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TEAM: Gutbusters (December)

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  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    Hello team Gutbusters.

    I will be your coach again for this month (when I can - I travel a bit and cannot always check in). My role here is to help motivate, encourage.

    I am also moderator for the TBL challenge (but Ashley ( @AB0215. ) has been doing most of the heavy lifting recently with my work travel commitments being insane). I rely heavily on the support of the team captains to make this successful as it is too much for one person to do alone.

    Les (@LesIckaBod.) has done an amazing job last few months and is continuing as captain for this month. As team captain, Les' primary role is to also help motivate and encourage the team. The captains secondary role is to keep the weight tracking spreadsheet up to date based on people's poset weigh in's. Les has gone from over 212.2lbs to 170.3lbs while in TBL. Lots of experience and worth listening to.

    Les is looking for a co-captain. As Les has been doing this for a while, I'm assistance would be appreciated.

    As coach, I am running an optional mini-challenge within the Gutbusters team again this month.

    Now an introduction:

    I am a happily married 50yo father of one. I live in Melbourne Australia. I am passionate about helping people. Late August last year I passed my minimum goal weight (70kg - down from 91.5kg) and am now trying to maintain without bouncing back too far. I achieved the reduction in 4 months (so 40+ lbs in 4 months). I have kept the weight off for over 12 months now.

    As I am now actively trying to NOT lose weight. At BMI 20.6 and less than 8% body fat, it would be crazy (if not dangerous) for me to try lose more weight.

    (Why would someone not losing weight want to help run a weight loss challenge? Because it helps so many people and I feel I have so much to share. I learned so much losing weight that I seems a shame to not have it benefit others.).

    About the mini-challenge.

    First and foremost is that participation in this challenge is optional. It's up to you as to whether you want to try this. (If you take the attitude that "this is not what I signed up for", that is up to you).

    I used the principles of this challenge to win July (6.29% - down 10.8 lbs) and August (6.44% - down 10.4 lbs). Following this challenge does work.

    The challenge is based on another challenge on MFP called UAC (ultimate accountability challenge). The way UAC works is that the aim is to follow 5 basic rules.
    1. Track EVERYTHING you eat that has calories on MFP.
    2. Stay inside your allocated daily budget.
    3. Do at least 20 minutes of activity a day (anything: walk, run, cycle, swim, gardening, housework, yoga, gym, etc.. As long as it gets you active and off the couch)
    4. 1 pass day permitted per week (went over calories, could not track, not enough exercise, intentional pass)
    5. Check in daily (tracking yes/no, calories yes/no, exercise yes/no).
    End of the week. those who have managed to keep to plan for 6 out of 7 days are recognised in the thread as being part of the weekly "winners circle".


    Using this strategy of consistent tracking and minimal exercise I have set a lifestyle plan that should keep me in my target weight range. (has for the last month :) )

    I liked this strategy as:
    • No dietary restrictions. (fine for vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, paleo, carnivore, etc...)
    • Works with whatever strategy you may want to follow. (keto, 5:2, 16:8, atkins, etc..).
    • You set your own daily budget (MFP helps with this).
    • You choose you own exercise and intensity (no step limit, no exercises you cannot or should not do, 20 mins of gardening counts as much as a 10mile run).
    • Is not weight based (as weight fluctuates day by day).
    • Can continue beyond weight loss.

    Daily check in keeps you in touch with those doing similar. Longer term weight management is hard to do on your own.

    It also has frequent resets (as in a circle each week).

    It works on an honor system. Being honest with yourself and others is a key to making things work.

    Consistency and new habits have been shown the only long term successful way to change weight. We all want the progress made here to last a lifetime.

    You will find out more from me as the weeks go on. I have done A LOT of research into weight loss, diets, health and strength. I will happily share what I have learned with the group.

    My commitment to this group is to post my daily results for this accountability tracking (and help out where I can).


    So welcome December Gutbusters.
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    December 2
    Exercised?: Yes (3.5km in 30 mins semi-hills).
    Calories?: Yes
    Tracked?: Yes

    Got walk in while waiting for daughter at skating.

    Home TV taken out by lightning strike on the house last night round 1:00am. No gap between lightning and thunder. It's loud when it's that close. Looks like it damaged the control board through the HDMI input (TV was not on at the time, internal power fuse not tripped, home power fuses not tripped either).

    Fortunately I do not watch a lot of TV (maybe an hour a day, mostly video games, movies or documentaries as distraction. News headlines I get online). However, it will need to be replaced soon for sake of family harmony.
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    ShareASmile wrote: »
    LesIckaBod wrote: »
    ShareASmile wrote: »
    Hi! I'm Cathy, 52 years old, mother of 2 kiddos - one in Philadelphia, one in Memphis. I don't have a huge amount of weight to lose, but these last 10 pounds are the hardest! I've been trying for several months and have hardly had any movement. For me, it's not the eating, as I don't really eat that much, it's the lack of exercise. I don't go to a gym, am uncomfortable looking stupid in front of everyone..... I recently had 2 stress fractures after starting to run on a treadmill, and then those healed and the treadmill broke! 🙃 This is pretty much how my life goes ha ha ha! Anyway, glad to be here and I hope I help the team instead of hurt our numbers!

    @shareasmile You said it's "not the eating, as I don't really eat that much", but have you tried to play around with what you're eating? I know for me, getting more of my calories from protein is better for weight loss. Same calorie deficit, just different macros. What are your current macro targets?

    @LesIckaBod That's a great point! I don't have any macros goals, as I don't know how to manage those. I am only watching calories, trying to stay at or below 1300/day, so maybe that is the problem. Is it okay to go above calories if they are proteins or do I still try to stay at the same calories level?

    @shareasmile. Punching numbers into a calculator, I come out with 1200 per day to loas 1lb per week (sedentary lifestyle, female, 30, 5"2').

    Macros are VERY important. Generally higher % protein and/or fat, and lower % carbohydrate seem to be the keys for most people to lose weight. Be sure to include all you drink and weigh food for the first couple of weeks till you can accurately estimate.

    The other good thing about higher % protein and/or fat, and lower % carbohydrate is you generally get less hungry. Ideally carbohydrates you have should be from non-refined sources (vegetables, etc). These have the fibre still in them and also assist in satiety (feeling full).

    High sodium (salt) tends to store extra water weight. So try limit the salt where practical.

    If you increase protein %, also ensure you drink plenty of water, as protein produces more waste product and you need to keep the kidneys healthy.

    If you are comfortable with weighing daily, do this for a while and track a 7 day average. It is a far better indicator than a once a week weigh-in.

    Last point is to experiment. Find a combination that works for you. Change one thing at a time for a week and see how things go. Ensure any change is able to be maintained permanently (not as a phase for this week), as if it works, you want to keep it going.

    (By experimenting, I found I was gluten sensitive - makes me tired. I also know a high carbohydrate diet adds about 2kg (5 lbs) to my stable weight - this drops again once I return to my usual low-carb eating habits).
  • Stimpy56
    Stimpy56 Posts: 610 Member
    December 1
    Exercised?: Yes
    Calories?: Yes
    Tracked?: Yes

    We had a storm pass the night before and I spent a 30 minutes cleaning the pool of leaves and picking up debris in the yard.
  • heartofhearts
    heartofhearts Posts: 30 Member
    December 1st & 2nd
    Exercised?: YES
    Calories?: YES
    Tracked?: YES

    I'm a stay at home mom to a toddler & an infant. I'm usually up doing something every day, (housework, walking the dog, or some other form of walking). I'm not as active as I'd like to be but I want to get myself some Zumba dvds when $ permits. It's such a fun workout that burns calories! I have to be careful with my knee though because I dislocated it early this year. I definitely don't want to relive that. The pain was unbearable.
  • ShareASmile
    ShareASmile Posts: 195 Member
    edited December 2018
    craigo3154 wrote: »
    ShareASmile wrote: »
    LesIckaBod wrote: »
    ShareASmile wrote: »
    Hi! I'm Cathy, 52 years old, mother of 2 kiddos - one in Philadelphia, one in Memphis. I don't have a huge amount of weight to lose, but these last 10 pounds are the hardest! I've been trying for several months and have hardly had any movement. For me, it's not the eating, as I don't really eat that much, it's the lack of exercise. I don't go to a gym, am uncomfortable looking stupid in front of everyone..... I recently had 2 stress fractures after starting to run on a treadmill, and then those healed and the treadmill broke! 🙃 This is pretty much how my life goes ha ha ha! Anyway, glad to be here and I hope I help the team instead of hurt our numbers!

    @shareasmile You said it's "not the eating, as I don't really eat that much", but have you tried to play around with what you're eating? I know for me, getting more of my calories from protein is better for weight loss. Same calorie deficit, just different macros. What are your current macro targets?

    @LesIckaBod That's a great point! I don't have any macros goals, as I don't know how to manage those. I am only watching calories, trying to stay at or below 1300/day, so maybe that is the problem. Is it okay to go above calories if they are proteins or do I still try to stay at the same calories level?

    @shareasmile. Punching numbers into a calculator, I come out with 1200 per day to loas 1lb per week (sedentary lifestyle, female, 30, 5"2').

    Macros are VERY important. Generally higher % protein and/or fat, and lower % carbohydrate seem to be the keys for most people to lose weight. Be sure to include all you drink and weigh food for the first couple of weeks till you can accurately estimate.

    The other good thing about higher % protein and/or fat, and lower % carbohydrate is you generally get less hungry. Ideally carbohydrates you have should be from non-refined sources (vegetables, etc). These have the fibre still in them and also assist in satiety (feeling full).

    High sodium (salt) tends to store extra water weight. So try limit the salt where practical.

    If you increase protein %, also ensure you drink plenty of water, as protein produces more waste product and you need to keep the kidneys healthy.

    If you are comfortable with weighing daily, do this for a while and track a 7 day average. It is a far better indicator than a once a week weigh-in.

    Last point is to experiment. Find a combination that works for you. Change one thing at a time for a week and see how things go. Ensure any change is able to be maintained permanently (not as a phase for this week), as if it works, you want to keep it going.

    (By experimenting, I found I was gluten sensitive - makes me tired. I also know a high carbohydrate diet adds about 2kg (5 lbs) to my stable weight - this drops again once I return to my usual low-carb eating habits).

    @craigo3154 Thank you so much, this is so helpful! I may finally have some insight into why I've had trouble losing. I appreciate your help very much!
  • LesIckaBod
    LesIckaBod Posts: 719 Member
    Happy Sunday, everyone! Today's the first weigh-in day of Week 1 - December!

    Our Sunday weighers are:
    @Dommylifts -- way to go on being so close to your ultimate goal! Are you looking to make it this month?
    @WishfulThinning18 - can't wait to hear how you're doing!
  • dommylifts
    dommylifts Posts: 96 Member
    LesIckaBod wrote: »
    Our Sunday weighers are:
    @Dommylifts -- way to go on being so close to your ultimate goal! Are you looking to make it this month?

    I would love to make it to 140 by Dec 31st, however, my goal is to get around 143. If I get to 140 awesome, if I don’t it’s okay as long as I get to 143. If I get below 140 that would be THE BEST. I’ll have to set a new goal. My ultimate goal is maintaining around 140, but I would be happy between 138-140 as I don’t like when my weigh fluctuates above the number I want.

  • dommylifts
    dommylifts Posts: 96 Member
    December 2
    Exercised?: no. First time in a long time that I made no attempt to the gym.
    Calories?: no. I ate half a Pizza Hut stuff crust pizza 😱 it was delicious!
    Tracked?: yes. As much as I hated entering in the number, i did.

    Back at it tomorrow!
  • grebber1
    grebber1 Posts: 216 Member
    I ate so bad today I'm actually sick. This day needs to be over. Tomorrow's another day
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    dommylifts wrote: »
    December 2
    Exercised?: no. First time in a long time that I made no attempt to the gym.
    Calories?: no. I ate half a Pizza Hut stuff crust pizza 😱 it was delicious!
    Tracked?: yes. As much as I hated entering in the number, i did.

    Back at it tomorrow!
    @dommylifts. This is more important than you realise. So glad you did.

    End of the day, it's all just data. It is used to work out what really does make a difference and what does not. If you don't track it you CANNOT know.

    It's also part of being honest with yourself.

    The interesting thing now it is to track what your weight does over the next few days. Don't share it with anyone else, its for your own reference only. Also, if you feel up to it, track your moods. This way you can find what feed makes you feel good both short term and long term.

    I know for me, a high carb day adds about 1kg (just over 2lbs), but when I return to low carb, it goes away again.

    If I have too much gluten (equivalent to 2 slices of bread - aka, your average sandwich), I get more lethargic and less willing to exercise. It then takes a day or two of non-gluten to get back to normal energy levels.

    These I found through experimentation. Everyone is different. Unless you track, you cannot work out patterns that work (and don't work) for you. Ignorance is not bliss. :)
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    grebber1 wrote: »
    I ate so bad today I'm actually sick. This day needs to be over. Tomorrow's another day

    @grebber1. You have been doing so well for so long, it is OK to have the occasional slip up.

    As you said, "Tomorrow is another day". It's fresh with no mistakes in it.

    Just try get back to schedule. No overcompensating and trying to make up for yesterday. Yesterday is history. It's gone and cannot be changed. Just focus on trying to do right today.

    You can do this.
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    dommylifts wrote: »
    LesIckaBod wrote: »
    Our Sunday weighers are:
    @Dommylifts -- way to go on being so close to your ultimate goal! Are you looking to make it this month?

    I would love to make it to 140 by Dec 31st, however, my goal is to get around 143. If I get to 140 awesome, if I don’t it’s okay as long as I get to 143. If I get below 140 that would be THE BEST. I’ll have to set a new goal. My ultimate goal is maintaining around 140, but I would be happy between 138-140 as I don’t like when my weigh fluctuates above the number I want.

    @dommylifts. 143 is doable and a fantastic goal for the month. It will be a lot of hard work (especially over the festive season).

    140 is less doable. If you hit this, you are likely to lead the entire of TBL for the month. It is in the realms of possible, but likely to be a herculean effort. (There are some tricks to just drop weight for a final weigh-in, but they do not reflect a sustainable weight. You then bounce back up within a day or two. So in short don't do it).

    For most women under 5"7' (170cm), 138-140 as a maintenance weight is entirely attainable (BMI 22). (For reference, I am 5'9" and 140lbs - BMI 20.9)
  • dommylifts
    dommylifts Posts: 96 Member
    @craigo3154

    Thanks for the positive post about me tracking! I always try to track even if it’s not something I want to see. At the end of the day I’m the only person who loses out on me not entering in the numbers. I love the idea of tracking moods and weight fluctuations. I will weigh myself tonight and Wednesday and see what the changes look like. I am 5’7 female, 146.4 this morning for my weekly weigh in. I can’t believe I started the November challenge at 158-159 (I don’t remember which) and have lost over ten pounds. I love these challenges!
  • LesIckaBod
    LesIckaBod Posts: 719 Member
    ycqojcqk4376.png

    What are three things that make your weight loss journey better or easier? This could be stuff you have or stuff you wish for, and doesn't even have to be stuff.

    So, what helps you? Gear? Apps? Accomplices? Something else? Let us know!


  • ryjar80
    ryjar80 Posts: 33 Member
    Just seeing this!!! That's so awesome!😁 I'm ready for December!!
  • zimborunner
    zimborunner Posts: 527 Member
    Hi Gutbusters...I've been MIA. I live in Southern CA, an immigrant from Zimbabwe - hello to the South African poster...we used to be neighbors! And to Craig, my brother lives in Fremantle! I am 52, only 5'2", Mum of 2 boys, (1 Uni and the other USNavy), wife and work in special ed as an IA. My day is normally VERY challenging, so I make sure to exercise in the morning. After turning 40, got fit, lost weight, ran 4 marathons, had mild knee pain, less and less running, more and more weight gain. Up 40+ pounds now and feel so embarrassed, angry. Just bought a treadmill, walking every week day for an hour. Posting weight tomorrow. Looking forward to this month and just getting back on track.
  • zimborunner
    zimborunner Posts: 527 Member
    Question of the week:-
    1. Tracking BEFORE I eat. I don't always do this, but it makes the hugest difference
    2. Love loud music on the treadmill - my headphones
    3. My Fitbit. The numbers are not my friend right now, but I'm improving them. Would love to see my resting HR go down this month.
  • Stimpy56
    Stimpy56 Posts: 610 Member
    Question of the week:-
    1) Track everything I eat (Thanks MFP)
    2) Eat smaller portions - or stop going back for seconds!
    3) Eat small meals/snacks about every 3-4 hours with lots of water in-between.
  • kkmark
    kkmark Posts: 561 Member
    Question of the week:-
    1. Eat healthy breakfast not skip it
    2. Drink 64 oz of water
    3. Goal of the week to achieve above 2

    I can do this
  • Colleen790
    Colleen790 Posts: 813 Member
    December 3
    Exercised? No
    Calories. Yes
    Tracked. Yes
    I didn't exercise due to my cough and cold. I've made the mistake in the past of pushing myself too hard when I'm unwell and then taking longer to recover.
  • LesIckaBod
    LesIckaBod Posts: 719 Member
    edited December 2018
    Happy Monday, Gutbusters! Today's the Week 1 weigh-in day for our Monday weighers:

    @amynew4u
    @charmainekotze
    @eevang
    @heartofhearts
    @michellelagle
    @ryjar80
    @westray16
    @zimborunner

    Please use this format to post:

    Username:
    December Week 1
    Previous weight: (your starting weight, viewable on the December spreadsheet)
    Current Weight:

    Don't forget to share your answers to the Question of the Week, if you haven't already! I'd love to get to know more about what you're using, or would like to use, to meet your weight loss goals! :smile:
  • grebber1
    grebber1 Posts: 216 Member
    craigo3154 wrote: »
    grebber1 wrote: »
    I ate so bad today I'm actually sick. This day needs to be over. Tomorrow's another day

    @grebber1. You have been doing so well for so long, it is OK to have the occasional slip up.

    As you said, "Tomorrow is another day". It's fresh with no mistakes in it.

    Just try get back to schedule. No overcompensating and trying to make up for yesterday. Yesterday is history. It's gone and cannot be changed. Just focus on trying to do right today.

    You can do this.

    Thanks buddy. Just a bad weekend. I don't know if it's the cold weather and I'm getting lazy or what. I feel better today knowing I have a good lunch for work. Still feeling the effects of bad eating but it will pass.
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    December 3
    Exercised?: Yes (20 mins bodyweight exercises).
    Calories?: Yes
    Tracked?: Yes

    Did not get out to walk today because of various work commitments. So I did my bodyweight routine which takes around 20 mins.

    Happy to post the routine if anyone wants it. It can be modified to make it as easy or as hard as you wish.

    Also turns out the lightning strike on early Sunday morning not only took out the TV, but the cordless phone base units (we have 2 phone lines and cordless base stations on BOTH lines no longer operate).

    By family agreement, the TV will not get replaced till after christmas. In Australia, the biggest sales of the year are the day after Christmas, not Black Friday. Guess I will spend more time on the simulator working on becoming an even better FPV racing pilot :)
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    @LesIckaBod. Great question.

    I need to answer this in the past tense as I have been in maintenance for over a year.

    The things that helped me the most:
    1. MFP forums and the amazing people here - particularly UAC and TBL (UAC is the Ultimate Accountability Challenge)
    2. Forming the right habits - Tracking what I eat (MFP app makes that easy), daily exercise (MapMyWalk/Run/Ride/Fitness apps help track this), drinking plenty of water, prioritising sleep (etc...)
    3. Online research (particularly pubmed and other scientific sites) - Understanding how the body works, how food is digested and metabolised, what different food do to the body, how the body's daily cycles work, what happens when you eat (and when you don't eat). How fat is stored and used. The effect of excess fat on the body. How metabolic adaption works. The effects of different types of exercise on the body. etc... I could then apply this knowledge with the tracking and experiment on myself to find out what works and does not work.

    btw. When the evidence behind reversing type 2 diabetes becomes mainstream, there may be a few class action law suits against government health organisations for criminal negligence in the care of those they were supposed to support.
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
    Stimpy56 wrote: »
    Question of the week:-
    1) Track everything I eat (Thanks MFP)
    2) Eat smaller portions - or stop going back for seconds!
    3) Eat small meals/snacks about every 3-4 hours with lots of water in-between.

    @Stimpy56. Great list.

    1) Definitely.
    2) Definitely.
    3) Mostly. Water is good.

    The problem I had with lots of snacks/meals was that:
    1. It gave WAY more opportunity to over eat.
    2. It was harder to stay inside daily goals.
    3. Much more had to be prepared to have lower calorie snacks that kept me full.
    4. Most on-the go snack food is highly processed/high carb junk. It adds lots of calories without really stalling hunger.

    One of the first experiments I did (that was so successful, it is habit now) was NO eating between meals. Also no calorie beverages between meals (water or black, unsweetened, tea). The benefits were:
    1. I could have larger, more satisfying meals. I could even have dessert most evenings and was still losing weight.
    2. Hunger/longing for food could be forestalled knowing that a good meal was coming.
    3. Snack foods became completely unappealing.
    4. My blood sugars would drop low enough to work on burning fat instead of carbohydrate.
    5. Because my blood sugars dropped low many times a day, any insulin resistance (pre-diabetes) was replaced with insulin sensitivity.

    I STRONGLY encourage FEWER larger meals a day (3 or less) over more small meals a day.

    Our body has systems to store energy (insulin) and retrieve it (glucagon). It is either doing one or the other, but never both. Unless you are an elite athlete or a heavy manual labourer, 3-4 hourly eating generally too often.

    Last point is during meals, eat foods that keep you full longer. This is fats, proteins and fibre. Carbohydrates do not trigger satiety. Processing carbohydrates generally strips the fibre which is exactly the stuff you need to keep you full (and slow down the absorption rate of the carbohydrate).
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