Before Photo only w/ question

I am 5'8" and 192. This is my week one photo (hence the one finger). Tell me, do you think when I get thin and tone, will I have loose saggy skin, or am I still within a reasonable size, that most of it will go back to normal?

Also, I am averaging consumption of 1200 to 1300 calories per day (1282 today). And I am burning 2800 (2796 today), which gives me a deficit of 1500-1600 per day (1514 today).

1 - if youe consistently but long term your skin will be fine but....

2 - at a cal deficit of more then 50% you won't be fine

You need more calories. I'd aim for at least 2500k/day if you are burning that many. A 1500 cal defeceit is going to hurt you a lot more than it is going to help.

Don't maintain such a large calorie deficit. Your body will go into "starvation" mode and start storing the few calories that you have as fat for energy. Increase your caloric intake to at least 2000-2100 per day but 2400-2500 would be better.

Dittto on the calories.

The other problem and you're typical of a lot of people in your situation, is people start eating healthy and then go for small portions too, sometimes eating things like a Slice of Bread, for Breakfast, or a Peach for Snacks, or a few Beans and some Salad for Lunch as examples.

Surprisingly, this could for some, yield less Mineral, Vitamin and Amino Acid content in the diet, then when they ate foods with loads of Sugar, Salt and Saturates in them, as it's virtually impossible to eat anything that is 100% crap content.

For example, even if you ate little ballbearing sized balls of Lard with a fatty Chocolate covering on them, you'd probably be eating a little good Fat, Fat Soluable Vitamins, (A, D, E and K), Protein, Carbs, Calcium and Catechin Anti-oxident in the Cocoa.

So you could actually be depriving yourself of quite a bit of good nutrition, when sacrificing a lot of the crud as well.

That's why increasing portions of healthy food, is vital to help with things like Bone density, Brain function, muscle mass preservation, etc etc.

Too little could cause, as stated, Fat preservation, and possible weak metabolism, leading to possibly more fat increases and issues with weakened muscles and Bones.

What you're proposing is perfectly possible and visa vie the loose skin issues, providing your weight loss was not silly amounts per week, then you'd be fine. At your weight 2lbs a week should be a target, although be aware anything less than that might indicate you're doing something wrong, or not doing enough, but you could in that instance, be gaining a bit of muscle gain too, so don't get down on yourself, if you're losing a bit less than 2lbs a week, as it might not automatically be a negative thing .

Ok, well I posted this on Wednesday, but the 192 weight was from last sunday (today is saturday) and I weighed in at 189! I have been consistently in the 190's for two years. I am going to step the calories up a bit, to about 1400-1500. And try not to over do it at the gym. I am definitely new to this. I have gone exclusively to water and crystal light for beverages, and my food have been healthy. Last night I had about a 5 oz piece of baked chicken, with steamed carrots and cauliflower. My breakfast are instant shakes, with 50% of the protein, and vitamins and minerals required for the day. So an average day for me food-wise (lately) would be the instatnt-brakfast shake (220 calories) (maybe w/ a fruit) right after a workout. Then about 2.5 hours late I have a 100 calorie snack. Then for lunch I have a fresh-fit sub from subway (with meat, lots of veggies, and no cheese or mayo) or a lean cuisine meal ( both around 400 calories). Then in the after noon I have another fruit as a snack, or maybe a light yogurt (110 calories). And then dinner, I try to balance out. One serving of meat, one vegtable, and one starch. And then I treat myself (maybe) to a desert... usually skinny cow ice cream waffle cones (150 calories). I have worked out every morning alternating cardio one day and then circuit w/ weights the next. I am going for 30-40 minute brisk walks during lunch 2 or 3 times per week. And twice this week, I have worked out in the afternoon also. step aerobics once and circuit w/ weights the other time. Does this sound like too much? Where can I make corrections?

You definitely need something to eat pre-workout. I would also slowly step up the calories (by about 200/wk) until you get to around 2400 or so.

- the shake minerals per day requirement thing is total shit, you need more then a shitty shake, a lot more
- don't exercise on an empty stomach
- no starches except for the meal right after training
- meat and veg for all other meals

Amen on the shakes. Some of those things might be Micronutrient rich, but may be low calories, so low cal ones don't promote satiety, just potentially pointless snacking, plus it';s liquid, it will digest more quickly than a solid, again, not helping to promote satiety.

If you want a good Break fast option rich in minerals and nutrition try this.

1 Bowl Whole-grain Cereal with Skimmed Milk. Low Sugar Pro-biotic Yoghurt, small portion of Berries, 3 Egg Whites and a Yolk.

Give Fruit about 10 minutes to start digesting, to reduce impedence of the digestion by other foods.

This meal contains Beta-glucan, B Vits, Anti-oxidents, Vt C, Vit D, Gut Bacteria, Fat Soluable Vitamins, Lutein, Copper, Iron, possibly more besides. More filling and better for satiating yourself.

Synthetic vitamins out of context are also of less use to the body than natural vitamins in context. Iron + Vit C = win. A natural meal will give you this, many supp's won't. Many foods have vitamins that complement each other and work together in the body. Many times one without the other is useless.

Plus eating is more fun than slammin' a shake!

Yes on the Iron and Vit C.

Also Calcium and Vit D.

Copper and Iron.

Yes, to Copper and Zinc, though no to too much Zinc, as it might cause issues for Copper.

However some people now believe cognative ability in children, and boosted bone density for many people, could be achieved with something like Sythetic D, in light of many people never getting 15+ minutes, consistantly sustained exposure to sunlight, however as Les said, Synthetic = less usuable in an in vivo state, that's not factoring in some supplements being less digestible than others, possibly due to the manufacturing process or the coating used.

Vit D doesn't have to be supp'd though. Especially as many foods are fortified with it anyway. Like milk.. mmm... juices too (though I don't drink juice anyway)

It can also be found in egg yolks and fish. If you eat properly, you shouldn't need to supplement anything.

vd does need to be supp'ed more then likely...the most deficient mineral in the world now

vd does need to be supp'ed more then likely...the most deficient mineral in the world now

Yeah I just read that yesterday. Interesting. Seems like every health and fitness magazine that i pick up lately has an article on the importance and benefits of vitamin D.