The Fat Loss TroubleshootThis is your place to troubleshoot your fat loss problems from nutrition to training. This section is led by Leigh Peele, author of "The Fat Loss Troubleshoot," the ultimate fat loss manual. If your results have slowed or stalled this is the place to come for advice for all your fat loss needs.
The first full month on NROL4W . . the weigh in/measurements
This is a sort of 'follow up' thread to the one I started where I hadn't lost any weight 3 weeks in. I figured I would now post my one month results and the questions it raised.
First month weigh in/measurements On the NROL4W
starting weight: 160.0
ending weight: 159.0
Starting measurements: (all in inches)
Neck: 14 1/2
Right Bicep (relaxed): 12 1/2
Bust: 42 1/4
Under Bust: 34 1/2
Hips: 43 1/4
Right Thigh: 24
Ending measurements:
Neck: 14 1/2
Right Bicep: 12 3/4
Bust: 42
Under Bust: 34
Waist: 34
Hips: 43
Right Thigh: 24 1/2
The Synopsis:
I lost one pound, a half inch off of my under bust and waist, and a quarter inch off of my hips and bust.
I gained a quarter inch on my bicep and a half inch on my right thigh.
If you add it all up, it is one pound and 1 1/2 inches lost, then 3/4 inch gained.
Notes:
Honestly my biggest disappointment about this first month is that I don't FEEL any thinner, or like I am losing weight. I knew my shirts were getting tighter on my bicep area, and I am actually shocked that the amount isn't greater. I feel fatter when I put my clothes on than I did when I started.
The thing I liked the most about this month is the time spent in the gym and feeling like I am getting stronger. Finding out what my body can do, and making strides in getting better form and such.
At the end of the day, I don't know how to interpret those numbers . . .
Ponderings:
*Do the bicep and thigh gains mean that I am building muscle?
*Are the 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch differences enough to indicate positive developments, or are those amounts small enough to where they are still in the 'margin of error' range?
*Does this mean that the exercise is okay, but I am simply going to have to overhaul my diet?
What I am considering doing:
*Going to lifting 2x a week (instead of 3) and adding two days of cardio
*Taking the calorie counts down from 1750 and 1900, to 1500 and 1700 calories per day
*Make my protein goal as important as my calorie goal.
*Cut out almost all prepackaged food, and eat more traditional 'good' foods like turkey, beans, and such . . .
__________________
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If you weren't born drop dead gorgeous, be thankful for the opportunity to develop character first.
Well, I think you already know the answer....but it's all about your diet. You need to start planning, really tracking REAL food, less restaurant food.
You can lose fat doing ANY exercise program....but your diet HAS to be in check first. Losing fat is probably 90%+ diet.
I think the changes on arms and legs are probably within margin of error as it is wicked hard to get the tape on exactly the same place and make sure you are level with the tape, especially on yourself. Even if you have a favorite freckle to guide you it is still hard to make sure you are level and even on legs & arms on yourself. Even if someone else is measuring, it's hard to know if it is the same place and just as level as the last time.
I was going to say the same thing about the measurements. It is really hard to consistently measure yourself. I find that a pair of non-stretchy pants is much better to gauge progress than measuring tape.
But it really does come down to diet. Were you weighing/tracking ALL your food? If not then it really is impossible to know how many calories you are actually consuming.
Hi Katy, this is my $.02 just as a "newbie" going through the same thing so hope its helpful for what its worth. First you're not doing as bad as you think although I know the frustration believe me! The book says you may not notice a change in weight but if your clothes are fitting better you have hit "the bulls eye"
What I'm seeing is you are losing inches where you have the fat to lose, ie waist hips bust and underbust. I don't know how big your arms were to begin with, mine were 11.25/11.5 but I know that part of that is muscle so you're a little bigger but you may have already had more muscle to start with and less fat. Arms and quads are the areas I think that are more prone to putting on muscle on top of fat at first and that may or may not be why you're seeing them get bigger. But I do not think they are bigger b/c you have put on more fat, the exercises work the arms pretty hard. It could be swelling if you recently upped the weight?
Also I have learned and I'm sure you're seeing that the maintenance levels suggested in the book are pretty loose guidelines and could very well be too high for us short people. I started off at something like 1900-2200 calories a day (I was exceeding the recommended maintenance) but because I was getting much more protein then I am used to it started to affect my appetite and my calories dropped significantly by the 6th day of tracking. THAT is when I started to drop pounds. I don't know what you maintenance protein is supposed to be so that may or may not apply to you.
On the other hand, you have a very active job. I remember when I waitressed for a year in school, I was hungry all the time! Like that Time article that was posted a while back (Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin) pointed out, the more excercise we get the hungrier we are. As that is definately the case for me, I started eating less during the day, so I could eat more calories post-workout when I would be more hungry. I also started eating something right before I worked out. Again, there are consequences to that I noticed in myself so that might only be an idea if you do not already suffer from chronic fatigue (I do so I'm going to have to start eating more during the day after all).
But in general you've had enough time as the book suggests one month of maintenance (or at least keeping consistent calories) to figure out you may need to adjust your calories down. I also agree on prioritizing getting as much protein as possible this will reduce your appetite and necessarily bring your calories and carbs down...are you tracking your carbs too?
Anyway, hope you don't get discouraged, if you enjoy going to the gym regardless, that is a very good thing in and of itself. It feels good to feel like you're getting stronger and pushing yourself. I wish you good luck in stage 2!!
I think the changes on arms and legs are probably within margin of error as it is wicked hard to get the tape on exactly the same place and make sure you are level with the tape, especially on yourself. Even if you have a favorite freckle to guide you it is still hard to make sure you are level and even on legs & arms on yourself. Even if someone else is measuring, it's hard to know if it is the same place and just as level as the last time.
OK, good, now we've got some data we can work with
If losing fat were my top priority, I would take my next steps out of the consideration stage and into the starting tomorrow stage.
Then we can reconvene in a month and take another look-see
Don't be afraid to drop your calories a bit more. 200 fewer calories a day will add up to a weekly additional deficit of 1,400 calories... and that's not enough to make a big difference unless you increase your activity level dramatically.
Also I have read articles where some women don't show any progress with a new exercise program until after the 4th week This happened exactly this way for me after the 4th week on Chalean Extreme-dropped 5 lbs and clothes were loose. Also watching portions and refiguring your maintenance calories might be necessary as they might be too high. I personally don't care if I weigh 300 lbs as long as I fit back in my size 10s lol.
Also I have read articles where some women don't show any progress with a new exercise program until after the 4th week This happened exactly this way for me after the 4th week on Chalean Extreme-dropped 5 lbs and clothes were loose. Also watching portions and refiguring your maintenance calories might be necessary as they might be too high. I personally don't care if I weigh 300 lbs as long as I fit back in my size 10s lol.
Thats a great read. But wtf I'm supposed to weigh my peanut butter? The back of the jar says 2 tbsp so I scoop out a *level* teaspoon (a measuring tsp) and prorate my calories based on that.
Why would the jar of peanut butter say 2 tablespoons = 32 g and has X amount of calories if 2 tablspoons doesn't really equal 32 g but more than that?
I put almost everything on the scale except liquids (but i do weigh my acai for some reason). But peanut butter, salad dressing, condiments and olive oil, I use measuring spoons.
What do I have to weigh out my protein powder too even though it says one scoop = x grams? Actually I did weigh it out this time b/c the new jar didn't come with a scoop...it wound up a full 1/8 cup packed in.
I think the changes on arms and legs are probably within margin of error as it is wicked hard to get the tape on exactly the same place and make sure you are level with the tape, especially on yourself. Even if you have a favorite freckle to guide you it is still hard to make sure you are level and even on legs & arms on yourself. Even if someone else is measuring, it's hard to know if it is the same place and just as level as the last time.
You know about my freckle!! Are there no secrets around here? Next you'll be telling people about that mole . . .
Thank you everyone for the input. I do plan to put the Considerations into action starting tomorrow.
I am disappointed in this month's results, but I do know that it is a matter of adjusting what I am doing in order to see the results that I want.
__________________
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If you weren't born drop dead gorgeous, be thankful for the opportunity to develop character first.
It's really so much easier to weigh stuff like that anyway. Isn't it hard to scoop the pb out of the Tbsp? Just tare the scale with your bread on it, smear some pb on and see how much you added. Same with mayo. I hate trying to scrape mayo out of a tablespoon.
For salad dressing, put your salad bowl on the scale, tare, add dressing till you get a serving.
Put the cracker or bread or celery on the scale - zero it out - then add your peanutbutter or condiment. Or not. It's just another tool in the fat loss arsenal. Willingness has always been an issue with me but I've become willing because I'm not willing to stay where I am.
damn my tablespoon measured out 20 g. Thats 122 calores. What the...i guess my teaspoon won't exactly break down to 41 calories either b/c i have to weigh that too? this will be interesting to see what difference it makes in my total calories.
now here's another question for you. my TJ's tuna said calories based on 155 g. drained. When I drained it and scooped it out it came out to 105 g. I'm using a digital postage scale which in the beginning I compared the weights to a regular food scale so its off a little but not 45 g (and it would be overweighing not underweighing i would think).
It's really so much easier to weigh stuff like that anyway. Isn't it hard to scoop the pb out of the Tbsp? Just tare the scale with your bread on it, smear some pb on and see how much you added. Same with mayo. I hate trying to scrape mayo out of a tablespoon.
For salad dressing, put your salad bowl on the scale, tare, add dressing till you get a serving.
Easy peasy, less dishes to wash.
I actually find it easier to use the spoons I eat straight out of the PB jar. Its harder to weigh a spoon with a rounded bottom though when I just weighed it as mentioned above, I took out all pb from the spoon and put it in a flat measuring 1/4 measuring cup which i tared before putting the peanut butter in.
I'm a dipper, I dip my veggies in dressing and my chicken in sauce and my veggie sausage in mayo (yeah yeah). Then I pour/scrape out the left over and measure whats left and readjust.
Doing salad like that is probably a better idea though. I guess everyone's different. I just wanted to know what is the most accurate way.
It's off a bit compared to the food scale? Do you know the food scale was accurate?
I have a digital postal scale. It's very accurate (I checked it with calibration weights I acquired from an old lab). Just because something is marketed as a food scale doesn't necessarily make it more accurate. Hmm, I'm trying to think of something that would be a standard weight that you can check it by.
Quote:
I'm a dipper, I dip my veggies in dressing and my chicken in sauce and my veggie sausage in mayo (yeah yeah). Then I pour/scrape out the left over and measure whats left and readjust.
See, for me that would be much easier with a scale. Squirt x grams into bowl/cup. Dip till you're done and weigh again. More likely I'd just eat the whole amount though. LOL.
It's off a bit compared to the food scale? Do you know the food scale was accurate?
I have a digital postal scale. It's very accurate (I checked it with calibration weights I acquired from an old lab). Just because something is marketed as a food scale doesn't necessarily make it more accurate. Hmm, I'm trying to think of something that would be a standard weight that you can check it by.
The food scale is old so no it may not be accurate but like I said they came out pretty close. I just gave up trying to split the difference because even that varied somewhat and just use the postal scale now. However, it must be somewhat off b/c it will get stuck between 30 g and 35 back and forth sometimes . NOt that it can't hit a nmber like 67 it isn't measuring just in 5 g increments but its kinda funky.
i just stare at it a minute till it makes up its mind. if it picks a number for say 20 or 30 seconds i go with it. if i'm feeling impatient i split the difference. if the food is high in something i don't want like fat or sugar in fruit i take the higher number. the other reason i know its off some way is it cannot recognize anything less than 5 g. i weighed some jewelery on it while ago and until i put a few pieces on it wouldn't read it. obviousy it weighed something.
But i'm glad you said a postal scale can be just as accurate. So yours can tell if you put 1 g of something on it?
It's really so much easier to weigh stuff like that anyway. Isn't it hard to scoop the pb out of the Tbsp? Just tare the scale with your bread on it, smear some pb on and see how much you added. Same with mayo. I hate trying to scrape mayo out of a tablespoon.
For salad dressing, put your salad bowl on the scale, tare, add dressing till you get a serving.
Easy peasy, less dishes to wash.
When I am baking, I spray my all my measuring spoons with Pam, and then the product comes out really easily. I make a lot of no-bake cookies too, and those use 1/4 cup of peanut butter, so I got in the Pam habit when I started making them all the time.
I have never used it for a diet, but I do it all the time for measuring things. Actually, I coat most of those things with a quick spray of Pam, so that it comes off and also the clean up is a lot easier.
Just a random FYI
__________________
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If you weren't born drop dead gorgeous, be thankful for the opportunity to develop character first.
I still have a bit of confusing with tuna out of a can, I don't eat it often though.
I use a taco sauce that is 2 T per serving, 32 g, and I did do the measures and it was about the same. It's also something that the cals aren't that high for 2t=20 cals, but it is interesting when weighed out.
I tested my scale using nickels, I don't remember what they weigh, I think 1 nickel is 5 g. Check online and test your scale. Mine was exact.
K, I googled and weighed. Standard nickel weight is 5 g but it could be 4.9 to 5.1 and one place said 4.5. only checked thngs on the first search page.
My nickel didn't weigh anything! Must be 4.9 or something if there really is a slight variation in the weight of nickels and as I suspected my scale won't pick up less than 5 g.
So I weighed a quarter. It weighed 10 g. Googled quarter weight and it says 5.67 grams.
When I am baking, I spray my all my measuring spoons with Pam, and then the product comes out really easily. I make a lot of no-bake cookies too, and those use 1/4 cup of peanut butter, so I got in the Pam habit when I started making them all the time.
I have never used it for a diet, but I do it all the time for measuring things. Actually, I coat most of those things with a quick spray of Pam, so that it comes off and also the clean up is a lot easier.
Just a random FYI
Are you weighing your spoons too? Hmm, I wonder if the Pam weighs something too that has to be accounted for (1/2 kidding but you never know)
If you're planning on dieting for 6 months or 30 pounds etc, wouldnt' it be a worthwhile treat for yourself to buy a new $30 (from Target) digital food scale. You deserve it. Think of all the Milky Ways you're not eating/buying....
Leigh writes about PAM in her FatLoss Troubleshoot book. If you use more than 5 sprays you might want to count it as 1/2tsp or something.
Okay, so this is where my lab training can provide some useful information (maybe)...
All scales have a particular range for which they are most accurate. This range depends on the intended use of the scale. To weigh really small amounts accurately (less than a mg to gram range) you need a scale that is specifially engineered to measure those ranges (they are usually rather expensive). In the lab we had scales that could weigh .001 mg accurately, they cost $1000s of dollars. btw. But still, even with these expensive scales, they have a range of accuracy. Once you start to get to the edge of those ranges (either on the low end or the high end) they become less accurate, eventually not being able to weigh with any accuracy at all.
We had other less expensive scales in the lab that we'd use for weighing out larger masses. They were often accurate to the .00x decimal place, but not for smaller amounts. Like you could weigh out 4.011 grams or 1000.011 grams, with reasonable accuracy, but not 0.011 grams or 10,000.011 grams. Those last two would be outside of their range.
Home body weight scales, kitchen scales, and postal scales have the same sorts of constraints. They have a specific range for which they are most accurate. Standard (inexpensive) kitchen or postal scales are not really designed to read in the 1 gram range. It's just usually not that important in the kitchen to weigh something that weighs that little. Your scale may tell you that something weighs 1 gram, but it's probably not a very accurate weight.
For testing the nickles, weigh 5, 10, 20, 30, etc... at a time. That way the weights should average out so you don't have to worry about variations between nickles so much, and you should get a good idea of what the low end of your scale's accuracy range is. Nickles are a great example, btw. I knew someone would come up with something. I am brain dead tonight.
ETA: I just checked my scale with nickles. It was right on from one nickle up to 10 nickles (which is all the nickles I could find). That's good to know. I think the lab weights I used only went down to 25 grams, so that's a good check for the lower weights. I tried pennies too, but I didn't realize certain years of pennies weigh differently (I just googled that). Anyway, my scale seems to be accurate (enough) down to about 2 grams, and its just a relatively cheap Pelouze postal scale. (This one to be exact http://www.officemax.com/catalog/sku...=19-25916822-2 )
Ok so i dug around and only came up with 15 nickels. BUT this time i put 2 nickels on at a time and it said 10 g. So I took them off and put one on and it said 5 g when it wasn't registering at all. so i added 1 at a time, 3 at a time till i hit 15. took them off and put 5 then 10 then 15. everytime 5 g increments.
When it had two nickels on it and weighed 10g i switched to oz and it said .4 but when i added another nickel so its was up to 15 g, it said .5 oz.
So it sounds like my scale is only able to measure to the closest 5 g (though i could have sworn i have measured closer than that although here i'm only putting 5 g nickels at a time). i tried putting other things on non food items and its only giving me numbers ending in 0 or 5.
So if my scale is flipping between 15 and 20 for some reason what do you hazard the difference is? 2.5 g? I guess it could be anywhere in between. Maybe its the difference b/n the weight of the quarter 5.67 and the weight i got 10 g so 4.33 g? that might be overly simplistic.
Now to make things even more interesting, 10 g = .353 oz on spark peoples calculator but like i said my scale said 4 oz. And 15 g = .5295 oz but my scale said .5...so my scale is doing some funky inconsistent rounding.
i guess for the time being my measurements can't be off by more than 5 g and if i'm teeterig b/n 15 and 20 i could just pick the higher so i don't underestimate the calories..and 5 grams being less than .18 oz it shouldn't be that big of an issue I hope...?
Don't get me wrong, its kind of driving me nuts not being certain i'm just hoping the difference isn't as bad as i think.
If you're planning on dieting for 6 months or 30 pounds etc, wouldnt' it be a worthwhile treat for yourself to buy a new $30 (from Target) digital food scale. You deserve it. Think of all the Milky Ways you're not eating/buying....
Leigh writes about PAM in her FatLoss Troubleshoot book. If you use more than 5 sprays you might want to count it as 1/2tsp or something.
The first full month on NROL4W . . the weigh in/measurements
You know about my freckle!! Are there no secrets around here? Next you'll be telling people about that mole . . . 
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