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[kaitoe]

Best advice I ever got was, "You can't outrun your fork"

Not getting into the whole carbs, fat, protein talk... at a high level you have to find food that can satisfy you or it'll be easy to relapse and go to your old diet. Imagine if you can eat what you're eating now on an ongoing basis; I'm talking about years, because if you want to lose weight and keep it off, the food choices you make now will be the new normal.

 

[velociraptor]

People who are saying 'drop carbs' don't have a clue on nutrition.

The most important thing is to be in a caloric deficit, and yes, you can still get lean by eating 200-300g carbs daily.

Fat is the most likely macronutrient to be stored as body fat.
Carbohydrates less so - de novo lipogenesis only accounts for a small proportion
And proteins, very rarely.

The best diet is the one you can stick with - where you are in a caloric deficit, have sufficient protein intake, and are lifting weights. You could augment this with some cardio (eg fasted walking) 2-3x a week.

That's it.

I think the Leangains approach is pretty good though - a lot of people get good results. I tried it and I got leaner, but I wasn't eating enough calories so I lost a lot of muscle and strength. You essentially cycle calories and carbs. High protein, carbs + low fat on training days, high protein, low carbs + moderate fat on rest days.

 

[GoldenCrow]

You also get dudes living in the arctic living off animals year round.

Inuit as well as the Maasai don't actually eat ketogenic diets. The way they prepare and what they consume of the animal is very different from the typical keto diet not to mention the additional foods they also eat.

 

[Weckum]

Step 1: Change your diet.
Step 2: Change your diet.
Step 3: Change tour diet
Step 4: Excercise regularly.

This.

It's all in the food. Less/no sugar for starters.

 

[BigDes]

If you are still drinking sodas then I would advise to cut out or cut down on those extremely

I cut out soda drinks and used soda water with a slice of lemon or cucumber in it instead/

I changed literally nothing else from my diet and the pounds flew off

 

[JimmyRustler]

From personal experience: Calorie deficit + cardio (running) burns your fat like wildfire.

 

[cyberheater]

Losing weight is 80% Diet, 20% exercise, highly recommend to download a calorie app to help you go below a calorie deficit.

I would say it's 100% diet.

 

[Assault]

Sorry for the short post, but I promise you that this is the absolute truth:

Watch your calories, and make sure you are in a caloric deficit. Don't bother looking at macros right now, that's something for when you are approaching a low body fat. Exercise is recommended for health benefits, but it is not required (a lot of people will spend 30 minutes on a treadmill, go eat a shit load of food and them complain when they haven't lost weight). Only drink water, and green tea.

Remember: Calories, calories, calories.

 

[Paertan]

I would say it's 100% diet.

Yes. Loosing fat is more 80% diet 20% exercise. If you loose weight and don't exercise you will loose more muscles.

 

[thegoosen]

Cutting things of plain wheat flour and sugar has helped me a lot.

 

[GoldenCrow]

Research in this field has progressed leaps and bounds in the last decade. I would recommend you check up on the work of people like Dr. Dominic D’Agostino and Dr. Peter Attia if you really are interested in ketogenic diets and athletic performance.

There are absolutely zero proven or really even suspected long term negative effects to the metabolism or human body from cutting out the carbs and upping the fat.

I have had a quick look over Dr. Peter Attia who I can't find any studies from, just opinions and a link to a selection of studies that are far from conclusive which are often just the starting points to fund larger studies. Dr. Dominic D’Agostino I know of already his research is based on treating certain diseases not long sustained periods as a primary diet but is good work and adds to further evidence in the field but his cancer statements are a bit far flung as the evidence doesn't support them. There are actually a lot of studies showing a change in metabolism (a quick search on pubmed will highlight this) due to the diet over long terms, specifically the ability to distribute certain minerals (whether this is a negative or a positive is remained to be seen), glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, inability to process calcium, impact on kidneys due to amounts of protein being used as the go to energy source, etc.

 

[HariKari]

It's all diet.

Cut out carbs. Your body doesn't need them unless you are an athlete.

People who are saying 'drop carbs' don't have a clue on nutrition.

Protein and fat are satiating, carbs are very easy to overeat in modern society. You literally do not need any carbs. The human body is happy to chug along without them.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

Its true from anecdotal evidence that diet is completely vital.

I've been going to the gym about three months, three times a week for about an hour, doing plenty of cardio. But over my summer break from work I've been eating and drinking pretty much whatever I pleased. I've lost absolutely no weight, might have even put a little on.

 

[cyberheater]

Yes. Loosing fat is more 80% diet 20% exercise. If you loose weight and don't exercise you will loose more muscles.

Yes exercise is important to keep hold of muscle mass but at the end of the day. Loosing weight is 100% diet.

 

[Circinus]

You don't need to cut carbs completely, you just need a calorie deficit. Obviously cutting carbs can help towards the latter, but a lot of people here seem needlessly carbophobic.

Edit: I'd say you should definitely cut added sugar, refined flour/grain products and fruit juices though (those are calorically very dense foods, with little nutritional value), but there's nothing wrong with vegetables, legumes, fruit, berries, mushrooms, whole grains etc which all have carbohydrates, but aren't very calorically dense and provides lots of other benefits in terms of nutrients.

It's all diet.

Cut out carbs. Your body doesn't need them unless you are an athlete.



Protein and fat are satiating, carbs are very easy to overeat in modern society. You literally do not need any carbs. The human body is happy to chug along without them.

Legumes, vegetables are very satiating as well and don't have that many carbs. Not to mention, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, berries and fruit to a lesser degree contain lots of fibers that favour a healthy microbiome (which is also linked to much lower likelihood of obesity) and good sensitivity towards hormones that tell you your stomach is full (so you aren't likely to eat too much), they contain multiple beneficial phytochemicals/antioxidants and obviously vitamins and minerals, so I think overall carbohydrate-rich whole foods are something worth including in your diet. Just make make sure you create a caloric deficit if you want to lose weight. Whether it's high fat or high carb, you'll lose weight as long as it's a caloric deficit.

 

[Fluvian]

I'm in the diet is more important camp, if you don't restrict those calories and eat good food your chances of burning off all your calories aren't good, if you diet well you have to workout less to burn the calories.

 

[ChryZ]

It's NOT all diet, the body will end up lowering its metabolism to adjust to the deficit, in the end by reducing lean mass. Less muscles, less energy required to keep things running. Being active (cardio, lifting, etc) will signal to the body that the lean mass is still required. The day will come when you start to ramp up the calories again, being active will help to keep the fat off. The 100% diet peeps will just yo-yo back to their former fat level and beyond.

 

[SoundLad]

Figure out your daily calories for maintaining weight (TDEE) and then aim to hit maybe 400-500 calories less than that daily so you will be at a caloric deficit.

Eat whatever you like as long as you stay at a deficit. Nutritious foods will keep you satiated.

I would still recommend avoiding sugar as much as possible, sugar is the most fattening "nutrient" around and serves no purpose for your body.

I'm a 6' 3" guy and I used to weigh around 110kg (240lbs) and now down to 80kg (175lbs) by following the above advice and it took me around 2 years (quiteslow imo, probably due to cheat days..).
I also mixed in weight lifting / body weight training 3-4 times a week and ensured that around 60% of my calories come from protein sources so I wouldn't lose too much muscle mass.

 

[bidguy]

you dont have to lift. weightlifting + high protein intake and a low deficit is recommended for people who dont wanna lose muscle mass. i assume you dont have much ?

you can just run a caloric deficit or mix some cardio in if it makes you feel better

 

[SoundLad]

It's NOT all diet, the body will end up lowering its metabolism to adjust to the deficit, in the end by reducing lean mass. Less muscles, less energy required to keep things running. Being active (cardio, lifting, etc) will signal to the body that the lean mass is still required. The day will come when you start to ramp up the calories again, being active will help to keep the fat off. The 100% diet peeps will just yo-yo back to their former fat level and beyond.

Weight gain/loss is all calories in vs calories out. Diets don't fail, people fail. People who commit to a lifestyle change will not just "yo-yo" back to their original weight like magic.

I hate the word "diet", think of it more like a lifestyle change.

It is true that as you lose weight your TDEE will lower, so as you lose more weight you may need to re-calculate your TDEE and lower your daily caloric limit gradually until you hit your goal.

 

[Kaffeemann]

The "just cut your calorie intake" recommendation is an oversimplification. Watch this.
Even if you only eat 1500 kcal per day you will get fat it all colories come from sugar.

Remove sugar from your diet (that includes honey), remove fast food, remove refined carbs. Replace them with vegetables, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds and some fruits.
That alone will make you lose weigth, without calorie counting and without being hungry.

 

[bidguy]

Weight gain/loss is all calories in vs calories out.

its not.

you have to have a decent macro split. theres also good fat and "bad" fat, empty calories, long chain carbs. its definitely not as easy as carbs in carbs out.

edit: what Kaffemann said

 

[SoundLad]

its not.

you have to have a decent macro split. theres also good fat and "bad" fat, empty calories, long chain carbs. its definitely not as easy as carbs in carbs out.

edit: what Kaffemann said

I never said "carbs in carbs out".

Calories in Calories out. Your calories come from carbs, protein, fat and alcohol.

 

[Sijil]

Cardio and healthy diet, I stopped bread and meat, managed to drop from 88 kilos to 70 in 6 months then an additional 9 kilos later, reaching 61 kilos, I'm 169 cm tall.

Worked so well I started to look like a skeleton, loosing weight is easier than gaining now, I've managed to climb back to 65 after six months of heavy eating, except for bread.

 

[cyberheater]

It's NOT all diet, the body will end up lowering its metabolism to adjust to the deficit, in the end by reducing lean mass. Less muscles, less energy required to keep things running. Being active (cardio, lifting, etc) will signal to the body that the lean mass is still required. The day will come when you start to ramp up the calories again, being active will help to keep the fat off. The 100% diet peeps will just yo-yo back to their former fat level and beyond.

Yes we know this but the only way to lose weight is to have a consumer less calories then you use. Hence why we say it's all diet. Running 100 miles will not reduce your weight one gram if you don't consume less calories then your body needs.

Once again. It's all diet.

 

[Ardenyal]

Count your calories. Really easy to do when apps can just scan the bar code and get all the info just like that.

 

[cyberheater]

its not.

Yes it is and multiple studies have proved it.

edit: what Kaffemann said

First thing. No one is every going to consume their whole calorie intake in sugar and no one has every done a study where sugar was the only calorie intake.

I do agree though that having a good diet is important for your general health. Eating sensibly and reducing the quantity of food you eat is all you need to do to lose weight. It's that simple.

 

[FreddieQuell]

The thing someone should take away from reading this thread is not that nobody actually knows what to do (seeing as their are so many differing opinions). It should be that there are a lot of ways to lose weight. So don't get paralyzed trying to figure out which is right. Just pick one that you think you can stick with and do it.

 

[Patrick Young]

It's probably not recommended, but skipping meals is goin' great for me! The trick is to not make up for it with some large follow up meal afterwards. A normal meal will still do it for you.

I usually skip breakfast. I get to sleep in a bit more because of it. If I have a big lunch, I'll usually have nothing or something very small for dinner. For example, today I had Hungry Jacks for lunch. I'm not skipping dinner, but I've just had a mandarin and a banana for dinner.

When I'm coming home from getting wasted and I feel super hungry, I only buy a small meal. Turns out you're not as hungry as you think you are.

In closing, I use my laziness for something good.

 

[ChryZ]

Yes we know this but the only way to lose weight is to have a consumer less calories then you use. Hence why we say it's all diet. Running 100 miles will not reduce your weight one gram if you don't consume less calories then your body needs.

Once again. It's all diet.

I know what you mean, but to summarize everything with "it's all diet" is misleading and oversimplifying to the point of being counterproductive.

 

[TechnicPuppet]

Yeah fasting will work best for you. Generally trying to keep as long between meals as you can is a good plan.

 

[Kaffeemann]

OP, you should get information from reliable sources. Most people have no idea what they are talking about when discussing weight loss.
I recommend reading:
Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease by Robert H. Lustig
and
Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It Paperback by Gary Taubes

 

[MarkMclovin]

The more books and threads you read, the more complex it'll get for you.

At your current weight, I would do 2 simple things.

1. Walk everyday as much as you want, but put in at least 30 minutes a day. If you miss a day, then that's an hour the next day. On the weekends or free days, double it.
2. Calorie deficit.

That's it for now. When you get to around 220lbs, jog. When you get to 200lbs, start running. When you start getting fitter, increase the miles. When you can hit 6 miles, increase your speed.

My other piece of advise, is get a Fitbit HR, unless you already know your cals in/out per day.

Keep it up.

 

[Korey]

KETO

You are 100% GUARANTEED to lose weight. There is virtually zero way to gain weight while on a keto diet.

You basically aim to eat 0 carbs, and you can eat as much protein and fat as you want. As long as you eat no carbs, you can literally eat as much as you want and lose weight.

Eat as much bacon, eggs, cheese as you want while watching your weight drop.

You don't even have to exercise. You don't have to count calories. Eat no carbs = lose weight drastically. That's it.

Check out https://www.reddit.com/r/keto for more info.

----

Also, stop listening to the "calorie deficit" people. While they're not wrong, it takes way more effort, exercise, etc. to do that.

The only thing you need to do with keto is not eat carbs. You don't have to exercise. This isn't easy at the beginning since you'll have to stop eating most of the foods that you love, but it's much more sustainable. And you'll see DRASTIC results.

 

[HariKari]

Keto

You are 100% GUARANTEED to lose weight. There is virtually zero way to gain weight while on a keto diet.

You basically aim to eat 0 carbs, and you can eat as much protein and fat as you want. As long as you eat no carbs, you can literally eat as much as you want and lose weight.

Check out https://www.reddit.com/r/keto for more info.

It's the single most successful thing I've ever personally done and recommended to others. After the adjustment period, it gets really easy. That initial water weight drop is huge for diet adherence, people love it. It's very hard to eat a caloric surplus if you are following the diet.

Obviously you should educate yourself about macros and whatnot but Keto is so simple and effective that it really should be pushed by professionals more.

 

[Randomizer123454444]

Calorie deficit.. diet doesn't really matter IMO as long as it's healthy, there is calorie deficit and you can stick with it. Calorie deficit is the key.

There is virtually zero way to gain weight while on a keto diet.

Is that a challenge?

 

[Unhandled Exception]

I've lost close to 60 lbs since December. In the last 3 months I've faced some serious weight loss plateaus that I've only been able to break by weight lifting, but to be fair I hate cardio and it was not my first choice.

Basically what I've learned is that it does pretty much all come down to diet and eating habits. "Changing the way you eat" is like the most base level advice that can be given about it because for some people it seriously is not that simple. It's taken a LOT of time for me to figure out how to STICK with my eating habit changes. Changing them was easy enough, but as I lost more weight I was obviously eating less and less and that's where things actually got difficult for me.

Some days I'd have a few hundred calories extra because I wasn't eating things that kept me full enough even with the best of intentions. Those days were honestly the biggest learning experiences for me in that I learned how to not see them as failures or major setbacks but just info gathering and eventually seeing things that way also alleviated the feelings of failure on those days.

I'm now eating in such a way where I'm getting enough protein to bulk muscle mass but still lose fat for now and I've honestly never felt better about food overall. Did I really feel in my heart back in December that I'd be at this point, ever? Fucking no way. I thought at best I'd be able to lose 20 lbs and learn how to be happy with it. What I didn't know was just how much of a slow process it can be mentally, but just because it is slow doesn't mean anything is wrong. A lifetime of bad habits and training yourself to do unhealthy things takes awhile to unlearn.

I also became a vegetarian on the same day that I started changing things in December. Keto is an option but it's obviously not the only option.

 

[FreddieQuell]

Keto

You are 100% GUARANTEED to lose weight. There is virtually zero way to gain weight while on a keto diet.

You basically aim to eat 0 carbs, and you can eat as much protein and fat as you want. As long as you eat no carbs, you can literally eat as much as you want and lose weight.

Check out https://www.reddit.com/r/keto for more info.

That's bullshit man. You can gain weight eating only fats and protein. A calorie deficit still matters even if you're in ketosis.

 

[Korey]

Is that a challenge?

Actually it is. I've tried to gain weight on keto, done a lot of research and gotten opinions on reddit and such. Most people say it basically can't be done. Well, you COULD obviously but it's really, really hard.

On Keto you're satiated long before you'd be at a point where you'd eat a calorie surplus and gain weight.

That's bullshit man. You can gain weight eating only fats and protein. A calorie deficit still matters even if you're in ketosis.

In real world situations you'll never do that. Normal people will never eat enough to get a surplus on keto.

But yes, calorie deficit still applies. With keto, a calorie deficit is automatic due to being satiated from fat/protein.

 

[HariKari]

That's bullshit man. You can gain weight eating only fats and protein. A calorie deficit still matters even if you're in ketosis.

Absolutely. But in practice it's very hard because you're eating very satiating foods and the caloric deficit created by eliminating carbs is massive.

 

[LosDaddie]

Proper diet - I prefer low carb, but I don't go crazy like the fanatical low-carbers
Regular exercise - cardio & weights are both important
Enough sleep - very important and often overlooked

And just be patient.

 

[Randomizer123454444]

Absolutely. But in practice it's very hard because you're eating very satiating foods and the caloric deficit created by eliminating carbs is massive.

My problem has always been emotional eating. It took way, way too long for me to realise that I'm walking to make some food not because I'm hungry...but because I had something that I had to do. But instead of doing what I had to do, I went and started eating instead. You can imagine how this is a problem when a small things like "I need to take out the trash" could trigger it for me. It took me almost 10 years to realise this and my mind was blown when I did.

Sure, people gain too much weight because their bodies don't feel satisfied, but I believe many underestimate the extra eating caused by other reasons than hunger. And in that case, it doesn't matter if you are on keto or not.

 

[Sapiens]

IMO, don't starve yourself. Stop this stupid egg and hot sauce thing (there's sugar in it btw). Make balanced meals.

Cut out all sugar though. All of it. Limit bread. You don't have to eliminate it, but really cut it down.

Try to have four good meals a day (plan ahead on sundays). Eggs/bacon/fruit in the morning.

Lots of chicken, sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli and other things for more satisfying meals.

I don't know where you got this egg and hot sauce thing, but it is going to make you miserable.

Eat proper food. Proper meals. Cut Sugar.


Go to the gym. IMO - healthy weight loss is 33/33/33. Good diet, good weight training and a good nights sleep.

When you're snacky, go to costco and get the mixed nuts (no peanuts) with no salt.

Drink lots of water. Go the gym three times a week for an hour each time - that is the minimum. Gym anxiety? No one cares about you. Just put your headphones on and work. That is what everyone else is doing.

Don't eat stupid gimmick diets because you can't do that forever - eat real and proper food.

You're probably not going to like the weight training thing, but you want to make it past 40 right?

 

[MarkMclovin]

KETO

You are 100% GUARANTEED to lose weight. There is virtually zero way to gain weight while on a keto diet.

You basically aim to eat 0 carbs, and you can eat as much protein and fat as you want. As long as you eat no carbs, you can literally eat as much as you want and lose weight.

You don't even have to exercise. Eat no carbs = lose weight drastically. That's it.

Check out https://www.reddit.com/r/keto for more info.

----

Also, stop listening to the "calorie deficit" people. While they're not wrong, it takes way more effort, exercise, etc. to do that.

The only thing you need to do with keto is not eat carbs. You don't have to exercise. This isn't easy at the beginning since you'll have to stop eating most of the foods that you love, but it's much more sustainable. And you'll see DRASTIC results.

You're completely forgetting any reason why the OP is the weight he/she is.

The whole message of 'you don't need to exercise' isn't what the OP needs to hear right now. Not only that, but the transition of going from eating carbs to near 0 is far more difficult than you say. It requires a lot of research and a massive change on lifestyle.

And you're not 100% guaranteed to lose weight either. I tried Keto at least 3 times and only the once did I lose. It's an easy way to get frustrated and put you off the whole thing, that's for sure.

What makes taking 300 to 500 calories from your maintenance so difficult?

 

[Tadale]

As someone who is finally making good progress losing weight, the only thing that has worked for me is calorie tracking using an app like MyFitnessPal, supplemented by cardio (hiking and couch to 5k for me). I've tried restrictive diets like keto before, and I eventually will fall off because I need to be able to eat what I want in moderation.

 

[Korey]

My problem has always been emotional eating. It took way, way too long for me to realise that I'm walking to make some food not because I'm hungry...but because I had something that I had to do. But instead of doing what I had to do, I went and started eating instead. You can imagine how this is a problem when a small things like "I need to take out the trash" could trigger it for me. It took me almost 10 years to realise this and my mind was blown when I did.

Sure, people gain too much weight because their bodies don't feel satisfied, but I believe many underestimate the extra eating caused by other reasons than hunger. And in that case, it doesn't matter if you are on keto or not.

Extra or guilt eating isn't a thing when you're on Keto though. Most if not all addictive foods are carbs.

And even if you did guilt eat, it still wouldn't matter on keto. You can eat as much protein/fat as you want and virtually never gain weight. There are people that pig out on bacon and eggs while watching their weight drop.

You're completely forgetting any reason why the OP is the weight he/she is.

The whole message of 'you don't need to exercise' isn't what the OP needs to hear right now. Not only that, but the transition of going from eating carbs to near 0 is far more difficult than you say. It requires a lot of research and a massive change on lifestyle.

And you're not 100% guaranteed to lose weight either. I tried Keto at least 3 times and only the once did I lose. It's an easy way to get frustrated and put you off the whole thing, that's for sure.

What makes taking 300 to 500 calories from your maintenance so difficult?

1) Calorie counting takes way more effort. Way more. As such, it's not as sustainable if you're just trying to lose weight. And unless you starve yourself, you have to exercise to counter any calories you eat.

Keto, you simply don't eat bread/pasta/rice/sugars. Yes, this takes some research and adjustment, but it's intuitive and works once you commit to not eating those foods.


2) "What makes taking 300 to 500 calories from your maintenance so difficult?" With non-keto diets, you get hungry while you're dieting. This is why tons of people fail.

With keto, you can eat as much as you want, as long as it's not carbs. You feel satiated. You never have to not-eat. That's what makes it win. Add cheese to everything, it'll fill you up quick.

If you tried keto and didn't lose weight, you did something wrong or you didn't stay with it long enough. I do understand it's tough not eating carbs. After enough time, it becomes normal though and you don't crave the same foods you did before.

 

[HariKari]

Sure, people gain too much weight because their bodies don't feel satisfied, but I believe many underestimate the extra eating caused by other reasons than hunger. And in that case, it doesn't matter if you are on keto or not.

It's hard to emotionally overeat chicken breasts is all. If you're following the restrictions, it's very hard. If you count calories and give it an honest go, it's the easiest way to diet.

 

[Rogan]

Calorie deficit + weightlifting

Hehe.

But yeah, calorie deficit + weightlifting.

Went from 396 lbs to 264 lbs with training and a good variation in diet.

 

[Crimson_Echidna]

which is it!

If you're main goal is to specifically lose weight, the definitely Cardio.

Weight Lifting doesn't burn nearly the amount of fat that consistent cardio does. Now if you're interested in toning your body, you're going to want to also include weight training.

 

[poppabk]

The "just cut your calorie intake" recommendation is an oversimplification. Watch this.
Even if you only eat 1500 kcal per day you will get fat it all colories come from sugar.

Remove sugar from your diet (that includes honey), remove fast food, remove refined carbs. Replace them with vegetables, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds and some fruits.
That alone will make you lose weigth, without calorie counting and without being hungry.

Except that professor who ate pretty much nothing but Twinkies and lost 30 pounds.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/