Weight Loss

[Zissou]

Omitting or limiting meat intake is not prudent.

Change the kind of red meat you eat, change the portion size, and eat it with steamed green veggies only.

The "steak, potatoes, and milk" combo is a killer.

But a nice filet, flank steak, or trimmed down center cut is a prime source of high grade protein.

I eat 12 eggs a day, red meat every day, chicken everyday, and fish every other day. My total cholesterol is within range and my BP is fine.

I only eat low glycemic carbs and I only eat carbs before and after workouts. (excluding the occasional martini or seven)

If you limit your protein intake your hampering your end game. Men, need protein every 3-4 hours. Whey PI is fine but digests too fast, I only use it as a PW meal. Casein is a better choice at night before bed. If your looking into protein alternatives to meat.

MB has done an excellent job losing weight. His success came from two things: a simple approach to the objective and discipline. I read his fitday tracker for a few weeks, his caloric intake was good but the types of food certainly cost him some LMM and caused some insulin spikes. Insulin spikes are what makes dieting miserable.

 

[BACONATOR]

Actually the best way to burn fat is by anaerobic workouts, specifically strength-training. Aerobic workouts' effect on metabolic rate tapers off dramatically after the workout ends, however anaerobic keeps the metabolism up for usually 24-48 hours, tapering off more slowly. Not to mention that the more muscle mass you put on, the higher your basal metabolic rate increases (meaning you burn more calories just sitting on your ass because you have more muscle).

I'd rather build more muscle and burn more calories just sitting on my ass than bust my ass daily on aerobic workouts and not burn a single calorie more unless I'm working out. Don't get me wrong: cardiovascular workouts are essential. We all should run, but strength-training is probably a more effective way to increase your basal metabolism.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Omitting or limiting meat intake is not prudent.

Change the kind of red meat you eat, change the portion size, and eat it with steamed green veggies only.

The "steak, potatoes, and milk" combo is a killer.

But a nice filet, flank steak, or trimmed down center cut is a prime source of high grade protein.

I eat 12 eggs a day, red meat every day, chicken everyday, and fish every other day. My total cholesterol is within range and my BP is fine.

I only eat low glycemic carbs and I only eat carbs before and after workouts. (excluding the occasional martini or seven)

If you limit your protein intake your hampering your end game. Men, need protein every 3-4 hours. Whey PI is fine but digests too fast, I only use it as a PW meal. Casein is a better choice at night before bed. If your looking into protein alternatives to meat.

MB has done an excellent job losing weight. His success came from two things: a simple approach to the objective and discipline. I read his fitday tracker for a few weeks, his caloric intake was good but the types of food certainly cost him some LMM and caused some insulin spikes. Insulin spikes are what makes dieting miserable.

How on earth do you eat 12 eggs in a day? Are those hardboiled eggs?

 

[Zissou]

No, I can't stand hardboiled eggs actually. When I was young thats all I had for breakfast and lunch. I havent eaten a hard boiled egg in 15 maybe 20 years.

I have 8 whole eggs in the morning and four before bed. Scrambled.

 

[CommodoreMid]

Ok to clarify I get protein from other sources such as nuts, beans, etc, at my meal that I don't have meat. Again, it's a matter of substituting something with fewer calories. I'm not advocating getting rid of it entirely, but if you're the type of person who has a burger or something similar every day, cutting back on that kind of thing will help you lose weight and trim fat. I am also female and 5'3" so my calorie requirements are a lot lower, even with my activity levels. If I ate a similar diet as Zissou I would be a giant fatty. That's why a nutritionist is probably a good idea for the OP.

 

[BullGator]

No, I can't stand hardboiled eggs actually. When I was young thats all I had for breakfast and lunch. I havent eaten a hard boiled egg in 15 maybe 20 years.

I have 8 whole eggs in the morning and four before bed. Scrambled.

That's a butt-load of eggs.

 

[Mumbles]

How on earth do you eat 12 eggs in a day? Are those hardboiled eggs?

I love these......

this is the Pennsylvania Dutch recipe...

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...rosoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7SNYI_en&sa=N

 

[Zissou]

Otto, I agree with you in principle but the anaerobic effect on metabolism is a tremor not an earthquake. It does last much longer but I dont find it to be the more effective approach to burning fat.

I wouldnt even consider cardio without resistance training.

You are absolutely correct in that increased LMM consumes more calories.

The hardest part is synthesizing that protein to LMM while not gaining adipose tissue. They come together.

There is no protein synthesis of note while in a calorie restricted diet. And hence no strength gain or muscle gain.

 

[BACONATOR]

Ok to clarify I get protein from other sources such as nuts, beans, etc, at my meal that I don't have meat. Again, it's a matter of substituting something with fewer calories. I'm not advocating getting rid of it entirely, but if you're the type of person who has a burger or something similar every day, cutting back on that kind of thing will help you lose weight and trim fat. I am also female and 5'3" so my calorie requirements are a lot lower, even with my activity levels. If I ate a similar diet as Zissou I would be a giant fatty. That's why a nutritionist is probably a good idea for the OP.

I understand where you're coming from, and I've heard this "nuts/beans etc" thing from vegetarians before, and I'm sure it works well for your metabolism, but not mine.

It's not about the meat, it's about the composition of the "alternate sources" of protein. Beans are usually about 80% complex (read: high glycemic index) carbohydrates and 20% protein. Nuts are usually like 60+% mono/poly Unsaturated fats and like <40% protein.

The point is that while these sources provide good protein, the majority of their contribution is something other than protein.

A good healthy composition of a regular meal (read: one not right before or after a workout) is somewhere around 30% calories from fat, 30% from protein and 40% from carbohydrates. This is adjustable from person to person, but close to that for most.

If you're eating beans and nuts as your protein source, you will be hard pressed to come close to that breakdown.

Again, diet is an extremely personal thing and needs to be calibrated for each individual, but you need to be eating a PRIMARY protein source (meat, poultry, fish, egg, or soy substitute) at each meal along with some fruits and veggies (low-glycemic carbohydrates) and good mono/poly unsaturated fats (nuts, olive oil, avocado etc). Mix this with a good multivitamin, a greens supplement, fish and flax oil, lots of water and the pounds will drop.

@Zissou: I agree that the hardest part about gaining LMM is the corresponding gain in adipose, HOWEVER that is usually the result of eating too much, and poor food choices. Bulking isn't about eating everything in sight. It's about eating a REASONABLE excess (usually 200-500KCal) over maintenance and eating the SAME CLEAN food that you would eat during your regular diet, NOT junk food.

Do that and you gain mostly clean LMM at a couple pounds a month. Gain 5 pounds a week? Probably mostly fat.

I agree that bulking while being unable to run a half mile isn't a good balance, and I always mix strength training with cardio. It's just a good healthy balance. Lift and then do cardio after? You just put your metabolism on SUPERdrive and it magnifies the metabolic effect. Just lifting and eating OK in the past month has had a great FAT-burning (not just weight loss) effect for me, so my experiment has proven it's worked for me, but maybe not for you. Just my experience.

 

[Zissou]

Otto nailed the beans and nuts drivel~

 

[Spekkio]

Actually the best way to burn fat is by anaerobic workouts, specifically strength-training. Aerobic workouts' effect on metabolic rate tapers off dramatically after the workout ends, however anaerobic keeps the metabolism up for usually 24-48 hours, tapering off more slowly. Not to mention that the more muscle mass you put on, the higher your basal metabolic rate increases (meaning you burn more calories just sitting on your ass because you have more muscle).

I'd rather build more muscle and burn more calories just sitting on my ass than bust my ass daily on aerobic workouts and not burn a single calorie more unless I'm working out. Don't get me wrong: cardiovascular workouts are essential. We all should run, but strength-training is probably a more effective way to increase your basal metabolism.

I'll be honest here: I was 170-175 going into OCS as a weight lifter at 5'9", which was too heavy for my height. I definitely could've afforded to lose some pounds, and I dropped 25 lbs in 2.5 months doing the aerobic-heavy workouts at OCS paired with their no-dairy, no fatty condiments and no alcohol diet. I've managed to drop a few more since doing similar workouts, and you have to consider that most of the class drops weight while at OCS.

Sometimes, just sometimes, the military knows what it's doing.

I do agree that nuts and beans are not as good as vegetarians claim they are. I was actually shocked to see the calorie count in a serving of beans (via the posting at the salad bar in the galley).

 

[BACONATOR]

I'll be honest here: I was 170-175 going into OCS as a weight lifter at 5'9", which was too heavy for my height. I definitely could've afforded to lose some pounds, and I dropped 25 in 2.5 months doing the aerobic-heavy workouts at OCS paired with their no-dairy, no fatty condiments and no alcohol diet.

Sometimes, just sometimes, the military knows what it's doing.

Yes but what was your body composition? If I am a BIG, muscular 200 pounds, I'm overweight for my height, but the rope n choke (not to mention just looking at me) would clearly show that I'm fine and I would be waivered and move on.

WEIGHT isn't the issue, it's body composition. Overweight and muscular? Good on ya. Overweight with crisco rolls? Get on the treadmill, fatty!

 

[Spekkio]

I most definitely have less body fat % now than I did going into OCS. My workout consisted of solely anaerobic activity; the kind that you claim will keep you lean.

 

[BACONATOR]

I most definitely have less body fat % now than I did going into OCS. My workout consisted of solely anaerobic activity; the kind that you claim will keep you lean.

With all things being equal, I only meant that it would keep you leaner than just doing some cardio daily. If you ate nothing but cheesy-poofs and lifted a bit every day, you're going to be a butterball. Don't treat it as black and white. With health and fitness there are WAY too many variables.

 

[lmnop]

Lots of good points in here for the OP. The biggest takeaway should be that there isn't a magic bullet, and what works for one person may or may not work for another.

I'll be honest here: I was 170-175 going into OCS as a weight lifter at 5'9", which was too heavy for my height. I definitely could've afforded to lose some pounds, and I dropped 25 lbs in 2.5 months doing the aerobic-heavy workouts at OCS paired with their no-dairy, no fatty condiments and no alcohol diet. I've managed to drop a few more since doing similar workouts, and you have to consider that most of the class drops weight while at OCS.

Sometimes, just sometimes, the military knows what it's doing.

Case in point here, sounds like the OCS routine worked great for Spekkio. I, on the other hand, got weaker, slower and fatter while I was in P'cola.