At my highest I was 185 lbs, then last year I dropped all the way to 158 lbs. I made a lot of changes to my diet, and I biked 3-5 times a week. It took a while for the weight to drop - I think four years to go from 185 lbs to 158 lbs, which is probably a long ass time to drop 27 pounds. Since last year I gained 10 pounds, but my clothes still fit me the same. I now lift weights 4-5 times a week and do cardio for 20 minutes 2-3 times a week. I'd like to think that those are 10 lbs of muscle. To my understanding, the consensus is that lifting weights and gaining muscle is a better way to lose weight than eating less or trying to burn the calories by doing cardio. You technically gain weight, but you look slimmer and toned, and you don't have to restrict your caloric intake as much. Also you get stronger which is obviously a huge bonus.twelvepoint wrote:I think if I can address this, I can take off that last 5-10 pounds, but I could use some advice and support to keep me from snacking like an asshole. Thank you, PRF.I don't know what are your eating habits, but for instance I used to have a can of pop with every dinner. I went from drinking a can with every dinner to drinking it with dinner every other night. Then weekends. Then only once on the weekend. Now I don't drink pop anymore. Same thing with cookies. I used to snack on them every day, then every other day, then weekends, then never. You don't have to stop snacking, but if you lower the frequency of it you will still see changes.Make sure you have healthier snacks around. Nuts are pretty filling and have a lot of protein. Carrots are also a nice snack. Figure out what healthier snacks you enjoy and keep those around so you can reach for them instead of an unhealthy snack.Eat more protein. I read that protein makes you feel fuller, so if you snack on something that is rich in protein, you're probably less likely to be hungry again an hour later and eat four Oreos. Also, a protein rich breakfast will help you stay full longer.This is all stuff that worked for me, but I'm not a dietician, so YMMV.

Muscles is indeed heavier than fat (or at least I've heard so from numerous sources, too) and exercising + eating more calories is certainly better for anyone than not exercising + eating less calories, even if the scale doesn't see any difference. Increasing muscle mass while loosing fat and keeping the weight on the same level is also the reason behind the "you lost weight, huh?" "uhm.. no?" conversations. Or maybe it's people trying to be nice.Also I like to believe what I've just wrote as even at my slimmest in the last 15 years or so, which is 11 kg's lower I am now, I am well into the obesity level on the BMI indexThe problem with exercising is you sort of need to eat to loose weight because of it in the long term. Starting an even an 1 hour semi-intense session of whatever after hours of not easing guarantees you'll be starving for absolutely all kinds of food afterwards and making eating more calories than amount you've burnt very easy. Seems to me like the most effective way of loosing weight through exercises is doing just enough to burn calories but not to the point your body demands all-the-food-right-now. So in my case doing around 40 km's (25 miles) of cycling after work (assuming I've eaten something past afternoon) without any serious intervals and then eating a dinner I would have eaten anyway. Also not drinking soft-drinks in the process which can be really difficult when it's hot. On longer rides something before you'll feel like you REALLY need to eat is critical.I've lost 7 kgs (15 lbs) since February almost solely by increasing physical activity - cycling more to be exact. With commuting I clock around 1000 km's each month since march but I'd like to loose more weight so I'll do something about my diet (bleeeeh).Oh and comparing my weight-watch to last year: it is important to check the scale regularly without cheating. Last year I was only stepping on the scale when I felt I'm slightly dehydrated and solidly... emptied out. This year I write down whatever it says on Mondays after the toilet whether I like it or not and the numbers can fluctuate a lot even within 2 days period with no obvious reason for it.

Just want to say this is a great thread and I've been lurking for a while. Don't have a lot to post, but my deal is I'm late 40s, married, father to a 5 year old and am trying to keep the dad bod at bay. My own weight/BMI pretty consistently hovers at the place where the charts go from normal to over and I want to get into normal-normal. I run a few times a week, get about 15,000 steps in daily, and have a pescatarian diet. But I love to eat snacks, and as a parent, there are many snacks to consume. Also, I work from home, so there's a lot of temptation. I think if I can address this, I can take off that last 5-10 pounds, but I could use some advice and support to keep me from snacking like an asshole. Thank you, PRF.Oh yeah, also anyone who likes running but isn't really a natural at it: any discussion around that would be welcome. My runs are in the 5-10K range, but I'm training for a half-marathon in the fall, so I need to push my distance a little more. Thanks!

the thing I like about running is it's kinda meditative after about the 20 minute point (before that it sucks), so I'm motivated to actually do it, plus I'm in a better headspace for the rest of the day. I guess I'm on Team Cardio, but I get why people prefer to do weights. I think it's more about finding something you like, and doing it regularly. Definitely some good points above Eliya and I think so much of fitness, on both the diet and exercise sides, is just slowly changing your habits rather than shooting for radical, unrealistic changes.

While it s true that exercise can increase your appetite and lead you to consume more calories than you realize, yes, you can lose weight by exercising. It s not necessarily the most efficient means to lose weight. It takes 45 minutes of really hard exercise to burn 300 calories ”the same number of calories in two cans of Coke. So if you think you can run off a bad diet, you re fooling yourself.And yep, muscle weighs a lot more than fat. My wife competed in a couple bodybuilding competitions, and her trainer insisted that my wife throw out her scale. Go by measurements.

The other thing about exercise: muscle burns fat. I would add strength training to your cardio, twelvepoint. It will also help limit running-related injuries.

Wood Goblin wrote:The other thing about exercise: muscle burns fat. I would add strength training to your cardio, twelvepoint. It will also help limit running-related injuries.Yeah my wife has been recommending this as well. I think my nature is I like running because it's solitary and outdoor and I am gym-averse. But I probably should got over it, pony up for a trainer and start branching out. Seems like Crossfit would be good for me, but I don't know too much about that scene other than it seems popular.

A trainer might be a good idea, at least for a little while, simply to learn correct form. I ve never done Cross-Fit, but one thing I love about classes in general is that they push you harder than you d push yourself and generally prevent you from falling into a rut.