In Place of a Road Map: Short N' Sweet

bump

bump

Bummer on the HR info; but it makes sense. Brave is a terrifying concept when adding calories! So, to truly test my TDEE, and determine if that is the correct place to start, I should be eating 2900 calories a day for two weeks (based on the spreadsheet)? Then add 250 a day to that total for two weeks to determine if weight increases by 1 lb to test if my TDEE is really at 2900? Yikes!! My concern (aside from the obvious- gaining weight), is the fact that my weight fluctuates by as much as 4 lbs a day. I only weigh once a week, but things affect me very quickly. Especially sodium, even though I drink nearly a gallon of water a day. Anything over 1500 mg in a day will jump my scale by 2+lbs. I think I am just very fearful to eat that much and see a gain of 10 lbs; even if it is not true "fat" gain, I will feel that in my clothes as well as in my workouts. More weight to lift, oooof!

I would NOT jump straight up, because if your system is suppressed somewhat, best to wake it up gently.
So extra 100 or 200 calories daily for a week at a time, working your way up to TDEE for couple weeks, then 2 week test.

4 lb fluctuate better be expected by this point, as totally valid, even without sodium in the picture.
That's the difference between topped off glycogen stores with water, and muscle retained water from a workout, to lowered glycogen stores and not sore.

Find a valid weigh-in day to minimize that too.
Morning after rest day eating normal sodium levels, not sore from last workout.

The extra water stored would be in the muscles, and would make them appear bigger.
It's also extra intra-cellular water that must be managed, therefore part of LBM, therefore increases the metabolism to do so. Also allows workouts to be stronger.

All win-win for that kind of weight gain. Which frankly is going to come back on everyone who stops eating at a deficit. You lost big first week, you'll gain big first week.

:bigsmile:

This is awesome information! Thank you for sharing!!

Hello--- First post here and gingerly poking my head in to ask a question. I'm already muscular in a 'blocky'way--if that makes sense. I did the calculations and I'm about 25% bf, though the measurement may be skewed because I have a tiny waist and flat abs because I had a breast reconstructive procedure ten years ago for breast cancer called a TRAM flap--they basically take fat and muscle from the abs and make a breast out of it--mastectomy and tummy tuck (kind of) in one. I look like a shortish linbacker with a small waist (ooh. Attractive, I know!). 5'4", 162 (down from 174), 53 yrs old, female.

My question--I can never lose the fat and enough muscle to look.. smaller, can I? According to the calcs, if I wanted to go to 22% fb (which is says is maybe too low wrt my age), my goal wt would be 157 or so, and I'd like to go lower-- but is that a stupid dream? Is the best I can do to be a slightly leaner, very solid, muscle-y linebacker with a small waist?

So indeed, you may want BF% measurement method using a bunch of them to get an avg. So either the spreadsheet on my profile page, stay on the Simple Setup and Progress tabs only, or these which is what the spreadsheet uses.
www.gymgoal.com/dtool_fat.html

Then the skewed waist measurement won't come in to play as strongly.

Sure you can lose more fat. May not be where you primarily want it though. And unless doing athlete style training, it'll be a fight.
Your shape is genetic though, so no ability to comment on what you'd end up as losing the fat you'd like to, whatever weight that puts you at.

bump Thanks!

:flowerforyou:

save to read later

bump

Bump for later

bump

Hi! I just read through the majority of the IOARM threads I could find and plan on trying it. I found Dan's explanations very clear and helpful but I have one question:

The number of calories recommend on Fat2Fit BMR Calc (based on activity level) - 20% = number of calories to eat to lose weight. I get that. Do I still eat the same number on non workout days?

I'm in the "Lightly Active" category (I think? I walk on the treadmill about 4 days/wk for approx. 30 min but I don't have an active job or anything like that) and I just want to make sure I'm supposed to eat the same amount on days I don't exercise.

Hi! I just read through the majority of the IOARM threads I could find and plan on trying it. I found Dan's explanations very clear and helpful but I have one question:

The number of calories recommend on Fat2Fit BMR Calc (based on activity level) - 20% = number of calories to eat to lose weight. I get that. Do I still eat the same number on non workout days?

I'm in the "Lightly Active" category (I think? I walk on the treadmill about 4 days/wk for approx. 30 min but I don't have an active job or anything like that) and I just want to make sure I'm supposed to eat the same amount on days I don't exercise.

To lose weight you eat less than you burn daily, on average allows a daily set goal.

So you came up with an estimate of what you burn daily, actually weekly averaged back out daily.
Then you took 20% deficit.

You eat that daily.

Also, walking doesn't count as much as other cardio because it's lower calorie burn, unless doing steep incline.

Might do this for your walking and time actually done.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1018768-better-rough-estimate-of-tdee-than-5-level-chart

Hi! I just read through the majority of the IOARM threads I could find and plan on trying it. I found Dan's explanations very clear and helpful but I have one question:

The number of calories recommend on Fat2Fit BMR Calc (based on activity level) - 20% = number of calories to eat to lose weight. I get that. Do I still eat the same number on non workout days?

I'm in the "Lightly Active" category (I think? I walk on the treadmill about 4 days/wk for approx. 30 min but I don't have an active job or anything like that) and I just want to make sure I'm supposed to eat the same amount on days I don't exercise.

To lose weight you eat less than you burn daily, on average allows a daily set goal.

So you came up with an estimate of what you burn daily, actually weekly averaged back out daily.
Then you took 20% deficit.

You eat that daily.

Also, walking doesn't count as much as other cardio because it's lower calorie burn, unless doing steep incline.

Might do this for your walking and time actually done.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1018768-better-rough-estimate-of-tdee-than-5-level-chart

Thank you! I just assumed I was in the lightly active category because I remember reading in the Road Map threads that most people aren't considered sedentary unless they basically do nothing. I could have misunderstood though. As for the walking... I alternate a 7 incline with no incline at ~3.5 mph... Anywhere from 20-40 minutes 4-5 days/wk. Do you think I'd be better off going with the sedentary category?

Of course not, you are walking most days and at intense level with incline.

45 hr desk job & commute with no kids or dog walking or much of anything outside of that is sedentary.