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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 7 February 2012 05:08 pm |
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Since 2 of you members suggested I start a diary I decided I would give it a shot.
I'm not sure what all I should/will post in here but I suppose I'll get the hang of it in time.
My current pressing concern is why I gained .7 lb in one day while maintaining at least a 1000 cal deficit each day?
I drink 56 - 84 oz of water everyday (not including any coffee, water with pills, or diet pop) Keep a calorie deficit of at least 1000 per day and exercise with my recumbent bike 5 or 6 days a week. I've been losing steadily since Jan 1st (20lbs) but it's getting harder to hit the 2lb loss each week.
Thoughts?
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zenobia
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 7 February 2012 07:16 pm |
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have you tried calorie "zig-zagging?" basically, you have a few days with a significant deficit, then one day you eat about your maintenance then go back down, then have a day where you go over. basically up and down throughout the week. it keeps your body guessing. i have had periods of time (when i lost 20 lbs the first time) where i wouldn't drop anything for about a week, then i would have a day where i didn't count (i didn't WAY over do it, but i had chicken nuggets, cookies, a beer, pizza), then a day or two later the scale would finally drop. i don't know why it works, but it has for me in the past, especially after being at a deficit for a while and losing the first 10 lbs or so...
but whatever you do, do not give up. it will start to pay off. i kno it feels like it's pointless sometimes, but it will work and it's so much better than throwing in the towel.
keep at it! 
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 7 February 2012 09:31 pm |
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Weight loss is not always predictable and "linear". I found http://www.physicsdiet.com a website that lets me keep track of my weight. It uses a clever "weighted average" system to average my weight (giving "more weight" to recent readings). It helps to smooth over those unexpected readings.
Many things can make our weights fluctuate even when we're doing the right things calorie-wise. For example: the weight of food in our body (including weighing yourself before a bowel movement), water retention (for example due to sodium intake), glycogen levels (for those changing from high carb to low carb and back again) etc.
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Sassykat
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 7 February 2012 10:29 pm |
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Glad to see you started a diary Kpoet! Awesome!
Nir is right, there are lots of things that can contribute to the scale besides our calories. I have tried a lot of supplements to improve my health and though they can give me energy and improve my health in a lot of ways, some of them can cause water retention. It's been a frustrating thing to deal with at times. And then others can have a diuretic effect, which can also give an inaccurate weight reading because then you're a bit dehydrated. Some of these are even seasonings, like rosemary can have a diuretic effect. Sometimes Turmeric causes me to retain water. Magnesium, which I take sometimes for sore muscles can cause me to retain a whole pound or pound and a half of water.
Stuff that makes me gain weight that may or may not be fat are: salt, sugar, high carb items, fiber, being constipated or having inflammation of some kind going on.
Even though the short term weight readings may make you feel frustrated or elated (whatever the case may be), it is best to keep your eye on the long term goal and try and be as patient as possible. It's hard, in fact I need to take my own advice because I am addicted to getting on the scale every single day and I always get emotional about it. But logically I know that it takes time and perseverance to reach my goals. And over time you also find that you are making small changes that become permanent, healthier habits. For instance, I use to drink soda pop quite often. At one point I was having 3 cans of diet pepsi a day. I no longer drink soda at all. (Well maybe once or twice a year, but that's about it.) I drink one cup of coffee in the morning and the rest of the day I drink water.
And for the most part I eat much healthier than I use to. I still eat sweets and junk occasionally, but over all I take in a lot more healthy foods than I use to. And when I can afford the extra fresh vegetables and fruits I really make an effort to eat as much of those as possible.
So keep in mind that even the little things you do for your body that are healthy make a difference.
But feel free to come to your diary and rant and rave over what the scale tells you anytime. That's what most of us do and that's what your diary is for.
I think it helps to vent and share the frustrations. That's where the support comes in from our friends.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 7 February 2012 11:06 pm |
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I had a look at my food logs for the past couple of days and found the culprit. My sodium intake yesterday was 511% !
It's also only a few days until "girl time" so I am going to assume I am in retention mode.
I'm staying focused and trying to really put an honest effort into the things that should work. The first 4 weeks I got my eating under control, then added cardio on my recumbent. In the next week or 2 I will add some resistance training and hope to see the scale continue it's journey south!
I'm also involving my 5 year old daughter in the whole process. I've been considered obese her whole life and I want her to see the struggle and reward as I transform. Hopefully it will teach her good habits and a healthy appreciation for her body.
Sassykat and Zenobia, thanks for welcoming me and taking the time to comment. When I get some time tonight I'm gonna try to read both of your diaries!
Nir, you seem to have a very good handle on all things weight loss related and give out lots of advice. Thanks for the suggestion.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 8 February 2012 02:33 pm |
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Another day of no movement on the scale. I know I should be happy that I didn't gain but honestly, I wonder why I'm working so hard.
Since my last loss my bmr has gone down so now I'm supposed to eat even less calories to hit the 1000 cal deficit. Also, because I've lost weight, I have to do twice as much on the bike to burn the same calories. The problem is it doesn't always work even when I follow the rules.
+ Basal Metabolic Rate*: 1491 kcal
+ General Activity*: 596 kcal
+ Extra Activity and Exercise: 0 kcal
- Weight Loss Goal: 1000 kcal
Day Quota: 1087 kcal
- Consumed: 40 kcal
Calories Left: 1047 kcal
So if I don't exercise today I only have 1047 cal left to eat which I can do but I'll most likely end up going to bed hungry. If I do my hour on the bike I'll *earn* an extra 400 cal but let me tell you, I'm soooo hungry after a workout it's very hard not to eat over.
Whatever, I need some encouragement today cause I just want to cry. My daughters class is going toboganning today so I'm gonna get bundled up and join them. Being around the kids having fun should lift my spirits.
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 8 February 2012 02:49 pm |
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Have you given any thought to what you'll need to do to maintain your goal weight once you reach it? How many calories would you be able to eat? How much exercise would you have to do on a weekly basis? At that point in the game you will be expecting to lose 0 pounds a week - what will motivate you to continue?
Are you in a hurry to get to goal, then? Does the deficit have to be 1000 - as opposed to 750, 667, 500 or 400? Would the journey to your destination be more pleasant if you could eat more calories (or exercise less) on the way, or is there a deadline looming?
As far as eating ~1100 calories a day is concerned - and about it being "hard not to eat over" - the magic trick is to change the ratios of what you eat. For example, you could change what you eat so much that it would be a struggle to manage to eat 1000 calories (diagram). This could be a different kind of journey - the journey to retrain your palate to like different types of meal
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Sassykat
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 8 February 2012 04:13 pm |
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Nir, those are some very good questions for all of us. I haven't given thought to how I'm going to maintain my weight.
I'm kind of hoping that I will become accustomed to eating less calories and know what I can and can't eat by looking at the portions and types of foods I eat because I really don't want to count calories the rest of my life. But you really have to educate yourself in the calorie and nutrition content for a good long while to be able to do that without slipping back to eating over your maintenance calories again.
Kpoet, it does sound like you have some hormonal issues going on.  estrogen can contribute to low motivation, feeling like crying easily, increase in appetite among many other symptoms.
Are you taking any hormones for birth control?
If you aren't, there are some things you can do to help modify or balance your hormones a little which may help. You can try eating certain foods or look up some supplements or teas. I've heard even cleaning your liver can help balance hormones. Have you heard of digestive bitters? They help clean out your liver and work simply by tasting bitter herbs on your tongue that stimulates the liver to release bile to better digest your food and the bile that is released is also "cleaning out the liver".
B vitamins also help by providing enzymes for the liver to work better, which in turn helps balance hormones better.
I hate what you call "girl time". Blargh! I've had some bad ones too.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 8 February 2012 05:07 pm |
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Ok so here's the readers digest version of my story.
Between 1999 and 2006 I went from 150lbs to 200lbs
In 2007, after giving birth to my daughter I was 250 lbs. At somewhere between 5'7" and 5'8" that was pretty obese.
I started using slimfast and in 8 months was down to 178
I felt awesome, was only 18lbs from my goal and decided I could do it on my own without counting calories.
Now on January 1st of this year I was up to 220 so I gained 40 lbs in 4 years
Currently my bmi is still over 30 so I should be able to lose 2lbs a week for a couple more weeks. After that I fully expect the weight loss to slow down but I see no reason I shouldn't be able to lose 1 lb/week until my goal which is again 160.
I eat very well, in fact here is my calorie distribution over the last 4 weeks:
Start: Jan 10 2012
End: Feb 06 2012
Span: 4 weeks
Data: 28 values
Average Distribution: F:24% C:50% P:22% A:4%
Recommended: F:20-30% C:50-65% P:10-20%
What you can't see from this is what kind of carbs but I can assure you it's 90% vegetable. I've almost cut out refined carbs completely.
Can I maintain after I reach my goal? Absolutely! My problem last time was complacency (sp?), now I know I will need to use the calorie counter during maintainance to ensure I do not overdo things.
The being hungry on 1100 calories has more to do with how hungry I get after exercise, if I can find a way to control that, life is good.
Sassykat,I do take a multivitamin daily to ensure I get my daily amounts and extra b6 and b12. I don't take any BC, I have the mirena iud and it's been great.
Oh and I have been expirimenting with different weight loss supplements for sh*ts and giggles. I will admit to getting some extra energy from a couple of them but I'm thinking they aren't as much help as they are harm.
Hmmm so much for keeping it short, I have to go toboganning now but if you have any other questions or suggestions I will check back later.
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Sassykat
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 8 February 2012 06:00 pm |
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Toboganning Sounds like a blast. Hope you have a great time Kpoet!
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 9 February 2012 01:34 am |
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It was fantastic! Not only did my motivation return, but those kids really helped me put things into perspective.
They reminded me today that doing things you enjoy, no matter how hard it is, how much it hurts after or how sweaty you get, isn't exercise....it's simply having a good time and enjoying life.
I love Tae Bo, and dancing and singing and I'm learning to love my recumbent. In the next week or so I'm going to get some resistance bands and start loving them too!
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 9 February 2012 10:34 pm |
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Another up day, on the scale that is 
Still not sure what's causing the gain but I'm making sure to keep my sodium in check.
I'll weigh again tomorrow and I'm seriously hoping it isn't up again.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 10 February 2012 03:17 pm |
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I decided not to weigh this morning. I know I'm eating exceptionally well and getting a healthy amount of exercise so whatever's going on with the scale I have to believe it's going to even out in the end.
I just knew if I stepped on the scale and saw another gain I'd feel defeated and end up going off the rails for a bit so I'm not going to bother until Sunday.
Not sure what I'll do then if my weight is up? There has to be a reason right?
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 12 February 2012 05:41 pm |
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Weigh in day. Was feeling thinner this morning so was very happy to see a loss on the scale. Such a crazy week though, up a pound beginning of the week, back down midweek then 1.5 loss this morning.
I'm sooo happy it eventually evened out. I was quite tempted to have a non counting day yesterday but stayed strong and now I'm rewarded.
I am going to increase my calories this week instead of decrease. I think there just may be some truth in the suggestion to not go below my bmr. If that means my weight loss slows to 1 lb per week I am ok with that. Better 1 lb down than nothing (or a gain) and feeling like #%@&!!
What I can't figure out is why the calorie counter thing keeps adjusting me to below my bmr calories if it's not a good thing to do?
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 12 February 2012 06:26 pm |
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First of all, you have not said which Software or Website is "reducing your calories". The software might have been written to simply figure out your maintenance and subtract a number (500 or 1000 etc.) from it.
Whether eating below your unadjusted RMR is a bad thing, and just how a bad thing it is, is a matter for debate. It may depend on the individual (i.e. different people may tolerate it to different degrees). Certainly lean people can tolerate it less than fat people (with the useful 31 x pounds-to-loose formula for maximum deficit springing to mind). Right now in the 'general discussions' section people are calling each other names - hotly debating this - are deficits linear? will a 250 deficit lead to 1/2 a pound and 1000 deficit lead to 2 pounds in linear fashion? Is "a calorie a calorie"? etc. There are yet other angles to explore: "G-Flux" is the idea of eating more and exercising more, CRON is the idea of eating less and extending your lifespan. I've been interested in these topics for years and don't claim to have the last word on it.
Here's a fluctuation for you: on Friday night I was 6.6lb (3 kilos) heavier than I was on Sunday morning (36 hours later). Did I lose that much? No - the heavier weight was at one extreme (with food in my belly, retaining water due to sodium, gylcogen etc.) and the other was with all of these gone and perhaps also a little dehydrated - with my true weight somewhere close to the middle.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 12 February 2012 10:23 pm |
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I've been using Nutridiary. It's not an active site anymore (no admin or moderators) but it's still functional and I've been using it for so many years I have tons of foods and meals in it.
I believe you are right in that they basically calculate my bmr, add a lifestyle factor, then subtract what I've input as a desired deficit. Here is a where they have me right now:
CALORIE SUMMARY
+ Basal Metabolic Rate*: 1485 kcal
+ General Activity*: 594 kcal
+ Extra Activity and Exercise: 0 kcal
- Weight Loss Goal: 1000 kcal
Day Quota: 1079 kcal
- Consumed: 0 kcal
Calories Left: 1079 kcal
So when I exercise and log those calories obviously my quota goes up but I seem to always feel like I am exercising just to eat (if that makes sense.
I didn't bother to educate myself the last time I "dieted". I just followed exactly what nutridiary allowed for calories, walked alot and lost 70lbs. After putting 40 of those lbs back on over the past 4 years I realize I have to understand what I'm doing with my body so I can continue to be healthy indefinitely.
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 13 February 2012 12:04 pm |
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A couple of observations here:
1) the 'General Activity' figure is exactly 0.4 of the 'BMR' figure. In other words a factor of 1.4 has been applied to the BMR. I don't know if Nutridiary asked about your lifestyle before applying this figure - the CPH calculators use the 1.2 factor for "sedentary" (pre-exercise) lifestyle. We also encourage the use of RMR.
2) according to the bottom of this page http://www.nutridiary.com/gethelp.asp?t=bmr.xml the Nutridiary calculator adjusts down your RMR (i.e. does not use the formula as is) if you say that your weight is more than 20% above your goal
What is shocking is that, without any moderators, they still don't appear to have a single piece of SPAM. We get hit daily.
Out of interest, what is your RMR when calculated with our CPH calculators?
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 13 February 2012 02:40 pm |
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Using the calculator on this site I get
BMR 1,651 RMR 1,611
Out of curiosity I tried several different calculators and came up with values any where from 1460 - 1705
This makes weight loss even more confusing, who knows if I'm really eating in enough of a deficit to incur loss or so much of a deficit I'm starving myself.
For the past 3 or 4 days I've been eating 1300-1400 cal a day instead of the 1047 and I do feel better. I haven't adjusted my lifestyle factor yet because I haven't been exercising long/ regularly enough for me to know I'll do it every single day and I really don't want to eat more than I use.
Thank you so much for your insight and suggestions. I'm really serious about changing my lifestyle to a healthier one and alot of this stuff is very confusing.
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 13 February 2012 04:05 pm |
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You either use an activity multiplier or you count your specific activity exercise. You don't do both or else you've actually counted your exercise twice.
However, someone who might do both is someone who is naturally very active (for example they have a very active job - builder or farmer etc. - using a multiplier higher than 1.2) who then also counts the exercise they do in the gym, on their workout days. I could see this is as valid.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 13 February 2012 07:13 pm |
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So,let me see if I have this right.
If I eat at my rmr, not counting the activity factor calories or any additional exercise calories, I *should* at the very least stay the same weight or lose a little bit each week?
Right now I have the calculator set at lightly active because if I don't exercise I really don't do anything all day other than the very basics (cooking, showering, dressing etc).
If I were to eat between 1400 - 1500 calories a day, of nutritional food, getting all my vitamins minerals etc, could I reasonably expect to see a loss each week?Last edited on 13 February 2012 07:18 pm by Kpoet
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 13 February 2012 07:15 pm |
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| Oh and I think the reason they don't get spam is because no one knows about the website. Without support it isn't advertised or anything
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 13 February 2012 08:17 pm |
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There are no adverts for CPH - I guess we surive on our search rank (I'm guessing that's how you originally found us - searching for something)
Right now I have the calculator set at lightly active because if I don't exercise I really don't do anything all day other than the very basics (cooking, showering, dressing etc).
Lightly active already counts some exercise (about 300 calories a day). A more appropriate multiplication factor for "the basics" is "sedentary". That's 1.2
If I eat at my rmr, not counting the activity factor calories or any additional exercise calories, I *should* at the very least stay the same weight or lose a little bit each week?
Unadjusted RMR 1611
Sedentary RMR = 1.2 x 1611 = 1933
If you eat 1611 (and not exercise) you should be losing about 0.6lb a week.
If you eat 1400-1500 (and not exercise) you should be losing about 0.8lb-1lb a week.
If you eat 1400-1500 and exercise, you stand to lose more.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 15 February 2012 01:00 am |
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Thanks for all the advice. I think I'm basically on the right track with what I'm eating so if I can stay on track with portions and fit in daily exercise I should continue on a downward trend. I guess I just fell into the trap of wanting it faster instead of better.
I'm going to continue for probably the rest of this week eating at or around my rmr and getting at least 30 mins of exercise daily. I'll check my weight Sunday and see what happens then go from there.
I just really pray I don't gain this week.
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Sassykat
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 15 February 2012 03:07 pm |
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| It sounds like you're doing really well Kpoet.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 15 February 2012 03:21 pm |
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Argh. I was doing really well until last night. I really did try to stay on track but I was so busy yesterday I never did any exercise then I went out for supper.
I chose a chicken stir fry which was tasty but loaded with sodium I'm sure. even though I feel good about my choice I did go over my cals and it definitely showed on the scale this morning.
I'm going to cut it back a bit today to make up for it and hopefully it still evens out over the week.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 21 February 2012 11:43 pm |
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What a crazy 5 days! One of my girls and her 2 sons drove down for a visit and to spend my birthday with me. I had a fantastic time visiting and playing with the little guys and felt great.
I didn't exercise at all, other than 1 night out dancing (killer) and whatever I burned chasing a 1 year old around. I also didn't obsess about calories but logged everything and guess what.....I lost 3lbs!!!
I am so excited and motivated to continue, I think the break was exactly what I needed.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 26 February 2012 03:30 pm |
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Weigh in day.
I finally moved out of the obese category and into overweight! What perfect motivation to continue on and strive for a better life.
I've now lost 25 of the 60 lbs I set out to lose and feel pretty darn good.
Unfortunately all that weight came off above the waist and below the knee so I'm still wearing the same size pants. Hopefully now the belly/butt/thigh fat will start to come off.
One question I have moving forward is about the exercise. I've been using the recumbent 6 days a week, and have started a bit of resistance training with pilates bands. I want to add in some Tae Bo as well but I'm not sure how to get the most benefit from these 3 things? Any ideas of how/when to do each thing for maximum benefit?
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 27 February 2012 10:56 pm |
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the bands let you do exercises that target your muscles (it is also possible to do some exercises like this without equipment - just using your body weight). When designing a resistance programme for yourself, a couple of guidelines to bare in mind:
BALANCE your muscle groups - target each one (for example legs, back, chest, abs, biceps, triceps, shoulders)
REST your muscle groups. For example exercise all muscle groups on Mondays and Thursdays - giving them a chance to recover on the other days.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 28 February 2012 01:16 am |
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So would this schedule be ok?
Mon, wed, fri - 60 mins recumbent
tues, thurs - 30 mins recumbent, 30 mins Tae Bo, 15 mins resistance training
sat - 30-60 mins recumbent.
Does that look ok? I only figure 15 mins with the resistance bands because I can only do like 3 sets of 10 of each movement so it doesn't take very long.
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 28 February 2012 11:36 am |
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| how many different band exercises can you think of? are all muscle groups getting at least one exercise?
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 28 February 2012 01:12 pm |
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The pilates bands I bought come in 3 different strengths and included a booklet of exercises. I know that as I build muscle I'll be able to do more so it will take longer but for now it really is only about 15 mins.
I really appreciate all your advice, I'm trying very hard to lose the weight properly so I can hopefully avoid surgery. Right now there is already so much excess skin I'm not sure I can get it all tightened up but I'm sure gonna try!
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 4 March 2012 02:39 pm |
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Argh I'm so frustrated. I'm working my butt off but it seems to be going so slow.
According to my calories in vs out chart I *should* have lost 2.8lbs this past week. I only lost 1.2 which is still good, it's a loss, but why not the 2.8?
I increased my exercise this week as well, adding the 2 Tae Bo workouts, an extra hour on the recumbent and 2 days of strength training.
I'm drinking from 56 - 84oz of water everyday and getting all my recommended daily % of vitamins and minerals with the exception of iron.
Like I said....so frustrating.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 6 March 2012 02:15 pm |
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So, in my frustration I went searching for answers as to why things weren't going the way I thought they should be.
I ended up getting a copy of "Burn the fat, feed the muscle" and read it all in one sitting. How eye opening! So much of it made perfect sense and while I'm sure it's not the holy grail (or at least not the only one) of weight loss, the principles seem sound and founded in experience.
I am 100% more comfortable with last weeks 1 lb loss now that I've learned it was pure fat loss.
I am going to follow this lifestyle for at least 4 weeks and see if this is the plan that works with my body. If not, it won't have hurt me and I'll know one more thing not to do. If it works, it's something I can definitely see myself doing happily for the rest of my life.
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Hisgal
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 6 March 2012 05:39 pm |
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I think you'll see results with BFFM. The time I see results in the stomach/butt/thighs/legs is when I keep the sugars/refined carbs really low. If I remember right, BFFM should do that for you. And I think it's on track about eating your bigger meals earllier in the day, or trying carb cycling.  Here's to success!
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 7 March 2012 01:21 am |
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Thanks for the comments and encouragement! I've already cut out probably 80% of refined carbs so upping it to closer to 90% shouldn't be too hard with a little effort.
I'm really excited about the carb/calorie cycling but I can see it's going to take me a bit to adjust to eating more of my calories earlier in the day.
I also can't wait to see if doing my cardio on a empty stomach works for me. I threw my back out chipping ice and shoveling snow yesterday but I made myself get on the recumbent for 30 mins before breakfast anyway. Definitely not a stellar workout but I feel good that I did something.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 9 March 2012 01:57 pm |
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Day 4 of Bffm. I've been following the plan to the letter, even the exercise aspect even though I've had to seriously medicate myself to get through any kind of workout. My weight is up a tiny bit which shouldn't really bother me but it does. Sunday is official weigh in day and I'll be doing my measurements as well so hopefully things continue the downward trend.
One question I have for anyone familiar with or has done the Bffm plan, how long should I continue on if it doesn't seem to be working? I know about modifying it, changing calorie amounts and etc but when do you just say enough is enough?
I'm just saying I'm not sure I can emotionally handle too many weeks without weight/fat loss or *gasp* gain at this stage in my journey. Maybe I'm just being paranoid because it seems I'm eating too much. I know I'm staying in a good caloric balance but I've never eaten 5 times a day in my life.
On a good note, my back is beginning to feel a bit better. Hopefully it won't be long until I'm back to 100%.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 11 March 2012 03:00 pm |
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192.5 today. I should be happy, I should feel better about myself, I should be grateful that it's lower than last week.
I'm not. I feel my motivation slipping away by the hour. Last night I sat and cried for an hour because I still can't fit into smaller pants.
I've lost 27.5 lbs since January and I'm down 5.5" just from last week, 3.5" of that was all abdomen!
The stupid chart says my body fat % went down a teenie bit but my lean muscle mass went down alot.I feel like all I'm doing on this bffm plan is eat and exercise but not getting anywhere fast.
I need to find some motivation and soon!
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 15 March 2012 03:07 pm |
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Definitely feel more like myself today. All that negative emotion must have been there for a while to come rushing out that like.
I decided the BFFM program wasn't for me. Not knocking the plan, I'm sure it works for a lot of people, but I feel way better since I went back to my own method. I am making an appt to see my doctor to discuss carbohydrate sensitivity as I think I may be legitimately affected.
My back is feeling about 95% so I'm rockin the workouts full out, and the weight training I've started is definitely doing something cause I hurt in places I didn't know existed!
I anticipate a drop in pant size by the end of this month. I don't really have much fat left on my upper body, I can see my ribs for the first time in decades, so it's gotta start coming off the middle soon.
On the down side I broke a tooth on monday and can't get in to the dentist until tomorrow night.
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 17 March 2012 10:14 pm |
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I have read BFFM back in 2006 and despite going a different route, a couple of ideas have remained with me:
Protein does not happen "by accident" when in a calorie deficit - it is achieved by deliberately selecting some protein-rich foods. Aim for 0.5g protein times your weight in pounds.
Secondly - actually do Chapter 1 - goal setting. Do not just read the chapter but do it! Still using my affirmations today.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 17 March 2012 11:49 pm |
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I was definitely eating the correct amounts of things, protein included, but just can't do the 5x a day thing. I'm really a 2-3 times a day eater.
I'm still focusing on eating more protein and veggie carbs and have gone back to seriously limiting breads, pasta, rice etc. Even the whole grain carbs cause me to hold or gain weight it seems.
I did do the first chapter, wrote down my affirmations and goals and read them everyday. I agree wholeheartedly that weight loss/healthy living has a huge mental component.
I've now swapped out my rice cracker snack with a dried fruit and nut mix. I love the stuff and much prefer it to chips or cookies. I just have to remember portion control
Thanks as always for the bits of knowledge and advice!
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 18 March 2012 01:33 am |
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Kpoet wrote:
I was definitely eating the correct amounts of things, protein included, but just can't do the 5x a day thing. I'm really a 2-3 times a day eater.
You don't need 5 meals a day; http://muscleevo.com/six-small-meals-a-day/
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 18 March 2012 04:50 am |
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Interesting read. It's so hard to make balanced informed decisions with so much contradictory information flying around.
It appears the only way to know the right method of weight loss is to try different ways until you find the one that works for your specific body.
I'm on track to lose 2 lbs this week, going back to how I was eating before BFFM with a few minor adjustments. I think I need to listen to my body more and the "experts" less.
I appreciate the feedback Nir, it's very helpful!
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 18 March 2012 03:31 pm |
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Aha! weight this morning is down 3.8 lbs. I have to assume then that the carbs were in fact the culprit so I'll continue on with limiting them.
I feel better too, not so emotional and sluggish. I think if I keep this up and remember my flaxseed oil and calcium supplement everyday things will continue smoothly.
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 18 March 2012 09:01 pm |
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Kpoet wrote:
Aha! weight this morning is down 3.8 lbs. I have to assume then that the carbs were in fact the culprit so I'll continue on with limiting them.
carbs (and I am assuming healthy carbs, if you were following BFFM) have calories, just the same way that protein and fat do.
an unexpectedly large drop (in other words a drop of a pound that did not follow a 3500 calorie deficit) is generally some sort of water-weight fluctuation.
If BFFM baseline (50 carbs 30 protein 20 fat) is 'high carb' by your definition because you normally go lower, so previously your glycogen storage was full and now it is depleted...
...er well how about this analogy: you were previously weighing yourself whilst wearing your heaviest boots, and now you are weighing yourself barefoot!
just so long as you are aware that this is boots weight (water weight) and not fat weight (or not entirely fat weight)
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 18 March 2012 11:11 pm |
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I suppose I should have been more specific. The carbs I've essentially cut out are things like breads, cereals, rice, crackers etc, even the whole grain varieties.
I'm eating mostly protein and healthy fat and getting my carbs from veggies and the occasional fruit.
My calorie deficit was high but yes...some of the weight was probably water. I also worked out a bit harder than normal which I assume burnt a few more calories.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 26 March 2012 02:37 pm |
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Ugh so off track right now. Went visiting the kids and while I tried to keep the food choices healthy I didn't do any exercise and over indulged a bit.
Neither of my girls own a scale so I couldn't weigh myself until I got home but I knew it was going to be up. I did track my calories though so I figured to be up about 2-3 lbs, but when I stepped on the scale this morning....almost 6 lbs! What the heck, I certainly didn't eat that many calories over maintenance.
I am not going to let this derail me. It's a speed bump, a blip on the screen, a scratch on the album. I'll buckle down and get back to work and hopefully this few gained pounds will come off quickly so I can get back on schedule.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 28 March 2012 01:50 pm |
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Well whatever that big loss followed by bigger gain was, it sure is strange. I've managed to lose 3 of the 6 lbs I put on last week so I'm hoping the rest comes off by sunday and I'm back on track.
Does anyone know how much water the body can retain? What I'm wondering is if it's possible the 3.8 lb loss one week was all water which my body thirstily stored up the following week and then some? I double checked my calorie counts for both weeks and the numbers don't add up for the loss or the gain.
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 28 March 2012 04:33 pm |
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I eat a very low sodium diet when at home. In other words I do not add salt to my food and I eat barely any foods that could be described as processed (bread, food coming from a tin, pre-cooked meat/fish etc.)
On the other hand whenever I eat out or eat at someone else's home my sodium intake is higher (this is whether the food tastes salty or not).
Sodium is a major cause of water retention - in my case it can take days to flush out the excess sodium and reverse the water retention.
I can weigh 7 or 8 pounds more after a single meal out (a mixture of the weight of the food and drink - and the water retention) and it can take a few days to get back to my usual weight.
Just to be clear, as far as calories are concerned I may eat my usual intake or it perhaps go over by about 1000 calories, which would only be compatible with a gain of 0.3 pounds.
I find that it helps to drink plenty of water (or other liquid) to speed up the process of my weight returning to its normal range.
Obviously if I had also over-eaten on calories then I can expect to gain fat, an extra 3500 calories would put an extra 1lb of fat.
(also, I do not eat "low carb", but if someone did then the difference between fully glycogen-loaded and depleted is about 4lb.)
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 28 March 2012 07:39 pm |
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You sure are a fountain of information! I am also very low sodium at home so it makes sense that I would maybe carry less water than the average person and bloat considerably when eating fast foods or meals prepared by others.
I am pretty low carb again, I find it works well for me and I don't have much trouble maintaining that style of eating. Whenever I stray and attempt a different eating style that includes breads, rice, pasta etc I start packing on the pounds instantly.
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Kpoet
New Member
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Posted: 2 April 2012 02:27 pm |
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Back on track again! That sure was a strange couple of weeks. Hopefully things have settled and will continue on at a steady pace.
I had originally aimed to get down to goal weight by the end of summer, then realized as the weight comes off it will be harder so gave myself until February. Now my middle daughter has got engaged and is planning a fall wedding so I feel the pressure to push for the earlier goal.
Right this second, there is nothing I want more than to look healthy and fit for her wedding pictures.
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