Are my methods and goal reasonable?

[Rosa2]

Hi!

I'm 17 years old female who weighs 188 pounds and is 5ft 6 inches.

At this point I run-walk on the treadmill for thirty minutes every night, which usually comes out to 2.2-2.3miles. Not taking diet into account, is it possible for me to shed forty pounds by 2009 June if I keep this up every night? Or is it completely impossible? If so, how should I change my method?

Being a student, it's difficult for me to take up extra sports, so perhaps more minutes/miles on the treadmill, etc. or exercises I can do in my room would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[LandonsBaby]

Why would you not take diet into account? That is at least half the battle, probably more.

 

[hotloss]

OK. This is a great general "how to" for anyone who needs to lose weight. There are several first steps you need to take when you first want to start losing (or maintaining) your weight.

1.) Calculate your basal (or resting) metabolic rate and your daily needed calories. This is the amount of calories your body burns just from keeping your lungs breathing and heart beating without including any exercise you get. There are lots of online calculators that can do this for you (using a couple different formulas), but the formula I usually use is based on weight, height, gender, and age. The formulas are below. In your case, your BMR is going to be aprox. 1700 calories.

Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)

Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 X wt in kg) + (1.8 X ht in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)

Now, if you do anything other than lie in bed 24 hours per day, you are going to end up burning more due to walking around, cleaning your house, shopping for groceries, climbing stairs, etc. To calculate this simply multiply your BMR by the appropriate number below. So, even if you are sedentary, your body is burning at least 2,000 calories/day. I like to calculate based on sedentary (daily activities and such), and then calculate intentional exercise and workouts based on actual calories burned.

sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR x 1.2
lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): BMR x 1.375
moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): BMR x 1.55
very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): BMR x 1.725



2.) Determine proper nutrition and healthy/safe calorie deficit in your diet. Generally, you should only make a maximum deficit of 500-1000 calories (lightly overweight stick to the 500 side and obese can slide towards the 1000 calorie side). In this case, you said to ignore this. In fact, you can't really ignore this if you are serious about your weight loss. However, let's assume you eat about 2,000 calories per day (which is fairly easy unless you are eating junk food; Avoid soda/chips/fried foods, since these will easily sky rocket your calories). Then, your weight loss will be completely determined by your exercise.


3.) Now, calculate the calories you burn during exercise. Again, there are lots of online calculators you can use. Most need the speed of your exercise, though. So, first determine your walking speed. In your case, 2.2 miles/.5 hour equals about 4.4 miles/hour. This actually seems to be a very fast walk (light jog, even), so check to see if this is correct. Input this, along with your weight (and maybe gender/height) into an online calculator to see how much you burn. SO, you are burning about 258 calories in each half hour workout. Now, if you do this seven days per week, you are burning about 1,800 calories/week.

4.) Determine speed/amount of weight loss and set goals. So, at your current activity level, you will lose 1 pound (3,500 calories) about every two weeks (13.5 days). Now, your time frame is about 5 months (6 if you are talking about the end of June). So, you have about 20 weeks in your schedule. At 1 pound per two weeks, that means you will lose 10 pounds by the start of June. However, losing weight by exercise instead of diet means you may lose faster than the calculation (whereas dieting can make you lose slower than the numbers due to the metabolism slowing). Also, by exercising, you will lose more inches (and tone up your body) more than you would by dieting.


5.) Realize that it isn't completely about the calculations. Even if you calculate the number of calories burned during the exercise, it doesn't count how much your metabolism will be speed up due to increasing muscle and doing cardiovascular exercise (or how your ratios of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats will contribute). So, consider the numbers to be conservative.


So, I do think you should keep at least an overall general idea of your daily calorie intake. Even if you don't count them all, make sure you aren't way overdoing it with junk food and "empty" calories. Also, make sure you eat plenty of fruits/vegetables of many different colors! Now, if you double your exercise every night to an hour of exercise each night, you will end up losing 20 pounds by June. If you make it two hours each night, you will hit your 40 pound goal. It may or may not be realistic for you to exercise this much. I mean, two hours per night is quite a bit. You could also increase your speed/incline/intensity to help increase your caloric burn and burn more calories in less time.

In general, you shouldn't push too fast to lose weight. As I said before, if you do want to make it faster, doing it with exercise is MUCH better than doing it by eating hardly any calories, but you should still be careful of going too fast (my disclaimer is that you should consult your doctor before beginning any diet/exercise program). Losing weight too fast can cause stretch marks and saggy skin (not to mention that overall "bag-like" look). Keep in mind that the exercise will tone you and make you look a lot smaller (losing inches) at whatever weight you get to as compared to dieting alone. With exercise, you may find that losing 25 pounds and toning your body makes you look as good as someone who lost 40 by over dieting and losing water and muscle mass.

 

[Steve]

1.) Calculate your basal (or resting) metabolic rate and your daily needed calories. This is the amount of calories your body burns just from keeping your lungs breathing and heart beating without including any exercise you get. There are lots of online calculators that can do this for you (using a couple different formulas), but the formula I usually use is based on weight, height, gender, and age. The formulas are below. In your case, your BMR is going to be aprox. 1700 calories.

Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)

Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 X wt in kg) + (1.8 X ht in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)

Now, if you do anything other than lie in bed 24 hours per day, you are going to end up burning more due to walking around, cleaning your house, shopping for groceries, climbing stairs, etc. To calculate this simply multiply your BMR by the appropriate number below. So, even if you are sedentary, your body is burning at least 2,000 calories/day. I like to calculate based on sedentary (daily activities and such), and then calculate intentional exercise and workouts based on actual calories burned.

sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR x 1.2
lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): BMR x 1.375
moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): BMR x 1.55
very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): BMR x 1.725

I'm not sure I agree with this advice in this particular instance.

Reason being: The OP is only 17 and has already expressed she is not nutrition savvy or interested in concerning herself with nutrition.

Granted, she's wrong for not doing so and thinking she can possibly out-exercise a bad diet.

Be that as it may though, telling her to go to the extreme opposite end of the spectrum probably isn't going to work.

To the OP, you must take nutrition into account. Sure, figuring out your caloric requirements is the most precise option you could take. Or, since you're young and probably still in school, just start making better food choices.

Stay mostly away from highly processed foods and eat balanced meals that contain some protein, carbs and fats in each. Whole natural foods obviously are your staples.

It's hard to overeat if you keep the junk at bay and stick with these good foods.

Protein: Skinless boneless chicken breast, turkey breast, pork tenderloin, flank or top round steak, cottage cheese, milk, fish, eggs

Fats: fish, fish oil pills, avocados, nuts, flax, olives

Carbs: Fruits, veggies, whole wheat breads and pasta, old fashioned oats, rice

These are by no means complete lists but they're many of the basics.

 

[hotloss]

Hello Steve,

As I said, I was trying to make complete steps that anyone could use. What she actually choices to use is at her discretion. Even if she doesn't count her calories, so long as they are reasonable (little/no junk food and plenty of fruits and vegetables, etc.) she is unlikely to surpass her daily caloric requirements. Therefore, her weight loss could be mostly decided by exercise. Of course, all the calculations are there if she needs them and chooses to use them. Also, I calculated all her main information for her so she didn't have to. So, I am not ignoring the fact that she expressed a desire to not have to scrutinize her diet.

I answered the question as complete as possible while still adhering to her desire to not have to consider her diet (or not really count things). She doesn't have to calculate her daily caloric need if she doesn't want to, but I gave her the information in case she found it useful. Also, the fact that she is 17 doesn't mean she's mathematically deficient; I used to calculate this stuff for my middle school health class. Besides, I noted that you can easily find an online calculator for this, so you just enter your information and, poof, it calculates it for you. If she chooses not to use this information, that's fine, but there's no reason she shouldn't have access to information about proper caloric intake when you consider that lots of teenagers seem to think they can live on extremely low caloric intakes. I'd rather her have more correct information than to have no one give her advice because of her age.

Of course, I also mentioned that everyone should consult their doctor before starting an eating/exercise program. Especially for people who are young, old, extremely overweight, or people who have previous medical conditions. Visiting a doctor, especially if you have written down your nutritional and exercise goals can be really helpful in planning weight loss.

This is a forum for giving advice, is it not? If I understand correctly, the information I gave her is correct, but you are upset because it is too much information? I don't generally think it is too much information, but in case it was I also did the calculations for her. I was subtly attempting to get her to realize that this information is important, so that she hopefully would consider delving into nutrition at least a bit more, which also seems to be what you did (although less subtly). So, I don't understand why you are unhappy with my response. Could you possibly explain in more detail? Perhaps I have overlooked something that has caused your criticism.

 

[Steve]

Hello Steve,

As I said, I was trying to make complete steps that anyone could use.

We try not to preach around here to the masses. Individual attention works best, or so we've found.

What she actually choices to use is at her discretion.

Never suggested otherwise.

Even if she doesn't count her calories, so long as they are reasonable (little/no junk food and plenty of fruits and vegetables, etc.) she is unlikely to surpass her daily caloric requirements.

My point exactly.

Therefore, her weight loss could be mostly decided by exercise. Of course, all the calculations are there if she needs them and chooses to use them. Also, I calculated all her main information for her so she didn't have to. So, I am not ignoring the fact that she expressed a desire to not have to scrutinize her diet.

You missed my point.

I'm not sure how many people you've worked with. My client base has always been comprised primarily of mature women. I have been fortunate enough to work with a few minors though, and of them, I haven't met a one who was interested in all the nitty gritty calculations and worrying about calories.

I also think for most, it's not necessary to get them caught up in all that.

Get them moving more and getting them eating better with out the rigidity of calculations and all that jazz and they're usually much better off.

Mental maturity must be accounted for when making recommendations. It wasn't the fact that your information was incorrect. It was the lack of applicability in my opinion. I wasn't attacking you in any manner if that's what you were thinking.

I was simply expressing my disagreement and stated why.

I answered the question as complete as possible while still adhering to her desire to not have to consider her diet (or not really count things). She doesn't have to calculate her daily caloric need if she doesn't want to, but I gave her the information in case she found it useful.

Again, it's not all about throwing every little bit of information at someone. Applying advice delicately is an art that takes years for trainers to understand.

Information overload can cause much more harm than good.

In my experience, it's all about feeling out who you're giving advice too before rambling on with stuff that might end up causing more harm than good.

Not saying that's the case here....

Also, the fact that she is 17 doesn't mean she's mathematically deficient; I used to calculate this stuff for my middle school health class. Besides, I noted that you can easily find an online calculator for this, so you just enter your information and, poof, it calculates it for you. If she chooses not to use this information, that's fine, but there's no reason she shouldn't have access to information about proper caloric intake when you consider that lots of teenagers seem to think they can live on extremely low caloric intakes. I'd rather her have more correct information than to have no one give her advice because of her age.

Touche.

Though you are starting to be repetitive with your point.

This is a forum for giving advice, is it not?

The fact that you feel the need to ask this question in response to my post speaks volumes.

I don't believe this question warrants a reply.

If I understand correctly, the information I gave her is correct, but you are upset because it is too much information?

Please understand that I'm not upset. Where you're making this something personal or emotional is beyond me.

I was merely stating my opinion is all.

I don't generally think it is too much information, but in case it was I also did the calculations for her. I was subtly attempting to get her to realize that this information is important, so that she hopefully would consider delving into nutrition at least a bit more, which also seems to be what you did (although less subtly). So, I don't understand why you are unhappy with my response. Could you possibly explain in more detail? Perhaps I have overlooked something that has caused your criticism.

My only advice to you is chill out. Not everyone is going to agree with you or like the way you present your information. Such is life. We all have different experiences, knowledge, opinions and perspectives. Debate is healthy. But stop making it something it's not; namely something personal or emotional.

I'm not criticizing you. I'm not unhappy. I'm not upset. I simply didn't agree with your application of advice. Nothing more nothing less.

Also, your signature link was removed once. You added it back. It will be removed again. If you add it back, consider yourself banned.