Would I lose weight if I did the following?

Question

-Do a minimum 3 hours of intense cardio a week. (I'm starting school, so I'm going to have a lot of homework, but I'll defiantly do 3 hours or more.)

-Fruits for breakfast, salad for lunch, fruit for a snack, and a small dinner. (I don't cook my dinner, my father does, so I don't know what I'll be eating)

-Drink nothing but water.

-No sweets at all.

-No bread at all.

I want to lose about 10 pounds by October 1st, do you think I can do it by following that plan?

Answer 1

Ten pounds by October 1st is more reasonable than many goals people post here.  But it is difficult to say, since we don't know what you weigh now.  If you need to lose a lot of weight it may be relatively easy to lose 10 pounds by Oct. 1.  However, if you really don't need to lose weight, then that is a different scenario.

The meal plan you have given seems a little skimpy.  If you put yourself into starvation mode by not eating enough, you may actually gain weight because your body will try to hang on to every calorie you consume and will try to conserve and prevent you from losing weight, so make sure you are eating at least 1200 to 1500 calories a day.  And you need more than fruit for breakfast.  Include protein in your breakfast and more than a salad for lunch.  Your body will defeat you if you don't eat enough.

Keeping a food journal really does help.  It will give you a much better sense of how much you are eating, and when, and why.

Make a few additional small changes - walk everywhere, always use stairs instead of elevators, walk on escalators, get up and move around at least once an hour if your work or your life in general is sedentary, walk every day, use a pedometer. Walking 10,000 steps a day is a really good idea. Build up to a long brisk walk everyday, or most days.  Be more active and watch less TV and spend less time on the computer.   Buy one piece of exercise equipment to have at home and be strict with yourself about using it.   Sometimes you can find mini-steppers or exercise bikes at second hand stores and thrift stores for just a few dollars.

Start a weight lifting routine. It will help increase your metabolism and make you feel and look better in so many ways. Join a gym. Possibly you can find one that has someone who specializes in weight lifting programs for beginners. Weight lifting will increase your metabolism as well as improve posture and appearance overall.  Even if you can't get to the gym you can work out at home using things around the house.  A couple of the links I've included explain how.

In terms of diet, cut out or reduce things like junk food, pop, fat, fast food. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish.   Particularly if you choose a vegetarian lifestyle include natural peanut butter, hummus, dried fruit and nuts.  Pay close attention to getting the nutrients your body needs to be healthy.  

Make your portion sizes smaller.   Use a smaller plate - in our society we have become accustomed to thinking that we need a large plate of food at every meal, and we don't.  About quarter of your plate of food should be protein and at least half of it should be veggies.  

Learn to count calories.  At your current weight and activity level, you may need about 2000 calories or more to maintain your current weight. So you will lose weight at a reasonable and healthy rate if you cut back to about 1600 or 1700 calories a day.  

Eat small amounts frequently, rather than three large meals.  Never skip breakfast.  Include some protein in your breakfast.  It will help get you through the day.

Drink plenty of water, at least 8 big glasses of water a day, and more if it is very hot, if you sweat a lot, or if you are exercising intensely, and eliminate fruit juices.  Fruit juices have too many calories, so get your vitamins from fresh fruit, not the juice.  You will begin to see changes in your body.

Check out websites about nutrition, exercise, weight training, etc.  Here are a few helpful links.

http://www.nutrawatch.com/

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/

http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_ea...

http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-the-H...

http://weightloss.about.com/cs/fitness/a...

http://www.thepumpingstation.com/trainin...

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/fe...

Answer 2

yea.. but having no grains is bad for you.. if you do this make sure u take vitamins