[Shiftlock]

Originally Posted by saitvsk23

Hello BHPians. I'm a student, and am 6 feet tall, and weigh around 110kg (last seen june 2019). I'm 18. I desperately want to lose fat (from belly, thigh and butt). Tried a variety of Youtube trainers and all, just to find myself wake up the next day with a variety of pains. I'm a hosteler, so can anyone suggest some basic exercises and other tips to stick to?
PS: I'm a hosteler, so the max equipment i can source are a pair of dumbells.

Being a hosteler myslef and with similar height and weight figures, I can relate to your dilemma. what worked for me in hostel was one exercise which we all did subconsciously and having a somewhat mixed diet. In my hostel, by design ( the infrastructure of our hostel) all students end up walking for hours on end after they eat their dinner. Almost everyday we would all walk in small groups for approximately 2 hours. The mess having a fixed menu helped in a way because I could plan when I wanted to eat from the mess and when I would eat from outside. In my first 2 years in college this process helped me and there was noticeable weight loss, however all of this got put on hold during the pandemic. Sometime in the middle of the pandemic I came across IF and it helped me greatly. I am now able to maintain my weight and recently started walking in my colony itself for 3-5 Kms daily. Like BHPian graaja has suggested, trying out Intermittent Fasting with very light exercise like walking can be a good start.

Originally Posted by graaja

Check out the below thread where I have documented my experience.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shift...s-journey.html (Fat to Fit - A journal of my fitness journey)

I would recommend you try intermittent fasting (IF). As you are in a hostel, doing a low carb diet is going to be impossible. But doing IF is very much possible.

This thread has been an eye opener for me, thank you sir. I had one doubt, how can one control and maintain a moderately low carb diet when in an environment where we have no choice of food because of the nature of our mess?

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Shiftlock

This thread has been an eye opener for me, thank you sir. I had one doubt, how can one control and maintain a moderately low carb diet when in an environment where we have no choice of food because of the nature of our mess?

With hostel food, it is going to be definitely difficult, especially if it is fixed menu.

If it is self service, then one way to cut carbs would be to have a big portion of vegetables (or meat if served), and a big portion of dal with a very small portion of rice or chapati. Also, if eggs are an option, add eggs to the above.

[NPV]

Have been doing IF quite regularly and it's usually between 16-20 hours, more around 17-18 hour mark quite consistently. Wanted to do a 24 hour fast sometime but faced stiff opposition at home. Finally I convinced the powers that be and went on to do a 24 hour fast (had nothing other than water) which I then extended to 36 hours after another round of negotiations (again taking only water during the fast). Felt good at the end of it and selfishly hoped to extend to 40 hours but didn't do it this time , I was already getting threats to stop it.

Broke the fast with a black coffee and light South Indian breakfast of home-made small Dosa.

@graaja, others - would it be a good idea to do longer fasts once a week or once a month ?

[Sheel]

@NPV - Please try to break your fast with dates, fruits etc. After 30 mins to an hour, you may have a light breakfast.

This is what I do. Holi has played spoilsport, but maybe in next 2 days, will be back on track from approx 18:00 hrs to 10:00 hrs.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by NPV

Finally I convinced the powers that be and went on to do a 24 hour fast (had nothing other than water) which I then extended to 36 hours after another round of negotiations (again taking only water during the fast). Felt good at the end of it and selfishly hoped to extend to 40 hours but didn't do it this time , I was already getting threats to stop it.

Broke the fast with a black coffee and light South Indian breakfast of home-made small Dosa.

@graaja, others - would it be a good idea to do longer fasts once a week or once a month ?

Congratulations on getting the necessary permissions from home for the long fast and on completing the 36 hour fast

My recommendation would be to do a 36 hour long fast once a month. As you are already doing 16 to 20 hours regularly, once a month 36 hour fast is a good way to reset the system and to activate autophagy.

PS: If you can convince the family, a once-a-year 72 hour fast will be ultimate! But please don't tell your family that I suggested this

Coincidentally, I completed my monthly 36 hour today morning. Broke it with a bowl of Kefir and blueberries, a 3 egg omelet and a couple of moong dal stuffed parathas.

[dailydriver]

There are many public figures who have shed the flab and have talked openly about it. Here's one such inspirational story.



Clip Source: InShorts

[Viju]

I have been doing 16:8 IF for the past 15 days.

I have my first meal at 12 noon, and second (and last) meal by 8 p.m. During the fasting hours, I have water and 2 cups of black coffee. For the meals, I have cut down on carbs as much as possible, and I am mindful about the portion size as well.

I also managed to restart cycling. Currently cycling 20 km (takes around an hour, as I live in a hilly area with lot of traffic lights), almost always during the fasting period, due to work timings.

I will turn 40 this year. My ideal weight is 70 kilos. Usually, it hovers around 78 kilos. Due to stress / comfort eating over the past 2 - 3 months, I had put on a lot of weight. From 82 kilos, I came down to 77 kilos in around 10 days with IF.

But I seem to have hit a plateau. Shall I just continue with what I have been doing so far? Or is there something I need to do to break this plateau?

PS: I did manage to reach my ideal weight a few years ago doing keto. But I have familial cholesterol, and keto takes my LDL levels to the stratosphere. Hence sticking to low carb, and not going full keto this time.

[nirmaljusdoit]

Originally Posted by Viju

But I seem to have hit a plateau. Shall I just continue with what I have been doing so far? Or is there something I need to do to break this plateau?

PS: I did manage to reach my ideal weight a few years ago doing keto. But I have familial cholesterol, and keto takes my LDL levels to the stratosphere. Hence sticking to low carb, and not going full keto this time.

You can go on one meal a day (OMAD) to introduce variety to your fat burning regime. It’s easily doable after you try it for a few times.

[Viju]

Originally Posted by nirmaljusdoit

You can go on one meal a day (OMAD) to introduce variety to your fat burning regime. It’s easily doable after you try it for a few times.

Thank you for the quick reply, Nirmal.

You suggest OMAD as a means to break the weight loss plateau, right? I don't think it is something I can (or even want to) practically do in the long-term.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Viju

You suggest OMAD as a means to break the weight loss plateau, right? I don't think it is something I can (or even want to) practically do in the long-term.

If following OMAD regularly is difficult, you can also try to maintain your current 16:8 IF routine and add one longer fast of 24/36 hours (once every week or even 2 weeks). This can help jolt the body out of the plateau.

Edit:as per graaja's earlier post in response to mine, he said 36 hour fast once a month should be fine. So, your one additional longer fast every week can be 20 or 24 hours or in other words one day of OMAD a week - this is to get you out of the plateau.

[carthick1000]

Originally Posted by Viju

Or is there something I need to do to break this plateau?

Resistance training such as powerlifting is a good way to increase your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). A win-win to both reduce weight and stay lean.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Viju

But I seem to have hit a plateau. Shall I just continue with what I have been doing so far? Or is there something I need to do to break this plateau?

Bring in some variation in your fasting routine. Apart from the regular 16:8 IF, add a few longer fasts like 18:6 or 20:4 two or three days a week. That should help in getting out of the plateau.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by Viju

But I seem to have hit a plateau. Shall I just continue with what I have been doing so far? Or is there something I need to do to break this plateau?

Please clarify. It usually takes 2 weeks initially for the body to get accustomed to Intermittent fasting. To plateau so soon seems unlikely. Why do you feel you have hit a plateau? Is it because the rate of weight loss has reduced or are there any other reasons you feel so?

As Graaja had mentioned, a few elongated fast can help and I believe throwing in a cheat day too helps(like refeeds). I have been doing IF before and I have lost 1 - 1.5 kg per week depending upon my activity levels with IF. Please don't expect to lose over 15 kg in a month.

[Viju]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Is it because the rate of weight loss has reduced or are there any other reasons you feel so?

Yes. As I mentioned, I lost 5 kgs in barely 10 days, but there seems to be no movement after that. I am being a bit impatient I guess.

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

As Graaja had mentioned, a few elongated fast can help and I believe throwing in a cheat day too helps(like refeeds). I have been doing IF before and I have lost 1 - 1.5 kg per week depending upon my activity levels with IF. Please don't expect to lose over 15 kg in a month.

Yes, I will try varying my fasting and eating patterns and see if that helps. I had only 12 kilos to lose in total. If I can do that in 2.5 months or so with a long term sustainable diet and exercise routine, I will be more than delighted!

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by Viju

Yes. As I mentioned, I lost 5 kgs in barely 10 days, but there seems to be no movement after that. I am being a bit impatient I guess.



Yes, I will try varying my fasting and eating patterns and see if that helps. I had only 12 kilos to lose in total. If I can do that in 2.5 months or so with a long term sustainable diet and exercise routine, I will be more than delighted!

You are being a little impatient. But hey, everyone of us want fast results. But it is never a great idea to fix a number and run towards it when it comes to weightloss.

In my opinion, you are far from reaching a plateau. I suggest you to continue what you are doing for atleast few more weeks and share the results.