I hope I have the right thread to post this. When I wanted to lost the extra 10 pounds I put on over the holidays (well, over fall and winter), I followed a low calorie, basic USDA food pyramid type nutrition plan (40-60% carbs/30% good fats/10-20% protein, or roughly 175 grams of carbs, 33 grams of fat, 60-80 grams of protein each meal or at least each day). My carbs came from servings of whole grain and fruit, but mostly veggies.

I calculated how many calories I needed per week to stay at my starting weight, then subtracted 3500 from that to figure my calorie deficit, or how many calories I needed to burn from exercise or cut out of my diet per week to lose 1 lb. per week. It was about 500 calories a day (500x7=3500). Just cutting out fast food, drinking more water, and doing cardio for 30 minutes 3x a week and weight training 4x a week, helped me to lose 1 lb. a week. I've been happy with the progress.

I hope I'm not making this sound too easy. I started out very confused and had to read a lot of threads and a lot of books to figure out that calories matter, body fat% matters, and tape measurements matter (like for my waist).

I also learned that a serving size isn't as large as a I used to think (shredded cheese is 1/4 c., tomato sauce 1/4 of a cup, pita bread is 1/2 of a pita, wheat bread is only 1 slice, not 2). It's very easy to get in 6 "servings" of whole grains without actually eating 6 bowls of cereal or 6 cups of pasta or 6 slices of bread a day. The serving sizes for whole grains aren't that large.

I'm just curious if anyone else is following a basic USDA food pyramid and subtracting 3500 calories a week to lose 1 lb?

Have you checked out the calorie counter's forum? That's what they do, and what I used to do. Sounds like you're making great progress! I gotta ask, though, what are "brickhouse" measurements?

""Brick House"

[Chorus:]
She's a brick house
Mighty might just lettin' it all hang out
She's a brick house
The lady's stacked and that's a fact,
ain't holding nothing back.

She's a brick house
She's the one, the only one,
who's built like a amazon [pronounced am-a-ka-zawn]
We're together everybody knows,
and here's how the story goes.

She knows she got everything
a woman needs to get a man, yeah.
How can she lose with what she use
36-24-36, what a winning hand!

[Chorus]

The clothes she wears, the sexy ways,
make an old man wish for younger days
She knows she's built and knows how to please
Sure enough to knock a man to his knees

[Chorus]

Shake it down, shake it down now [repeat]"

Is it sad that I was able to find this in about 10 seconds or scary? It says its by lional richie but I thought it was rick james. Oh well. --Sumi

Btw, calorie counters is right. I am using this, but not really going to the t with the usda and all just keeping the calories low.

LOL Those lyrics were funny! I guess that dates me, huh? I never heard of the song and the only reason I knowof Lionel Richie is because of his daughter.

It dates me too. I knew every word. I used to love that song in my younger days. LOL.

I'll admit....first think I did was check how young bookis was! lol


No way was that lionel singing it though was it?

I'm doing the portion (usda/Can food guide) / cal thing; with an emphasis on the portions. I do not count every single calorie; but just do a guesstimate, checking only when not sure. I like the new version of the food pyramid best with higher fruits & veggies, whole wheat grains and dairy, lean meat, olive oil, etc, etc, etc ...

I find this plan sooo EZ! Like others, I tried so many of the "diets" (I lost weight, but couldn't maintain); so, I like this plan much better. I started out slow (intentionally / a little jaded), but am really doing great on this plan now (lost 66+ lbs) ~ and am so luvin' it!!! I measure cooked pasta, rice, tators, beans (about 1 cup).

The thing I noticed the most, is that I don't feel hungry, cuz it's so versatile and flexible; and I could do this for the rest of my life ... and be very happy! I know that everyone is different; but this is sooo working for me!!!

BTW, do you really think it's possible to have only a 24" waist with 36" hips? They used to say that a 10" differential was the max! A fellow encourager ... Rosebud.

I could have sworn it was on my rick james tape. I was a weird teen in the 90's LOL Not many others were listening to what I was

I think it depends on body type, I have a big booty, so a 10 difference in waist and butt are not unheard of but at 24" waist I wouldnt have boobs LMAO

Michelle looks like your already on your way to your goal!

If you think it dates you, what about me. It's on my songlist that I jog to! It follows "My Sharona".

"Brick House" was by the Commodores. Lionel Ritchie was the lead singer for the group but he was not the one to sing it. That particular song was done by their drummer Walter Orange.

10 inch difference was the "ideal" for awhile. Now....the singers/writers of brickhouse might not have subscribed to the white american standard of physical perfection that dictated 10".....

For my own case...36 hips possible, 36 boobs possible but boob reduction surgery probably necessary. 24 waist...not unless I removed about 4 ribs and wore a corset for several years.

It's on my mp3 player too

I know that song!!! I like to play it when I'm getting ready to go out haha

And as for measurements, when they say a 24" waist...does that mean, say, if you were buying pants, you would buy a 24" pant?!?!?! I've been wondering this a lot lately (don't ask me why!)

The calorie method is pretty much how I am doing it, but I don't really keep track of percentages. I eat protein, starch, and veggies/fruit at every meal.

In my youth, pre-kids, I measured 36-25-37. A male co-worker told me to measure myself when he became aware of my poor body image, and said he thought I was close to "perfect" (36-24-36). It was really enlightening.