Pep Talk Diary for Weight Loss

[Little Linguist]

Okay, I don't know whether this should go in the blogs or here because it is a diary but it's to keep track of my health. I figure if I have to publically account for my diet and exercise routine, I can keep on track better. Plus, I have the added benefit of getting feedback on what I can improve or info regarding mistaken caloric counts.

So I need a pep talk. Okay, I'm 5'2" and a fatty. Well not quite that bad, but I am slightly overweight. Although a certain part of that (2-3 kg) is due to something beautifully overweight ;) the rest could sort of say auf Wiedersehen without bothering me too much.

I'm 65.5 kg today. Ferk. I SHOULD be between 50-60 kg. In May I was 62.5 but I kinda got off track after I started working a lot. The good news? I have vacation coming up so I can basically exercise every day.

My plan is to keep a very, very anal-retentive account of my caloric intake and activity level so that I can plan a systematic system of weight loss that will stay the ferk off. That means slow but steady. Soooooo if I have to be honest about all the crap I'm putting into my body and how freaking lazy I am, maybe I'll motivate my ass to do something about it. That's my hope, anyway.

You guys don't have to respond. It's more for me than anyone else, but any constructive criticism or advice would be appreciated. Thanks a bunch! :yes:

Ehh, when I say a fatty, I am kindaaaaa exaggerating a bit, as I wear a size 38 (that's an 8-10 in US sizes - some say 8; others say 10 so I don't know). Eh, size 40 shirts because of my boobs. *shrugs* (that's a 10-12). Buuuut I want to get down to a 34-36. Sooooo :-) Here goes nothing.

[Grayscale]

2 pieces of advice...

when it comes to reforming diet, slow and steady also applies. every few weeks, pick a new food to replace with a healthier alternative and over time your tastes will adjust. once it becomes second nature, it will be "the norm" and you wont have to think twice about it. :)

when determining target weight, body fat percentage is a much more insightful indicator of health than only body weight. you can get an analyzer (or even a scale that has one built in) at most department stores. they arent super accurate, but they will help you chart your relative progress better than weight.

BMI is pretty much useless

http://www.modernforager.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/bmi-comparison-293x300.gif

oh, and great idea with the accountability thing! you should also tell a few close friends so it's not as easy to give up.

[BryNTP]

Good luck and don't lose anything important!

[Little Linguist]

Caloric Intake today:

Breakfast:

Protein Bar: 175 kcal
Pear: 75 kcal
Black coffee (250 ml) 0 kcal
Water (250ml) 0 kcal
Total: 250 kcal

Lunch:
1 Whole Grain, High Fiber, Pumpkin Seeded Roll: 150 kcal
2 Slices Turkey 100 kcal
Assorted Condiments (lettuce, tomato, cukes) 75 kcal
Mayonnaise 100 kcal
500 ml Milk 325 kcal
Total: 750 kcal

During workout: 0.5 L water 0 kcal

Snack: Protein Bar: 175 kcal
Water 0.5 L 0 kcal
Total: 175 kcal

Dinner
125 g mackerel filets with tomato sauce 200 kcal
1 Salad (Greek cabbage salad with lots of mixed veggies) 250 kcal
500 g low-fat yogurt 275 kcal
Total: 725 kcal

Water: 1 L

Total caloric intake: 725 + 175 + 750 + 250 = 1900 kcal = too damn much

Evaluation: Cut out the protein bar snack, the mayonnaise, and the mackerel filets and you're good to go. (Shit, it adds up quickly, doesn't it???)

Activity Level

Walked 500m to the bus stop (10 minutes) 35 kcal
Walked around town for about an hour later 100 kcal
Did 30 minutes of the elliptical machine at the gym 345 kcal
Walked back to my work (10 minutes) 35 kcal
Walked to the hair dresser (10 minutes) 35 kcal
Walked to the train station (10 minutes) 35 kcal
Walked home (10 minutes) 35 kcal

Otherwise I was pretty sedentary, I must say.

So about 620 kcal?

BMR: 1097.55 (let's say 1100) for 5'2", 65 kg, age 28
Calories burned: 1100 + 620 = 1720

SHIT! 1900 - 1720 = 180 more calories eaten than burned. Ferk. Double ferk. Triple ferk.

Ooooookayyyyyyyy - well, tomorrow I have to do MORE exercise and LESS eating, apparently. Grrrrrrrrrrr!

Awww, 'tis okay, Little - you'll get the hang of it!!!! :hug: You're just starting out, after all.

[Little Linguist]

2 pieces of advice...

when it comes to reforming diet, slow and steady also applies. every few weeks, pick a new food to replace with a healthier alternative and over time your tastes will adjust. once it becomes second nature, it will be "the norm" and you wont have to think twice about it. :)

when determining target weight, body fat percentage is a much more insightful indicator of health than only body weight. you can get an analyzer (or even a scale that has one built in) at most department stores. they arent super accurate, but they will help you chart your relative progress better than weight.

BMI is pretty much useless

http://www.modernforager.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/bmi-comparison-293x300.gif

oh, and great idea with the accountability thing! you should also tell a few close friends so it's not as easy to give up.

Thank you for your support, and yes, I really think the accountability thing will do wonders for me. After all, I don't think I could bear eating a cupcake, a raisin-almond pastry, and a crispy strip if I had to declare it (that's like, egads, 1000 kcal right there!!!) So I think it's a good bit of motivation!!! :D

You're welcome to comment on anything you notice or to mention potential healthy alternatives to what I'm eating (not an expectation - just if you have the time and inclination!)

Good luck and don't lose anything important!

:D Hey, thanks for the support. Please feel free to comment on the diet/exercise blog anytime!

[Grayscale]

no or lite mayo, -100, 300 calories of dairy instead of 600 (3x~100 kcal servings)... that could be 2x8oz skim milk (160 kcal total) and 1x no-fat yogurt cup (100 kcal), that would take another 340 off.

right there is 440 kcal!

you also forgot to add the 1.2x multiplier to your BMR for a normal day of little to no activity. if you do *extensive* walking or any exercise on top of that, then add that number on top. so your calorise used would be ~1100x1.2=1320, +345 eliptical, +250 - a bit less than 2 hours of walking, meaning total used is over 1900. BMR alone is like... how many calories you'd use if you were in a coma. :rofl1:

so my suggestion: cut out the protein bar in the morning since you have the turkey and mackerel, move the (no-fat!) yogurt to breakfast, no mayo, then you can have either 2 cups of (no fat) milk at lunch or 1 at lunch and 1 at dinner. that will help balance out the meals a bit more and would shave you down to 1450 for a 450 calorie deficit, which is pretty good for long term weight loss. :)

nice work! im impressed with how well you documented everything. if you keep this up i think you will be happy with your progress

[Little Linguist]

no or lite mayo, -100, 300 calories of dairy instead of 600 (3x~100 kcal servings)... that could be 2x8oz skim milk (160 kcal total) and 1x no-fat yogurt cup (100 kcal), that would take another 340 off.

right there is 440 kcal!

you also forgot to add the 1.2x multiplier to your BMR for a normal day of little to no activity. if you do *extensive* walking or any exercise on top of that, then add that number on top. so your calorise used would be ~1100x1.2=1320, +345 eliptical, +250 - a bit less than 2 hours of walking, meaning total used is over 1900. BMR alone is like... how many calories you'd use if you were in a coma. :rofl1:

so my suggestion: cut out the protein bar in the morning since you have the turkey and mackerel, move the (no-fat!) yogurt to breakfast, no mayo, then you can have either 2 cups of (no fat) milk at lunch or 1 at lunch and 1 at dinner. that will help balance out the meals a bit more and would shave you down to 1450 for a 450 calorie deficit, which is pretty good for long term weight loss. :)

nice work! im impressed with how well you documented everything. if you keep this up i think you will be happy with your progress

Hey, Greyscale, thanks a lot for taking the time to help me. I think that's a *really* good plan! :D I will definitely put it into effect.

DOH! I did forget the multiplier - you're right LOL. Although I'm not super-active, I'm totally not in a coma yet. Hehehehe :D

Yep, so I will get started on that tomorrow and see what happens.

[Metamorphosis]

Burning more calories (via exercise) than you ingest tells you're body this:

"I'm starving. Please hold onto everything."

[Little Linguist]

Burning more calories than you ingest tells you're body this:

"I'm starving. Please hold onto everything."

Really? I thought that was only if you eat, like 800 calories or something. Then how can one lose weight?

[Grayscale]

Burning more calories than you ingest tells you're body this:

"I'm starving. Please hold onto everything."

lol... this is literally the only way to lose weight, i mean, except for cutting off limbs or something.

youre probably thinking of people who eat so little that their body begins to not only burn fat for energy, but digest lean mass like muscles, bones, and organs for nutrients. also, it will slow your metabolism so that the fat lost will actually be even less than you would if you had a smaller deficit.

what you have to do is ensure you eat enough calories and nutrients that your body is getting everything it needs, but less total calories than you need so your body will use fat to make up the difference. this is done by eating better quality foods... think more nutritional bang for your caloric buck, then cutting out some foods like complex carbohydrates that are a primarily for energy.

someone who eats 3000 calories a day of junk food isnt eating nearly as well as someone who eats half as much calories of healthy food. :yes: junk food tends to be high in sugar and carbohydrates, so the person who eats healthy will probably feel hungry quite a bit more often, that's a sign that they have a higher, healthier metabolism that isnt being fed by processed sugars and such.

i eat and burn about 3500 calories a day and im still always hungry if im eating like a should... seems like it's when i have a bunch of junk food that i dont feel hungry :thinking: thats because im eating a ton of energy - fat, sugar, etc. but that doesnt mean im getting the nutrients i need.

[kyuuei]

1. Holy shit girl! I would DIE eating that sort of diet.. >.>

Ugh.. Im definitely NOT a nutritionist, but I do know if you exercise a good amount everyday, and you pick healthier options and stay away from sodawater and junk, you'll be fine.

However extreme you take it from there, I'll root for you on the sidelines while eating my bigass cheeseburger extra pickles.

[Little Linguist]

1. Holy shit girl! I would DIE eating that sort of diet.. >.>

Ugh.. Im definitely NOT a nutritionist, but I do know if you exercise a good amount everyday, and you pick healthier options and stay away from sodawater and junk, you'll be fine.

However extreme you take it from there, I'll root for you on the sidelines while eating my bigass cheeseburger extra pickles.

Thank you, hon!!!! And I can vicariously enjoy that bigass cheeseburger through you!! :D

[Metamorphosis]

lol... this is literally the only way to lose weight, i mean, except for cutting off limbs or something.

youre probably thinking of people who eat so little that their body begins to not only burn fat for energy, but digest lean mass like muscles, bones, and organs for nutrients. also, it will slow your metabolism so that the fat lost will actually be even less than you would if you had a smaller deficit.

what you have to do is ensure you eat enough calories and nutrients that your body is getting everything it needs, but less total calories than you need so your body will use fat to make up the difference. this is done by eating better quality foods... think more nutritional bang for your caloric buck, then cutting out some foods like complex carbohydrates that are a primarily for energy.

someone who eats 3000 calories a day of junk food isnt eating nearly as well as someone who eats half as much calories of healthy food. :yes: junk food tends to be high in sugar and carbohydrates, so the person who eats healthy will probably feel hungry quite a bit more often, that's a sign that they have a higher, healthier metabolism that isnt being fed by processed sugars and such.

I actually just didn't look very closely at it, lol. I thought she said that she burned the 1700 calories just from exercise, which I've seen a lot of people do :doh:

EDIT: I don't think eating 2-3 meals a day is enough though. I'm going to work right now but I'll take a better look at it later.

[Little Linguist]

lol... this is literally the only way to lose weight, i mean, except for cutting off limbs or something.

youre probably thinking of people who eat so little that their body begins to not only burn fat for energy, but digest lean mass like muscles, bones, and organs for nutrients. also, it will slow your metabolism so that the fat lost will actually be even less than you would if you had a smaller deficit.

what you have to do is ensure you eat enough calories and nutrients that your body is getting everything it needs, but less total calories than you need so your body will use fat to make up the difference. this is done by eating better quality foods... think more nutritional bang for your caloric buck, then cutting out some foods like complex carbohydrates that are a primarily for energy.

someone who eats 3000 calories a day of junk food isnt eating nearly as well as someone who eats half as much calories of healthy food. :yes: junk food tends to be high in sugar and carbohydrates, so the person who eats healthy will probably feel hungry quite a bit more often, that's a sign that they have a higher, healthier metabolism that isnt being fed by processed sugars and such.

This is a really good point. As my husband said, even chocolate has vitamins, but the amount of vitamins a chocolate bar has in relation to its caloric value is significantly less than that of, say, a salad. That's why people say chocolate is 'unhealthy' because that 500 kcal of goodness carries only about 1/100th the vitamins and minerals that a salad has (heh, if that).

[Little Linguist]

I actually just didn't look very closely at it, lol. I thought she said that she burned the 1700 calories just from exercise, which I've seen a lot of people do :doh:

:D No worries. I bet you know a lot about it, and I look forward to reading any bits of helpful advice or tips you may have.

[Grayscale]

I actually just didn't look very closely at it, lol. I thought she said that she burned the 1700 calories just from exercise, which I've seen a lot of people do :doh:

EDIT: I don't think eating 2-3 meals a day is enough though. I'm going to work right now but I'll take a better look at it later.

if you think thats crazy, go check out the diets that the olympic atheletes are on. michael phelps eats something like 10,000 a day. :shock:

and i agree, it's better to eat 4-5 smaller meals than 2-3 big ones. your body actually conditions itself based on when you usually eat (ever notice you feel hungry the same time every day?)

i eat 3 meals and 3 snacks in between :D it really seems to help your metabolism, it's kinda annoying. i eat this big meal and 1 hour later i feel hungry again.

[Little Linguist]

if you think thats crazy, go check out the diets that the olympic atheletes are on. michael phelps eats something like 10,000 a day. :shock:

TEN THOUSAND???? HOLY CRAP????

[Grayscale]

TEN THOUSAND???? HOLY CRAP????

when i am doing a long day of mountain climbing i will eat about 5000-6000 and that seems like a disgusting amount to me, i have no idea how he does it without completely hating food by the end of the day.

i wish i had the dietitians and cooks those guys have. :thinking:


edit: holy crap! :sick:

"Here’s Phelps’s typical menu. (No, he doesn’t choose among these options. He eats them all, according to the Post.)

Breakfast: Three fried-egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayonnaise. Two cups of coffee. One five-egg omelet. One bowl of grits. Three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar. Three chocolate-chip pancakes.

Lunch: One pound of enriched pasta. Two large ham and cheese sandwiches with mayo on white bread. Energy drinks packing 1,000 calories.

Dinner: One pound of pasta. An entire pizza. More energy drinks.

But what about the choice of foods? All those eggs and ham and cheese can’t possibly be good for him, can they? Says Klion, “I think for him, because of his caloric demands, he can probably eat whatever he wants to.

If you eat fewer calories than you burn exercising, you lose weight. But an athlete like Phelps, who exercises up a storm, has to worry about eating enough to replenish the scads of calories he’s burned. If he doesn’t, Klion explains, his “body won’t recover, the muscles will not recover, there will not be adequate energy stored for him to compete in his next event.”

[Little Linguist]

when i am doing a long day of mountain climbing i will eat about 5000-6000 and that seems like a disgusting amount to me, i have no idea how he does it without completely hating food by the end of the day.

i wish i had the dietitians and cooks those guys have. :thinking:


edit: holy crap! :sick:

"Here’s Phelps’s typical menu. (No, he doesn’t choose among these options. He eats them all, according to the Post.)

Breakfast: Three fried-egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayonnaise. Two cups of coffee. One five-egg omelet. One bowl of grits. Three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar. Three chocolate-chip pancakes.

Lunch: One pound of enriched pasta. Two large ham and cheese sandwiches with mayo on white bread. Energy drinks packing 1,000 calories.

Dinner: One pound of pasta. An entire pizza. More energy drinks.

But what about the choice of foods? All those eggs and ham and cheese can’t possibly be good for him, can they? Says Klion, “I think for him, because of his caloric demands, he can probably eat whatever he wants to.

If you eat fewer calories than you burn exercising, you lose weight. But an athlete like Phelps, who exercises up a storm, has to worry about eating enough to replenish the scads of calories he’s burned. If he doesn’t, Klion explains, his “body won’t recover, the muscles will not recover, there will not be adequate energy stored for him to compete in his next event.”

Unreal!!!!!! It must be nice to have that problem!!! (Oh damn, will I eat enough today????). Ughhh, I don't think I've ever had that problem.

Cure: Become an Olympic athlete.

Just kidding lol.

[kyuuei]

Phelps is a beast. A manly, erotic 10,000calorie eating beast.

Swimming aside though, Just don't get stuck eating all the same shit! Your body thrives off of variety.

[Aimahn]

yup, once you get more acquainted with healthy foods you learn how to subconsciously mix and match, refrain from eating unnecessary things and you generally just get a good grasp on how to eat and how it affects you.

Olympic athletes like Michael Phelps expend an absurd amount of energy and they need the nutrients to replenish that. If you've ever seen the true life series about power lifters and bodybuilders you'll see why gaining muscle mass and maintaining it is a very challenging task. I think its also good motivation to work harder, because then you will get to eat more and if you work hard enough you can treat yourself more frequently with cheat meals and not have to be so self conscious.

[CzeCze]

I want Grayscale to be my dietician.

Grayscale, I'm befriending you for those purposes. :D

ALso remember, LL, that Phelps is 1) a dude and 2) huge. Talking about body composition even outside of Olympic level physical activity, please keep that in mind. He can and should eat a lot more calories than you to maintain his size.

TWO POUNDS OF PASTA A DAY? Holy --

My brother eats like that, he's also tall and an meso-endomorph. And he's NOT an Olympic level athlete. He's pretty sedentary. He once reached for a pack of cigarettes and it threw out his back so badly (mind you, he was 24 at the time) that he couldn't move and intensively visited a chiropractor for a few months.

Caloric wise, Phelps' diet might be fine for him but eventually even in people who exercise regularly, high cholesterol, high fat diets will catch up to you later in life. I agree with Grayscale, eat healthy and find foods that you can live with.

Suggestion -- instead of mayo, use yogurt. Add lots of herbs and seasonings to food -- often it's not "food" you want but *taste*. Add heat -- chilis, hot sauce, if you can stand it. Ever eaten a bland meal and really wanted to eat more, even though you're not technically really hungry anymore?

LL, I would also suggest weight lifting. Some people recommend less reps/lighter weights to "tone" as opposed to building muscle but I personally think for the average woman, it doesnt' matter. In fact, in terms of body composition, it's muscle tone that lends itself to looking good underneath your clothes. It's also strategic muscle training that adds curves, because unless you are obese, losing weight = *losing* curves for women. More muscle also means you can eat more calories.

I weight train much more than the average female and I don't think I'm 'bigger' for it.

I've also done the weight gain/weight loss thing (lost ~25 pounds or ~10 kg) and I NEVER thought I could do it. I love talking about this stuff and theory versus reality to interested parties and comparing notes so let's chat and I'll jump into this diary regularly.

And yes, I would suggest getting your body fat composition. Your fat/muscle percentages make a much bigger difference visually and life impact wise than just your height and weight.

I have seen women who on paper are similar height/weight to me but we (at least IMO) are very different sizes/shapes.

[Aimahn]

Listen to CzeCze, she sounds like she knows what she's talking about. I think one of the key things is getting over that roadblock of fearing weightlifting, especially for women.

These are a couple links to the bodybuilding site that I frequent. There is a lot of helpful information in there that is nicely gathered for you. I think its helpful because you don't have to go through the daunting task of searching for useful information through all the misinformed BS thats out there. The first link is just a short article about women and lifting and the second is a bodybuilding( don't worry there are a lot of women on there who are in similar positions to you) forum for women.


Bodybuilding.com - Tina Marina - Training Myths And The Female Athlete! (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/tinamarina1.htm)

Female Bodybuilding - Bodybuilding.com Forums (http://forum.bodybuilding.com/forumdisplay.php?f=14)

Bodybuilding.com - Aimahn's BodySpace (http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/Aimahn/)

[Little Linguist]

yup, once you get more acquainted with healthy foods you learn how to subconsciously mix and match, refrain from eating unnecessary things and you generally just get a good grasp on how to eat and how it affects you.

Olympic athletes like Michael Phelps expend an absurd amount of energy and they need the nutrients to replenish that. If you've ever seen the true life series about power lifters and bodybuilders you'll see why gaining muscle mass and maintaining it is a very challenging task. I think its also good motivation to work harder, because then you will get to eat more and if you work hard enough you can treat yourself more frequently with cheat meals and not have to be so self conscious.

Good point! Thanks so much! I will try my best to improve muscle mass.

I want Grayscale to be my dietician.

Grayscale, I'm befriending you for those purposes. :D

ALso remember, LL, that Phelps is 1) a dude and 2) huge. Talking about body composition even outside of Olympic level physical activity, please keep that in mind. He can and should eat a lot more calories than you to maintain his size.

TWO POUNDS OF PASTA A DAY? Holy --

My brother eats like that, he's also tall and an meso-endomorph. And he's NOT an Olympic level athlete. He's pretty sedentary. He once reached for a pack of cigarettes and it threw out his back so badly (mind you, he was 24 at the time) that he couldn't move and intensively visited a chiropractor for a few months.

Caloric wise, Phelps' diet might be fine for him but eventually even in people who exercise regularly, high cholesterol, high fat diets will catch up to you later in life. I agree with Grayscale, eat healthy and find foods that you can live with.

Suggestion -- instead of mayo, use yogurt. Add lots of herbs and seasonings to food -- often it's not "food" you want but *taste*. Add heat -- chilis, hot sauce, if you can stand it. Ever eaten a bland meal and really wanted to eat more, even though you're not technically really hungry anymore?

LL, I would also suggest weight lifting. Some people recommend less reps/lighter weights to "tone" as opposed to building muscle but I personally think for the average woman, it doesnt' matter. In fact, in terms of body composition, it's muscle tone that lends itself to looking good underneath your clothes. It's also strategic muscle training that adds curves, because unless you are obese, losing weight = *losing* curves for women. More muscle also means you can eat more calories.

I weight train much more than the average female and I don't think I'm 'bigger' for it.

I've also done the weight gain/weight loss thing (lost ~25 pounds or ~10 kg) and I NEVER thought I could do it. I love talking about this stuff and theory versus reality to interested parties and comparing notes so let's chat and I'll jump into this diary regularly.

And yes, I would suggest getting your body fat composition. Your fat/muscle percentages make a much bigger difference visually and life impact wise than just your height and weight.

I have seen women who on paper are similar height/weight to me but we (at least IMO) are very different sizes/shapes.

Wow, you definitely added a lot of insight. Today, I started weight training - but only one round. Since I have had a back injury, I don't want to overdo it. On Monday, I will try two rounds.

It gives me courage to know that there are other women who have managed the same thing. Makes my goal seem much more doable and realitistic.

What percentage of body fat is 'good' for women?

I will also try the tips you gave for good 'tasting' food. Sounds awesome and I will give it a shot.

It would be *awesome* if you would be willing to contribute to my diary on a regular basis!!! :D

Listen to CzeCze, she sounds like she knows what she's talking about. I think one of the key things is getting over that roadblock of fearing weightlifting, especially for women.

These are a couple links to the bodybuilding site that I frequent. There is a lot of helpful information in there that is nicely gathered for you. I think its helpful because you don't have to go through the daunting task of searching for useful information through all the misinformed BS thats out there. The first link is just a short article about women and lifting and the second is a bodybuilding( don't worry there are a lot of women on there who are in similar positions to you) forum for women.


Bodybuilding.com - Tina Marina - Training Myths And The Female Athlete! (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/tinamarina1.htm)

Female Bodybuilding - Bodybuilding.com Forums (http://forum.bodybuilding.com/forumdisplay.php?f=14)

Bodybuilding.com - Aimahn's BodySpace (http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/Aimahn/)

Thank you very much for the links and tips. That's awesome!!! Whenever you have cool links like that please share them!!!

[Little Linguist]

Uh oh - the reckoning - let's take account of the damage:

Breakfast:

1 protein bar (sorry but I had to like run out the door) 175 kcal
1 pear 75 kcal
330 ml multivitamin juice 166 kcal
1.5 L tea, plain (peppermint and camomile) 0 kcal
Total: 416 kcal

Snack:
250 ml low-fat milk (sorry I cannot find skim milk here yet) 120 kcal
1 protein bar (I was starving) 175 kcal
5 spelt animal crackers 50 kcal

Total: 345 kcal

Drink: Fitness drink 500 ml (Water plus flavoring) 60 kcal
Water: 500 ml 0 kcal
Total: 60 kcal

Lunch:

300 ml Kefir mix (150 ml Kefir, 150 ml cherry juice) 300 kcal
1 banana 120 kcal
1 apple 80 kcal
Total: 500 kcal

Dinner
1 salad with chicken strips (they were fried, damn it!!! ughhh if I had known that, I wouldn't have ordered it - I thought they were grilled) 500 kcal
1L water 0 kcal
Total: 500 kcal

Total daily amount: 500 + 500 + 60 + 345 + 416 = 1821 kcal

BLOODY HELL!!!!! Gahhhhh!!!

*sigh*

Daily activity:

10 minutes walking to bus stop: 35 kcal
5 minutes walking to work: 15 kcal
10 minutes walking to nail salon: 35 kcal
10 minutes walking to gym: 35 kcal
35 minutes elliptical machine (level 7, avg. 55 rotations) 415 kcal
15 minutes weight lifting (1 round): 50 kcal
10 minutes walking to train station: 35 kcal
30 minutes walking home: 115 kcal (?)

Total extra kcal burned: 735
BMR: 1100 x 1.2 = 1320
Total calories burned: 2055

Total calories burned - total calories eaten: 2055 - 1821 = 234 kcal

Okay, welllllllll - I can live with that! Must get rid of snacks!!! Damned snacks!!! Oh, yeah and it goes without saying - no fried chicken strips. DOH!

Soooo I wasn't that good of a girl today BUT the good news is that I was fairly active soooooo it wasn't that awful. Tomorrow I will try to be better. I bought myself a yummy tomato salad with onions and parsley and yummy oil and vinegar dressing to give it some kick!!!

;-) Eh, I hope I can stick to my diet now that my husband's back!!! :D

[Grayscale]

Total extra kcal burned: 735
BMR: 1100 x 1.2 = 1320
Total calories burned: 2055

Total calories burned - total calories eaten: 2055 - 1821 = 234 kcal

Okay, welllllllll - I can live with that! Must get rid of snacks!!! Damned snacks!!! Oh, yeah and it goes without saying - no fried chicken strips. DOH!

you are a fast learner, i didnt even need to point this out. :yes:

i think youre doing pretty damn good in terms of exercise, 735 is more than what most people who exercise regularly will do, just need to shave off those unnecessary calories (you know where they are)

in the as long as you have at least a little bit of a deficit, consider the day a success 'cause youre moving in the right direction. :)

I want Grayscale to be my dietician.

Grayscale, I'm befriending you for those purposes. :D

im not an expert on this sort of thing in any stretch of the imagination, but hey, ISTPs know about everything right?

[booyalab]

Mayonnaise 100 kcal

Mustard tastes way better on sandwiches and it has no calories fyi.

[prplchknz]

I have nothing to add besides good luck and I just read the title of this thread as dirty pep talk for weight loss.

[Little Linguist]

you are a fast learner, i didnt even need to point this out. :yes:

i think youre doing pretty damn good in terms of exercise, 735 is more than what most people who exercise regularly will do, just need to shave off those unnecessary calories (you know where they are)

in the as long as you have at least a little bit of a deficit, consider the day a success 'cause youre moving in the right direction. :)



im not an expert on this sort of thing in any stretch of the imagination, but hey, ISTPs know about everything right?

Thank you so much - yes, I have learned a lot from you and appreciate any further input you may have! :D :hug:

Mustard tastes way better on sandwiches and it has no calories fyi.

True!!!! Thanks for indicating that - I did not even think about it, and Germany makes really good spicy mustard, which gets back to what CC said about taste. :-) Thanks, guys!

I have nothing to add besides good luck and I just read the title of this thread as dirty pep talk for weight loss.

;-) Maybe there are some dirty secrets for weight loss, but they probably go in another section of the forum. Heh heh, maybe I should start one there.

Yeahhhhh, that's a good question. I wonder if sex burns calories....I will start a topic there. Probably a stupid question, of course it does, but I wonder how many! ;-) It would definitely be more interesting than going to the gym. Hahahha, noooo, just kidding - of course I will go to the gym. :cool:

[Little Linguist]

Okay, Judgment Time.

Caloric Intake:

Breakfast/Brunch (yeah, I got up late):

1 can sardines in oil (125g total, 90g fish) 290 kcal
1/2 cheese pumpkin seed roll 120 kcal
100 g tomato salad 45 kcal
125 g green seedless grapes 85 kcal
1 tsp. honey 40 kcal
1.5 L black tea, no milk 0 kcal
Total: 580 kcal

Snack (sorry, folks, couldn't resist - the weather was great!!!)

1 Fruit bowl (3 scoops of ice cream with about 100 g fruit and 25g whipped cream and a tiny bit of sauce) 600 kcal (AHHHH!!!!)
1 cup black coffee 0 kcal
20 ml (a couple of sips) of milk coffee 50 kcal
Total: 650 kcal (whaaaa!)

Dinner (ehhh, I was good here!!!)

200 g red beet preserves 75 kcal
100 g pickles (cucumber preserves) 25 kcal
1 L fennel and camomile tea 0 kcal
Total 100 kcal (wooo hooo!)

Complete damage: 580 + 650 + 100 = 1330 kcal (Ehhh, not too bad!!!)

Activity Level (I was a lazy ass today - spent most of the day talking to hubby and enjoying the lovely weather) :

60 minutes walking (about 5 km/3 miles): 287 kcal
15 minutes moderate calisthenics: 74 kcal

Total burned: 361 kcal

BMR: 1100 x 1.2 = 1320

Total burned: 1320 + 361 = 1681 kcal

Calories burned: 1681 - 1330 = 351 kcal (hehe, better than yesterday)

Okayyyyyy, so granted, I should have moved my ass more today AND I should not have eaten the ice cream (eh, salad would have been better, and some more protein) buuuuuut at least I did not eat so flipping MUCH! AND I had enough to keep my BMR intact. SO I guess I could call the day a success!!!!!!! :D

[Economica]

Another woman who's lost 10 kg over here. :hi:

For me, the key (apart from exercise) was a drastic change of diet rather than eating less. I love food and I'm prone to comfort eating so I need to be able to indulge. The trick has been to reengineer my habits (and, admittedly, my taste buds) toward indulging in low-calorie foods. Basically, I eat a lot of vegetables, mostly in the form of salads. Salads can be excruciatingly dull or utterly delectable (CzeCze's point about taste applies here); it's a question of combining the right vegetables, lots of herbs and spices, some other taste givers including high-fat ones (e.g. sundried tomatoes, capers, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, olives, cheese) and a little bit of e.g. oil or low-fat yoghurt dressing. When you eat the right salads, you get to eat so much and feel so full that you hardly notice you're on a diet. (Well, not after the taste bud reengineering, anyway. :D)

Another thing that is helpful is to find low-calorie comfort foods. As I write I'm snacking on my staple, namely frozen corn (yes, I know, it's weird :blush:) which is really an ideal snack (not that I'm expecting to win anyone over :rolleyes:) since it takes time to eat and thus satisfies the oral fixation. ;) Relatively harmless snacks ftw!

[Little Linguist]

Another woman who's lost 10 kg over here. :hi:

For me, the key (apart from exercise) was a drastic change of diet rather than eating less. I love food and I'm prone to comfort eating so I need to be able to indulge. The trick has been to reengineer my habits (and, admittedly, my taste buds) toward indulging in low-calorie foods. Basically, I eat a lot of vegetables, mostly in the form of salads. Salads can be excruciatingly dull or utterly delectable (CzeCze's point about taste applies here); it's a question of combining the right vegetables, lots of herbs and spices, some other taste givers including high-fat ones (e.g. sundried tomatoes, capers, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, olives, cheese) and a little bit of e.g. oil or low-fat yoghurt dressing. When you eat the right salads, you get to eat so much and feel so full that you hardly notice you're on a diet. (Well, not after the taste bud reengineering, anyway. :D)

Another thing that is helpful is to find low-calorie comfort foods. As I write I'm snacking on my staple, namely frozen corn (yes, I know, it's weird :blush:) which is really an ideal snack (not that I'm expecting to win anyone over :rolleyes:) since it takes time to eat and thus satisfies the oral fixation. ;) Relatively harmless snacks ftw!

Hey, that's awesome!!!! Congratulations for losing so much weight!!! :D It gives me a bit of courage to know that other people have managed to lose it as well. I will keep your tips in mind and definitely try to incorporate them into my diet. Tomorrow I think I won't eat much just because I don't have *time* to eat LOL. I'll have to work about 11 hours tomorrow.

Frozen corn??? You mean frozen corn that you cook in a pot or what do you mean exactly?

Thanks for the tips on how to add flavor because salads can become boring.

If you think of any other helpful tips, please let me know! :D

[Aimahn]

Admittedly I wasn't that meticulous about my diet( I was blessed with a very forgiving metabolism) but I think one of the keys for me was just finding nutritious snacks that I could indulge in without to much concern, basically to tide my hunger over to the next solid meal or in place of my junk food cravings.

I found investing in low calorie and carb protein shakes was an excellent way for me to enjoy a snack and still get in a decent amount of protein and carbs. my goal was weight gain so I had to get a good amount of carbs in so I added some( you can adjust accordingly). The shakes were also something I could make quickly and they helped tremendously with the time they saved thinking about preparing meals and what not. Another benefit of the shakes is they can be easily timed for workout times so you get the maximum benefit for your muscle recovery.

Cereal and PB and J's( on whole wheat of course) were also key because they were very easy to make and also very nutritious. In the states there is a brand called Fiber One which is surprisingly tasty and very nutritious(packed with plenty of Fiber and not bad on the calories)

But basically the point I was trying to get across, and one that Economica thankfully brought up is just sort of actively looking for that staple comfort food that you know actually contributes to your dietary goals and is also something you look forward to. I think everybody would be lying if they say they 150% stuck to an ultra clean diet for a lengthy period of time, in fact most trainers sort of discourage that sort of extreme devotion( hollywood actors and athletes aside), but if you think of it as an active process of trying to find a balance with a great diet and always striving for more pleasing foods that can be accommodated to your diet you will be much happier.

Another point I wanted to add is that its very important to sort of step outside of the controlled schedule your on and just listen to your body, your moods, the mirror and acquaintances, friends and spouses to get a more accurate and fluid representation of your efforts. The scale can be maddeningly misleading. I remember when I first started working out the scale didn't move for like a month but I noticed the difference in my clothes and how I felt appearance wise, energy wise, and stomach moods.

[Economica]

Frozen corn??? You mean frozen corn that you cook in a pot or what do you mean exactly?

I mean frozen corn, in a bowl, eaten with a spoon like it was ice cream. :blush: (In case anyone out there actually wants to try it, I recommend organic corn. :yes:) My excuse is that my mother used to give it to me when I was hungry close to dinner time - so she's really the weird one, not me! :headphne:

If you think of any other helpful tips, please let me know! :D

I think my main tip is the change of focus from eating less (in terms of how often you eat and how full you get to feel) to changing your diet. Doing the right thing needs to become second nature, both in order for you to stick to it (I know I never managed to remain hyper-aware and diligent about my food intake for longer than it took for the next distraction (e.g. exams) to come along) and because even if you do lose the weight by counting calories, if you go back to your old eating habits once you've lost the weight, you'll just gain the weight again. For me, it was key that I had a no-turning-back realization that what I'd been eating up until then was the wrong kind of food for someone with my metabolism (which I think is average - compared to my sister and brother who have high metabolisms and pretty much have to eat ice cream all day (as my sister did one summer when she worked in an ice cream shop - I'm pretty sure she thinks it was worth it ;)) in order to gain anything). Besides, it's unnecessary to starve yourself; the satisfaction and, importantly, the don't-have-to-think-about-it normalcy of eating and of feeling full can be had if you simply eat the right things. (Compare the fullness feeling after some slices of white bread to the same amount of calories in vegetable form.) Once you've made the initial changes (which are admittedly difficult to figure out and implement), the weight will start to melt off almost effortlessly - and it will stay off!

You're obviously motivated right now - how about using that energy to figure out what you will need to say goodbye to (did someone say mayonnaise? :whistling: I'll take it one step further and say bread :2ar15: (except black bread)) and to find some salad and other vegetable recipes and some low-calorie comfort foods that you'll enjoy? :)

Another point I wanted to add is that its very important to sort of step outside of the controlled schedule your on and just listen to your body, your moods, the mirror and acquaintances, friends and spouses to get a more accurate and fluid representation of your efforts. The scale can be maddeningly misleading. I remember when I first started working out the scale didn't move for like a month but I noticed the difference in my clothes and how I felt appearance wise, energy wise, and stomach moods.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. Ignore the scale, at least until you're no longer gaining any muscle. Focus on how you feel and on how your clothes fit you instead. :)

[Little Linguist]

I mean frozen corn, in a bowl, eaten with a spoon like it was ice cream. :blush: (In case anyone out there actually wants to try it, I recommend organic corn. :yes:) My excuse is that my mother used to give it to me when I was hungry close to dinner time - so she's really the weird one, not me! :headphne:



I think my main tip is the change of focus from eating less (in terms of how often you eat and how full you get to feel) to changing your diet. Doing the right thing needs to become second nature, both in order for you to stick to it (I know I never managed to remain hyper-aware and diligent about my food intake for longer than it took for the next distraction (e.g. exams) to come along) and because even if you do lose the weight by counting calories, if you go back to your old eating habits once you've lost the weight, you'll just gain the weight again. For me, it was key that I had a no-turning-back realization that what I'd been eating up until then was the wrong kind of food for someone with my metabolism (which I think is average - compared to my sister and brother who have high metabolisms and pretty much have to eat ice cream all day (as my sister did one summer when she worked in an ice cream shop - I'm pretty sure she thinks it was worth it ;)) in order to gain anything). Besides, it's unnecessary to starve yourself; the satisfaction and, importantly, the don't-have-to-think-about-it normalcy of eating and of feeling full can be had if you simply eat the right things. (Compare the fullness feeling after some slices of white bread to the same amount of calories in vegetable form.) Once you've made the initial changes (which are admittedly difficult to figure out and implement), the weight will start to melt off almost effortlessly - and it will stay off!

You're obviously motivated right now - how about using that energy to figure out what you will need to say goodbye to (did someone say mayonnaise? :whistling: I'll take it one step further and say bread :2ar15: (except black bread)) and to find some salad and other vegetable recipes and some low-calorie comfort foods that you'll enjoy? :)



I agree wholeheartedly with this. Ignore the scale, at least until you're no longer gaining any muscle. Focus on how you feel and on how your clothes fit you instead. :)

Thank you so much! You're right, of course - I have to make a permanent change, or it's no use. I guess counting calories just reminds me that I'm keeping on track until I get the hang of it all.

Frozen corn??? Really? Ha, interesting - perhaps I shall try it too, if it really is yummy. I mean, I can't knock it til I try it right?

No bread??? At all??? Forever and ever??? Nooooooo please noooooo....Oh, okay, if I have to, then fine....:cry: What about multigrain or wholewheat bread??? I like those, and I don't know - but I don't think they are too bad, right?

Well I started today by getting rid of mayonnaise and butter - I think that's a step in the right direction! :D And I did not eat any sweets today at all (did I? no...I didn't).

I think you're right about the scale. I should look at the fat percentage anyway, shouldn't I?

Thanks once again for your help and support - I do appreciate it!!! :hug:

[Little Linguist]

Caloric Intake:

Breakfast:

1 multigrain roll with pumpkin seeds 150 kcal
100 g light turkey breast 100 kcal
2 tablespoons mustard 50 kcal
1 pear 75 kcal

Total: 375 kcal

Snack:

500 ml A-C-E juice 205 kcal
1 protein bar 175 kcal
1L tea (camomile, peppermint) 0 kcal

Total: 308 kcal

Lunch:
1 apple 80 kcal
1 pear 75 kcal
300 g low-fat yogurt 240 kcal

Total: 395 kcal

In between:

500 ml water 0 kcal
1L fitness water 120 kcal

Total: 120 kcal

After-workout snack (I was starving folks)

1 protein bar 175 kcal
125 g grapes 85 kcal

Total: 260 kcal

Total damage: 375 + 308 + 395 + 120 + 260 = 1458

Calorie Expenditure:

BMR: 1100 x 1.2 = 1320

Extra calories expended:
Walking (to bus, to work, to bank and back, to bus stop, back home = 55 minutes) 265 kcal
Elliptical trainer, 50 minutes, level 6, avg. 55 rotations a minute = 595 kcal
Weight lifting (15 minutes) 57 kcal
Calisthenics (15 minutes) 75 kcal

Total extra calories burned: 265 + 595 + 57 + 75 = 992 kcal

Total calories burned: 1320 + 992 = 2312 kcal

Total calories burned off: 2312 - 1458 = 854 kcal

Muhahahha - gettin' betta!!!!!!

[Grayscale]

economica and aimahn are right, although fat percentage is the important indicator (Understanding Your Body Fat Percentage (http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bodyfat.htm)) it moves rather slowly, so at least on a day-to-day basis, it's more useful to use your general overall feeling you get from being more energized, not as bloated, compliments from friends and better fitting into your clothes to motivate you to keep going.

and it looks like you've already got the basics down pat... as the other two stated, the key now will be to learn to eat a variety of foods, a long lasting diet is a balanced one.

some other "trick" food is sugarfree candy and gum, low cal frozen treats like otter-pops and fat-free fudsicles, and rice cakes. :yes:

[Little Linguist]

economica and aimahn are right, although fat percentage is the important indicator (Understanding Your Body Fat Percentage (http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bodyfat.htm)) it moves rather slowly, so at least on a day-to-day basis, it's more useful to use your general overall feeling you get from being more energized, not as bloated, compliments from friends and better fitting into your clothes to motivate you to keep going.

and it looks like you've already got the basics down pat... as the other two stated, the key now will be to learn to eat a variety of foods, a long lasting diet is a balanced one.

some other "trick" food is sugarfree candy and gum, low cal frozen treats like otter-pops and fat-free fudsicles, and rice cakes. :yes:

Thank you, that is true. I will try to work out as often as I can so that my fat ratio goes down and my muscle mass increases. Do you think I can do anything better to increase muscle mass or am I on the right track?

Yeah, I see what you mean with varying my diet. I think I will do some experimentation when I get on vacation. :D

[Little Linguist]

By the way, I really want to thank all of you for your help and advice.

Today I almost did not go to the gym - but then I thought, SHIT, you're going to have to admit you were a lazy ass tonight, so I went to the gym, and look how good I was. :D This was such a good idea!!! And you all helped make it worthwhile, too! :yes:

[Grayscale]

Thank you, that is true. I will try to work out as often as I can so that my fat ratio goes down and my muscle mass increases. Do you think I can do anything better to increase muscle mass or am I on the right track?

naw, it will develop naturally.

all i can say is be patient and stick to it, results will come. :)

[Economica]

No bread??? At all??? Forever and ever??? Nooooooo please noooooo....Oh, okay, if I have to, then fine....:cry: What about multigrain or wholewheat bread??? I like those, and I don't know - but I don't think they are too bad, right?

Bread is something that I personally cut out of my diet (except for black bread) because once I realized how many calories are in even wholewheat bread I figured I'd rather get my calories elsewhere. The same choice need not be right for you, but it's meant as an example of a drastic change. :yes:

Well I started today by getting rid of mayonnaise and butter - I think that's a step in the right direction! :D And I did not eat any sweets today at all (did I? no...I didn't).

Today I almost did not go to the gym - but then I thought, SHIT, you're going to have to admit you were a lazy ass tonight, so I went to the gym, and look how good I was. :D

Good for you on both counts! :)

[Little Linguist]

Caloric Intake (I was pissed off and busy, so I did not eat much):

Breakfast:

1 pear 75 kcal
1 milk coffee 150 kcal

Total: 225 kcal

Lunch:

1 pear 75 kcal
1 milk coffee 150 kcal

Total: 225 kcal

Dinner:

1 dark break roll 150 kcal
50 g turkey breast 50 kcal
tomato, cukes, lettuce 50 kcal
VERY little butter 50 kcal

Total: 300 kcal

Total calories eaten: 225 + 225 + 300 = 750 kcal

Total calories burned:

BMR: 1100 x 1.2 = 1320

Total extra calories burned:

90 minutes walking 420 kcal
- 10 minutes to the bus stop
- 5 minutes to the company
- 5 minutes to the bus stop
- 5 minutes to work
- 5 minutes to the bus stop
- 5 minutes to work
- 5 minutes to the bus stop
- 10 minutes to the company
- 10 minutes to the bus stop
- 30 minutes from train station home

Total calories burned: 1320 + 420 = 1720

Total calories burned for day: 1720 - 750 = 970 calories

Yeah, yeah, yeah - I didn't eat *enough* today. I know. I know. But I just did not feel hungry and I just did not have any desire to eat much.

[Little Linguist]

Ehhh my Internet is not working so I had to wait until today to go to an Internet cafe. These results were from yesterday.

Caloric Intake:

Breakfast:

1 dark roll 150 kcal
50 g turkey breast 50 kcal
tomato, cukes, lettuce 50 kcal
VERY little butter 50 kcal
250 ml low fat milk 120

Total 420 kcal

Lunch:

300 ml yogurt 250 kcal
1 apple 70 kcal
1 pear 80 kcal

Total: 400 kcal

Fitness studio snack:

1 banana 120 kcal
500 ml fitness drink 60 kcal

Total: 180 kcal

Dinner:

1 salad with mixed veggies, tuna and salmon 500 kcal

Total: 420 + 400 + 180 + 500 = 1500 kcal

Total Calories burned:

BMR = 1100 x 1.2 = 1320

Total extra calories burned:

60 minutes walking 283
45 minute elliptical machine 552

Total extra calories burned: 552 + 283 = 835

Total calories burned: 1320 + 835 = 2155

Total calories burned more than eaten: 2155 - 1500 = 655 kcal

[Uytuun]

i eat 3 meals and 3 snacks in between :D it really seems to help your metabolism, it's kinda annoying. i eat this big meal and 1 hour later i feel hungry again.

I've noticed this too although in my case it is out of laziness and not feeling like getting up to make something to eat and/or spend time on preparing and eating food. Anyways, if you always only just give your body what it needs to get rid of the hunger feeling and not "overeat" so to say i.e. create reserves, you'll get hungry much sooner. It becomes a bit of a vicious circle. And I agree that it can be annoying.

Viel Erfolg, LL!

[Aimahn]

Meal frequency is an excellent way to manage your feelings of hunger. I think something that would help you understand what plan would be best for you would be looking at the soma types(ecto, meso, endo) and figuring how your metabolism plays with your hunger. Gray scale you seem like a fit guy with a good metabolism so I would guess that your more on the meso-ecto side of things.

That can be important because people with good metabolism's will quickly burn off that energy from food and therefore will frequently hungry regardless of how much they ate. In my case I'm a meso-ecto so I have to constantly eat and I can handle bigger snacks and meals and eat more frequently to better handle my metabolism.

In my immediate family though all the girls are more on the endo scale of things so they need larger more dispersed meals since they do not burn off the energy from foods as easily. It may seem a little obvious but I found it really helped explain why I could have a massive meal for dinner and then 3 or 4 hours later I'm back in the kitchen preparing a pizza or pigging out again, granted I wasn't in the greatest of shapes and didn't have even basic knowledge of nutrition but I still maintained a relatively athletic shape, something my sisters and mom couldn't fathom because their metabolism is very different.

If you are interested here is a link about the soma types

The major body types are: True Ecto Ecto-Meso Meso-Ecto True Meso ... - Body Types (http://www.forumextractor.com/post/1010360.html)

[Little Linguist]

I've noticed this too although in my case it is out of laziness and not feeling like getting up to make something to eat and/or spend time on preparing and eating food. Anyways, if you always only just give your body what it needs to get rid of the hunger feeling and not "overeat" so to say i.e. create reserves, you'll get hungry much sooner. It becomes a bit of a vicious circle. And I agree that it can be annoying.

Viel Erfolg, LL!

Thanks so much. I will try to lower my meals and eat more often.

Meal frequency is an excellent way to manage your feelings of hunger. I think something that would help you understand what plan would be best for you would be looking at the soma types(ecto, meso, endo) and figuring how your metabolism plays with your hunger. Gray scale you seem like a fit guy with a good metabolism so I would guess that your more on the meso-ecto side of things.

That can be important because people with good metabolism's will quickly burn off that energy from food and therefore will frequently hungry regardless of how much they ate. In my case I'm a meso-ecto so I have to constantly eat and I can handle bigger snacks and meals and eat more frequently to better handle my metabolism.

In my immediate family though all the girls are more on the endo scale of things so they need larger more dispersed meals since they do not burn off the energy from foods as easily. It may seem a little obvious but I found it really helped explain why I could have a massive meal for dinner and then 3 or 4 hours later I'm back in the kitchen preparing a pizza or pigging out again, granted I wasn't in the greatest of shapes and didn't have even basic knowledge of nutrition but I still maintained a relatively athletic shape, something my sisters and mom couldn't fathom because their metabolism is very different.

If you are interested here is a link about the soma types

The major body types are: True Ecto Ecto-Meso Meso-Ecto True Meso ... - Body Types (http://www.forumextractor.com/post/1010360.html)

Thank you for this post. It was really interesting. I think I'm an Endo-Meso. I mean I would say true Endo BUT I tend to get really strong really easily. If I train at the gym, for example, 15 reps 3 times or even 10 reps with high weight three times, I can raise the weight after three times (!) but ughhh that fat percentage just kills me. And if I wanna be skinny I have to basically STARVE myself TOTALLY. Maybe I'm even an Endo. I don't know. Ugh. I gain weight easily (TOO easily) BUT I can also LOSE weight relatively easily (maybe it's just water weight???) SO perhaps I am Endo-Meso??? Not sure. Maybe you can help me. With intensive training (like a rehab after an OP) I got more defined within three weeks (is that normal?). So I don't know. My hips are wide, but not too wide. My chest is big, my waist is like 8 - 10 inches smaller than my hips. My measurements are 42-29-38 (my lower chest measurement is 34 though - so it's not like I'm a tub, just well-endowed ;)). I'm thinking Endo-Meso? Could you lend your thoughts? Thanks.

BTW: I'm hoping to get my waist down to 24 (yeah RIGHT!!! but I have to have a goal) and my hips down to 36 or 34. Chest - just forget it - it ain't happening LOL.

[Aimahn]

I don't think you're a full Endo, I think you guessed your type pretty accurately. I wouldn't back off the heavier weights if I were you It seems like you really benefit from them. Your diet looks good so maybe I would just suggest to just try and get in a little cardio to help with the body fat percentage. I found that It honestly really helped me, but the thing is you have to be pretty consistent with it , you don't have to go crazy or too intense but I found when I consistently made it a point to do( It was positively painful at first to get myself motivated to do it, which is sad because I used to play soccer and run all the time) you'll be really happy it honestly does make you feel better.

In all honesty the biggest thing with working out is just being consistent, as long as your keeping on schedule with your diet and pushing yourself at the gym and not cheating yourself or procrastinating with your workouts you will make progress. Goals are also a nice thing because they help you always strive for something and keep you sort of accountable when you feel like skipping a routine.

But yeah it seems like you have a decent ability to lift and it doesn't seem like torture for you( My absurdly skinny cousins hate lifting there ectos, but endurance wise I cant compete with them at all), so just experiment a little and try and see what works for your body. I think after you get in a groove and start seeing some improvements you start to get a sense of the type of exercises and routines work best for you and also your diet, so don't be afraid to experiment if you see something interesting, challenging, or fun at the gym sometimes the best exercises and routines are discovered that way.

[Little Linguist]

I don't think you're a full Endo, I think you guessed your type pretty accurately. I wouldn't back off the heavier weights if I were you It seems like you really benefit from them. Your diet looks good so maybe I would just suggest to just try and get in a little cardio to help with the body fat percentage. I found that It honestly really helped me, but the thing is you have to be pretty consistent with it , you don't have to go crazy or too intense but I found when I consistently made it a point to do( It was positively painful at first to get myself motivated to do it, which is sad because I used to play soccer and run all the time) you'll be really happy it honestly does make you feel better.

In all honesty the biggest thing with working out is just being consistent, as long as your keeping on schedule with your diet and pushing yourself at the gym and not cheating yourself or procrastinating with your workouts you will make progress. Goals are also a nice thing because they help you always strive for something and keep you sort of accountable when you feel like skipping a routine.

But yeah it seems like you have a decent ability to lift and it doesn't seem like torture for you( My absurdly skinny cousins hate lifting there ectos, but endurance wise I cant compete with them at all), so just experiment a little and try and see what works for your body. I think after you get in a groove and start seeing some improvements you start to get a sense of the type of exercises and routines work best for you and also your diet, so don't be afraid to experiment if you see something interesting, challenging, or fun at the gym sometimes the best exercises and routines are discovered that way.

Thanks for the tips. No, lifting is not torture for me; in fact my personal trainer seemed pretty impressed. Granted, I had to start with lower weight after my hiatus from working out. But even after nearly two months away, I had to only lower one peg on all the weights and I did it pretty effortlessly (but I wanted to go easy at first).

Actually, I kind of like lifting and 'feeling' my muscles 'working'. My legs are so strong that I did not even have to go down a peg :D I think it's all the walking. I just want to be careful with my upper body because I had a back OP.

Okay, I have to admit: I was really good yesterday. I did 60 minutes of walking and 75 minutes of cardio and 15 weights and 15 calisthenics. Today I did not do much because I had my shooting. And I cheated: whaaa I had a waffle with ice cream and cherries. DOH! But I will be good again tomorrow and go to the gym and work out a lot, and I should be back on track. Sometimes I need a little cheat. :blush:

[Little Linguist]

Shit I don't even remember my caloric intake and stuff for the past couple of days. DOH! I should write it down. But I know I worked my ass off yesterday at the gym WOO HOO!!!! 60 minutes walking, 35 minutes elliptical, 40 minutes stepper, 15 minutes weight lifting, 15 minutes calisthenics. So I don't feel so bad about being a lazy ass today (I did a shooting for an erotic calendar for my husband for Christmas wooooo hooooo!!!! So I did not feel like going to the gym. That lasted three hours, and feels like calisthenics LOL.)

Caloric Intake:

Breakfast:

1 protein bar 190 kcal
1 milk coffee 120 kcal

Total: 310 kcal

Lunch:

1 dark roll 150 kcal
50 g turkey breast 50 kcal
tomato slice, cukes, lettuce 50 kcal
VERY little butter 50 kcal
250 ml juice 150 kcal

Total: 450 kcal

Snack (VERY, VERY BAD GIRL - tomorrow you have to work out forever!!!)

1 waffle 500 kcal (whaaaa)
1 scoop amarena ice cream 150 kcal (oh dear)
50 g hot cherries 150 kcal
25 g whipped cream 100 kcal

Whopping total: whaaaaaaa 900 kcal (YOU ASSRAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Oh dear, I think I'm just having a salad for dinner. :blush:

Total damage: 900 + 450 + 310 = 1610 kcal (hides her head in shame)

Total caloric burn:

BMR: 1100 x 1.2 = 1320

Total extra calories:

60 minutes walking 287 kcal

Total calories burned: 1320 + 287 = 1607 kcal

Total calories burned: 1607 - 1910 = -3 kcal

GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! No waffles. No. Never again. Whaaaaaa!!!!!!!!! Dumbass!!! Grrrrr!!!!!!!!!! :steam:

[Economica]

Snack (VERY, VERY BAD GIRL - tomorrow you have to work out forever!!!)

... I'm guessing you were hungry when you decided on the waffle? ;)

I totally recognize the pattern of being good and restraining yourself for a while until you suddenly sin and indulge in something wicked. I don't mean to preach :sorry: but I feel called on to reiterate that what worked for me was reconfiguring my diet so I didn't have to restrain myself. When you eat filling, low-calorie meals, you have the stamina to resist temptation. :jesus: <-- Basically, you'll know you're on the right track once religious imagery is no longer appropriate to describe your weight loss experience. ;)

For instance, if you replace your sandwich-and-juice lunch with a salad based on fall vegetables (I assume you have refrigerator access at work?), you'll feel much more satiated on the same amount of calories. Salads based on the kind of daunting vegetables that don't even really look like food when you're scouring the supermarket aisle (such as celeriac) are great with the right preparation and taste givers, I promise! :yes: I suggest you buy a good book of healthy salad recipes and take the time in the evenings to prepare them (it's a good idea to prepare two different ones at a time so as to maximize taste variety).

Incidentally, I happen to know that you can get caffeine over the counter in Germany. Have you considered consuming your caffeine in pill format? I do that when I don't have time in the morning to enjoy my coffee but still need the caffeine. Just a tip in case you've been thinking of your milk coffee as non-negotiable! :devil:

Disclaimer: The forcefulness of my advice-giving aside (the zealousness of the convert... :blush:), I won't take it personally if you don't take my advice, so there's no need to make nice if it doesn't resonate with you. :)

[Little Linguist]

... I'm guessing you were hungry when you decided on the waffle? ;)

I totally recognize the pattern of being good and restraining yourself for a while until you suddenly sin and indulge in something wicked. I don't mean to preach :sorry: but I feel called on to reiterate that what worked for me was reconfiguring my diet so I didn't have to restrain myself. When you eat filling, low-calorie meals, you have the stamina to resist temptation. :jesus: <-- Basically, you'll know you're on the right track once religious imagery is no longer appropriate to describe your weight loss experience. ;)

For instance, if you replace your sandwich-and-juice lunch with a salad based on fall vegetables (I assume you have refrigerator access at work?), you'll feel much more satiated on the same amount of calories. Salads based on the kind of daunting vegetables that don't even really look like food when you're scouring the supermarket aisle (such as celeriac) are great with the right preparation and taste givers, I promise! :yes: I suggest you buy a good book of healthy salad recipes and take the time in the evenings to prepare them (it's a good idea to prepare two different ones at a time so as to maximize taste variety).

Incidentally, I happen to know that you can get caffeine over the counter in Germany. Have you considered consuming your caffeine in pill format? I do that when I don't have time in the morning to enjoy my coffee but still need the caffeine. Just a tip in case you've been thinking of your milk coffee as non-negotiable! :devil:

Disclaimer: The forcefulness of my advice-giving aside (the zealousness of the convert... :blush:), I won't take it personally if you don't take my advice, so there's no need to make nice if it doesn't resonate with you. :)

Actually, I was not super-duper hungry. I was hungry, but not overly so. See the problem is that my husband can basically eat anything and he looks sporty and wonderful. So he always wants to share with me, and I feel bad if I do not eat with him because that's one of his favorite things to do. (I think he's an S). He's happy if he has lovely food in front of him. So I eat with him and don't realize til after, OH GOD WHAT DID I EAT?!?!?!

To my credit, I worked out like an ASSRAT yesterday. 35 min stepper, 65 minutes elliptical, 15 minutes weight lifting, 15 minutes calisthenics, 30 minutes walking, 15 minutes sauna. So I did not put on a shit load of weight or anything, but ughhhhh!

How do you deal with living with a man like this when you want to change your diet? For example, he made an awesome brunch, and when I said I couldn't eat it, he was all grumpy-like. SO I ate a little bit and said I could not eat anymore and he was like, YOU NEED TO EAT MORE. And I told him, Jeez Louise I don't HAVE a metabolism like yours. I can't just EAT whatever I want to. Ughhhhh and then he said I was being totally static and really anal-retentive about the whole thing. He said I deal with problems in a static and systematic way. I don't let things happen. Basically an SJ with a huge pole up my ass. UGHGHGHHGGHGHHGHGH! He just doesn't get it. And it is so hard to stay on a diet when it's like that. Grrrrr.

I guess I just need to stick to my guns even though it causes problems. I mean, I don't want to blame my husband or anything. It's my body and I need to take responsibility. But it just makes it that much harder.

[Aimahn]

LOL admittedly being INTP and all I don't know that I'd be qualified or even able to give you advice on how to "deal" with your husband, but I think you made a good decision to stick to your guns. Metabolism is very real and from what you say you two seem to have drastically different ones. I don't know, I'd suggest maybe talk it out with him a little bit, adjust a little bit figure out meals that aren't super "diety" but are still healthy.

I found personally that talking things out, making a stand, and educating my family( there used to the three square heavy meals/ you're young you don't have to worry about diet and exercise mentality) about my habits really helped, At first it was sort of confrontational in the sense that there were two seemingly opposite sides with strong beliefs, eventually they just sort of accepted my ways and at the same time learned a little themselves and would consult me on how to be in better shape.

*mind you this is coming from someone with a metabolism similar to your husbands. So from his aspect I can see how you could get kinda careless with diet and still be in relatively great shape, it doesn't mean that he shouldn't be able to enjoy himself and eat healthier

[Little Linguist]

LOL admittedly being INTP and all I don't know that I'd be qualified or even able to give you advice on how to "deal" with your husband, but I think you made a good decision to stick to your guns. Metabolism is very real and from what you say you two seem to have drastically different ones. I don't know, I'd suggest maybe talk it out with him a little bit, adjust a little bit figure out meals that aren't super "diety" but are still healthy.

I found personally that talking things out, making a stand, and educating my family( there used to the three square heavy meals/ you're young you don't have to worry about diet and exercise mentality) about my habits really helped, At first it was sort of confrontational in the sense that there were two seemingly opposite sides with strong beliefs, eventually they just sort of accepted my ways and at the same time learned a little themselves and would consult me on how to be in better shape.

*mind you this is coming from someone with a metabolism similar to your husbands. So from his aspect I can see how you could get kinda careless with diet and still be in relatively great shape, it doesn't mean that he shouldn't be able to enjoy himself and eat healthier

Yes, this is true. Of course, there will be no changing him because he is relatively opinionated, and I do not want to give him the sense that I am controlling him just because I am on a diet. Nonetheless, I realize I have to watch out and stick to my guns no matter what. :D

[Grayscale]

you could try explaining that this is an important personal goal of yours, and you would appreciate his support... give him an opportunity to be a part of the solution. :yes: that can be a lot of different things, he doesnt have to eat the same food as you, but he can be sensitive to the fact that you are trying to improve your eating habits. that means eating his chocolate cake quietly without the Mmmms and the Ahhhhs! :D

[Little Linguist]

you could try explaining that this is an important personal goal of yours, and you would appreciate his support... give him an opportunity to be a part of the solution. :yes: that can be a lot of different things, he doesnt have to eat the same food as you, but he can be sensitive to the fact that you are trying to improve your eating habits. that means eating his chocolate cake quietly without the Mmmms and the Ahhhhs! :D

Right!!! :D

[Introverted-esfp]

Two Tips:
1. Eat less
2. Exercise regularly (atleast 3 days a week).

[Little Linguist]

Two Tips:
1. Eat less
2. Exercise regularly (atleast 3 days a week).

:D I do that, so I must be on the right track. Thanks!!!

[Little Linguist]

Dude!!!!! Good news. I'm down to 64.5 kg. So I lost one kilo in the space of about - well one week or two. Not sure.

Oh yeah, and since 13 October I've been working out every day doing 30 minutes cardio, 25 minutes weights, and 15 minutes calisthenics.

I've been watching my diet, but I don't see the need to calculate every single calorie anymore now that I've kind of got the hang of it.

I can't WAIT to go on the fat analysis machine again.

The first time I went on the fat analysis machine, I think it was about a week or so ago, it told me I was 65.3 kilos. Okay, so that was bad - I had gained 3 kilos in a space of pfft - 4 months. However, I gained 800g of muscle since the last time my weight analysis was made. So that was good - that means working out is making me stronger.

Today I weighed in on the normal scale (where I keep track of regular progress - but the scales both usually say the same thing) at 64.5. Woo hoo. Progress for sure. Even better, my size is much better. When I started, I was 105/83-80-98 and now the tape measure says 100/78-73-94. Awesome!!! And now my jeans fit better, so I know it's not just my imagination!!!! :D

[Aimahn]

Yup. Those are the progress indicators you want to pay attention too, and also the ones that keep you on the grind.

It really is a good feeling when you work hard and 2 weeks later or a month later you notice the little things like your clothes feeling better, your muscle to fat ratio, your energy, and just the fact that you are gaining skill(mentioned you no longer need to sit and calculate stuff). I think those things are what I really loved about bodybuilding and working out.

Keep posting though, I personally found you have a tendency to slack when you are not held accountable to anyone or thing.

[Little Linguist]

So today I worked out again :D Go me!!! I went on the elliptical machine for 45 minutes and did about 25 minutes of weights and 15 minutes calisthenics. I've noticed that I can once again increase the weights on the machine because I can do 20 reps without feeling much of a strain.

Exercise Start Now
Bench Press 7.5 kg 12.5 kg
Butterfly 15 kg 20 kg
Lat Pull Down 35 kg 40 kg
Abductor 35 kg 40 kg

And working with a thera-band has gotten easier too. I think I'll need to start working with weights to do the back and ab work because it's gotten too easy.

WOO HOO!!!!!!

Oh yeah, and I watched what I ate, too. I ate about 1200-1400 kcal today.

P.S. By the way, for you US folks, 1 kg = 2.2 pounds

P.P.S. Be proud of me - this is the sixth day in a row I've been to the gym!!! WOO HOO!!! :D

[Aimahn]

Have you considered doing some shoulder exercises?

I found those along with back and ab work REALLY helped my posture and contributed to having a decent midsection. I'm curious as to what back weight lifting exercises you plan on doing as well. It looks like you're making good progress and learning, I noticed you knew when it was time to change your scheme a little bit which is good, lifting and working out near full capacity(or at least somewhat taxing depending on your goals) is what gets results.

From the bodybuilding site I used to frequent I found that a lot of the girls really loved leg exercises especially squats, they work your glutes, quads and hams, basically the whole leg but they are challenging.

Are you currently incorporating any leg routines or at least lower body?

[Little Linguist]

Today, I was a good girl in terms of exercise. 45 min stepper, 5 min cool down (avg. heart rate = 130, 162 flights, level 5/1); 20 minutes weights; 15 minutes calisthenics. Then 2 rounds of sauna (yeah, I know that doesn't count, but who gives a crap?).

Aimahn, to address your question - well hell, I thought all those exercises work the back at least indirectly??? Those were the exercises I did during my rehab after my back OP.

And to work on legs and butt, I typically go on the stepper every second day. I don't want to do too much....Just enough to tone a bit. Perhaps later on I can do something else. :)

Those are good tips. I will incorporate them into my workouts bit by bit. Thanks a lot.

[Little Linguist]

Just out of curiosity, what would happen if I stopped eating entirely and just drank water? :shock: Would I lose fat super fast?

[Aimahn]

You probably would lose weight but a lot of it would be muscle and you would set yourself back incredibly fast. That's the main reason why those crash diet's usually fail, because the rebound effect, after you restrict your calories that low your body tries to maintain equilibrium so it gets use to super low calories and adjusts accordingly once you go to a much more "normal" state your body no longer needs to compensate and the weight will come back on with a vengeance.

Thats actually one of the biggest lessons I learned. FOOD is very important. Never forget it and always try and be reasonable with it, don't ever try and expedite the process by just cutting back a lot, it is never a good idea your body need energy and if it doesn't get it you will pay for it later.

[Little Linguist]

Okay, thanks! So I am doing the right thing by eating 1200-1500 kcal a day?

[Aimahn]

Yes I would assume so. I heard you mentioned a personal trainer, so I would guess he would have an accurate measurement based on your metabolism. I don't think I would be the best authority figure on that, lol I'm taking full advantage of being an 19 year old boy with a good metabolism, currently at least(pigging out a bit):D

But yes I think that is a good amount basing it on the 2000 calorie "standard" diet, which applies more to you than me, but I would suggest maintaining a healthy amount. Closer to 1500 seems better to me, especially since you are working out consistently.

I think its always better to feel like you're eating clean but not necessarily dieting heavily but at the same time making that up in terms of working out, which it seems like your doing an excellent job on!!

[Little Linguist]

Awesome news today!!!

On Oct. 9th I weighed in on the weight analysis scale with the following values at 14:00.

Weight: 65.3 kg
BMI: 26.4
Fat Mass: 20.5 kg
Mass that is not fat: 44.8
Percent body fat: 31.X% (I forget the other figure)

Today, Oct. 20th I weighed in on the weight analysis scale with the following values at 10:30.

Weight: 63.3 kg
BMI: 25.7
Fat Mass: 19.0 (CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!! I lost 1500g of fat!!!!!!!)
Mass that is not fat: 44.3
Percent body fat: 30.0% (Woo hoo!!!!!)

So yeah!!! HA! See, the measurement figures were right!!!! Muahahahahaha! :devil: And it came off the *right* places, not the *wrong* places, if you catch my drift! ;)

I asked him why the mass that is not fat would decrease, and he said it probably had something to do with the fact that I had eaten lunch before I weighed in the last time. :D YAY!

[Grayscale]

nice work :)

[Little Linguist]

Thanks so much!

Yeah today I worked out but not so much because I did not have too much time. But I thought before I gave it up today, it's better to do it a little while. So I did 30 minutes stepper (but more intensely) about 25 minutes weights and 5 minutes calisthenics.

Ate about hmm 1400-1500 kcal today. :D

[Bella]

I like the treadmill, with different inclines. It's really good for your bum. I like the rowing machine too.

[Little Linguist]

I like the treadmill, with different inclines. It's really good for your bum. I like the rowing machine too.

Really? Is it better than the stepper? Or the elliptical machine?

If I did that I would have to walk up a steep incline because I had a back OP and am not allowed to jog anymore....

But I would appreciate your input! :D Thanks!

[Bella]

For a few months I only did the treadmill with inclines and I really saw a difference. And I don't run at all, I just walk really fast. Then I added some rowing machine and elliptical.
When it was only treadmill, I did about 45 mins, but with the other two it was: treadmill, 25 mins, rowing 10 mins and elliptical, 10 mins.
And it works.

[Bella]

^if you Google 'treadmill blah, blah' you can find some incline programmes.

[Little Linguist]

For a few months I only did the treadmill with inclines and I really saw a difference. And I don't run at all, I just walk really fast. Then I added some rowing machine and elliptical.
When it was only treadmill, I did about 45 mins, but with the other two it was: treadmill, 25 mins, rowing 10 mins and elliptical, 10 mins.
And it works.

Hey, awesome, I might give that a shot and see what happens. I'm actually meeting up with my PT on Monday, so I will ask him to show me the rowing machine gig, and then I can give it a go!! :D Thanks for the tip. (Besides it is good to give your body a little change).

[Geoff]

The cross country ski style machines are great.. work out legs and arms, and non impact. Lots of calories burned there.

Are they called a cross-trainer maybe? I forget the names!

[Synarch]

Most effective exercise you can do is pushing yourself away from the dinner table. It is much easier to reduce calories than to burn them off. If you do nothing more than reduce total calories consumed, eat earlier dinner, give up all sugary drinks, and get good sleep you will lose weight.

[Aimahn]

Most effective exercise you can do is pushing yourself away from the dinner table. It is much easier to reduce calories than to burn them off. If you do nothing more than reduce total calories consumed, eat earlier dinner, give up all sugary drinks, and get good sleep you will lose weight.

Especially shitty food. Honestly if you abolish all(most if you really love em) sweets and deserts and just try and redirect your cravings into healthier foods you will be MUCH better off. Sugary shit absolutely KILLS your diet.

[Little Linguist]

The cross country ski style machines are great.. work out legs and arms, and non impact. Lots of calories burned there.

Are they called a cross-trainer maybe? I forget the names!

I love elliptical machines, which are called cross-trainers here because they work arms and legs.

Most effective exercise you can do is pushing yourself away from the dinner table. It is much easier to reduce calories than to burn them off. If you do nothing more than reduce total calories consumed, eat earlier dinner, give up all sugary drinks, and get good sleep you will lose weight.

I am watching my diet. I think 1500 is good for a diet with not too many calories but enough when working out or what do you think?

Especially shitty food. Honestly if you abolish all(most if you really love em) sweets and deserts and just try and redirect your cravings into healthier foods you will be MUCH better off. Sugary shit absolutely KILLS your diet.

Yeah, I know. Sometimes I cheat. I need to watch out for that.

But I think I'm making good progress so far.

[Synarch]

I am watching my diet. I think 1500 is good for a diet with not too many calories but enough when working out or what do you think?

Exercise just makes me hungry, so whenever I need to drop a few lbs to get back to the goal I just restrict calories: small portions, earlier meals, big breakfast or lunch and small dinner. Relative equilibrium rather than stasis.

[Little Linguist]

Exercise just makes me hungry, so whenever I need to drop a few lbs to get back to the goal I just restrict calories: small portions, earlier meals, big breakfast or lunch and small dinner. Relative equilibrium rather than stasis.

Well, generally my breakfast is something like a whole-grain roll with turkey breast, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber with a little bit of butter and some mustard. With that, I usually drink between 250 ml and 500 ml of milk, depending.

Throughout the day, I drink a lot of unsweetened tea, water, water-juice mixes, and a little bit of coffee.

For lunch, I have an apple and a banana or a fruit salad and two of these protein balance bars that have about all the nutrition you need for one meal at about 350 kcal.

Dinnertime usually consists of a salad with some form of protein (usually boiled egg or fish). Sometimes I admittedly cheat and eat a piece of bread with a bit of chocolate/hazelnut creme (BAD GIRL!!! Especially at dinner!!!). When I'm not bad, it's usually just the salad and some fruit and/or yogurt for dessert.

If I ever get super hungry between meals, I usually get a salad with oil/vinegar dressing, but that generally does not happen anymore since my body got used to the restricted calories.

:D I cut out ice cream and sweets (except my little cheats once every three days or so). I never, ever really drink soda, so that's not a problem. Sometimes I drink cola zero for a little treat when I go to the movies, but I think that's okay (oh yeah, and I cheat and buy a small popcorn to celebrate my success - dumb huh??? LOL).

However, I think it's going quite well at the moment.

Today I also went to the gym and did 30 minutes elliptical machine, 15 minutes stepper with 5 minute cool down, 30 minutes weights. This time I did my calisthenics with weights (that's why it took longer) because I needed more resistance.

Not only am I losing weight, but I'm losing fat. I know this because my gym has a fat analysis machine that measures fat mass, mass that isn't fat, and water weight. :D So that's good news.

I'm also glad that it's not happening too fast - that means it will stay off as long as I stay on track.

My posture and strength and energy are also better, so that's an extra bonus. That's important for my back because I had a back OP.

Besides, I've started working on my shoulders with weights as well.

Hmm, I don't know if there's any other news worth mentioning, but thank you to everyone for your comments, advice and support because it's definitely helping me to keep on track! :D

[LindseyLadybug]

My mom and I did Michael Thurmond's 6 week body makeover. It tells you which foods speed up your metabolism for your specific body type (A, B, C, D, or E) and which foods slow it down. Also, which excercises are best for your type. We've both lost 70 pounds in 1 1/2 yrs.

[Little Linguist]

My mom and I did Michael Thurmond's 6 week body makeover. It tells you which foods speed up your metabolism for your specific body type (A, B, C, D, or E) and which foods slow it down. Also, which excercises are best for your type. We've both lost 70 pounds in 1 1/2 yrs.

Hey cool, could you tell me more about the specific body types? I would like to know which type I am and which foods are 'good'. :D

[Grayscale]

if you did the calculations i put in earlier, you should be just about right... if youre losing fat, gaining energy, and not feeling too hungry, you've got it. :) 1-2 lbs a week is best.

if you arent losing fat, losing lean body mass, or are feeling super tired due to hunger and exhaustion, thats a sign you're eating too much or too little, or the wrong things.

Most effective exercise you can do is pushing yourself away from the dinner table. It is much easier to reduce calories than to burn them off. If you do nothing more than reduce total calories consumed, eat earlier dinner, give up all sugary drinks, and get good sleep you will lose weight.

i disagree with this notion... there is a reason why they say "diet and exercise" instead of just diet.

the reason is because without exercise, past eating foods that have a higher nutrition-to-calorie ratio, the biggest caloric deficit you can manage is only going to be a few hundred calories for most people.

exercise does 3 important things--

1) it increases your calories used in a day without increasing your base metabolic rate (which you should never eat less than) allowing you a larger caloric deficit.

2) it keeps your metabolism high, our bodies actually have a small window in which to adjust metabolism based on how many food someone is eating. if you eat less, this is naturally going to shift towards the low end of things.

3) it develops muscle, which burn more calories. this is important in the long term as it helps curb your weight loss plateu. very overweight people can lose weight faster because they are usually in poor shape and have to work harder, and their BMR is higher. with diet alone, the last 10-15 lbs will be difficult to lose and probably take a very long time.


good exercise is like torque :D diet will help you lose a lot of weight initially but exercise ensures you progress through the steepest parts.

[The Third Rider]

I go to the gym, right now I have 17.7% body fat and I am looking to get it to about 12% in the next few months. I hate to say it but I am a little weak when it comes to my eating habbits. lol I mean, I don't eat burgers or drink soda and I even stopped drinking liqor too but I need to focus more. I lost 15 LBS put I need to do more. I gotten a lot stronger too, its pretty cool.:D I am thinking of going to the gym in the morning too, as it is I go to the gym at least 4 times a weak for about 1:30 hours.

[Grayscale]

I go to the gym, right now I have 17.7% body fat and I am looking to get it to about 12% in the next few months. I hate to say it but I am a little weak when it comes to my eating habbits. lol I mean, I don't eat burgers or drink soda and I even stopped drinking liqor too but I need to focus more. I lost 15 LBS put I need to do more. I gotten a lot stronger too, its pretty cool.:D I am thinking of going to the gym in the morning too, as it is I go to the gym at least 4 times a weak for about 1:30 hours.

personally i hate the gym, i think it's boring. call me stubborn but i refuse to think maintaining health should be a chore. ive learned to think in terms of activities to replace more conventional exercises and that makes doing something every day a lot easier and more fun :)

instead of upper body weight lifting, i like rock climbing (males are just poor form like that ;))
instead of leg workouts, i like to hike with weight
instead of aerobics, just about any sport will work... i like ice hockey, paintball, martial arts, tennis

[The Third Rider]

personally i hate the gym, i think it's boring. call me stubborn but i refuse to think maintaining health should be a chore. ive learned to think in terms of activities to replace more conventional exercises and that makes doing something every day a lot easier and more fun :)

instead of upper body weight lifting, i like rock climbing (males are just poor form like that ;))
instead of leg workouts, i like to hike with weight
instead of aerobics, just about any sport will work... i like ice hockey, paintball, martial arts, tennis

When I first started going to the gym I thought it was the most boring thing ever, and extremely painful no less. I remember the days that I could not even sit down properly after doing my legs.lol When I first started I couldn't lift 90lbs with my legs without getting cramps now I can do several sets while lifting 540 lbs (yes I am a beast:D). I love going to the gym now, when I don't go I feel that itch in my body to want to go. Rock climing does sound like a lot of fun tough. I might try it some day.

[LindseyLadybug]

Hey cool, could you tell me more about the specific body types? I would like to know which type I am and which foods are 'good'. :D

Yes, here is the website where you can take a quiz to figure out your body type:

Provida Life Sciences | 6 Week Body Makeover (http://www.mybodymakeover.com/tools_for_success/body_blueprinting_quiz.aspx)

It'll tell you a little bit about what to eat and what to avoid but in order to get all the info, exercises, etc you have to buy the kit. I think it costs like $140 but it's definitely worth it. It has changed my life....as cliche as that sounds. I'm type A which has the slowest (okay, pretty much no) metabolism. If I can do it, anyone can! :yes: If it doesn't work, you can get all your money back if you return it within 8 weeks. We've told many of our friends about it and they've been successful on this too. Do you want to see my "before" picture? lol

[The Third Rider]

Interesting so I am type C its seems. I really need to get on a better eating regiment.

[Little Linguist]

Yes, here is the website where you can take a quiz to figure out your body type:

Provida Life Sciences | 6 Week Body Makeover (http://www.mybodymakeover.com/tools_for_success/body_blueprinting_quiz.aspx)

It'll tell you a little bit about what to eat and what to avoid but in order to get all the info, exercises, etc you have to buy the kit. I think it costs like $140 but it's definitely worth it. It has changed my life....as cliche as that sounds. I'm type A which has the slowest (okay, pretty much no) metabolism. If I can do it, anyone can! :yes: If it doesn't work, you can get all your money back if you return it within 8 weeks. We've told many of our friends about it and they've been successful on this too. Do you want to see my "before" picture? lol

That was really helpful: here's what it said:

Based on your answers to the Body Type Quiz,

As a Body Type C, your body builds and maintains lean muscle easily, which is good because muscle burns fat. Additionally, your metabolism is not as sluggish as several of the other body types - unfortunately, it is still not fast enough to keep you lean. The rate of your metabolism is the primary consideration in how your body gains or loses weight. The good news is: As a Type C, since you have plenty of muscle tissue to help you burn fat fast, once you use your custom eating plan to speed up your overall metabolic rate, you should see results extremely fast and have little trouble keeping the weight off after the program is done.

Your Customized Eating Plan will use foods specifically chosen to work with your body chemistry in an accelerated eating schedule to "jumpstart" your metabolism so your body sheds fat quickly, revealing the mesomorph (muscular) body underneath. Because your body builds and maintains lean muscle easily, your metabolism isn't quite as sluggish as some of the other body types. That means you don’t have to be quite so careful with "simple" carbohydrates such as fruits and starchy vegetables. In addition to the extremely complex carbs like potatoes and yams and fruits like strawberries, peaches and fresh pineapple, your body will also do well with slightly "sweeter" fruits like apples, bananas & honeydew. By eating the right combination of foods for your Body Type, you’ll be able to stop starving, start eating more and lose body fat faster than you ever thought possible.

The ratio of fat and muscle in your body reveals much about your metabolism and body chemistry. Metabolism is essentially the rate at which your body converts food into energy. When you eat something, your body will use some of the food as fuel, eliminate the elements it has no use for, and store all the rest as body fat. The faster your metabolism, the more quickly your body uses food for energy and the less it stores as fat. With a very slow metabolism, your body converts food into energy much less efficiently and more of it gets stored as fat. Basically, if you want to lose fat you need to speed up your metabolism.

As a Body Type C, your body is a combination of two basic physiological terms: a "mesomorph" which is a strong, muscular body like you might see on an athlete and an "endomorph" which is a body with soft, loose flesh and a tendency for easy weight gain. In your case, the mesomorph, or muscular Body Type, is dominant. The fact that you have such strong mesomorphic qualities is good because it means your body adds and maintains muscle tissue well, and that muscle burns far more fat than any other component of your body. The more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn all day long--even when you're sleeping. As a Body Type C, the best way to speed up you metabolism is to: 1) Preserve your body’s lean muscle mass; and 2) Begin following an eating plan that is customized to your specific Body Type that will show you how to use the right foods, in the right combinations, in the right amounts, and at the right time of day to force your metabolism to run faster so your body burns more of the food you feed it as fuel and stores less as fat. Once that happens, weight loss happens quickly and naturally.

[Little Linguist]

I think body type C is accurate. Although I was never really skinny except when I starved myself for a period between 16-21, I was never really super fat. And check it out - after only a week of daily workouts and after 9 days I lost 1.5 kg of fat. That's crazy!!! Of course, if I don't work out and watch my diet, I put on weight quicker than you can say, "FAT!" On the other hand, I also lose weight quicker and notice a definite change in strength and weight/measurements after a short length of time.

Like my husband said once, "You seem to be able to gain weight noticeably from one day to the next. I've never seen anything like it. On the other hand, when you go to the gym, I see the effects almost immediately!" :D

[Little Linguist]

Interesting so I am type C its seems. I really need to get on a better eating regiment.

You're not alone! :hug:

[LindseyLadybug]

I'm glad it helped you, Little Linguist! :)

By the way, your cat is super adorable!

[Little Linguist]

*sigh*

[Aimahn]

I think body type C is accurate. Although I was never really skinny except when I starved myself for a period between 16-21, I was never really super fat. And check it out - after only a week of daily workouts and after 9 days I lost 1.5 kg of fat. That's crazy!!! Of course, if I don't work out and watch my diet, I put on weight quicker than you can say, "FAT!" On the other hand, I also lose weight quicker and notice a definite change in strength and weight/measurements after a short length of time.

Like my husband said once, "You seem to be able to gain weight noticeably from one day to the next. I've never seen anything like it. On the other hand, when you go to the gym, I see the effects almost immediately!" :D

Yea I would say learning about body types was the single most important thing I learned about exercise and diet. Its at the core of any program and serves as a bullshit detector for all those fad diets and products. Seriously, it helps understanding how your body acts and reacts the way it does and allows you to be comfortable and at peace with your diet. It gives you parameters too for your diet program so you don't feel like you are just restricted to a blanket egg whites and salad type thing.

[Little Linguist]

Yea I would say learning about body types was the single most important thing I learned about exercise and diet. Its at the core of any program and serves as a bullshit detector for all those fad diets and products. Seriously, it helps understanding how your body acts and reacts the way it does and allows you to be comfortable and at peace with your diet. It gives you parameters too for your diet program so you don't feel like you are just restricted to a blanket egg whites and salad type thing.

Yeah, I hope it does not degenerate into that...I really do. :shock:

[iwakar]

I've found this site helpful in the past: FitDay (http://www.fitday.com/fitness/Login.html?_a_Date=1219708800.).

[Little Linguist]

I've found this site helpful in the past: FitDay (http://www.fitday.com/fitness/Login.html?_a_Date=1219708800.).

Thanks, I will check it out. :D

[Little Linguist]

Okay, I had a really weird occurrence today while I was at the gym. Okay, so I went on the stepper as I usually do and my heart rate was normal (since I walk there and I was carrying my bag and it's heavier than usual today) 98. So I started at level 5, which usually keeps my heart rate between 110 and 140.

So about ten minutes in my heart rate jumps like crazy. I mean it was like 120 just starting out, which is weird, because it is usually around 110 at this point. Then it just started racing at like 180 and jumping down to 150 and going to 130 and then 150, and I felt really weird, like....exhausted. So I thought, okay, maybe I'm just being weird and the thing is freaking out or conflicting with someone else's heart thing. But then the only person close to me left and it was still doing that. So I thought, okay let's take a break and do something else.

I went on the weights, doing the weight I normally do, and it felt so much heavier than usual. I got tired so fast, which doesn't normally happen.

THEN when I was walking home because I thought, okay obviously my body does not want to work out today, I had to stop like 10 times on the way home and I felt kinda dizzy, which was weird, that NEVER happened to me before, even with a heavy bag. I walk, like EVERYWHERE.

So then I thought, okay, maybe I'm dehydrated, but my urine is a healthy, almost clear color??!!! And besides I drank like 5 cups of herbal tea and about 1 L of water, so I don't think that should leave me dehydrated.

I think I just need a little break today? Or maybe it's because my period's due? Or maybe I'm coming down with something? Weird. Really weird????

Any ideas what could be wrong? Maybe I'm overdoing it....:shock:

[CzeCze]

Hey LL! Just thought I'd pop in and see how you're doing.

My roommates did the 6 Week Body Makeover and as they were cooking regularly, managed to lose weight.

However, if you're a non-detail oriented person (*ahem* ENFP) it's trickier to stick to. I could imagine an INFJ would have the discipline to learn and understand and then stick to such a diet. Congrats Lady Bug!

I say go for it if it helps. I just know that for myself, I use nutrition science roughly. I know eating some carbs and protein before and/or after working out helps with muscle formation.

I'm a type B myself. I think that means cut out carbs and such. But living in a vegan hippie house that's a bit tough.

I like concentrating on excercise myself. Burn those calories! Eat what you want. :) After figuring out a relatively 'healthy' overall diet that is easy to live with.