Im 6'6" 358 pounds and a male, i wanna be around 290 by september...does anyone have any ideas how to do this, is it even possible?

I eat around 2500 calories a day, im thinking of cutting it to 2200 i make sure to walk at least 20 minutes a day, and 60 minutes on the treadmill every other day (on top of the 20 minutes) and im slowly introducing some weights and what not....does it seem like im going to make my goal?h

First, rather than putting a time frame on it, I'd suggest focusing on the smaller steps that must take place from this day forward if you're going to not only lose the weight, but also keep it off.

Take a bottom-up perspective rather than a top-down.

Sure, it's great to have big goals as they fuel the emotional intensity and desire to do the required work. But people who make this about losing X lbs in Y days or months generally don't keep the weight off.

That said, a reasonable amount of weight to lose would be 1% per week. Right now you are 360 (rounding up).

So you could reasonably expect to lose between 3-4 lbs per week. Understand what that means: As you lose weight, the rate of weight loss to be expected will also decline.

There are 3500 calories in 1 pound of fat. So 3 pounds of fat is comprised of 10,500 calories. You need to be eating 10,500 calories less than your body needs to lose approximately 3 lbs of fat per week.

That means you need to average a deficit of 1500 calories per day.

Deficit from what?

You need to figure out your maintenance intake which is merely your breakeven point where calories in = calories out. If you eat at your maintenance level you will neither gain or lose weight.

Once you calculate this, ensure a 1500 calorie deficit and you'll have you're 3 lbs of weight loss per week or thereabouts. It never works out precisely.

The stickies explain how to go about finding your maintenance intake. Especially this one.

ok well i did some research and apparently i need an estimate of 3800 cal a day to maintain this weight, factoring in 3 days of exercise a week i can have an estimate of 2800cal a day and lose a significant amount of weight per week keeping in mind this is all an estimation not to mention i eat less some days, and i'll more then likely put on a pound of muscle or 2 some months all and all in the long runh i should be ok.

3800 seems low given your stats.

That sounds like your basal metabolic rate, which you would then have to add activity to in order to find your maintenance.

I nixed out 5200 calories by just switching to water......my old diet was this.....


Drink coffee with c/s in the morning 16-20oz
Drink more coffee
Drink 2-4 cans of soda after that
Drink ice tea after that (I would buy the half galon ones)

I figure I was drinking down 750 calories each day at minimum. If I stopped after work at Dunkin Dognuts and got an Large Iced Coffee.....I probably was closer to 1500 calories

750
x 7
=====
5250

So that's 1.5lbs worth of calories right there! Then I took away eating at fast food places, I would generally do this 3 times a week.....thats probably another 3000 calories right there, then going to the gym 3 times per week is another 1200 calories burned


5250
3000
1200
======
9450

So I should be dropping 2.5lbs per week

70lbs in 5 months doesn't seem likely. Even at 2lbs a week steadily will only do about half that in 5 months. I start college in September and I need to lose about 25lbs to be at a weight I should be for my age/height and I don't know if I'll lose that by September.

You will definitely see big drops the first couple weeks you do it, but then you could end up in a plateau after a month or so.

Im not going to say im a expert or anything but from what i've read it seems alot more likely for me a morbidly obese person to lose 70 pounds in 5 months, then just an overweight or slightly obese person...also im trying to do some stuff to avoid MAJOR plateaus (some minor ones will be unavoidable) you know switching up exercises and taking in more or less calories somedays. but even if i lose 50 pounds or 40 pounds in 5 months i'll be pretty proud....also im 22.

70lb in 5 months is do-able, not nessarily healthy, but if you are big you can drop big amounts pretty quickly ok.
I think i dropped about that when i started out, but now id be lucky to drop that kinda weight

Right, the more fat you have to lose the easier it it. But if you read my post above, you'll see that 1% is a safe bet. Going higher than that can cause problems.

Such as...

it doesnt really cause any problems. It just usually means the person isnt living the best diet possible and will possibly regain the weight back because they wernt in good eating habits.

Physical problems can range from gallstones to excessive loss of lean body mass.

Psychological problems usually deal with the inability to maintain the rigid habits required to lose that rate of weight loss so weight is regained. More than was lost in many cases.

Well then, 1 percent a week it is.

I'd say that's a good plan. I don't know if you'll be 290 by September, but you'll lose a lot of weight.

Just don't give up! that's my best advice

As a suggestion, do more "other body muscle" exercises as well. From the tips of your toes to the tips of your fingers. Also do a combination of cardio burn and muscle build exercises as well. Do include tasks such as swimming, floor positions, exercise ball, arms (like canoing, kayaking, row boating), peddle bike riding, etc. etc. Exercise all muscle groups within your body - NOT just your leg muscles (from walking or TMing).

How fast to drop "extra" body weight depends on more then just calories in and calories burn. Body genetics, intensity, attitude, extra after works sports tasks, etc. etc. all come into play as well. Some folks cannot drop more then 1 lbs a week and for others, they can easily drop 4 lbs per week. Each body is different.

As mentioned by others, may I also suggest one does NOT set a specific target goal date. Simply change your lifestyle (eating, structured exercise, play time tasks) and "do NOT keep your eye on a clock" (sort of speaking). Simply enjoy your new lifestyle changes and in the background, the extra lbs melt away. Especially when you are NOT looking at the weight scale.

Also... What helps my lifestyle changes (re: more daily exercise focus) is keeping a detailed diary and following it. Each morning, I "plan" my day. After a planned exercise task is completed, I update my daily log with "completed" and focus on the next planned exercise task. To view my daily log, surf: http://weight-loss.fitness.com/weigh...e-diary-4.html A detailed daily exercise log might help you stay focused on your new lifestyle changes as well. Works for me....


Hope this helps as well...

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