Rob's Diary

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docblwell said:
Hey my friend. It would be interesting to see what you actual body composition is and how much protein you are getting in your diet per day. You are 6'1" so that is taller than average and if you are working out a lot, which it seems you are, you will need a pretty good amount of protein to maintain, and hopefully even build, some lean muscle mass to speed up this weight loss process for you. I find in my experience that deficiency in adequate protein consumption is a common mistake that people make when they are losing weight.

If you are working out a lot you need extra calories from protein sources to fuel your workout and repair your muscles and tissues. Consuming a higher proportion of total calories from protein while in negative calorie balance (reduced calorie diet) has been proven by multiple studies to increase thermogenesis, increase satiety between meals, and maintain lean muscle mass. The meal you had for breakfast looks balanced but is low in protein in your circumstance so you would have some catching up to do in the rest of your meals.
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Hello, docblwell. Welcome to the forum.

Re body composition, I don't have good measurements of fat percentage and lean mass other than from a EID device which I understand is not very accurate. Last I measured about 5 weeks ago, it was 27.7%. I've lost some weight since then so it might be a little lower now.

I can tell you exactly how much protein I'm getting though. 30.2% of my calories have been from protein. On average it's been about 1.57 g/kg per day. My understanding is that the amount I'm consuming could be higher but it's not too bad. You've reminded me though, I should try to eat more protein. What is your experience with adequate protein consumption?

Which studies are you're referring to? I'm interested in reading them. Can you post links to them?
 
7-23-19 (night before) sleep: 6hr 18min

7-23-19 weight: 208.0 pounds

7-23-19 breakfast:
- Greek yogurt with strawberries and banana
- eggs
- 16 oz black organic coffee from local cafe
- vitamins
Total kcal: 405

7-23-19 lunch:
- seasoned grilled chicken with fried egg (in olive oil) on sprouted bread with red onion, Swiss, mustard
- salad (mix from store: savoy cabbage, green cabbage, romaine, carrots, celery, green bell pepper, wonton strips, almonds, green onion, and cilantro with roasted red pepper dressing)
Total kcal: 684

7-23-19 snacks:
- Starbucks venti blonde roast, 20oz
Total kcal: 5

7-23-19 dinner:
- Mediterranean salad trio bowl with chicken and marinated slaw (Zoe's Kitchen)
- seasoned grilled chicken
Total kcal: 1000

7-23-19 total kcal consumed: 2,094

7-23-19 exercise:
- 7 mile run, 5.46 mph speed
- 5 miles incline walking, 3.8mph speed, 965 feet climbed

7-23-19 total steps: 28,470

7-23-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 4,361

Felt really good after my run. Overall good day.
 
Thanks all!

Here are my numbers for week 12.

Week 12 calories, weight, sleep, and macros.
Screen Shot 2019-07-24 at 11.48.58.png

Weeks 1-12 calories, weight, sleep, fish, macros.
Screen Shot 2019-07-24 at 11.49.10.png

Weeks 1-12 cardio.
Screen Shot 2019-07-24 at 11.49.17.png
 
7-24-19 (night before) sleep: 5hr 18min

7-24-19 weight: 208.6 pounds

7-24-19 breakfast:
- flax raisin bran with almond milk
- eggs
- 20 oz Starbucks blonde roast, black
- vitamins
Total kcal: 403

7-24-19 lunch:
- seasoned grilled chicken with fried egg (in olive oil) on sprouted bread with red onion, Swiss, mustard
- salad (mix from store: savoy cabbage, green cabbage, romaine, carrots, celery, green bell pepper, wonton strips, almonds, green onion, and cilantro with roasted red pepper dressing)
Total kcal: 823

7-24-19 snacks:
- 16 oz organic coffee from cafe
Total kcal: 5

7-24-19 dinner:
- Southwest spicy salad (Coolgreens)
- chicken (from can) salad (mix from store: savoy cabbage, green cabbage, romaine, carrots, celery, green bell pepper, wonton strips, almonds, green onion, and cilantro with roasted red pepper dressing)
Total kcal: 1020

7-24-19 total kcal consumed: 2,250

7-24-19 exercise:
- 3.25 mile run, 5.39 mph speed
- 2 miles incline walking, 3.8mph speed, 232 feet climbed
- 30 minutes upright bike, 7.5 miles, 15.02 mph speed, 3104 feet climbed
- 30 minutes recumbent bike, 6.73 miles, 13.45 mph speed, 2974 feet climbed
- chest press 55lb 12, 12, 10
- bicep curl 20lb 12x3

7-24-19 total steps: 21,257

7-24-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 3,990

Today was a bit of a struggle. Instead of a long run, I got on the bike because I was feeling funny - impatient, bored, unmotivated, indifferent. I think it could be the coffee which I'm now addicted to but I actually think it's part of a bigger trend that it's getting harder mentally as I get lower. My body seems to think I'm done losing weight and my mind is trying to tell it otherwise. Meanwhile I'm thinking I just want to be done with it all. I can't help think I'm setting myself up for more of a struggle to get through these last 20 pounds. I feel lazy when I'm not exercising which is why I started drinking the coffee or let myself rather. Then there's the reality that I've lost 8 pounds in the past 2 weeks which means from a numbers standpoint, things are going really well. Can't really sort myself out with all this. Ugh. Meditation time.
 
I really empathize. I have about 20 pounds left to lose and I really lost my drive and discipline for quite a while, but I think I worked through it now. It took some adjusting to it being even harder to drop the last pounds, and I really have to watch both how much I eat and how many carbs and fats I am eating.

I agree you are doing very well, and it's so great you have a meditation practice so you don't psych yourself out!!
 
You ARE doing great. If you only have 20 pounds to go maybe you could slow down for the last bit? Give your body a break? Unless you think that'll get you off track, of course, but then what will you do on maintenance?
 
Marsia said:
I really empathize. I have about 20 pounds left to lose and I really lost my drive and discipline for quite a while, but I think I worked through it now. It took some adjusting to it being even harder to drop the last pounds, and I really have to watch both how much I eat and how many carbs and fats I am eating.

I agree you are doing very well, and it's so great you have a meditation practice so you don't psych yourself out!!
Click to expand...

Nice. Was it simply watching the carbs and fats more closely that helped get you through it? Did you do anything else? I hope I don’t slow down. I’ve made some arrangements in my personal life so I can do more. I’m going to to try to eat more protein too to help with cravings.
 
LaMaria said:
You ARE doing great. If you only have 20 pounds to go maybe you could slow down for the last bit? Give your body a break? Unless you think that'll get you off track, of course, but then what will you do on maintenance?
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Thanks, LaMaria. I have no intention of slowing down. I’ll be happy and frankly surprised if I can stay at this rate though. I won’t have a problem switching course once I achieve my goal. Switching course without the achievement would be more difficult. I have a great momentum going. I hope I’ll be inspired by my accomplishments for the next phase. I got things to do and places to go and a life I want to live at my new weight.
 
7-25-19 (night before) sleep: 5hr 56min

7-25-19 weight: 207.4 pounds

7-25-19 breakfast:
- egg
- 20 oz Starbucks blonde roast, black
- vitamins
- avocado on sprouted bread
Total kcal: 288

7-25-19 lunch:
- seasoned grilled chicken breast
- turkey burger patty
- black beans (with Rotel, red onion, hot sauce, olive oil) with Greek yogurt
Total kcal: 698

7-25-19 snacks:
- 16 oz organic coffee from cafe, black
- 16 oz Starbucks coffee, black
Total kcal: 10

7-25-19 dinner:
- Mediterranean salad trio bowl with chicken (Zoe's Kitchen)
- tomatoes
Total kcal: 700

7-25-19 total kcal consumed: 1,696

7-25-19 total protein consumed: 161g (38%)

7-25-19 exercise:
- 6.5 mile run, 5.42 mph speed
- 5 miles incline walking, 3.8mph speed, 929 feet climbed

7-25-19 total steps: 28,657

7-25-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 4,383

Probably drinking too much coffee now. I was agitated before running and anxious while running but felt great afterwards. Going to track my protein a little more carefully. Overall, feel good about where I'm at right now with my progress.
 
I would feel good if I was doing as well as you too. I try not to drink coffee after lunch as my heart needs no extra help beating fast.
 
Hey Rob, thanks for your kind words on my diary, support from people like you helps make this work. I appreciate it.

And I see you are down 8 lbs in 2 weeks, that is great! And only 20 lbs to go.
bensanon said:
Overall, feel good about where I'm at right now with my progress.
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That's as good as it gets, keep it up!
 
bensanon said:
Nice. Was it simply watching the carbs and fats more closely that helped get you through it? Did you do anything else? I hope I don’t slow down. I’ve made some arrangements in my personal life so I can do more. I’m going to to try to eat more protein too to help with cravings.
Click to expand...
Hi Rob! I had switched to low carb instead of just calorie counting because I am over 50, so my metabolism has slowed way down and I found that any grain in my diet and I have to exercise way more than is realistic for me in order to keep loosing the last few pounds. So at first low carb really helped even without counting calories (which some low carb diets say you don't need to do), but I was stress eating using fat to self soothe, so now I am counting calories again and watching the fats and carbs more closely and am losing the 8 pounds I gained back.

I also have trouble getting off caffeine. With quitting coffee, I switched to black tea and then tried to quit altogether, but caffeine is my substitute for stress eating, so I have trouble getting off it. I think I would need to make a conscious effort to meditate ever day and make sure I exercised every day. Also for a while I ate other foods that are appetite suppressants like caffeine and that was helpful. I am nowhere as disciplined as you are, so the caffeine is my crutch for now. I guess I am proof that even undisciplined people can lose weight!
 
7-26-19 (night before) sleep: 4hr 35min

7-26-19 weight: ??

7-26-19 breakfast:
- flax raisin bran with almond milk
Total kcal: 240

7-26-19 lunch:
- grilled salmon
- bison burger patty
- baby spinach and green bell pepper salad with roasted red pepper dressing
- 1 serving pistachios
Total kcal: 791

7-26-19 snacks:
- 4 servings pistachios
- 3 tortillas with almond butter
- 1 chocolate chip protein bar (Rx bar)
- 3 chocolate sea salt protein bars (Rx bar)
- almonds and pistachios in Greek yogurt
- Swiss cheese
- 16 oz organic coffee from cafe, black
- 22 oz Starbucks coffee, black
Total kcal: 3474

7-26-19 dinner:
- pork sausage and egg in whole grain sprouted tortillas x 3
Total kcal: 844

7-26-19 total kcal consumed: 5,350

7-26-19 total protein consumed: 312g (22%)

7-26-19 exercise:
- none

7-26-19 total steps: 4,075

7-26-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 2,533

Difficult day.
 
7-27-19 (night before) sleep: 7hr 13min

7-27-19 weight: 207.0

7-27-19 breakfast:
- Greek yogurt with blueberries
- 2 eggs
- vitamins
- 16 oz Starbucks coffee
Total kcal: 390

7-27-19
- gum
- 16oz coffee
Total kcal: 8

7-27-19 dinner:
- grilled chicken with fried egg (olive oil)
- salad (mix from store) kale, broccoli, green cabbage, Brussels sprouts, green bell pepper, chicory, dried cranberries, sugar, pumpkin seeds, canola oil with roasted red pepper dressing
Total kcal: 847

7-27-19 total kcal consumed: 1,244

7-27-19 total protein consumed: 141g (48%)

7-27-19 exercise:
- 7.5 mile run, 5.46 mph speed
- 5 miles incline walking, 3.8 mph speed, 1,069 feet climbed

7-27-19 total steps: 30,328

7-27-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 4,629

Felt better today.
 
7-28-19 (night before) sleep: 5hr 17min

7-28-19 weight: 206.6

7-28-19 breakfast:
- Greek yogurt with blueberries
- 2 eggs
- vitamins
- 20oz Starbucks coffee
- 16oz coffee from restaurant
Total kcal: 354

7-28-19 lunch:
- sausage patty
- grilled seasoned chicken breasts
- fried egg in tsp olive oil
- salad (mix from store) kale, broccoli, green cabbage, Brussels sprouts, green bell pepper, chicory, dried cranberries, sugar, pumpkin seeds, canola oil with roasted red pepper dressing
Total kcal: 677

7-28-19 dinner:
- tomatoes
- grilled chicken salad (mix from store) kale, broccoli, green cabbage, Brussels sprouts, green bell pepper, chicory, dried cranberries, sugar, pumpkin seeds, canola oil with roasted red pepper dressing tortilla wrap
- chicken tortilla wraps x2
Total kcal: 1105

7-28-19 total kcal consumed: 2,136

7-28-19 total protein consumed: 232g (44%)

7-28-19 exercise:
- 3.25 miles incline walking, 3.81 mph speed

7-28-19 total steps: 15,520

7-28-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 3,597

Felt OK today.
 
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