lbs of fat. I do a few sets of pushups throughout the day now (not necessarily close together) and I might play basketball rarely.

If I were to go all Jogging/Pushups, could I effectively cut the fat down (without making a MAJOR change in my diet)?

If so, how many miles should I run a week? Could I run 3-4 days a week and still do well? I know you guys only have so much information so it's difficult but any constructive advice is APPRECIATED.

Thanks everyone!
 
I'm starting a workout/diet log here because I want to go back and be able to see what I did right/wrong. Also, it might help others.

Sunday, October 24th, 2010

Breakfast/Lunch (Brunch?):

Small square cubes of steak with eggs

Evening Workout:

5.3 miles of walking/jogging, I'd say a little more of jogging. Those uphills are mean..

Dinner:

Carne asada teriyaki marinated steak and lightly breaded chicken with rice and veggies/salad. I doubled up because I didn't have much to eat earlier and I was hungry. I had a couple bites of pizza as well, not much though.

Desert:

About 2 inches worth of pumpkin pie.

Now:

Activia strawberry Yogurt.


Unfortunately, it's hard to guess how many calories I took in today. I'd say 1500-2000. I'm also sore today from push ups yesterday which I try to do daily normally.
 
Monday, October 25, 2010

It's been a day so I hope I remember..
Breakfast

Cream of Wheat I believe (using Lactate milk lowfat), Maple Sugar flavor.

Lunch

Honey Roasted Turkey sandwich on wheat bread with mayo/lettuce/green pepper/tomato/bla bla

Inbetweens

Plums, Peach

Dinner
Island's BBQ Chicken Salad, half size.

Doing a quick "guess-calc" I should have less than 2000 calories that day. I'd say even less though.

Then I got sick.. I suspect my 5.2 mile jog/walk the day before.. ='(
 
Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Breakfast

Cream of wheat again, and I had like 3-4 cups of orange juice yesterday that I forgot to mention. Still sick and stayed home today.

Lunch

Chicken soup and then some rice, salad, steak. Left 1/3rd rice.

Dinner

Another Honey Roasted Turkey sandwich like yesterday.

Had some orange juice today too and fruit.
 
Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Breakfast

Cream of wheat again, and I had like 3-4 cups of orange juice yesterday that I forgot to mention. Still sick and stayed home today.

Lunch

Chicken soup and then some rice, salad, steak. Left 1/3rd rice.

Dinner

Another Honey Roasted Turkey sandwich like yesterday.

Had some orange juice today too and fruit.
 
If you’re calling this a “diet,” then you’re going to gain all the weight back (and more) within a few months of losing it. Diets do not work. Diets are temporary. When you change your dietary lifestyle, however, you’re changing your habits – and you’re putting yourself on track for long-term / continued success and weight maintenance. Don’t ever tell anybody you’re on a diet – ever. I’m speaking from experience, here – a reformed low-carber. Worked out well for a while, but ultimately failed because my entire lifestyle didn’t change (permanently).
 
You need to do some real resistance training. Go to the gym, buy a weight set, do something. Adding lean muscle will help you burn calories faster even while you are sleeping. A couple push ups here and there is not going to do anything for you. You need to continue jogging as well.
 
SXIPro said:
You need to do some real resistance training. Go to the gym, buy a weight set, do something. Adding lean muscle will help you burn calories faster even while you are sleeping. A couple push ups here and there is not going to do anything for you. You need to continue jogging as well.
Click to expand...

THanks for the advice SXIPro.

I'd like to avoid the gym because just the feel of being there is not very motivating. I'd rather continue jogging a trail, etc.

My original workout for a while (at home) was this (2 sets of everything):

20 Squats
10+ dead legged lifts
One armed rows (with 15lb weight)
Kickbacks with same weights
Curls
Military press
Dumbell Bench press

That got really boring after a while. I found that I love to do push ups (slow and correctly) and after 12-14 I start to feel it burn.I try to do those throughout the day any chance I get.

That + diet + jogging and I hope to see some decent results after 2 months (I'm aiming for at least 8 lbs).

I should also mention that I slightly prefer functional strength over "looks". Also, I'd like to avoid taking any substances, natural or unnatural, in unnatural amounts. I'm not saying it is necessarily unsafe for everyone, but even taking a natural substance like creatine in the form of a shake or whatever just doesn't sit well with me. That's just my two cents though :)
 
Today I found a free iPhone app and also a webpage (they stay in sync so your information is the same between phone and internet) that allows me to track my calories and has some other cool features. It's called and I hope it works. Seems to according to some reviews.

Here is what I ate today (since I kept track of it with MyNetDiary lol)

Breakfast

Cinnamon toast crunch with Lactaid fat free milk = 210 calories

Lunch

Home made sandwich like in previous posts = 350-500 calories (counted it as 460)

Dinner
Subway Footlong Turkey (wheat, no cheese) with veggies, banana peppers and a little mustard. Ate half earlier and half recently.
Sandwich total = 560 calories (footlong)

Snacks
Grapes, some of a peach, Orange = 100-110 calories


1389 calories total and according to the site I can eat 400 (actually more but I reduced the automated calorie intake the site allowed for me) to reach my goal of -16lbs in 4 months. Hopefully it's accurate!


OTHER BIG NEWS:

Finally went back to work after being sick a while and since the last time I weighed myself in at 175-176lbs, I am not 173-174, so progress is being made! Thank GOD :)
 
Friday, October 29, 2010

Breakfast

Missed

Lunch

4 pieces peppered chicken (wing size)
Rice with mixed in veggies (persian dish I think)
Small side of el pollo loco salsa
A mix of eggs/eggplant

Dinner

2 home cooked chicken sandwiches with wheat bread, vegenaise mayo, lettuce, tomato. Should equal less than 400 calories, i think personally.

I had a lightly sugared pound type cake my mom made with raisins and fruit in it.

I had a stick of chocolate and half of a small puff pastry thing.


MyNetDiary says 1958 calories. I argue that it's less since it adds more calories to sandwiches, etc.
 
You should go by MyNetDiary not by 'what you feel personally'. I feel personally that a brownie with ice cream should have 0 calories, but I doubt it's true. :) I know that is a huge exagerration, but as soon as you start letting little things slide, or justifying calories in your own mind, it's a slippery slope. You may be thinking "What harm could 1/2 a puff pastry do?" Well, if that puff pastry puts you at a caloric surplus, it'll make you gain weight.
 
losing fat means that you have to burn more energy(food) then you eat through exercising. so you can eat whatever you want as long as you know you will work it off. since you want to see fast progression you will need to cut back on your food intake since it sounds like you don't really like exercising. don't starve yourself ever, and to avoid this you may eat 5 small meals a day wich is highly recommended through science. the reason why you should never starve yourself is because it slows down metabolism and uses muscle as energy at high intensities.

you need to eat 40%carbs40%protein and 20%fat in your daily diet, no need to be exact. high intense running to moderate jogging for 20mins every 2nd day and after the jogging walking for 10 mins . on the days you jog make sure you eat a little bit more for the energy you will be using so you don't use your muscle as energy. you should see some change if you follow this as long as your diet is not full of fat and eating to much, big meals in one go, lot of water, 5 meals a day, and not starving but rather just feeding your body enough to get through the day.
 
SXIPro said:
You should go by MyNetDiary not by 'what you feel personally'. I feel personally that a brownie with ice cream should have 0 calories, but I doubt it's true. :) I know that is a huge exagerration, but as soon as you start letting little things slide, or justifying calories in your own mind, it's a slippery slope. You may be thinking "What harm could 1/2 a puff pastry do?" Well, if that puff pastry puts you at a caloric surplus, it'll make you gain weight.
Click to expand...

Well, I agree to a certain extent but consider this:

- I had originally put myself at 500 calories less than 2200-2300 which I saw on a couple sites for "Weight maintenance" calorie intake. MyNetDiary says I can lose the same weight by taking in 2200+ calories even though I put the same details for both! (I even put that I was sedentary to be on the safe side, even though im not always sedentary).

-MyNetDiary has figures for "known foods". It may label a generic sandwich as 460 calories or whatever it may be, but I have more details. I can see that a piece of wheat bread is labeled at 70 calories, multiply that by two slices, take the calories from the piece of honey roasted turkey, tomatoes, lettuce, and Vegenaise and see that it comes out to quite less than that 460. That's why I went went my figure in that case, I felt it was more accurate.

Otherwise, I'd have to list out each component in MyNetDiary to get an accurate count.


Don't get me wrong, though, I do tend to give myself the higher number just to be safe and I encourage others to do the same. In the end, it could only surprise me with more weight loss, I hope :)
 
Saturday, October 30, 2010


Breakfast

Raisin Walnut Oatmeal with Lactaid fat free = 167 calories.

Lunch

Mom made some plain dough with different toppings, I had one with less than 1/4 cup feta cheese and other half ground beef with veggies ~ 678 calories

Dinner

Home made beef tacos on corn tortilla with salad, etc (3 count) ~ 674 calories

Snacks

Low fat yoplait light blueberry

+

1 Orange += 162 calories


total ~ 1681 (119 under, I like to leave it as leeway sometimes)


Can't wait to weigh myself next Thursday!
 
Note: I forgot to mention yesterday that I jogged the trails for about 1.5 hours. That should have been at least 500-600 calories (MyNetDiary gives 5mph jog a lot more but I wanted to be safe)

Monday, November 1, 2010


Breakfast


- Cream of Wheat Maple Brown Sugar with Lactate Milk ~ 170 calories

Lunch

- BBQ Teriyaki Chicken Bowl with "less rice"
- Side salad with a white with small black dots japanese/korean sauce?? (very little, only a drop on each bite)
- Pickled cabbage, very small container.

~ 525 calories

Dinner

- Beef satay with Peanut sauce, a piece of lettuce, less than a cup of steamed rice ~ 845 calories


Total ~ 1540 calories.
 
Tuesday, November 2, 2010 Election Day

Breakfast

Vanilla Cluster Cereal with Lactaid Fat free ~260
Trop50 Orange Juice ~ 50

Lunch

Chicken and rice with Salad my mom made. I counted it as a chicken teriyaki bowl, though its healthier ~ 430 cals

Dinner

Flame broiler beef bowl with green onion ~ 540 cals

Snacks

An orange ~ 62 cals

I have 433 left. Might eat a snack tonight and stay under.
 
Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Breakfast

Vanilla Cluster Cereal with FF Lactaid
Trop50

~ 310 calories

Lunch

Yellow curry meal (rice, side salad, pickled cabbage) ~ 700 calories ( I took this off a similar dish so im not sure how accurate it is)

Dinner

Applebees Asiago Steak ~ 390 calories
A few tortilla chips ~ 138
A1 sauce ~15

Snack

Yoplait Light Peach ~ 100 cals


~1673 calories total.
 
Workout

Ok I am new to this forum and I to wish to lose some weight. I was injured in the Army and was medically discharged about a month ago after serving 7yrs. I was unable to workout for over a year and I have finally been cleared by my Dr. I am starting out pretty slow but hopefully I can lose some weight. I have been doing the following including exercise and diet:

I am 24yrs old at 5'10 and weight 248. I am really trying to get some help with a workout routine for fat loss. I have been considering many different workouts but I am still unsure as to what is best. I have looked into a circuit training workout as well as an all cardio workout, but I don't want to lose any muscle either. Currently I am training in my garage as I am waiting for the military to fix my pay then I can get a gym membership (hopefully soon). I currently have the following equipment:

Treadmill
Basic weight bench
Good amount of weights
some sets of dumbbells
2 barbells
kettle bell (15lbs)
Major thing I am lacking is something for pull-ups, are they any good alternatives to pull-ups?

Today I did a little bit of a weight circuit and got my heart rate up pretty good.

Push-ups 2x10
Dips 2x10
Bicep Curls 3x10 (25lb)
Bent over rows 3x10 (25lb)
Squats w/kettle bell (15lb) 3x10
Kettle bell swings (2hands) 2x10

Then I did some interval sprints on the treadmill- total time 20min sprint 8mph until i was out of breath then went down to 4mph. Treadmill said total cal burned- 294. Not sure how many calories you can burn with the weight circuit?

I also know nutrition is a major part of weight loss and I am currently working on that as well. My diet looks something like this (including supplements):

0800- wake up 2 recreate pills
0830- Oatmeal w/water and 1/2 scoop protein powder (210 cal)
1000- 3 scoops jack3d w/ 6oz water
1030- Workout (small circuit+cardio)
1130- Yo plait fruit smoothie+peanut butter & Jelly on wheat bread (470 cal)
so far today 4-16.9 oz bottles of water.
1400- Mixed nuts (70 ca) and some activia (70cal)
1600- 2 recreate pills (last dose)
Total Calories today so far- 850
1700- Dinner baked chicken breast with potato spuds and salad Not sure how many calories altogether but should be decent.
2000- cottage cheese or something small before bed

I am now trying to understand the calorie situation for weight loss:

I used a BMR calculation and came up with 2366.84 as the number of calories i burn just doing regular daily living without exercise.

I did exercise this morning (weight circuit and cardio) after cardio the treadmill said i burned 294 calories and im not sure about the weight circuit. I am going to guess and say 394 all together. So as I understand it I will add 2366.84+394(calories burned with exercise) and get a sum of 2760.84 as total calories burned in a day.

I then did a calculation and determined that I need to eat 2,505 calories to maintain my weight. It is recommended that you would subtract 500 calories or no more then 1,000 for weight loss. Well if i took 1000 calories off then I would be eating 1505.

3500cal is equal to 1lb of fat.... so if i eat 1500 calories in a day for a week that would be 10,500. If I can burn 2760.84 everyday for 7 days it would be 19,325. So does this mean my deficit would be -8825?? Then I would burn around 2lbs a week?

Please send me some advice, as I am new to all of this and I am just trying to figure this out. It was a lot easier being in the military, do what your told when your told to do it.. and it seemed to all work out, I never had all the extra fat...

Again I am new to this and am trying to research things and figure out a weight loss plan that works for me. Any advice and help is greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.
 
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