I need some help understanding how many calories im supposed to be getting a day in order to start shedding some pounds. Im male, 22, 5'8, 220 pounds. All of it on my chest, stomach and thighs. My goal is 180 lbs. As quickly as possible but i understand as quickly as possible, realistically is a couple of months at least. For the last year i have been nearly completely sedentary. Money is tight so i cant afford a gym membership, im also a full time student and dad so time is tight to. Along with the help calculating my necessary caloric intake, how long should i spend excercising each week. I don't want to do the minimum required but in case i cant find much time is something as low as running for 30 mins 3 times a week coupled with a decent diet going to yield me any results?
Need some basic help on weight loss.
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Here's a link to a , your caloric need to sustain your weight with zero activity. Any activity will increase that need. Running 30 minutes 3 times a week is better than sedentary and probably sustainable. I'm not an advocate of losing weight fast. Folks tend to do better keeping weight off if they lose it at a reasonable rate (1~2lbs per week). Exercise is important, but how well you change your eating habits to match your caloric need will determine how much weight you lose.
Anytime you bring down your calorie intake and move more you are going to see results. You want it to take time though to make sure that you keep it off and that you don't just lose water weight.
And running for 30 min/3 times a week is better than doing nothing, right?
Being positive and persistent are keys to losing weight.
And running for 30 min/3 times a week is better than doing nothing, right?
Being positive and persistent are keys to losing weight.
Great tips, guys. Zandra, you are completely right; the more you move, the more results you will see.
"Diet" is probably one of THE most important factors in successful weight loss. Think of it this way: healthy, BALANCED eating forms the foundation or the baseline of maintaining/achieving your ideal weight, while the fitness and exercise components level off the rest of the excess flubber. Proper nutrition is the anchor, while effective exercise attacks and targets that unsightly bulge. It's a one-two punch against "fat," best used in combination.
I'd recommend alternating cardio and weight training for the amount of time you can devote to it. Start with a moderate amount of weight and simultaneously increase the weight while decreasing your reps. For cardio, I tend to favour intensity over long bouts on the elliptical, treadmill, or track. Try increasing the intensity settings on your machine every 30 seconds until you reach your peak. Maintain for about a minute or so, then decrease to your starting level; maintain for a minute, then repeat. Do this for about 20-25 minutes. You should feel worked out after that.
You've mentioned that money and time are both high on your list of considerations. You don't need to frequent a gym to make it happen; however, it may involve being more creative and/or dedicated to gettin' 'er done. Cardio is the easier part; running can be done nearly anywhere you live. If you have the option, try to pick less-congested areas that offer strips of straight pathway—a long boulevard or street, or even a soccer or football field. To up the intensity, alternate moderate running with sprinting; you will feel this. Be aware that when exercising outdoors, you have to be willing to brave the elements and terrain. If anything, I’d recommend investing in a solid pair of runners or cross-trainers. All other workout gear aside, proper runners are crucial to any physical activity. The switch from running on a treadmill to pavement instantly increases the level of difficulty and stress on your joints; be mindful of this.
As for weight training, if you don't own a set of dumbbells or a barbell with weights, use your own weight as resistance. I’m a big fan of the pushup. When properly performed, the benefits are outstanding. This one move works your shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest, AND abs at once. Other examples of non-equipment resistance training include tricep dips using a chair or other hard, leveled surface, squats, lunges, and pull ups. Also (and you’re going to laugh at this), consider using household objects as resistance equipment. The first year I really broke into training, I had literally no resources except for a pair of sneakers. To add weight to my routine, I used soup cans or laundry detergent bottles for bicep curls and tricep kickbacks. Silly? Maybe, but I actually saw moderate results using these items. It’s what many of you mentioned already: the key to losing weight is to move more, period.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck,
Lee
"Diet" is probably one of THE most important factors in successful weight loss. Think of it this way: healthy, BALANCED eating forms the foundation or the baseline of maintaining/achieving your ideal weight, while the fitness and exercise components level off the rest of the excess flubber. Proper nutrition is the anchor, while effective exercise attacks and targets that unsightly bulge. It's a one-two punch against "fat," best used in combination.
I'd recommend alternating cardio and weight training for the amount of time you can devote to it. Start with a moderate amount of weight and simultaneously increase the weight while decreasing your reps. For cardio, I tend to favour intensity over long bouts on the elliptical, treadmill, or track. Try increasing the intensity settings on your machine every 30 seconds until you reach your peak. Maintain for about a minute or so, then decrease to your starting level; maintain for a minute, then repeat. Do this for about 20-25 minutes. You should feel worked out after that.
You've mentioned that money and time are both high on your list of considerations. You don't need to frequent a gym to make it happen; however, it may involve being more creative and/or dedicated to gettin' 'er done. Cardio is the easier part; running can be done nearly anywhere you live. If you have the option, try to pick less-congested areas that offer strips of straight pathway—a long boulevard or street, or even a soccer or football field. To up the intensity, alternate moderate running with sprinting; you will feel this. Be aware that when exercising outdoors, you have to be willing to brave the elements and terrain. If anything, I’d recommend investing in a solid pair of runners or cross-trainers. All other workout gear aside, proper runners are crucial to any physical activity. The switch from running on a treadmill to pavement instantly increases the level of difficulty and stress on your joints; be mindful of this.
As for weight training, if you don't own a set of dumbbells or a barbell with weights, use your own weight as resistance. I’m a big fan of the pushup. When properly performed, the benefits are outstanding. This one move works your shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest, AND abs at once. Other examples of non-equipment resistance training include tricep dips using a chair or other hard, leveled surface, squats, lunges, and pull ups. Also (and you’re going to laugh at this), consider using household objects as resistance equipment. The first year I really broke into training, I had literally no resources except for a pair of sneakers. To add weight to my routine, I used soup cans or laundry detergent bottles for bicep curls and tricep kickbacks. Silly? Maybe, but I actually saw moderate results using these items. It’s what many of you mentioned already: the key to losing weight is to move more, period.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck,
Lee
You dont need to go to the gym to get fit. Here is how:
Aerobic exercises such as jogging, running, cycling are all good at reducing weight but are not the most effective. They also take a long time so can be very monotonous. You only burn fat during the exercise. Nothing happens post exercise. Often, exercising makes a person have a better appetite so the pounds never really go away.
New research has indicated that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is great for burning fat during and after workout. This could be up to 24 hours or maybe even more. However, you might want to have a decent fitness level before going on to this kind of training. The other great thing about it is that the effects are almost immediate. So if you are looking to have fast and effective results, HIIT is the way to go.
Examples of HIIT:
1. Cycling - Full sprint for 15 seconds then cycle at moderate intensity for 2 minutes to catch you breath. As you get better, increase to 20, 25, 30 seconds and so on. Also increase you moderate intensity time accordingly.
2. Running - If you do not like to cycle, running is a cheaper alternative. Do the same as cycling for intensity and timing.
3. Butt kicks - You can perform this on the spot or while moving in a straight line. You are sprinting and literally kicking your butt with your heals. Cheap cos you do not need any equipment. The times should be the same as cycling above.
4. High knees - This is the opposite of butt kicks. You sprint on the spot or in a straight line raising your knees as high as you can. Cheap and effective. Same timing as above.
5. High jumps - This is one of my personal favourites. What I do is jump over a bench or a chair while raising the knees as high as possible. You could start with 5 jumps, jog at moderate intensity for 1 minute. Then increase the number of jumps and jogs accordingly.
Good luck!
Aerobic exercises such as jogging, running, cycling are all good at reducing weight but are not the most effective. They also take a long time so can be very monotonous. You only burn fat during the exercise. Nothing happens post exercise. Often, exercising makes a person have a better appetite so the pounds never really go away.
New research has indicated that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is great for burning fat during and after workout. This could be up to 24 hours or maybe even more. However, you might want to have a decent fitness level before going on to this kind of training. The other great thing about it is that the effects are almost immediate. So if you are looking to have fast and effective results, HIIT is the way to go.
Examples of HIIT:
1. Cycling - Full sprint for 15 seconds then cycle at moderate intensity for 2 minutes to catch you breath. As you get better, increase to 20, 25, 30 seconds and so on. Also increase you moderate intensity time accordingly.
2. Running - If you do not like to cycle, running is a cheaper alternative. Do the same as cycling for intensity and timing.
3. Butt kicks - You can perform this on the spot or while moving in a straight line. You are sprinting and literally kicking your butt with your heals. Cheap cos you do not need any equipment. The times should be the same as cycling above.
4. High knees - This is the opposite of butt kicks. You sprint on the spot or in a straight line raising your knees as high as you can. Cheap and effective. Same timing as above.
5. High jumps - This is one of my personal favourites. What I do is jump over a bench or a chair while raising the knees as high as possible. You could start with 5 jumps, jog at moderate intensity for 1 minute. Then increase the number of jumps and jogs accordingly.
Good luck!