Exercise and appetite
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Unless you were running as you pushed the wheelbarrow, I doubt it was anywhere close to a crossfit workout. Probably not even then. Remember the reason wheelbarrows were invented and are used is because they make the effort much less. It's not like you were shoveling the gravel into big sacks that you threw on your back. I'm sure 4.5 hours of it was a lot of effort, but not equivalent to 4.5 hours of crossfit. [/quote]
You're right, but the problem is that you don't just pick up the heavy object and put it down again. Pushing a fully loaded wheelbarrow over uneven terrain (up a hill, down a hill - I did run down the hill, gravity, y'know!), maneuvering it through narrow gaps, while holding it up the whole time, the load and unload, etc. I guess I need to think more in terms of intensity, but in my mind the types of muscle involvement seemed different. But this is why I'm here, because I don't know anything about working out!1 -
BearCountryHermit wrote: »Thanks y'all! My settings are on lightly active, because that's more accurate for my average, so for the work I did I went ahead and put it in as a crossfit type workout. I've not done crossfit, but from what I understand it's more like what I was doing, but it boosted my calorie needs really high, and I'm skeptical that I burned through that much. What's more, food has not been appealing the next day, which tells me I probably overate.
Y'all confirmed for me that I really should get a fitness tracker, so I've got one on the way. But now I'm really wondering how they set the trackers to calculate calories based on HR. Doesn't that really depend on muscle mass, type of workout, etc, rather than how fast your heart's going? Since the heart pumps faster and harder to get oxygen/nutrients to the rest of the body, but that can really vary with different people. I'm a petite female, carrying about 50 lbs of extra fat, with likely very poor workout form and general fitness, but decent upper body strength, but someone who knows how to use their body more efficiently, or does so more regularly would burn it differently, yes? Cell needs/repairs have to vary. So how does the technology know?
The tracker using HR-based calculations will be off.
Almost certainly inflated calorie burn if you are poor general fitness.
The calculations can be a decent estimate in right situations.
HR all over the place is not one of those - it'll be inflated calorie burn.
It will read the high HR to mean a higher calorie burn from hard workout, not that you are unfit, or dehydrated.
It will use your BMI and gender and age to decide somewhat unfit though.
It will use your restingHR to help with range somewhat.
It will calculate your HRmax for 220-age for that range too, which may be no where near reality.
It will look at weekly workouts to decide somewhat a fitness level to improve calc's.
Daily activity calories are based on distance seen that you move - which is actually very accurate.
If distance is accurate.
Thanks for this. It's good to know more about the tools before getting started, it seems like the fitness tracker is just one more set a data to correlate with actual physical results.1 -
callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »We have a homestead, and barn work is HARD work. And ... I'm lazy, so I generally have my husband and son do it, or at least the worst of it LMAO
For me, I haven't found that manual labor, or any hard deliberate workout really intensifies my hunger. I do know working out in the heat outside, decreases it, and it does for my husband as well. Everyone is going to be different. I mucked out the duck barn and laid down more lime, and horse pellets, and straw, and I was exhausted.... but not hungry. ducks are disgusting creatures by the way LOL
He works 10 to 12 hour days as a sheet metal foreman and then comes home to finish his days usually doing something outside that has come up that I can't or wont deal with. The last 2 weeks it has been fencing issues with expanding and adding hotwire to the new sections, then troubleshooting when all the hotwire went out (ugh!!). We have 20 acres fenced so... its a lot of fencing LOL on those days.... he eats but barely. though, he also doesnt have a weight issue, and if anything could stand to gain a few pounds.
You could always wear a fitbit or similar to get an idea. Thats what I do. I dont eat back many of my calories, but my logging also has a lot of room for error, many days, so it balances out.
I really enjoy manual labor, it's so satisfying, plus I haven't been able to get into a regular exercise routine so it's a good opportunity to work out. It doesn't normally make me hungry either, if I tried to eat after a long day in the heat most days, I'd feel nauseous. I think my body may have been trying to get more sodium/electrolytes. The next day I did more graveling but drank some salt water in the middle and did not feel like eating the entire kitchen! Ah well, lesson learned.
I gave up on electric fencing, because my sheep don't feel it through their wool, the little stinkers always find a way over, around, or through any fence, and at this point I've realized that if they stay in any place, it's because they choose to!2 -
BearCountryHermit wrote: »callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »I gave up on electric fencing, because my sheep don't feel it through their wool, the little stinkers always find a way over, around, or through any fence, and at this point I've realized that if they stay in any place, it's because they choose to!
yeah, ours is mostly for our 2 pyreneese. seems to be as about as effective on them as sheep LOL fortunately though, for the most part they respect it. lol0 -
This looks like the right group for me. Although I've just started to be intentional about weight loss, some of your stories are already helping me. My rapid weight gain is largely the result of medication and, up until now, my inability to exercise. My calory count is OK, not great, just OK. Because I have been sedentary, my system is all goofed up. Today I'll start a routine that'll track food in this app, and my Health Mate app for physical statistics. I am using the Withings Steel HR monitor. I like it because it's not bulky like an Apple watch and the battery lasts about 25 days on a charge. I have most of the functions of my Apple watch. Like several others, my issue is hunger in between meals and in the evening. I'm trying a 5 meal plan. Smaller portions, five times throughout the day, and no food after 6 PM. I'll check back for encouragement from time to time.3
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blahblahzing wrote: »This looks like the right group for me. Although I've just started to be intentional about weight loss, some of your stories are already helping me. My rapid weight gain is largely the result of medication and, up until now, my inability to exercise. My calory count is OK, not great, just OK. Because I have been sedentary, my system is all goofed up. Today I'll start a routine that'll track food in this app, and my Health Mate app for physical statistics. I am using the Withings Steel HR monitor. I like it because it's not bulky like an Apple watch and the battery lasts about 25 days on a charge. I have most of the functions of my Apple watch. Like several others, my issue is hunger in between meals and in the evening. I'm trying a 5 meal plan. Smaller portions, five times throughout the day, and no food after 6 PM. I'll check back for encouragement from time to time.
Welcome! This is a great community and you’ll learn a lot, I know I have. If you didn’t already know, eating less calories than you burn is all that is necessary for weight loss. It doesn’t matter if you eat 1 time a day or 10 times a day. And the time of day also does not matter. Your metabolism doesn’t stop and start, it burns calories 24/7. You also don’t need to work out to lose weight. It certainly helps with fitness goals though. Set your goals in MFP with a reasonable loss expectation and weigh your food with a scale to assess how much you’re actually eating. We often underestimate how many calories we eat by a lot.0 -
BearCountryHermit wrote: »
Unless you were running as you pushed the wheelbarrow, I doubt it was anywhere close to a crossfit workout. Probably not even then. Remember the reason wheelbarrows were invented and are used is because they make the effort much less. It's not like you were shoveling the gravel into big sacks that you threw on your back. I'm sure 4.5 hours of it was a lot of effort, but not equivalent to 4.5 hours of crossfit.
You're right, but the problem is that you don't just pick up the heavy object and put it down again. Pushing a fully loaded wheelbarrow over uneven terrain (up a hill, down a hill - I did run down the hill, gravity, y'know!), maneuvering it through narrow gaps, while holding it up the whole time, the load and unload, etc. I guess I need to think more in terms of intensity, but in my mind the types of muscle involvement seemed different. But this is why I'm here, because I don't know anything about working out! [/quote]
Also, remember that for the vast majority of people, even 4.5 hours of crossfit in one day is not going to be equal to 4.5 one-hour sessions of crossfit performed on separate days, but that's how MFP or pretty much any exercise calculator is going to deal with it. There's no recognition that performing at high intensity hour after hour is just not realistic.0 -
msalicia07 wrote: »blahblahzing wrote: »This looks like the right group for me. Although I've just started to be intentional about weight loss, some of your stories are already helping me. My rapid weight gain is largely the result of medication and, up until now, my inability to exercise. My calory count is OK, not great, just OK. Because I have been sedentary, my system is all goofed up. Today I'll start a routine that'll track food in this app, and my Health Mate app for physical statistics. I am using the Withings Steel HR monitor. I like it because it's not bulky like an Apple watch and the battery lasts about 25 days on a charge. I have most of the functions of my Apple watch. Like several others, my issue is hunger in between meals and in the evening. I'm trying a 5 meal plan. Smaller portions, five times throughout the day, and no food after 6 PM. I'll check back for encouragement from time to time.
Welcome! This is a great community and you’ll learn a lot, I know I have. If you didn’t already know, eating less calories than you burn is all that is necessary for weight loss. It doesn’t matter if you eat 1 time a day or 10 times a day. And the time of day also does not matter. Your metabolism doesn’t stop and start, it burns calories 24/7. You also don’t need to work out to lose weight. It certainly helps with fitness goals though. Set your goals in MFP with a reasonable loss expectation and weigh your food with a scale to assess how much you’re actually eating. We often underestimate how many calories we eat by a lot.
Timing of meals/snacks, and which nutrients/volumes to eat when, can sure make a difference for satiation and satisfaction, though. (Of course I agree that total calories are what determines fat-loss results, but sustainability is part of calorie compliance, in practical terms.)
Unfortunately, in the realm of satiation/satisfaction/sustainability, no one set of practices works best for everyone, so @blahblahzing's plan to experiment seems like a really good idea - especially in that he said hunger is the key problem for him right now.
Blahblazing, since it sounds like you're maybe just getting started, I'd also say that personally I found there to be an adaptation period, when it came to feeling satiated with a new routine and calorie level - not very long, IME, maybe a couple of weeks-ish.
Best wishes!1 -
msalicia07 wrote: »blahblahzing wrote: »This looks like the right group for me. Although I've just started to be intentional about weight loss, some of your stories are already helping me. My rapid weight gain is largely the result of medication and, up until now, my inability to exercise. My calory count is OK, not great, just OK. Because I have been sedentary, my system is all goofed up. Today I'll start a routine that'll track food in this app, and my Health Mate app for physical statistics. I am using the Withings Steel HR monitor. I like it because it's not bulky like an Apple watch and the battery lasts about 25 days on a charge. I have most of the functions of my Apple watch. Like several others, my issue is hunger in between meals and in the evening. I'm trying a 5 meal plan. Smaller portions, five times throughout the day, and no food after 6 PM. I'll check back for encouragement from time to time.
Welcome! This is a great community and you’ll learn a lot, I know I have. If you didn’t already know, eating less calories than you burn is all that is necessary for weight loss. It doesn’t matter if you eat 1 time a day or 10 times a day. And the time of day also does not matter. Your metabolism doesn’t stop and start, it burns calories 24/7. You also don’t need to work out to lose weight. It certainly helps with fitness goals though. Set your goals in MFP with a reasonable loss expectation and weigh your food with a scale to assess how much you’re actually eating. We often underestimate how many calories we eat by a lot.
Timing of meals/snacks, and which nutrients/volumes to eat when, can sure make a difference for satiation and satisfaction, though. (Of course I agree that total calories are what determines fat-loss results, but sustainability is part of calorie compliance, in practical terms.)
Unfortunately, in the realm of satiation/satisfaction/sustainability, no one set of practices works best for everyone, so @blahblahzing's plan to experiment seems like a really good idea - especially in that he said hunger is the key problem for him right now.
Blahblazing, since it sounds like you're maybe just getting started, I'd also say that personally I found there to be an adaptation period, when it came to feeling satiated with a new routine and calorie level - not very long, IME, maybe a couple of weeks-ish.
Best wishes!
I would agree here. My first 1-2 weeks eating at a calorie deficit, I felt pretty hungry. I increased my fat and protein consumption and that helped me, but as already stated, everyone is different so trial and error is necessary to find the right balance for each individual.0 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »BearCountryHermit wrote: »Hello, I wanted to see what other folks' experience and advice would be for something I experienced today. For the most part, I have focused on diet, calories, nutrition, to help with weight loss and managing my health, while remaining functionally active. I don't exercise on purpose per se, but I do outdoor work and occasional hiking. Today I was laying gravel by hand in one of the barns, which involved loading it into the wheelbarrow, walking it about 120 ft, and spreading it with the shovel. It's heavy stuff, and I tend to overestimate how much I should be putting in the barrow, so the loads are large. I did this for 4.5hrs (finished the first layer!). I've had no problem eating 1200 - 1300 calories for the past couple of weeks, but today I couldn't get satisfied, and the final count was about 2700. It's one day, I worked hard, I'm not worried. But my question is, how do y'all gauge calorie needs when you do workouts like this that can't be calculated? If I do start exercising regularly, I want to know how to handle this (and also because I have 3 more days of working with gravel...). My appetite is not trustworthy, I've spent years ignoring hunger signals, and then eating when I had time to and not because I felt hungry.
Thanks kindly for any input!
I would consider that as equivalent to heavy yard work or gardening, which is a 4 MET activity.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/met-hour-equivalents-of-various-physical-activities
Determine your hourly RMR and multiply by 4 (for the hourly burn), then by the number of hours you worked.
Yes, I would have called it gardening as well.
I get a lot of calories for "Gardening, general" so I use a sliding scale of taking time for it. That I would have taken full time. Also whenever I'm digging with a shovel.
If I'm pruning morning glories I probably wouldn't take any time, but if I am pruning big branches I'll take some.
I use how tired I feel afterwards as a check on the stated calorie burns.
I assume the calories for "Walking, 3.0 mph, mod. pace" are correct and I gauge the burns for other activities against that.
I am most tired after 30 minutes of snow shoeing, followed by swimming, then gardening, then walking, and get corresponding calorie burns for these activities.2 -
Generally speaking about exercise, I've read through many of the success stories and here's what I've noted:
Those who started exercising and tracking their data points right out of the chute make it all the way to their dream weights. Exercise transformed them. Many started lifting heavy things and those transformations will blow the socks right off your feet.
All movement counts.
If you're able bodied without injuries why would you want to wait until all of the weight is gone before you do anything. Those who are still maintaining their dream weights at the 5 year mark which is not an easy thing to do are still exercising and moving. Life has no pause button. Life keeps going and the way to get something out of life is to keep moving and moving and moving.
The All or Nothing Mindset rarely gets you all. You get mostly nothing from doing nothing. If we keep going we'll always get something. Mostly fit and strong and ready to brace for whatever life throws at us.1
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