Hi guys , me again.

Im getting ready to lose the last of my bellyfat the slow , healthy way.

through Aug-Sept , I was basically on a crash diet of around 1000 calories, with barely any protein.

For the past month ive been trying to get my metabolism back on track, since Im pretty "skinny fat" and didnt want to lose any more muscle.


So I did my BMR and got 1570.6 ( 14yo , 5'8 , 118lb , Mod. Excercise (Cardio 5d/w)

With TDEE including my 5 days of running, crunches, and light dumbell lifting,

This came out to 2,400 calories. (Is that about right?) When i first saw this , I was shocked. Is it just because im 14 that its so high?

So basically for the past month ive been getting 2000 cals, with a 40/40/20 split of macros.

Now, since I want to lose the last bit, Im afraid to start now with the 500 calorie drop. This will get me at 1500 , then after another plat. , 1200. I think this will be really hard.

So , my question for you guys is, should I go another 2 weeks, pushing up to 2400 cals , then when my bodys used to that, go for the 500 calorie deficit?

Im just really confused with the calorie levels, cause knowing how your body gets used to calorie levels after some time, what do you do when you keep hitting plataeus? Wont your body just accept that as the level, then when I push back up to 2400 , it wont be used to it, and in turn ill gain fat?

So basically if anyone can explain to me in simple terms how to recover from plataeus works, and also if my calorie plan is good for getting ready to get rid of this last little bit of poundage.

If anyone can set me straight on that , id appreciate it. Thanks alot guys. :claplow:

Dude, you're 14. Eat however many calories you want, just make healthy choices. I started getting into shape when I was just about your age, maybe a year or two younger. I ate as healthy as I could (i.e. grilled chicken sandwiches, salads, turkey, etc), stayed active and did push-ups, pull-ups and crunches every night before bed. It worked wonders back then.

Well, I see nothing wrong with starting to make an accurate count of what I eat, since im going to be doing this for life.

The only reason im talking specifics is because I used to be barely hitting 1000 cals a day or so , and need some recommendations if im getting it all on track. Thanks for something to relate to, I try to eat as clean as I can, the kids at school see me eating protein bars and refer to me as "Nutrient man", haha.

Any more feedback would be great guys. :cool:

John

and you are weight is very light as it is!!!!

stop cutting and EAT!!!!!!! AS Karatetricker suggested, if anything start what would resemble a bulk, the muscle you BUILD will burn away the little fat you have

more likely the case is your natural development will burn it off so don't even worry about that.. get into working out and in the coming years as you will see while your friends just sit on their ass and play games, your days spent hitting the weights will seperate your physique from yourself and them

go to the media board and look at ReTro's thread, his start is where you are now, though he was slightly older

Well, I see nothing wrong with starting to make an accurate count of what I eat, since im going to be doing this for life.

The only reason im talking specifics is because I used to be barely hitting 1000 cals a day or so , and need some recommendations if im getting it all on track. Thanks for something to relate to, I try to eat as clean as I can, the kids at school see me eating protein bars and refer to me as "Nutrient man", haha.

Any more feedback would be great guys. :cool:

John

My point was not to discourage you from eating healthy. I too ate Powerbars back then and always ordered the healthiest choice on the menu. However, you are young, you are growing and you need all the nutrients you can get right now. Don't starve yourself for a second, worry about cutting calories or tracking them. You're too young for that, IMO. If you stay active regularly and eat healthy, you will not need to count calories unless you have a weight problem, which it doesn't sound like you do.

Well , for the past 3 years or so I was extremely overweight, highest maybe 165 at 5'7. Im just very soft around my stomache, and feel if I can shed that, I can then start getting into lifting. Is this the total opposite of what I should go for? Its just really hard for me to think of putting my fatloss in second priority. But even with that, like you guys said, at my age, shouldnt it all just naturally balance out, with eating right and a healthy mix of cardio/lifting?

Thanks again.

Well , for the past 3 years or so I was extremely overweight, highest maybe 165 at 5'7. Im just very soft around my stomache, and feel if I can shed that, I can then start getting into lifting. Is this the total opposite of what I should go for? Its just really hard for me to think of putting my fatloss in second priority. But even with that, like you guys said, at my age, shouldnt it all just naturally balance out, with eating right and a healthy mix of cardio/lifting?

Thanks again.

Yes, it should. A lot depends on your body however. If you're asking me, I would start doing cardio when you can and start a beginner lifting routine if you have access to a gym. I wouldn't push yourself too hard with the weights, but I did a fair amount of lifting around your age with no problems. Well, I'm 5'6", maybe it stunted my growth? :confused:

If you're in 8th grade, I also was on track and practicing Martial Arts regularly. If 9th, I was practicing Martial Arts and on the wrestling team. The combination of everything helped me get into amazing shape back then.


EDIT: School sports is an awesome way to get regular exercise, learn/get better at a sport and meet/make new friends and all for free. If you're not on one, I can't recommend enough that you join one.

Well , for the past 3 years or so I was extremely overweight, highest maybe 165 at 5'7. Im just very soft around my stomache, and feel if I can shed that, I can then start getting into lifting. Is this the total opposite of what I should go for? Its just really hard for me to think of putting my fatloss in second priority. But even with that, like you guys said, at my age, shouldnt it all just naturally balance out, with eating right and a healthy mix of cardio/lifting?

Thanks again.

That is not EXTREMELY overweight. You have a bit of a body image issue (it sounds like). Soft in the middle. No problem, just get active, eat well (3 squares 2 snacks) you'll clean up well (especially at 14).

KK gives some good advice....all those free extracirricular activities available. Join a rec team....do gymnastics whatever, go for an hour walk. When school's out, don't go home a watch tv, do an hour of sports. Get activ, it'll make a world of difference. If you feel you need to count calories just do it for a couple of weeks to get a sense of portion sizes, weights and how many cals a meal is (approx). Once you have that mastered, it'll be automatic in your head and you won't have to count so diligently (unless you were preparing for a contest or something).

I wouldn't get too hung up on your cals just eat well (don't stifle your growth). Yes 1000 calories is way too low. Don't do that again :gl:

Your BMI is 17.9, which means you are underweight by quite a bit. In fact, some tables place it in the anorexia level (http://web4health.info/en/answers/ed-dia-weight-bmi-calc.htm).

If you're not happy with the way your body looks, then cut out the junk food, and EAT LOTS OF CLEAN HEALTHY FOOD! Weight lifting is not usually recommended for people of your age, but martial arts and gymnastics are great ways to build muscle.

Try to eliminate large amounts of sugar and saturated fat from your diet, but eat plenty of fish, chicken breast, eggs, whole grains, dairy products and as many fruits and vegetables as you want. You're still growing, so it's not a good idea to count calories. Just eat until you are full. For you to lose weight at this point would be very dangerous.

EDIT: School sports is an awesome way to get regular exercise, learn/get better at a sport and meet/make new friends and all for free. If you're not on one, I can't recommend enough that you join one.
Agreed agreed agreed.

Weightlifting is fine at your age. Not necessary, but not a bad thing either. I'd keep it moderate, just some basic lifts a couple of days out of the week.

5 foot 7 / 167 is not too heavy.

Eat clean, but not perfect. Don't worry about counting calories. You're 14 and you should be having fun. It's GREAT that you're wanting to start early on a healthy lifestyle (really great!), but I really do not think counting calories is necessary right now. Maybe count portions. Choose a portion of protein and a portion of carbs at each meal, and try to have a portion of vegetables at a couple of those meals as well, something like that.

I just don't want to see you let it take over your life. I want you to be smart and eat relatively clean, but I would prefer that you do so in a way that is not too strict. Have fun, you're only young once!

PS - join the football team. :D

Weightlifting is fine at your age. Not necessary, but not a bad thing either. I'd keep it moderate, just some basic lifts a couple of days out of the week.

5 foot 7 / 167 is not too heavy.

Eat clean, but not perfect. Don't worry about counting calories. You're 14 and you should be having fun. It's GREAT that you're wanting to start early on a healthy lifestyle (really great!), but I really do not think counting calories is necessary right now. Maybe count portions. Choose a portion of protein and a portion of carbs at each meal, and try to have a portion of vegetables at a couple of those meals as well, something like that.

I just don't want to see you let it take over your life. I want you to be smart and eat relatively clean, but I would prefer that you do so in a way that is not too strict. Have fun, you're only young once!

PS - join the football team. :D
agree - play football.

make sure to stay away from wrestling.
i've never seen a highschool wrestler grow taller than 5'6.

i've never seen a highschool wrestler grow taller than 5'6.
I'm 5'7.5. :lol:

make sure to stay away from wrestling.
i've never seen a highschool wrestler grow taller than 5'6.

:o

... not saying there's anything wrong with being 5'6...
just saying that you should let your body grow to it's full potential if said potential exists.

also, the shorter you are, the easier it is to win bodybuilding competitions! :D

agree - play football.

make sure to stay away from wrestling.
i've never seen a highschool wrestler grow taller than 5'6.


Get out!!!!! I wrestled and i'm 6'1".:rolleyes:

k, that proves my theory wrong then.
sorry about the thread hijack, :o continue................................

Thanks for the advice guys.

Tomorrow im seeing what sports are open to Freshmans , ill jump right on that.

At 118 , I guess I look "fat" from my still high BF %. I mustve lost alot of muscle when during my spurt / heavy cal cut. But im here to do it the healthy, right way, saving the muscle I have , and putting on a little some.


I eat absolutely no junk food, soda, or HFCS anymore. In the morning ill have some Pure bran cerial , or oatmeal , with eggwhites.

At school , a protein bar , and soon to be taking a Turkey sandwich with it, to fit more foods into the steady cal flow.

I basically graze when I get home from school on fruit, cottage cheese (and nat pb..mmm) , and grilled chicken/ tuna. I also eat alot of veggies.

Can I basically just stuff myself full of all this good stuff as long as im not gaining weight? and hopefully it will continue to booste my rising metabolism that needs to get back on track.

Basically ill continue eating alot of food, all clean, and get a good balance of cardio , light (very :]) lifting in.

Thanks for the help guys, keep it coming.

Oh , I also have some recent pictures from my other thread. You guys can see em here.


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/QueenFan/IMG_1442.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/QueenFan/IMG_1444.jpg

as you can see im not very "shaped" in the stomache , and all im trying to do is get extremely lean with just enough muscle to be defined. Getting big isnt really my thing. Just getting lean and staying fit from now on, and never going back to my chubby self.

Ill try to find some old pictures of me, believe me, I was obese (double chins and all).

Well , thanks again guys!

k, that proves my theory wrong then.
sorry about the thread hijack, :o continue................................


That's like the 3rd or 4th time i've heard you say that about wrestlers. :confused: Are you serious? Really.:eek: < i love this new face.:D

Thanks for the advice guys.

Tomorrow im seeing what sports are open to Freshmans , ill jump right on that.

At 118 , I guess I simply look heavy from my BF %. I mustve lost alot of muscle when during my spurt / heavy cal cut.


I eat absolutely no junk food, soda, or HFCS anymore. I basically graze when I get home from school on fruit, cottage cheese (and nat pb..mmm) , and grilled chicken/ tuna. I also eat alot of veggies.

Can I basically just stuff myself full of all this good stuff as long as im not gaining weight? and hopefully it will continue to booste my rising metabolism that needs to get back on track.

Basically ill continue eating alot of food, all clean, and get a good balance of cardio , light (very :]) lifting in.

Thanks for the help guys, keep it coming.

Oh , I also have some recent pictures from my other thread. You guys can see em here.


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/QueenFan/IMG_1442.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/QueenFan/IMG_1444.jpg

as you can see im not very "shaped" in the stomache , and all im trying to do is get extremely lean with just enough muscle to be defined. Getting big isnt really my thing. Just getting lean and staying fit from now on, and never going back to my chubby self.

Ill try to find some old pictures of me, believe me, I was obese (double chins and all).

Well , thanks again guys!


Holy Shit Dude!!!!! If you lose any more weight you're gonna blow away!!!!!!!!! Listen to these guys and EAT!!!!!!!!!

:eek: whoa.... (:D ya, that face is fun!)
first of all, dont try to lose any more weight whatsoever.
and dont worry about your stomach again until you're 23 years old.
if you eat healthy, you wont gain fat.

um. maybe he *should* count his calories?
to make sure he's eating more than 2400 a day?
maybe he should start lifting weights?

:eek: whoa.... (:D ya, that face is fun!)
first of all, dont try to lose any more weight whatsoever.

um. maybe he *should* count his calories?
to make sure he's eating more than 2400 a day?
maybe he should start lifting weights?


Holy shoot!!!! :eek: No doubt!!!!!

Haha, well with all this "EAT YOU TWIG" comments I guess I really should start stuffing myself. :d_biggrin

Im sorry, I guess I have a poor image of myself. I was just always really heavy during late Elementary, Junior high, and im just obsessed with getting as lean as possible now. (By lean I mean with muscle too!)

If I push up to 2500 calories a day , stedily over a week, will this improve my metabolism even more, and my body will eventually adjust to this as my maintenince level? From there, Ill try to stick to it , and continue my exercise. If anyone could explain the process of pushing your calories up, or lowering them , without your body flipping out, id really appreciate it.

Also, is there anything wrong with "grazing" over food the whole day , on say , saturday or a day off, as opposed to evenly cut meals? Both options while staying in my Macros of course. And this grazing obviously wouldnt happen on schooldays.

Awesome input guys :tu:


now, time for some grilled chicken :eat:

John

Haha, well with all this "EAT YOU TWIG" comments I guess I really should start stuffing myself. :d_biggrin

If I push up to 2500 calories a day , stedily over a week, will this improve my metabolism even more, and my body will eventually adjust to this as my maintenince level? From there, Ill try to stick to it , and continue my exercise.

Also, is there anything wrong with "grazing" over food the whole day , on say , saturday or a day off, as opposed to evenly cut meals? Both options while staying in my Macros of course. And this grazing obviously wouldnt happen on schooldays.

Awesome input guys :tu:


now, time for some grilled chicken :eat:

John


I'll tell you the same thing I tell my son. Eat ALL day!!!!!!:tucool:

cutsman - here is doordude's son.
http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=19414

the secret is age + weight lifting + eat all day long.
give it a try for about 4 months and let us know how it works. :nod:

JESUS.

:d_eek:

Thats amazing. Congrats to you and your son doordude, if only my dad was as health/fitness concious with me as you.

Well I guess ill go for eating clean as much as I can ( yum :P ) and getting my lifting going (going to scout for gyms that let my age in)
Thanks for everything people!

John

Those pictures were really hard to make out on my monitor. Photoshop's Auto Color / Auto Level tools are awesome. :)

How's this:

Wow, you really have NOTHING to lose. It's all been said, I'm just agreeing. EAT AND LIFT! Whether it's body weight exercises or in the weight room, just do something with some resistance to get you started.

You can eat steadily throughout the day, that's fine. Don't count your calories, just make sure you're eating enough (i.e. >2000 calories).

:gl:

Not to contradict you guys or sound like a parent, but honestly, 14 is a little young to weight train and count calories.

You look pretty skinny as it is.

I think you should cetrainly stick to eating good foods, a nice clean diet. Forget about counting how much you eat (obviously dont eat till you explode) but dont worry too much about it. You are in a growth phase and if you limit your calories that much what will end up happening is your body just wont have enough calories to grow. You will be getting taller for the next few years and you are probably about to hit a growth spurt. If you limit your calories now it means that your body wont be able to cope and you will not grow like you are supposed to!

Thats not a good thing my friend (although as mentioned being shorter will help you win lifting contests...hehe).

I recommned you eat as much as you feel your hungry and just stick to doing sports like soccer, footbal and wrestiling like mentioned. Just anything you enjoy doing that keeps you active. Stick some push ups, pull ups, and some abs excercises in there to grow some muscle, but I would stay away from the gym for now.

Heck, at my gym you need to be 16 to get in.

Honestly, its amazing that you are taking care of your health at this early age, but you just need to be careful not to overdo it now because it will end up making you worse off in the long run! Just be careful ;)

Not to contradict you guys or sound like a parent, but honestly, 14 is a little young to weight train and count calories.

You look pretty skinny as it is.

Well, pretty much everyone agreed he should NOT count calories.

As for the weight-lifting, I know tons of people who started lifting by age 14 and are doing just fine now, 8 years later. I wouldn't be trying to max out bench and squats, but a lighter weight beginner routine... I see nothing wrong with that.

Food wise I really do think he should eat more.

Karatetricker, in regards to training, I think the trick is not to overdo it. At age 14 your body still hasnt hit certain hormonal changes and you won't really be able to get as large muscles as you would if you start training when you are 15 or 16. I guess you could start training but you shouldn't overdo it.

You dont want to start hitting the weights really hard. Some people say you "stunt your growth". Although I'm not entirely sure this is true but not sure if it's worth risking it either. There is a lot of contradictory research out there. I would personally wait till I was 16 to start training (as I actually did back in the day). And stick to doing some lighter weightraining (ie. pushups, pullups, abs excercises and some sports) for now.

Here is an interesting research article I found on the topic http://www.tinajuanfitness.info/articles/art050197.html .


Its really your call, I would just say take it lightly for now and wait a couple of years before you really get into it hardcore and hit the big weights. And most definately eat as much as you need and done limit your calories.

[QUOTE=Gabman]Not to contradict you guys or sound like a parent, but honestly, 14 is a little young to weight train and count calories.
.



QUOTE]


Count calories- I totally agree.
Too young to train - I totally disagree.

Karatetricker, in regards to training, I think the trick is not to overdo it. At age 14 your body still hasnt hit certain hormonal changes and you won't really be able to get as large muscles as you would if you start training when you are 15 or 16. I guess you could start training but you shouldn't overdo it.

I wouldn't be trying to max out bench and squats, but a lighter weight beginner routine... I see nothing wrong with that.

Hmm... you keep acting as though I am contradicting you, but we seem to agree. :confused: :tu:

That's you in the pic....and you were preparing to cut? :confused:

No no no......BULK, eat whenever you're hungry, no Mickey D's just eat well.

The shredded image you have in your head is not attainable (realistically) at this age nor is it a good idea. Allow your hormones to finish with your body in the next couple of years. When you're out of highschool think about "cutting up" but for now eat till the cows come home.

On a side note, have a talk with your folks or guidance counsellor because I fear you have unrealistic body image ideals. Talk to your gym teacher about weight training and if it's available at your school. If nothing else (and they have a gym) it's free. You'll learn to like that word once you live on your own and wish you took advantage of the "free" stuff once you've left home.

Free is a good thing. Once you have kids, you're just a helpless bank machine (and mine are just pre-school and kindergarten :lol: )

JESUS.

:d_eek:

Thats amazing. Congrats to you and your son doordude, if only my dad was as health/fitness concious with me as you.



John


Thanx for the compliment John but Jr.'s progress has nothing to do with me. He does what he has to do as i'm sure you will.:tucool:
Just stay focused!!!!:tu:

I think that people were suggesting that he count calories to ensure that he was eating enough, not so he could limit his intake.

I think that people were suggesting that he count calories to ensure that he was eating enough, not so he could limit his intake.

They were. I am not big on counting calories. I am more of a "listen to your body" type of guy. However, he definitely needs to make sure he's eating more than less.

Haha, well with all this "EAT YOU TWIG" comments I guess I really should start stuffing myself. :d_biggrin

Im sorry, I guess I have a poor image of myself. I was just always really heavy during late Elementary, Junior high, and im just obsessed with getting as lean as possible now. (By lean I mean with muscle too!)


I don't know if anyone paid attention to your first message but at 5'8 and 118lb you are severely underweight. And you mentioned later that you were severly obese at 5'6" and 165lbs. That's impossible. I'm that height and currently 175lbs and don't consider myself even fat. I was 240lbs @ 5'6" and was obese but not even seriously obese. So, your perception of obesity has been really affected by your personal experience with your weight problems.

Let me tell you one thing, if you still think that there is some fat left in your body, you will have to work in a cycle just like body builders. But BULK first. You need muscle to burn whatever fat you have left. Once you have reached a normal weight you can cut down and you will see muscle definition and a healthier body. From those pictures we can see that there is almost no muscle left. There's mostly bones and skin left.

Just remember that neither extreme is healthy, find a balance and eat healthy and exercise regularly. You will get there!

I don't know if anyone paid attention to your first message but at 5'8 and 118lb you are severely underweight. And you mentioned later that you were severly obese at 5'6" and 165lbs. That's impossible. I'm that height and currently 175lbs and don't consider myself even fat. I was 240lbs @ 5'6" and was obese but not even seriously obese. So, your perception of obesity has been really affected by your personal experience with your weight problems.

Umm... he's only 14. Not saying he was as obese as he claimed, but at 14, the weight to be obese is a lot less than when you are older.

I think I used the term Obese a little strongly , but from age 12-13, I was basically the fat kid everyone picked on. I wore around a waist 36 for jeans, which I think anyone would agree is huge for a kid that age.
Im sorry I use the word cut throughout the thread and title. Im not looking for a sudden drop in fat. Im just looking to switch my gears and day by day develop my shape through a high metabolism and plenty of exercise.

Ill try to get some old pictures up later too.

Also, could anyone tell me a good brand of protein powder everyone pretty much agrees upon? I finished my Designer Whey cans , and im wondering if theres better ones than this. Just a good solid one for after running or just something to sip on to raise my protein a little.

i agree with what most have said here... EAT EAT EAT. you do not have more weight to lose. you have muscle to build though ;) eat and lift, and things will work out nicely. there could be doubts when it comes to lifting at 14, but im not 100% either way on it.

I think I used the term Obese a little strongly , but from age 12-13, I was basically the fat kid everyone picked on. I wore around a waist 36 for jeans, which I think anyone would agree is huge for a kid that age.
you wore size 36 jeans at 5'7"/165 lbs?? im 5'10"/205 lbs currently, and have been wearing size 36 since ive been 215-220 lbs or so. my 36's are actually a bit loose now.

this makes me wonder.. but then again i seem to have strange proportions for my weight relative to others as it is. ive always wondered about it, and id figure its a bodyfat % thing, but its not like im exactly at low levels myself.

that said.. sorry for going off topic, but i figure i could throw this in here. people seem to really tell young people to simply eat and lift.. and let things happen on their own.

that said, ive cut from 255 to 205 so far, and i still have much more to lose. should i do a "regular" tracked cut like would be standard (plus lifting of course).. or should i just be less strict about things? im not really sure how much metabolic benefit id be getting by being 16. building muscle by eating a lot would be nice but i still have lots to lose, so im really unsure in a sense. just wondering if anyone has insight.

I think I used the term Obese a little strongly , but from age 12-13, I was basically the fat kid everyone picked on. I wore around a waist 36 for jeans, which I think anyone would agree is huge for a kid that age.
Im sorry I use the word cut throughout the thread and title. Im not looking for a sudden drop in fat. Im just looking to switch my gears and day by day develop my shape through a high metabolism and plenty of exercise.

Ill try to get some old pictures up later too.

Also, could anyone tell me a good brand of protein powder everyone pretty much agrees upon? I finished my Designer Whey cans , and im wondering if theres better ones than this. Just a good solid one for after running or just something to sip on to raise my protein a little.

That's a much better attitude. You are definitely in good track to succeed. Remember, the best way to increase your metabolism is to increase your muscle mass. 1lb of muscle burns approx 50 calories per day, 1lb of fat burns around 2 calories in the same time frame. As I said before, it will be almost impossible to burn the last bit of fat you have left without the help of muscle, because your body sees that there's very little mass left so it prepares for famine, starts storing fat since it is more calorie dense and can use longer than any other macro-nutrient.

As for protein goes most people here use AlltheWhey protein. I hate most whey proteins because of the flavor but I love their chocolate-mint. It doesn't even taste like protein.

Good luck with your goals... For your age, you are definitely very mature and in the right track.

hey cutsman, Im 15 right now, but I went through the same changes you did. In grade school, I was fat, same stats as you pretty much... kids picked on me. In grade 8 I started working out, went on a similar crash diet, lost the weight and was skinny fat. Now, you have two choices. If you go on worrying everyday about losing that last bit of fat, and feeling that it's holding you back, you will be unhappy. Ive done it, I can tell you right now, it will do no good. What will do you good is to train hard, and eat lots of good foods. Don't get stuck in a rut worrying about being super lean, and dont waste time trying to cut when youre a twig. Eat my friend:tu: and lift hard!