Ask YC: How do you lose weight? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#121

Post by kingkongrevenge » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 10:45 PM UTC

scott_s wrote: post #13

mrtron wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Excellent points. Muscle mass is key for many things, including burning more calories. I wouldn't focus on being a certain weight or losing a certain weight - you should initially be staying about even since you will be increasing muscle mass while reducing fat mass.

I also think that for many people strength training can be more fun, and consequently, are more likely to continue doing it. It's more visceral than most cardio, and the goal/reward system of increasing weight and reps gives faster gratification. Part of the problem is that most people have no idea how to do the basic lifts, and most personal trainers don't teach them. Another problem is a basic lack of structure, wh…

> I advocate focusing on the basic lifts

For the average dude just trying to stay in shape, nothing beats the full olympic lifts. Take the barbell from the ground to over your head with snatches and cleans. Do it right and you'll be stronger than 90% of the people in the gym from 10 minutes three times a week.

FYI: The kind of lifts you see most people do in a gym are derived from body building routines, not proper strength training for athletic purposes. Such lifts will puff up muscles through sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. These slow movement high volume exercises actually decrease peak force, and puffed up muscles will slow you down and decrease aerobic efficiency. Hence the terms "blown-up" or "puffed-up" fighter.

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#122

Post by kingnothing » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 10:56 PM UTC

Losing weight is as simple as eating less and doing anaerobic exercise for up to an hour a day, 3 to 4 days a week. If you're lifting hard, then the only variable is your diet. Drop a couple hundred calories off of your intake every day for a week - if you aren't losing 1 - 2 pounds per week, take another couple hundred calories off. I would say, in general, no man should eat less than 1800 calories per day, however. If you are, and not losing weight, you should most definitely see your doctor.

Aerobic exercise is great, but you shouldn't do it to lose weight. Do it for the benefits to the cardiovascular system. Anaerobic exercise will add muscle mass which in turn increases your metabolism. Also, by strenuously using your muscles every week, your body has to continuously repair them.

That is important because our bodies are designed for survival. What I mean is that when forced to lose weight, your body will first burn whatever muscle it doesn't need, then resort to the fat. It takes less effort for your body to break down muscle than fat, so it does so first. Your body puts a priority on repairing itself, so it's going to be forced to not burn the muscles it is repairing and instead break down fat for the energy it needs because you're eating less than you need to maintain your weight.

If you want a good weight lifting routine, check out www.wannabebig.com. Specifically, take a look at this routine: http://www.wannabebig.com/article.php?articleid=25

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#123

Post by kingnothing » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 11:03 PM UTC

kingkongrevenge wrote: post #121

scott_s wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also think that for many people strength training can be more fun, and consequently, are more likely to continue doing it. It's more visceral than most cardio, and the goal/reward system of increasing weight and reps gives faster gratification. Part of the problem is that most people have no idea how to do the basic lifts, and most personal trainers don't teach them. Another problem is a basic lack of structure, wh…

> I advocate focusing on the basic lifts For the average dude just trying to stay in shape, nothing beats the full olympic lifts. Take the barbell from the ground to over your head with snatches and cleans. Do it right and you'll be stronger than 90% of the people in the gym from 10 minutes three times a week. FYI: The kind of lifts you see most people do in a gym are derived from body building routines, not proper s…

30 minutes of snatch and cleans per week will not result in you being stronger than 90% of the people in the gym.

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#124

Post by kingnothing » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 11:03 PM UTC

wumi wrote: post #106

scott_s wrote: post #3

First of all, exercise. You can't get in good shape through diet alone. Exercise is more than just cardio; strength training increases the amount of muscle mass you have, which allows you to burn more calories. "Diets" don't work because the word implies a temporary change in your eating habits. In order to maintain weight loss, you need to change your eating habits for the rest of your life . Further, in order to be…

"diet" implies your normal eating habits, not a change in eating habits. go to a nutritionist and they will ask you "what's your diet like?"

It's really too bad that "diet" is treated as a "four letter word" in the US and not simply the foods and eating habits that make up your regular intake.

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#125

Post by kingnothing » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 11:06 PM UTC

freax wrote: post #56

First off, I wouldn't recommend a high-protein, low carb diet. It's very hard on your internal organs. Kidney problems abound from all the protein waste processing. There are are some extremely effective substances you can use but they are a bit harder to get. Clenbuterol will shed pounds like crazy but it's not something to stay on long-term. So plan to maintain your weight after you have help losing it. Human Growt…

A high-protein, low carb diet isn't necessarily good. However, most people probably do not eat enough protein and eat too many carbs. I would say about a gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight would be good for most people who are getting in to proper diet and exercise, which may need to be adjusted depending on the individual's goals.

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#126

Post by kingkongrevenge » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 11:08 PM UTC

wumi wrote: post #105

webwright wrote: post #20

Joe Hruska (one of my co-founders at RescueTime, YC08) has lost 42 pounds in the last 3.5 months with approximately zero exercise. He pretty much did the South Beach Diet. It's kinda faddy, but it really is approximately what humans were designed to eat. You should pick up the book, but approximately: no white flour, no white sugar, no rice, no potatoes. First two weeks are pure carb-free (painful) but the rest of th…

"approximately what humans were designed to eat" and humans weren't approximately designed to sit in chairs for 10-12 hours day typing away staring at a computer screen. the diet matched the activity.

Well, a lot of peoples have basically hibernated for the winter. Inuit hole up for almost half the year and live off provisions. Back in more agrarian days there really wasn't a whole lot to do all winter. Cows and chickens only make milk and eggs all year now from artificial stimulation.

People ate high fat preserved food. Cheeses, pemmican, manteca, bacon, etc. Also pickled stuff.

So if all you do is sit around, try living off tubs of lard and sauerkraut.

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#127

Post by kingnothing » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 11:13 PM UTC

optimal wrote: post #25

Move more, eat less. It really is that simple. If you want to lose weight you need to include both exercise and proper nutrition in your life (I don't like the word "diet"). Running, weights, PT, biking, swimming, etc. Brisk walking is great. Just do something! My best advice regarding exercise is to make it a habit by including it in your daily routine. At first you'll feel worse when you do exercise than when you d…

Thinking down the road is what got me off my ass and in the gym. I realized that I'd been 40 pounds overweight for the past seven years and that there is no magical weight loss fairy who would wave her wand at me and make me wake up one day without that fat.

Right now I'm still getting "newbie gains", but I can't even begin to describe how great it feels to know that every day I'm stronger and healthier than I've ever been in my life. I'm also happier and handle stress better than ever. Really, exercise is that miracle drug everyone seems to be searching for.

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#128

Post by kingnothing » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 11:16 PM UTC

neilc wrote: post #19

asillyusername wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who think juice is a healthful food are nuts.

Not everyone has a problem with calorie intake.

Even still, drinking a glass of orange juice delivers fewer nutrients than eating an orange, and of course you don't get any of the fiber, either.

Pretty much every drink other than water is empty calories.

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#129

Post by kingkongrevenge » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 11:22 PM UTC

kingnothing wrote: post #123

kingkongrevenge wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I advocate focusing on the basic lifts For the average dude just trying to stay in shape, nothing beats the full olympic lifts. Take the barbell from the ground to over your head with snatches and cleans. Do it right and you'll be stronger than 90% of the people in the gym from 10 minutes three times a week. FYI: The kind of lifts you see most people do in a gym are derived from body building routines, not proper s…

30 minutes of snatch and cleans per week will not result in you being stronger than 90% of the people in the gym.

Done properly, yes they will. Strength increases from exceeding previous peak maximal effort. That's almost the whole story. This does not require a lot of time. Very brief and intense sessions are effective. Explosive full body movements done to failure have by far the biggest effect on strength.

Strength is more a neurological matter than people realize. Achieving higher explosive strength is almost more about training the nervous system than the muscles. The explosive lifts done properly achieve this training, whereas slow heavy-weight movements simply don't.

To equivocate, just snatches and cleans will lead to accommodation quickly. Variations will be necessary. But I will stand by my assertion that ten minute strength training routines done three times a week can leave you stronger than most of the people in a typical gym. You won't necessarily puff up bigger, but you will throw a much harder punch.

p.s.

I like how you admit to being a newbie elsewhere yet you're contradicting me with confidence. I'm not just talking out my ass. This is knowledge I use to win in the ring.

Re: Ask YC: How do you lose weight?

#130

Post by kingnothing » Sat, Apr 19, 2008, 11:22 PM UTC

rob wrote: post #97

Find BMR: http://tinyurl.com/2uc7ps Use BMR info to find daily calorie needs: http://tinyurl.com/yxrujb Subtract the total daily calorie amount by 250-500 and eat that many calories per day. Yes, you'll have to count calories. Make sure to get enough protein (at least 1g per pound of bodyweight) and healthy fats (olive oil, peanut butter, nuts, etc) and a moderate amount of carbohydrates. Do weight lifting 3 days a w…

You're advising too much protein: One to one and a half grams per kilogram is enough for almost anyone except the most devout lifters (read: those who compete). As for determining calories, most people eat a similar amount every week, so all they need to do is track their calories for a week then subtract from there until they're losing one to two pounds per week; not counting the first one or two weeks where they'll lose a lot of water weight.