Please help...males 250lbs+
We started dating almost 4 yrs ago, and I know that he has always eaten relatively healthy (lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meat, etc.). In fact, I was the one who gained weight when we started dating, not him. About 2 yrs ago he found out that his cholesterol was through the roof, so he cut out a lot of fatty foods. Now, 2 yrs later, his cholesterol has been cut in half but his weight is still the same.
He works out regularly, usually running and/or bicycling, lifting weights, push-ups/situps...probably burning a lot of calories in the process. According to this site, at sedentary, he burns 2900 calories.
He started writing what he ate down for a few weeks and I noticed that he barely made it to 2000 cals, if even that. I thought maybe he isn't eating enough? I want to help him because I know this is taking a toll on his self esteem, especially since I have been losing weight successfully. I am trying to help but I don't know what else I can do. Is there anyone out there with similar stats who can help me? Or tell me what you did to lose the weight successfully?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated..thank you!
He's eating 2000 cals a day and not losing weight? I'm 20, 6'3, and 252lbs with 16% body fat; if I eat 2000 cals a day i lose about 0.3kg/day!
A lot of it may depend on what he's eating. If a lot of his diet consists of carbs, then his body won't need to tap into his fat stores as much for energy. He really shouldn't be eating any carbs after lunch except for veggies.
He should also increase his muscle mass to increase his metabolism. 2900 base rate is not bad, but it would be a lot easier if his base rate was around 4000 like mine =P
Anyways, I hope one of those things was something you didn't think of.
Since you say he's been working out for a while already, I'll assume that his muscles have grown to what is normally their developed size. To increase muscle mass, I would suggest that when he does weight lifting, to work out specific muscle groups on certain days. The point is that he should choose a muscle, and work it out until he can't move them anymore. And then keep going!
For example, if he decided he was going to work out his biceps on this day:
- before going to the gym choose, look up, etc, a few bicep exercises
- for each exercise, do a warm up set of light weight and then do some good stretching.
- then add weight and keep doing that exercise until you can't
-lower the weight, and repeat (for each exercise)
Basically, adding muscle mass is all about intensity. The more intensly you work out a muscle, the more mass will be added. When your muscles start to hurt, thats when they actually START growing. To gain real muscle mass, you have to break through your muscle's pain barriers.
Anyways, there's a short summary on building mucle mass lol.
Refer him to something like www.abcbodybuilding.com , or tell him to do some research on it
Also when you eat is important. If he eats at night, it'll obviously be harder to lose weight
I can make a suggestion: Tom Venuto burn the fat feed the muscle. It's infallible when followed properly.
Sweets... I actually dislike sugar so avoiding them is a no brainer for me. I'd stay away. But if he must, get some of those small Halloween size candies and one a day or so to keep his candy levels in the green without going overboard.
He's not eating enough cals and his body is hanging on to that fat to protect itself from starvation!! Some protein smoothies will do the trick. I've lost 200+ pounds in the last 11 months, increasing my cals all the way.
I started CC last April at about 517 pounds (after losing about 100 pounds), eating only 800 cals, and stuck on a plateau. Then the folk here explained to me how our bodies react to starvation mode. I now am eating 3000+ cals a day, and I am at 405.
It's hard to argue with those results!!
duke, I just wanted to say congrats on your weight loss and keep up the good work
Original Post by notalone: He started writing what he ate down for a few weeks and I noticed that he barely made it to 2000 cals, if even that.
Boy, I dunno, notalone. It's hard to accept that he didn't forget to write something down if you say he barely eats 2,000 calories. I too am 5'11". The difference is that I topped out at 216 before I lost weight and am as of today 181. Like your boyfriend, I've always eaten healthy food and was physically active even when at my top weight. But I estimate that at a minimum I was eating 3,000 calories per day and probably more on most days when I was 216. Now, I'm around 1,500 - 1,800 because I'm still trying to shave off a couple of pounds. I expect to maintain at about 2,400.
I am not saying I can't be wrong. I am the first to say that "everyone is different" and metabolism is different for everyone. But to maintain 265 pounds on 2,000 calories would certainly be unusual.
Earlier this year, if my wife had asked to see my food log, I guarantee you that I would not let her see everything. I was so embarrassed about my food and drink consumption, it was all I could stand just to look at it and admit to myself just how much I ate and drank! Hint: Does he drink much alcohol? I had no idea how much beer I drank until I wrote it down. It scared me so much I quit entirely for a month and now limit myself to two a day on days that I drink at all.
i understand what you are saying. and yes, it is possible that he eats random things (i.e., a cookie here, handful of chips there) and i harped on him about it too. to the point where he started measuring food and writing down the exact amounts. but you could be right, i have seen him chug half a carton of OJ in the course of 3 seconds, maybe he doesn't remember those things. but if i spend an entire day around him, i don't see him eating that much, unless he pines for me and eats out of sadness when i am not around haha!
how did you cut your calories? and how long did it take you to lose the weight?
Original Post by notalone: how did you cut your calories? and how long did it take you to lose the weight?
It was pretty basic. I simply cut my portions to the recommended "serving". I grew up in a family that regarded those as a joke. When I started, my meals looked so pathetically small my first reaction was to laugh! It's hard for people to accept that we had to learn to think of our huge portions as normal and it takes a while to learn to recognize the correct portion for what it is. My meals no longer look miniature to me. A lot of people will tell you that hunger is a sign that something is wrong but it simply took a long time for mine to become manageable. I quit smoking years ago and I think that experience helped me. I learned that while it looks impractical and depressing to go without cigarettes or large meals, it's a mirage. I can and do adjust if I keep with it long enough.
You said you've seen your boyfriend grab a cookie (an Oreo is 160 calories) or handful of chips (1 ounce of plain salted potato chips has 155 calories). Oh, and that half carton of OJ? Well, OJ is 122 calories per cup. It adds up fast.
Seriously, I bet overeating is done in secret by most people. My wife lives with me but she can't watch me 24 hours a day. I absolutely used to sneak some of my overeating out of embarrassment. I don't know for sure, but I'd be surprised if your boyfriend tells you everything he eats, and that's the stuff he himself knows about. It's very easy to eat so unconsciously that I don't even realize it later on. I have to carry a pad or PDA around and record it immediately or it goes right out of my head.
I started in May. I got to 190 by late August. In September, I gained 5 pounds back. I got down to 185 in October and I've been trying to get to 180 ever since!
As of today, I'm 180.8.
I started at 230 lbs. about 18 months ago. I dropped to 190 in 4 months by cutting calories to about 1800/day. Then I hit a plateau -- or "maintained". I've maintained that weight ever since (+/- 5 lbs), but I did so by staying on the same diet regimen.
I stopped counting, though, so it's just been guesswork, and some cheating. But recently I started counting and realized that I've been around 1200-1500 kcals most days. Also I've been running and strength training three days a week. After reading some of the posts on here about starvation mode, reduced BMR and plateaus, I'm starting to think I've been stuck for so long because I'm not eating enough calories. Jeez Louise!
Now that I'm paying attention again I'm going to try to keep it up to 1800 kcals on sedentary days and 2400 on exercise days. It'll be tough to measure and maintain through the holidays, but I'm really curious now to see what happens.
I think your bf may be in the same boat.
With Groups - you're not alone.Get the experience and support
of others who succeeded.
