Hi! and a couple of queries...

proboho

Hi all, I am new to this, I am from the UK.

I have been getting fitter over the last couple of years; gave up smoking completely and took up Zumba! Not frantic about losing weight until a medical check alerted me to borderline high blood pressure. Don't want to go on the pills, so now properly going to lose some weight. I was trying for a while and losing and gaining a few pounds here and there (very frustrating)

Now I am weighing and noting every single item of food and drink and going by MFP calorie guidelines.I was amazed at how too much I was eating! Had lost 9 lbs in 3 weeks, pretty pleased about that, not so pleased this weekend to be told by the scales that I had put 1 back on! However have found these boards very helpful re. scales and weight so although it was depressing I am holding on to 8 lbs in 3 weeks! Measured myself and SEEM to have lost 1 cm all round.

This takes me to my first question
1/ I am not firm and toned (yet) so my waist and thighs are quite squidgy All the advice says that measuring is more accurate than weighing, however measuring does not seem too accurate either as I could easily squeeze a few extra centimetres, and where the heck is my waist anyway!

2/ How much is 8 cups of water? I drink out of a glass, which could well be larger than a 'cup'

3/ Anyone do Zumba? MFP UK does not offer Zumba as an exercise, so I go with 'dancing, aerobic, ballet modern twist' is that what others do? We really go for it in our class (hardcore Zumba!) so wonder if I could be earning a few more calories.

Thanks all and really look forward to your views..sorry if the questions seems a bit stupid!.

proboho

Nobody going to tell me how much 8 cups of water is?

mwhite1fl

hi, 1 cup = 8oz. fluid:happy:

ChloeRoseLejeune

8cups is roughly 2 liters of water

melaniecheeks

Just drink lots of water, no need to worry overly much about the size of the cup.

Zumba is great fun, but I think you'd find a good help for making you less squidgy to look into strength training or weight lifting.

eowynmn

1 cup is 240 ML
4 cups is 960 ML
8 cups is 1920 ML or roughly 2L

proboho

Thank you! Helpful x

TrishLG

Hi from the US.
I keep yo-yoing too. I went back over my food logs and found what works and what does not.
Nuts of any kind do not, I love nuts and the whole package is gone in two days.
No more nuts.
Zumba is on youtube. I am sure you can find one you like and order a DVD.
Just do not get discouraged. Learn what calorie count for the day works and how much exercise.

proboho

Thanks, I was disappointed to find that's nuts are a bit of a no no, love them and they feel healthy! So no more nuts for a bit.
Have got a brilliant Zumba class thanks...love our teacher, we really go for it! X

SusanaLdn

1/ I am not firm and toned (yet) so my waist and thighs are quite squidgy All the advice says that measuring is more accurate than weighing, however measuring does not seem too accurate either as I could easily squeeze a few extra centimetres, and where the heck is my waist anyway!

It will always be a bit inaccurate, so just do your best and try not to cheat You'll know when big difference has happened, you'll see it on your jeans, etc. I only weigh and measure myself once every fortnight, I find the fluctuations too depressing.

2/ How much is 8 cups of water? I drink out of a glass, which could well be larger than a 'cup'

Try and gulp down two big Volvic bottles and you'll be over the minimum recommended (5 cups=2Lt). I don't particularly like water, so I mix in a very small amount of apple and blackcurrant cordial, no sugar added... Yum!

3/ Anyone do Zumba? MFP UK does not offer Zumba as an exercise, so I go with 'dancing, aerobic, ballet modern twist' is that what others do? We really go for it in our class (hardcore Zumba!) so wonder if I could be earning a few more calories.

I did Zumba for a while and logged it like that, exactly. It wil always be innacurate, it doesn't take any of your personal data into consideration. If you can, get a HRM (heart rate monitor) and use it when you exercise, you'll know exactly how much you're burning.

All the best!

SusanaLdn

Thanks, I was disappointed to find that's nuts are a bit of a no no, love them and they feel healthy! So no more nuts for a bit.

Nuts are NOT a no-no :noway:

ALL in moderation. Log them, that is all. You need the good fats in them. And make sure once in a while you have fun food, there's no point on being skinny and miserable

Cullinanmarti

To answer some of your question. Your waist measurement is traditional done by seamstresses at the level of your belly button. It is the changes that you will note(just do it consistently and you will see a distance. Also the clothes will be an indication, too. All yr clothes will start to get more and more loose. A cup of water is 8 oz (in the USA) or 240 cc (in the UK). Although I have never been to the UK! From previous post, people sometimes count ice and jello as liquid but I don't. If y want a scientific measure for ice, nurses calculate ice by dividing the volume of the ice by half (8 oz of ice equals 4 oz of water. Keep up the good work and go Zumba!

oldswimdawg

A cup is 8 oz. I measured my favorite tea mug at 24 oz., so since I drink 2 /day I credit myself with 6 cups water.

The tape measuring deal is "solved" by applying the same amount of pressure each time you measure. It's a relative thing, not absolute, so as long as you measure the same way each time you'll get accurate results.

michcor

Thanks, I was disappointed to find that's nuts are a bit of a no no, love them and they feel healthy! So no more nuts for a bit.

Nuts are NOT a no-no :noway:

ALL in moderation. Log them, that is all. You need the good fats in them. And make sure once in a while you have fun food, there's no point on being skinny and miserable

This.

Cindy3933

I used; Aerobics, high impact for Zumba. I think I burn more calories in Zumba class than the "Dance" one lists. I have friend who wears a heart rate monitor watch during Zumba class and the Aerobics, high impact is closer than what the Dance calculates.

30ismyyear

Measure any spot on your waist (whether it's technically the right spot or not) and remember to measure that same spot each time. I don't measure my waist per se, I measure the biggest spot on my tummy where my love handles are. And, sure, you can squeeze the measuring tape to make yourself feel like you've lost more but you're only being dishonest with yourself. So don't.

I weigh and measure. I weigh weekly, measure every 3 weeks.

proboho

Thanks.