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I Try To Get About 5 Strong Work Outs In Per Week Swimming Or Riding A Bicycle
Posted on
Mon, 14 Sep 2020
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 14 Sep 2020
Answered on
Mon, 23 Jun 2025
Last reviewed on
Question : I weigh about 240 pounds. I'm at least 40 pounds overweight. I'm looking not for another diet per se but a healthy way of eating and a way to boost my metabolic system. I'm also not big on the many diets that are out there and that are NOT scientifically proven to be effective. During normal times, not COVID 19 times, I try to get about 5 strong work outs in per week swimming or riding a bicycle.
Brief Answer:
Cut down on quantity of food/calories
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The most important part of a diet in order to lose weight is not the type of diet focusing on macronutrients (such as protein, fat, or carbohydrates), but rather on the number of calories that you ingest. I would recommend a balanced low-calorie diet, such as the Mediterranean diet or DASH diet (you can look online for examples for each diet), start at about 1500 kcal/day, and if you don't lose weight from week to week with this, decrease the calories down to 1000 kcal/day. I would also recommend eliminating all caloric beverages.
Exercise is important especially with maintaining weight loss, and it is recommended to engage in aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5-7 times a week. It sounds like you were doing that during normal times, and so if you are able to resume that habit, it should be sufficient.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Cut down on quantity of food/calories
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The most important part of a diet in order to lose weight is not the type of diet focusing on macronutrients (such as protein, fat, or carbohydrates), but rather on the number of calories that you ingest. I would recommend a balanced low-calorie diet, such as the Mediterranean diet or DASH diet (you can look online for examples for each diet), start at about 1500 kcal/day, and if you don't lose weight from week to week with this, decrease the calories down to 1000 kcal/day. I would also recommend eliminating all caloric beverages.
Exercise is important especially with maintaining weight loss, and it is recommended to engage in aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5-7 times a week. It sounds like you were doing that during normal times, and so if you are able to resume that habit, it should be sufficient.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Brief Answer:
Cut down on quantity of food/calories
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The most important part of a diet in order to lose weight is not the type of diet focusing on macronutrients (such as protein, fat, or carbohydrates), but rather on the number of calories that you ingest. I would recommend a balanced low-calorie diet, such as the Mediterranean diet or DASH diet (you can look online for examples for each diet), start at about 1500 kcal/day, and if you don't lose weight from week to week with this, decrease the calories down to 1000 kcal/day. I would also recommend eliminating all caloric beverages.
Exercise is important especially with maintaining weight loss, and it is recommended to engage in aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5-7 times a week. It sounds like you were doing that during normal times, and so if you are able to resume that habit, it should be sufficient.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Cut down on quantity of food/calories
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The most important part of a diet in order to lose weight is not the type of diet focusing on macronutrients (such as protein, fat, or carbohydrates), but rather on the number of calories that you ingest. I would recommend a balanced low-calorie diet, such as the Mediterranean diet or DASH diet (you can look online for examples for each diet), start at about 1500 kcal/day, and if you don't lose weight from week to week with this, decrease the calories down to 1000 kcal/day. I would also recommend eliminating all caloric beverages.
Exercise is important especially with maintaining weight loss, and it is recommended to engage in aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5-7 times a week. It sounds like you were doing that during normal times, and so if you are able to resume that habit, it should be sufficient.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
I don't think I can do non-caloric liquids all day. I probably bring in 750-1000 calories and I'm sure that's a place to 'attack' if you were a nutritionist or a doctor looking at my particular case. But at the same time, I am getting nutrients I need during a hectic day and I'm getting energy and stability. I agree with you partially. But I think my body needs micro-nutrients. I used to take a very high grade spirulina and that 'hit the spot' and from what I heard, NASA gives it to its astronauts. Not a bad recommendation. Also, what about active PK supplement? You stated that the big thing is calories and your intake. But one time, I went back to being vegetarian and my body shifted into overdrive in terms of losing weight and in order to balance myself since I felt fatigued and spacey I threw down a lot of calories. A ton. But you know, I was still losing weight because my metabolism kicked into high gear, oddly enough. You know what I mean? Consequently, these factors about weight loss are a lot more complicated than most people assume.
With that said, can you write down 10 Great Micro-Nutrients that my body may need?
Can you also talk about kicking my metabolism into a higher drive despite being older? (I also spent a year you know fasting about a day per week for a total of 50 days for that year. So, I have put some relentless effort into it. But it would have been better if I had had micro-nutrients and more nutritional knowledge.)
Also, what do you think of Active PK? And other products similar to it?
I'm actually quite disgusted with 'diet gurus' on Youtube. They all have some 'secret' and they all have 'strong no-no's' about what not to eat or drink, and yet where is the scientific proof?
You know why we created the FDA? It was literally because of snake oil salesmen and this stuff is still going on 80 years later. Diet 'gurus' should be required to have their diets scientifically verified or have their websites and books stamped as Non-Verified.
With that said, can you write down 10 Great Micro-Nutrients that my body may need?
Can you also talk about kicking my metabolism into a higher drive despite being older? (I also spent a year you know fasting about a day per week for a total of 50 days for that year. So, I have put some relentless effort into it. But it would have been better if I had had micro-nutrients and more nutritional knowledge.)
Also, what do you think of Active PK? And other products similar to it?
I'm actually quite disgusted with 'diet gurus' on Youtube. They all have some 'secret' and they all have 'strong no-no's' about what not to eat or drink, and yet where is the scientific proof?
You know why we created the FDA? It was literally because of snake oil salesmen and this stuff is still going on 80 years later. Diet 'gurus' should be required to have their diets scientifically verified or have their websites and books stamped as Non-Verified.
Brief Answer:
You don't need micronutrients
Detailed Answer:
While some studies have shown that spirulina can help with weight loss, it is a minor factor compared to decreasing calorie intake. There is no evidence that I have seen that active PK is effective, and from what I see, is likely being promoted to make money. I suspect that when you were a vegetarian, you were actually ingesting less calories, and that is why you lost weight, more so than your metabolism going into high gear or anything like that. The truth is, in my opinion weight loss is more simple than most people think, but it is also harder than most people think, and so people are motivated to find some "secret magic pill" that will help them lose weight. If such a thing existed, it would be known to everyone by now. But the only strong evidence for weight loss is to ingest less calories than you burn, and the most reliable way of doing this is limiting the amount of calories you take in.
I agree with you that the diet 'gurus' are ridiculous, and it frustrates me that people believe them and help make them rich off of products that are not supported by evidence and do not actually help people.
Please don't focus on micronutrients, they will not help you lose weight, and are a distraction from what you actually need to do to lose weight.
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be glad to help any way I can.
You don't need micronutrients
Detailed Answer:
While some studies have shown that spirulina can help with weight loss, it is a minor factor compared to decreasing calorie intake. There is no evidence that I have seen that active PK is effective, and from what I see, is likely being promoted to make money. I suspect that when you were a vegetarian, you were actually ingesting less calories, and that is why you lost weight, more so than your metabolism going into high gear or anything like that. The truth is, in my opinion weight loss is more simple than most people think, but it is also harder than most people think, and so people are motivated to find some "secret magic pill" that will help them lose weight. If such a thing existed, it would be known to everyone by now. But the only strong evidence for weight loss is to ingest less calories than you burn, and the most reliable way of doing this is limiting the amount of calories you take in.
I agree with you that the diet 'gurus' are ridiculous, and it frustrates me that people believe them and help make them rich off of products that are not supported by evidence and do not actually help people.
Please don't focus on micronutrients, they will not help you lose weight, and are a distraction from what you actually need to do to lose weight.
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be glad to help any way I can.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Answered by
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