Wanting to lose weight, lots of questions

So i'm gonna try and make this pretty short and just get to the questions. I weigh 325 lbs, i was 350 about a month and a half ago.. in a month i lost the 25 lbs without changing my terrible diet (pepsi and pizza rolls, or taquitos, or anything else microwaveable and quick i could cook between jobs). So i'm assuming i lost the 25 lbs because ive been working 70 hour work weeks.

I want to start exercising and dieting, i have a torn acl which i dont plan to get fixed any time soon (happened about a year ago) and now with a baby and saving for a house.. i dont really have time to not be working. I work construction in the day and at culvers (fast food) at night

Im 20 years old, i've grown up poor so i've never really been someone to try foods.. because it was kind of a .. if you don't like it you dont eat situation.. so i've always just stuck with what i knew i liked. I know i can't really eat salads, it is really hard for me to force it down, i dont like any dressings i've tried, the smell usually is bad enough. I dont like any veggies really.. but i do like fruits.. apples, bananas, oranges..

anyway.. i want to get a structured plan together on what to eat and when to work out. I've been reading and the plan i've come up with is as follows:

before work in the morning ill get up, do a workout routine like lifting weights, crunches, leg lifts..etc then go biking for an hour.. get back and shower and then head to work. I want to do the biking in the morning because i've read that aerobic workouts will keep your metabolism boosted for several hours after the workout like 4-8 i think i read. Of course i'd eat breakfast before i started the workout, and drink lots of water throughout the day, mixing in some crystal light for flavor (only 5 calories a bottle :D) and also eating small meals every 3 hours. Assuming i start at 5 am i would eat at 5am, 8am, 11am, 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm then be finished for the day.

Weighing in at 325.. and assuming that is my routine, what kind of calories should i be taking in for the day? and what kind of foods should i be eating. I think low sugars (so what is a low sugar to calorie ratio?) And low carbs?

Also.. my roommate takes the eca stack.. any thoughts on it? he says it is to lower his appetite and increase his body temp for when he works out and such to burn more calories.. its a combo of effedrin, caffine, and low dose aspirin.

I want to go biking because it seems like a no risk for injury to my knee.. and i've never really been a running type, plus with my weight and my knee.. its just a bad idea.

I should be taking in some fat, carbs, and protien.. but how much based on a to calorie ratio so i can change it based on my daily calorie intake..

also any other recommended suppliments.. if so which and why? if you could throw in a guestimated cost that'd be nice too..


thanks alot in advance for any advice given.
 
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You're going to need to toughen up and eat your veggies, including salad. If you can't make a simple change like that, I'm not sure you're going to be able to make the lifestyle change that's necessary to slim down.

You have to make the conscious, life-changing decision. I eat stuff I dislike (cottage cheese, most fish, certain veggies) all the time because I know that its 'good fuel' for my body.

You just have to reprogram yourself like that first. That's going to benefit you the most, long term.

Don't bother with the ECA stack yet...save that for when you're close to your weight goal (those last 10lbs are always the hardest). Nothing fancier than a simple protein shake and a daily multivitamin.

Eat veggies at damn near every meal. That's your primary carb source on a serious cutting diet IMO, but maybe you tolerate starch/sugar carbs well.

Plenty of protein, and try to stick to the healthy fats (i.e. no hydrogenated oils, and keep saturated fat no more than 10-12% of your daily calories, with 20-30% of your calories from fat).

Above all, stay consistent. Get rid of the crap food in the house...it really IS crap.
 
Going to have to agree with everything malkore said above. Its not easy, if it were we would all be muscled, toned and have six pack abs. But the good thing is it is all a mind game. There is alot of good, basic information out there: do your cardio, lift weights, eat right (limit fast food, junk, sugars, etc). Its that simple...no secret formulas you just have to put in the time and effort.

That said, you will have to eat lean cuts of beef, chicken, fish, eggs and egg whites. Lots and lots of vegetables. Fat will work itself in, but like malkore said watch the saturated fats. Don't bother with ECA stacks (or any supplements) for now. Learn to eat right and make it a lifestyle change.

Change a little bit at a time if its too much. Take your time, be patient and put in the work exercising and the weight comes off. If you do it all it works, without fail. If you cheat, cut corners, have McDonalds 'just on the weekends' it won't work. It's all up to you. Good luck!

internetgym.smworth.com
 
You have to make the conscious, life-changing decision. I eat stuff I dislike (cottage cheese, most fish, certain veggies) all the time because I know that its 'good fuel' for my body.

Above all, stay consistent. Get rid of the crap food in the house...it really IS crap.

I think Malkore's post summed things up pretty well. Having gone from 275 down to a current weight of 190ish myself, I've been down a similar path what you are facing now. A few things to keep in mind:

1. Calories - It sounds so simple, but it's basically all about burning more than you consume. There are a number of posts on "BMR"(Base metabolic rate) on these forums. Take a look at one of them - estimate your daily calorie needs based on that calcution, and naturally you need to go under that for weight loss.

2. Malkore's absolutely right about food quality. When I was heavy, I ate way too much of "easy" foods that were high-calorie/unhealthy - things like Macaroni and Cheese, Pizza - you name it, I ate it - and too much of it. Just cutting out desserts and sodas knocked 25-30 lbs off my weight alone. Find lean protein sources(fish, chicken, etc), as well as fruits/vegetables you like, and make those the staples of your diet.

3. It's important to find a routine that works for you. There may be a lot of veggies you don't like, but find some you do. Same for exercise. Ultimately a routine you like(or at least one you don't hate) is one you'll stick with. Particularly when your goal is primarily weight loss, consistency is everything. And getting into a routine is what will bring you sustained results.

4. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Even if you're not feeling great or are short on time, half a workout is better than no workout at all. You're making a major life change, and there will be bumps in the road. The main thing is that you keep putting in the effort, so that you can progress toward your goal. If instantly altering everything about your lifestyle is too much, start by cleaning up your diet, then begin to ramp up the exercise. Ultimately, the goal here is progress, and regardless of how it may feel at the time, continuously moving in the right direction is more important than the speed at which you're doing so.
 
Working out won't really be an issue once i get used to the early am wakeup.. i've always liked lifting weights. The eating right will be the toughest at first until i find healthy foods i like i guess. What is the difference between a processed food and unprocessed? How can i tell when i'm shopping?

Also i googled a BMR calculator.. it asked for ht, wt, age, and sex.. 5'10", 325 lbs, 20, male. Then said my BMR is 2843.75. So that means as long as i take in less than 2800 calories i should start shedding some weight? Because i've been doing less than 1500 for the past week.. but im pretty sure i read somewhere on here that taking to too little while working out could stall your weight loss too?

How many calories should i be eating a day while working out 5 days a week? Should i just go for the 2800 and since ill be working out i would need more to maintain my weight, therefore i would shed some?
 
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