Is there anything I can do that doesn’t require me to change my diet, but will still make me loose weight?

@psalms91forme If you still want to eat carb heavy but want to lose weight, I think your best bet is to take up endurance sports like marathon training, triathlon etc. the reason being is that you burn an ungodly amount of calories and can get away with a shitty diet. I did it for years.

The downside is you won't develop a muscular physique. You can get lean and look ripped but will forever be skinny. Also, you will be dedicating like 10-15hrs/week to exercise.

Its a ton of fun if you're into that lifestyle, but it's not for everyone.

Or, just be an adult about your situation and learn to control your diets a bit. You can still eat carbs (I'm Italian, I never gave up pasta) but you have to control the quantities you eat. There's no way around that. Set a calorie goal, increase your protein, and set your carbs at a level that can fuel your workouts.
 
@psalms91forme Your total calorie expenditure for the day needs to increase more than your current carb heavy intake. As others have mentioned, you could add a lot of cardio. But even walking will be sufficient if you walk far enough/long enough. In addition to the strength training, can you increase how much you move through out the day?
 
@psalms91forme Unfortunately OP, what your trainer is telling you is correct. If you want to lose your gut and continue to get strong you need to eat more protein (.5g to 1g per pound of body weight daily) and be in a calorie deficit.

Equally true, you don’t have to quit your carb heavy diet to be in a calorie deficit. Literally just eat smaller portions food. Traditional Japanese, Thai and Japanese food (you just said Asian) involves a lots of vegetables and other nutrient dense food.

Lower the noodle and rice portions, exchange them for a protein source and maybe try cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles in the food you eat. Soba noodles are only 99 calories per 100g though so literally portion size could be your issue.

Cut down on those portion sizes will increasing protein intake, which you could honestly do eating protein bars and protein powder, and you’ll be fine.

Calorie deficit is most important thing for weight loss, followed by increased protein intake. After that whether the diet has more carbs or more fat (following marcos) is irrelevant if the goal is simply weight loss. Many will disagree with this but the fitness space is filled with so much advice that is irrelevant to the average person who wants to lose weight for health reasons. Keep it simple when the goal is simple.

It sounds like your goals aren’t be a ripped bodybuilder but are to just lose your gut. That’s easily done with calorie deficit and not necessarily through a diet of subtraction. Maybe find a trainer more aligned with your goals.
 
@psalms91forme Might be an unpopular opinion here but unless you’re avoiding eating protein, you’re probably getting enough. Try a smaller eating window, like 9am - 5pm. Drink more water, before and with meals. Eat more vegetables and fiber. Exercise can reduce hunger as well. If you can handle some adjustments, cut out caloric drinks and less processed carbs, like brown rice for white.

If you start to see progress you might be more motivated to make additional changes.
 
@talithakoum If you eat the US RDA of protein you're getting enough protein that it was shown in very old studies to prevent muscle wasting in men. If you're doing weight training, want to put on extra muscle, etc etc, then that is a sub-optimal amount of protein.

Extensive discussion here: https://peterattiamd.com/donlayman/ (and why I try to drink 2 protein shakes a day now)
 
@psalms91forme Increase protein and decrease fat instead to keep your total calories the same.

Here are a few "hacks" to reduce your daily calories:
  • have a glass of water 10 minutes before each meal
  • eat slower by putting down your fork/spoon between bites
  • chew more
  • eat only until you are 80% full
  • eat more vegetables and fruits
  • don't drink liquid calories. Especially no fruit juices.
  • when you feel hungry between meals drink some water first. If you are still hungry eat a fat-free greek yoghurt or a few nuts.
  • move more by getting 7k to 14k steps per day. This can be accomplished with a walk of around an hour.
  • add a little bit of HIIT to your weekly training schedule. But be careful since this type of training can increase hunger.
 
@psalms91forme Everyone loves to eat. Do you think people without a gut just don't like food? What magic answer are you expecting?

If you want to lose fat, you have to make sacrifices. You have to decide you like being in shape better than stuffing your face.
 
@psalms91forme Has the meaning of skinny fat changed?? A few years back, "skinny fat" referred to someone with a normal/low normal BMI but almost zero muscle. Like when at 5'7" I weighed 130, but it was all bones and pudge. I looked skinny in clothes but fat in a swimsuit
 
@psalms91forme You can also create a deficit if you expend more energy. I’d recommend walking around a fuckton. Like half an hour 2 or 3 times a day. That is easily a few hundred kcal. Won’t directly help you with strength training though
 
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