Halfway! With pics & charts!

Solar_Cat · October 2014

As of this morning, 89 days on MFP counting calories, 21 lbs lost, halfway to goal of 156.

Stats
Male
66
5'9"
Medium frame

Starting
Weight: 198
Trouser size: 38-40

Current
Weight: 177
Trouser size: 34
Est. body fat: 23%

Goal
Weight: 156
Est. body fat: 15%-17%

Before pics are from early August. I had lost a few pounds but there wasn't much change in the look of the body. After pics are from today.

Front view shows a little change:

Side view is more dramatic:

In this chart, the blue line with the stars is daily weight, the red dotted line is 8-day trailing average, and the yellow dotted line is 28-day trailing average. Interesting pattern. First five weeks, two big whooshes. Next four weeks, stalled. After that, fairly steady. There were no important changes in eating or activity during the whole timespan. If you seem to be stalled, don't despair!

I'm adjusting my goals for slightly slower weight loss. After the stall it's been more than one lb/week. By adding 50 calories/day and not compensating for lower TDEE, I expect to cut it to about 0.9 lb/week.

Lots more to do! Halfway on the scale is not the same as halfway on the calendar. I expect it will take at least twice as long to do the other half.

ACanadian22 · October 2014

Great job!!! You look great

viciouslitany · October 2014

awesome progress! and your mindset is enviable, too.

Rachelwin65 · October 2014

Great job!

Solar_Cat · October 2014

Thanks for the kind words, folks! You're never too old to change.

cryptonyt · October 2014

That is fantastic! The sideview is very dramatic. You should be very very proud of yourself!

peejaygee1 · October 2014

Great job...I love your chart too! Where did you get it?

Solar_Cat · October 2014

I made the chart using a spreadsheet program, Calc from the LibreOffice suite. Excel would do just as well, but LibreOffice and its cousin OpenOffice are free!

sbrookes9 · October 2014

Way to go!

jeremywm1977 · October 2014

Awesome work, and the Excel geek inside of me loves the addition of the charts for additional reference.

Solar_Cat · October 2014

The chart is kind of cool, isn't it? I like seeing the averages. The general idea is that as long as the "actual" line stays below the moving average, progress is in the right direction. There's only one spot where it isn't below the 28-day average, just at the end of the long plateau.

I also like the charts and calculations at the site WeighTracker. Rather than a trailing average, it uses an undisclosed formula to calculate a "true" weight. Seems to work pretty well. And the charts are animated! Spiffy! What it doesn't do, unfortunately, is chart more than 30 days at a time.