holy shit! I'm starting to get fat!

So do you want to get fit, or do you just want to loose weight?

If you just want to loose weight you should eat less move more, simple as that. Calories in need to be less than calories out.

If you want to get fit you should start with some kind of resistance training program, i would recommend something like starting strength or stronglifts, and start a moderate cardio regimen. Maybe jog twice a week or something. This coupled with eating healthy high protein foods in moderate amounts will make you fit in a matter of months.

Good advice from @DiamondDays, depends on what you want to accomplish. If you want that six pack back you'll have to work at it. It gets harder and harder as you get older as @All in Twilight mentioned, that's why you don't see a lot of 40 year old men with a six pack.

For straight diet tracking/weight loss, I would recommend Free Calorie Counter, Diet & Exercise Journal | MyFitnessPal.com. They have an app for your phone too and a good user community for free. Pretty easy way to track what you are currently eating and see what things you might be able to change to make the biggest impact. Sometimes something as simple as doing something like ordering the small fry or apple slices instead of the large fry will make a big change over time. Good luck!

I want to add to my first post that the reason why i a specified moderate cardio regimen is because if you are a total noob you should not be doing any more than that, even if cardio is to be the focus of your fitness future. The resistance training programs i recommended are ones that start out at the very bottom. They assume you are a weakling and that is a good thing because it builds good habits and allows your body to adjust to the workload you are putting it through gradually. You should take the same approach to cardio. Always start out at a level that is below what you can comfortably handle. Fitness is not a sprint, it is a marathon, and by easing into it you give your body the best chance to be able to adapt to the strain.

DiamondDays said:

I want to add to my first post that the reason why i a specified moderate cardio regimen is because if you are a total noob you should not be doing any more than that, even if cardio is to be the focus of your fitness future. The resistance training programs i recommended are ones that start out at the very bottom. They assume you are a weakling and that is a good thing because it builds good habits and allows your body to adjust to the workload you are putting it through gradually. You should take the same approach to cardio. Always start out at a level that is below what you can comfortably handle. Fitness is not a sprint, it is a marathon, and by easing into it you give your body the best chance to be able to adapt to the strain.

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Can you link me to something with trustworthy with a moderate cardio regimen(to be honest, I have no idea what this means). Isn't resistance the same as cardio?

bluekitdon said:

Good advice from @DiamondDays, depends on what you want to accomplish. If you want that six pack back you'll have to work at it. It gets harder and harder as you get older as @All in Twilight mentioned, that's why you don't see a lot of 40 year old men with a six pack.

For straight diet tracking/weight loss, I would recommend Free Calorie Counter, Diet & Exercise Journal | MyFitnessPal.com. They have an app for your phone too and a good user community for free. Pretty easy way to track what you are currently eating and see what things you might be able to change to make the biggest impact. Sometimes something as simple as doing something like ordering the small fry or apple slices instead of the large fry will make a big change over time. Good luck!

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Nothing is for free. Sacrificing privacy for a calorie counter seems like a bad deal for me, sorry.

All in Twilight said:

How old are you? Your metabolism changes when you get older. Have you thought of that?

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I am around 25. I guess this thing called ''metabolism'' must be the evildoer huh? Does that mean I can't live on unlimited pizza and soda anymore? Do I have to eat green stuff like other people?

DiamondDays said:

So do you want to get fit, or do you just want to loose weight?

If you just want to loose weight you should eat less move more, simple as that. Calories in need to be less than calories out.

If you want to get fit you should start with some kind of resistance training program, i would recommend something like starting strength or stronglifts, and start a moderate cardio regimen. Maybe jog twice a week or something. This coupled with eating healthy high protein foods in moderate amounts will make you fit in a matter of months.

Click to expand...

I want to be fit and loose weight. Or maybe even transform this fat into muscle(if that is possible).

Could you explain what a moderate cardio regimen is?
High protein foods? You mean like carrots?

What i need most is some structure man, something I can hold on to. I recently bought a mountainbike and aim to do 10km a day biking, is that okay too?

sly said:

Nothing is for free. Sacrificing privacy for a calorie counter seems like a bad deal for me, sorry.

What i need most is some structure man, something I can hold on to. I recently bought a mountainbike and aim to do 10km a day biking, is that okay too?

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Good plan on biking, find some physical activity you enjoy doing and do that. If you don't want to use myfitnesspal or something similar (I've used myfitnesspal & never had any problems) then go old school and try just writing down your calorie counts for awhile. Look for foods with high calories to cut down on like chips, fries, etc, and eat more fruits & vegetables. Shoot to exercise at least a half hour a day and you should be just fine.

Don't go too overboard at the beginning, people tend to go all in with 3-4 hours at the gym, cut out all sweets, eat nothing but tofu & water, or whatever and just end up burning themselves out in my experience. I've always found small changes stick best when trying to change habits. Try making a small change in your diet and exercise program, give it a month or so to stick, and then try another small change.

sly said:

Can you link me to something with trustworthy with a moderate cardio regimen(to be honest, I have no idea what this means). Isn't resistance the same as cardio?

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Cardio = running, biking, swimming etc.
Resistance training = Strength training. Body weight, free weights or machines.

So no resistance is not the same as cardio. Resistance build strength primarily. Cardio build endurance primarily.

StrongLifts: Gain Muscle And Strength While Losing Fat StrongLifts is a good place to begin for building muscle, cardio you're on your own because i have about zero clue on how to structure a fitness regime that is built around cardio instead of building muscle. What i do is i take long walks, but things i used to do was swim and bike on a stationary bike for 30 min 2-3 days a week.

But i know nothing about actually focusing on cardio, i think bluekitdon knows more about that.

I want to be fit and loose weight. Or maybe even transform this fat into muscle(if that is possible).

Could you explain what a moderate cardio regimen is?
High protein foods? You mean like carrots?

What i need most is some structure man, something I can hold on to. I recently bought a mountainbike and aim to do 10km a day biking, is that okay too?

Click to expand...

No you can not "transform" fat into muscle. What you can do is build muscle while at the same time burning fat. This is very hard tho, and your gains will be suboptimal. I would recommend you start out on say stronglifts 5x5, follow that, eat well and do your mountainbiking 2-4 times a week. No more is needed, altho 10km doesnt sound much at all if the terrain you are biking in is the usual dutch terrain. I used to bike more than twice that only to get to and from the gym. Not saying you should go crazy here, but 10km is 20 min at a leisurely pace. Or at least it will be after the first couple months of doing it.

And no carrots are almost completely devoid of protein. Protein is found in meat and dairy mainly. It is what builds muscle. It is very important to get enough of, especially if you are cutting fat, in order to prevent unnecessary muscle loss and in order to be able to build muscle at all.

The most important factors in getting fit/ healthy are
a. Getting 'deep sleep' stage 4. Magical things happen during deep sleep, including burning off extra fuel that you have eaten. Weed is e biggest offender of deep sleep, but caffeine has significant impeding effects as well. Actually all substances that people use for pleasure will significantly impede stage 4 sleep... Very important to know.
Deep sleep will also fully repair the body and mind to take on more exercise, not to mention everything else.

b. making sure damn near everything you eat is a good source of fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Fiber allows for a smooth metabolism, rather than blood sugar spikes. When a mass amount of non-fiberous high glycemic fuel is consumed, such as when drinking soda, your body is no longer youthful enough to maintain a high enough metabolic rate to convert the fuel into energy. (onset of diabetes, insulin resistance, etc) The body then turns the excess sugar into fat if it cannot be burned fast enough. Cardio exercise will raise your basal metabolic rate and also burn the sugar out of your blood, which is very helpful.. But only as much as the effort you put in of course.

Fiber is in vegetables and fruits. Eat tons of both.. The fiber will regulate your hunger due to the bulk. Vegetables and fruits also contain the nutrients that your body is constantly craving to make you feel good.

In other words, you're dying.. Better get busy living!! Fight it!!

P.s. pizza has no fiber. Close to none

TerminalDancer said:

The most important factors in getting fit/ healthy are
a. Getting 'deep sleep' stage 4. Magical things happen during deep sleep, including burning off extra fuel that you have eaten. Weed is e biggest offender of deep sleep, but caffeine has significant impeding effects as well. Actually all substances that people use for pleasure will significantly impede stage 4 sleep... Very important to know.
Deep sleep will also fully repair the body and mind to take on more exercise, not to mention everything else.

b. making sure damn near everything you eat is a good source of fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Fiber allows for a smooth metabolism, rather than blood sugar spikes. When a mass amount of non-fiberous high glycemic fuel is consumed, such as when drinking soda, your body is no longer youthful enough to maintain a high enough metabolic rate to convert the fuel into energy. (onset of diabetes, insulin resistance, etc) The body then turns the excess sugar into fat if it cannot be burned fast enough. Cardio exercise will raise your basal metabolic rate and also burn the sugar out of your blood, which is very helpful.. But only as much as the effort you put in of course.

Fiber is in vegetables and fruits. Eat tons of both.. The fiber will regulate your hunger due to the bulk. Vegetables and fruits also contain the nutrients that your body is constantly craving to make you feel good.

In other words, you're dying.. Better get busy living!! Fight it!!

P.s. pizza has no fiber. Close to none

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This is bs. Complete utter bs.

Rest is important, but you can get fit sleeping only 5 hours a night. Food is important, but you can eat crap food and get fit as long as the calories are right.

TerminalDancer has no clue what he is talking about. Cardio does not raise your basal metabolic rate considerably. It does burn a lot of calories, so it is recommended if you want to loose fat, but it is important to keep your facts straight. Cardio does not raise BMR. More muscle does, but cardio does not lead to more muscle. Rather the opposite actually.

Fibers are good for you, yes. Especially if you have certain kinds of digestive tract troubles. But there is such a thing as too much fiber too. What TD seems to be driving at is that you should try to get low glycemic index foods, and that is of course correct. However low glycemic index foods do not necessarily contain a lot of fibers and just because the food contains a lot of fibers does not mean it is healthy. Fibrous foods often are, but far from all are. The effect of fibers on keeping your blood sugar levels, and consequently your insulin levels, level are negligible.

The right amount of food and the right exercise. That is all. The rest is just bonus.

DiamondDays said:

This is bs. Complete utter bs.

Rest is important, but you can get fit sleeping only 5 hours a night. Food is important, but you can eat crap food and get fit as long as the calories are right.

TerminalDancer has no clue what he is talking about. Cardio does not raise your basal metabolic rate considerably. It does burn a lot of calories, so it is recommended if you want to loose fat, but it is important to keep your facts straight. Cardio does not raise BMR. More muscle does, but cardio does not lead to more muscle. Rather the opposite actually.

Fibers are good for you, yes. Especially if you have certain kinds of digestive tract troubles. But there is such a thing as too much fiber too. What TD seems to be driving at is that you should try to get low glycemic index foods, and that is of course correct. However low glycemic index foods do not necessarily contain a lot of fibers and just because the food contains a lot of fibers does not mean it is healthy. Fibrous foods often are, but far from all are. The effect of fibers on keeping your blood sugar levels, and consequently your insulin levels, level are negligible.

The right amount of food and the right exercise. That is all. The rest is just bonus.

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Okay, so if I put it all together:

Sleep(5u minimum, I'm on 12u sleep a day currently)
Fibers, which are apparently good for me. Fibers can be found in fruits and vegatbles

What else am I missing here? Vitamins? that powder like substance sold in jars in sport stores?

Getting fit can be seperated in two fields: Resistance and cardio.
The basic rule is that your ouput has to be higher than your input in order to burn fat. Reistance is to build muscle while cardio is to burn fat.


Oh and by the way, you are suggesting to start stronglifting which is building resistance. Shouldn't I burn fat first before I should start build muscle?


Are there any exercises I can do without going to a gym(alternatives for stronglifts)? Too many mirrors, people looking at each other, I just feel awkward in there considering the state I am in now.

sly said:

Okay, so if I put it all together:

Sleep(5u minimum, I'm on 12u sleep a day currently)
Fibers, which are apparently good for me. Fibers can be found in fruits and vegatbles

What else am I missing here? Vitamins? that powder like substance sold in jars in sport stores?

Getting fit can be seperated in two fields: Resistance and cardio.
The basic rule is that your ouput has to be higher than your input in order to burn fat. Reistance is to build muscle while cardio is to burn fat.


Oh and by the way, you are suggesting to start stronglifting which is building resistance. Shouldn't I burn fat first before I should start build muscle?


Are there any exercises I can do without going to a gym(alternatives for stronglifts)? Too many mirrors, people looking at each other, I just feel awkward in there considering the state I am in now.

Click to expand...

You probably should think about cutting down on sleep. Are you by any chance depressed? Tbh i think 12h sleep a day can explain your weight gain.

And no, cardio is not for fat loss, it is for endurance. It just happens to burn calories too, which in conjuction with diet can lead to calorie deficit which leads to fat loss.

You should do resistance training because it actually does raise your basic metabolic rate ( mainly by building muscle, which you will be doing even if you are on a moderate caloric deficit if you are a newbie at strength training ). Also it prevents you from losing a lot of muscle while on a caloric deficit, which you otherwise would. And no, 5 hours sleep is not a minimum of any kind. I was just saying that sleep is secondary to diet and exercise.

Yes there are plenty of exercise you can do at home, squats, lunges, planks, pushups, situps, dips, chins, leg raises etc. etc. but if you are to shy to go to the gym i suggest you give up already, because obviously fitness is not important enough to you. Really, no one gives a shit how you look in there as long as your clothes are clean, you dont smell and you are not intentionally being ass.

There is no such thing as "stronglifting". Stronglifts is just a program with set rules and such to help newbies get strong. When you go to a gym and lift weights it is called weight lifting, or maybe bodybuilding.

Vitamins? Sure, go ahead. They will probably be good for you, but they wont make any difference to weightloss. Anybody who claims otherwise is either someone who sells supplements ( aka the Devil ) or someone who believes all the bullshit on the internet. Protein powder is awesome if you feel that you dont get enough protein from your diet otherwise, so yeah that is a good idea.

And fibers, who fucking cares? Are you having troubles with your digestive tract?

sly said:

Okay, so if I put it all together:

Sleep(5u minimum, I'm on 12u sleep a day currently)
Fibers, which are apparently good for me. Fibers can be found in fruits and vegatbles

What else am I missing here? Vitamins? that powder like substance sold in jars in sport stores?

Getting fit can be seperated in two fields: Resistance and cardio.
The basic rule is that your ouput has to be higher than your input in order to burn fat. Reistance is to build muscle while cardio is to burn fat.


Oh and by the way, you are suggesting to start stronglifting which is building resistance. Shouldn't I burn fat first before I should start build muscle?


Are there any exercises I can do without going to a gym(alternatives for stronglifts)? Too many mirrors, people looking at each other, I just feel awkward in there considering the state I am in now.

Click to expand...

-6-8 hrs of sleep
-Might do a multivitamin which is what I do, but unless you're into serious lifting/bodybuilding I wouldn't bother with the supplements.
-Usually best to combine resistance with cardio for best effects. I'd just alternate days - cardio one day, resistance the next.
-Food - I don't personally worry too much about what kind of food I eat, just the amounts (calories). Certain foods like potatoes (fries/chips) are loaded and I try to avoid those, some like green veggies & fruits don't have a ton of calories and fill you up so I try to replace the junk foods with those when I have an option.
-Exercising without a gym...could try something like P90X or Insanity DVD's, those are the two I use. Will need a pullup bar, weights, & pushup handles for P90X, don't really need any extra equipment for Insanity. It is usually better to exercise with others if you can though, gets some social time in at the same time.

@DiamondDays

You run this show eh? What gives you the right to treat me with such little respect? Fuck you man. There's nothing that I said that was not true or not valuable.

I didn't say 'sleep', I said 'deep sleep', as in REM. Consistent REM is only attainable through a clean lifestyle. Just because you close your eyes does not mean you go into this '4th Stage' of sleep. There's too much to explain here, it's just something very valuable for someone interested in health / wellbeing (and therefore weightloss & strength) should research.

You can not 'eat crap' and get fit. Not in any long-term scenario anyway. You are what you eat. Stick to the most natural foods, eat burgers/pizza in moderation. I would recommend never eating takeout chinese. Stay away from processed sugar.. try to get your sugar from fruits. If you drink soda as a habit, eliminating this item/ addiction from your lifestyle will provide the results you are looking for just in itself, but it won't be easy and you will be tempted to fill the void with other unhealthy things. Replacing with juice will not yield any fat loss.

Base Metabolic Rate (calories your body burns without doing anything): Although cardio DOES increase the calories burned for a period of time after stopping the exercise, I believe having bulk muscle mass will create the constant need for more calories to be burned, as long as the muscle is maintained of course. So yes, I give you credit on this.

There really is no such thing as too much fiber.. how is that possible? Fiber is just a component of natural, healthy foods. There are 2 types, soluble and insoluble. They each have a different function. Dietary Fiber: Insoluble and Soluble Fiber The effect of fiber on blood sugar is VERY WELL DOCUMENTED and it has a profound impact on health. Our systems should be processing food at a steady rate, not erratic like with liquid sugar and pizza and whatnot.

Exercise (both strength training and cardio) is necessary several days a week for optimal health, not arguing with this at all.

I am trying to give tips that others might not bring to the table. I do know what I'm talking about and I have verified the things I say with experience. It's a smart idea to start with your diet.. your results will be greater, you will feel & look better, and you will have more motivation to continue your workout routine as a long term strategy.

TerminalDancer said:

@DiamondDays

You run this show eh? What gives you the right to treat me with such little respect? Fuck you man. There's nothing that I said that was not true or not valuable.

I didn't say 'sleep', I said 'deep sleep', as in REM. Consistent REM is only attainable through a clean lifestyle. Just because you close your eyes does not mean you go into this '4th Stage' of sleep. There's too much to explain here, it's just something very valuable for someone interested in health / wellbeing (and therefore weightloss & strength) should research.

You can not 'eat crap' and get fit. Not in any long-term scenario anyway. You are what you eat. Stick to the most natural foods, eat burgers/pizza in moderation. I would recommend never eating takeout chinese. Stay away from processed sugar.. try to get your sugar from fruits. If you drink soda as a habit, eliminating this item/ addiction from your lifestyle will provide the results you are looking for just in itself, but it won't be easy and you will be tempted to fill the void with other unhealthy things. Replacing with juice will not yield any fat loss.

Base Metabolic Rate (calories your body burns without doing anything): Although cardio DOES increase the calories burned for a period of time after stopping the exercise, I believe having bulk muscle mass will create the constant need for more calories to be burned, as long as the muscle is maintained of course. So yes, I give you credit on this.

There really is no such thing as too much fiber.. how is that possible? Fiber is just a component of natural, healthy foods. There are 2 types, soluble and insoluble. They each have a different function. Dietary Fiber: Insoluble and Soluble Fiber The effect of fiber on blood sugar is VERY WELL DOCUMENTED and it has a profound impact on health. Our systems should be processing food at a steady rate, not erratic like with liquid sugar and pizza and whatnot.

Exercise (both strength training and cardio) is necessary several days a week for optimal health, not arguing with this at all.

I am trying to give tips that others might not bring to the table. I do know what I'm talking about and I have verified the things I say with experience. It's a smart idea to start with your diet.. your results will be greater, you will feel & look better, and you will have more motivation to continue your workout routine as a long term strategy.

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Fuck me? Well fuck you too!

What i reacted to was the fact that you claimed that your two point were the most important parts of fitness. THEY MOST PATENTLY ARE NOT. If you read my reply you read that i agreed that rest is important and fibers are healthy. They are and i never argued against that. What i argued was that they are not "the most important factors in getting fit/healthy"

If you had actually read my post before flying off the handle you would have seen that.

If you can tell people that rest and fibers are the MOST IMPORTANT parts of fitness then i can tell people that you are full of shit, that is only fair.

DiamondDays said:

You probably should think about cutting down on sleep. Are you by any chance depressed? Tbh i think 12h sleep a day can explain your weight gain.

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Nah I'm not depressed, I just somehow end up sleeping till my head hurts. Guess I'm at a disadvantage here with my sleeping habits.

And no, cardio is not for fat loss, it is for endurance. It just happens to burn calories too, which in conjuction with diet can lead to calorie deficit which leads to fat loss.

Click to expand...

Point noted.

You should do resistance training because it actually does raise your basic metabolic rate ( mainly by building muscle, which you will be doing even if you are on a moderate caloric deficit if you are a newbie at strength training ). Also it prevents you from losing a lot of muscle while on a caloric deficit, which you otherwise would. And no, 5 hours sleep is not a minimum of any kind. I was just saying that sleep is secondary to diet and exercise.

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You haven't told me yet what this metabolic rate is. So if I train muscle, I will prevent losing muscle even if im on a caloric deficit.

Yes there are plenty of exercise you can do at home, squats, lunges, planks, pushups, situps, dips, chins, leg raises etc. etc. but if you are to shy to go to the gym i suggest you give up already, because obviously fitness is not important enough to you. Really, no one gives a shit how you look in there as long as your clothes are clean, you dont smell and you are not intentionally being ass.

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No, im not going to give up.
I subscribed to my local gym, went there and ended up being overwhelmed by my social anxiety due to some very ignorant actions(mental facepalming still). Therefore I want to atleast have some information and some sort of plan before I go back there to have some confidence.

There is no such thing as "stronglifting". Stronglifts is just a program with set rules and such to help newbies get strong. When you go to a gym and lift weights it is called weight lifting, or maybe bodybuilding.

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Oh i see, I will look into this program then. Interested

Vitamins? Sure, go ahead. They will probably be good for you, but they wont make any difference to weightloss. Anybody who claims otherwise is either someone who sells supplements ( aka the Devil ) or someone who believes all the bullshit on the internet. Protein powder is awesome if you feel that you dont get enough protein from your diet otherwise, so yeah that is a good idea.

And fibers, who fucking cares? Are you having troubles with your digestive tract?

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Sorry, I just don't have that complete picture yet of what I should pay attention to or need in order to succeed. I would think that what you eat is kind of important. Like protein, what the hell is that? Where should I look for some diets that I can easily adhere to. For now, I feel like im eating waaay to much.


Could you also comment on insanity DVDs and how it differs from the stronglift program? Should I follow @bluekitdon 's advice and not worry too much about what I eat but only how much I eat for the time being?

Edit:
Oh shit I feel a storm brewing in this thread...

My computer crashed when i was writing my response and i had spent a buttload of time on it so this is the condensed version.

sly said:

Nah I'm not depressed, I just somehow end up sleeping till my head hurts. Guess I'm at a disadvantage here with my sleeping habits.

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Well, when you sleep your body uses less energy to keep going. 12h is not very healthy, actually it is as bad as sleeping too little

Point noted.
You haven't told me yet what this metabolic rate is. So if I train muscle, I will prevent losing muscle even if im on a caloric deficit.

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Metabolic rate is the amount of energy the body uses just to keep going. More muscle = higher metabolic rate. Not by huge amounts, but by noticeable amounts.

No, im not going to give up.
I subscribed to my local gym, went there and ended up being overwhelmed by my social anxiety due to some very ignorant actions(mental facepalming still). Therefore I want to atleast have some information and some sort of plan before I go back there to have some confidence.

Click to expand...

That is a great attitude! Do not be afraid to ask people for help either. Everyone's been a newb at one point.

Oh i see, I will look into this program then. Interested

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It worked very well for me at least. If you decide to go for it you will almost guaranteed be one of the stronger guys in your gym in a matter of months.

Sorry, I just don't have that complete picture yet of what I should pay attention to or need in order to succeed. I would think that what you eat is kind of important. Like protein, what the hell is that? Where should I look for some diets that I can easily adhere to. For now, I feel like im eating waaay to much.

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Ohh lawd! You really don't know what proteins are? Well, see, they are one of three main things that the body derive sustance from. The other two are carbohydrates and fats. Carbohydrates are starches and sugar ( and fibers, but fibers can't be digested due to the molecular size or something ), fats are... fats. Proteins are important because they are what the body uses to build and maintain muscle, and they are used for a lot of other bodily functions too. Fats are important too, and together with proteins they are the two nutrients you absolutely can not do without. Carbs you can cut out completely and survive just fine, as the atkins people do, but i don't recommend it... Anyways, yeah, those three are the main sources of sustance for the body and when you are building muscle or losing fat you need proteins a lot so that your muscles grow optimally/don't shrink so much.

Proteins are found in thing like meat, dairy, eggs and legumes.

If you want to really take control of your diet you need a tape measure, a scale, a food scale and a pair of eyes.
First you go to The WeighTrainer - Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, Weightlifting, Strength Training, Nutrition and figure out your body fat percentage with the calculator there. Then you figure out your energy need with the different calculators. With those numbers in mind you start reading the back of all the food you buy for nutrional info, or you for thing like meat and grains you weigh them and look it up online. Then you just add up everything you eat in a day and ta-daa! you have just counted your calories for a day. You want to aim at at least a 500 calorie deficit a day, which would translate to around a pound fat loss a week. However it is important that you do some kind of resistance training or up to 50% of your weightloss might be muscle and you do not want that.

If you don't want to do that just stop eating crap, start eating only home cooked food and eat 3-4 times a day. Eat lots of protein, eat only whole grains, fill up on veggies.

Could you also comment on insanity DVDs and how it differs from the stronglift program? Should I follow @bluekitdon 's advice and not worry too much about what I eat but only how much I eat for the time being?

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Well, it is not the same thing at all really. Things like insanity and P90X will have you burning insane amounts of calories, thus they are good for weight loss. However they are not really focused on improving strength, which is what i have been advising thus far. If you choose to go down the endurance fitness path, i think they will do fine if you just ease into it. But as far as i have read into them they will get a newb overtrained fast if you just jump right in.

Also yes i think you shouldn't worry a whole lot about but rather how much. However protein is very important!!

Edit:
Oh shit I feel a storm brewing in this thread...

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Lol yeah i noticed haha

If I may... (She said without actually reading through the other posts... I apologize in advance if this has already been covered)

The best way that I lost weight fast & in a healthy manner was through Weight Watchers. Yeah, I'm aware that it sounds pathetic and as a fat old women's club, but it's not exactly true. I joined when I couldn't get the last 10 lbs off and it was really, really easy. I used to spend 6 days a week at the gym, actively working out about 1.5 hrs a time, high intensity cardio & lifting, plus I ate & drank very healthy so it wasn't like I was out of shape or anything.

WW is not free, but what you learn is something that you can use the rest of your life + you get books and stuff that you can pull back out as needed. You can go to live meetings or do everything online. The WW approach takes everything into account, IMO. Basically is uses calories, grams of fat & grams of fiber in the food that you eat to calculate points. Depending on your weight (and gender, I believe) you are allowed a certain amount of points a day. You can essentially eat & drink anything, as long as you stick within your allowed points span. You can increase your allowed points by adding exercising.

The good thing, at least for women ( @DiamondDays and the rest of you guys posting on this thread, can you comment if this is true for men to, please?), is that you also make sure not to do the big mistake of under-eating. A lot of people do dieting in a way that actually shuts down the metabolism; the body goes into starvation mode and starts to survive on a very small amount of calories. Once the person goes back to eating a normal amount of calories, the body weight increases. This creates an effect & behavior that is often referred to as yo-yo dieting.

Swede said:

The good thing, at least for women (@DiamondDays and the rest of you guys posting on this thread, can you comment if this is true for men to, please?), is that you also make sure not to do the big mistake of under-eating. A lot of people do dieting in a way that actually shuts down the metabolism; the body goes into starvation mode and starts to survive on a very small amount of calories. Once the person goes back to eating a normal amount of calories, the body weight increases. This creates an effect & behavior that is often referred to as yo-yo dieting.

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This is very true for guys too, altho your bmr actually doesn't get downregulated by more than around 20% or so at the most during starvation. The really really big culprit with yo-yo dieting tends to be muscle loss, and the decrease in metabolism is due to just having lost a lot of muscle, replacing it with fat.

@DiamondDays

You have been very helpful so far. I'm starting to understand things. This all reminds me of mmorpgs somehow, which path shall I choose? hmm..

I guess I'll be combining insanity and stronglift to a)burn calories like a korean prostitute on Speed and b) prevent losing muscle when burning calories by doing resistance training 3 days a week(unless otherwise advice by stronglift program). The other 2 days I'll be doing endurance, I guess I could just pick my bike and do 10km(I would do more but my thigs are scrubbed raw already by the unnatural high humidty in this area).

My diet will consist of meat drenched in oil(that is like fat right?) and eggs. That should be a good beginning I reckon?