3-4 Pounds in 30 days, can I do this?

**hatcher92** · 04-28-2004, 03:15 PM

All,

I have been reading the posts here and have been very impressed with the eagerness to help newbies as well as the knowledge base found here.

On Jan 1, I started the next phase of my “new” life which is, get in shape and stay in shape. Everyone was like, “Ah, NY Resolution” but I’m still hitting it strong.

I’ve seen slow but steady results along the way with my workout/diet plan. The point of my post is, I want to lose about three to four the next 30 days to get rid of my beer gut and hopefully see some semblance of things to come regarding my ab muscles.

I’m 30, weigh 175 and I’m 5’10. I don’t feel fat in anyway except right around the gut and the love handles. I’m satisfied with the way my arms and shoulders look. I know I will eventually get ripped if I keep at it but at this time, I just want to lose the “obvious” excess fat at the gut level.

My diet and workout plan:

I workout Monday (back/bi/abs), Tuesday (Chest, tri, shoulder) and then again on Thursdays and Saturdays. I do small reps, very heavy weights. Specifically, for each muscle group I do 4 exercises with 4 sets, 6 reps each set.

I do 20 minutes of cardio each morning on the bike BEFORE I eat. I typically burn about 240 calories a session.

A Sample Diet Day for me (going in order from earliest meal to latest meal which are spaced out approximately 2 hours a piece):

Seven scrambled eggs and an apple or bannana. Sometimes I eat oatmeal instead of scrambled eggs. I supplement this with a protein shake.

Slices of Ham or turkey, enough to give me about 20g protein. Sometimes I eat a few tablespoons of PB here instead.

Lunch: I typically do something with starchy carbs if I’m going to work out that night. (e.g. pasta and chicken breast or ground beef spaghetti pasta, perhaps a rice bowl with beef and veggies). And I always eat one green veggie with lunch. Usually Broccoli because about the only one I can stand other than green beans. I supplement this meal with a protein shake.

Can of tuna, sometimes a piece of fruit.

When I get home, I go straight to work out on my workout days. If not, I make dinner: Always something with meat (either chicken, lean sirloin, ham, so on) and typically some fat as well. I try not to have over 10-15g of fat in my meal. Maybe a low fat piece of garlic bread if I’m not getting the fat from the meal itself. Additionally, I eat some veggies here, green or better if I’m making something like stirfry. I supplement this meal with a protein shake.

Can of tuna before bed if I’m still hungry and awake.

Creatine, taken daily 5g.

So, that’s it. I know it may not be the most perfect diet in the world but it’s so much better than what I was eating before (anything). I really don’t gain or lose weight much no matter how I eat and I’ve always been that way. I’m an ectomorph but I do need to shed a few in the right place. I’ve always heard good abs are 80% diet and 20% working out.

All thoughts, feedback, suggesions, criticism is great appreciated! Thanks!

**Skib** · 04-28-2004, 04:37 PM

first of all, losing 3-4 lbs of body fat in 30 days is nothing... if you keep focused you could easily lose 10 lbs+ in 30 days...

i'm not going to comment on your diet because there are others who will be able to help you out better than i can, but i will say 7 WHOLE eggs a day is WAY too many IMO... i wouldn't eat more than 2... try egg whites instead...

best of luck on your journey : )

**CowPimp** · 04-28-2004, 05:03 PM

If you cut out approximately 500 calories per day, you will lose about 1 pound in a week (3500 calories = 1 pound). That would be 4 pounds in 4 weeks.

Also, workout your legs! I can't stress that enough. Working out your legs will result in better gains for all your muscles. I slacked on legs at first, but once I started doing squats and romanian deadlifts, my legs shot through the roof in strength and I noticed an overall boost in muscular productivity.

**Skib** · 04-28-2004, 06:01 PM

^^^ good point on the leg training...

i trained my legs all winter and now biking long distances has never been easier : )

**rockcrest** · 04-28-2004, 06:35 PM

lose the starchy carbs- do brown rice instead, lose some of the yolks with your eggs, and i would have that morning shake in meal 2 rather than meal 1 with some PB. holla. 3-4 pounds ain't sh!t

**hatcher92** · 04-28-2004, 08:44 PM

All, thank you for the advice and I hope it keeps coming. Working out and dieting is an ongoing process that needs to be continually tweaked. That is what I have learned, anyhow.

As for the eggs, I was told by someone with whom I work (a trainer actually) that this is an essential place to get part of my protein. With that said, I have heard they are a pretty fatty so it's a double edged sword, I guess. Answer me this (as it has eluded me which means, there has to be a simple answer): What is the best and least messy way to cut out the yolks and just cook the whites? Secondly, how would that taste? LOL. I haven't had just egg whites before so this will be something new to me. I guess you're supposed to leave a couple of yolks in the skillet, duh.

Someone mentioned calorie cutting---per the short diet I showed, where would you recommend I make the cuts so I can effectively get started without having to waste time experimenting on which foods I should and shouldn't cut?

As for the leg training, I agree with you, I DEFINITELY to get a better grasp on doing this.

**richirich_99** · 04-28-2004, 09:43 PM

for the eggs..the easiest way that i separate the egg whites from the yolks is either put the whole egg in a bowl being careful not to break the yolk, and they just take out the yolk with a spoon. Or...when you crack the egg, keep the yolk in one side of the shell and let all the white run out, then dump the yolk back in forth in the two halves of the shell to get out any extra egg whites. Hope that helps some.

Rich

**jaim91** · 04-30-2004, 04:17 PM

Or buy the prepackaged stuff...(egg whites/eggbeaters, etc)

**Prince** · 04-30-2004, 04:22 PM

losing 3-4 pounds in 30 days is about perfect, rule of thumb is 1-2 pounds per week max.

**Vieope** · 04-30-2004, 04:50 PM

I am just here to say that you can do it, easily.
I am kind of lazy tonight though. Others will help you..

**jaim91** · 05-01-2004, 04:28 AM

Dimaggio - wouldn't hatcher lose about 8 lbs in a month then?

hatch - are you looking to lose the weight itself, or bofyfat?

**Rich46yo** · 05-01-2004, 07:44 AM

Weight loss can be dramatic on a reduced carb diet. Even still I'd keep the actual "loss" in its proper perspective. If your pumping iron your not going to lose as much weight as you would ding a lot of cardio. But man the inches will re-align themselves.

I used to be a carb freak. It was the remnants of a 40 mile a week running lifestyle that I had to give up years ago due to injury, I just never gave up the diet. Not that such a diet is even good for runners mind you but that was the nutritional fallicies we were living under at the time. My only real carbs now are some fruit in the AM and a few green raw salads a day. I feel much better, have all kinds of energy, am progrssing with my routine,and my cut is better then its been for a long time.

Hatch I'd introduce cardio into your routine at least 3 days a week. You can do it after your lift, 30 mins of cardio will help you shed the weight much,much easier. Then get rid of the garlic bread,rice, and pasta. Take a look at the nutritional value of these carbs and then tell me what value they have being put into your body? And while your at it throw the scale into the garbage. The BR scales speaks thru forked tounge. For instance Ive stayed at 220lbs but all my inches have re-aligned themselves because of weights.

But the key is carbs. Its strange how even experienced athletes have hung on to them despite all the documentation on the worthless carbs we eat...............take care.............Rich

**hatcher92** · 05-11-2004, 10:56 PM

I guess over the long haul I'm trying to lose body fat--I'm at about 15% now and want to get to 10%

But, in the short term, I wanted to rid the belly fat to see my abs. But, as you all know, when you lose weight, you can't pick where you want to lose it. Thus, with my beach trip approaching at the end of the month, I notice I'm only losing weight in my arms and chest and I look smaller. Now, I know this to be expected but I actually looked bigger before, LOL. In the long run, this is what I want to do, but for the trip, well, I guess I'll just need to suck the stomach in because this is making me look worse. Wouldn't be a big deal but I'm looking all toned on top and then I have this 2-3 inches of fat right at my gut. I looked more evened out before.

But keeping on this regimen and diet, I'll be looking pretty toned and void of excess body fat in a about three months.

**nR_Kris** · 05-11-2004, 11:35 PM

i lost 9 pounds in 2 weeks, went from 11% bF to 8.9% but i lost muscle as well =(

**jaim91** · 05-12-2004, 04:20 AM

Hatcher - you're a guy right?

**hatcher92** · 05-12-2004, 11:33 AM

See Kris, that's what I want to avoid

Yes jaim, I'm a dude.

**Dale Mabry** · 05-12-2004, 12:27 PM

K, assuming you are drinking enough water and just starting a program, you will prolly lose at least 5 lbs of water initially. People don't count this, ut it contributes to the inches. Now, with Prince's recommendations (Which I would go by) you could drop up to an additional 8 lbs in 4 weeks.

**jaim91** · 05-12-2004, 02:33 PM

Where are prince's recommendations? I don't see them on this post? ANOTHER 8 lbs in 4 week?! Wow! I'd like to know the secret!

nr_Kris - How did you know you lost muscle?

**nR_Kris** · 05-12-2004, 07:27 PM

well im not sure if it was muscle but i had 15" bis now im at 14 1/2 " and i lost size in my chest and shoulders as well, im posting my 2 weeks cut in my photo gallery ull see im smaller

**jaim91** · 05-13-2004, 04:23 AM

But that's a bad thing right? to lose cuts?

Thread: 3-4 Pounds in 30 days, can I do this?

Thread Tools

Display