Progress so far
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I haven't gotten back to reviewing the spreadsheet yet, but I wanted to post the results I've seen since eating more:
Week 1 -1.2
Week 2 -1.4
Week 3 -1.2
Week 4 -1
Week 5 -0.4
Week 6 -0.2
Week 7 -1.8
For a total of 7.2 pounds lost in 7 weeks. Not huge numbers, but definitely moving in the right direction!!
Thanks Heybales!!0 -
Progress Week 6
Current BMR = 1743
Goal calories = 2430
Average calorie intake per day = 2275
Average Exercise burn per day = 488
Average Net Calories = 1787
Net above BMR - 44
Weight lost this week = 2.8 lbs
Other measurements: arm, thigh, calf, ect, are measured next week, but waist went down again for sure.
2 reasons this is not good or totally accurate.
I did not weight lift Mon night as normal, shoulder still hurting from last week, and I normally still feel it on Wed morning, so I'm sure less water retention in recovering muscles.
I started the week last Wed off badly with a high intensity Spin bike class, she kept us high HR. Burned a lot of glucose. I did gentle recovery level jog on Thu, but still didn't eat enough carbs to replenish. Fri did sprint intervals and really burned off the glucose, and I'm sure dug into the muscle too, there's no way I could have avoided it. Sun and Mon next workouts, while I did much better job of doing recovery level in between high efforts, still had muscle burn. Yesterday got the liver topped off, but probably not the muscle glucose.
So overall, a week not to be imitated or appreciated. I'll find out next week on measurements for bodyfat% how much muscle I've burned in last month, mostly from last week. Ugh.
So this week I will correctly use the recovery zone in-between high efforts. I will make sure interval type days are followed by a very gentle day. And I will not start the week off tonight with a too aggressive Spin class.
Muscle breakdown is not a great way for a shoulder to heal from a lifting injury.
Adjusting Daily Goal calories for fact of mowing once a week for 60 min. The season has changed!0 -
Still no weight loss. Week 4 weigh is 172.6 (Started out 4 weeks ago at 172)
that is a 2 lb gain from last week.
Daily average food = 1777
Avg exercise = 231
Avg net = 1546
I re-adjusted some numbers to make up for reduced intensity exercise and BMR = 1454 and Goal weight total calories = 1756
I'm right on target so what is going on. I have been steady gaining or not losing weight for a year now. I can't remember the last time I lost a pound and that is the truth.
:frown:0 -
Still no weight loss. Week 4 weigh is 172.6 (Started out 4 weeks ago at 172)
that is a 2 lb gain from last week.
Daily average food = 1777
Avg exercise = 231
Avg net = 1546
I re-adjusted some numbers to make up for reduced intensity exercise and BMR = 1454 and Goal weight total calories = 1756
I'm right on target so what is going on. I have been steady gaining or not losing weight for a year now. I can't remember the last time I lost a pound and that is the truth.
Any change in diet can take a couple weeks to sink in, especially if workouts are finally getting fed to previously they were not, there may not even be a weight change. Usually measurement change.
92 NET above current BMR of 1454 is about as close as you could probably hope to get with changing exercise burns and differences in eating daily. My 44 was pure luck.
So you are right on track, and correct in adjusting activity levels if it applies.
It's true that what may have started as a Heavy workout, meaning more effort than walking 4mph, turns into Moderate effort because of aerobic system improvement. And that may be a recovery type day that is indeed supposed to be calmer, and now it really is. So less burn.
Or class/DVD circuit training workouts went from strong cardio emphasis to decent weight training style for the next month, that is Heavy to Mod change too.
Also confirm the weigh day is morning after rest day, to limit variations of glucose/water storage, muscle repair water retention, sweating water levels, ect. That still could last through a rest day, but less chance. Then again, a big Chinese lunch (I must be hungry) on rest day could effect you the next too.
Not sure if that was shared already, I can't remember when I mention stuff anymore who it was. Where's my coffee!0 -
Thanks for the encouragement. I am sticking with it. I will take measurements again next week and see if I've made any progress. I wonder if my "spike" days are screwing everything up. Usually one day a week I go out for a big dinner with bf (think Thai food or pizza, etc) and that day I'll have 2500 calories. Then every other day I'll tone it down to try to average out to net closer to 1500 and bring my average net for the week to the "correct" level. Maybe I'd do better if I just ate 1780 every day with no upday/downday shifts?
Also, I have added weight training this month that I never was doing before. I may be gaining muscle mass, but I am overweight enough that some fat MUST get burned off. So I don't know if I should tone it down and skip spinning for a few weeks while focusing on moderate cardio and weight training or ADD MORE intense cardio. I just don't know. I am desperate to see some results. Since the holidays I've put on 5 lbs while calorie counting and exercising 4-5X/week...seems impossible.0 -
Thanks for the encouragement. I am sticking with it. I will take measurements again next week and see if I've made any progress. I wonder if my "spike" days are screwing everything up. Usually one day a week I go out for a big dinner with bf (think Thai food or pizza, etc) and that day I'll have 2500 calories. Then every other day I'll tone it down to try to average out to net closer to 1500 and bring my average net for the week to the "correct" level. Maybe I'd do better if I just ate 1780 every day with no upday/downday shifts?
Also, I have added weight training this month that I never was doing before. I may be gaining muscle mass, but I am overweight enough that some fat MUST get burned off. So I don't know if I should tone it down and skip spinning for a few weeks while focusing on moderate cardio and weight training or ADD MORE intense cardio. I just don't know. I am desperate to see some results. Since the holidays I've put on 5 lbs while calorie counting and exercising 4-5X/week...seems impossible.
Weight training excellent fat burner, excellent scale non-mover, so you know that. And with feeding your workouts, you'll really benefit from it.
The spike idea does indeed work when every other day is below BMR, and the spike day balances out the weekly net, just as you described. It's usually the ONLY reason those folks doing it keep their metabolism up, not constantly underfeed.
And this Future You method, even if you eat the same every day, has a NET spike day or days on your rest days. More of a spud though.
So you have correct way of doing it.
You could even start your week of record on the big day, make that the morning after a rest day for best weighing, so you'll see how much you go over that day, and then divide by 6 and see how much to leave in the green every other day. So from your example above at 2500, that would be 120 in the green (or less than goal) all other 6 days.
This would also give you a workout on the big day, if weight lifting, it would keep the metabolism up for awhile too.0 -
Also, I have added weight training this month that I never was doing before. I may be gaining muscle mass, but I am overweight enough that some fat MUST get burned off. So I don't know if I should tone it down and skip spinning for a few weeks while focusing on moderate cardio and weight training or ADD MORE intense cardio. I just don't know. I am desperate to see some results. Since the holidays I've put on 5 lbs while calorie counting and exercising 4-5X/week...seems impossible.
Intense cardio kills muscle. Or at the very least it definitely not helping to retain it.
You'll find that if you truly are upping muscle then the fat will start to get burnt anyways, without necesarily a weight loss per se - but the inches / cms will drop, this i can promise you because its what's happened to me.
Keep doing weights. 3 x 8 - 12, once 12 is too easy, up weight until you can only do 8 reps of the new weight.
Remember that BMI isn't the only decision (and "overweight" "obese" "healthy" are all label stemming from that) - you can have 15% body fat but have enough muscle mass that you will qualify as overweight for your height. Just take a look at some of the american football players, basketballers etc. Guarantee you a lot of them will be defined as overweight by BMI calculations, but they clearly don't look chubby.
If you haven't done so - start measuring. it will be the only way to really determine if your lack of progress is truly lack of progress in every sense, or if muscle gains are countering sheer scale drops.0 -
Thanks for the helpful hints re cardio. I have been thinking about toning it down and just lifting for a bit to see what happens. Heybales has suggested that maybe I need a rest week as well. I'll keep tweaking things. I've lost weight at a steady pace previously (but was much more overweight and it just "wanted" to come off). Now it's clinging to me like crazy.
I took measurements last week so I'll do them again next week and see if anything changes... Here's hoping.
Do you have any suggestions for a weight routine??
I'm just starting but I've been doing kind of a general workout. Usually deadlifts, chest press (or pushups), rows, chest flies, lat pulls, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, and then some sort of abs like plank, leg lifts, etc. So i'll do 20-30 mins of cardio and then run through that weight routine in about 30 mins. Is that ok? I'm sure it would be better to have cardio days and weight days, but I've been getting my bf acquired with the gym and he needs the cardio (also overweight, but not cardiovascularly fit).0 -
Do you have any suggestions for a weight routine??
Ya know I can't help but say something, ha!
If you want the muscle for helping with weight loss, and that's a great start, the biggest muscles being stronger will burn more fat all day long. Difference between forearm and calf is obvious. But I always see folks starting with these little wimpy muscles, until tired. And then that muscle would have been a stabilizer allowing you to do more with a bigger muscle, but now it's tired.
So biggest are glutes, quads, hamstrings, upper back, chest, traps, lower back, stomach, calves, shoulders, biceps, inner/outer thighs, triceps.
That's not the best order of course to do them, because some of those lifts use the same stabilizing muscles, like biceps and triceps.
Dumbbells is useful because it also strengthen the stabilizer muscles, which while not big muscles, helps.
Here's the order I do them.
Bent-over row - upper back
leg-extension machine - quads - I like full range on the legs for cycling and running support of knees.
Bench press - chest
leg-curl machine - hamstrings
pull-down - lats
stomach crunches/machine
lateral raise - side delts
straight-legged deadlift - lower back
curls - biceps
front raise - front delts
standing hip extension - glutes
thigh machines - inner/outer
Calves could be added above delts, they are bigger muscles.
That's 60 min. But you can divide it into 2 sets for alternate days.
Form is important.
Pick a muscle, any muscle! http://www.exrx.net/Lists/WtFemale.html
If not for fat loss, but body balance, make up your own program targeting what you need.0 -
So you don't do cardio on weight days?0
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So you don't do cardio on weight days?
No, but that's just me. I might re-examine that. Split the routine in 2, and just 30 min each.
The jogging stuff gets a 10 min warmup/cooldown because of tight achilles, so I like to just make that longer to get something out of it.
The Spin class is too long to fit in more, and my personal Spin routine (or soon to be outdoor) is just too fun to cut below an hour.
I've seen the routines where one day cardio is focus so done first, and weights is on the other half of the body, usually upper. Then alternate days, weights is first on usually lower body, with cardio following at gentle pace to clear damage out of muscle.
But studies show it can be useful on same day.
http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/WT&End.html
Wayne Westcott, Ph.D. conducted a study in which 72 over weight individuals participated in an eight week exercise program. The participants were placed in two groups.
The first group performed 30 minutes of endurance exercise on a stationary cycle.
The second group performed only 15 minutes of exercise on the stationary cycle plus an additional 15 minutes on weight resistant exercises.
At the conclusion of the study, the "endurance only" group lost a total of 3.5 lbs.; 3 lbs. of which was fat and a half pound was muscle loss.
On the other hand, the "endurance and weight resistive" group lost 8 lbs. with an actual fat loss of 10 lbs. and an increase of 2 lbs. of lean body weight.0 -
I get bored at the gym, so I mix 20min of cardio with 30min of weights just so I don't look like a lazy bugger who's in and out in 30 :laugh:
This is a copy-paste of a routine I was given by one of the dedicated bodybuilders / weightlifters on the site.
Beginner Compound Workout - Alternating Days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) or (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
Day 1 - Targets all major muscle groups for GROWTH (Chest, Back, Legs)
Bench Press - 5 sets 5-10 reps @ a weight that you feel that's heavy enough so that you struggle on the last set
Dead Lift - 5 sets 5-10 reps @ a weight that you feel that's heavy enough so that you struggle on the last set
Barbell Squat - 5 sets 5-10 reps @ a weight that you feel that's heavy enough so that you struggle on the last set
Day 2 - Building FUNCTIONAL muscle at all major muscle groups (Chest, Arms, Core, Legs)
Push-up - 15 - 30 reps
Chin-up 5 reps
Air Squat - 25-50
Squat Jumps - 25-50
Burpee - 25-50
Day 3 - HEAVY DAY building STRENGTH
Bench Press - 5 sets 5 reps @ Heavy Weight
Dead Lift - 5 sets 5 reps @ Heavy Weight
Barbell Squat - 5 sets 5 reps @ Heavy Weight0 -
I was really excited about the BodyMedia FIT armband system so I bought one. I think it's a great investment in my health. I have been scrupulous in my food choices and log everything as accurately as possible.
Over the past 28 days, I've burned an average total of 2519 calories per day including rest, moderate and sometimes even vigorous activity, and eaten an average total of 1485, which I think doesn't even meet the total needed to maintain my goal weight. I need to go back and look at that.
I'm still debating how I could eat enough calories per day to *maintain* my goal weight.
Carbs I eat are generally low-glycemic, for example vegetables and low-glycemic Ezekiel bread.
I have an average of a 1038 calorie deficit over the past 28 days
My weight just fluctuates up and down and up - same 7 lbs. Completely dislike the idea of eating more, all I can think of is how much more vegetables I'll have to eat!!
I read this article because I really did have it in my head I've been in "starvation mode" and Weight Watchers calls it a myth.http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=35501
I have gone from walking in front of the tv to what I call "running" seriously I do use the air quotes. I run in place. I can do it for 30 minutes. I think this is great because I never ever would have given serious thought to ever being able to run. The secret is really good TV. I am still disappointed about my relative lack of weight loss but my waist and sides have firmed up from all the running in place, which I think is a huge bonus. If I had known that would be the result I would have started doing this sooner.
Considering my thyroid challenges, I am thinking of using my original points Weight Watchers system because I have lost weight not too long ago using that, so I know it works for me. Need a new battery for my little calculator. The Points Plus didn't work for me though.
All said, I am healthier, feel better, and I think on average I have lost a pound a week BUT that number jumps up and down so much. I am guilty of weighing every day so I am trying to break that habit and just weigh once a week. The more I think about things the better I do, so hopefully I can get to a place where I appreciate what I can do for my body and not care too much about the number on the scale. This takes a lot longer than I thought it would.0 -
Thanks for the weight lifting tips, guys! I am really hoping to get stronger
BF is learning right alongside me. Bonding time.0 -
I was really excited about the BodyMedia FIT armband system so I bought one. I think it's a great investment in my health. I have been scrupulous in my food choices and log everything as accurately as possible.
Over the past 28 days, I've burned an average total of 2519 calories per day including rest, moderate and sometimes even vigorous activity, and eaten an average total of 1485, which I think doesn't even meet the total needed to maintain my goal weight. I need to go back and look at that.
I'm still debating how I could eat enough calories per day to *maintain* my goal weight.
Carbs I eat are generally low-glycemic, for example vegetables and low-glycemic Ezekiel bread.
I have an average of a 1038 calorie deficit over the past 28 days
My weight just fluctuates up and down and up - same 7 lbs. Completely dislike the idea of eating more, all I can think of is how much more vegetables I'll have to eat!!
I read this article because I really did have it in my head I've been in "starvation mode" and Weight Watchers calls it a myth.http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=35501
I have gone from walking in front of the tv to what I call "running" seriously I do use the air quotes. I run in place. I can do it for 30 minutes. I think this is great because I never ever would have given serious thought to ever being able to run. The secret is really good TV. I am still disappointed about my relative lack of weight loss but my waist and sides have firmed up from all the running in place, which I think is a huge bonus. If I had known that would be the result I would have started doing this sooner.
Considering my thyroid challenges, I am thinking of using my original points Weight Watchers system because I have lost weight not too long ago using that, so I know it works for me. Need a new battery for my little calculator. The Points Plus didn't work for me though.
All said, I am healthier, feel better, and I think on average I have lost a pound a week BUT that number jumps up and down so much. I am guilty of weighing every day so I am trying to break that habit and just weigh once a week. The more I think about things the better I do, so hopefully I can get to a place where I appreciate what I can do for my body and not care too much about the number on the scale. This takes a lot longer than I thought it would.
That routine is just fine and useful.
For getting more calories in that your body needs, you'll have to look to calorie dense stuff, stuff with fat in it of course, and good fat hopefully. Almonds, guacamole, avocados, full fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ect.
True starvation mode is hard to hit, where fat usage is turned off for potential future energy needs, and muscle is burned first.
But, you can hit many of the same effects eating too low cal and exercising. Metabolism slows, and just because of the way the energy system works, muscle gets broken down to make glucose. Difference is fat is still burned in same ratio's as always. Fat burning in not going to be disabled for anyone on MFP. Well, maybe if you net 200 reliably over a while. That's too low for metabolism to drop to.
Now, some bad news on the Body Media fit and calories burned.
It still has to start somewhere to estimate that, it starts with the same good old BMR calcs that everyone else uses. I don't know if they use Mifflin or Harris.
But they tweak that slightly depending on your temp when you sleep, again based on avgs. So it can get somewhat more accurate.
But if you have a slower metabolism either from undereating or thyroid, it can't know about that level of change.
But what will help you at goal weight. You know your potential BMR right now at current weight, and if not netting below it that is probably accurate barring the thyroid issues, and now with BodyMedia you know avg daily calorie burn.
Now you have a multiplier.
Now figure out potential BMR at goal weight, and use same multiplier. There is the maintenance at goal weight.0 -
Two weeks into going the higher calorie route and I've lost about 3lbs. What's even more fantastic is that because I get to eat more, I crave less and on Friday when I was feeling down - I managed to NOT BINGE!
Prior to this - i was taking 2 steps forward, 1 step back...certainly there will be challenges along the way, but I am so grateful to heybales!
Thank you!0 -
Two weeks into going the higher calorie route and I've lost about 3lbs. What's even more fantastic is that because I get to eat more, I crave less and on Friday when I was feeling down - I managed to NOT BINGE!
Nice job!!0 -
Two weeks into going the higher calorie route and I've lost about 3lbs. What's even more fantastic is that because I get to eat more, I crave less and on Friday when I was feeling down - I managed to NOT BINGE!
Nice job!!
Thanks
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Progress Week 7
Current BMR = 1742 (Katch BF% is 1850)
Goal calories = 2230
Average calorie intake per day = 2280
Average Exercise burn per day = 403
Average Net Calories = 1877
Net above BMR - 134 (26 if using Katch BMR)
Weight lost this week = 0.2 lbs
This past week I correctly used the recovery zone in-between high efforts. I made sure interval type days followed by a very gentle day. And I did not start the week off tonight with a too aggressive Spin class.
So this week and last week together is 3lb lost, more realistic.
I also got my measurements for BF% estimate, went down .5" or .25" where it counts. BF% went down 0.7%, or 1.9 lbs.
Sadly LBM went down 1.3 lbs too. Considering my BMR by body composition Katch formula is 1850, I'm upping my calories to give more room in the clear.
I knew last week's workouts weren't good for me.
Here's to a better, smarter week. And on 4/9, a total rest week eating about BMR.0 -
Up 1.2 lbs again this week
Still lifting weights but I'm getting discouraged by the lack of change of scale.
Tape measure says waist is -1", but the first time I measured wasn't in the morning either (but this time was) so it might not be "real".
Mifflin BMR = 1463
Start weight last week = 170.6
Daily goals calories = 1800
Avg cals = 1752
Avg exercise = 296
Net above BMR = -2
Ending weight 171.8
So, since knuckling down on this effort 6 weeks ago (starting out at 171.4 lbs), no progress (other than a possible waist measurement change depending on bloat).
Feeling pretty down
Avg Net cals = 1456 (but I'm sure it's a little higher in actuality due to things like fro-yo toppings, etc. that are impossible to measure accurately).0
