paxbfl Member

I'm running my first full marathon this year. I've run a bunch of halfs. I really respect the distance. I trained hard for my last half and set a PR. But for the marathon I plan to train smart (vs "hard") and just try to enjoy the experience. It will be a learning experience, and I'm not going to sweat my time too much. If…

I do a free day usually every two weeks. For me it helps me stay on track the rest of the time. But I'm still responsible for the calories. I don't log, but I know approximately how many calories I'm eating. So I divide up the extra calories over those two weeks so it doesn't mess me up. As others have said, I think it…

I've been your MFP friend for a while, and I recognize that you and I have a very different approach to weight-loss. But that's ok. Everyone has to do what works for them. But here's my question: is your approach working for you? I weigh myself once a week and record the result. I'm very open about it. If I've lost (or…

You mentioned glycemic index so you already know what I'm going to tell you. When you screw up a little your blood sugar levels are affected which contributes to cravings. So try not to screw up in the first place. Work out hard, drink lots of water and eat 5-6 small meals instead of 3 larger ones. This helps keep blood…

First of all, don't get down. You're only 5 pounds away from your goal, which is great. It sounds like you're at a fairly healthy weight. Don't give up - focus on being healthy and keep going! Now a few thoughts... first, BMI is a "dumb" number. It doesn't know how much muscle you have, so it's practically a useless…

Thanks for this! I assumed that if the machine had your heart rate it would use it to calculate calories... but I did some research and see that you are correct, that's not necessarily true. (I shouldn't assume, right?) I always use the HRM anyway, figuring that is more accurate. I just wish the HRM wasn't always lower! :)

The more important number is your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). To lose 1 pound a week (3500 calories) you'd want to eat 500 calories under your TDEE every day. However... you don't want to eat under your BMR (and definitely not under 1200 calories). So exercise may be the only way to make things add up right -…

^^^THIS! A comment like that would have fueled my workouts for several months. It's one thing to say F*#% YOU, it's another to demonstrate it by your actions. I lost 40 pounds in 4 months when I was at my heaviest. You can do it too - and totally look awesome by May.

First of all, do NOT feel like you're too far gone. I used to look at all the weight I had to lose and feel overwhelmed, and that kept me fat YEARS longer than I necessary. I was able to lose 40 pounds in 4 months and I felt great. I wish I would have done it years sooner. I started when I was 45 - a lot older than you.…

I feel it's better to factor in the exercise separately since it may vary from day to day - and then you can adjust how much you eat accordingly. So if you're resting TDEE is 2500 and you burn 500 calories at the gym one day, you should eat 3000 calories to maintain. The next day if you skip the gym, you should eat 2500 to…

Your age is 19, right? Using this site: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/, I get the following: BMR: 2056 TDEE: 2467 Now, that's based on "Desk Job With Little Exercise" which I recommend unless you're physically active every day apart from exercise. I also suggest you factor your exercise in…

I read this earlier and was thinking about it... I'm 6'2 also, 200 pounds, muscular and around 12% body fat. I can't imagine myself at 185. I would be in single digit body fat if I was. So you must be very lean already. Do you know your body fat %? Maybe you can't lose more fat because you don't have it to lose. I wonder…

The discomfort that comes from a cheat meal/day always reminds me how much better I feel when I stick to my program and eat healthy. It motivates me to get back on track and have an awesome week. So don't sweat it - use it to your advantage!

Good job. One lesson I've learned through all the ups and downs is that it really does come down to getting your head in the right place. I had a couple of friends die from health problems so I decided to FINALLY stop screwing around and get healthy, and I lost 50 pounds. I'm determined to keep the weight off because I…

Awesome story Brian. Thanks for sharing. Your story will inspire many others. Great job!

Welcome to MFP! I like your determination. I felt the same way when I started and I still feel that way. The weight will NOT come back! I've lost about 50 pounds and feel awesome. If I could do it, you can definitely do it. For me, MFP helped me realize why I was so overweight in the first place. I worked out fairly…

I lost 40 pounds in 4 months. I was very dedicated with logging and I exercised a lot - which isn't required but it definitely helps if you want to lose weight fast. I lost an additional 10 pounds over the following 3 months... I intentionally slowed the rate of my weight-loss as I gave some thought to exactly where I…

Awesome job!

My Fitness Pal is so easy if you do it right. For me, my only regret was not doing it sooner. Forget extreme diets. It's very important that you don't make yourself miserable. Because when you're miserable, you will give up and probably eat food for comfort. So set your goal to lose no more than a pound a week. Eat under…

TDEE stands for "Total Daily Energy Expenditure" - the calories you burn in a typical day. Try this calculator to see what you should be eating: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ I lost 50 pounds and was hardly ever hungry. I ate smaller meals 5-6 times a day instead of 3 big meals which helped too -…

^^^THIS HIIT is the most efficient way I've found to burn calories, rev up metabolism and improve your fitness.

I agree, you have to find what works for you. Personally I find that I can work out effectively first-thing in the morning on an empty stomach (with plenty of water). But if I wait until later in the day, or if I sleep in and try to work out mid-morning, I need a little something for energy. I go with a slice of…

Tremendous job, seriously. You should take great pride in what you've accomplished. You look great. As for reaching the rest of your goals... you know how to do it now. So as Nike says, "Just do it." I feel this way myself... I've lost and gained many times in my life, and fear gaining the weight back. But this time feels…

Good job on your workout. 60 minutes is a respectable workout, and if you were working hard during that time you can burn quite a chunk of calories. I also recommend a heart-rate monitor - since I got mine I've really enjoyed seeing how many calories I burn during different workouts. I've found MFP's calorie counts to be a…

Those numbers sound about right. But given that they are higher than you were expecting, why eat back exercise calories? You're already going to be eating quite a bit. Eat around 2,000 calories a day, and you'll be safely over your BMR and won't be super hungry. You'll feel good and you can stay with this program…

Obviously. Looking at the stats I posted, with all other things being equal (genetic risk, non-smoker, environmental factors, etc), I have clearly reduced my risk of heart disease and diabetes. There are no guarantees but I've chosen to do what's in my control to maximize my health and lower my risk factors. That's all you…

If you make the assumption that the person starting this journey has too much fat (which most people do, especially if they're starting a weight-loss program) then I stand by my statement. If you have a lot of fat to lose, and you eat under your TDEE, you will inevitably lose weight (fat). You will also inevitably lose…

Um... if you're 50 pounds overweight I'm comfortable making the promise that weight loss = increase in health. I mean, you could always get a disease or get hit by a bus (no guarantees) but generally I think that's a safe statement. FYI, my health stats from October 2012 to October 2013. I'm male, 6'2", 45 (now 46) years…

Everyone's number is different depending on their age, size, etc. Use an online calculator to find your BMR (basal metabolic rate - the calories your body needs to survive) and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure - the calories your body burns in a day with all activity factored in). Net between these numbers, and you'll…

I would change the subject to say "This is going to be easier than you think... and so WORTH it!" The first two weeks were tough as I adjusted to my new program and got used to now eating an extra 1,000 calories every day. But once you get into your routine, it's not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. The…