According to all my stats (5'10", 180 pounds, 20 years old, 1.6 multiplier for exercise/lifestyle) I should be eating about 3100 calories a day.

At the moment, I know I am eating around 2300, which is great for me. I've been eating about this amount for the past couple weeks, and I have been on my exercise routine (I do 10-15 mins of upper body weights about 4 times a week and a 45-minute session of cardio 6 times a week.)

The past three weeks that I have been doing this, I have noticed a big improvement with my strength (biceps and calves) and I have been able to go on longer and longer on the elliptical machines in my schools brand new gym.

There is a problem with my diet though. I definitely know how much I am eating in terms of caloric intake, but I definitely can not eat 5-6 meals a day. It's unfortunate that my college mealplan provides two (larger) meals a day. I can eat snacks like apples or cereal in between.

I was wondering how fast I will be able to lose my pounds of fat? Theres really nothing I can do in terms of changing the times I eat, and the portions/quantity of meals I have throughout the day, asides from saving some of my food for later.

I think I am at about 20% body fat and I am looking to get to about 14-15% before the summer. Do you think this is a reasonable goal to try and attain?

Also, will I be able to get abs with my current mealplan situation?

Also, are there any recommended exercises I can do to further help me in my weight loss goals? This is what I currently do:

Sunday-Friday: 3 sets of 10 bicep machine, 3 sets of 10 peck machine, 3 sets of 10 tricep machine, 45 mins of Elliptical on "Fat Burner" mode, ~600 calories burned per 45 mins.

Friday Night I usually drink with my friends, a couple shots of vodka or whiskey, (I don't know if alcohol hinders weight loss, so I thought I would throw that in there)

Saturday: Day off


Any suggestions you have that will help me lose weight faster or more efficiently, please let me know. I am really dedicated to having a sexy body for the summertime. I owe it to myself.


C'mon you experienced workingouters, please FILL ME IN!!!!!!!!





-Shayner

Easiest way to lose weight fast and safely is to cut your calorie intake by eating more on fiber, fruits and vegetables. You'll feel full with fewer calories on them. Fruits, vegetables and fibers are packed with nutrients but less on calories.

I lost 10 pounds in just 2 months using these tips.

Here are Tips to help speed up your metabolism plus help you lose weight without being miserable. they worked for me =)

"Taking the time to relax and savor food increases calorie and fat-burning power by up to 30%", mainstains Marc David, author of The Slow Down Diet( Healing Arts Press, 2005).

The reason: Savoring stimulates the cephalic phase digestive response, or "brain phase" of digestion, which then sets up a slimming chain of events. First, it signals the hypothalamus, the brain's emotion-and-appetite-control center, to trigger the release of the metabolism-reviving thyroid hormone and the pleasure neurochemical cholecystokinin (CCK). In turn, CCK hinders production of the stress hormone cortisol, a known cause of fat accumulation.

1. Outsmart Snack Attacks for 4 hours and Lose Weight

Savoring Berries can oustmart snack attacks for 4 hours and help you shed 5% of your body weight in 6 months. The credit goes to dozens of blood sugar stabilizing antioxidants. Bluberries are so packed with them, just a half cup daily can boost your blood levels by 100%.

2. Fill up on Fiber and Lose Weight Fast

Fill up on Fiber - Foods rich in fiber will make you feel satisfied and help curb your appetite, helping you to lose weight fast and safely - so make sure to pack your diet with fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

3. Boost fat-burning metabolic rate by 50% by sipping coffee

Sipping coffee before a meal can supress appetite by 35%, plus boost fat-burning metabolic rate by 50%, according to extensive research at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. The study-proven dose : 250 mg of caffeine daily, taken either in supplement form or by sipping to cups of coffee or 4 cups of tea.

4. Lose Weight just by eating Yogurt

Yogurt is a calcium-rich food. Research links calcium with lower cortisol production, and it has been proven that women who increase they're intake lose up to 40% more weight than calcium avoiders.

Plus Yogurt has live microorganisms which helps proper digetion and absorption of nutrients we take. Make sure to get yogurts that says "with live microorganisms in labels/packages".

5. Try this Hunger-Taming Trick

Cut fat and you'll cut cravings. Consuming a high-fat diet may supress your body's natural satiety signals, according to a new study from Pennsylvania State University. Animals who'd been consuming a diet rich in fat ended up eating 40% more of a high-calorie snack than those on average diets. Keep your fat intake to less than 30% of total calories.

6. Feel full on less food.

Apples are rich in pectin, a soluble fiber that slows the digestive process, so you'll feel full on less food.The result: You'll eat just enough food to make you happy, reducing calorie intake.

7. Studies suggest people pursuing a healthy weight could lose more weight and burn more fat by including 24 ounces a day of low fat or fat-free milk in their reduced-calorie diet, instead of 8 ounces or less.

8. Speed fat burn with Cranberries.

The ascorbic acid in cranberries helps thin liver bile, making it easier for the organ to emulsify fat so so it can be quickly flushed out of the system rather than stored in cells.

9. Boost your protein intake and lose almost a pound a week without hunger.

You can try protein smoothies. Packed with nutrients and low in calories, smoothies are a fast, easy and great tasting way to achieve good health.

You can find a wide collection of healthy fruit smoothies at : Free Healthy Fruit Smoothie Recipes

By boosting your protein intake from the typical 15% of total calories to 30%, you may be able to cut your daily calorie intake by 440-enough to lose almost a pound a week without hunger, according to a recent University of Washigton study. "A high-protein diet appears to fool the brain into thinking you've eaten more than you have," says the study's lead author, Scott Weigle, M.D., a professor of endocrinology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Stick with lean protein rather than high-fat, artery clogging meat and dairy products. For breakfast, use low-fat milk instead of water in your oatmeal and sprinkle nuts on top. Eat plenty of beans, fish and skinless chicken breast.

10. To counteract a binge, keep your body's fat-burning furnace running on full blast by drinking Green Tea.

Green Tea contains caffeine and the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) , which is proven to boost metabolic rate. In fact, in a recent 3 month study, participants who took Green Tea extract lost 4.6% of their body weight without changing their diet. To get the benefit, drink at least 3 cups a day.

Whenever I ate too much, I just drink green tea and I don't have to worry gaining weight.

11. Speed weight loss and double energy levels by eating Coconuts.

This tropical treats contain medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), a unique fat that is shuttled straight to the liver and immediately burned for fuel. Research shows this little detour revs metabolic rate by up to 50%, speeding weight loss and doubling energy levels

Plus my favorite tip : Before you eat, drink a glass of water. This will help you feel fuller without additional calories (water has no calories). And Satisfy sweet cravings and keep your stomach full longer by eating all-natural fruits.

More of these Fast Weight Loss Tips Safely from:

Health and Beauty|Fast Weightloss Diet|Fitness & Exercise|Natural Skin Care - great tips really

Revise your strength training for one, that just ain't gonna cut it. You're only working pecs, bis, and tris? Where is the leg training!? And no, cardio DOES NOT count. Squats, deadlifts, lunges, bench press, rows, dips, pullups...those are the kinds of lifts you should familiarize yourself with and start doing.

As for your eating situation, 5-6 meals a day is optimal. That doesn't mean you can't get results with the old fashioned 3 meals a day. It really boils down to calories in vs. calories out, which it appears you already understand and that's good. What kind of stuff are you eating? Lots of veggies? Plenty of healthy fats? Let's hear it.

I know most college meal plan consist of a good healthy balance of food choices. Best thing to do is educate yourself in what you are eating and how it was made (ie what type of oil? was it fried? etc). Perhaps you should invest in buying meals in between meals. Make sure you get a good amount of veggies, fruits, and various amount of foods in your diet. Don't just eat chicken all day, and don't just eat veggies all day.

A meal is not considered eating large portions. A meal typically means eating roughly 300-500 calories. Span this out to 5 meals, you get your 3000 calories. BTW, 3000 sounds like quite a high number for weight lost... how did you figure 3100 calories? The goal of eating 5-6 meals a day is to keep you full, keep you aware, and keep your body working at its maximum. Not only for exercise, but also for the mind... keep your mind focus on those books and in class. So if you're hungry, eat. Nothing worst than being hungry in the middle of a test. You don't have to follow 5-6 meals to the exact. And most likely, you are probably already eating 5-6 meals a day but don't really know it.

As far as cardio, I say keep it up. I think you're doing fine with that.

As for strength, if you really want to improve, start putting in training that works your large muscles and span a wide area of your body. Squats, deadlifts, bench, etc are going to be in your favor.

As for body shape... your genetics going to prove that for you. I say kept working hard at it, and you'll eventually get what you want. No real way to say that if you do X, you'll get Y.

Usually a meat, some sort of brown carb, and a serving of veggies.

This is how I do my day:
Wake up ~ 10am go to class
Class over at ~1pm, eat lunch (Usually a meat, some sort of brown carb, and a serving of veggies.)
Snack/Study (Snack is a peice of fruit or yogurt or granola bar)
Workout ~ 4:30-6pm
Eat dinner (Usually a meat, some sort of brown carb, and a serving of veggies.)
Study
Snack (Usually beef jerky or yogurt or fruit)
Study
Sleep ~2am

I usually drink skim milk. If I don't drink skim milk, I drink water.

I drink around 1.25 Litres of water when I go to the gym, and another 1.25 litres throughout the day

3100 is my calorie maintenance level, I think..... I'm 5'10", 180 pnds, 20 years old, and I'm doing walking in between classes, up hills, down stairs, and my ~1 hour workout 6 days of the week. I'm a student, so the rest of my time is spent studying etc. I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, does that sound about right? I eat about 2200 calories a day.

Only one way to find out if you're right and that's to keep doing it. If you fail, try something else.

You really can't go wrong with weight lost. Only time you can do it wrong is if you starve yourself, or use "magic" pills, or sit down and worry about your weight all day long. Most people just need to get up and move. Use yourself to determine if you're doing it right. 180 pounds sounds about right for someone your size (if you're a guy, which I assume you are), so I wouldn't stress too much about weight lost. It sounds more like you developed more fat, which is normal when you're not doing anything. So to solve it, I would just go outside, do stuff, lift weights, and just enjoy your college time. Pretty soon, you're going to get a job and wonder where it all went.

Hard to tell whether your body composition is healthy based just on that.

What is your waist measurement (at the navel)? 50% or less of your height is probably the healthy range; athletes are more likely to be in the 46% or less range. See

Body-Mass Index, Waist-to-Height Ratio and More...
Body-Mass Index, Waist-to-Height Ratio and More...