Alligatorob's Diary

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, I exercised and ate reasonably. Fitbit says I burned 2,302 calories and MFP says I ate 1,459 a good deficit, even if a bit overestimated.

I feel that my fitbit is not as generous with exercise calories as I would be inputting what I have done, so am happy with it. I like that it goes on your heart rate.

I agree, I am a bit disappointed with the fitbit estimates, but am beginning to think they may be realistic. MFP says I burned something like 1,300 calories today and calculating on fitbit it looks more like 400. Big difference...

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, I ate well and exercised. Did not go to the gym, but stayed home and did a home workout, a little less than 2 hours. Fitbit did not seem to like it as well as working out at the gym. Strange my home workouts always seem more tiring, I do the exercises more efficiently with less resting and going from station to station. Fitbit says I burned 2,162 calories and MFP says I ate 1,349.

We had snow, hope the cold doesn't damage the peaches, they are blossoming now.

 

[Llama]

Maybe it's just because it was 2 hours instead of 3? Fingers crossed for the peach blossoms: now I want peaches.

 

[Emilyrose]

Love the pictures, Rob.

There's a setting on Fitbit where it doesn't pick up exercise less than 15 minutes - you can change it. It's probably why it doesn't track the workouts with weights as well. I never see any exercise tracked when I do a spin class, but it does track an elevated heart rate and calories burned that way, so I left mine as it was.

My gym instructors always told me that weights were great because you're burning fat long into the night after using the weights, so they are so worthwhile. I haven't gone to a weights class in ages because they brought in this new booking system with Covid and the classes are always full, but it's one I want to go back to.

You've inspired me to go the gym this weekend. Spin and yoga are the Sunday classes and I will be attending!

 

[Cate]

Photos are excellent, Rob. I hope that snow doesn't ruin the peaches. I drool when you eat peaches!
Fitbit has exercise shortcuts. I only have walks selected but there are weights, pilates, interval training, running etc. When I go for a walk with Arch I press the button until it gets to "walk" & then hold it in. When I'm finished I press it again. It's good as it is connected to GPS & I can keep track of distances.

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, did 3 hours of exercise, a circuit training class, a push day with the trainer, and then a Tabata class, all felt good. And the fitbit liked it! Gave me 100 brownie points, still not quite sure what they mean, but that was way over the goal of 22 fitbit set for me. Now I need to figure out what they mean. I ate well and feel good tonight. Fitbit says I burned 2,530 calories and MFP says I ate 1,395, a good deficit. Still not losing weight, not for over 2 weeks anyway, but I am pretty sure its coming...

Maybe it's just because it was 2 hours instead of 3? Fingers crossed for the peach blossoms: now I want peaches.

Perhaps, but I think my average pulse rate was lower with the home exercises, who knows. I am not going to let it bother me too much, for now I will just try to track and figure out the fitbit thing.

Thanks for the peach well wish, I hope so to. And I'm ready for peach season as well.

There's a setting on Fitbit where it doesn't pick up exercise less than 15 minutes - you can change it. It's probably why it doesn't track the workouts with weights as well. I never see any exercise tracked when I do a spin class, but it does track an elevated heart rate and calories burned that way, so I left mine as it was.

You clearly know a lot more about fitbit than I do. It did give me more of the mysterious credits for spinning, but I did not even know it could track exercise, other than from pulse rate. I have a lot to learn, or not... I can read the time. Good to hear from you!

Fitbit has exercise shortcuts. I only have walks selected but there are weights, pilates, interval training, running etc. When I go for a walk with Arch I press the button until it gets to "walk" & then hold it in. When I'm finished I press it again. It's good as it is connected to GPS & I can keep track of distances.

And you also seem to know a lot about fitbit. I had no idea you could do these things... So far I have figured out the time of day, my pulse rate, calories burned, and the mysterious credit thing... But I am just getting started. Wish I could send you a ripe peach, there really is no comparison to a tree ripened peach, nothing store bought comes even close.

 

[Llama]

And the fitbit liked it! Gave me 100 brownie points, still not quite sure what they mean

Surely it means you get to eat 100 brownies... right?

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, I ate well, did some exercise and feel good tonight. Cut my exercise shorter than usual, after and hour and 20 minutes I just decided to leave. Not a bad decision, don't think pushing when I don't want to is necessary. Fitbit says I burned 1,819 calories and MFP says I ate 1,329, not a bad burn, but I kind of doubt the fitbit number, that is fewer calories burned than I saw last Saturday when I did not exercise at all. And it gave me no brownie points...

Surely it means you get to eat 100 brownies... right?

I like that interpretation, maybe I'll just run with it, LOL!

 

[Llama]

Exercise should definitely remain fun and not a chore if you want it to be sustainable. An hour and 20 minutes is a very decent time anyway.

 

[alligatorob]

Did 2 hours and 22 minutes at the gym this morning, a cycling class plus some on my own workout. I tried pushing harder and got 133 brownie points from my fitbit, that compares to none yesterday. Only real difference was that I tried pushing a little harder today.

It is tempting to try and satisfy Ms Fitbit, but I am not sure that's the right thing. I want to do exercise at a pace I am happy enough with to keep doing it. And I suspect the brownie points are just minutes above some semi-arbitrary line. Yesterday I was just below, today just above, but not a big difference.

That makes 14 hours and 40 minutes in the gym this week. No days off.

Exercise should definitely remain fun and not a chore if you want it to be sustainable.

Absolutely! I know that if I don't like it I won't stick at it.

An hour and 20 minutes is a very decent time anyway.

I know, but I have been in the habit of trying to get at least 2 hours. Kind of arbitrary.

 

[ChocolateBunny]

I can't imaging burning so many calories and not losing weight. Is this why you're exercising 2-3 hours? Do you get frustrated looking at the scale?

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, I ate well, exercised and feel good tonight. Fitbit says I burned 2,705 calories and earned a record 172 brownie points. MFP says I ate 1,416 calories. Not sure I believe the burned number, but am sure it was a deficit. Still trying to figure the whole fitbit thing out.

I can't imaging burning so many calories and not losing weight. Is this why you're exercising 2-3 hours? Do you get frustrated looking at the scale?

Hey CB, good to hear from you!

On the calorie burn and weight, of course I'd like to be losing more, or any right now. And every morning when I look at the scale I hope to see losses I don't. But this isn't my first rodeo, I am sure I'm losing fat and when my body's water content catches up I'll see it on the scales. I know it will happen, just not sure when, tomorrow would be great, but I can wait.

Right now I am running a deficit of around 500 calories a day, at that rate I should lose about a pound a week. Its only been 2 or 3 weeks that I've been able to stay on this diet and binge free, so that's only about 3 pounds. A loss like that is easily masked by water.

No, my primary objective with the exercise is just to feel better. I know it will help a little with the weight, but to lose weight cutting calories is the most important thing. I was exercising just as much when I was bingeing more regularly, and I gained weight despite the exercise. Maybe a little less, but still gained.

To be honest I know I don't need 2 or 3 hours a day, but right now I am settling into retirement and have the time, a year or so ago I could not have done it. And where can I go other than the gym that I'll find a bunch of pretty young girls who know my name and appear happy to see me? No where I am sure. Though to be honest I think they like seeing me because I am the one person who they can count on not to do as well as they do, LOL. I make all of them look a bit more fit! Kind of a mascot I guess, still I like it.

 

[Llama]

Though to be honest I think they like seeing me because I am the one person who they can count on not to do as well as they do,

I think they like seeing you because you're a twinkly-eyed gentleman who's nice but doesn't try to hit on them. I hate to say it but that's kind of rare.

 

[alligatorob]

I think they like seeing you because you're a twinkly-eyed gentleman who's nice but doesn't try to hit on them. I hate to say it but that's kind of rare.

LOL, had not thought of that! I believe am kind of the grandfather type to them. Way too old to be thinking of hitting...

Happy Easter!

 

[Llama]

Way too old to be thinking of hitting...

Alter schützt vor Torheit nicht. Sadly. happy Easter!

 

[Cate]

I'm sure they greet you that way as you're a nice guy & a grandfather type who is there to get fit. Everyone seems to love my G too as he's lovely & there's nothing sleazy about him.

 

[alligatorob]

It was an ok day, I ate more than usual but no binge and did not exercise. However both were planned, we had a bunch of people over for a nice long Easter afternoon and evening, eating a lot. I ate less than anyone, but still more than usual for me. Took my fitbit off for charging, just guessing I had no deficit today, but no overage either. Not a bad place for a holiday feast day.

Alter schützt vor Torheit nicht.

Had to go to Google translate for that, it says "Age does not protect against stupidity" and I can attest to the truth of that, LOL! But I know what you meant, thanks.

I'm sure they greet you that way as you're a nice guy & a grandfather type who is there to get fit. Everyone seems to love my G too as he's lovely & there's nothing sleazy about him.

Thanks Cate, and I do kind of feel the "grandfather type" with these girls.

The area I live in is ~95% Mormon and I am sure most if not all these ladies are Mormon, I hear them talking about it a lot. I am not Mormon. One social characteristic of Mormons here is they marry and have children quite early, most of these ladies are young mothers. Not a social group I would be exposed to any other way.

At first to be honest I was a bit intimidated by all these fit young women and felt the old out of shape guy. Did not think I could fit in. But they have been quite friendly and welcoming. Not that I really know any of them very well. I know almost all the first names, but no last names or really much about them. Except that they tend to workout when I do. Met a few kids and husbands who come in occasionally, but not often.

Most of the people who come when I do are these young ladies. They do make my time at the gym more enjoyable.

 

[Llama]

It was an ok day, I ate more than usual but no binge and did not exercise. However both were planned, we had a bunch of people over for a nice long Easter afternoon and evening, eating a lot. I ate less than anyone, but still more than usual for me. Took my fitbit off for charging, just guessing I had no deficit today, but no overage

I do think it's important that you're able to take a day off exercise sometimes without fretting, and that you're able to enjoy out-of-the-ordinary food with friends and family. I'm sure it'll make it a bit harder to stay on track for a day or two after, but it's worth it.

 

[Cate]

Being sociable & having fun is worth it. You can always snap right back. I used to hate feeling more invisible as I got older, but now I'm happy in my own skin & comfortable with it. If I'm considered in some eyes as a granny, well I'm qualified. I have earned every wrinkle.

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, ate well, exercised and feel good tonight. Went a little over my 1,500 calories, but not much. It was the left over dessert from yesterday, but its now gone. Got 2 hours and 45 min in the gym, and it felt good. Plan to go back in the morning, but I got a shingles shot today so I will see how I feel. So far so good.

Fitbit says I burned 2,402 cals, and MFP says I ate 1,525. Also earned 120 fitbit brownie points today, not sure what I can do with those.

I do think it's important that you're able to take a day off exercise sometimes without fretting, and that you're able to enjoy out-of-the-ordinary food with friends and family. I'm sure it'll make it a bit harder to stay on track for a day or two after, but it's worth it.

Thanks LLama and you are right, yesterday was worth it. And not too hard to get back on track today, except for that one last dessert, LOL.

I used to hate feeling more invisible as I got older, but now I'm happy in my own skin & comfortable with it. If I'm considered in some eyes as a granny, well I'm qualified. I have earned every wrinkle.

Not sure I am fully happy in my skin, if there was a little less of it I might be happier, LOL. I am sure I can match you wrinkle for wrinkle, and probably more, as you say I have earned them all!