My calorie budget per day is 1578 Calories.
I’d like suggestions on how to ACCELERATE my weight loss.
I’m happy with the 10 pounds that I have lost so far, but feel with the muscle I have gained and cardio that I am doing that I should have lost even more than this.
Should I add more protein to my diet, or maybe eat more calories, or should I eat even less? –Scott E.
Congrats on dropping the 10 pounds, Scott, using diet and exercise – a winning combination!
To get the most from your diet plan, you need to address calories, composition and timing.
If you are following a recommended caloric allowance and getting results, then I wouldn’t mess with the count.
Instead, be sure that NO more than 10% (or 158 grams) of those calories come from sugar, and MORE than half of your total calories (789+) are consumed by the time your mid-day meal is done. These two steps help assure that what you are eating fuels your day to prevent hunger and maximizes results from the gym.
Since I only know how many calories you are eating, but not what you are eating, I can’t really speak to if your protein consumption should be “more” or “less.”
If you are genuinely desperate, in addition to your diet plan, you might consider supplementing with ALA (alpha linoleic acid) or CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which have shown promise in modestly reducing body weight in overweight individuals – like an extra 3 pounds lost in 6 months. You may find more ideas in some of our articles on overcoming weight loss obstacles and tackling stubborn weight, such as the one on shredding fat – CLICK HERE TO READ.
Want to SHRED BODY FAT?! Follow These 4 Steps
Also, join our #MoveMoreBurnMore community on Twitter for more inspiration!
– Debbie J., MS, RD
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Great advice. I too am seeking a little more weight loss than .5 – 1 lb a week….I might look into adding CLA to my vitamin packs I take in the morning.
Good advice on sugar input and timing…I know one of my greatest challenges has been to reduce my carb intake during the afternoon/evening, especially during winter. Moderating my stress levels so I can resist ‘comfort food’ is my main aim at the moment!
Think of your food as fuel for exercise, and vary your strength training routine. The majority of the American diet is Carbohydrates and sugar, which are one in the same. Many people with unwanted body fat spend long periods of time on the treadmill at a low to moderate intensity, when they should be incorporating high intensity interval training which will harness the benefit of sprints and will pull energy from the anaerobic system which would use carbohydrates as fuel. Carbohydrates unused turn to fat so use them up by doing high intensity interval training 2 days a week, do aerobics 3 days a week for 30 minutes at a low to moderate rate(40-70 percent of your VO2 max) heart rate can be an okay estimate for this (220-your age) then take a percentage of that and that’s your target heart rate. Do strength training 2-3 days a week to maximize fat loss and strength grains without excessive muscle hypertrophy(increased size) you need to train for muscle recruitment, for instance you are working your back and shoulders think of the whole anatomy of those muscle groups and train them in the right order. Start with Lat pull downs or pull ups, following by: Posterior deltoid rows, back flys, shoulder press, lateral/anterior raise. That would recruit the muscles from all planes of motion encouraging muscle recruitment.
Basic guidelines:
For diet limit refined sugar and sodium
Sugar spikes insulin=insulin production equals fat development.
Apply progression and overload make sure you are challenging your body to adapt, by challenging yourself a little more each week which will eventually bring you to a new level of fitness.
Post workout only consume 8-10 grams of protein following in 30 minutes that is all the body needs for protein synthesis for muscle breakdown. Protein shakes are not backed by reseafch and the body only processes 20 grams in an hour so all the excessive goes to fat not ideal for cutting.
In recovery be sure to consume potassium and a little bit of sodium. You will have lost sodium through sweat and potassium from muscle contraction. Potassium and sodium are two essential chemicals for synaptic transmission which allow your muscles to have maximal contraction.
Eat clean 3-5 fruits daily, 5 vegetables, lean protein, and whole grain carbohydrates.
Cut back calorie intake by 250-300 deficit and burn 250-500 in exercise!
Good luck!
This really helped me to thanks