Weigh-in Week of January 15

[kelownagirl]

Not that I have anything to celebrate here - well I guess I didn't GAIN any weight - but I lost about a half lb. Whoopti-do. I guess I need to exercise more but I had trouble fitting it in last week. Will do better next week. I am truly motivated to get at SOME of these last 10 off before I get married in March...

Anyone have more success than me?

[Offthegrid]

Don't be too discouraged by a half-pound. In a year, that's 26 pounds. :) Keep at it. Besides, bodies are weird. One week I lose nothing, then the next I drop a bunch.

My official weigh-in is tomorrow night, but preliminary reports suggest roughly a 5-pound loss. It's post period, and last week I had some water weight I believe that skewed my 1-pound loss as less than actual.

[mtbdarby]

I finally lost weight, lol. 5 pounds last week on 1200 calories, low carbs. Now I'm up to about 1500 calories and a more balanced carb/protein. My exercise was good last week, not so high on the energy side.

Congrats on the losses KG and OTG! Good job to all:p

[Pax]

I'm down a half pound this week as well. I seem to have hit a plateau so at the gym yesterday I tried mixing up my workout a bit...hopefully that'll do the trick.

[Bikingmomof3]

I increased my caloric intake to about 2100 and lost 2 pounds this past week. Most likely all water weight. :rolleyes:

[SalsaMTB]

Well, after feeling incredibly fat and standing on the scale about 1.5 weeks ago, I decided to start a diet. I found a vegetarian diet that I'm giving a try. My goal is to lose 20lbs from when I stood on the scale that dreadful day. Granted, it was right before I started my period so I was super bloated and the first few pounds came off like nothing.

So, I started my diet last monday and will now join the weekly weigh in.

Last week, I lost a total of 7 pounds. Really, it's more like 4 because 3 were from bloat, but to make me feel good, I'm sticking with 7 :D

[chickwhorips]

i'm trying not to gain to much weight because i'm not able to do much for the next couple of months. so far i'm doing good. just holding steady at what i'm at right now.

cut my calories down due to lack of movement, but still trying to keep a good intake of protein and other healing foods.

good job everyone on how they are doing! http://www.smileypad.com/v224/Happy/Big-Thumbs-Up.gif

[snowtulip]

It's time for me to start chiming in. I'm aiming for 15 lb. weight loss. So far I'm down 2.

salsa mtb - please if you have an opportunity, share some of your vegetarian recipes. I converted to a vegetarian lifestyle a few months ago and am having a hard time finding quick nutritionaly rich meals.

Good job everyone!

[Offthegrid]

I officially lost 3.25 pounds, which works for me. I pigged out all day, though, so I'm curious to see what happens next week.

[kelownagirl]

Congrats to everyone who lost weight this week!!! Keep working at it!! Yesterday, I hadn't shown any loss which surprised me, but this morning, I was indeed down a good pound so I am happy. :)

[kelownagirl]

And can I add how amazed I am that my weight can fluctuate SO much within one 24 hour period? I tend to step on the scale for curiousity's sake several times during the day and can't believe how I can gain or lose 3-4 lbs in a day. Sometimes, I lose 3-4 lbs over night. I know I don't pee that much in the morning. I DO have night sweats quite often though so that's probably where it's going. Grosses me out that I could be losing 2 lbs of sweat on my sheets every night. :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Wahine]

OK. It's time for me to join the club. On Saturday I weighed 147 lbs at 5'7". Not considered overwieght, I'm at the high end of normal. That was also the day I got my period. So today I weighed in at 145 lb. I know from experience that my best competition weight is 135 lb. So I'm shooting for that. I've got 7 months to do it before IM Can. The problem is that I'm already training pretty hard and I feel like I'm starving all the time. I have never counted calories in my life. I suppose I should start. Need to make sure that I'm getting enough to fuel my activity but cutting back a little so I can lose wisely.

Little bit of trivia for you all. I participated in a research study that looked at metabolic hormone levels in highly active women and how they change depending on restriction of caloric intake. It turns out that the most efficient caloric levels for maintaining healthy metabolism and maximizing weight loss is 80% of caloric needs. That is, if I need 2000 cal per day to maintain my lean muscle mass and I burn 1000 doing exercise, the ideal amount for me to eat would be 2400 cal.

Just a little food for thought.

[LBTC]

Wahine, I love your new avatar!

DH and I did our first weigh in on New Year's day. We have a fancy scale that weight fat %age, muscle mass, metabolic age and a bunch of other stuff....how accurately we don't care, as long as it moves in the right direction when these things change...

We each set an end of June goal, then just divided that evenly between the months leading up to it. We weigh in Saturday mornings. From previous experience, I know better than to step on the scale more often than that....we always weigh in under exactly the same circumstances each week.

The important parts of my objectives:
Jan 1 weight: 136.4 lbs. June 30 weight objective: 125
Jan 6 weight actual: 133.8 Jan 13 weight actual: 134.6

Fat %age Jan 1: 29.4 June 30 fat %age objective: 23
Jan 6 fat: 29.6 Jan 13 fat: 29.9 :eek:

Muscel mass Jan 1: 91.6lbs June 30 muscle goal: 100
Jan 6 mm: 89.4 Jan 13 mm: 89.6

What I learned from the first 2 weeks: to reach my objectives I must do muscle strength workouts. Since then I've started a kickboxing class which I plan to attend on Mondays and Thursdays. I plan to spin (trainer - there is lots of snow here) for at least a half hour the night after kb. Weekends, if I can't get out snowshoeing, plant to do a combination of spin and weights and/or heavy bag.

Food - just trying to eat little 1/2 cup containers about 4 times a day, and keep my evening meal about that small...not counting calories.

Not sure how my newly discovered health issue (crohn's) will affect all of this. I have to be careful with food, for sure, but still don't know which foods are problematic for me. And I've learned that there is a noticeable fatigue factor that I'm trying to figure out. I hope to be able to do the weekly exercise I have planned. Last week was bad, but this week is good so far.

I do have a little spreadsheet to track the weigh ins, and am also measuring waist, hips, bust...

you should probably also know that I'm only 5' 1 1/2" tall. From the last few years of training, my ideal fitness weight, when I feel strong and go fast, feel energetic and look pretty good, seems to be in the 120-125 range.

Congratulations to all of you on your goals and achievements so far!! Keep it going!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[bike4ever]

I'm adding in here. Down 5.8 lbs this week using Weight Watchers.

[Offthegrid]

Congrats, bike mom! Everyone is doing fantastic.

I also have been surprised by how much my weight will vary day to day. I don't weight every day (only at the gym, and not every time I go), and it really seems like there's no rhyme or reason to why one day it's way down and the next it's way up.

[chickwhorips]

being curious this morning i hopped on the scale, and i mean hopped. never realized it could be difficult getting on the scale with one foot.
i have actually lost 2 lbs. i know i've been eating more frequently, possibly not as much, but not working out (not by choice). i'm very excited. :)

[kelownagirl]

Little bit of trivia for you all. I participated in a research study that looked at metabolic hormone levels in highly active women and how they change depending on restriction of caloric intake. It turns out that the most efficient caloric levels for maintaining healthy metabolism and maximizing weight loss is 80% of caloric needs. That is, if I need 2000 cal per day to maintain my lean muscle mass and I burn 1000 doing exercise, the ideal amount for me to eat would be 2400 cal.

Just a little food for thought.

That makes sense to me. According to most online calculators, I should be eating about 1525 calories a day to maintain my weight, and not exercise. When I'm working and can't bike outdoors, I'm lucky to burn and extra 1000 calories in a week, so that would add about another 150 calories a day.

80% of 1675 = 1340 calories. I try to stay close to 1200 but I'm usually much closer to 1300-1350. Now I'll feel better if I want a little snack or a glass of wine in the evening. Thanks for the info!

It also shows me why I gain weight when I eat "normally." On my "bad" days, when I'm dieting, I can easily eat 2000+ calories without even trying.

[snowtulip]

Wow, surprise, surprise. I went to the gal doctor today and she has one of the fancy scales similar to what LBTC mentioned...it said I had 34% body fat!!!:eek: :confused: :eek: :confused:

I have always considered myself a muscular girl, I was shocked! Time to kick it into high gear!

[LBTC]

Snowtulip! Do not despair!!! 34% is not terribly high for a woman!!

Relax, treat yourself right, and get out and do some high intensity cardio! The fat will melt away and then you'll see those pretty muscles that are underneath! :)

Hugs and butterflies!
~T~

[Wahine]

Wow, surprise, surprise. I went to the gal doctor today and she has one of the fancy scales similar to what LBTC mentioned...it said I had 34% body fat!!!:eek: :confused: :eek: :confused:

I have always considered myself a muscular girl, I was shocked! Time to kick it into high gear!

15 to 25 % is pretty ideal but up to 35 % can still be healthy for a woman. but remember, if you were dehydrated or have dry callused feet, the scale will read higher than what your true body fat percentage is. The only way to get an accurate body fat measurement is to have a hydrostatic weighing done.

[SalsaMTB]

Wow, surprise, surprise. I went to the gal doctor today and she has one of the fancy scales similar to what LBTC mentioned...it said I had 34% body fat!!!:eek: :confused: :eek: :confused:

I have always considered myself a muscular girl, I was shocked! Time to kick it into high gear!

Don't fret, it'll come off once you focus on eating properly. I had the same thing happen. DH decided he really wanted one of the body fat scales, I wasn't so thrilled. I normally come in around 28-30%. It's depressing, but, it just motivates me to eat correctly :)

[aggiecorgi]

Those scales can measure incorrectly if you exercise more than 10 hours per week. Our Tanitia has an "athlete" setting. In the summer I use this setting, and usually see about 5 to 10 percentage points different between this and regular.

I'd like to join the weight loss thread as well. Yesterday I started Weight Watchers; I'd like to lose around 25 pounds.

[spokewench]

I'm always amazed at weight and what makes me lose, gain or just stay the same. Last year at this time of year, just like every year, I am at least 5-8 pounds too high. I'm 46 and each year it seems harder to lose that 5 pounds. Last year I took off about 3 pounds of the 5. However, it took me forever. I have to admit that I did actually get more toned and trim but only lost 3 pounds. I was out of shape at this time of year and then rode, rode and rode some more to get ready for Bicycle tour of colorado. and then rode the BTC. I only lost 3 pounds, I was fitter, my legs were tighter, my belly tighter, etc.; BUT

of course, those body changes are all gone again cause I'm not fit again. So, about 3-4 weeks ago, I started to ride my trainer about 2 times a week and started playing tennis. Playing tennis you say? Yah, I figured, no way am I going to lose weight playing tennis since I can ride hours and hours and hours and not lose but 3 pounds! But, lo and behold, I have lost 3 pounds, my stomach is flatter (can't say my legs are that much more toned yet) but I'm seeing some changes.

My theory is that it is such different exercise than I am used to that my body is actually burning calories doing it (it probably doesn't hurt that the building I play tennis in is really cold?). Anyway, the theory is I'm really efficient at cycling cause I've been doing it so long so the exercise does not burn as much calories for me. The new tennis is using muscles I usually don't use on the bike so I am burning calories.

What do you gals think about my theory? I don't know how else to make sense of it?

[snowtulip]

Ok, feeling better now, thank you, thank you, thank you!:D I'm going to blame on my very calloused feet (thanks for that info.).

I think the change it up to lose weight theory is right on the money! I don't really get anywhere weight loss wise, but when I started hiking again my body had to adjust and I think that's the only reason I'm starting to lose.

[kelownagirl]

Well nothing seems to be happening for me and I think it's because I've not been exercising. I find it hard to have the time and energy to exercise when I'm working. I have no trouble finding time to ride my bike because I'm going places, but exercising for exercise's sake is a struggle for me. This week coming week, I will try to do at least 3 cardio workouts and see if it makes a difference...

[LBTC]

Kelownagirl, I totally hear what you're saying. It's the reason I started walking to work. It's like necessary exercise every work day, and helps me wake up in the morning. My walk is about 2.5km and takes me close to half an hour.

Any chance you could do that? It takes a bit of organization to do it, but, it works for me!

And with the loads of snow we've been having, I feel safer on the sidewalk than on the roads!

post or PM if you have any questions about what you need to organize!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[kelownagirl]

Hmmm, walk to work, prbably a very good idea. I live 3.5 km away. It's all downhill there and all uphill home. It would be good for me though. DH and I have marking and stuff to carry but we could use a backpack. We'd have to convince the 9 yo boy to walk home though. :) That might be the biggest obstacle. Oh, and having to be ready half hour earlier. :eek: :eek:

After we watched an Inconvenient Truth, we agreed to ride to work at least 3 times a week as soon as the weather changes.

I will think about this.

[LBTC]

do you and DH work together? You may not be able to convince him to walk also, so you could get the walk to work, get him to drive and pick up your son and you at the end of the day. It's still some exercise, so it still helps you out!

I have to ask, though, if you were riding to work, how would your son get home?

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[kelownagirl]

We got the little guy a new mountain bike for christmas. Enough gears for him to get up the hill now. :D :D

I mentioned walking to dear future hubby and he actually thought there was no reason why we shouldn't. We do work together. The biggest problem is that we are really tired after school and it's a long haul up the hill at 5 in the dark when you've been on your feet all day. But, never say never until new try it I guess. Worst thing that could happen is that I'd start to use the trainer avoid having to walk to work. :D