For those who can answer this:

I probably eat too little since I started watching what I eat, im 225lb, 6'1" and 24 with a broad frame. According to most internet calculators I should eat ~3000 to 3300 a day to maintain. For the past few weeks to months I've eaten between 1200-1500 a day, though I'm sure drinking beer on the weekend makes up for a lot of that difference.

I also always take two GNC Mega Men vitamins and the ultra strength fish oils daily - sometimes one sometimes two

The past two weeks however I've started taking hydroxycut, working out MWF and running T-Th while keeping the same amount of intake. I'm not sure what kind of results I should be seeing, I drink a lot of water ~3 liters a day (maybe a glass of milk but thats all for fluids) +, do the whole protein thing, but not near the 1g per lb, trying to keep it around .5g/lb.

basically the question is am I actually eating too little for the best results? I don't feel all that hungry like my body is pissed off at me but based on simple math I should be losing ~3-4 or so lbs a week at that rate and I'm not.

I know I'm not putting on that much muscle that fast to counteract fatty weight loss, so what gives?

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 11:18 PM. Reason : .]

1/17/2008 11:16:51 PM

maybe the calorie calculator is wrong

1/17/2008 11:18:10 PM

1200-1500 is way too little, especially if you're working out a lot.

1/17/2008 11:23:41 PM

probably underestimating your calorie intake. Unless you're eating veggies and fruit smoothies all day, you're almost certainly getting more than 12-1500 calories a day...

1/17/2008 11:26:22 PM

Um, today for instance, tuna sammich with whole wheat bread, apple, 100 cal protein shake, 200 cal protein bar, (i work third shift) so i'll have another shake in a couple hours and a 350 cal dinner around 3-4am

a 2 mile run also

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 11:31 PM. Reason : .]

1/17/2008 11:27:55 PM

Quote :

"based on simple math I should be losing ~3-4 or so lbs a week at that rate and I'm not. "

How much are you losing?

You really shouldn't be losing more than about 2-2.5 lbs. per week after the first week. If you try to lose more than that your metabolism will probably just slow down.

[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 11:48 PM. Reason : l]

1/17/2008 11:48:38 PM

bout 2 to 3 at best.

but based on 3500 calories = a pound, im wondering if I should add about 500 or so more in daily and I should still be losing 2-3, so I'm wondering if I have obliterated my metabolism, but I thought thats what the hydroxycut hardcore was for.



[Edited on January 17, 2008 at 11:52 PM. Reason : .]

1/17/2008 11:50:16 PM

This might be a bit off-topic and I don't mean to hijack your thread, but how accurate are the calorie counters on the ellipticals/treadmills in the new Carmichael?

1/18/2008 12:02:05 AM

Like any it's gonna be based on an average chart for weight/height and assumptions about phsyical fitness regarding that. Then just the number of repetitions versus how much tension or incline or speed. So if you are "average" shape for your size then it should be relatively close to accurate.

1/18/2008 12:05:45 AM

I don't know what is in Hydroxycut, but more than likely it is just a bunch of weak stimulants such as caffeine. Your body will get a benefit from caffeine initially, but it adjusts to increased caffeine intake pretty quickly. A noticeable adjustment will occur within two to four weeks requiring you to take more to get the same effect (which isn't always safe.)

I wouldn't count on it to do much except take $50 out of your pocket. The old Hydroxycut in the Ephedra days might have done some good.

1/18/2008 12:16:22 AM

Here you go: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/06/043643.php

Quote :

"What we have here is the classic example of how these nutritional supplements are designed and marketed. Hydroxycut is a supplement that combines ingredients with dubious pedigrees with ingredients that may prove to be beneficial in some regard other than weight loss, topped off with stimulants."

Just a bunch of caffeine.

[Edited on January 18, 2008 at 12:20 AM. Reason : l]

1/18/2008 12:18:23 AM

My plan with it was on it 2 to 3 weeks then off a week or two and rotate if I see a benefit from it, else you're right, 50 bucks outta my pocket

Agreed that most of it is bull, but the caffine without the calories in a an energy drink has without a doubt given me a shit ton more energy to get to working out, and after week three I should be in the habit of going to the gym anyway. So I suppose I don't expect it to do the work for me, I'm just using it as a cheap calorie free form of an energy drink.

300mg caffine = zero-carb rockstar = 3bucks
120caps of HH = 45bucks
15 cans for 45 bucks, 7.5 days according to HH dosage
120/6 = 20 days

That much caffine is going to give me one hell of a headache when I'm done but so far it's getting my ass to move.

[Edited on January 18, 2008 at 12:26 AM. Reason : .]

1/18/2008 12:18:57 AM

^weight comes off easier at first so don't be fooled when you switch off the pills and lose less...



[Edited on January 18, 2008 at 12:31 AM. Reason : .]

1/18/2008 12:28:00 AM

no worries there, i was 250 before hydroxycut and lost the first 25 by just cutting out soft drinks and cut way down on fast food

1/18/2008 12:29:38 AM

^ well at least buy it offline 120 for 28

1/18/2008 12:34:31 AM

Quote :

"no worries there, i was 250 before hydroxycut and lost the first 25 by just cutting out soft drinks and cut way down on fast food"

It's also not uncommon to "plateau" for weeks at a time when you lose weight over a long period. It can be really discouraging when you eat great and exercise, but still can't seem to lose a pound. It eventually wears off.

1/18/2008 11:23:24 AM

If you want to lose weight fast run. Run every day. I lost about 10% of my body weight running over the summer/early fall. I suppose I'll fatten up during the winter months, as I don't like running in the cold.

1/18/2008 12:09:41 PM

my thought process: if your body is looking better and you are feeling better, don't worry about the actual weight lost......unless you need to be in a certain weight class or something

remember that eating light every few hours is better for your metabolism than eating heavy 3x per day.......

1/18/2008 12:16:49 PM

^ there is actually no scientific evidence that proves your theory of many meals vs a few...it's a bullshit myth. 2 meals a day or 6, it doesn't matter so long as you're supplying your body with the proper amount of calories/nutrients

OP
1200-1500 is way too low

you could possibly be near starvation mode and if that's the case your body doesn't want to lose fat because it's hording it for energy (since you aren't supplying it with enough)

try upping your calories and see how it goes

[Edited on January 18, 2008 at 1:23 PM. Reason : ]

1/18/2008 1:21:50 PM

^well the myth seems to work

if i eat a little every few hours, i am much less inclined to gorge come "meal times"......the cravings are noticeably not as strong

maybe its just me though

1/18/2008 5:14:03 PM

obviously if you do that you're less inclined to gorge...I was just arguing that scientifically there is no data that supports the theory that many, smaller meals somehow increases your metabolism more than the traditional 3 meals a day

1/18/2008 9:24:26 PM

Quote :

"im 225lb, 6'1" and 24 with a broad frame. According to most internet calculators I should eat ~3000 to 3300 a day to maintain. "

almost all internet calculators operate off of a lean body mass weight, even though they don't tell you this. You have to know what your body fat percentage is in order to come up with a weight to put in. If you can't see the outline of your abs, then you are most likely over 10% body fat. even having as little as 10% body fat makes the difference between 225lbs going into the calculation or 200lbs.

I'm sure that you're grossly underestimating your caloric intake. 1200-1500 would have you starving the majority of the day. You claim to be eating 05g/lb of protein plus fish oil and occasionally a glass of milk. That's 600 calories right there, without counting the additional fats and/or carbs in the protein sources you eat. Unless you eat tuna, chicken, and green beans for your only sources of food, 1200 calories would be very hard to hit.

1/19/2008 2:49:04 PM

Quote :

"there is actually no scientific evidence that proves your theory of many meals vs a few...it's a bullshit myth. 2 meals a day or 6, it doesn't matter so long as you're supplying your body with the proper amount of calories/nutrients"

actually, there is plenty of scientific evidence to support the multiple meals theory. considering that the body doesn't have a way to store protein and that body composition and operation is heavily regulated off of dietary hormones, the studies on this matter make sense. it's a bullshit myth to think that dieting is simply calories out - calories in = weight loss.

1/19/2008 2:52:29 PM

Remember also, that your body is starting to lose fat and build muscle, which is denser. In my experience from not being in shape a few years ago to getting fit (bike commuting, working out), I only dropped a few pounds, but lost a dress size and 2-3 inches from my waist.

My thighs got huge from biking though .

I would keep an eye on your inch measurements (waist, thighs, arms, etc.) to see if there is a difference.

1/19/2008 3:00:58 PM

HiWay58 has only lost one dress size.

1/19/2008 3:23:15 PM

if you're looking for a cheap source of calorie free caffeine, then go to big lots. They have these caffeinated flavor packets that come 10 to a box for a dollar. each packet has 160mg of caffeine along with some other vitamins and minerals that are commonly found in energy drinks. They taste like a cheap crystal light, but for ten cents each you can't complain. most energy drinks taste like garbage anyway, and these things are almost as cheap as generic caffeine pills.

1/19/2008 3:30:20 PM

1/19/2008 4:56:18 PM

I do a lot of dieting in order to prepare for competitions. You are more than welcome to PM me or facebook message me if you like. It looks to me like you are doing the right things. Be careful with internet basal metabolism calculators because they often overshoot your resting metabolism. If you are looking to lose fat quickly, your best bet is to remain in a deep energy deficit (ie: 1500-2000 calories a day consumed WHILE exercising)

One thing to consider is that it will take ~2 weeks to work through your stored glycogen while maintaining a diet low in carbohydrates before your body will be "ready" to start burning fat stores. So, its very important that you keep up your hard work and diet during the first week(s) because you are setting yourself up during that time for fat loss which will follow pretty quickly. It's important that you keep your diet heavy in protein, moderate to low in carbohydrates, and as low as feasible in dietary fats. I recommend that if you like eating a carbohydrate-heavy meal, you have it no more than 2 hours before your workout.




Here's a sample daily workout/diet plan I use when I am gearing up for fat loss:

Cardio: 20-30 minutes ~ 150 heart rate before breakfast
Breakfast: ~400 calories (2 eggs, 1 bacon strip, 4oz no-fat yogurt with granola)
Lunch: ~250 calories (meal replacement/protein shake with 40 protein - 20 carb - 9 fat)
Cardio: 20-30 minutes ~ 150 heart rate an hour-ish after lunch
Weight Training: 50 minutes moderate reps, moderate pace (you shouldn't be eating enough carbs to lift really heavy.)
Cardio: 20 minutes ~190 heart rate immediately after weight training
Dinner: ~400 calories (Less than 10 grams of carbs, high protein, low fat)
Pre-Bedtime: 200 calories (Isopure 0 Carb 0 Fat Whey Protein)

Wake up... repeat... Typically, I follow this schedule for a week before I start seeing real obvious weight loss then I start losing weight fast. Alcohol is really a no-no and can undo an entire week of training =( So, I'd cut that out if it were me.




As far as supplements go, I don't think Hydroxycut is worth it. I do use stimulant/thermogenic "fat burners" sometimes but they are all the same: caffeine, guarana and/or green tea. So, no need to pay big bucks for the name.

I recommend http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=VS-2324 because its cheap and works as well as Hydroxycut or any others.

I also recommend http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=IP-1021 if you are feeling really pooped during your workout-- this stuff really helps.





Other Recommendations:

Learn how to really count your calories. This is the number one thing that gets friends of mine. Don't guess-- really know the stats on the food you are eating. Because there is nothing worse than thinking you are having 500 calories when you are really eating 1000. Its really easy to underestimate calories.

Also, don't expect results overnight. A healthy diet is a successful diet. You are on track and in a few weeks it will really pay off so don't get discouraged. Good Luck!

1/19/2008 10:57:29 PM

1200-1500 calories shouldn't be too low. Although, for your height I would stay more towards the 1500 end to be safe. I wrestled in High School and ate the exact same thing everyday for 3 months to lose 40 pounds:

6:00 breakfast - slim fast bar
9:30 snack - apple/banana
12:00 lunch - slim fast bar and whatever veggie in the cafeteria line looked the most colorful
3:00 snack - apple/banana before wrestling practice
6:00 dinner - pre-made roast beef sub from food lion

That totaled to about 1200-1300 calories a day and I'm 5'10.5" and at the time weighed a little under 210 lbs. I had wrestling practice every day for 2.5 hours and weight lifting for 1.5 hours three times a week, the other 2 days we did agility and conditioning for 1.5 hours. So, I was doing pretty strenuous stuff for 4 hours ever day. Low calories and lots of exercise is definitely the way to go.

Quote :

"I'm sure drinking beer on the weekend makes up for a lot of that difference"

This is probably the main thing thats killing you. Even the newer lower calorie beers have something like 100 calories per can in them. You drink 4 beers and you just popped 400( more like 600-700 with a lot of beers) useless calories PLUS alcohol stops your body from burning fat (and causes several other problems for dieters). http://www.congressionalprogressivecaucus.org/can-alcohol-make-you-fat-how-does-alcohol-make-you-fat.html
That can really put a damper in your weight loss plan.

Quote :

"I've started taking hydroxycut"

Does this stuff have caffeine? Caffeine is another thing that can mess up dieting plans. http://www.teeccino.com/PDFs/weightloss.pdf

1/20/2008 12:06:02 AM

losing weight is easy

if you cut 500 calories out of your diet per day and burn 500 calories a day exercising, you will lose 2 pounds a week(1000 calories a day times 7 days is 7000 calories or 2 pounds of fat), probably even more once your metabolism picks up...probably even more if you eat healthy

[Edited on January 20, 2008 at 12:09 AM. Reason : .]

1/20/2008 12:08:45 AM