I gotta make this quote my wallpaper or something... inspiring indeed! Funny thing is before this challenge I never logged my zero calorie drinks. Surprise, there's calories in them. Other than that how is your day one going so far, personally my breakfast is still in the pot because lo didn't like me having it so we went out for a walk

@RangerRickL Thanks! I guess I needed something like this challenge to kick my butt into gear, I wish I had found it earlier

Australia - East coast. UTC +10:00

You know in Scott pilgrim when he fights nega Scott and he ends up getting a long really well with him and Scott is like "he's actually a super nice guy" nega is the negative or opposite of something so that means that Scott is a jerk and actually the bad guy. I think about that a lot

I think my bathroom scale has a resolution/accuracy issue. It's only a small thing, but it's on my mind.

Usually I lose between 0.4 and 0.6kg overnight. I weigh before bed and when I get up in the morning after constitutionals. This is just for interests sake, the morning reading is the only one I really record.

Last night 0.0kg change. This is impossible. You lose water overnight through respiration, transpiration and urination. I don't drink (or eat) overnight.

Each day you lose about 10ml per kg through respiration and transpiration. This is known as "insensible water loss". This adds up to about 800ml (or 0.8kg) per day. 8 hours sleep should lose 1/3 of this.

Either last nights reading was abnormally low, or this mornings reading was abnormally high. In both cases, the scales accuracy is bought into question.

All in all, it's just data. It will sort itself out longer term.

I'll change the batteries in the scale today and see if that makes any difference (LCD digital scale). I like to have verifiably accurate tools.

Warning science content:
A digital scale uses force transducers that alter resistance with weight. Usually MUCH more accurate over time than springs. If the battery is failing, it's potential difference across the terminals drops. Consequently the current also drops. Measurement of variable resistance over reduced potential difference is less accurate. V=IR (voltage = current x resistance)

@SimonsChange. Activity does not count for much is the losing weight scale. 15% if you are lucky.

Two weeks is not a long time for weight changes to occur. Generally you look for 3 weeks (at a minimum).

Also are you tracking weight daily and looking at the weekly average, or just taking a once a week measurement. A once a week measurement can sometimes not show enough of the full picture.

(I STRONGLY urge you to weigh daily, but only ever "publish" or "acknowledge" the weekly average).

Do you take body measurements (waist, chest). I also advise to do this as body measurements usually do not fluctuate (up and down) as much as weight.

The problem with making big changes (like going from carb heavy to keto) is that longer term they become unsustainable. Once you have lost the weight, you will (sometime slowly, sometimes quickly) revert back to old habits and the weight will come back on.

(Pasta, bread, rice and sugar are cheap and have long shelf lives. In comparison meat, fish, dairy and fresh produce are expensive. What happens if you get economic pressures or cannot shop as often).

Keto's two big benefits are: High protein, high fat makes you feel fuller on less calories. Low carb helps reduce water retention (more if low sodium) and assist with insulin sensitivity (anti type-2 diabetes). The issues with keto diets are: the overall cost of food, the frequency with which food must be bought (short shelf life), extreme difficulty in finding low carb eat out options (when you don't want to do your own preparation).

Since you already have a high carb diet (and the high carb foods are comforting), I'd propose smaller changes:
- Be diligent in your tracking. Include all snacks, beverages, sauces, etc.. Where possible weigh portions before consuming.
- Set your daily goal appropriately. Ensure you select category that reflects your day job, excluding non-work exercise. This way you can optionally eat back exercise calories (otherwise you "double-dip").
- Make sure to consume within the daily goal.
- Try increase the daily protein and fat intake at the expense of carbs. (macro balance)
- Cut down on snacks - this gives you a higher calories budget at meal times. (The following article makes some gross assumptions but is close to the mark in reality - http://www.gnolls.org/1794/why-snacking-makes-you-weak-not-just-fat/)

This way you can still enjoy your pasta and sandwiches at time.

Another option would be 5:2. Only change then is 2 days a week you eat no more than 600 kCal (breakfast/dinner). The other 5 days are normal. Maintenance then becomes 6:1.


What has worked for me is:
- No planned snacks (occasional one is OK, like a work morning tea to celebrate a birthday, etc..).
- No calorie beverages between meals. (water, black tea)
- Keep within calorie budget. (usually selecting higher fat and protein foods - still at times have pasta, sandwich, take out, ice cream, pie, cake, etc.. As long as it fits in the budget)
- Moderate daily exercise (to keep in shape, not to burn calories. No gym)
- No diet foods, pills, shakes, etc..

The #1 goal is this MUST be sustainable long term. It was close to what I was already doing. The first 3 are the only real changes to my pre-weight management lifestyle.

Dropped 9kg in under 2 months (about 10% of my body mass - I was overweight, but not huge).


@SimonsChange. In short, small changes stick better than large changes. You want changes that stick.

SimonsChange wrote: »

@craigo3154 Thanks for all the information I certainly appreciate you taking the time out to post it, I do want to do keto but you are right it might be a big change which can lead to some issues no doubt.

I've already quit Calorie drinks and majority of snacks other then a serving of sun chips or a couple pickles nothing above 200 calories, I make sure not to eat cake,pie,ice cream so im good at that aspect

I enjoy being active which is why i've been walking / doing so much per day but I do think I should stop trusting how many extra calories it gives me, Because when I see that I end up having a sandwich of 400 calories or so because I think can budget it in, So I think I'll just stick to a flat amount for losing 2 pounds a week.

I do not measure myself which I will certainly look into doing as I know some people have mentioned even while the scale isnt changing clothing fits different (As it has been me aswell)

I'll certainly change how I scale myself aswell (Do you recommend when I wake up or before bed?)

I will say I do still want to try keto as I've heard a lot of great things about it and I think a change will be nice, But as you've said long term it does seem unstainable so what I hope to do is do Keto for awhile maybe 5 or so months then after cut to a low carb diet.

You're right tho the food prices are certainly pricey for it on the upside I get a bulk of my meat at samsclub which saves some money and as far as preparing goes I've been cooking nearly every day for 10 years and plan to get into the culinary specialist position in the army so I'll just look at it as another challenge to overcome! Gotta stay positive

@craigo3154 In short I still plan to give keto a try, I'll certainly keep to heart the measuring and weighing aspect you mentioned and making sure I stay under my set 2pounds a week calorie limit and not up it even with activity as that might be the problem im running into, Thanks a ton I really appreciate it!

Have a great night - Simon

@SimonsChange. Cake, pie, ice cream, ect.. are OK if in your daily budget. You will find that you are allowed small portions as these are calorie dense foods. Side effect is that they may leave you hungry as they do not trigger satiety as readily as other foods.

Glad that the clothing is fitting different. This should indicate that the measurements are changing (in the right direction) which is far more important than weight.

Daily (like weekly) weight should be recorded first thing in the morning (after the morning constitutionals) before eating or drinking anything. This is likely to be a) the most consistent value between days and b) the lightest value of the day.

Is your calorie limit set as sedentary or light activity? If light activity and not on your feet most of the day, then don't add calories from workouts into budget.

Good luck with the keto. Watch out for "keto flu" as the body starts to change.

@Slimpossible007

More lean muscle mass??

@5cheetahs - I agree with what Slimpossible007 posted.

There seems to be some confusion about how the calorie targets are on MFP made and how to use them effectively.

In summary, unless you understand how the number work it is very easy to "double dip" on calories and wind up stalling or gaining weight when trying to lose.


Calorie targets are based on BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and extrapolated out into estimated TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

BMR is the amount of energy a person is expected to use at complete rest in a day (think coma with IV food).

The simplest (Mifflin - St Jeor) equation for BMR is:
Men: (10 * Weight in kg) + (6.25 * Height in cm) + (5 * Age) + 5
Women: (10 * Weight in kg) + (6.25 * Height in cm) + (5 * Age) - 161

So for a woman 57kg (125 lbs), 162cm tall, 35years, the BMR would be:
= (10 * 57) + (6.25 * 162) + (5 * 35) - 161 = 1596.5

(57kg for a 162cm person gives a BMI of 21.7 which is middle of the normal range)

To get estimated TDEE, you add a weighting based on activity.

• Sedentary (Little to no exercise - desk job) - 1.2
• Light (light exercise/sports 1-3 days a week) - 1.375
• Moderate (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days a week) - 1.55
• Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) - 1.725
• Extreme (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week or 2x training) - 1.9

These assume you are NOT tracking exercise calories.

So if our example man worked a desk job (Sedentary), but got moderate exercise (Moderate). Which should he choose?

If our subject chose Sedentary, then:

• TDEE would come out at 1596.5 * 1.2 = 1916 kCal per day (maintenance level).

If our subject chose Moderate, then:

• TDEE would come out at 1596.5 * 1.55 = 2475 kCal per day (maintenance level).

That is 559 kCal per day difference.

Moderate is assuming that each day of sport is 783 kCal used ((559 * 7)/5).

Should our subject be injured and not be able to exercise, then they need to reduce calorie input by on average 559 kCal per day (back to Sedentary).

Should our subject have an activity tracker and eat back exercise calories (783 kCal per session) over their "moderate" level they could expect to GAIN 0.5kg (1 lbs) per week.

Each pound of fat is estimated at 3500 kCal. Each kg of fat is estimated at 7700 kCal.


MFP calculates a maintenance calorie target based on your inputs. If you then chose to lose weight per week it subtracts from that TDEE accordingly.

• 1 lb per week = 500 kCal
• 0.5 kg per week = 550 kCal
• 2 lb per week = 1000 kCal
• 1 kg per week = 1100 kCal

* Safety warning * 1kg per week should be considered a MAXIMUM target and for most people is borderline starvation unless very active.

My personal target is 0.5kg per week - sedentary lifestyle. I am losing, on average, 1kg per week because:

• I do have a desk job
• I am eating to target
• I am more active than just the walking I report to UAC
• I do not eat back exercise calories

Other points to note:

• Exercise calorie trackers are notoriously inaccurate. They cannot measure efficiency of the performed exercise.
• Calculated TDEE is an "estimate". It can be out by as much at 10% due to body type and composition. Use it as a base, then calculate based on personal observations.
• A calorie is not a calorie (based on time of consumption, food it is in being consumed, macro balance it is consumed with). Take calories consumed as a guide (like exercise calories used).
• Body weight is made up of fat, muscle, water and other tissue (bone, brain, organs). This composition changes over time. Part of the reason weight loss is non-linear. Ideally track size over weight (change is more consistent) or weigh daily and only take note of the weekly average.

In summary:

• Calculated TDEE includes exercise calories not tracked.
• If tracking and eating exercise calories, choose sedentary.
• MFP TDEE is only a guide and use your history to really determine TDEE.

Hope this makes sense to people.

I know I am too late in the month to be part of this challenge, but would like to join the group to help keep me motivated and accountable and hoping to compete next month.

@5cheetahs I scroll as well, but I'm on a laptop, so its easier .. if you type the @ sign then start the name you get a list of suggestions but sometimes if its a common name you get too many and/ or can't remember enough of the name ... hopefully someone else will be more helpful