TEAM: Gutbusters (July)
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LesIckaBod wrote: »Week 1 Weigh-In
Monday July 2
Previous Weight: 191.8
Current Weight: 190.2
Road trip started last Wednesday -- 1200+ miles in two days, and now we're here for the next 3.5 weeks. I got the fitbit scale working yesterday, and I'm astonished by the loss. I'd been mindful of eating and continued exercising, but I wasn't tracking calories just because of the difficulty measuring and finding accurate calorie data for some restaurants.
But... I will say that I thought of all the weeks to undertake that drive, this was a better one. I've been tracking my 3-week TDEE (@craigo3154 wrote out the instructions back in May - thank you!) and I had previously seen that my TDEE seems to increase hugely periodically, and I predicted I was reaching that phase again. I've found some more information about this effect here on MFP: Women - menstrual cycle, weight and fitness matters
btw, this is the post being referred to (sorry it's a bit long):craigo3154 wrote: »LesIckaBod wrote: »..
Thank you for your extensive answer -- and I did keep reading to the very end, too! I'm thinking about how you transitioned from a lower, weight loss calorie goal to the higher, weight management calorie goal, and how that might work for me. I think I was under the impression that if I just use my management calorie goal now, I'd be losing weight. (The idea being, if I eat like I weigh 140 lbs now, eventually I'll weigh 140 lbs).
I have another question. On MFP, when you add exercise, it gives you an additional calorie allowance as well. So, if you burn 200 calories, MFP would allow you 1700 calories for the day (1500+200). You said you were on 1500 kcal/day. I'm curious whether that was your MFP goal, and you counted yourself as at goal if you consumed less than 1500+(exercise calories) for the day, or whether you kept a hard line at 1500 calories.
I ask because I went to an InBody scale in early April and learned my basal metabolic rate is 1441 kcal. I'm using 1400 as my goal on MFP, and allowing myself the extra calories earned from exercise. I hear you about monitoring and evaluating choices and the effects they have, so I'll be watching to see what changes. I'm also going back to the InBody scale at the end of this month, so we'll see what difference 2 months has made.
@LesIckaBod. Happy for questions. I wish more would ask.
Exercise calories? Whether to include them or not in your daily budget? I don't and I recommend that you don't for 2 reasons.- Estimated from exercise calories are notoriously well out. How many calories you burn from an activity depends on not only the activity, but your skill level at the activity, your efficiency, your weight, the ambient temperature and humidity, etc....
- Psychologically you can do end up adopting a mindset of "I'll do this activity as it will earn me X additional calories in my daily budget". If the "calorie" reward for an activity is too high, then you end up doing it for the wrong reason.
If you are working from a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) that is calculated from anything other than "sedentary", then you should definitely not include activity calories in the daily budget as they have already been factored in.
BMR (basal metabolic rate), is the estimate rate at which the body burns calories just to keep the brain working, heart pumping and body warm (think coma). For weight loss, the real figure to be concerned with is TDEE. TDEE factors in activity which is what we really need to work with.
I set my daily goal to be inside my calorie budget without activity (and it was initially projected from MFP and cross-checked with SailRabbit. (www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/). These initial calculations are a GUIDE. Your tracking should give you a MUCH better idea of what your daily budget should be.
If I have a particularly active day (eg. >15,000 steps), then I allow myself HALF of the calculated activity calories as an extension to that day's budget. However it need to be an extraordinary day activity wise, (eg. normal 6km walk does not qualify).
You ideally want to be in the range of 500 kcal per day LESS than your actual TDEE. This gives you an estimated loss of around 1lbs per week. (1 lbs of fat is estimated to have around 3500 kcal - 3500 / 7 = 500. 500 kcal deficit per day, the remaining comes from burning body fat.
There is MUCH more to it than this, but this is a good rule of thumb and often tends to work).
How do you work out your tracked TDEE? This is where tracking comes in.- Track your calories and activity for 3 weeks.
- Your true daily intake is the AVERAGE of 7 days. (3 days before, the actual day, 3 days after).
- Track your weight DAILY (same time of day each day).
- Your true weight can be taken as the average of 7 consecutive days weighing. (3 days before, the actual day, 3 days after - water fluctuations can really mess things up, so the average is essential).
- Take your starting true weight and subtract your ending true weight.
- Divide this true weight difference by the number of days recording for (this is the average daily loss).
- Take your total of true daily intakes over the period and divide by the number of days to give your average total intake.
- Your tracked TDEE is the average total intake PLUS the average daily loss (in lbs) * 3500.
Your target then becomes your tracked TDEE less 500 * lbs per WEEK targeting to lose.
If you are too aggressive with weight loss, then weight can stall as body shuts down passive activity to prevent starvation. If you are too lax with weight loss you can stall as the body is getting all it needs to maintain.
1% per week is the MAXIMUM anyone should target to get to BMR (body mass ratio) 22.5. It is possible to be more aggressive and not stall through starvation but you have to really know what you are doing and monitor EXTREEMLY carefully.
(For example, I averaged 1.5% per week for 2 months, but tracked everything VERY closely and revised daily TDEE every 2 weeks. Had to be VERY careful not to trip over into extreme metabolic adaption (metabolic damage). ).
Hope this all makes sense.
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Username: DoverlyK
Weigh in week: July Week 1
Weigh in day: Monday
Previous Week's weight: 239
Today's Weight: 237.23 -
Username: mthomas0228
Weigh in week: July Week 1
Weigh in day: Monday
Previous Week's weight: 165.8
Today's Weight: 165.1
So I only lost .7 lbs but I did buy a new scale last week after my Monday weigh-in. I did a side by side comparison and then new scale was .5 lbs higher than the other scale. So technically, I lost 1.2 lbs. Going forward from this week all my losses should be accurate. I am hoping by next week's weigh-in to get to the 163's, and a another 1.2 lbs loss will do that. Last week, I exercised every day, logged everyday, and was under my calories everyday - planning to do the same this week!2 -
Username:ruthiebryan2922
July week 1
Weigh in day:Monday
Previous week: 251
Current weight:2511 -
Username: yasiral
Weigh day: Sunday
SW: 233.9
Cw: 230.52 -
July 2
Exercised?: Yes - hour of tennis, lifting, 2 m on arc trainer
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
Did the strength challenge as well!2 -
July 2
Exercised?: No
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes1 -
July 2
Exercise?:yes, reached step goal
Tracking?:Yes
Calories?:Yes1 -
Username: eevang
Weigh-in week: Week 1
Weigh-in day: Monday
Previous week's weight: 175.4
Current weight: 173.61 -
July 2
Exercised?: Yes Strength training, walking. Step count target 14,000 achieved 21000 steps
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes1 -
Weigh-in week: Week 1
Weigh-in day: Monday
Previous week's weight: 181.2
Current weight: 181.41 -
Username: luvirishgrls
Weigh in week: July Week 1
Weigh in day: Tuesday
Previous Week's weight: 162
Today's Weight: 161.83 -
July 3
Exercised?: Yes. 8km in 60 mins (various walks in North Sydney).
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes
Walk over lunch and then another for dinner.
Working hard to be close to daily calories (found usual tendency when travelling was being a long way under).
Daily Strength challenge
"Challenge for July 03 is squats (no weight - air squat - http://www.12minuteathlete.com/how-to-do-a-proper-air-squat/).
You can do assisted squats (using a table or bench top to take weight off the knees if it is too much)."
3 sets- First set till the point where you can do no more, wait 2 mins
- Second set of 60% of the number you did in the first set (half, then another 10%), wait 2 mins
- Third set of 50% of the number you did in the first set (half)
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July 2
Exercise: Yes
Tracked: Yes, afterward
Calories: No
Deliberately went over calories for dinner, but tracked it afterward. Not an overage I will do regularly, but I thoroughly enjoyed dinner and I feel ok about getting back to my normal routine today. In fact, I want to get back to my normal routine, but it's a little hard because we're staying in a condo and keep figuring out what things we're missing and need to go buy at the store! We're almost set, I think.1 -
We haven't had daily questions in this group in a while, but I've had one on my mind for a while, and maybe you'd like to participate? Here goes:
- What sort of habits/choices/routines do you have on "autopilot" to help you meet your MFP goals?
Here's mine: I always make sure to have hard-boiled eggs in the fridge. They take one food decision off the table for me everyday, since I almost always eat the whites for breakfast with my coffee, and if I need a quick lunch or snack, they're there for that, too. And if we're running late for dinner and the kids are defcon hangry, it's super quick and easy to make egg salad on toast for them.
(The downside to this is that I buy a ton of eggs. The last time I was at the grocery store, the man in line behind me commented on the number of eggs I was buying. What can I say? Our family likes eggs, dude!)
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LesIckaBod wrote: »We haven't had daily questions in this group in a while, but I've had one on my mind for a while, and maybe you'd like to participate? Here goes:
- What sort of habits/choices/routines do you have on "autopilot" to help you meet your MFP goals?
My routine is to pre-log every morning. Every morning, I make myself a cup of tea, sit down with that & log into myfitnesspal to plan my day before eating anything. Occasionally, I will need to re-adjust things in the afternoon but usually I have a plan that I am able to stick to all day. This just makes it easier for me to function through my day without having to think about food. It takes the emotion out of eating, which for me which is big.
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mthomas0228 wrote: »LesIckaBod wrote: »We haven't had daily questions in this group in a while, but I've had one on my mind for a while, and maybe you'd like to participate? Here goes:
- What sort of habits/choices/routines do you have on "autopilot" to help you meet your MFP goals?
My routine is to pre-log every morning. Every morning, I make myself a cup of tea, sit down with that & log into myfitnesspal to plan my day before eating anything. Occasionally, I will need to re-adjust things in the afternoon but usually I have a plan that I am able to stick to all day. This just makes it easier for me to function through my day without having to think about food. It takes the emotion out of eating, which for me which is big.
I do this too. At least all the way up until dinner. Then I check out my Fitbit calorie adjustment and kind of gauge what kind of dinner I should make or if I have room for a glass of wine. It helps me avoid treats that tend to pop up in schools during the school year1 -
User ID: brunchowl
Weigh in day: Monday
July week 1
Last week: 167.8
This week: 166.23 -
July 3
Exercise: 2.5 mile run and strength challenge
Track: Yes
Calories: Yes1 -
LesIckaBod wrote: »We haven't had daily questions in this group in a while, but I've had one on my mind for a while, and maybe you'd like to participate? Here goes:
- What sort of habits/choices/routines do you have on "autopilot" to help you meet your MFP goals?
I’m really impressed by those who are prelogging with frequency! I do it if I have leftovers I know I will eat but that’s about it.
My habit is having fairly healthy snacks that I will eat but won’t love. Basically nuts, beef jerky, and protein powder. I keep a measuring cup in the nuts bag. I eat the snack only if I don’t think I can make it to my next meal, and I’m never tempted to overeat.
I also always have healthy veggies and meat/fish in my freezer. This ensures I have a healthy backup when I forget to plan dinner or have a change of plans. The trick is to make sure I don’t leave it in there too long...otherwise I’ll forget it’s in there and/or avoid eating it.1 -
July 3
Exercised?: Yes Swam 30 mins
Calories?: Yes
Tracked?: Yes2 -
July 3
Exercise: Yes, almost 14k steps, including 60 minutes on treadmill incline of 4.
Track: Yes
Calories: Yes2 -
July 2
Exercise:No
Tracking:yes
Calories:yes
July3
Exercise:No
Tracking:yes
Calories:yes
I went outside for 3 hours day before yesterday.And for two days I am unable to move at all.Not even within the house.Did tracking and kept calories under limit.1 -
LesIckaBod wrote: »We haven't had daily questions in this group in a while, but I've had one on my mind for a while, and maybe you'd like to participate? Here goes:
- What sort of habits/choices/routines do you have on "autopilot" to help you meet your MFP goals?
Here's mine: I always make sure to have hard-boiled eggs in the fridge. They take one food decision off the table for me everyday, since I almost always eat the whites for breakfast with my coffee, and if I need a quick lunch or snack, they're there for that, too. And if we're running late for dinner and the kids are defcon hangry, it's super quick and easy to make egg salad on toast for them.
(The downside to this is that I buy a ton of eggs. The last time I was at the grocery store, the man in line behind me commented on the number of eggs I was buying. What can I say? Our family likes eggs, dude!)
@LesIckaBod. Thanks for kicking this off (been crazy busy with work and travel).
My autopilot is essentially:- Preference for gluten free food (mental switch so that I think for me that gluten is a low-grade poison, I can have a little and it won't hurt, but too much is bad). This means, by preference, no bread, toast, cookies, biscuits, pizza or pasta (I find I don't really miss them apart from convenience). I don't hunt for GF alternatives (like GF bread), my diet is foods that are normally GF (meat, vegetables, deserts (like ice-cream and chocolate), etc...). Apart from pure sugars (and rice), most naturally GF food is very filling.
- No snacking (if avoidable - save calories for bigger/better meals).
- Water and black tea as main beverages (lots of water).
- Some sort of dessert after dinner each day (ice-cream or pavlova by preference - daily treat).
- When I get something out to eat, I portion it out onto a plate or dish, put the remainder AWAY. THEN I can eat what I have portioned out. (This way if I want another portion I must get it out again instead of absent mindedly continuing on food that is already out).
- Track eating to ensure I eat enough (if left in "pure autopilot" I will under-eat daily calories on a mainly GF diet).
- Daily activity (walking, 10000+ steps, simple HIIT style bodyweight exercise, etc...)
I have bacon and eggs nearly every morning for breakfast and maybe a protein bar if daily protein will come in short (based on tracking). Always try ensure I get enough protein every. MFP makes tracking really simple.
No food is "off limits". I can join in celebrations and usually find something I can eat or drink.
(I also go through a lot of eggs - at least 2 per day for breakfast - and my two favourite desserts either use egg yolks (ice cream) or egg whites (pavlova)).1 -
July3
Exercise:yes, walking 14,000 step target, achieved 23,000 steps
Tracking:yes
Calories:yes Although I was under my calorie goal yesterday I did not eat that healthy, too much salt and processed foods. Currently aiming to stop too much processed foods reducing my salt intake.2 -
Username: caitlynns727
Weigh in week: July - Week 1
Weigh in day: Wednesday
Previous Week's weight: 188.1
Today's Weight: 187.63 -
sername: klmac8
Weigh in week: July - Week 1
Weigh in day: Wednesday
Previous Week's weight: 201.4
Today's Weight: 200.21 -
July 4
Exercise: Lifting (leg day) and 3 m on the arc trainer
Tracked: Yes
Calories: Yes1 -
Hope everyone had a great 4th! I did and as such did not exercise, track and probably did not stay under calories. Back on the grind tomorrow!1
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Username: inshapeCK
Weigh in week: July Week 1
Weigh in day: Wednesday
Previous Week's weight: 146.7 pounds
Today's Weight: 146.6 pounds
Down 0.1 pounds.
Struggling to re-lose weight I gained back.
Need to re-lose 0.5 pounds to get back to 146.1 pounds which was my weight on June 13th.
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