Hi all,

My name is Jason and I’m 25 years old. I am 5’8, 181 pounds and, ideally, would like to lose 10-15 pounds to be within my target weight range. However, that goal is a bit too lofty and so losing 5 pounds within the next 8 weeks is a more realistic goal I have set my sights on.

I joined a gym with a friend of mine last May and have been going steadily ever since (although sometimes only twice a week). We mainly focus on weight training and my emphasis is on arms and chest. I still don’t have the definition in my chest that I’d like and my arms still seem rather stringy to me, so I’m just focused on getting a more “cut” look as opposed to gaining any visible muscle mass (which would’ve likely happened by now).

As for my diet, I have begun a food diary, tracking EVERYTHING I put into my mouth. I really don’t know what my average caloric intake was prior to this week, but if I had to venture a guess, it was likely between 2,500 and 3,000 calories. I mean, I was hardly snacking on junk food all the time, but my portions were bigger than they should have been and binging on Tostitos or literally downing an entire bag of the Quaker Multigrain Minis in one sitting before bed at 11:30PM was not helping. I was also a big fan of Gatorade and would drink 1-2 cups with dinner each night, plus another cup or two later on. I am proud to say the only thing I have drank all week has been WATER and the only food I have consumed before bedtime is an apple each night that I slice up. In looking at my totals these last 6-7 days, I am taking in between 1,800 and 1,900 calories per day. Factor in some cardio about 3-4x per week now I have begun the C25K program and I pose this question – do you think I can lose 5 or more pounds, at this rate, within the next 8 weeks? Is there anything I am doing wrong or am I on the right track?

Thanks for reading!

sounds like you're on the right track to me... weight training... reasonable calories... moderate exercise... and not pushing the boundries of losing weight too fast...

Welcome to the forum... glad to have you here..

You m giht want to read around the forum abit, especially the stickied threads for some ideas on maybe optimizing youor weight training program - or do ask questions about what you're already doing...

Welcome to the group.

How did you go about selecting your 'target weight range?'

Or is that the weight you feel you'll look your best?

The only reason I ask is too many people get caught up chasing a number on the scale and they forget about the things that really matter; performance, appearance, health, etc.

It seems like a very reasonable weight for your height.... but I think it's still important to note.

The thing with weight training is this: It's not really going to give you that 'cut' look. Lifting weights either builds muscle or it doesn't. So the muscle you have is either going to getter bigger, maintain its size, or shrink. If you're lifting weights properly, chances are good that they will either grow or maintain.

Shrink, maintain, or grow.... it all depends not so much on what you're doing in the gym, but more so what you're putting in your mouth. Yes, the workout is important as well, but you can lift weights until you are blue in the face and more often than not, your muscles aren't going to respond the way you want them to unless your nutrition is aligned with said response.

For instance, you generally need to be eating more calories than you expend (caloric surplus) if you want to increase your muscle size.

And back to my original point, no matter what your muscles do in response to training, they aren't going to give you that 'cut' or 'toned' look. Obtaining that visual is a product of losing body fat.

I wouldn't go into this tirade, but I have a feeling that you are sacrificing the quality of your workout in order to experience the impossibility of 'shaping' your trouble spots.

Let's assume you're maintenance intake with all that you're doing is somewhere around 2700 calories per day. You're eating 1850 per day. That's a deficit of 850 calories per day.

In 8 weeks there are 56 days. At 850 calories per day, at the end of 8 weeks, that's a net caloric deficit of 47,600 calories.

There are 3500 calories (there abouts) in one pound of fat.

So IN THEORY, after 8 weeks are up, if you stick consistently to what you're doing, you could 'burn off' approximately 13-14 lbs of fat.

Not it never works like that, especially when you don't have a lot of weight to lose in the first place. But I wanted to show you that your goals are beyond reasonable.

Wow, this is great feedback. I really appreciate it!

Steve - great point about getting cut and losing body fat. Forget the fact that I am lifting weights, am I to assume that the best way to lose body fat is to alter my diet in the manner that I now am, coupled with the cardio workouts I am doing? Bellyfat, or "love handles" if you will, is something I am sure everyone complains about, and I know there is no such thing as spot training, but man would I love to be able to scale back on that. It's not even that I really have a belly or anything, but as I sit here at my desk, I can pinch the fat hanging over my belt and it annoys me like you wouldn't believe. Plus, heart disease and a multitude of others things run in the family, so that gives me added incentive not to pack it out in that area.

FYI, I came to that target weight range after determining my BMI to be 27.5. I don't really look at that number as the end all be all, but that does appear to be a healthy weight range for someone my height. It would be a huge motivator just to get on a scale in a month or two and see that I've lost 5 pounds and I'm happy to know that this is a reasonable goal. Right now, I'm allowing myself one day per week where I can still enjoy my beloved Chinese cuisine (although even with that, I am sticking with a chicken and vegetable dish as opposed to Lo Mein) and pack on a few extra calories, about 2400 or so, which still likely falls short of the amount I used to eat in a day. Basically, it's good to know that I am on the right path.