I want to lose about 25 pounds within the next couple of months...any good diet recommendations?

[jgabra62]

I know this is a loaded question, but I thought I'd ask anyways.

I want to try and lose around 25-30 pounds within the next couple of months.
I live in a little country town in England and don't have easy access to a gym.
So I was wondering if anyone here could recommend any good diets that I could try...and maybe any good 'at-home' exercises I could do from my house?

[CaptainHowdy]

You should get rid off your dopplegänger in Los Angeles ...

[PornGreen]

stop eating

[Barefootsies]

I've dropped just under that in 3 months. I have wrote about it a few times.

1. I cut my Diet Coke intake in half. Which lowered blood pressure (sodium)
2. I bought a couple of cook books, and started eating only fresh food.
3. I drink a lot more water since cutting out the cola. Sobe Water is good.
4. I drink a smoothie made of fresh fruits and veggies mid morning and afternoon.
5. In month three I added in light weight training and treadmill.

I've dropped 20-25 lbs in just over 3 months. 3 pants sizes. I've shrunk into shirts I haven't been able to wear in a few years. For those smoothies, make sure you get a mix of the soluble and insoluble fibers (help keep you feeling full). For the treadmill I am doing around 1.5 miles in a half an hour a few times a week.

I started out with that Jorge Cruise, "Belly Fat Cure", and then after the first month moved on to two other cook books with better recipes and more variety. The cook books I looked for were a mix of good looking food, and diabetic (although I am not, nor in danger of) considerations. I focused on eliminating the high sodium processed foods from most of my diet, and controlling sugar.

What I have found, and many others have wrote on this in depth over the years is, you have to adjust your diet. Exercise alone will not do it. It becomes a lifestyle change, not a crash diet. I lost 12 lbs in two months just changing my eating habits with NO exercise at all.

Good luck!

[RazorSharpe]

Lose 25 pounds and even more in 3 easy steps:

1. Get a white sheet and cut out holes for your eyes
2. Throw white sheet over yourself
3. Stand in your new white sheet in any ghetto and watch yourself burn more fat than you could ever imagine.

...

[sperbonzo]

No soft drinks at all.... diet soda is just as bad as regular
No potatoes, and no pasta. A piece of toast in the morning is fine, but no bread at night
No white rice, only brown, and in limited quantities.
Cook your own food, stay away from the processed pre-made crap
Stay away from sweets
Don't starve yourself. Eat small meals 4 or 5 times a day with no starches

Jogging.... short distances at first, then longer and longer
Pushups... One of the single best exercises you can do for your upper body
Situps... for your core (although pushups get that also)
Squats... for your legs



Good luck!

[jgabra62]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

I've dropped just under that in 3 months. I have wrote about it a few times.

1. I cut my Diet Coke intake in half. Which lowered blood pressure (sodium)
2. I bought a couple of cook books, and started eating only fresh food.
3. I drink a lot more water since cutting out the cola. Sobe Water is good.
4. I drink a smoothie made of fresh fruits and veggies mid morning and afternoon.
5. In month three I added in light weight training and treadmill.

I've dropped 20-25 lbs in just over 3 months. 3 pants sizes. I've shrunk into shirts I haven't been able to wear in a few years. For those smoothies, make sure you get a mix of the soluble and insoluble fibers (help keep you feeling full). For the treadmill I am doing around 1.5 miles in a half an hour a few times a week.

I started out with that Jorge Cruise, "Belly Fat Cure", and then after the first month moved on to two other cook books with better recipes and more variety. The cook books I looked for were a mix of good looking food, and diabetic (although I am not, nor in danger of) considerations. I focused on eliminating the high sodium processed foods from most of my diet, and controlling sugar.

What I have found, and many others have wrote on this in depth over the years is, you have to adjust your diet. Exercise alone will not do it. It becomes a lifestyle change, not a crash diet. I lost 12 lbs in two months just changing my eating habits with NO exercise at all.

Good luck!

Wow, this is great...it's just the kind of recommendations I was hoping for.
I'll definately take a look at that cook book you mentioned.

[PR_Glen]

BF's diet changes sound good to me. That would work for most people I would say.

add in push ups (different angles every day), chin ups (have someone assist you if you can't do them at first), dips, lunges and squats with a bit of running and do that every other day to start and build up to every day you will reach your goal in no time...

soldiers don't need gyms either ;)

[adultzone]

I love that too...I am 213lbs so I need to lose some weights, lets race lol!

[jgabra62]

Originally Posted by adultzone

I love that too...I am 213lbs so I need to lose some weights, lets race lol!

I weigh exactly 213 as well...lets do this!

[Vendzilla]

Just cutting carbs will help, thats what I'm doing

[calvinawe]

go lowcarb, eat a small meal 4-5 times a day and exercise.

[woj]

eat less crap and hit the gym, it's not rocket science

[Jman]

LMAO

[GTS Mark]

Lol! Yeaaahhhhh!!!

[Cyndalie]

HCG and Insanity

[dyna mo]

the easiest & best way for you to achieve the goal you stated is to eat fewer calories than you consume. with your size, you need ~2600 cals per day depending on your activity level & age.

then simply subtract cals per day to hit your target.

reasonable fat loss would be ~2100 cals/day

extreme fat loss would be ~1700 cals a day.


adjust these #s slightly if needed as you go. in general, eat whatever FOOD you want (not soda), tv dinners are xcllnt way to count cals here too btw. for generic weight loss it's not a matter of carbs or fats or whatever, it's being calorie deficit combined with CONSISTENCY. you have to be consistently calorie deficit.

[grumpy]

eat less, move more.

[barcodes]

.:Ride the snake:.

[Markul]

Work out, then work out some more and finally, go do some workout. While doing that stop eating unhealthy shit.

Either that or smoke a ton of weed, that seems to cut it for some people haha

Good luck!

[fatfoo]

Use your will power to eat less. You can eat 1500 calories/day.

[bronco67]

That depends. What's your starting weight? Dropping 25 lbs is a small amount for someone that already weighs 300.

Do cardio in the morning on an empty stomach.

Cut out refined sugar and artificial sweeteners.

Eat good fat, like nuts and olive oil. (important)

Break up your meals into 5 to 6 small ones during the day.

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by sperbonzo

Eat small meals 4 or 5 times a day

Originally Posted by calvinawe

eat a small meal 4-5 times a day and exercise.

Originally Posted by bronco67

Break up your meals into 5 to 6 small ones during the day.

this is a myth. there is simply no added weight loss benefits from eating smaller, more frequent meals. if someone likes splitting their calories into 250 cal *meals* then cool, otherwise, don't bother.

[_Richard_]

Originally Posted by dyna mo

this is a myth. there is simply no added weight loss benefits from eating smaller, more frequent meals. if someone likes splitting their calories into 250 cal *meals* then cool, otherwise, don't bother.

metabolism is a myth?

how do you figure

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by _Richard_

metabolism is a myth?

how do you figure

wow, how on earth did you get that from what i wrote? please quote the part where i said anything remotely close to that.

[u-Bob]

http://african.mangodietpills.com/

[Varius]

Originally Posted by _Richard_

metabolism is a myth?

how do you figure

Metabolism exists, the myth is that eating many small meals spread throughout the day speeds it up

[ottopottomouse]

Just eat fruit all day like a chimp in a zoo and you'll shit the weight off in no time.

[DateDoc]

TBH most people fail at losing weight and keeping the weight off because a lot of the diets they try are too radical. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to make small changes while increasing the calories you burn.

Instead of surfing the net in your spare time or watching a crappy tv show on tv because there is nothing else to do go for a walk. When you only need a few things at the store ride your bike or walk there instead of driving.

Keep a diary of what you eat and the calories you consume. Try to keep your calorie intake under 2000 per day. You'll be surprised at how many calories you are actually eating. There are aps for most smart phones that let you keep track of calorie intake and calories burned. I use map my walk (keeps track of bike rides, jogs, etc. too) as well as 'lose it' on my iPhone. Lose It will tell you how many calories you can intake per day to achieve your weight loss goal. They also have a website if you do not have a smart phone.

Lose It website - http://www.loseit.com/
Lose It iPhone app - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lose-it/id297368629?mt=8
Lose It Android app - coming soon - http://blog.loseit.com/2011/05/10/a-...android-users/
Map My Walk app - http://www.mapmywalk.com/imapmy/iphone/

[rowan]

Originally Posted by dyna mo

the easiest & best way for you to achieve the goal you stated is to eat fewer calories than you consume.

+1

Here's my simple "think twice / slow & easy" diet - https://gfy.com/showthread.php?t=1005324

It's not so much about sticking to a rigid diet, more just thinking a bit more carefully about what you're craving, and what you should probably eat instead, but without going health-kick crazy. Want versus need, with a bit of leeway allowed every now and then.

I'm up to 13.5kg/30lb lost now.

I write my weight on the whiteboard each time I reach a new "low", which is a good way to keep me motivated. Not that I really need to fight with myself, it doesn't take much to convince myself to eat something a little healthier now.

When the weather was warmer I was regularly going for hour-long walks. The first 10 minutes sucks, it's where I'm thinking I can't be bothered and I'll just turn around, but after that it's cool. As well as being beneficial exercise it's also a good chance to have some thinking time; no TV, computer, phone, wife, kids, life etc to distract you... I've come up with some pretty good ideas and goals while plodding along on my walks, and it's also a good time to nut out any personal issues.

[carzygirls]

Lots of fruits and vegetables.

But THE number 1 way to lose weight usually is drinking lots of water. Most people do not drink enough and your metabolism slows making other organs process your foods. Water, water, water

[CaptainHowdy]

Originally Posted by pornopete

Does cocaine really help you lose weight?

"The John Holmes Diet"...

[Agent 488]

stop eating like a pig and being a lazy fuck?

[Rochard]

Why do people need to be on a diet?

It's pretty simple. Watch what you eat, watch your portions. Then start exercising. No gym, no problem. Start by walking, then running. Buy a bike. I just bought a bike, and I'm on it for hours every day.

[billywatson]

Nothing "white" (bread/rice)

No potatoes or pasta.

Diet drinks are bad!

Exercise! 30 minutes a day to make your heart go boom-boom!!

[jgabra62]

Wow, I had a feeling this was going to be a loaded question.
I suppose at the end of the day nothing beats good old fashioned hard work...eat well and be active.

I appreciate everyone's input and I'm seriously going to consider everything you all have said...except for the cocaine diet, that didnt work for me the first time around, haha!

Anyways I'm 213 pounds and I'm hoping to get to around 185-190...that would be ideal for me I think.

Wish me luck!

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by Rochard

Why do people need to be on a diet?

It's pretty simple. Watch what you eat, watch your portions. Then start exercising. No gym, no problem. Start by walking, then running. Buy a bike. I just bought a bike, and I'm on it for hours every day.

everybody is on a diet. diet is a catch-all term for what one eats. but specifically, the op asked how to lose 25 pounds in 2 months. big task. good luck doing that not restricting calories in your diet.

[Tom_PM]

You know those small spiral ring notepads you can buy in a 3 pack at the drug store or supermarket? Buy them. Now date the top with todays date and write down every single speck of food you eat. In another notepad write down your number of miles walked, situps done, pushups, everything. Write it down!

It will keep it top of mind and if you see a blank page you will kick yourself into action.
There've been studies also that writing things down triggers more memory so just do it as part of daily routine, it will help.

You could be standing there right now doing leg raises or something instead of sitting. Dont forget to write it down.

[dyna mo]

25 pound in 8 weeks =

3+ lbs lost per week. which means AT LEAST a 10,500 calorie deficit per week. that's a 1500 cal deficit per day.

that's going to take some hard work, discipline and dedication.

[Bladewire]

consistency over time equals success

[jgabra62]

Originally Posted by dyna mo

25 pound in 8 weeks =

3+ lbs lost per week. which means AT LEAST a 10,500 calorie deficit per week. that's a 1500 cal deficit per day.

that's going to take some hard work, discipline and dedication.

I guess it doesnt need to be 8 weeks...I'd like it to be a fairly realistic goal.
Maybe 12 weeks??

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by jgabra62

I guess it doesnt need to be 8 weeks...I'd like it to be a fairly realistic goal.
Maybe 12 weeks??

that would make it a helluva lot easier on yourself. 1000 cal per day deficit v 1500 is a big difference, you will still have to buckle down and stay consistent though. if you want to look toned and such after the flab falls off then you must exercise, otherwise, if you just want to shed the fat, you can diet it off. if you want to look tone, i strongly recommend a program like p90x since you are looking for a home workout plan. i work out from home exclusively, haven't been in a gym in years and have done p90x a couple times.

[Emil]

Low carb high fat.

[The Heron]

laxatives! and puking!

[jgabra62]

Originally Posted by dyna mo

that would make it a helluva lot easier on yourself. 1000 cal per day deficit v 1500 is a big difference, you will still have to buckle down and stay consistent though. if you want to look toned and such after the flab falls off then you must exercise, otherwise, if you just want to shed the fat, you can diet it off. if you want to look tone, i strongly recommend a program like p90x since you are looking for a home workout plan. i work out from home exclusively, haven't been in a gym in years and have done p90x a couple times.

Doesn't p90x cost a lot of money?
I was hoping to avoid having to spend much on any sort of programs or anything like that...unless you think it's worth it?

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by jgabra62

Doesn't p90x cost a lot of money?
I was hoping to avoid having to spend much on any sort of programs or anything like that...unless you think it's worth it?

i do think it's worth it.

buy it used on cl or ebay, make sure you get the full program, books, etc. you will also need some weights/equipment, again use cl/ebay and get odds and ends at walmart. i would think you can put it together for $100-$175ish.

[bronco67]

Originally Posted by dyna mo

this is a myth. there is simply no added weight loss benefits from eating smaller, more frequent meals. if someone likes splitting their calories into 250 cal *meals* then cool, otherwise, don't bother.

It's hard to argue with your midsection, but are you saying its a myth that every time you eat, your metabolism turns up a little? Eating smaller meals is not about the calories, but more about never going a long time without eating, so your body metabolizes constantly and doesn't go into fat storage mode. It's a thermogenic effect.

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by bronco67

It's hard to argue with your midsection, but are you saying its a myth that every time you eat, your metabolism turns up a little? Eating smaller meals is not about the calories, but more about never going a long time without eating, so your body metabolizes constantly and doesn't go into fat storage mode. It's a thermogenic effect.

yes, that's the general idea, it is a thermogenic effect based on calories. but the effect is the same, here's more:

?Eating several small meals a day is superior to a few large meals a day?

Despite being a highly impractical meal pattern for many people, this is by far the most common diet myth around; not only in the fitness community, but also in the mass media. As a consequence, it?s also the hardest diet myth to kill, as it?s being perpetually kept alive and repeated ad infinitum by the supplement industry, nutritionists that can?t put the research into proper context and people that just keeps repeating what the others are saying. Let?s look at what the actual studies can tell us about this topic.


Meal frequency and TEF


You?ve probably heard that eating smalls meals throughout the day ?stokes the metabolic fire? or is the ideal way to eat in order to control cravings and blood sugar; as consequence, this should also be the ideal way to eat for fat burning purposes. This belief is partly based on a gross and blatantly incorrect interpretation of research concerning TEF (Thermic Effect of Food).

Besides body weight, activity patterns and genetics, TEF is part of the equation that determines your metabolic rate for each given day. Paradoxically, ingesting energy costs energy and TEF is the increase in metabolic rate above basal conditions due to the cost of processing food for storage and use (ref). Simply put, every time you eat, the body expends a certain percentage of energy just to process the food you just ate. TEF varies between the macronutrients; protein is given a value of 20-25%, carbs 5% and fat 2-3% (ref). In a mixed diet, TEF is usually estimated to 10% of the calorie intake.

So, every time you eat, TEF comes into play and your metabolic rate increases in response to the meal you just ate. The problem here is that the research has been presented in such a way that it has lead people to believe that the net effect of TEF of several small meals would be greater than that of a few, large meals.

You see, TEF is directly proportional to the calories contained in the meal you just ate (ref). Assuming a diet of 2400 calories, with the same macronutrient composition, eating six small meals of 400 calories or three big meals of 800 calories, TEF will be exactly the same at the end of the day. The only thing that will differ between each meal pattern is the pattern of the spikes; six small meals will equal six small spikes in metabolic rates, while three big meals will equal three big spikes.

So, while eating several small meals a day will per definition ?keep the metabolic furnace burning?, three big meals will ?keep the metabolic furnace blasting?.

How about fat burning? As researchers have found, substrate metabolism is largely dictated by the meal you just ate and the macronutrient composition of your diet - how you split your meals have no consequence for the amount of fat oxidized at the end of the day (ref). Simply put, if you eat six small meals throughout the day, you will store and burn less fat between the meals compared to three meals a day, while you will store and burn more fat with three meals a day. Substrate metabolism will be different, but the net effect will be the same on either meal pattern.

Note that I say ?store?, because fat storage and fat burning is an ongoing process ? with six small meals you will store less AND burn less, and with three meals a day you will store more AND burn more. This is important to remember, as it can and has been twisted into ?you will store more fat with three meals a day?. Sure, if you measure fat storage on a meal per meal basis, which is insane, but on the other hand you will burn more fat in between the meals. Whether you store or lose body fat at the end of the day is a consequence of intake minus expenditure; not meal frequency.

In conclusion, different meal splits have no effect on metabolic rate or fat metabolism.

I must admit that I?m a bit amazed at how people keep missing the boat when it comes to meal frequency and TEF. This myth is also prevalent in the minds of many professionals, which is even more confusing. The research is there, right in front of your eyes if you know where to look, and there?s been several large scale, meticulously controlled and well designed studies on the topic of meal frequency and TEF. And still, people keep believing that several small meals a day will increase your energy expenditure beyond what fewer, large meals will do.

Then again, the powers that be, in this case the supplement industry, loves the fact that the myth is being kept alive. What do people eat when they are being told that they should eat six meals a day? Well, it sure isn?t six home cooked meals. Rather, people are downing meal replacement products, protein shakes and bars in between the main meals. This is a billion dollar industry that is partly being kept alive by erroneous beliefs. Bodybuilding and fitness magazines usually have no interest in presenting accurate information about the topic, as they derive a large part of their financing from supplement ads. In fact, many magazine writers have a vested interest in keeping the myth alive as well, themselves being owners of supplement companies that make millions out of selling protein powders and meal replacement bars.

Is a high frequency meal plan ever warranted? Sure, if your energy expenditure is extremely high, it would probably be a lot more comfortable to consume your calories in several meals rather than a few very large ones. The 300 lbs off-season bodybuilder or endurance athlete that needs 5-6000 calories a day to maintain body weight would be better advised eating 6 meals of 1000 calories rather than 3 meals with 2000 calories. Some other instances, such as some teenagers having a hard time putting on weight, would also warrant a high frequency meal plan simply because it would be hard getting all the calories in three meals.

However, these cases represent a minority of people. Getting enough calories in few meals doesn?t seem to be a problem for the great majority, and going by the feedback the 16-8 system has been getting, it?s definitely a more comfortable way to eat for many people.


Studies cited for this excerpt (in no particular order)

Denzer CM - The effect of resistance exercise on the thermic effect of food - International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism

Bellisle F et al. Meal frequency and energy balance. Br J Nutr. 1997 Apr;77 Suppl 1:S57-70.

Westerterp KR et al. Influence of the feeding frequency on nutrient utilization in man: consequences for energy metabolism. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1991 Mar;45(3):161-9

Taylor MA , Garrow JS. Compared with nibbling, neither gorging nor a morning fast affect short-term energy balance in obese patients ina chamber calorimeter. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Apr;25(4):519-28.

Jones PJ et al. Meal frequency influences circulating hormone levels but not lipogenesis rates in humans. Metabolism. 1995 Feb;44(2):218-23.

[Socks]

What's the best food to control hunger that has very few calories?

And what about fasting for two days each week until dinner time? I read that somewhere.

That if you always have food energy for your body to use, it will use that first.. Whereas if there's no food energy, that's when your body will use up your stored energy/bodyfat

[JFK]

Fitty Good diets