Another question, how do you deal with the weekend? Do you have the same diet as during the week, or do you go off diet, and how do you deal with parties and BBQs? If I know I have a party or bbq I will indulge, but then get back into it when the week starts. I still have a problem telling people Im trying to lose weight, as I think it invites comments, so just wondering what other people think
My goal is to learn to be prepared, I'm trying but don't totally have it down. I eat the same on a weekend unless I have something to go to, a BBQ etc. My "bad" days just seem to happen regardless.
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Originally Posted by getmovin78
Do any of you have a tendancy to stop weighing yourself for a period of time after falling off the wagon? Only to find later about how much weight you gained, and then feeling more discouraged? Sometimes it can actually be better to continue to weigh yourself even with the slip ups rather than face it later.
YES YES YES and that is why I've gotten fat in the past. I get tired of dieting, then I don't weigh, then I gain craploads. No matter how much I hate the whole process I have to do it daily and accept the results.
Definitely needed to hear some of the things I just read about having bad days and keeping an eye on the scale! I've had two bad weekends in a row where I've gone back to my old ways of eating myself sick, in secret, for no good reason.
At least I've dropped the binge/starve cycle I had in middle school and high school. I just have to tell myself that I can do this, food is fuel, not a boredom/loneliness satisfier. My body is a temple and I shouldn't mistreat it.
But away from the seriousness, my favorite weights exercise is probably the military shoulder press because I lose fat quickly in my shoulders so I can actually see those muscles while I'm working them, haha. My favorite calisthenics exercise is probably either bridges or this plank twist move where you bring one knee in at a time towards the opposite side of your body, works the ENTIRE core and my shoulders, back, legs, and stability. Love it!
I weigh every morning. The reason is for a supplement I am on that may cause some water retention. I have to watch it. If I am not on this supp I do not weigh. I try on smaller pants once a week. Better indicator of progress!!
my favourite exercise is the lat pulldown, maybe its because I get to sit down while I do it.
Another question, how do you deal with the weekend? Do you have the same diet as during the week, or do you go off diet, and how do you deal with parties and BBQs? If I know I have a party or bbq I will indulge, but then get back into it when the week starts. I still have a problem telling people Im trying to lose weight, as I think it invites comments, so just wondering what other people think
I have difficulty staying on the straight and narrow on weekends. I do track my calories to at least keep tabs on myself and avoid over-snacking and over-drinking. But it's hard. For example, this past Friday, my work had an office happy hour and then I went to my friend's b-day party at a restaurant. I forced myself to choose between copious alcohol and over-indulgent food. I chose copious alcohol and ate tuna tartar, green beans, and lentils. Avoided b-day cake completely.
This leads me to a question I have: when you eat out, what do you order? How do you choose the healthiest item on the menu? How do you gauge your calories?
restaurants:
grilled chicken or fish, no butter
baked potato-no butter
salad, hold the cheese and vinegar and olive on the side
steamed veggies, no butter
skip the dessert
diet coke or club soda or plain old water
restaurants:
grilled chicken or fish, no butter
baked potato-no butter
salad, hold the cheese and vinegar and olive on the side
steamed veggies, no butter
skip the dessert
diet coke or club soda or plain old water
Good guidelines by which I try to abide. What if you're at the Mexican restaurant? Or the Greek one? Or the Thai one? etc.
I've been getting fajitas when I go for Mexican, eat w/ black beans, lettuce, salsa, and corn tortillas, skip the rice and cheese, etc. It at least seems healthier than the delicious cheese enchiladas.
My diet is clean. I have a cheat meal once or twice a week and it is usually a carb load like pizza. At most gatherings there are healthy choices to make and if not then keep with fats and proteins and stay away from the carbs. Bumping getmovin with the restaurant choices. If you know you are going out don't skimp so you can splurge it will cause you more damage in the long run in reaching your goals. Stay the course, overload on the cheat meal or day then get back on the horse the next day. Not an easy task but if you want that hot body then you will climb right back on. Good luck ladies.
I haven't been around all weekend so I need to catch up on the questions.
Favorite exercise:
One are DB snatch - I guess cause it's just so different and I feel powerfull throwing a 45lbs db over my head!
Once I can actually do one, I am hoping that pullups will be my favorite!!
BBQ's and evenings out- I do everything in moderation, burger without the bun, diet pop, a bite of desert.
Weighing myself- I do it everyday, first thing in the morning after I pee. If it goes up and down, it helps me to focus on what needs to be done that day. If I am up a bit, I will be really tight with my calories, if I am maintaining, I relax a little, if I am down, I smile and feel extra motivated that my hard work is paying off.
Going out to eat- I rarely do these days, but if I do, then it is usually a treat/cheat meal so I don't really worry about it. If it is more often then I just try and order lean protein and veggies. Or a salad and the dressing is always on the side. If it's fast food with the kids, I find something healthly on the menu like the macdonalds chicken fajita wraps or a subway turkey breast wrap.
Good guidelines by which I try to abide. What if you're at the Mexican restaurant? Or the Greek one? Or the Thai one? .
I find genuine ethnic restaurants (not fast food chains) easier than casual dining "American" places like Chile's or Applebees or the like.
You can often find something like Sea Bass Veracruz at a Mexican restaurant or a good steak; kabob or roasted chicken at a Greek place; Thai places often have a Thai BBQ chicken that can be taken with some less caloric sides. You just have to read the menus away from the main stream dishes.
As for the weight, I think 2X/week is good. I think I need to just come to terms that around TOM, I will be up 4-5lbs no matter what. And just deal with it. Can be discouraging, but it is what it is.
As for going out to eat, I also think its vital to stay as clean as possible and make sure its part of your meal plan. Its tough at ethnic places, I find steakhouses are much easier. Outback, Longhorn's, Texas Land and Cattle..just ask food to be prepared without butter. Skip the bread!! The most weight I ever lost was when I was diet compliant on weekends too. When I overdid it on weekends, that is when my progress was teh slowest!
Wow, I"m really behind! I don't get on much on the weekends....
Favorite exercise right now: push press. Love the way my upper body looks doing it. Also, anything crazy with heavy weights that make the bodybuilders steer clear.
Weighing often: I didn't weigh myself every day this summer and it was a mistake. I don't get freaked out about daily fluctuations--I fully expect a 4-5 pound range within a week. It's the high and low numbers that count. If the low number goes up a pound or two, I know I'm in trouble.
Ethnic restaurants--Lisa's suggestions are great; I'll second the Mexican choices--when they offer refried beans and rice on the side, I get a double order of black beans, which don't have a bunch of lard added, or black beans plus veg if they have it. Middle eastern is easy; I just eat kabob, grilled chicken, veg, hummus, salad/taboulleh, and skip the rice and bread. I don't miss it.
Whew! You all must not have kids. Or kids who steal your computer, I guess.
I personally don't see the point in weighing everyday as how much I weigh is not a good indicator of overall health and strength. When trying to reach a goal, I weigh once a month on the same day of my cycle to assist in gauging progress, but overall, not so much. For me, I know if I've eaten in a surplus so I don't really need the scale to validate that. I just refocus myself and get back on course. That's just me though.
__________________ Sade-
If you're not living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space! Move it, move it.
I haven't answered the weighing question yet. I don't own a scale. I use the one at the gym (not a tanita, so no measure of BF), and I weigh most days. I try to weigh before and after my workouts. The before weight is the one I count for the day; the after is mostly to gauge my dehydration from the workout (I have lost up to 2 pounds in a workout before; shows how much I sweat). I think it's helpful to weigh regularly not b/c the individual daily weight is meaningful but b/c the trend is. I have a program on my phone that plots my weight on a graph (totally geeky, I know). For 3 months, I had a pretty regular curve that tracked my lady-cycle. up, up, up, dramatic down, up, up, up, dramatic down, etc. The range is about 4 pounds, but highs and lows are shifting downward. Lately my weight is shifting totally crazy and has nothing to do w/ cycle. up, down, up, down. Prob inconsistent eating.
I think it's helpful to weigh regularly not b/c the individual daily weight is meaningful but b/c the trend is. I have a program on my phone that plots my weight on a graph (totally geeky, I know).
This is why I weigh every day. I have a Physics Diet graph (www.physicsdiet.com) that has shown me that I am actually making progress even though my weight varies.
In order to maximize fat loss, I've been coming up with different kinds of NEAT I can do in the course of my day. It's funny 'cause I have always been interested in economy of movement, and now I'm working on splurging with movement.
I am:
Walking dog twice a day around the block minimally
Brushing dog every day (OK, this is not a lot, but I am standing, it is movement, and dog is very happy)
Not using a shopping cart in the store. I take my re-usable bags and haul my groceries around while I'm shopping and then unload at the cashier. Some people look at me weird, but whatever. This doesn't work for big trips, but it's perfect for midweek runs. Yesterday I went to this local market and ended up with two bags about 20 lbs each. Great exercise, hauling around market, then hauling to car and out of car. No shopping cart at all.
Any other ideas? NEAT is a great way to maximize caloric burn! Yes, it does make a difference!
Any other ideas? NEAT is a great way to maximize caloric burn! Yes, it does make a difference!
I find that cleaning the house is the best way to up my NEAT. It is boring, but I do enjoy the clean house. You could also pick up dog poop in the yard (fun, I know), stand while surfing the internet, go window shopping instead of vegging on the couch, go to a bookstore and browse, teach your dog some new tricks, cook complex meals that require more work and go to a gourmet grocery store to take your time getting supplies. Walk the dog some more-- I'm all about the poochies, can ya tell?
Not using a shopping cart in the store. I take my re-usable bags and haul my groceries around while I'm shopping and then unload at the cashier. Some people look at me weird, but whatever. This doesn't work for big trips, but it's perfect for midweek runs. Yesterday I went to this local market and ended up with two bags about 20 lbs each. Great exercise, hauling around market, then hauling to car and out of car. No shopping cart at all.
LOL! I've done that for years on the theory that one should not eat more than one can lift.
When I drive places, I park far away from where I'm going so I have to walk across the parking lot or down the street. I do a fair bit of gardening (though some might consider it exercise, not NEAT). I play chase with the cats.
PopcornSally you are right about cooking-my NEAT increases a lot when I cook-that was an eye opener for me. My husband told me to try vacuuming and laundry next lol.
I am lurking along following your challenge. Good Luck!
I find that cleaning the house is the best way to up my NEAT. It is boring, but I do enjoy the clean house. You could also pick up dog poop in the yard (fun, I know), stand while surfing the internet, go window shopping instead of vegging on the couch, go to a bookstore and browse, teach your dog some new tricks, cook complex meals that require more work and go to a gourmet grocery store to take your time getting supplies. Walk the dog some more-- I'm all about the poochies, can ya tell?
Adorable doggies! They look like Ribsy in the Beverly Cleary books. What kind are they?
Here's my girl Annie:
(obviously a mutt--possibly Corgi, Jack Russell, Beagle mix)
She's slimmed down a lot since I started the challenge and her fur is shiny! She loves challenges!
I'm working hard on the daily morning 1 hour walk. Theoretically it's exercise, but eventually it will be part of my routine.
I do dance at least 2x a week for 2-3 hours and burn lots of calories that way, so since it is a regular activity, I consider it NEAT.
Without a doubt, housework tops my list. If I go for my walk, come home, make breakfast, shower and stay up on my feet for another couple hours, the calorie burn is so high. Or go out shopping. Wow, that burns a lot. And yes, I park farther out all the time now when shopping.
If I'm conscious to get more exercise since I'm aiming for a 2500 calorie burn each day, I can do it, but I MUST do the morning walk. Otherwise I just won't hit it. Some days I'll take an evening walk also. I never walk hard for exercise, just easy for the movement.
I've also walked up to the grocery store or the library at times.
Evie, I want to pinch your cat's cheeks and Sally, I am a SUCKER for doggies with facial hair like that. So cute. I wants them.
Even though I chipped my tooth doing them, I think lat pulldowns are my favorite right now. I had been getting into unassisted dips pre-NROL4W too. Progress where you couldn't do something before makes you like even the toughest exercises, I guess! Maybe one day - the pullup!
Weighing myself every day can be discouraging. Measurements are a better indicator of change for me. Not that I take those often. Having to yank jeans on after wearing shorts and skirts all summer is discouraging too. Just makes my legs itch all over and i yank em back off as soon as I get home.
As far as eating at restaurants I try my best, but seriously, to go out a pay for a grilled chicken and steamed broccoli - why? I can do that at home! (yeah, I am the devil on your shoulder)
I have started getting of the bus about 10-15 mins away from work in the morning and trying to walk for about 30 mins at lunch.
It's not NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) but I going to start running twice a week, either outdoors or at the gym, intervals or steady state.
The biggest change I've made a few years ago that increases NEAT is to walk instead of cycle when distances are less than 2K away, which means I walk home virtually all of my groceries & went to the gym on foot as well which mostly eliminated the need for indoor cardio.
At the time I had no idea this would make such a big impact but it may have been one of the key factors in being able to lose better as I dropped the HIIT/interval cardio which made me feel so wiped out for most of the day that I couldn't do much else but be a couch potato.
NEAT FTW.
In case you wander, cycling is both much easier & faster than walking, especially when carrying a heavy-ish backpack or grocery bags.
I want to throw out a question as it is something I am dealing with myself.
Do any of you have a tendancy to stop weighing yourself for a period of time after falling off the wagon? Only to find later about how much weight you gained, and then feeling more discouraged? Sometimes it can actually be better to continue to weigh yourself even with the slip ups rather than face it later.
I weigh myself every morning after using the restroom but before I eat breakfast. Weighing myself everyday means no surprises, I'm never shocked at my weight being up or down, because it is ALWAYS going up and down, I'm used to it! Every time I see a lower number than I've ever seen before, I record it. As that "lowest" number gets lower, I know I'm making progress.
However, I definitely make sure to take pictures and measurements, because scale weight has way too many varying factors.
Recently I lost 25 lbs, and then I gained about 13 lbs back because I had a bad two weeks and started avoiding the scale. I watched myself get bigger and it felt terrible, but I stayed away from that scale. As soon as I got back on and came to terms with the number, I was finally able to get back on track. I just wish it hadn't taken me almost two months to do so! PS- I know 13 lbs doesn't sound like much, but it is when you are at your goal weight and are only 5'3"!
Anyway, watching the scale works for me, but if others don't need it, that's fine too!
Any other ideas? NEAT is a great way to maximize caloric burn! Yes, it does make a difference!
I am SO terrible at getting in extra NEAT in my day! Right now I have a co-op (internship) desk job (for the most part), and I'm hating sitting down most of the day. Usually I'm at school, and we're close to some mountains so campus is very hilly. I'm an engineering student and all of my classes are on what we lovingly refer to as "The Hill". So basically, while in school, NEAT is cake. But working, how the heck am I supposed to do this? I work at a plant, so I do quite a bit of walking around the plant for my job, but I can't go walk around it randomnly. People would notice, lol. I'm ready to be back at school in January!
While running errands, I'm a little better at getting NEAT. I've always parked further away from stores, because I figure there are a lot of people that need to be closer before a 20 year old girl. I always try to carry ALL of my groceries out to my car, instead of bringing the cart. That's always amusing to watch I'm sure.
One bad habit I have though is spending a LOT of time on the couch, playing on the computer or watching tv. I need to set a limit for myself, but it is really easy on a Saturday after a hard week or on a weekday after a workout to say, "Oh, you deserve to relax, it's been a tough week/day/workout!" Ha, anyone else have this voice in their head?
I park farther away, whether shopping or at work, so as to get more walking in. When shopping, if not getting a lot of groceries, I carry them around the store with me as well instead of using a cart. One of our local stores has this tiny little cart that so many people use; it's not that much bigger than a basket --- why use that instead of the basket? Laziness, I bet.
I've also started using the restroom on the other side of the building while at work. And I intentionally fill up my water bottle on a separate trip (again, to the other side of the building) from my restroom trips. I'm sure people notice and wonder, but I don't care.
At home, I try to remember to take separate trips upstairs when necessary. So instead of taking up all the clean laundry and the empty hamper all at once, I make three trips (hamper, folded clothes, hanging clothes).
Doing dishes by hand, more housework (with extra trips from room to room: one with the vacuum, another with the duster, another for window-cleaning, and anything I find out-of-place gets taken to where it belongs all by itself) and yardwork all add up!
One bad habit I have though is spending a LOT of time on the couch, playing on the computer or watching tv. I need to set a limit for myself, but it is really easy on a Saturday after a hard week or on a weekday after a workout to say, "Oh, you deserve to relax, it's been a tough week/day/workout!" Ha, anyone else have this voice in their head?
I have a yoga mat in the TV room, with a foam roller, various sizes of balls, a pole, and a rolling pin. I stretch, foam roll, do rehab exercises, and torture myself with the various balls (that's like deep foam rolling) while I watch TV. That way I get my therapy in even when I'm "vegging" in front of the tube. My kids are used to it but I have to restrain myself when they have friends over--I have two teenage boys. In Leigh's original NEAT article (or anyway the one I've seen) she lists stretching and foam rolling as things you can add to up caloric burn. I recently re-read the article and reminded myself of all of the things I can do. Burning fat is NEAT (and that's for the person who asked for the definition, too.)
How is everyone this week? I'm happy--I'm seeing really nice recomp going on in my legs, and the scale was down 4.5 pounds (not that exciting, still not back to normal). I've had a good week with food and exercise, and I'm planning my usual calorie-cycle for this weekend. One difference I am adding is upping my NEAT on high calorie days if I am not going to the gym--last weekend I stained the concrete on my front walk and it was 6 hours of using a roller on a pole, walking back and forth. Sometimes I wish I could borrow a bodybugg for days like that, just to see how many calories get burned.
Adorable doggies! They look like Ribsy in the Beverly Cleary books. What kind are they?
Oh, I had forgotten all about Ribsy! Wasn't that Henry Huggins' dog? My third (or fifth?) grade teacher used to read those books aloud to my class and I loved them. My dogs are half javelina and half coyote-- Javelotes.
Just kidding, of course. Who knows what they are. They came from a rescue group. Your little brown and white pup is a cutie pie, too! I love all dogs (cats too). I am so lucky I get to work with them every day They are big NEAT builders and everyone should have at least one as a diet pal.
Back on topic, I weigh myself daily. I have started tracking BF% daily. I use an Excel spreadsheet and PhysicsDiet.com since I found it here. I like to see the trends over time. Much more meaningful than daily numbers for me.
Favorite exercise... hmm. I like dead lifts now that I know how to do them more correctly. I still can't believe I can lift that much weight! Plus, I don't think I have seen many other people in my gym do them, so it makes me feel special .
I've been reading a lot about NEAT. How much is recommended a day. Do you all measure it by a pedometer? Forgive the silliest question, but I have to ask it. How is standing vs. sitting considered NEAT? I've read some people stand at their computer to surf. Are you really burning that many more calories by standing vs. sitting?
I have a sit-down job. I try to get up and walk to people's offices rather than using our IM client or e-mail. I'm constantly taking movement breaks, but our office isn't that big, so I don't have far to go. At home, I'm pretty active, as in cleaning up after the kids, cooking, laundry, I spend some time after dinner playing a little basketball with the kids, so I think I'm getting it at home, though I could always get more.
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