the diet...

[neighbour]

I'm going on a diet. I'm now 1,80 meters tall and 94 kilos heavy (that would be somewhere close to 5 f 11 inches and 210 pounds). and I don't want that.

could anyone of you give me tips on how to lose 20 kilos (50 pounds) in 3 months? and somehow to stay on that level?

I'll do anything! seriously... but don't mention healthstudio's I can't afford it.

[BOYD1981]

just eat less and exercise, it's not THAT hard, or go see a doctor...

[Ciro Durán]

Check this e-book: http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/

It's called the Hacker's diet, written by John Walker, the founder of Autodesk, although the name could be misleading, it is actually a quite serious book, and it explains you why would you lose weight, and shows you a technique to lose it.

[rodekill]

You are like the exact same height and weight as I am right now.
I'd like to say that I think 50 pounds may be a bit much. I think you may be better to target 180lbs or so.

[Alexis Vale]

Run. Mostly cardio exercise in the beginning, then add weights when you reach your goal. You want to lose weight and get muscle. Spend any extra time doing exercise. Have a calorie bank...say 1000 calories a day. That's a lot of fruit. Water and ice are freebies. Vegetables go a long way in 1000 calories. Oh, and if you burn any of those calories up, don't consume more.

EDIT: those low-carb diets do work...they just get kinda dangerous.

[evil_babysitting]

Never, never eat less. The less you eat the lower your metabolism which causes you to gain weight.

[Moresco]

Well,  I weigh 220, and am 6 ft tall, and there's no way I'm gonna ever diet.  That's crazy talk.    Just do what Boyd said, he's got it.  Run run run!

[Las Naranjas]

52 Kilos. I diet, I die.

[Archangel (aka SoupDragon)]

Throw out all your crisps and biscuits, grill instead of frying, run every day. Do not go on a low carbohydrate diet (like the Atkins diet) - you might lose weight fast but after a while you'll start putting it back on. 3 months is a bit tight for a whole 20 kilos- think longer term than that. You might not even need to lose all that, it all depends on how much of your weight is muscle and how much is fat.

[Pessi]

I agree with the fact that you shouldn't lose weight by eating less. Just eat healthily and above all regularly and refrain from eating fast food.

I think the best, and in the end, the only healthy way of losing weight, is through exercising. I'm not very educated on this but one thing that really consumes calories is weight training. I can't imagine jogging, for example, being as consuming, though I could be wrong. Basically you just turn your extra fat into muscle, not even losing the whole 20 kilos but looking fit at 80 or 85 kilos, for example.

The reason I recommend weight-training is that it makes you feel good afterwards and you'll see the concrete results fast, keeping your motivation high. It's just something I've discovered to work very well on myself. I actually tried running about 2 kilometers every day with my friend but somehow it just didn't really appeal to me. I didn't see anything happen to my muscles nor weight and it just made me feel totally exhausted afterwards. But this is not to say it's the same thing to everyone. See what fits you best, but in my opinion, you will have to exercise in some way to lose weight in healthy way.

Just make the decision and act on it today, don't postpone it another minute if it really isn't necessary. With anything that takes lots of self-discipline, one easily fools oneself into thinking it's not necessary. I should know, this is my third time I've started going to the gym.

The best of luck with losing your weight, no matter how you do it!

[Meowster]

Have a large breakfast in the mornings, have three meals but try not to snack on unhealthy stuff. And do not eat after 6am. And then go to bed nice and early.

It's simple, easy to stick by, and healthy. And you will lose weight.

I used to do this. Until you know, I started commuting. And I leave the house at 6:30 and get back at... 6:30. So I can't. You know, because it would be impossible...

EDIT: Oh, BTW, this isn't a diet, so much as a healthy diet. If you know what I mean. It's healthy to go to bed early, unhealthy to sleep on a full stomach, healthy to have a big breakfast, healthy to eat three meals etc.,. There's a big difference. I wouldn't recomend dieting.

[Ben]

I'm in the same boat as Las. 125 pounds at 6'1". I'm like a muppet without the googly eyes.

[Matt Brown]

Im there too

5 foot 10, 132 pounds.

as for losing weight, running and weight training really are the way to go.  I dont know about any of those crazy diets though, (adkins, etc) my mom tried it once, and it didnt really do anything, but when she started to run, she lost a bunch of weight, and now that her metabolism changed, she can eat teh same.

[rodekill]

I took a nutrition class and a weight training class in college. The real trick is to work on changing your lifestyle, and not rely on just dieting for a few months. You'll lose the weight with a 'fad' diet or whatever, but once it's over, you just end up going back to eating the way you originally were, and therefore gain everything back.
Also, excercise, beyond the obvious health benefit, is a massive boost to the self esteem. Whenever I train, I feel a lot better about myself, and much more motivated to, well, get off my ass and do things.

[neighbour]

today I did 60 sit ups, and walked 7 miles. I think it's a start. and I've also heard that skipping meals won't do anything...

speaking of meals: I've been eating carrots, apples and wok today. all healthy nonphat food and in small amounts.

and no candy.

[Minimi]

Hmm... interesting, I'm 208cm long and i have a weight of 68KG. I could use some more, but that doesn't work. I'm eating mostly junkfood and lots of chocolate, but I won't get any more fat. Maybee it's just because im only 16 years, and that the weight comes later on.

GL neighbour with you weight. In my opinion it doesn't really matter how much you weight, only that your not bringing yourself in health danger, for example sumo-wrestlers. I think it's good to avoid other peoples opinions around you, and in magazines, because you shouldn't look at the norm. You are who you are, and you shouldn't be unhappy with what and who you are. If your getting happy of a diet or excersise, then its okay, but don't do it, just for the "good" look to others.

[MillsJROSS]

Last year I was concerned about putting a few pounds off that I had gained over the course of a semester, so I cut out soda's, sweets, everything that was really bad for me. Bought more vegtables and fruits, and drank water when I thought I was hungry (because sometimes you think your hungry when you're really just thirsty). I lost the weight I had gained in no time. I didn't really excersize so much, I did swim 30 laps or so at our swimming pool for a couple of weeks, but I got lazy. And already this has been said, but don't eat before you go to bed, You're supposed to go to bed three hours after your last meal, at the very least.

-MillsJROSS

[Trapezoid]

I'm underweight, but it's oddly similar. I can be pretty lazy, and it's hard to bypass my appetite (or lack thereof.) But the perscription's the same-- excersize. I do chin-ups and I'm gonna start weight training. There's instant muscley results and it helps to recalibrate your appetite.

[boozed]

Never, never eat less. The less you eat the lower your metabolism which causes you to gain weight.

That's why you excercise. It builds/maintains muscle, keeping your metabolism from going out of whack. If you're overeating, you have to cut calories or you won't lose anything. If you aren't overeating, you just need to eat better quality food. There were good suggestions for that above.

[Nacho]

Well... I am quite expert in loosing weight, as a cyclist. I usually am 67 kilos during summer, and I get 58 in winter, when I compete. Most of that 9 kilos can be loosed in the very first weeks of the hard training. I start training HARD in october... and when I mean hard I talk of 2,000 kms per month. It is my "loosing weight period..." That makes me slim and weak, because i stop eating some of the meals of the day (I have a stronger breakfast instead) but that´s not a problem because I recover strenght training power series one month before the competition, and eating A LOT (I mean, i.e. eating 2 kilos of peaches per day, plus my usual meals...)

I take some pills based in ephedrin and cafeine during the "loosing weight" period, that activates the metabolism, I start t burn fat as soon as I start training, not at the 1at hour time, as usually does when you start training (Yeah, when you start training your body burns carbohidrats, not fat, till the first hour, bad news... ).

Of course, that pills are totally useless if you don´t train, they move the fat, prepair the body for a faster burner... but the fat will remain if you don´t move (And you´ll have a body full of ephedrine and cafeine, which is very difficult to remove without intense exercise...)

That makes me loose 2 kilos week. The problem is that not everybody has 4 or 5 hours day for training.

[Timosity]

I don't really ever diet, and I also don't eat that healthily either, I weigh about 60kg at about 5ft 9. I did get up to about 75kg at one stage a couple of years ago but that was due to drinking too much beer, and eating too much fast food over winter. I was technically in a healthy weight range for my height, but these studies are all bullshit, they don't take into consideration how small your bone frame is or how much of your weight is taken by muscle or fat (I'm talking about silly graphs that even include weight ranges for small medium and large builds) I know my personal healthy weight range is 60-65kg.

I reckon the beer puts on more weight than fast food.

I see some people are trying to turn fat into muscle, it doesn't quite work that way, you can reduce the size of your fat cells, or put on muscle bulk, but it is chemically impossible to turn fat into muscle.

And as far as healthy rate of losing weight, 1 to 1.5 kg per week is healthy, any more than that and you will start to have health problems.

(note: dehydrating doesn't count, and can be very dangerous, you can loose a few kg in water after heavy exercise (or taking diet pills), but you put it back on when you drink a few litres of water. Most hollywood fad diets do this to you, so you think you are losing weight, that's also why you put it back on, straight away.)

All the advice here is pretty good, just eat regulary and healthily with some exercise. If you eat large portions of food, serve out smaller portions and still eat at the same times, don't add salt or sugar to things as there is usually enough natural salts and sugars in most foods.

It's all easier than you think to achieve, you just have to be concious about it, and don't expect to see the results immediately.

Also remember that you don't just go on a diet, if you want to keep a constant normal weight, you can't just say "Oh, I've lost weight, now I can go back to what I was doing before." A DIET is what you should keep up for your whole life, A healthy diet means a healthy body.

If only I hadn't been smoking for half my life.

[Pessi]

Timosity, when I mentioned turning fat into muscle, I was just pointing out the fact that fat is stored energy. When you exercise, you burn the fat, releasing the energy to repair and strengthen the muscle cells that were burdened by the exercise.

I've read too many of those quotes by nutritional supplement endorsers that go like "while reducing my body fat, I actually gained lean muscle mass, only this nutritient has been able to provide that" and so on. Or something. Anyway, just trying to make myself look less of a fool. Definitely not assuming you didn't know better than I do, because I'm certain you do.

Anyway, that's a really good point about not expecting too significant results. I've personally noticed too high expectations and close studying of my body weight for example, slowing down the progress, which in my case is actually to gain weight. Nowadays I just do the work-outs, eat well and leave it at that. I'm bound to check my weight at some point anyway and I'll surely be positively surprised when I do. I think the scientific explanation for this would be the fact that when you put great expectations to yourself it causes you stress, which, when continued for a period of time, consumes you in a negative way. Taking away the benefits of healthy diet.

[neighbourdieting a little]

GL neighbour with you weight. In my opinion it doesn't really matter how much you weight, only that your not bringing yourself in health danger, for example sumo-wrestlers. I think it's good to avoid other peoples opinions around you, and in magazines, because you shouldn't look at the norm. You are who you are, and you shouldn't be unhappy with what and who you are. If your getting happy of a diet or excersise, then its okay, but don't do it, just for the "good" look to others.

I'm doing it to maybe later gain muscles. cause my neighbour (lol. neighbour) told me I've got a body that could for such matters. and i believe him. I've always been the strongest.
but I'm also a little overweight.

[YOke]

The Self Destructive Diet!

Start to smoke and eat only noodles! Worked for me when I was a student. Went from 112 kg to 85 kg in five months.
Put on some lately, so I have to start eating noodles again soon.

[Hobbes]

Ah, yes, smoking. That helps. *grins* Takes away appetite, muchly.

I'm 2,06 metres... somewhere in the 6 feet 6" category, if I'm not mistaken. Prolly taller.

Am somewhat disappointed to see Minimi beats me by almost an inch, though. I weight some meagre 85 kg. which is grossly too little for someone my length...

...but sporting always works. My weight was higher when I was heavily playing volleybal, even though it didn't show back then.

[Las Naranjas]

Just out of interest for this thread, I went a weighed myself again. 56 kilos now. That's been since I've been riding the bike everyday to get rid of copious amounts of spare energy. Must be muscle gain.

[Nacho]

I'm 2,06 metres... somewhere in the 6 feet 6" category, if I'm not mistaken. Prolly taller.

2,06 meters??? Wow... that, s more than much of the professional basket players in my country... I am just 1,62  

BTW, being that light helps for climbing mountains  

[DragonRose]

I'm 1.72 m and around 54 kg.  This weight range is also known as "so skinny you can see my ribs." This spring I was a little sick, but my doctor ended up putting me on a low fat diet where I was eating about half of what I normally would. EG I normally eat two bowls of cereal for breakfast, a bagel with cream cheese at lunch and a couple of chicken breasts for dinner.  This became one bowl of cereal, a peanut butter sandwich and a chicken breast. Under this diet, I lost 2 kilos.  It took a month for the weight to come back.  

I'm probably the only person in the world who really WANTS the freshman 15.  That would bring me right up to the "healthy" range.

[SSH]

EG I normally eat two bowls of cereal for breakfast, a bagel with cream cheese at lunch and a couple of chicken breasts for dinner.  This became one bowl of cereal, a peanut butter sandwich and a chicken breast.

Sounds like you should be getting scurvy real soon now... no fruit or veg? 5 portions a day is recommended!

I must say that I weighed about 67 kilos before I met my wife and now weigh about 80. And she still loves me! Part of this is down to my stopping cycling because I now live too far from work (15 miles, which I can do but I don't want to spend 2 hours a day travelling and besides I need to take the baby with me sometimes)

But my kilt only just fits these days

[Squinky]

I'm 6ft 240 pnds....but I don't "look" it so we'll all be happy till I die of a heart attack...

[Pumaman]

For anyone else who's as confused as I am, here's a handy conversion table courtesy of Roger:

50 kg = 7 3/4 stone = 110 pounds
55 kg = 8 1/2 stone = 121 pounds
60 kg = 9 1/4 stone = 132 pounds
65 kg = 10 stone = 143 pounds
70 kg = 11 stone = 154 pounds
75 kg = 11 3/4 stone = 165 pounds
80 kg = 12 1/2 stone = 176 pounds
85 kg = 13 1/4 stone = 187 pounds
90 kg = 14 stone = 198 pounds
100 kg = 15 1/2 stone = 220 pounds
110 kg = 17 stone = 240 pounds

[Pessi]

Cool!

I actually sorted that problem out with Google. It has this great feature for converting units. Just type "65kg to pounds" and the first thing it shows is the result. You can convert almost any unit you can think of.

I never get used to pounds, feets or even miles! I'm still trying to figure out Euros.

[DragonRose]

/quote]

That isn't ALL I eat.  Those were just the things I had to cut in half.  I still could eat all the fruit and veggies I wanted (except for apples, for some bizzarre reason) and normally I down a litre of juice a day.

[BOYD1981]

I must say that I weighed about 67 kilos before I met my wife and now weigh about 80. And she still loves me! Part of this is down to my stopping cycling because I now live too far from work (15 miles, which I can do but I don't want to spend 2 hours a day travelling and besides I need to take the baby with me sometimes)

But my kilt only just fits these days

cut down on the haggis suppers and deep fried mars bars then  

OT - talking of haggis, i wish there was a scottish chip shop in my town, there's enough scottish people here (including my dad)...