# Thoughts on droppin lbs?



## Shepard (Nov 27, 2012)

Trying to get down to the weight (and BP) I would like to/should be at. I'm about 50 lbs over where I need to be. I'm running again which is helping, but I start working 12s this weekend Thurs-Sun. I leave home at about 7:45 and get home if I'm not held over at 22:00. This doesn't give me a huge amount of time to run or work out. Any thoughts on something I can do at home or quickly before I leave in the morning?


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## 46Young (Nov 27, 2012)

Shepard said:


> Trying to get down to the weight (and BP) I would like to/should be at. I'm about 50 lbs over where I need to be. I'm running again which is helping, but I start working 12s this weekend Thurs-Sun. I leave home at about 7:45 and get home if I'm not held over at 22:00. This doesn't give me a huge amount of time to run or work out. Any thoughts on something I can do at home or quickly before I leave in the morning?



Paleo diet, and bodyweight workouts from this site:

http://www.wodshop.org/

Go to WOD, choose bodyweight, and then find one that needs no equipment and suits you.


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## bigbaldguy (Nov 27, 2012)

Work on one thing at a time. Start with your diet. I've got nothing against the Paleo diet but I'll tell you right now it sounds like a true PITA to maintain as someone in EMS. My advice would be to start by figuring exactly how many calories you're supposed to be taking in a day then start reading labels of everything you eat. Don't worry about cutting back for the first month or so just get an idea of what you are taking in and what you should be taking in. then after a couple months of doing this you can set up a game plan for losing calories by substitution. Start thinking I can eat this instead of that.

Also buy a lunch box and prepare all your food for your shift. You can not I repeat can not keep track of much less control your caloric intake if you eat out it just won't happen. 

Good luck  I just dropped 50 pounds and I'm telling you it is a wonderful feeling.


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## mycrofft (Nov 27, 2012)

Bring snacks of a controlled nature for each shift. Spend some money if you need to. If the hunger hits you, have a V8 and a granola bar (no chocolate ones, compare calories; and not dusty old store brands). Just breaking the snacking syndrome will help to start, open up your eating habits like a plow turning soil, ready to plant new habits. Buy a good bottle water and drink it copiously.

ANd while you're getting that at Safeway, pick me up a couple pizzas will ya?


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## Jon (Nov 27, 2012)

Some good ideas already


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## Shepard (Nov 27, 2012)

Thanks guys. It sounds like diet is the way to go when I'm on shift.
I just got a lunchbox down from the veerrry top shelf and were gonna see where this goes. Currently at 240 at 6'1. Lets see where I am in a couple months. Going for 190.
BBG, Congrats. Not an easy task!


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## mycrofft (Nov 27, 2012)

Oddly, make sure your lunchbox (supper bucket, whatever) is LARGE enough to hole EVERYTHING so you stay away from the ref rig and the vending machine.


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## bigbaldguy (Nov 27, 2012)

Mycroft makes a good point about spending money. I've always found it absurd that people will drop 100s of dollars a month on fad diets and gizmos but will balk at paying an extra 20 percent on food to eat healthy. Don't skimp when you shop for your lunch bag because

A. No matter what you spend it will still probably be cheaper than eating out three meals a day plus vending machine costs.

B. If its not good you'll be tempted to skip it and buy crap food from the closest fast food place.

Another thing that worked for me is if I did get caught out with no food instead of going to a restaurant or fast food place I'd try and find a nice grocery store and buy lunch out of the prepared food section. Not as good as making your own but better than nothing.

Also remember that if it's inconvienent you won't eat it.  Try to make everything nice and convienent. Fast food places make millions because the last thing you want to do when you're hungry is make your lunch. Have it all ready to go.


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## eprex (Dec 1, 2012)

Stop making excuses is the first step. Not trying to be a jerk, but make it happen. Diet is going to make the difference here. Exercise has been found to be an effective weight maintainer- it's not nearly as efficacious when it comes to weight loss. 

By all means start moving more. Do something that makes you sweat every day. If you have a partner, work out together. Don't have 30 minutes to run? Try 10 minutes of jump rope. I try to tell people who are concerned about their weight just to do SOMETHING. Put some music on and dance, even if you can't dance. Just make sure you push yourself. People fail to lose weight (and people like me fail to gain weight) because we are not consistent enough. People give up on "diets" after the first week. Don't look at it like a diet. Look at it the way it really is- you've been eating like crap and now you're going to eat properly.

Short of illnesses like hypothyroidism, you're taking in more calories than you burn. Start eating ~2,000 calories a day (unless you're eating an ungodly amount of food, then you'll want to taper down more slowly) of primarily lean protein and vegetables. Shoot for 200g carbs from primarily complex sources. Fish, especially tuna fish, should be your new friend. Find creative ways to make food healthier and sufferable. I absolutely hate tuna fish and I can eat it no problem by adding mustard.

Paleo would work but it would be extreme at the moment. That's besides the fact it's costly as a hell if done properly.


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## Tigger (Dec 1, 2012)

I'm not convinced about the paleo-diet. My nutritionist mother is rather against it because of how it can prevent one from not getting enough carbs to remain healthy. Also with all the meat intake can come excessive fat intake so you still need to pay attention to what he content of your food is.

Above all though, cook for yourself. Break even food shopping by ceasing to buy snack food and put it back into higher quality foods.

I moved out of college housing a year ago, now I cook all my meals and lost 12 pounds with zero effort. It's helped my running tremendously, and I'm worried now that I almost don't eat enough (6' 2" 173lbs).


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## Aidey (Dec 1, 2012)

Tigger said:


> *I'm not convinced about the paleo-diet. My nutritionist mother is rather against it because of how it can prevent one from not getting enough carbs to remain healthy. Also with all the meat intake can come excessive fat intake so you still need to pay attention to what he content of your food is.*
> 
> Above all though, cook for yourself. Break even food shopping by ceasing to buy snack food and put it back into higher quality foods.
> 
> I moved out of college housing a year ago, now I cook all my meals and lost 12 pounds with zero effort. It's helped my running tremendously, and I'm worried now that I almost don't eat enough (6' 2" 173lbs).



Huh? Carbs aren't an essential nutrient, you don't need to eat them. And define "excessive fat intake".


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## eprex (Dec 1, 2012)

You can still get your carbs eating sweet potatoes, etc. the last time I check, paleo is the removal of grains. The ideology is to stick to a diet that our ancestors had as our bodies cannot handle today's industrialized diet. 

You're also supposed to be eating organic meat (grass fed beef, etc) which is why paleo is so damn expensive. I still wouldn't eat red meat multiple times a week though.


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## 46Young (Dec 1, 2012)

Tigger said:


> I'm not convinced about the paleo-diet. My nutritionist mother is rather against it because of how it can prevent one from not getting enough carbs to remain healthy. Also with all the meat intake can come excessive fat intake so you still need to pay attention to what he content of your food is.
> 
> Above all though, cook for yourself. Break even food shopping by ceasing to buy snack food and put it back into higher quality foods.
> 
> I moved out of college housing a year ago, now I cook all my meals and lost 12 pounds with zero effort. It's helped my running tremendously, and I'm worried now that I almost don't eat enough (6' 2" 173lbs).



Hyperinsulinism is a common cause of a number of diseases, such as obesity, CAD, HTN, dyslipidemia, hypothyroid, infertility, endometriosis, DM, type III diabetes (dementias), and the proliferation of cancers. Just google or bing hyperinsulinemia/hyperinsulinism and any of these conditions and check it out. 

Look up "Syndrome X" or the "Deadly Quartet" as well. Gary Taubes' "Why We Get Fat" is a good read as well.

You can get plenty of carbs from fruits, not to mention that sweet potato and the squash family are also paleo BTW. Plenty of carbs there if you need them. Sweet potato fries are like eating candy!

Regarding carbs, there's nothing you get by eating grains and starches that you can't get elsewhere.

BTW, a lot of CrossFitters do Zone Paleo, so 40% of their calories are from carbs.


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## 46Young (Dec 1, 2012)

bigbaldguy said:


> Mycroft makes a good point about spending money. I've always found it absurd that people will drop 100s of dollars a month on fad diets and gizmos but will balk at paying an extra 20 percent on food to eat healthy. Don't skimp when you shop for your lunch bag because
> 
> A. No matter what you spend it will still probably be cheaper than eating out three meals a day plus vending machine costs.
> 
> ...



Broccoli cole slaw, one package, turkey kielbasa sliced up, some cashews, and Italian dressing. Two meals right there. Carry a couple of apples, some nuts, and some steak stripe from Costco or beef jerky and you're set for around $10-12 on a 12 hour shift, where you're going to eat 2-3 meals plus snacks as a rule.


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## Agent Cooper (Dec 2, 2012)

I'm in the midst of trying to lose weight and one thing that I have found helpful is this app called MyFitnessPal. It creates a kind of nutritional profile based on your weight and goals and tells you how many calories you should get a day and what those calories should consist of. 

You can input the foods you've eaten (and it has a really huge database) and the exercise you've done and it does the calculations to tell you how many calories you have left for the day, how much sugar, fat, carbs, protein, etc. 

I'm not sure it would really help with a specific diet like Paleo, but it is good for a calories-in calories-out kind of diet. For me, it really helped me start out because just getting into the habit of putting in what you've eaten and seeing how horrendous it is did a lot to change my eating habits.

I'm pretty sure it's free, too.


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## NYMedic828 (Dec 2, 2012)

46Young said:


> Hyperinsulinism is a common cause of a number of diseases, such as obesity, CAD, HTN, dyslipidemia, hypothyroid, infertility, endometriosis, DM, type III diabetes (dementias), and the proliferation of cancers. Just google or bing hyperinsulinemia/hyperinsulinism and any of these conditions and check it out.
> 
> Look up "Syndrome X" or the "Deadly Quartet" as well. Gary Taubes' "Why We Get Fat" is a good read as well.
> 
> ...



How do you get away with the Paleo diet when you are at the firehouse on shift? Do you guys cook as a family? Do you just not eat the carbs they cook?

I honestly just eat what I want while remaining health conscious. (I don't frequent eat the bad fast foods) I also do my best to eat only fresh cooked foods and not processed reheated garbage. I cheat on occasion like anyone else though with some chinese 

I have done minimal research on diets but the paleo diet interests me since I am basically a cave man anyway. The only shirts I own with sleeves are my uniforms lol.

Is it basically just eating ONLY naturally produced products of nature? Meat and green veggies? I can easily do that... as much as I love brown rice.


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## 46Young (Dec 2, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> How do you get away with the Paleo diet when you are at the firehouse on shift? Do you guys cook as a family? Do you just not eat the carbs they cook?
> 
> I honestly just eat what I want while remaining health conscious. (I don't frequent eat the bad fast foods) I also do my best to eat only fresh cooked foods and not processed reheated garbage. I cheat on occasion like anyone else though with some chinese
> 
> ...



Scoop of Muscle Milk mixed with water and instant coffee and I'm out the door to work. I cook myself breakfast right before line-up, typically three eggs, six strips of turkey bacon, and a bowl of berries. Post workout same Muscle Milk as earlier, shower, clothes in laundry, then lunch - typically broccoli cole slaw with turkey sausage (already cooked), with cashews and italian dressing. Dinner is whatever they make, but I'm out if it's a straight pasta dish or something similar (pasta/sauce, strombolis, jumbalaya, etc.) I snack on Costco steak strips, apples, and a nut mix, also from Costco. When I PT, before I start, if I'm on the medic I leave the steak strips and nuts on the dash so I can snack on the way to the call and be empty enough to PT when I get back.

When I work IFT, same snacks, and I cut up two turkey sausages and a whole package of slaw in a large tupperware in a cooler. This makes two meals, enough for 8-12 hours. If I go over, I can hit chick fil-a for a four piece strip entree only, and use one of my apples. 

If my blood sugar gets low, I have Chobani yogurts. I PT'ed down to a BGL of 51 the other day. "Chelsea" Crossfit WOD as Rx and then some skills work on the rings. I was trembling like I was about to get into a fight, persistently sweaty for no reason, and I couldn't think straight.


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## NYMedic828 (Dec 2, 2012)

46Young said:


> Scoop of Muscle Milk mixed with water and instant coffee and I'm out the door to work. I cook myself breakfast right before line-up, typically three eggs, six strips of turkey bacon, and a bowl of berries. Post workout same Muscle Milk as earlier, shower, clothes in laundry, then lunch - typically broccoli cole slaw with turkey sausage (already cooked), with cashews and italian dressing. Dinner is whatever they make, but I'm out if it's a straight pasta dish or something similar (pasta/sauce, strombolis, jumbalaya, etc.) I snack on Costco steak strips, apples, and a nut mix, also from Costco. When I PT, before I start, if I'm on the medic I leave the steak strips and nuts on the dash so I can snack on the way to the call and be empty enough to PT when I get back.
> 
> When I work IFT, same snacks, and I cut up two turkey sausages and a whole package of slaw in a large tupperware in a cooler. This makes two meals, enough for 8-12 hours. If I go over, I can hit chick fil-a for a four piece strip entree only, and use one of my apples.
> 
> If my blood sugar gets low, I have Chobani yogurts. I PT'ed down to a BGL of 51 the other day. "Chelsea" Crossfit WOD as Rx and then some skills work on the rings. I was trembling like I was about to get into a fight, persistently sweaty for no reason, and I couldn't think straight.



Do you lose weight on that diet or do you just maintain? Idk what your goals are.

That diet sounds pretty damn delicious. Eggs and turkey bacon... hhhnggggg.

I never saw those steak strips before, It looks like its just beef jerky? That stuff gets expensive?

Loveeeee Chobani 0%. I should buy more. 




My breakfast is usually a protein pancake. Takes like 10 minutes to make. 

Big scoop of whey vanilla (25g)
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tsp flax seeds (milled)
2 eggs (whites only)

Some sugar free syrup and light cool whip. Omnomnom.



My lunch/dinner the past few days has been plain boiled chicken, rice, black beans. Lathered in sriracha sauce 

I usually have a salad with dinner and I snack on apples/peanutbutter. Usually have a handful of plain shelled almonds with me at work too.

My downfall is I am ALWAYS hunger and I can eat more food than most mortal men can in two sittings per meal.






You diabetic that you actually check your BGL? I've checked it before for :censored::censored::censored::censored:s and giggles but don't regularly.


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## 46Young (Dec 2, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> Do you lose weight on that diet or do you just maintain? Idk what your goals are.
> 
> That diet sounds pretty damn delicious. Eggs and turkey bacon... hhhnggggg.
> 
> ...



Love the sriracha! We call it "rooster sauce" and I use it on my eggs and anything Mexican.

You make breakfast like a boss!

No, I'm not diabetic. I did "Chelsea," which is 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats every minute on the minute for 30 mins. That's 900 reps, and then I di skill work on the rings - lever, L-sits, muscle-ups to ring dips, that sort of thing. I felt real weird when doing the ring stuff, so I had a hunch and checked my BGL. 

The steak strips are "Kirkland," and are at Costco. They're $9/pack, and it breaks down to 12 grams of protein per dollar, for comparison's sake. Beef jerky at the grocery store or 7-11 typically runs only 6 or 7 grams of protein per dollar. The product is basically marinated top round steak that is partially dehydrated and sliced up. It's the real deal. You have to refrigerate it within three days or it goes bad. 

The above sample firehouse diet is how I lost bodyfat while increasing strength and also lowering my WOD times. If I need a bump, I'll either pound some Kirkland fruit&nut (cherries, cranberries, almonds, pistachios, walnuts), or a Greek yogurt trail mix (yogurt chips, almonds, pomegranate seeds, almonds).

At home, I bake vegetables:

Broccoli crowns brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and pepper, 350 degrees 30 mins

Carrots same as above, 45 mins

Kale "chips," same as above, plus a liberal amount of parmesan cheese (dairy is not paleo, but the cheese negates the bitter taste), 20 mins

Green and yellow Zucchini in a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper, until it's how you like it.

Spaghetti Squash is a staple as well. If you do that, you can have one or two pieces of Texas Toast with that and be fine.


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## NYMedic828 (Dec 2, 2012)

46Young said:


> Love the sriracha! We call it "rooster sauce" and I use it on my eggs and anything Mexican.
> 
> You make breakfast like a boss!
> 
> ...





I want those kirkland steak strips... Sadly i'm a BJs member not Costco... I can get them online but the shipping negates the savings :glare:

Maybe i can get a 1 day trial and buy a stockpile and freeze it.


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## NYMedic828 (Dec 2, 2012)

You should pick up a smartshake. Greatest invention ever. (I bought 4 lol)


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## 46Young (Dec 2, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> I want those kirkland steak strips... Sadly i'm a BJs member not Costco... I can get them online but the shipping negates the savings :glare:
> 
> Maybe i can get a 1 day trial and buy a stockpile and freeze it.



Just find someone with a Costco membership and give them the funds to buy the strips for you. If the FDNY Academy lets you keep snacks in your gear (ours did), I'd go with either the Greek yogurt mix or the Kirkland Fruit & Nut, and throw some strips in, otherwise you'll bottom out during search, maze training, hose drills, etc. that burn a lot of calories. You don't want anything heavy in your stomach for lunch just in case they make you do a lot of work on air, make you breathe down your cylinder to the last drop (getting choked out in BJJ while winded was pleasureable compared to that), etc. We did "chop till you drop" the second day of SCBA, which is where you chop a log with a purposefully dull axe until you run out of air. If you still have air after a certain amount of time, they make you go up and down stairs with heavy objects until you do run out. Miserable, especially in 90 degree heat, but necessary so that you can deal with being nearly out of air when it counts.


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## 46Young (Dec 2, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> You should pick up a smartshake. Greatest invention ever. (I bought 4 lol)



Where do I get this? Too lazy to google, please don't lmgtfy


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## NYMedic828 (Dec 2, 2012)

46Young said:


> Where do I get this? Too lazy to google, please don't lmgtfy



http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/smartshake/smart-shake.html


I did the buy two get one free. One had a tiny crack in it so they sent me a fourth but the cracked one still works. I bring it to work so if it gets broken its whatever.


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## 46Young (Dec 2, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/smartshake/smart-shake.html
> 
> 
> I did the buy two get one free. One had a tiny crack in it so they sent me a fourth but the cracked one still works. I bring it to work so if it gets broken its whatever.



Thanks.

Forgot to mention, if you're really militant about how much to eat exactly, you could do Zone, but that's too much of a PITA for me. 

Oh yeah, a wise man once told me that carbs are the devil, and peanut butter is third world protein - what they use when they can't afford real protein hahaha


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## NYMedic828 (Dec 2, 2012)

46Young said:


> Thanks.
> 
> Forgot to mention, if you're really militant about how much to eat exactly, you could do Zone, but that's too much of a PITA for me.
> 
> Oh yeah, a wise man once told me that carbs are the devil, and peanut butter is third world protein - what they use when they can't afford real protein hahaha



Yea I don't track what I eat that much. Just keep it healthy as much as I can.

But PB is so delicious  All natural of course, none of that vegetable oil garbage.


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## 46Young (Dec 2, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> Yea I don't track what I eat that much. Just keep it healthy as much as I can.
> 
> But PB is so delicious  All natural of course, none of that vegetable oil garbage.



Cool, so long as you realize that it's not a protein source but actually a fat source, and that it's a legume, and harbors food sensitivities/allergies just like all other legumes (why beans make you bloat and fart, among other things)


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## NYMedic828 (Dec 2, 2012)

46Young said:


> Cool, so long as you realize that it's not a protein source but actually a fat source, and that it's a legume, and harbors food sensitivities/allergies just like all other legumes (why beans make you bloat and fart, among other things)



:sad:


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## NYMedic828 (Dec 5, 2012)

46Young said:


> Cool, so long as you realize that it's not a protein source but actually a fat source, and that it's a legume, and harbors food sensitivities/allergies just like all other legumes (why beans make you bloat and fart, among other things)



I decided to instead of purchasing a costco membership, use the money to buy a jerky maker!

I just threw some marinated top round in the fridge can't wait to use it tomorrow.


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## Shepard (Jan 13, 2013)

*Update*

I'm losing weight. Slowly, but its going.
EAT BREAKFAST. Pack lunch, pack water. No soda, no sugar juice, fruit, sandwiches or wraps are awesome with whole grain bread and lots of veggies. Its important to eat right because that's all that you can really be in control of on the rig.

As far as exercise, when Im not on the rig working, running in the morning 2-5 miles. Bought a pair of 20 lb. Free weights. When I'm watching TV, reading, studying whatever lift those weights. On shift... I'm screwed. We post for 12 hpurs, and get run pretty hard
So basically no exercise 3-4 days a week. At night if there's time I like to do Insanity workouts. 

So that's my regimine. Anyone else? Any tips?


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## Lizadizzle (Feb 17, 2013)

I'm just starting my new 'lifestyle' if you will. Dispatching is terrible for anyone's body - just sitting... doing nothing, for 8 hours is horrifying. 

I've decided to start getting to work a little earlier and dragging up some of the lighter free weights from the gym downstairs. I also plotted out a 12 week plan for working out that meshes with class/work/social life. It's a mix of yoga, insanity and the gym - hopefully it'll work.

As for diet, I track everything that I put in my mouth with the livestrong website. It calculates everything I need for the day and makes me feel like arse when I go over. :glare: *shrug* but it works for me.


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## DeepFreeze (Mar 2, 2013)

*Cha cha cha chia*

I've been doing the chia diet (not the ones you grow on potted plants) and its been helping me drop weight pretty decently (along with exercise) I would highly recommend it. It fills me up, so I eat smaller portions and loaded with anti-oxidants!


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## CAC758 (Mar 22, 2013)

Don't go on any "Diets", you have to change the way you eat. 

Figure out your BMR (Basal metabolic rate, The energy your body will use in a resting state). Look for a calculation online (harris benedict equation preferably), these calculators will usually have you enter your activity level. This will give you the amount of calories that you must eat to MAINTAIN your body weight. 

Intake > Expenditure = Gain 
Intake = expenditure = maintain
intake < expenditure = lose

Eat 500 - 750cal LESS than your BMR+activity level and you will lose weight. 

Download "Fitter fitness calculater (BMR)" and "Myfitnesspal" apps. MYfitnesspal allows you to record (enter in food or scan barcode on package) and track your daily intake and provides you with charts of all your macronutrients. I like to scan all my food and snacks in the morning so i know exactly what you are taking in, and if you need to eat more of less of a certain macronutrient. You want to be eating 5 - 6 times a day. I put most of my weight loss clients on a 50% carb 30% protein 20% fat diet.


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