I couldn't think of a cute name for my log, but here it is....

[Fitwit]

Espi said:
"If OTOH you are anal about counting, and work out as much as you do now on NROL4W losing on 1900 kcal/day is perfectly feasible. I've done so myself. With the EOD workouts as well as the interval cardio (after lifting , hardly ever on separate days!!!), I'd been burning around 2300 kcal and hence lost nicely on 1900 kcal on average."

Thank you, Espi, I need to hear that people do, indeed, lose weight eating that much!

Leah said:I also know exactly what you are saying about getting impatient with weight loss. I always expected the scale to go down almost every day or I would get frustrated. Coming from being over 200 lbs, that may be what I needed at the time to be healthier. But now, wanting to shave off some bodyfat, but at a healthy weight, the changes are going to come a lot slower. I have decided I need to put faith in the process I am following and I stopped weighing myself so often. The sad thing is, it is still very tempting to "check in" every morning, but I have been resisting.

Yes! Yes! As I weighed this morning, I told my husband that I should stop b/c I will be losing weight too slowly to really tell!! You all are doing so much to change my way of thinking!! Thanks so much!


Very good points, Espi! "so it's good to make sure to save up calories for splurges" Yes! I have noticed that this helps when we go visit my parents and eat my mom's cooking for a whole weekend! Fattier foods were never cooked!

Thanks!

[Espi]

It's truly shocking to see how much calories you can pack away when you're eating fast food. I've set my 2008's PR at 5200 kal right at Jan 1. Tomorrow it's Jan 15 and by then I'll finally be dipping into a 14d average intake that's equal to my maintenance. It really takes that long. It's good that my indiscretions mostly are in the 3000-4000 kcal range and mostly happen only once or twice a month, but even then it takes about a week to smoothen things out.

For the same reason I still weigh every day, as this can also be calculated in a 14d average.

But everyone just has to discover their own 'perfect' strategy. What works for 1 isn't necessarily the best strategy for someone else.

[kfisherx]

Originally Posted by Fitwit

Hi kfisherx, it was so ironic that you posted this last night when you did. I had been thinking about my calories after looking at what others in the challenge are doing. I had just completed (again) the steps in the book to determine my calories. I didn't have time to post-too sleepy!

Anyway, here are the numbers:
RMR: 1393
BMI: 30.5
Workout day: 1950 calories
Non workout day: 1671 calories

I did do the numbers when I received the book and pretty much went from here to "If you feel that you must eat below your predicted maintenance level, cut a maximum of 300 calories a day." So I had been staying 200-300 calories below the 1950.

About a month ago, I tracked my calories on Fitday to try and find my maintenance calories. That number turned out to be 1911. (Someone told me I would have gotten a better idea if I had tracked for a month.)

So that is why I am doing what I am doing (1600-1700 or so calories.) It reverts back to my lack of patience. I want to start losing asap. At least I am doing better than I did in 2001. All the diet books said (this is what I read, anyway) that you could go down to 1200 and that is what I did. I kept my calories at 1200-1300 for awhile. I even had my doc look at my food log and got his full approval! (Stupid doctors!) I think eventually I was eating more like 1500. I was losing 7 pounds a month for a long time. Looking back, I don't know how I did it.

I actually meant to adjust my Fitday totals in my log last night b/c I got back up Saturday night and ate a snack and ended up eating a snack at bedtime last night.

I just find it hard to believe that I can lose on more than 1700 calories a day.....thoughts anyone?

I too have a hard time believing this stuff but have lived through it the past 2 months. When I started weight training, my metabolism starting buring in a much faster way. I could feel this physically as my body was warmer and I got hunger more. But I still was stubborn and kept my calories low. Over the xmas holidays I got sick (I never get sick) and then could not get over it. I simply had ZERO energy or reserve. I had to get food into me in order to get over it. So I started to increase my kcal intake. I started at 1400 kcals a day (my BMR is 1220 according to the book and I am 130 lbs at 5'4.5") and am now doing 1700 kcals regularly. At 1400 kcals a day I was loosing an astounishing 2.4 lbs a week. So if it is only results that you want then sure you will get them. Problem is what good are results if you are crashing or if you are eating more muscle than building? You need to find a balance between the results that you want to see and your health and well being. At 1700 kcals a day I am just barely holding onto things and I am working on bringing that up even a bit more over time. At my current burn rate and 1700 kcals a day I will loose about 1.9lbs a week which is probably okay but I cannot sustain that for long as I don't have that much fat to loose anymore. Eventually I have to turn this all around and get into a gain mode. (in about 2 months) This will require that I learn to eat about 2600 kcals a day.

Yesterday I did a 16 mile run (what can I say?) and I knew I could not possibly eat enough in the day to make up for that so I put a lot of food into my mouth every few hours and was able to do 2200 kcals. By the end of the day I thought I might puke for overeating. It is amazing how much food you have to get in when you are really cooking.

[Fitwit]

Originally Posted by Espi

But everyone just has to discover their own 'perfect' strategy. What works for 1 isn't necessarily the best strategy for someone else.

Ahhhh Espi, you are a breath of fresh air!

Karla, thank you so much for sharing! I read your log and remember that it was interesting. I am going to go reread! Thanks again!!

[Fitwit]

Food info for today:

Calories: 1929
Fat: 56
Carbs: 198
Protein: 165

I did 30 minutes of cardio today. I meant to do 40 but was interrupted.

Going to beddy bye.....

[Fitwit]

Squats:
10x60x3

Push-ups:
10xBWx3 (30 degree angle)

Seated Row:
10x70x1
10x80x2

Step-up:
10x50x3

Prone Jackknives:
7x2 (I am so excited to report that I am improving on these! I actually did one real one!!)

This may have been my best (hardest) workout ever! I am still tired!

Macros to come, but I ate pizza today with friends.

[Fitwit]

Calories: 2956
Fat: 110
Carbs: 366
Protein: 128

These are the results of my pizza buffet lunch. I was really hungry. I let my friend coax me into a TJ Maxx. She was looking for something for her hubby. I whizzed through the home decor and was ready to go. I thought she was, but noooo. She went to the decor/fancy candy section and proceeded to thoroughly examine every item on the shelf! Now I like to shop but not usually with other women because this is what happens most of the time and I just want to tear my hair out! I finally told her that I was crashing fast (from hunger) and would meet her at the pizza place! She decided to leave, also. Note to self: book shopping only with E from now on!

I just had to weigh this morning. I usually gain a pound or two of water weight after this kind of eating, but I was the same as the last time I weighed, 183.

[dillytl]

Nice job on the workout! CONGRATS on the jackknife!!!

[Espi]

Jack knifes are really hard I presume? I'm so bad at ab exercises.

Pizza sounds yum and the indiscretion wasn't even all that bad.
I'd done a 3500kcal one 2 days ago, and guess what? Weight was down the next morning by a bit and even more 2 days later! Who would've thunk?

[Fitwit]

Espi, here is the swiss ball jack knife Year Long Promotion | Routines | Workouts | 3B Swiss-Ball Jackknife It is the balancing on the ball that is so hard.

I would not have thunk it at all! It was the greasiest pizza in town, too. I must admit, I was a bit nauseous last night.

[Fitwit]

My Fitday totals from yesterday:

Calories: 2355, Fat: 89 g. Carbs: 293 g. Protein: 96g.

Blech! I WILL do better today!

[Fitwit]

I had a fantabulous workout this morning. After I don't know how many years of lifting but not really doing alot of lunges, I think I finally got the form right. The lunges did not even hurt my knee. Not sure why, but it suddenly clicked!

Deadlift:
10x85x3

DB Shoulder Press:
10x15x3

Lat Pull-down:
10x70x3

Lunge:
10xBWx3

SB crunches:
12x3

I feel nice and weak and shaky!

[dillytl]

Originally Posted by Fitwit

I had a fantabulous workout this morning. After I don't know how many years of lifting but not really doing alot of lunges, I think I finally got the form right. The lunges did not even hurt my knee. Not sure why, but it suddenly clicked!

Deadlift:
10x85x3

DB Shoulder Press:
10x15x3

Lat Pull-down:
10x70x3

Lunge:
10xBWx3

SB crunches:
12x3

I feel nice and weak and shaky!

NICE workout!! Don't ya just love the "weak and shaky" feeling!!!!

[Espi]

What are you doing differently?

Keeping torso upright is hard. Easier doing them in reverse I've read and when doing warmups that's all I do nowadays. No free weighted lunges yet , simply in the Smith for fear of toppling over.

[LWilson212]

Originally Posted by Fitwit

Calories: 2956
Fat: 110
Carbs: 366
Protein: 128

These are the results of my pizza buffet lunch. I was really hungry. I let my friend coax me into a TJ Maxx. She was looking for something for her hubby. I whizzed through the home decor and was ready to go. I thought she was, but noooo. She went to the decor/fancy candy section and proceeded to thoroughly examine every item on the shelf! Now I like to shop but not usually with other women because this is what happens most of the time and I just want to tear my hair out! I finally told her that I was crashing fast (from hunger) and would meet her at the pizza place! She decided to leave, also. Note to self: book shopping only with E from now on!

I just had to weigh this morning. I usually gain a pound or two of water weight after this kind of eating, but I was the same as the last time I weighed, 183.

I like to shop alone too. I've got a friend who would always ask me to go to the mall. We would go in a clothing store, try on stuff, pay, and be walking out the door and she would see something she missed and go back in the dressing room to try it on! That is totally against my shopping efficiency principles. :-)

Great job on the workouts, BTW.