From >450 to <160 lb by 2022

These stats will be great for you to have to look back on as you progress on your journey.
That is interesting that you used to be a competitive cyclist. I imagine having that in your history will really help you along with envisioning your goals!
 
Thanks, I hope so too.

One of the things from the dexa that struck me later is the "fat mass index" - something I'd never heard of. Basically it is like BMI but instead of total weight it is just the weight of your fat (both divided by height squared). This seems to make sense to me: someone at a certain height should probably have a certain amount of body fat, regardless of how much muscle they have. Body Fat percent lets you tack on extra fat just because you also have more muscle - but I don't see how that extra fat helps health or fitness...

So for my height (they measured 5'7") a good range would be 20-32 lb of fat, regardless of how much muscle I have. So at 280 with 110 lb of fat, rather than focus on losing this last 120 lb of body weight, it makes more sense to focus on losing 78-90 lb of fat while hanging on to as much muscle as possible.

Damn, there goes the spreadsheet...
 
I'm probably going to be digesting the dexa info for the next few days so I apologize if I bore anyone, but hey its my diary, right?


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According to the internet, it is impossible to have a FFMI above 25 without using steroids! Obviously that's false, you can do it by being active while morbidly obese. Greg Nuckols, the guy behind the "stronger by science" website has a good article on why the supposed FFMI natural limit of 25 is bad science: What Everyone Gets Wrong About FFMI and the "Natty Limit"
 
Err2 said:
I'm probably going to be digesting the dexa info for the next few days so I apologize if I bore anyone, but hey its my diary, right?
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Not boring at all, I am finding it a very interesting read. Seeing things like this being applied makes them more understandable.
 
That's really cool Err. I may have to get a DEXA scan of my own to try and establish a baseline. It's good you have so much lean mass to work with to try and hold on to! Hopefully you can hit your BF% target without having to cycle between cutting and bulking! Unfortunately, I think I'll have a few cycles before I get to my goal.
 
Saturday progress report:
Time Period __ Weekly Avg Weight __ Weekly Avg BF% __ Daily Avg Calories
3 weeks ago: ________ 287.7 __________ 42.5% _________ 1439
2 weeks ago: ________ 287.5 __________ 41.8% _________ 1412
1 week ago: _________ 284.7 __________ 40.0% _________ 1441
Last week: __________ 279.2 __________ 39.3% _________ 1483

I've lost 3% of my weight over the last 3 weeks, right on schedule, although a majority of that happened suddenly this last week. Body fat has also dropped 3% - twice my target. With the air quality improving and outdoor activity increasing, I think I'll increase my calorie target ~200 on days that I have vigorous exercise.
 
Good show, another 200 calories and you should still be at a pretty good deficit. What's your end of year target for weight and body fat?
 
Rather than post a food log each day, I figure I'll just do once a week with the high and low calorie days.

Low calorie day:
Breakfast: 333 calories
Texas Bean Soup: 1 cup, 123 calories
1 can of chicken breast: 210 calories

Lunch: 350 calories
Texas Bean Soup: 1 cup, 123 calories
Navy beans: 1/2 cup, 127 calories
Whey Protein Isolate: 1 scoop, 100 calories

Dinner: 483 calories
Caesar Salad, 1/4 dressing no croutons: 172 calories
4.2 oz cube steak: 231 calories
1 medium corn cob (no butter): 80 calories

Snack: 247 calories
Small banana: 90 calories
7/8 cups 2% cottage cheese: 157 calories

1413 calories
145g Protein
30g fiber
132g Carbs
39g Fat



High Calorie day:
Breakfast: 325 calories
Orgain Plant Based Protein Shake: 150 calories
Medium banana: 105 calories
1 oz Old Trapper beef jerky: 70 calories (more of a between meal snack)

Lunch: 561 calories
3/4 cup Navy Beans: 191 calories
2.8 oz cooked 80% ground beef: 215 calories
1 scoop Whey Protein Isolate: 100 calories
1/4 cup Pickled Jalapenos: 0 calories
5 1/2 large stalks celery: 55 calories

Dinner: 650 calories
5.5oz cooked NY Steak (fat trimmed): 300 calories
3oz Fettuccine Spinach: 201 calories
2.3oz cooked Yardlong Beans: 77 calories
1 tsp unsalted butter: 34 calories
1/2 yellow squash: 33 calories
1 tsp Minced Garlic: 5 calories
3 dashes Himalayan Pink Salt: 0 calories

Snack: 140 calories
2oz Old Trapper beef jerky: 140 calories

1676 calories
175g Protein
33g fiber
163g Carbs
38g Fat
 
That's a really clean meal plan, wow! I am going with the IIFYM approach, so not nearly as clean as yours. How do you calculate your target macros?
 
Yeah, the larger the calorie deficit the cleaner I have to eat in order to feel full. My macros are based around protein needs: I've read multiple studies that showed consuming 2g protein per kg of lean mass (roughly 1g per pound of lean mass) was beneficial at preserving lean mass while losing weight.

That would be ~170g of protein at my current lean mass and I simply cannot reliably get that much protein targeting a 1% per week weight loss. So I use my "ideal" weight (160) with my dream-on body fat% (10%) so ~144g of protein per day.

The (US) national academy of science recommends that macros fall within the following ranges:
  • Protein: 10-35%
  • Fat: 20-35%
  • Carbohydrate: 45-65%
At ~1425 calories, I need to go slightly outside that guidance to 40% protein to reach 144g, which means I have to cut 5% from fats and/or carbs. Since a majority of calories normally come from carbs, I choose to cut there so my base 1425 calorie macros are 40% protein, 40% carbs, & 20% fat. Because I'm carb deficient I try to ensure the carbs I do get are higher quality (minimally processed vegetables, whole fruits, etc) which also helps keep me feeling full. I also aim for at least 25g of fiber which helps regularity despite the high protein.

On days where I exercise very vigorously (i.e. well over my usual ~300 calories), I've been getting hungry. I really hate feeling hungry, it definitely is not sustainable for me (makes me want to binge), so to thwart it I'm increasing my calorie target by 200 on those days - calories I'll aim to get primarily from additional protein and carbs.
 
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Err2 said:
On days where I exercise very vigorously (i.e. well over my usual ~300 calories), I've been getting hungry. I really hate feeling hungry, it definitely is not sustainable for me (makes me want to binge), so to thwart it I'm increasing my calorie target by 200 on those days - calories I'll aim to get primarily from additional protein and carbs.
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That's great to recognize that pattern and to get ahead of it by increasing with healthy calories on those days!
 
As I was brushing my teeth this morning I noticed some muscle definition showing so now I find myself randomly clenching and unclenching my fists & admiring my budding forearm muscles (more out of novelty than vanity).

And while on the topic of non-scale victories, I started running a little today. It was only 1/4 mile, but aside from hurrying across a street it is all I've run in nearly 20 years. I was walking my dog at the time and she didn't know what to make of it at first, but then she started jumping on her hind legs alongside me as if to cheer me on. I still don't plan to do any serious running until I'm under 250 lb, but now that I'm within sight of 275 I figure it is time to start building up those different leg muscles little by little by running only as long as I can maintain a very smooth running gait.
 
Awesome! I agree that it's quite early for longer distances but getting those muscles activated sound great.
 
If you do start running regularly err, i would highly recommend doing a walk to run program. I couldn't run at all when i began that and it really helped me. It also really helps prevent injuries for new runners. In the past whenever i started running I would always have to quit because of knee and ankle issues but this program seems to have helped me avoid that entirely.
And very nice about noticing some muscle definition!!
 
liza said:
If you do start running regularly err, i would highly recommend doing a walk to run program.
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Thanks - I had no idea there were organized walk/run plans, but it makes a lot of sense to me. Here's the one from Runner's World ( Beginner Running Program - Best Walk/Run Plan for Beginners ):

Stage 1
Build up to 30 minutes of nonstop walking.

Stage 2
Walk for 4 minutes. Run for 1 minute.
Repeat that sequence four more times. End with 4 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 29 minutes, 5 of which are running.

Stage 3
Walk for 4 minutes. Run for 2 minutes.
Repeat that sequence four more times. End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 33 minutes, 10 of which are running.

Stage 4
Walk for 3 minutes. Run for 3 minutes.
Repeat that sequence four more times. End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 33 minutes, 15 of which are running.

Stage 5
Walk for 2 minutes 30 seconds. Run for 5 minutes.
Repeat that sequence three more times. End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 33 minutes, 20 of which are running.

Stage 6
Walk for 3 minutes. Run for 7 minutes.
Repeat that sequence two more times. End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 33 minutes, 21 of which are running.

Stage 7
Walk for 2 minutes. Run for 8 minutes.
Repeat that sequence two more times. End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 33 minutes, 24 of which are running.

Stage 8
Walk for 2 minutes. Run for 9 minutes.
Repeat that sequence one more time. Then walk for 2 minutes, run for 8 minutes.
End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 35 minutes, 26 of which are running.

Stage 9
Walk for 1 minute. Run for 9 minutes.
Repeat that sequence two more times. End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 33 minutes, 27 of which are running.

Stage 10
Walk for 2 minutes. Run for 13 minutes.
Repeat that sequence one more time. End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 33 minutes, 26 of which are running.

Stage 11
Walk for 2 minutes. Run for 14 minutes.
Then walk for 1 minute, run for 14 minutes. End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 34 minutes, 28 of which are running.

Stage 12
Walk for 3 minutes (or until you’re good and ready).
Then run for 30 minutes nonstop. End with 3 minutes of walking.
Total workout time: 36 minutes, 30 of which are running.
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I'm well beyond stage 1 and stage 2 seems very doable. If I'm able to advance 1 stage per week, I should be 250 lb right around the time I complete stage 12 so that'd be perfect...
 
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