Alligatorob's Diary

[alligatorob]

I believe it is time for me to start my transition to maintenance.

Today my trainer measured my % body fat using the caliper technique and found that I am at 16%. For a man of my age that seems to be pretty good, in the "lean" range even below the "ideal" range. This is using the words in Tru's guide, in my trainer's program it called me "fit" and my trainer says I don't have much body fat, and that I should consider myself fit.

I was not just amazed, but floored.

She said that I should not use BMI as I have more muscle than most my age and height. So I looked at other metrics and I think I am ok. She suggested that I up my calories by 100 a day and see how it goes for a few months. Losing more weight would not hurt, but isn't necessary. I know that advice is in line with what a lot of folks here have been telling me. Cate you words never fall on deaf ears, I am just slow to react. So I plan to keep up the exercise and target something between 1,400 and 1,500 for a while. Thanks to all for your support and advice, I would not be here without it.

My analysis - I know there are other indicies that probably don't all look so good, but I will take these:



Here is the % body fat report, note my weight is old, it is now 167, not 172 lbs.

 

[Llama]

And I will be eating a few more calories.

Yay!

I believe it is time for me to start my transition to maintenance.

YAYYY!
Congratulations, my friend. That must feel strange.

 

[alligatorob]

Congratulations, my friend. That must feel strange.

Yes, it does feel strange, real strange to be honest.

And I really appreciate your help and support over the past year plus, I could not have done it without you and the others, but you have been very consistently there for me. Thank you!

Aren't you up awfully early?

 

[Llama]

5 am is my new weekday normal... If I have been of any help whatsoever I'm very glad but never forget YOU are the one who did the heavy lifting!

 

[Cate]

How wonderful, Rob. I'm so glad you have had these measurements taken. I am so happy for you. I know you don't cope well with praise & I'm very much the same, but you are amazing. Your commitment is amazing. Now to maintenance.....I think you will have lots of ups & downs, but I am absolutely confident that you won't blow it. Fit & lean at 67? Well done, Rob!

 

[Petal001]

Congratulations Rob that is fantastic news and it's so great to see someone dedicated and committed to their goal . I think you will be fine especially if you carry on with your new lifestyle because that is what you have done ,completely changed your life to one where you are really living now . Good for you .

 

[Emilyrose]

I think it's brilliant that you had that meeting with the trainer and you have the figures to back up your amazing transformation. Well done Rob!

Also, lol at your comment about watching Coyote Ugly a few posts back. You'd definitely enjoy it.

 

[JuliePulie]

WoW, congratz, Rob!! Next time when I longingly look at a cookie, I'm going to ask myself: What would Rob do?

 

[liza]

That's sooooooo great Rob!! way to go. Love that you've been declared 'fit' That's the word I'm waiting for myself!

Love that you'll be moving into maintenance and eating more.

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, ate well, did a full 2 hours at the gym, and I feel good tonight. Our garden is really beginning to produce, we are getting tomatoes regularly, squash and eggplant. And my 2 experimental okra are beginning to produce! Day 2 over 1,400 calories and I am feeling good about it. Tomorrow's okra:

If I have been of any help whatsoever I'm very glad but never forget YOU are the one who did the heavy lifting!

LaMa you have been a great help, I know I could not have done this without the support, encouragement, and advice of people on the forum, and you have given me lots. I do appreciate it. I am doing a bit of heavy lifting now at the gym, trying to add some of the muscle I probably lost along the way. Thank you again!

Congratulations Rob that is fantastic news and it's so great to see someone dedicated and committed to their goal . I think you will be fine especially if you carry on with your new lifestyle because that is what you have done ,completely changed your life to one where you are really living now . Good for you .

Thanks Petal, I do appreciate your words. And am looking forward to help from you and the others in "carry on with your new lifestyle"!

I think it's brilliant that you had that meeting with the trainer and you have the figures to back up your amazing transformation. Well done Rob!

Thanks Emily, you are also one of the big supporters I appreciate!

Next time when I longingly look at a cookie, I'm going to ask myself: What would Rob do?

Got a laugh out of that! I can tell you what I have been doing with cookies, first of all I have not eaten one, not even a bite, in over a year. I do one of the following with them: 1 give them to the grandkids; 2 feed them to the dogs; 3 put them into the compost pile; or 4 just throw them away. I am not sure I ever want one again, I suspect that if I did eat one it would be hard to stop. I don't crave sweets anymore, I want to keep it that way, fruit or something is a much better choice.

Love that you've been declared 'fit' That's the word I'm waiting for myself!

Thanks Liza, it really is good, and I am still amazed. The way you have been eating, losing weight, and exercising I suspect you might qualify as well. Before the tests I would not have thought I was.

I know you don't cope well with praise & I'm very much the same, but you are amazing.

Thanks Cate, and I usually don't but this one I will take, coming from you it means a lot!

 

[Llama]

What a lovely picture: I didn´t know okra was so pretty while growing. Also: cookies are probably as bad for dogs as they are for people

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, ate well, got some yardwork exercise and I feel good tonight. Another day above 1,400 calories.

What a lovely picture: I didn´t know okra was so pretty while growing. Also: cookies are probably as bad for dogs as they are for people

I like growing okra, they are an interesting plant with a nice flower, and ideal for daily garden grazing. The dogs don't get many cookies, and never anything with chocolate. Mostly the treats they get are these very small milkbones with something like 3 calories each.

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, I ate well, got in 2 hours at the gym, and feel good tonight. Made it over 1,400 calories tonight, but it took a lot of fruit to get me there.

 

[liza]

but it took a lot of fruit to get me there.

Nothing like fresh fruit from the garden for some nutritious snacking!
Glad to hear you're doing well

 

[Llama]

Never forget the usefulness of nuts when you're trying to get your calories up!

 

[Emilyrose]

Do you eat bread Rob or have you cut that out?

Some tuna or tinned salmon on a slice of brown soda bread is a nice snack.

 

[jackbenimble]

Hey Rob, at 167 you have officially bypassed me, something I never even considered when I first started reading your posts - I'm at 169 right now, but expect to get back to around 167. Two hours in the gym is a lot of work! No wonder you've been designated as fit. Love what you said about cookies - feed them to the dogs!

 

[alligatorob]

It was a good day, ate well and feel good tonight. I did not do any real exercise, but did spend time in the yard and working around the house. Tomorrow is a gym day.

Nothing like fresh fruit from the garden for some nutritious snacking!

Yes it is, had some green beans fresh from the garden for dinner tonight.

Never forget the usefulness of nuts when you're trying to get your calories up!

That is a good idea, I have not had a nut, except a few on restaurant salads in over a year. Maybe I will try some.

Do you eat bread Rob or have you cut that out?

Not much Emily, just the occasional skinny bun. I do have some good canned sardines, that might make a good high protein snack.

Hey Rob, at 167 you have officially bypassed me, something I never even considered when I first started reading your posts - I'm at 169 right now, but expect to get back to around 167.

Thanks Jack, believe me it amazes me more than you. There was a time I did not understand why you were here, I kind of asked and you gave me a good explanation. Now I much better understand that managing diet and exercise is something many of us have to do, no matter what we weigh. I only get to the gym about 4 days a week, but when I do I try to get the 2 hours or close to it in. Its what I seem to be able to comfortably do.

 

[liza]

Your garden sounds so delicious Rob! i should be getting green beans soon...

 

[Llama]

Fresh green beans are pretty much unbeatable. I called them green fries as a kid and loved them about as much as the yellow deep-fried things, And the ones you can get in the store or at the farmers´ market just aren´t the same. Too big and been off the vine too long.