diet + exercise??

I'm motivated to begin working out but unsure if I should begin a diet at the same time?? I don't want to make the diet a crutch that I can't leave once I reach my goals .Any thoughts/ suggestions?

Tue. Aug 29, 3:00am

How quickly do you want to lose? You lose weight by creating a calorie deficit you can burn the calories during excercise or consume less calories per day to create the deficit. Once you hit your goal weight you will either have to reduce your excercise or increase your calorie intake so that you are burning the number of calories you consume a day not much more or less. So either way once you achieve your goal you will then have to adjust your patterns again.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 8:27 AM

I say do both, but neither to the extreme. I've had the same worries you do, but the problem is that if you exercise and don't watch your cal intake you can be tiring yourself at the gym, and the scale might actually go up. Nothing more discouraging than that!

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 8:35 AM

I do both exercise and counting calories and I think it needs to be a lifestyle change, rather than a diet. That way, the weight will not come back when you stop dieting. Count your calories and aim for 1200 per day, continue workouts as many days per week as you can -- starting out with a minimum of 3 days of cardio and increase gradually, when you feel you can. Once you are at your goal weight - you will need to continue the exercise, but you can increase your calories to the amount you need to maintain.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 9:54 AM

I do not agree with the 9:54 poster.
I would start very slow, if you want to workout, workout. The diet will come with time
Start small- add a veggie with your dinner, a fruit with you breakfast.

And I do not believe 1200 calories is enough for anyone who is working out, or is an active person. I would not go below 1600-1800 calories a day. You don’t want to crash diet, that will do more harm in the long run that it is worth. You want to be able to take the weight off slowly and never put it back on

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 2:09 PM

yes. i agree with the 2:09 poster completely. it's not always a good idea to dive into the deep end of a pool you haven't swam in yet. enter slowly and wade for a bit to get used to the water. work your way up to laps...

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 2:29 PM

I AGREE with the 9:54 Poster

Many will only maintain their current weight and some might gain if they consume 1600-1800 calories a day. I am part of 5 groups -- and everyone in those groups exercises and shoots for 1200-1300 per day. Healthwise - You only need to have 1200 calories per day pass through your body. Exercise should not be taken into consideration, since everyone should be active and exercising if they want to lose weight and be healthy.

Check out the link below - you will see how many daily calories you need to "maintain" your current weight -- just deduct 500 per day from that and you will lose 1lb per week.

http://walking.about.com/cs/calories/l/blcalcalc.htm

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 2:42 PM

To the 2:09 Poster

Have you always consumed 1600-1800 calories? Are you at your goal weight? Just curious since that works for you and did NOT work for me :(

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 2:44 PM

need a combination of

diet, more exercise and drinking nothing but water, water, water! A minimum of 64oz of water each day.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 2:47 PM

I am the 2:09 poster,

I eat between 2200-2500 of clean calories a day. I workout hard at the gym for 75 minutes 3 times a week, a combo of heavy weights, and light cardio. I have 2, 90 minute Karate Practices a week and I play hard on the weekends. With this I am losing, and I have maintained a 100 pound loss for 3 years. My goal is to lose another 10 pounds. I will be there by Dec.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 3:18 PM

The 2:09 Poster again

I went to the website that was suggested for maintaining my weight, and put in the information and the number I get is 2740 if I deduct 500 from that I get 2240. So I am right on track. Thank you for the link.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 3:22 PM

To the 2:09 poster...big huge contratulations on the monumental weight loss and being so close to your goal.

You give me hope that I can do the same. Thank you for sharing that!

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 3:25 PM

To the 3:18 Poster

First off -- CONGRATULATIONS on your 100lb weight loss and keeping it off -- that is a great accomplishment! Secondly, are you male or female? As 2200-2500 sounds very high! What is your height and weight? Are you very muscular?

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 3:29 PM

I put in mine; based on the above indicated website. I need 2692 to maintain my weight.

So to lose 2 lbs a week; theoretically I would need to eat 1692.

One word of caution; our bodies aren't machines. Yes if you stick to eating a certain amount of calories and exercising you will lose weight. But it may not be a consisten 2 lbs a week. However if you keep track and look back over time and figure out an average you'll find out it averages out to being about 1 or 2 lbs a week.

Everyone is different also; some people lose weight easier than other people do. So be proud of what you've accomplished so far and keep working towards a healthier lifestyle.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 3:31 PM

I agree with the above poster - your body is not a machine.

I weigh between 115-120 and am very muscular. I aim to burn 500-600 calories daily through exercise.

I am maintaining my weight with an average of 2000 calories a day (I aim for 1800, but I know I go over some days and under some days, and I allow Saturday as a less strict day.) Calculations say I need about 2400 calories to maintain with this exercise level, but when I ate this much I started to regain within a month. I start to lose weight again if I adhere to 1700 or less.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 3:46 PM

thanks a bunch

For the link and the advice - I feel 1200 calories is extreme if I'm just starting out with exercise. I appreciate all your helpful advice and to the one who lost 100lbs. -- that is awesome!! Congrats and I know you can burn through 10lbs easy.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 5:19 PM

To the 3:29 poster

Thanks. I am a 27 year old Female who weighs 180 lbs, I am 5'9" and I am very muscular-hence the heavy weights.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 5:24 PM

Diet does NOT mean restriction -- Be SMART

First, It appears that you have an unhealthy view of diets. A diet is a way of eating, it is not massive restriction on food.

It takes 3,500 calories to make a lb of fat and you need to workout the same to lose a lb or fat.

A calorie is also just NOT a calorie, If you eat all ice cream but only 1,200 calories, you will lose weight but as soon as you go back to 2,000 calories you'll gain weight.

You have to be smart -- a diet is the way you eat everyday whether than means ice cream at all meals, hamburgers and ice cream at all meals or salads at all meals.

You need a balance of food so you can get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

This is what is really meant by Diet ... you need to have a variety of foods that feed your body all the nutrients it needs. Too much fat will not only make you fat but will cause you heart problems and a host of other cardiovascular problems.

Also, everyone should workout no matter how much they weigh to stay healthy and viable. Without stretching and strenghtening exercises you lose 5% of your ability every year. That means if you do not work out between 20 and 40 -- you lose half your ability to use your muscles. Just think what shape you'd be in at 80 -- something like my mother who is in a vegetative state in a nursing home and has been for the last 6 years, basically unconscious!

You choose how you want to live -- through eating and exercise. Without the proper amount of both -- you will not be able to able to respond to everyday events and your life will be shorter.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 5:53 PM

To the 5:53 Poster

I am still learning a lot from Peer Trainer and I wondered if you could explain this part of your statement further:

" A calorie is also just NOT a calorie, If you eat all ice cream but only 1,200 calories, you will lose weight but as soon as you go back to 2,000 calories you'll gain weight. "

I try not to restrict myself of anything that I want - just practice moderation and shoot for healthier options -- so, if I eat 1200 calories of only healthy food, then bump my calories up to 2000 when I reach my goal - I will not gain, compared to if I eat UNhealthier versions of food at 1200 calories, then bump up to 2000 - I will gain? Why is that?

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 6:55 PM

yeah don't just cut down to 1200 calories because people say that's what they do-make sure you know what is right for YOUR body-depending on your weight, height, and activity level-it is likely you should take in more calories to lose weight slowly and safely.

i eat 1750 calories a day and i'm losing 2 lbs a week-because i'm doing what's right for me.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006, 11:46 PM

it's a good idea to talk with your doctor before changing the way you are eating & exercising. he/she will be able to tell you what your specific dietary needs are (lower cholesterol, increase iron intake, drink more water, lower blood pressure, etc). good luck! you can do this!

Wednesday, August 30, 2006, 9:23 AM

11:46 Poster

Well, I used that link and it says I need 1800 to maintain my current weight -- that would mean I need to drop to 1300 calories per day to lose 1lb per week.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006, 9:47 AM

To 11:46; that is one way to do it or you could go the healthy lifestyle choice and split that up between exercise and what you're eating. That way you're getting the healthy benefits of exercise while at the same time eating healthy. It's a win-win situation; and honestly the best approach to weight loss imo.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006, 1:05 PM

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