Should you go on a low-calorie diet and exercise?
Thinking about a low-calorie diet and exercise? When it comes to low calorie diet plans, sometimes called LCD’s or VLCD’s for very low-calorie diets, there is quite a bit of disagreement within the fitness industry and the medical community.
One thing that should be understood is that a VLCD is not something that should be considered as a long-term solution. A VLCD is a plan intended to be used for a short duration, such as thirty days at a time. Once goals are achieved then the dieter should consider a fitness routine and a moderate calorie diet that is balanced in nutrients.
Case in point is a 1997 study conducted by the Diabetes Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia. The study found that diabetic patients that took part in a VLCD not only lost significant amount of weight but were better able to control their blood glucose without the use of medication.
Another case in point is the hCG diet. There are literally thousands of people participating in the hCG diet plan all over the world. Event though the jury is out regarding this pan, there are hundreds of thousands of people that swear by it. The hCG plan claims the hCG itself helps metabolize stored fats. In theory this keeps the dieter from suffering ill effects or from feeling hungry. Again, like previously mentioned the diet is to be approximately one month with a month off in the event the dieter wants to participate in the program multiple times.
On the other hand, this type of low-calorie diet has not been approved or suggested by the medical community.
Most people will not do a VCLD which is defined as keeping calories below 800 calories a day. The majority will consume well over 1000 calories per day.
Before starting a low-calorie diet and exercise program
The bottom line is that when a dieter is interested in undergoing any drastic change in eating habits or fitness routines, they should seek the advice of a doctor and be sure they are fit enough to participate. When deciding to go on a low-calorie diet for weight loss another consideration is what exercise routines can or should be performed.
Very low-calorie diets like the hcg diet often discourage participating in any fitness programs. This is due to the extremely low calories consumed while on the plan. On the other hand, some decide that being active is the right thing to do and tend to add 200 or more calories to the suggested plan.
The typical “low-calorie” dieter will determine what calorie count is best for them daily. This involves understanding what your maintenance calories are. Maintenance calories is just a rough idea of how many calories you use in a typical day.
In order to lose weight, you have to eat less than your daily maintenance calories. Of course, exercise adds to how many daily calories you use daily.
Low calorie diet and exercise goals
Setting goals should tell you what your calorie and exercise goal should be.
For example, are you just trying to be healthier? In this case a slow approach with a slight decrease in maintenance calories with some light exercise will be effective.
But if you have a high school reunion in two months and your ex is attending, you might decide to get back to your high school shape by then. This will require a totally different approach depending on what shape you are in right now. You may have to up the intensity of your workout program or significantly decrease your calories or maybe both!
What if you are a weekend warrior that competes in martial arts events or you want to join the flag football league? The exercise portion just might be covered. Now it’s about losing the spare tire and keeping as much muscle as possible.
These goals are all different and will have a different approach yet they all have something in common. A healthy weight loss and exercise program should allow you to shed FAT but retain as much muscle as possible. Muscle mass helps the metabolism because muscles consume calories. Lose muscle and you are less effective at burning fat at rest.
On the other hand, it is very difficult to avoid losing muscle when on a low-calorie diet. The more you decrease the calories the more muscle mass you lose. Of course, some people take supplements or are even on hormone replacement therapy which tends to help. For example, there is a growing trend of people using growth hormone (GH) peptides for weight loss. This is because GH reduces the catabolic effect of low-calorie diets. Growth hormone is also excellent at increasing the rate at which you burn fat.
Barriers to success of a low-calorie diet and exercise program
The general mantra is move more, eat less but it’s not always that simple, is it? There are several factors that play a role in your ability to lose weight effectively. You will have to find a way around those obstacles but there are multiple ways of doing so if you stick to your plan.
Age plays a huge role in the ability to lose weight. Hormone levels drop which in turn slows your fat burning process down. Then the muscle mass starts to go. Barely noticeable at first. But one day you wake up and notice you are looser in spots that used to be toned and tight.
Deficiencies play a role as well. For the same reason that age makes it difficult to achieve weight loss goals hormone deficiencies do the same. A certain percentage of the population were simply born with lower levels of certain hormones that help us use fat and retain muscle. While these hormone levels may be within “normal ranges” the difference between “low normal” and “high normal” is significant.
Physical limitations may play a role. It could be a disability or it might just be excess weight. Activities like jogging or sprints may be off the table because of the impact on joints. Lifting weights may be a chore because you don’t have the stamina to complete an effective work out.
Diet may also come into play. Simply not knowing what to eat to burn fat and keep muscle. Or you observe a certain diet due to lifestyle. These challenges may result in having to be meticulous about your dietary needs.
Think your weight loss plan through
At this point you have identified your goal and taken note of your unique challenges. Now it is time to think about how to design a plan to fit your needs.
The plan itself will depend on what you will or will not do to achieve your goals.
Are you going to hire a trainer? Will you buy all the supplements that a vitamin store has to offer? Will you go to a weight loss clinic? Are you just going to do this alone?
These are all questions only you can answer.
Sometimes people need a little help and I dislike fitness snobs who like to look down their noses at people who do need help. Meanwhile many of these same snobs are on performance enhancers and using Photoshop to touch up pictures that don’t look so good.
Whatever you choose to do is acceptable as long as you are comfortable with the plan and you achieve your goals safely.
I personally have tried several things in the past. Pure determination, workout videos, over the counter fat burning pills etc. They all worked to some extent but the results often stalled or just stopped for one reason or the other. Work, personal issues or any other disruption can easily derail a program.
What worked for me may not work for you. That is why the goal and the evaluation is so important. I will share my situation as an example.
My situation and what I did about it
In my younger days I was a beanpole. Not sure why because I wasn’t especially active or athletic at that time. Nevertheless, I was around 5’10” 140lbs until I was 18. Still with no visible abs, which should have been a clue as to what the future would hold.
After the age of 18 I started going to a gym and a few years later my younger brother became a personal trainer at the same gym I was attending. Before long I was around 190lbs but still wore 30-32 in pants. Still no abs by the way. But I did have a muscular build but not a blocky or bulky build. No one would mistake me for a bodybuilder but they assumed I worked out regularly.
Fast forward to my 30’s. I still maintained an athletic physique but now I had to track my calories and macro-nutrients like protein, fat and carbs or I would gain weight quickly. I still was working out at that time.
Ten more years go by and now I am 215-220 and the pants have gotten bigger. Still I paid no attention. It wasn’t until my wife passed away when I was 45 that I looked down and saw I was 240lbs, unhealthy and destined for any early grave as well.
I decided that a medically supervised program was best for me. A few months before starting the program I had my blood work checked and most things came back pretty normal. My cholesterol was a little high as was my blood sugar but nothing outrageous. My organs seemed to be functioning normally too.
Bad news from the doctor
My testosterone level was below 300 ng/dl. A range of 300-1200 is considered “normal” but that also means I had 4 times less the testosterone as someone in the high normal range. My doctor said to me at the time, “You have the testosterone of a 70-year-old man.” Definitely not what I wanted to hear.
It was a few months later that I decided to do something about it. Because I used to work in an online medical weight loss clinic, I went with HCG. I did this for two reasons. First, my friend Mike lost 30 pounds in a month using HCG even though he didn’t follow the diet to a T. Second, I knew that HCG boosted hormones levels in people with deficiencies.
I too decided to modify my diet. I wanted to do a low-calorie diet and exercise but there was no way I was going to stick with 800 or less. Especially since I felt it was my low testosterone holding me back in the first place. What I did was I stuck with the concept of the plan but I just ate more of it.
To be more specific I ate a lean protein, a vegetable and a fruit with every meal. I drank only water and I did some sort of physical activity 3-4 times a week. Besides the exercise, the main difference was the calorie count. Instead of 800 or less, I went with 1200 or more, especially on days I worked out.
Did it work? You be the judge. Here are my before and after pics after 3 months on the program. My friend Mike? He let me use his picture and his story to inspire others also. You can find Mike’s story in the 30lbs in one month page.
Alternative low-calorie diet and exercise plans
I am not trying to tell you to go buy HCG injections online. I’m just telling you what I did based on everything I already discussed.
I set a goal– Get back to my normal weight or close.
Identified any barriers– After seeing a doctor I realized my testosterone levels were that of a 70-year-old man. I also had an office job and my eating habits stunk.
Then I made a plan– I wanted to reduce my calories, get active and naturally boost my testosterone to high, yet normal levels while not starving.
Your plan may different because you have different goals and obstacles. You might be 27 years old with super high natural levels of the hormones that burn fat. But maybe you just don’t get out and have put on weight. Al of a sudden you are getting married and you want to fit into a certain sized dress or tuxedo. Joining a gym or doing the insanity workout while doing Atkins might be your answer.
Maybe your growth hormone levels are in the tank because you are going through menopause. By the way, there is such a thing as male menopause too. Perhaps a peptide for weight loss that stimulates a natural release of GH may be your answer. Especially, if you want to keep muscle tone as you lower your calories.
Perhaps you have another situation all together that may call for a different solution.
At the end of the day the choice is yours. In the next section I will describe some of the movements I did during my weight loss phase. I didn’t overdo it because of the calorie restriction I imposed on myself but it worked for me. Plus, I could do most of it in my own home!
My low–calorie diet and exercise 30-day plan
This is an example the modified HCG diet plan that I used. I cannot stress enough that you should do what’s right for you.
Phase one (days one and two)
Start taking HCG injections subcutaneously. No change in diet or calories yet to allow HCG to do its magic. Start exercise program.
Phase two (days 3 through 27)
Begin low calorie phase of 1200 calories per day minimum. Raise calories to 1500 on workout days.
Phase three (starting on day 28 for 3 weeks)
Stop taking HCG (it can stay in your system for 5-7 days). Continue with the 1200-1500 calories for 3 days. Monitor my weight and stay within 2 pounds of where I ended Phase 2. Four days into phase 3 begin adding calories back into the diet but still limit sugar intake.
Phase 4 (next 30 days and beyond)
This is when I decide how I want to proceed with my diet. In my case I did one more round of the HCG to finish losing that last 15 pounds. I’d like to add I still lost 5-7 pounds while not on the HCG by sticking to the higher protein and low carb structure of the diet.
Where I am now
Fast forward a few years. Now I am 50 and while I am not at my 20-year-old weight I am still below where I ended the first round of my plan. That is with no regard to what I am eating at the moment. I think that the maintenance part of the program somehow created a set point for where your weight should be and as long as you don’t go crazy with your diet you can remain pretty close to where you were. I don’t buy into the “you’re going to gain it all back and more” philosophy.
Why? Because you can say that about any program. If some guy that is taking massive amounts of steroids, eating clean and working out 6 days a week suddenly stops do you think he is going to look the same in 6 months? I’ll bet you he won’t. The same is true for every program. But the key is to hold on to your muscle so you don’t ruin your metabolism.
When I stayed very active and more importantly, ate correctly I was always within a few pounds of where I ended the second round. Even now I am pretty active but not like I was. My exercise basically consists of walking two dogs 3-4 times a day or more and SCUBA diving every other month or so.
A sample meal
This meal complies with pretty much everything written or advised within the HCG diet guide. The difference is that I ate more often. Besides that, the diet is exactly the same.
Protein- 4 oz lean skinless boneless chicken breast, broiled or baked. No added oils, just some spices for flavor.
Vegetable- A cup (or more) boiled spinach. Again, no oil.
Fruit- An apple
That meal has around 300 calories. I would do that or something similar 4 times a day on non-workout days and 5 times a day on workout days. Sometimes I would make a low carb protein shake with water to drink within 30 minutes of exercise if I got bored with actually chewing food.
Seems a bit boring but remember it is a very short-term thing. After that you can make modifications as long as you keep an eye on your weight.
Sample exercise program
My goal was to get a full body workout with limited time and equipment. Therefore, my routine was centered around body weight and a few dumbbells. I did a minimum of 3 sets of each, more if I felt great. Repetition varied based on the exercise and if there was strength gain. I did cardio twice a week or more. Sometimes I would do it the same day and other times on separate days depending on schedule and mood.
Resistance work
Crunches- This movement is great for strengthening the core. And once the fat comes off there just might be a six-pack underneath.
Leg Lifts- Leg lifts are another exercise that targets the abdominals but, in this case, it will be the lower abdomen. This also will to a lesser extent tone around the thighs and legs.
Pushups- tried and true pushups are excellent for developing tone and strength around the chest and arms. There is a reason that pushups are a fundamental movement in the US military.
Bent over rows- With light dumbbells this movement is a fantastic exercise for developing the back muscles and again the arms, in particular the biceps. A wider more toned back gives the illusion of a narrower waist.
Dumbbell squats- The legs should never be neglected and the squat is one of the most useful exercises available. Not only do the legs gain strength and tone but the act of squatting alone has been shown to increase natural growth hormone (HGH) production in the body, which also helps with fat burning.
Dumbbell Military press- The dumbbell military press is another movement that helps build tone and strength in the upper body. In particular this exercise targets the shoulder area. Broad and toned shoulders help create the appearance of a narrow waistline.
Cardio work
Heavy Bag- Two-minute rounds one minute break of as many rounds as you can handle. This is a great piece of equipment to take out some frustration, which I needed at that time of my life. Works up a good sweat, gets the heart rate up if you stay active and you really feel it in your shoulders if you keep your hands up as you should.
Jogging– Nothing serious here. Just laced up my running shoes and did a little half mile to mile jog.
Final thought
This article kind of got away from me. It started as a small yet informational piece about a low calorie diet and exercise overview and evolved into something of a guide.
Once I started reflecting on my own personal experience, I could not resist just sharing the information. Hopefully something I wrote resonates with you or at least inspires you to take action. I know as well as anyone that sometimes things happen that affect us emotionally, mentally and physically and that from time to time we need help. Whether that help is a motivational quote, an article online, a person or a product it really doesn’t matter.
If getting and staying fit was so easy, we would be walking around in our bathing suits all of the time. And its not a matter of us being “lazy” either. If that is the case then 70% of Americans are lazy because all available data shows that nearly 3 out of 4 Americans are either overweight or obese.
I simply refuse to believe that about us as a nation. Similarly, I refused to believe that personally about myself and I was able to prove it!
I have included some additional resources if you are interested in learning more or need help making a decision about which, if any low calorie diet and exercise program you want to try.
Thank you for reading.
Resources
- Ultimate Guide to Buying Real HCG Injections Online– IF you are considering the HCG diet or some variation of it read this first. It breaks down what you get, who to trust to get you real product, the ordering process and describes the remote medical consultation.
- My HCG Diet Manifesto– I USED to work in the industry. This is 10,000 words of way too much information. But if you are interested in the Industry in general and the history of the diet, you might like it.
- My Ultimate Guide to Peptides– IF you are interested in Anti-aging or fat loss therapy read this first. Once again I cover the shady websites and detail which item is best for what result. Men and Women who are in menopause might want to browse this guide. It’s not as expensive as you think either.
- Alternative Diet Plans–IF you need help and want to see some other products this page goes over some alternative diet plans for those needing a little help. Not all of it is hormone therapy related either.
