Losing Weight...

[TeamSelig]

I've been dieting since early October, just recently began exercising/working out on a regular basis... so far so good. I weighed 195 when I first started, and today I'm at 175. I was actually at 205 lbs this past May, so I've came along way.

Initially, 175 was my goal but now that I'm there, I'm looking to get down to 160 and then add some muscle weight back up to 175.

Anyway, I had a few questions. I'm looking to join the Air Force, which has weight restrictions (175 for my height)... I need to clear that at least by ten pounds. Basically, I'm still needing to lose a little.

Since I've just recently started to do a heavy work out, should I think about drinking protein shakes? At this point, I really don't want to gain any weight, but I would like to burn away the fat. Is this a good idea or not?

Also, my buddy is finally starting to get into a health kick. Probably weighs about 250 (at about 5'11/6'0")... needs to drop significant weight. He's already thinking about buying protein shakes for his workouts. I told him he would probably want to avoid it since he is wanting to drop a bunch of weight. Someone else told him that it would turn the fat into muscle, but I'm not real sure about it.

What do you guys think? Any nutritionists on this board?

[Chip R]

I don't have any suggestions, but congratulations for dropping that weight.

[Newport Red]

You're Redszone's Biggest Loser!

[KoryMac5]

I have heard of guys doing the velocity diet to shake those last few pounds. I wouldn't recommend doing it for a lengthy period of time but you could lose 10 lbs pretty quick. You would be one miserable SOB though as all you eat are protein shakes.

I have dropped about 20lbs myself in about a years time. I think it is always important to mix up your workouts between high intensity training and weights. Weights burn a ton of fat and can eat up calories pretty quick. Cut back on your calories (1200-1500 per day) and mix up your workouts and you should see the extra weight come off. Drink plenty of water and if you do invest in protein shakes just read the back of the label to see the nutritional content as some have lots of sugar. Good luck and congrats.

[PedroBourbon]

Fitday.com is a great place to log in your calories and really watch your caloric intake. You will be shocked by the results if you don't really watch out. If you don't take the calories in, you can't put them on.

Keep up with aerobic activities. Stuff with your legs (biggest muscles) burns the most calories (running, treadmill, elliptical, incline, biking.) This is a key place for your buddy to start.

Protein shakes and body building will ADD weight (muscle weight which is good) so you may want to avoid for now (since you wanna drop 10) and your buddy for sure will want to avoid.

Great story, keep up the good work. I dropped about 85 myself and this was key to my success.

[Tony Cloninger]

How tall are you?

Just wondering beacuse of how low you want your weight to be...or has to be.

I am right at 5 foot 11 (Although I am almost 6 feet when i wake up....dang gravity!) ...and weigh.. 195-198....and I do not think I am overweight at all.
I think the weight scale is way off to me.... IF i weighed 175-180...I really would look to skinny.

[Oxilon]

Try the PX90. I usually don't buy infomercial crap, but this is legit.

[Razor Shines]

Try the PX90. I usually don't buy infomercial crap, but this is legit.

I've done P90x and I was in the best shape of my life. And then about 3 months before my son I was born working out went out the window and I didn't start back up until he was almost a year. So right now I'm trying to get in shape to do P90x again.

For the past 3 weeks I have been doing this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLK28BHJDd8

If you want to slim down quick, I'd highly recommend it. It's really hard, I threw up twice in the first week. My wife has been doing it for a month and I can definitely see a difference.

[Redlegs23]

Try the PX90. I usually don't buy infomercial crap, but this is legit.

Don't waste your money. P90X will work if you do what they say, but here's my analysis in a nutshell. P90X does not have some magic formula. The program revamps your diet and has you work out hard every day for 3 straight months. Well duh, if you stop eating crap, start eating the right foods for losing weight and gaining muscle, and work out hard every day 3 months you're going to lose weight and gain muscle. There's no magic formula.

My advice is instead of buying their program and buying their food do it on your own and save the money. If you do a little online research on what you should be eating to lose weight and gain muscle, and put yourself through strenuous cardio and weight lifting exercises every day you will without a doubt drop weight and gain muscle.

Now please send me a few hundred dollars for my advice.

[Razor Shines]

Don't waste your money. P90X will work if you do what they say, but here's my analysis in a nutshell. P90X does not have some magic formula. The program revamps your diet and has you work out hard every day for 3 straight months. Well duh, if you stop eating crap, start eating the right foods for losing weight and gaining muscle, and work out hard every day 3 months you're going to lose weight and gain muscle. There's no magic formula.

My advice is instead of buying their program and buying their food do it on your own and save the money. If you do a little online research on what you should be eating to lose weight and gain muscle, and put yourself through strenuous cardio and weight lifting exercises every day you will without a doubt drop weight and gain muscle.

Now please send me a few hundred dollars for my advice.

Well you're not exactly paying for just advice. I played sports in college and I've never done any type of workout that changed my muscles as fast as P90X did. No, it's no magic formula and no where has anyone claimed that it is. But the workouts are designed in a specific way to combat plateau and that's probably the biggest difference I noticed over just lifting weights and working out on my own. Sure you could probably figure out a way to do that on your own, but it seems easier to just use a plan already tested and layed out for you.

Yes, like you said, you could diet on your own and work hard 6 days a week and you will get results. I don't think you'll get the same type of results as you'd get with P90X though and I've done it both ways. All I know is that with P90X I was more "ripped" than I've ever been in my life, including my time during basketball in college.

Now, I didn't pay for any of their food or anything and I didn't follow the diet plan all that close. I eat pretty well anyway so I just kept it sensible. I bought the program on eBay for 70 bucks, so I don't know about "a few hundred dollars".

[TeamSelig]

iTony,

I'm about 5'7.5"...

The Air Force maximum weight for someone 5'11 is 197. Their numbers seem a little low to me. If you have any muscle at all, you are kinda screwed. My shoulders are pretty broad and most people are pretty shocked at how high my weight is when I tell them. I think there is a body fat waiver, but I've heard it makes for a long wait.

[Tony Cloninger]

Well now that i think about it...I have never seen a pilot with any real body fat at all. Most of them are pretty lean from the many photos I have seen of them from history.

Tons of cardio is the best way ....every day...60 minutes a day and maybe the stationary bike or another 30. Diet of fruits and vegetables only ...with fish here and there.

[Orodle]

You cant turn fat into muscle. You can replace fat with muscle through hard work...


Also a stationary bike is a waste of time....time better spent on a exercise that includes the entire body such as running or an elliptical machine. Many tend to gravitate towards a bike ...simply because its easier. Of course its better than nothing but if your gunna put in the time you might as well get the most out of it.

[paintmered]

Well now that i think about it...I have never seen a pilot with any real body fat at all. Most of them are pretty lean from the many photos I have seen of them from history.

Tons of cardio is the best way ....every day...60 minutes a day and maybe the stationary bike or another 30. Diet of fruits and vegetables only ...with fish here and there.

One day I hope to get a back-seat ride so I'll have a first-hand account of what 7Gs feels like. I do know that it's not a good idea to be flying the jet, executing the mission while in GLOC. It takes some serious conditioning to do what these guys do, and they're pros at it.

Best cardio workouts out there are rowing and swimming. They're both full body and both burn calories at a much faster rate than jogging. One of my college roommates was in the rowing club and he'd routinely burn 2000 calories in an hour. Elliptical machines are fine for beginners but you need to wean yourself off eventually since you really aren't doing much work on them. I've heard good things with boxing and kick boxing too.

TS, what are you plans for the Air Force? Enlisted? OTS?

[TeamSelig]

My GPA wasn't the greatest due to some major distractions during my schooling, so I'll be taking the enlisted route.

As for the boxing/kickboxing, I'd really like to try some MMA training, but I can't afford any extra expenses ATM.