Looking to lose an extra human I apparently picked up along the way
- Thread starter MrVee
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MrVee
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Hike was quite nice. Not much in the way of trees, but the mountains have great views and it's a nice geographical feature where you can hike to the top of a mountain in the middle of a city with 4 million people in it.
179.5 this morning, only the third day total I've been under 180. I'm fully recommitted to dropping more weight at this point. A pound a week is fine. In 20 weeks I'd certainly be done. I'm going no lower than 160, and I may decide not to even go that low. But at 160, the calories go up and we move onto the next stage. My "linear average weight" right now is 179.7.
179.5 this morning, only the third day total I've been under 180. I'm fully recommitted to dropping more weight at this point. A pound a week is fine. In 20 weeks I'd certainly be done. I'm going no lower than 160, and I may decide not to even go that low. But at 160, the calories go up and we move onto the next stage. My "linear average weight" right now is 179.7.
MrVee
New member
179 this morning. This was my goal weight for the end of the month, so I'm quite happy with the progress so far. In a way, I'm prouder of what I've done the last three months than anything so far, in that I've managed to clearly lose weight despite the challenge of doing so when you're only a little overweight. To be honest, back in the 300s the difference between sticking to the plan and screwing up a little was the difference between losing a ton of weight or just losing a fairly respectable amount of weight. Now it requires a fair amount of discipline to see noticeable drops.
I wish body recomposition (staying the same weight while losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time) was a more possible thing than it really is. I'd have no problem hanging out at 180 for the rest of my life, but I want to lose the remaining fat and add muscle and the reality is the one tends to involve losing weight and the other tends to involve gaining weight. So if I want to accomplish my goal, that's what I'm looking at needing to do (possibly cycling back and forth a few times) and in that order.
I wish body recomposition (staying the same weight while losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time) was a more possible thing than it really is. I'd have no problem hanging out at 180 for the rest of my life, but I want to lose the remaining fat and add muscle and the reality is the one tends to involve losing weight and the other tends to involve gaining weight. So if I want to accomplish my goal, that's what I'm looking at needing to do (possibly cycling back and forth a few times) and in that order.
Little John
New member
Hey Vee, gotta be honest, you're humbling me with your progress. I mean, holy carp, you've cut your weight in half??!! Glad you went on that hike I told you to go on!
Do you have a body fat measurer? Maybe at this weight you want to start looking at BF percentage instead of weight or BMI?
Do you have a body fat measurer? Maybe at this weight you want to start looking at BF percentage instead of weight or BMI?
Quercus
New member
New low! Awesome job hitting your month goal early.
Until now weight has equaled fat. Now you are talking about weight equaling strength. I think something as basic as a waist measurement can keep you on track. If you gain 5 pounds and 0 inches you gained muscle. More muscle mass equals a higher RMR.
Whatever you decide to do and whatever weight you want to be, just remember that these are the healthiest "issues" a person can have. You are having to answer the questions of "What's my ideal weight?" and "How strong do I want to be?" and not in some theoretical 'one of these days' scenarios. Right now you have reached a point that you have to decide on ideal weight and level of fitness goals. These are the problems to have. I'm not belittling them or their difficulty. Just don't lose sight of where you are. You've done it. You sir are a badass.
Until now weight has equaled fat. Now you are talking about weight equaling strength. I think something as basic as a waist measurement can keep you on track. If you gain 5 pounds and 0 inches you gained muscle. More muscle mass equals a higher RMR.
Whatever you decide to do and whatever weight you want to be, just remember that these are the healthiest "issues" a person can have. You are having to answer the questions of "What's my ideal weight?" and "How strong do I want to be?" and not in some theoretical 'one of these days' scenarios. Right now you have reached a point that you have to decide on ideal weight and level of fitness goals. These are the problems to have. I'm not belittling them or their difficulty. Just don't lose sight of where you are. You've done it. You sir are a badass.
MrVee
New member
Thanks guys. I appreciate the compliments. I am really proud of my accomplishments so far, but I do feel like my life is better when I set goals to simply be "better." Not just in terms of weight or fitness but everything. Life can spin out of control whether you want it too or not, I do feel like it's important to be on top of the things I can control.
LJ,
I do have one of those handheld thingies, but it's really scattershot: I can do it three tomes in a row and get three different (though not wildly) readings.
Quercus,
You're right on the waist measurement and gauging strength stuff. My issue with waist measurement is how much it changes based on where I measure, and it too oddly enough seems to vary each time I try (meaning I'm not very good at it). I do know I recently bought 33 waist jeans for the first time. Sounds vain, but it's a lot about the way I look now, and lowering my body fat% will improve those last couple of areas that I really dislike (that currently get hidden underneath clothes).
I know BMI is kind of a BS measurement, but right now my BMI is 24.8 which is finally "normal" according to WHO. 22.5 would be dead in the middle of "normal" according to them, and that's 161.3247 (roughly). I think Ideally I'd like to hang out in the 170 to 175 range on a permanent basis: low enough to still be lean, but to have enough meat on me to maintain decent strength and muscle mass.
Anyway 178 this morning and that's a new low (was 178.5 on October 4). Have personal training today. I have five weeks worth of personal training classes left stored up, and then I'm officially on my own.
Played basketball yesterday and shot good but not great. But I moved around as well as I have in a VERY long time. If only I could jump.
I'm glad I hit a new low today, because it's BBQ Ribs for dinner tonight. I try to fit ribs within my calories budget, but they're hard to measure calorie wise and I'm guessing they tend to stretch my calorie budget a bit. But only a bit, and I can't live without them. They're one of my favorite meals and I've also gotten quite good at preparing them.
LJ,
I do have one of those handheld thingies, but it's really scattershot: I can do it three tomes in a row and get three different (though not wildly) readings.
Quercus,
You're right on the waist measurement and gauging strength stuff. My issue with waist measurement is how much it changes based on where I measure, and it too oddly enough seems to vary each time I try (meaning I'm not very good at it). I do know I recently bought 33 waist jeans for the first time. Sounds vain, but it's a lot about the way I look now, and lowering my body fat% will improve those last couple of areas that I really dislike (that currently get hidden underneath clothes).
I know BMI is kind of a BS measurement, but right now my BMI is 24.8 which is finally "normal" according to WHO. 22.5 would be dead in the middle of "normal" according to them, and that's 161.3247 (roughly). I think Ideally I'd like to hang out in the 170 to 175 range on a permanent basis: low enough to still be lean, but to have enough meat on me to maintain decent strength and muscle mass.
Anyway 178 this morning and that's a new low (was 178.5 on October 4). Have personal training today. I have five weeks worth of personal training classes left stored up, and then I'm officially on my own.
Played basketball yesterday and shot good but not great. But I moved around as well as I have in a VERY long time. If only I could jump.
I'm glad I hit a new low today, because it's BBQ Ribs for dinner tonight. I try to fit ribs within my calories budget, but they're hard to measure calorie wise and I'm guessing they tend to stretch my calorie budget a bit. But only a bit, and I can't live without them. They're one of my favorite meals and I've also gotten quite good at preparing them.
Quercus
New member
"roughly" got me.
There is nothing wrong with focusing on how you look. You feel your level of fitness or health or whatever you want to call it, but the rest of the world sees you. Looking fit is important. Not nearly as important as being fit, but it isn't just "vanity". Vanity would be if you cared about your appearance to excess or to the detriment of some other quality.
178 is surreal to me. Way to go!
There is nothing wrong with focusing on how you look. You feel your level of fitness or health or whatever you want to call it, but the rest of the world sees you. Looking fit is important. Not nearly as important as being fit, but it isn't just "vanity". Vanity would be if you cared about your appearance to excess or to the detriment of some other quality.
178 is surreal to me. Way to go!
R
rhunter830
Guest
Awesome job Vee. Amazing job and a half.
MrVee
New member
179.5 this morning. Which I'll more than take since I met up with three friends at the bar to watch the World Series. Of the four of us, three of us got food and you can probably guess which one of us abstained. It doesn't feel great to stick out like that, but as long as I was having a few beers and chatting, it really was no biggie. Game was a blowout.
On the subject of my handheld body fat monitor, I have both weighed and done the monitor first thing in the morning for each of the last 10 days. The numbers:
And I'm not sure how to make heads or tails out of any of that from the body fat perspective. In case you're wondering about doing the multiplication, today is easily the lowest of the body fat days, but there's no way I lost almost two pounds of body fat between yesterday and today.
Anyway, I'll take the good news however it comes and the good news is that 18.7% is the lowest reading I've ever gotten from the thing. If that's actually legit, then I'll have to repeat yesterday's training session (a cardio/resistance hybrid) over and over again:
One minute to do 8 deadlifts (of a weight where I can finish the reps but with some exertion on the last two)
One minute to do 10 push ups
One minute to do 12 assisted pullups
And then do that 7 more times for a 24 minute workout. The quicker I finish each, the more rest I get. After the first I had about a half a minute rest after each. Sets number 7 and 8 were essentially hell, as my arms were spaghetti and the push ups became knee pushups (that I still had a lot of trouble doing) and the weight assistance on the pullups were moved to comical levels. And of course the rest periods had disappeared as it was taking me the full minute to complete everything.
I just tell myself I deserve this kind of torture for gaining all that weight in the first place.
On the subject of my handheld body fat monitor, I have both weighed and done the monitor first thing in the morning for each of the last 10 days. The numbers:
HTML:
Monday, October 13, 2014 180.5 19.7%
Tuesday, October 14, 2014 180.5 19.7%
Wednesday, October 15, 2014 180.5 19.5%
Thursday, October 16, 2014 181.0 19.1%
Friday, October 17, 2014 180.0 19.1%
Saturday, October 18, 2014 181.0 19.1%
Sunday, October 19, 2014 179.5 19.7%
Monday, October 20, 2014 179.0 20.2%
Tuesday, October 21, 2014 178.0 19.8%
Wednesday, October 22, 2014 179.5 18.7%And I'm not sure how to make heads or tails out of any of that from the body fat perspective. In case you're wondering about doing the multiplication, today is easily the lowest of the body fat days, but there's no way I lost almost two pounds of body fat between yesterday and today.
Anyway, I'll take the good news however it comes and the good news is that 18.7% is the lowest reading I've ever gotten from the thing. If that's actually legit, then I'll have to repeat yesterday's training session (a cardio/resistance hybrid) over and over again:
One minute to do 8 deadlifts (of a weight where I can finish the reps but with some exertion on the last two)
One minute to do 10 push ups
One minute to do 12 assisted pullups
And then do that 7 more times for a 24 minute workout. The quicker I finish each, the more rest I get. After the first I had about a half a minute rest after each. Sets number 7 and 8 were essentially hell, as my arms were spaghetti and the push ups became knee pushups (that I still had a lot of trouble doing) and the weight assistance on the pullups were moved to comical levels. And of course the rest periods had disappeared as it was taking me the full minute to complete everything.
I just tell myself I deserve this kind of torture for gaining all that weight in the first place.
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Quercus
New member
I see this: You have a distinct 6 reading trend towards <19% regardless of weight fluctuation. Then 3 readings that are high followed by a number more in line with the previous trend. That makes me think the 3 high readings have a larger probability of being anomalous than the previous 6 in a row and discounting them today's reading makes sense.
That workout sounds awful. I thought I was a masochist for running. Yikes!
That workout sounds awful. I thought I was a masochist for running. Yikes!
About the fat measuring thingy: do you measure under the same circumstances? I think you said you have tried it three times in a row and had three somewhat but not very different results? That sounds like the device is somewhat reliable, but increased circulation, sweaty hands and/or dehydration would still have quite a bit of influence I guess. Maybe you could experiment with standardizing variables?
Little John
New member
I can't speak for Vee's equipment, but mine does the same thing within a few minutes. THe directions recommend measuring at the same time of day, before showering, and you need to put in your current weight before measuring. It's a $25 device, so I don't count on it to be dead accurate, but it does the job.
As I understand it, the old school belly-pincher is still one of the most reliable devices without having to go to a specialized clinic, but you need to know how to use it.
As I understand it, the old school belly-pincher is still one of the most reliable devices without having to go to a specialized clinic, but you need to know how to use it.
MrVee
New member
179.5 on the scale this morning, 19.3% on the BF monitor. It'd be nice if I permanently put morning scale readings above 180 behind me, but we'll see. May still be too early for that. My thirty day linear weight forecast for today is 179.0 with a current weekly loss of rate of 1.0 pounds.
Doing good then The belly pincher is actually not too bad for comparison purposes, as long as the person doing the testing and the person being tested are the same for each measurement. It doesn´t give a reliable number, but that´s not the important thing I guess. My scale has a pretty consistent fat measurement function, but since I stand on it and the current takes the shortest route it basically measures the resistence/fat in my legs/lower body. Pro´s and con´s everywhere the main thing is that the long term numbers go down.
The belly pincher is actually not too bad for comparison purposes, as long as the person doing the testing and the person being tested are the same for each measurement. It doesn´t give a reliable number, but that´s not the important thing I guess. My scale has a pretty consistent fat measurement function, but since I stand on it and the current takes the shortest route it basically measures the resistence/fat in my legs/lower body. Pro´s and con´s everywhere the main thing is that the long term numbers go down.- Status