Swiftdogs Member

I use MFP's method instead of TDEE, but I want to follow this thread. I've had my Fitbit for a week and feel its calorie estimates are a bit high. But it could be real, since I apparently take a lot more steps than usual for a "sedentary" lifestyle.

I'm set at 0.5 pounds/week loss rate, so I don't have much leeway. Plus I think my Fitbit is too generous with it's calories. So I try to stay between my goal before exercise and the number Fitbit allows. But if I do go over, I just try to make it up within the week.

I just got my Zip this week, so can't claim success yet. But it has definitely been an eye opener. I've found I'm a LOT more active than I thought with a desk job. Even today with my arthritis acting up, I'm going to be around 8,000 steps. The calories it registers seem high, but I'm going to increase a bit based on my…

I'd be wary (sorry :embarassed: ) of measuring tuna that way. Unless the calorie information on the can is "drained weight" it includes the water.

This is a great site to compare all sorts of scales: http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/

You found the right place! Deciding what to pick out of the database can be a challenge at first (and beyond). You can generally believe items without an asterisk. Those with an asterisk are member-submitted, so look for ones that have confirmations. If you can't tell if it's raw or cooked weight, look for a better entry.…

You ARE strong! Look how well you've done so far. But as others have said, you now need to learn to work a few splurges into your plan and still make it work for the long haul. You've proven you can do that - you had one piece of cake, not three plus a quart of punch. You'll even have some days where you go way over your…

One piece of cake? Log it and be happy for your friend. Now if you had shoved the bride and groom out of the way and gone face-first into the cake, you might need to feel some guilt :tongue:

I was disappointed not to "feel" different at 10 pounds down, but by 12 it was like pieces fell off :happy: and some clothes were looser. I tried on an older pair of jeans and didn't have to pick between zipping and breathing. I didn't take measurements at first and should have. I seem to have trouble getting the tape…

Me! I've been delighted how easy it is to fit in some calories for a dry wine.

I've fought problems for years because of my high arches. If your inserts don't fit right, they can cause more problems. I finally went to a podiatrist and got some that work. It also helps to roll your feet on a bottle about the diameter of a tennis ball - I do it in the shower.

I just had some cheddar flavored mini rice cakes. They're full of chemical garbage, but they're better than Cheetos for very low calories.

I like soup for breakfast since I need protein more than carbs to get started. Canned soup is higher in sodium than I like, but it's quick and satisfying.

I completely ignore that one when it's mainly fruit. I've taken it off my diary.

I show dogs, so my life outside of work revolves around them. Even when I'm not showing, I'm always grooming, doing nails, training, hauling equipment, etc.

If you curl my 97 pound 14 month old pup, you'd REALLY be doing some strength training! :happy:

I finally figured out what NSV means! :wink: (and it's not related to NSFW). There are some great ones on here! I need those right now since the @#$% scale isn't behaving. We've had leftover Mexican buffet from a department lunch in the fridge for 3 days. I made a salad from lettuce, tomatos, and salsa and left the rest.

If this is a departure from a normal sedentary workday, your body doesn't care that you're not in a gym or wearing clothing with logos on the outside. What I do for moderately increased activity over a long duration is pick something conservative like light cleaning or slow walking, then only take the DIFFERENCE between…

I figure that trying to completely cut out something I like is a quick path to failure. Log everything and move on. I have cut WAY down on beer because of the calories, but I've been delighted how easy it is to fit in some dry wine. If I want a "cold one" I make a very lightly mixed bourbon and sparkling water. I also like…

It's a sort of high-end pedometer that measures steps, flights of stairs, and calories burned doing same. I just ordered one. It seems like a good tool to measure overall activity across a full day.

Y'all (I'm from Texas) are giving me some great ideas. I'm a true numbers geek - can never have too much data. I'll be interested to see how my sedentary workday scores. I've always made it a point to go to a colleague's office instead of picking up the phone, etc., but it will be nice to see how much those little things…

Portion control is the way to go for long-term success. If you eat processed foods, though, remember to look at your sodium if your weight loss stalls. If your sodium is high (and some processed foods have crazy numbers), you'll retain water. It's temporary, but annoying.

Thanks for the insights! I just ordered the Zip. I'm not concerned about how I sleep, and want to be able to hide it on a waistband or bra. I walk on a treadmill at work, so that will be a good check. I don't mind if it underestimates some effort. It's the full day of high activity that I want to track.

QUOTE: it'll only effect other people if I don't get my coffee. ^ This!

Lunch is my main meal, so I rely on some frozen dinners. I'm in this for the long haul, and know I won't always have time to pre-prep enough for 5 days. The sodium is a nuisance for what it does to the scale, but it's not a health issue for me. I'd rather to have a hot packaged meal than have to go through a fast-food…

I'm 54, and figure this is NOT going to get any easier! I like logging food and exercise to track of what works. Don't try to do too much too fast. We're supposed to have patience at our age, or so I've heard :wink:

I can't take credit, but I love a friend's claim: "If someone tells me to haul *kitten*, I'll have to make two trips."

If you're afraid to increase your base calories, try staying where you are (and have been successful) and adding your exercise calories from your new program. If you also reduce your processed foods (and sodium) and up your water intake, don't expect to gain. You've done very well so far. Adding more exercise and improving…

I agree! Love, love, love them.

Your mix of meals is something you'll have to experiment with. I'm a real oddball - I have to have breakfast, then my primary meal at lunch. I usually have morning and afternoon snacks, then little or nothing for dinner. That's my best pattern even if I'm not doing that "D" word thing :). If you want a beer (or more), just…