March/April Weight Management Challenge

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, I don't think my scale is broken. My weight fluctuates during the week, but has ended up at that number on 2 Fridays in a row. I was around 106.8 most of the week.

It's funny, Fridays always seem to be a higher-weight day for me, for some reason. Weighed 106.0 on Wed, Thurs, and today, but 106.5 on Friday. No real reason other than fluctuating water weight, I'm guessing.

[Catrin]

Ah, I understand now. I remember the agony this winter of having my scales read exactly the same weight for something like 11 Fridays in a row? It changed throughout the week but always on Friday mornings...

I was pleased to see the same weight this morning though, I've been worried about side effects from eating more...I know it is for a good reason but still! I tend to weight on Sat rather than Fri because of my workout schedule. I am normally retaining water Friday morning from a hard workout on Thurs evenings...

[ny biker]

Obviously one can't just jump 400-600 calories daily at one fell swoop!

I could do that easily...

[Catrin]

I could do that easily...

I THOUGHT that I could, but when you aren't hungry it is easier said then done - my body was accustomed to doing all of that activity on 1300ish calories a day... (more like 900-1000 net). She really likes my diet, just insists that I need to eat more. I am starting to succeed

[goldfinch]

I THOUGHT that I could, but when you aren't hungry it is easier said then done - my body was accustomed to doing all of that activity on 1300ish calories a day... (more like 900-1000 net). She really likes my diet, just insists that I need to eat more. I am starting to succeed

Your body sure did a good job of adaptation! I find it interesting that you weren't hungry. I still battle hunger all the time. I ate roughly 1200 calories a day for about 8 months, then upped it to 1300 as my activity increased. Now I am running close to 1600. I was hungry at 1200, hungry at 1300 and hungry at 1600. I am surprised though that I seem to be doing fine with the increase in calories. And I enjoy having the extra to eat.

I sure would like to have the body fat and nutrition analysis done that you had done. I am not sure what my body fat is running now. My rough guess based on the army calculator which uses height and weight, plus neck, waist, belly and hip measurements is about 28%. I still need more muscle as compared to fat. I don't know if I run artificially high because I have too much extra skin around the belly, from birthing children and my large weight loss.

[Crankin]

I am pretty much hungry all of the time, too, unless I overeat, and then, 3 hours later I'll be hungry again.
On some days, I have to just forget about my hunger, which is what I've trained myself to do. I eat 3 meals a day, with at least one snack, so it's not like I am starving myself.
I'd like to have that nutritional analysis and body fat done, too, only to see if my Tanita scale has been lying to me for the past 10 years. I take the body fat part of the scale reading as a "range," and I'm not concerned, unless it gets above a certain number, which it rarely does. One thing I notice, is that since I lost the 5 pounds, my body fat is consistently at a lower number. I think that may be the running I'm doing.
I wonder how someone with body fat as low as mine can still have such nice saddlebags, despite all of the weights, circuit training, etc I've been doing for the past 6 months. It's definitely a genetic tendency, but geez, I can't work out any more than I do.

[Catrin]

Your body sure did a good job of adaptation! I find it interesting that you weren't hungry. I still battle hunger all the time. I ate roughly 1200 calories a day for about 8 months, then upped it to 1300 as my activity increased. Now I am running close to 1600. I was hungry at 1200, hungry at 1300 and hungry at 1600. I am surprised though that I seem to be doing fine with the increase in calories. And I enjoy having the extra to eat.

I sure would like to have the body fat and nutrition analysis done that you had done. I am not sure what my body fat is running now. My rough guess based on the army calculator which uses height and weight, plus neck, waist, belly and hip measurements is about 28%. I still need more muscle as compared to fat. I don't know if I run artificially high because I have too much extra skin around the belly, from birthing children and my large weight loss.

Apparently I need 1600-1800 on REST days, and 2000 on workout/ride days. This approach allows me to not have to worry about "net" calories...and on long ride days whatever I consume on the bike or in the 1st hour afterwards doesn't "count".

My body fat is a bit high, right at 33% and that is all belly & boobs. THAT is nothing new though the belly is far smaller than it was 90 pounds ago, but haven't had any luck moving the needle there in the last year. Sports nutritionist said that is because my body thinks that starvation is around the corner so it won't give up those fat stores without more consistent fuel.

I've been strength training for quite some time, but I am coming to think my previous trainer was more focused on "toning" rather than actually building muscle. Considering the shape I was in 2.5 years ago when I started with him that was certainly a valid and proper approach - but that needs to change now He did hit my legs pretty hard, but there are so many different ways to get there. To be fair I HAVE had a couple of injuries with...protracted recovery periods. That has an effect as well.

[gnat23]

144.0 for me.

SUPER CONGRATS jobob for your success after all that hard work!!! Looking forward for your tips on maintenance now!

-- gnat!

[klesko]

I think I forgot to post Friday - 145.2. I am going to lower my calories by about 500 calories a day and see what happens. I read something about how it is harder to lose when you are fit, or that you stop burning so many calories when you are fitter (more efficient) than you did before. I was losing steadily last year at the same average calories I am eating now and now I am barely maintaining.

[Catrin]

I think I forgot to post Friday - 145.2. I am going to lower my calories by about 500 calories a day and see what happens. I read something about how it is harder to lose when you are fit, or that you stop burning so many calories when you are fitter (more efficient) than you did before. I was losing steadily last year at the same average calories I am eating now and now I am barely maintaining.

That seems a pretty big drop all at once - why not try it in increments first? You don't want your body to think that it isn't getting enough food...

[azfiddle]

116.8 on Friday. I just can't seem to get back beloww 116 lately. (and during the week it was over 117 on a couple of days.

[Possegal]

More updates!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...aM0NSN0E#gid=0

[Crankin]

Possegal, I think I wasn't clear with my goal. On the spreadsheet, it says 106, but it's to maintain 105 (and if I get to 106 it's a sign I have to change stuff).

[solobiker]

Early weigh in for me..138.

[jobob]

145.8