My NROL Experience

[stingo]

233 - A little higher today, but that was expected after the graduation party I went to on Saturday. But it's the lowest of the three Monday readings I've had so far, and the 5 day rolling average went down to 233.1 today. I'm pleased because I found out I don't have to totally cut out things I enjoy like pizza and beer, I just have to enjoy them in moderation. (And if not, I'm aware of the dietary consequences.) Life is good.

Edited to add: I don't want to jinx it, but... I'm hoping to break through the 230 barrier this week or the next.

[stingo]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the fitness anniversary well wishes everyone's posted to my log. Thanks for the support.

[stingo]

In about 10 minutes or so I'll be getting ready for the boot camp class that my former spinning instructor is going to teach. I'm kind of interested to see how I'll do, as last year it was very difficult for me.

[RacerBill]

So how was the boot camp? I bet you kicked tail!

Congrats on the anniversary. You've accomplished a lot in three years.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by RacerBill

So how was the boot camp? I bet you kicked tail!

Congrats on the anniversary. You've accomplished a lot in three years.

Thanks - boot camp was very good. I still can't do a few of the exercises yet (one leg bridges, rollups and a few others) but I was very pleased with my recovery and my cardiovascular system. The first time I did this type of class I was dying, but now I was able to do a lot better. We did a lot of pushups and it kind of ticked me off that I was having trouble getting through a pushup, dumbbell row, mountain climber, leg thrust complex - mainly because of being in basically a pushup position all that time. It was interesting to me though that for the exercises I didn't do as part of my strength training, they were difficult, but I was good to go with things like squats. Pushups I thought I could've done better with, but I've not done them since concluding the modified 300 workout. I'll be very surprised if I don't feel this class tomorrow, particularly in the shoulders and abs.

[tcoy777]

Good job on the boot camp. With your shoulder giving you trouble, doing that much shoulder work is great. I know for myself dealing with a slight shoulder problem, push ups really bother it sometimes.

[stingo]

233.50 - A bit dismayed by this reading, but I suppose having rice yesterday may have changed things up a bit. Still, the 5 day rolling average is still tracking downward, so I hope for a better reading tomorrow.

[dillytl]

Originally Posted by stingo

233.50 - A bit dismayed by this reading, but I suppose having rice yesterday may have changed things up a bit. Still, the 5 day rolling average is still tracking downward, so I hope for a better reading tomorrow.

THAT'S the important stuff!!! Excellent work!

[Willie]

Originally Posted by stingo

Three years ago today I started my journey due to a bout with cellulitis in my leg landing me in the hospital. Spending the better part of the week there gave me time to think, with most trains of thought ending at this sucks Station. So, after I got out, I joined a local gym on May 16th, 2005. Back then, I weighed around 354 or so, and had a hard time doing many things others consider easy/second nature. The first physical thing I did was going on the elliptical for 1 minute 45 seconds. I was also put on a weight training regimen using machines for the most part.

Cut to today where I'm (as of today) 231, and am still surprised that I am able to do things that I was otherwise unable to do before. The elliptical was eventually replaced with spinning class, and I now use a personal trainer to help me achieve my goals, which, after three years, is STILL to lose weight. My resistance training (as long time readers of my journal will note) has been pretty varied, but it all stems from the principles in NROL in one way or another (which is why I've not started a new log).

It's been quite the journey, and I wonder what the next three years will bring. To celebrate, I'm not going for food, but something fitness related to mark the occasion - just not sure what yet. At any rate, thanks to everyone who has posted in my log, and to those silent partners who've read it but not left their mark.

Just getting caught up here, Tom. Congratulations!

[Willie]

Originally Posted by stingo

It's more like an open house from the looks of it. Though the person who suggested it may have to work that Saturday, so it's up in the air right now.

Well, you know I'm biased; I hope you go!

[kfisherx]

So I am curious RE bootcamp.... Does the instructor get on your case like in real bootcamp? I mean what makes an exercise program a bootcamp as opposed to any other fitness type class?

I have never done a bootcamp outside of the USMC and US Army ones.

[Espi]

The geek/nerd in me had to share an Excel formula.

Expected weight:
=(yesterday's weight)+(intake in kcal minus expected output)/9000)+ ((intake in grams of carbs minus expected amt of burnt carbs)*4 (kcal/g)/1000 )

In plain words:
1 the surplus or deficit in CALORIES divided by 9000 (9000 kcal per kilogram, for you 4000 kcal/lbs)
2 the surplus or deficit in CARBS multiplied by 4 divided by 1000 (again, per kilogram, for you per 454 g for 1lbs).

The weight you gain is dependent on the surplus calories you store as fat, but also very much on how much glycogen you deplete or replete. Normally for every gram of carb you add/lose, you'll gain/lose 3-4 grams of water. Back in the days I'd not tolerate carbs well, that could be 10 grams.. some people still have humongous water wt fluctuations. Especially with glutinous, as gluten is such an inflammatory food item.

I didn't include water intake, as I am not *that* anal, and mostly tend to drink about the same amt of water every day, unless I'm travelling and get dehydrated easily.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by dillytl

THAT'S the important stuff!!! Excellent work!

Thanks Tracey - we'll see what today brings.

Originally Posted by Willie

Just getting caught up here, Tom. Congratulations!

Thank you Kate, and thanks for checking in.

Originally Posted by Willie

Well, you know I'm biased; I hope you go!

We'll see - I've not heard anything else on it yet.

Originally Posted by kfisherx

So I am curious RE bootcamp.... Does the instructor get on your case like in real bootcamp? I mean what makes an exercise program a bootcamp as opposed to any other fitness type class?

I have never done a bootcamp outside of the USMC and US Army ones.

Not for the class I took - the room was too small and there were too many people for the instructor to move around. Also I don't think humiliation as a motivational tool would've gone over too well (too many beginners and unlike the armed forces they didn't HAVE to be there). It was basically a series of bodyweight exercises - squats, pushups, jumping jacks, side planks, bridges etc, some of which were supersetted together. I started getting the DOMS last night from it, and still mainly feel it in my midsection. A good workout I thought as it worked from a lot of different angles.

Originally Posted by Espi

The geek/nerd in me had to share an Excel formula.

Expected weight:
=(yesterday's weight)+(intake in kcal minus expected output)/9000)+ ((intake in grams of carbs minus expected amt of burnt carbs)*4 (kcal/g)/1000 )

In plain words:
1 the surplus or deficit in CALORIES divided by 9000 (9000 kcal per kilogram, for you 4000 kcal/lbs)
2 the surplus or deficit in CARBS multiplied by 4 divided by 1000 (again, per kilogram, for you per 454 g for 1lbs).

The weight you gain is dependent on the surplus calories you store as fat, but also very much on how much glycogen you deplete or replete. Normally for every gram of carb you add/lose, you'll gain/lose 3-4 grams of water. Back in the days I'd not tolerate carbs well, that could be 10 grams.. some people still have humongous water wt fluctuations. Especially with glutinous, as gluten is such an inflammatory food item.

I didn't include water intake, as I am not *that* anal, and mostly tend to drink about the same amt of water every day, unless I'm travelling and get dehydrated easily.

Thanks Espi - why is it 4000 and not 3600?

[Espi]

1 gram of fat is 9 kcal. I'm using the formula both for gaining as well as losing fat.
To gain 1 kilogram of fat you need to overeat 9000 kcal (1000 grams of fat).
To lose 1 kg of fat, you somehow only need a deficit of about 8000 kcal.
Translating to lbs (454 grams) that's about 4000 kcal to gain and about 3600 kcal to lose 1lbs of fat.
This is just a simple spreadsheet with simple formulas , so I can't change to formala to something like :
- if this is a deficit, make it to 8000kcal/kg and else
- (in case of a surplus) make it 9000 kcal/kg.
So I just set it at the actual fat calories per kg, or 9000kcal.
The only difference is that maintenance might seem higher than it really is when you're cutting,as it takes less calories to lose fat than to gain fat.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Espi

1 gram of fat is 9 kcal. I'm using the formula both for gaining as well as losing fat.
To gain 1 kilogram of fat you need to overeat 9000 kcal (1000 grams of fat).
To lose 1 kg of fat, you somehow only need a deficit of about 8000 kcal.
Translating to lbs (454 grams) that's about 4000 kcal to gain and about 3600 kcal to lose 1lbs of fat.
This is just a simple spreadsheet with simple formulas , so I can't change to formala to something like :
- if this is a deficit, make it to 8000kcal/kg and else
- (in case of a surplus) make it 9000 kcal/kg.
So I just set it at the actual fat calories per kg, or 9000kcal.
The only difference is that maintenance might seem higher than it really is when you're cutting,as it takes less calories to lose fat than to gain fat.

Sure you could...

If D3 is your outcome cell - you could have =if(D3<0,8000,9000).