Almost ready, have a question

[bclark1017]

I have been on Weight Watchers since January of 2007. I have gone from 306 to 192 pounds since then, but I am getting really tired of it. My biggest complaint is how much body fat I still have. I am a 6'5 male, 27, with a BMI of 22.8. I don't how what my body fat % is, but can pretty well assume it is high. I have read that doing Atkins is the best diet for fat loss, but I am wanting to see if this is true. My exercise plan is non-existent other than my daily activities. I am a full-time college student with no job, limited income, and bad knees. I do what I can to try and get more exercise in such as parking further away and opting for the stairs instead of elevator.

I have almost made up my mind to switch to Atkins but I would like someone's input on if this diet will help me to lose some of this fat better than a low-calorie diet. Also, the thing that scares me the most is the calorie aspect. I know you don't have to count calories on Atkins, but I also understand that calories still count. I have a pretty big appetite and I can easily put down 2-3k calories a day. If I decide to do this, should I at least keep a mental note of what I am eating?

Thanks!

[Elsie150]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

Check out our before and after forum for some inspiration. And buy the book and do it by the book. It plans it out step by step how to do this properly. Most of us end up experience appetite supression after the first week or two. A lot of us use www.fitday.com to keep track of our intake. You should be aiming for at or around your BMR...you can even eat a couple of hundred over. 5%carbs/30%protein/65%fat. Congrats on the tremedous weight lose so far. Remember buy the book and do it properly.

[losetocruise]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

Congrats on the super weight loss. The great thing about Atkins is you do lose fat, not lean muscle. Having said that, based on your height and weight, currently, you probably don't really want to lose more, but if you have not been exercising, you definitely want to start trading some of the stored fat for muscle!

When I started jazzercise, I had a body fat analysis done. My goal weight is 130 pounds. But based on the analysis of current body fat/lean muscle, they told me I will actually reach my ideal weight around 169. I am only 5'2", so I have a hard time believing that! But at class, talking with other pretty slim people who have been exercising for a long time, I find that most of them are a bit heavier although they look fantastic, The reason? Muscle simply weighs more than fat and they have built tremendous healthy muscle through exercise.

I will have to reach that 169 and see for myself LOL if I am satisfied, but if you do Atkins so that you are getting enough protein and exercise religiously, you will replace the fat.

By the way, don't let your knees hold you back. I have two bad knees and wear a hinged knee brace for my jazzercise. I do the aerobics 5-6 times a week for an hour a day and it has made all the difference in the world. Most programs, like jazzercise, will modify for your individual capabilities. And beleive me strengthening the muscles around the bad knee will eliminate some of the problems.

Good luck and congrats Again on the terrific weight loss. Anyone who can acheive what you have can definitely make it the rest of the way!

[Island Princess]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

Hi, I am just new at the Atkins diet and have completed 9 days of it so far. I have been on Weight Watchers as well using the points system before this. With Weight Watchrers, because I could get my "points" from any food I wanted, I had all the "bad stuff" available and had no will power to say no. With the Atkins programme, I am truly and honestly not hungry between meals. I sometimes think - ooooh I could eat a whole cow worth of meat for dinner but I have a regular dinner and am completely satisfied. I think you shouldn't worry about calories at the beginning - just go onto induction and eat the right foods and get your fat burning metabolism going - see how you like it (I have so much more energy than I ever have - I used to fall asleep about 3 times a day for 10 minutes or so). If you find that you are comsuming too many calories and not losing weight then you can adjust but in my limited experience - you will feel satisfied and not feel like stuffing in too much. It is easy to snack away on a whole box of biscuits - not so easy to sit in front of the TV and eat a block of cheese. Good luck to you - I think your weight loss so far is truly amazing at is shows that you are dedicated and strong and that you will make it no matter what path you take. I have the feeling you will be happy with this program.

[bclark1017]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

Thank you all for the comments. As I won't be able to visit a gym or buy equipment for my home, what would be the best type of exercise for me to lose stored fat? Will I have to do strength training? I am not an exercising person as you can tell from my before weight, so I really never put much into learning.

I figured I could just try to walk more and not sit around all day and it may help, that along with losing more weight. The thing I don't understand is if I am at a good weight, and I shouldn't lose any more, then how do I lose fat and maintain my current weight? Wouldn't I have to put on muscle and lose fat on a 1:1 ratio?

Sorry for all the questions, but the answers are a huge help!

[losetocruise]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

well muscle weighs more than fat, but muscle tissue actually burns more calories than fat. So no it is really not a one to one in terms of size and mass. Walking will burn calories but you do need other exercise, in my opinion to really tone down. You can exercise with the TV, join a program, bicycle, buy some hand weights and do some strength training at home. There are printable exercises on the forum that you can use.

[bclark1017]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

well muscle weighs more than fat, but muscle tissue actually burns more calories than fat. So no it is really not a one to one in terms of size and mass. Walking will burn calories but you do need other exercise, in my opinion to really tone down. You can exercise with the TV, join a program, bicycle, buy some hand weights and do some strength training at home. There are printable exercises on the forum that you can use.

Thank you very much, I will study hard and figure out something. I appreciate everyone's support and patience.

[carbless_in_seattle]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

Tips for exercise:


Don't do the same thing all the time. If what you normally do is walk a mile a day, change it up a bit (bike/intervals/eliptical/tennis/volleyball/raquetball). Keep your body guessing. The body CAN get used to a single exercise, and that exercise becomes less efficient.

The most effective exercise you can do to lose fat, specifically belly fat, and have the majority of it be subcutaneous fat is intervals. You can read more about intervals in the exercise forums.

Drink a ton of water, not only will it allow the fat you burn off to be flushed faster, but water makes you burn calories 3% faster, and it keeps you hydrated so that working out is easier (it also helps with cramps).

For optimal results, you must combine strength training with cardio. When you build muscle, the muscle burns more calories and it's a win-win situation. If you don't have time for the gym, get some weights or resistance bands along with an exercise ball for at home training and either look up work-outs online...go to the exercise part of On Demand, or buy some work-out videos.

You cannot get a 6 pack by walking around the block
You cannot get a 6 pack from doing 100 crunches everyday
You cannot get a 6 pack from eating right.

You must combine all three (strength training/cardio/healthy eating) to get the results you want.

I hope I don't sound like the pot calling the kettle black, I'm certainly far from my goals! I hope you do decide to go with the Atkins way of life because it is very very rewarding and you wont regret it!!!

Best of luck to you!

Calan

[TheDogAteMyName]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

Exercise isn't optional...it's a must. If you're not exercising, you're not doing Atkins. Dr. Atkins stressed the importance of exercise. If I hadn't been exercising this whole time I have a feeling I wouldn't look the way I do right now. I've never felt better.

You'll do wonderfully on Atkins if you were that successful on WW. You won't need to eat 2000-3000 calories a day because you won't be hungry like you were on WW. I eat to my Basal Metabolic Rate (1600) daily and sometimes that's hard. Ketosis is a beautiful thing! So glad you found us

[Greeneggs&ham]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

<puts on his armor to avoid the verbal attacks I'm about to suffer>

I looked up your BMI on this site and while it is above 20, it seems to be a normal weight. Personally, I find it odd that 192 is not acceptable for a 6' 5" male when my optimal weight is supposedly 185 at 6' 1". Regardless, I don't know that you need to lose a whole lot more weight.

Instead, I think the above posts are correct that you need to focus more on exercise. As a full time college student, I would think you would have access to a college gym where you could use exercise equipment for free. If not, there are plenty of cheap options for creating your own "weights" or coming up with ways to do resistance training with household objects, etc.

As far as diet goes, you *might* want to give Atkins a go at least for a two week period, to break any lingering cravings to processed carbs, but after that I would think you would stick to the core plan that WW offers which promotes whole, natural foods. If you lost over 100 pounds on the point system, I can't see how simply removing processed flour and sugar wouldn't be good enough for you.

While I think I am a certified "carb-aholic" who needs an Atkins type way of eating, I do not think that one diet fits everybody and you seem to be doing pretty good on what you've already done. Then again, I have to wonder how you dropped 100+ pounds with no exercise while eating 2-3K calories a day! That can't possibly be within the WW point plan.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. If you get those muscles beefed up, please come back to be my bodyguard, and protect me from all the responses this post will generate on a pro-low carb message board!

[sanoukee]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

Also if you can't go to the gym, you can do a variety of exercises at home. Since I don't have a gym membership I do pushups and situps every day and occasionally squats and leglifts.

[bclark1017]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

<puts on his armor to avoid the verbal attacks I'm about to suffer>

I looked up your BMI on this site and while it is above 20, it seems to be a normal weight. Personally, I find it odd that 192 is not acceptable for a 6' 5" male when my optimal weight is supposedly 185 at 6' 1". Regardless, I don't know that you need to lose a whole lot more weight.

Instead, I think the above posts are correct that you need to focus more on exercise. As a full time college student, I would think you would have access to a college gym where you could use exercise equipment for free. If not, there are plenty of cheap options for creating your own "weights" or coming up with ways to do resistance training with household objects, etc.

As far as diet goes, you *might* want to give Atkins a go at least for a two week period, to break any lingering cravings to processed carbs, but after that I would think you would stick to the core plan that WW offers which promotes whole, natural foods. If you lost over 100 pounds on the point system, I can't see how simply removing processed flour and sugar wouldn't be good enough for you.

While I think I am a certified "carb-aholic" who needs an Atkins type way of eating, I do not think that one diet fits everybody and you seem to be doing pretty good on what you've already done. Then again, I have to wonder how you dropped 100+ pounds with no exercise while eating 2-3K calories a day! That can't possibly be within the WW point plan.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. If you get those muscles beefed up, please come back to be my bodyguard, and protect me from all the responses this post will generate on a pro-low carb message board!

No attacks from me, I welcome any and all criticism. I don't disagree that my weight (as in the number) is not acceptable, I have no problem with the number. I just think that for someone my height/weight, I still have a lot of excess fat I need to lose and I really don't know how to go about losing it without losing weight.

As for the college having exercise equipment, they do but you have to be enrolled in the class to use them. I am graduating in August so that is not an option.

When I said I can put down 2-3k calories I didn't mean that I eat that many on Weight Watchers, I mean that when I have attempted to do Atkins I can eat that many. It doesn't take much steak/hamburgers/mayo/butter etc to reach that level. I currently eat around 1500-1600 calories with Weight Watchers.

Finally, I weighed myself today and as of this morning, I weigh 190.6. I have not exercised a day since I started and I am ashamed to admit this. Everyone that sees me keeps telling me that I don't need to lose any more, but I just want my excess fat to go away. I just don't see how I can exercise, lose the fat, but not lose scale weight? I know muscle weighs more than fat and is more compact. I have some exercise videos such as the biggest loser workout which I could do, but how would that build muscle?

Thanks for all the help and comments. I haven't decided what I am going to do about Atkins, but I will consider your Core comment.

[chinadoll]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

You have received some great advice. I want to just add my own experience. When I had lost my first 50 pounds, I still looked flabby and soft. Two months of weight training totally reshaped my body. That' s what you need to do if you really want your body to look different. Every college I have ever known has free open gym time for students. You need to kick your no exercise habit or you will never get your body looking lean. Buy or borrow a weight training book from the library or go online and print off the pages. I recommend machines at first, then in three months move to free weights. Learn proper technique and when and how to do them This will maximize your workouts and prevent injuries as well. If you are serious about doing this you are welcome to Private Message me and I will be happy to explain in more detail.

One last note--it takes 6 months of steady workouts to get your head into thinking of exercise as a daily habit. Do your best to keep to 2-3 weight sessions a week and 4-5 cardios. I cannot tell you how much of a difference exercise has made to my confidence, fitness, body shape, and attitude towards myself . It is worth the sweat but it is hard work.

PS- it makes you more alert and on top of things during the day--not a bad thing for a student.

[bclark1017]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

Thanks for the advice chinadoll, I will inquire about the gym equipment on Monday. In the meantime I will figure out something based on all of your helpful comments. I appreciate everyone's advice and I will definitely not slack off on exercise anymore.

[TheDogAteMyName]

Re: Almost ready, have a question

I'm looking for an update...have you hit the gym? Strength training is SO important. I am amazed by my results so far.

Let me know how you are