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Which is the best way to lose weight quickly?

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Original post by Awwaaba
I lost a load of weight back in 2010 and now it seems like I can't shed any more for some reason. I want to lose about 10 kg before August but even when I exercise and eat healthily (which I haven't been lately), the scale barely shifts. I started eating quite a lot a few weeks ago because it helped me to focus on my exams. I keep imagining a growing double-chin and thinking that my clothes are going to start shrinking on me anytime soon. I really need to at least get back to how I was last summer, when I was 5 kg lighter because I just can't stop thinking about my weight, it has become a bit of an obsession.

The bit in bold is worrying. You should never be "obsessed" with your weight.

Original post by Awwaaba
Both, hopefully. It's frustrating because I've done it before so I know I can. I just don't get why it's so much harder now.

I used to go for runs when during the winter + early spring, I have yet to experience running in this sort of weather but on the plus side the heat will make me sweat more.

I heard about the whole BMR thing, I plan on cutting my calories to 900 a day at most :biggrin:. Thanks though.

This is FAR too low. You should never go lower than 1,200 cals, and should then eat more if you exercise.

Original post by Ma-Rine
If you "transform" your fat into muscle you won't lose weight (as muscle are heavier than fat) but you will look slimmer.

I have lost lots of weight recently (freshers year is awful for our bodies haha).
Some tips: I don't deprive myself of anything and I'm not too focussed on the calories I eat. I think this way you will become obsessed with food and it will ruin your mood. I try to eat normally (healthy food though) but in a fewer quantity. For example now i'm eating in small plates and that way I don't realize I have reduced the quantity.

Hope my explanation is clear enough lol .

If you're on a calorie deficit you might conserve muscle by lifting weights, but you would still lose weight overall as there would still be some fat/lean tissue loss. Your body can't make something out of nothing; the only way you would build a muscle mass is if you were eating lots.. which I don't think OP is going to do!
Original post by Scoobiedoobiedo
Or she could just read a few articles and watch a few videos, for free. Get a basic understanding of the fundamentals of nutrition and training from one of the many free plans online, which coincidently are provided by people who are actually fit and healthy and not some old woman/women exploiting female insecurity and naivety.

Also, relying on somebody else/other people to plan your diet and tell you exactly what to do and when to do it, is setting yourself up to fail and never really get anywhere. Case in point, weight watchers. The vast majority remain overweight and/or unhealthy indefinitely because as soon as they miss one or two meetings or can't get their silly overpriced milkshake for a week they have no idea what to do, gorge, and become a snorlax again.


:facepalm:

You do realise you're not telling me anything I don't know, don't you? You may not have noticed my sigs, but I've lost 4 stone 6lbs myself, reasonably slowly, most of it by just general calorie counting at home. I don't do any "organised" diets, I don't go to meetings, I don't do VLCDs, I just watch what I eat and try to get a daily hourly walk.....

so you're preaching to the choir sunshine.

The thing is that the OP wants to lose weight by the summertime. She wants to lose it much more quickly than I have done. The only safe way to do this, as far as I can tell, would be to follow a VLCD which ensures that you are getting all your vital nutrients but delivers a much more rapid weight loss than just regular calorie counting would do.

I know a LOT of people that have followed VLCDs and have done very well on them. I wouldn't do it myself because I don't fancy living on low calorie shakes for several weeks, but then again I'm a very foodie type of person, and I don't mind if it takes me a bit longer to lose the weight, as long as it is coming off.
Some people prefer much more rapid results though. As long as they realise it might be more difficult to maintain than going it the slower route, and that they will have to really ease themselves back into the "eating" stage after they come back off their VLCD so as not to just pile the weight straight back on, then it's a perfectly valid way to lose weight.

I would ALWAYS advocate calorie counting and exercise over a VLCD, but in the case of somebody wanting to lose weight quickly, a controlled VLCD which is monitored and nutritionally balanced, is preferable over just general starvation.
Reply 22
So much information in this thread makes me despair. OP, the best bits that you can take out of it come from the posts by toosh, Becca, Angel_k, and Scoobie.

It has already been said but 900 calories is FAR too low. And taking a supplement is not going to magically make up for the malnutrition you subject your body to on an extreme deficit.

Use the calculator provided by toosh (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/) to figure out an estimate of the amount of calories you burn on regular days/exercising days. Ideally you should aim to eat at a deficit of around 500 calories, never going below 1200 on any day(the absolute minimum - roughly - your body requires to function). If you can't create a 500 calorie daily deficit without reducing your calories below 1200 (and you are exercising regularly) then perhaps your target should not be weight loss.

You have already indicated that you have/are starting to have an unhealthy fixation with food/your body. Therefore it is extremely irresponsible for people to ignore this and advocate extremely low calorie diets and excessive exercise to lose a lot of weight quickly. Losing lots of weight quickly in this way is pointless as the unsustainable diet/exercise levels set you up to regain it all (and more) further down the line, and to continue to spiralling into an obsessive and destructive relationship with food and your body. Instead, focus on making sure that your behaviours are healthy - clean consistent diet, regular exercise (ideally a mix of cardio, resistance training and flexibility work) - and your appearance will follow suit.

Good luck.

For this, a clean diet (lean protein, fruit & veg, water, wholegrains) and a consistent resistance program are key.
Reply 23
Original post by PinkMobilePhone
:facepalm:

You do realise you're not telling me anything I don't know, don't you? You may not have noticed my sigs, but I've lost 4 stone 6lbs myself, reasonably slowly, most of it by just general calorie counting at home. I don't do any "organised" diets, I don't go to meetings, I don't do VLCDs, I just watch what I eat and try to get a daily hourly walk.....

so you're preaching to the choir sunshine.

The thing is that the OP wants to lose weight by the summertime. She wants to lose it much more quickly than I have done. The only safe way to do this, as far as I can tell, would be to follow a VLCD which ensures that you are getting all your vital nutrients but delivers a much more rapid weight loss than just regular calorie counting would do.

I know a LOT of people that have followed VLCDs and have done very well on them. I wouldn't do it myself because I don't fancy living on low calorie shakes for several weeks, but then again I'm a very foodie type of person, and I don't mind if it takes me a bit longer to lose the weight, as long as it is coming off.
Some people prefer much more rapid results though. As long as they realise it might be more difficult to maintain than going it the slower route, and that they will have to really ease themselves back into the "eating" stage after they come back off their VLCD so as not to just pile the weight straight back on, then it's a perfectly valid way to lose weight.

I would ALWAYS advocate calorie counting and exercise over a VLCD, but in the case of somebody wanting to lose weight quickly, a controlled VLCD which is monitored and nutritionally balanced, is preferable over just general starvation.


She wants to do it by August, I think a VLCD is a bit extreme. Simple calorie and macro+micronutrient counting will make her lose about 0.5-1kg a week and she has a decent chance of reaching her goals by August.
Original post by tooosh
She wants to do it by August, I think a VLCD is a bit extreme. Simple calorie and macro+micronutrient counting will make her lose about 0.5-1kg a week and she has a decent chance of reaching her goals by August.


Not accounting for plateaus but anyway....

like I said, I would always advocate simple calorie counting and exercise above anything else, but something like Exante was a valid alternative.
Reply 25
Original post by Awwaaba
I lost a load of weight back in 2010 and now it seems like I can't shed any more for some reason. I want to lose about 10 kg before August but even when I exercise and eat healthily (which I haven't been lately), the scale barely shifts. I started eating quite a lot a few weeks ago because it helped me to focus on my exams. I keep imagining a growing double-chin and thinking that my clothes are going to start shrinking on me anytime soon. I really need to at least get back to how I was last summer, when I was 5 kg lighter because I just can't stop thinking about my weight, it has become a bit of an obsession.


What works for me: Atkins for about 2/3 weeks and then start introducing carbs slowly.
Thanks for your advice everyone. I did go through this whole thread but it there's quite a lot of input so I can't address everything that's being said.

I know it's not beneficial for me to obsess over my weight all the time but it's an issue I've had since the age of 12 for personal reasons and I feel like it can't be helped anymore. I sometimes wonder if I'll ever be happy or at least comfortable with my weight.

I did try the vegetarian thing a while ago but I realised that I need my meat. It's my main source of protein and there isn't another substitute that I would enjoy :biggrin:. Motivational picture is a good idea, I could also draw up a chart and keep records of the amount I lose every week. I'm beginning to get excited lol.

I would have signed up to get help with my diets if I were not a student (I did consider DietChef) but sadly this doesn't seem like an option. I have done it on my own before though (losing a lot more than what I want to lose now) so hopefully with some determination I'll be able to do it again. I measure myself as well so even if I'm not lighter on the scale, I'll know if I lost fat.

And thanks navy_taxi, my main problem is that I'm rather impatient and like to see quick results. You are right in that I shouldn't go below a 500 calorie deficit. I'll just have to see how it goes.
Rapid fat loss handbook by lyle mcdonald.

Essentially a high protein, low carb and fat (get your EFAs from fish oil). Lyle details how you should go a about setting this diet, what foods to eat/supplements to take and how to implement refeeds/free meals based on your initial body fat percentage. Although it's very low cal (typically around 400-500 for a female) you get to eat a substantial amount of fibrous greens to keep you full and regular.

He also gives out advice on transitioning off the diet and moving back to a less rigid/maintenance diet.
Calculate your BMR then create a calorie deficit by taking away 300-500 from the number. This is the number of calories you should be eating to lose fat. Don't go below 1200. Your diet is the prime factor in instigating the fat loss process. Eat mostly protein and fiber; cut out all refined carbs and sugars and replace the refined carbs with wholegrains. Stay away from fizzy drinks and fruit juices. Do exercises such as HIIT every other day. Exercise isn't as important as diet, but it still is important.

Also, read the stickies. :smile:
Reply 29
I know there's lots of advice already in this thread, but I thought it worth mentioning the GI (glycemic index) diet.

Basically, you eat foods which are slower to break down, which means that you are not left feeling hungry when you cut your calorie intake. You can have lots of fruit and vegetables, lean meat, nuts etc.

I started following the GI diet about 18 months ago, combining it with two or three 40-minute visits to the gym every week, doing both weights and cardio work. I have lost 2.5 stone, I am at my target weight and have not felt this good in years.

I did actually pay initially for the guardianeatright.co.uk diet. You are supplied with suggested menus and the recipes to go with them. After a while, though, I had so many recipes etc I signed off and managed my diet myself using those recipes.

Awwaaba, I saw that you weren't in a position to pay for diet info. There is, though, free material on the web. The BBC's Good Food website has a number of GI diet recipes at this address: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/healthy/low-gi/

One thing I would say is that 10kg is a lot of weight to lose in such a short time. I was constantly being told the quicker you lose it, the quicker you will put it back on again. It's just something to bear in mind.

Also, I think the comment by navy_taxi is important about following a sensible calorie target.


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Do some high intensity Cardio based workout. You'll burn a lot of calories, in a safe and achievable workout if you try and aim to stay in your cardio zone (65-85% of your maximum heart rate) for as long as possible.

For example in a 1 hour Cardio session, working at 75% of your heart rate, you could burn 800 calories, 280 of which would be from fat.
For girls it would probably be less, more around the 600 mark, and 210 of which would be from fat.

Typically, working at 75% of your maximum heart rate, of the calories you burn, 35% will be fat burn. If you work at a lower intensity, say 50% of your max heart rate, you will burn more fat calories (around 50%), but overall you will burn less calories, so you will burn fewer fat calories, even though the proportion of fat calories are higher.

My advice would be to invest in a heart rate monitor, Polar do some really good ones which you can pick up for around £55 online which give you loads of stats, or lower end ones for around £17 from places such as Decathlon, but provide you with less info.

Then go for a run or something, or sign up to a cardio based workout session and aim to workout in your cardio zone for as long as you can!

(Maximum heart rate = 220 - your age)
Why in such hurry; things are better achieved with enough time [take slowly but surely].
Reply 32
Weight reduce is not a simple and easy task. But not an impossible to achieve it. Need some strong tricks that help to fight with over weight. Here are some way tips to reduce weight:-
Do regular work out for 30 mints,
Work out much be according to body structure and weight goal.
Do whole body exercise with some cardio work out.
Use fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and avoid all the junk foods,
Keep stay active all the day and want to burn large amount of calories.
Drink plenty of water.
Quickest way to lose weight from personal experience is to do full upper/lower body weights on alternate days with cardio/HIIT in between. The pounds shed off. Diet is a major thing but it's easier to better your diet once you begin training and have the motivation. Keep workouts short (45-60 minutes weights, cardio around 15-20)-- it's not about how long you train but how hard you train and hit your peaks. People do not understand or forget this fact.

Women should not be afraid of wright training. It won't bulk you up like a man if you do it right. All those slender looking women on TV are doing it.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 34
Original post by navy_taxi

It has already been said but 900 calories is FAR too low. And taking a supplement is not going to magically make up for the malnutrition you subject your body to on an extreme deficit.


If a diet is nutritionally complete then it's nutritionally complete. What kind of black magic do you think is going to cause malnutrition when all nutritional requirements are being met?

There are studies of starvation where people don't eat for years at a time (from obeisity) with no ill-effects. Not that I advocate that, but giving health advice based on your own 'common sense' is a bit inappropriate, don't you think?
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 35
Joke: How can you get rid of 10 pounds of ugly fat?
Punchline: chop your head off.....
lol
Alright
Water is the best drink ever...DRINK IT! Drink it with meals, when thirsty. xDD
Obtain a balanced diet
Fiber to make you feel full to stop snacking
Protein makes you feel full and it works
Carbohydrates--methinks that should be reduced...
Everything In Moderation, if you eat too much of anything it's bad for you
Limit fat as it is quite energy dense-has 2x energy as carbohydrates (but don't cut fat out because it is essential)
lower your calorific intake
Hopethathelpsx
dancing is also a good type of exercise? but it gets boring after a while :frown: lol

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