Rob's Diary

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I ate more last night (5-31-19) after posting:
- 1 chocolate chip protein bar (Rx bar)
- 2 servings pistachios
- 2 Medjool dates
Additional calories: 660
__________________________

5-31-19 sleep: 7hr 14min

6-1-19 weight: 235.2 pounds

6-1-19 breakfast:
- 0.6 cup yogurt with 6oz blackberries, 1 cup blueberries, 1.2 cup strawberries
- 3 cups decaf coffee
- multivitamin
Total calories: 281

I slept really well last night after I had my fix. I felt groggy though throughout the night and still feel hungover this morning. This is a food addiction. It's much better than it was because I would eat crap food before and it would happen twice a week at least. It's gotten better since I've been off the medication but has come and gone in waves. Sleep suffers when I eat really healthy. I know I just have to ride this out and it'll eventually get better or I'll level off with my sleep and it'll become a new normal. Either way, I'm not going back.
 
PLB said:
Has there been a discussion about strength training yet? If you are losing weight at a rapid pace, one concern could be losing muscle mass. Ideally, you'd want to maintain your muscle mass as you lose weight.
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Yeah, it's a good point. I have not been consistent with it and there have been a few times I trained but I didn't log. My plan was to startup again today (June 1, 1 month in) when I go to the gym later. I have to admit though, I don't like it. Maybe it's because I don't know how to get results from it. I've never had a desire to do it in my whole life though, to be honest. I always wanted the fast heart rate, pounding and beating I would get from running. In my mind I characterized it as just plain dumb to do. Sit on a machine and lift things? Really?? Lol. It's psychological because of where and how I was raised perhaps. I've come pretty close to the hate threshold. I've always wanted to be slender and didn't care very much about my muscles as long as they were defined and running was enough to do that when I was younger. I think I have a basic understanding of the benefits - stronger bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles that help with posture, work capacity, and promote and maintain weight loss. Maybe if I knew more about what I was doing and I could see the results or learn how to measure them, I'd be more motivated to do it. Right now I begrudgingly do it. Any tips on ways of getting more out of it?
 
40 years old and 6' 1"?

sure about that? i was 6'+ in college... never bothered measuring my height until it was done for a medical test last month (i'm 66)... current height, 5' 11" (plus a small fraction... i had to ask! ... :)). i had always heard people shrink with age, but unlike my thinking that it didn't start until you're old, apparently you start getting smaller about the time you turn 30.

you are now at about the place i started and i could just add, when i dropped from 225ish to where i am now at ~170, i was losing about 10lbs/ month at first and considered that a good pace... about 2-2.5 lbs / week. as you get closer to your goal, the same loss is going to be a larger % of your total body weight. if you lost 19 lbs this past month, you are bound to start noticing a slow down . where i am at, i am actually still dropping weight, but i am only seeing about a 1-2 lbs loss every other week or so. over the past 3-4 months i've dropped maybe 5-6 lbs and i still consider that a win.
 
overlandflyer said:
40 years old and 6' 1"?

sure about that? i was 6'+ in college... never bothered measuring my height until it was done for a medical test last month (i'm 66)... current height, 5' 11" (plus a small fraction... i had to ask! ... :)). i had always heard people shrink with age, but unlike my thinking that it didn't start until you're old, apparently you start getting smaller about the time you turn 30.

you are now at about the place i started and i could just add, when i dropped from 225ish to where i am now at ~170, i was losing about 10lbs/ month at first and considered that a good pace... about 2-2.5 lbs / week. as you get closer to your goal, the same loss is going to be a larger % of your total body weight. if you lost 19 lbs this past month, you are bound to start noticing a slow down . where i am at, i am actually still dropping weight, but i am only seeing about a 1-2 lbs loss every other week or so. over the past 3-4 months i've dropped maybe 5-6 lbs and i still consider that a win.
Click to expand...

Last I measured was in the doctor's office about a year ago. It was 6'1" then. I think it might be 6' and 1/2 and inch. I must have good genes. :) Perhaps a few more years before I start shrinking. Since you mention, I'll keep an eye out when I visit the doctor in August.

Theoretically, I could eat less as my BMR goes down and exercise more as my kcal burn rate decreases and keep the same pace. That would be ideal but may not be feasible so my weight loss rate may likely go down. I do feel more energized and I'm starting to pick up my pace when running as my weight drops.

The detail and effort that I'm putting into all this was kind of the idea behind controlling the pace and outcome as best I can or at least documenting it so I know what's going on. Perhaps the binge I had last night is a sign to slow down though.
 
I love weight training, especially on machines, but it´s not for everyone. Maybe you´d enjoy it more if you do bodyweight exercises (push-ups, pull-ups, planks, squats, lunges...)? Long-term more muscle mass means you get to eat more!
bensanon said:
Perhaps the binge I had last night is a sign to slow down though.
Click to expand...
If it happens more often it very well may be. Tru gave you a great link some time ago (I checked: May 6th, or page 3 of your diary) explaining why you don´t want to lose too quickly.
 
LaMaria said:
I love weight training
Click to expand...

What do you like about it?

LaMaria said:
Tru gave you a great link some time ago (I checked: May 6th, or page 3 of your diary) explaining why you don´t want to lose too quickly.
Click to expand...

Yes she did. I'd like to go back and read the full thing but haven't gotten to it yet. Thanks for pointing that out.


I added up my calories and calculated how much weight I should have lost and it's lower than what I actually lost. So that would mean the apps I'm using are grossly underestimating the calories I burn which seems unlikely.

Just as an example, using weeks 3 and 4 combined, I burned 48.9k kcal and I consumed 30.6k kcal for a net loss of 18.3k kcal. This is about 5.2 pounds if we assume a pound equals 3500 kcal. I actually lost 7.2 pounds though. So something is amiss and I don't know what it is. :confused:
 
bensanon said:
What do you like about it?
I added up my calories and calculated how much weight I should have lost and it's lower than what I actually lost. So that would mean the apps I'm using are grossly underestimating the calories I burn which seems unlikely.

Just as an example, using weeks 3 and 4 combined, I burned 48.9k kcal and I consumed 30.6k kcal for a net loss of 18.3k kcal. This is about 5.2 pounds if we assume a pound equals 3500 kcal. I actually lost 7.2 pounds though. So something is amiss and I don't know what it is. :confused:
Click to expand...

If I rely on my Fitbit to estimate my total calories burned, it's better. For the same as above, I burned 59.2 kcal according to my Fitbit. This would be about 8.2 pounds after I subtract kcal consumed. So, my Fitbit overestimates my actual calories burned by about 11.9%.
 
It´s a bit like predicting the weather: for perfect accuracy you´d need perfectly complete information about the system. And in a complex system - like the weather or a human body - you never have. So you use a model that makes certain assumptions about the system to fill in the gaps. Looks like Fitbit´s assumptions fit your specific body better than the other apps´. Could be something to do with your resting metabolic rate, could be exercise estimates, could be something else entirely that I´m not thinking of :)
 
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6-1-19 lunch:
- turkey burger on sprouted bread with Swiss cheese, mustard, and red onion
- 2 grilled seasoned chicken breasts
- 2 dates
Total kcal: 856

6-1-19 snacks:
- none
Total kcal: 0

6-1-19 dinner:
- grilled salmon
- grilled chicken salad; sweet gem lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded coleslaw mix, pumpkin seeds, red onion, chicken, roasted red pepper dressing
Total kcal: 818

Total kcal consumed for 6-1-19: 1955

6-1-19 exercise:
- 6 mile run (treadmill says 1155 kcal burned, 5.41 mph speed)
- 1.5 mile incline walking (treadmill says 250 kcal, 3.6 mph, 261 ft climbed)
- chest press, 50lb, 12, 12, 8 reps
- bicep curl, 20lb, 12x3 reps
Total steps: 20,952

6-1-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 4359
6-1-19 MFP kcal burned: 3655
6-1-19 MFP kcal deficit: 1700

I think the BMR was way off in MFP so I changed my activity level to "active" to get it higher. It's now 2250. If I choose "very active" it's 2660.
 
These apps have weird ideas of activity levels. I've got mine set to "professional athlete" to come close to what I normally burn for work and exercise. Do you have MFP set to weightloss? It may be that the number it's giving you is the amount you should aim for in order to lose weight at a sensible pace, not the total amount you're expected to burn in a day (average daily calorie use for sedentary youngish men tends to be estimated at around 2500 kcal).
Oh, about why I enjoy weight training: I physically enjoy feel my muscles engage and I like the feeling of accomplishment that comes from finishing that last rep. When I run I only feel accomplished once, at the end of the run, when I lift heavy things I feel accomplished with every set :)
 
6-1-19 sleep: 5hr 57min

6-2-19 weight: 233.4 pounds

6-2-19 breakfast:
- 1.5 cup flax raisin bran with 1.2 cup kefir and 1 cup strawberries
- 4 cups decaf coffee
- multivitamin
Total kcal: 450

6-2-19 lunch:
- mediterranean salad trio bowl with chicken (Zoe's kitchen; chicken, pesto farro, quinoa, cauliflower rice, Greek tzatziki, Italian salsa verde, feta, cucumbers, dill)
- marinated slaw side (Zoe's kitchen; cabbage, feta, green onions)
Total kcal: 860

6-2-19 snacks:
- none
Total kcal: 0

6-2-19 dinner:
- southwest spicy salad with chicken (Coolgreens; spring mix, baby arugula, black beans, roasted poblano peppers, avocado, corn, corn tortilla chips, artisan blend cheese, chicken, southwest vinaigrette)
- 2 seasoned grilled chicken breasts
- 5 grape tomatoes
Total kcal: 955

Total kcal consumed for 6-2-19: 2264

6-2-19 exercise:
- 5.5 mile run (treadmill says 1053 kcal burned, 5.51 mph speed)
- 2 mile incline walking (treadmill says 312 kcal, 3.5 mph, 235 ft climbed)
Total steps: 25,257

6-2-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 4399
6-2-19 MFP kcal burned: 3965
6-2-19 MFP kcal deficit: 1701
 
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6-2-19 sleep: 6hr 15min

6-3-19 weight: 232.0 pounds

6-3-19 breakfast:
- 1.5 cup flax raisin bran with 1.2 cup kefir, 5oz blackberries, 0.6 cup blueberries
- 4 cups decaf coffee
- multivitamin
Total kcal: 493

6-3-19 lunch:
- chicken kabobs (Zoe's kitchen; grilled chicken, peppers, onions, tomatoes, harissa sauce)
- roasted vegetables (Zoe's kitchen; carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, red onion)
- marinated slaw (Zoe's kitchen; cabbage, feta, green onions)
Total kcal: 600

6-3-19 snacks:
- none
Total kcal: 0

6-3-19 dinner:
- salad (Coolgreens; arugula, spring mix, chicken, red bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, black beans, grilled poblano peppers, pepitas, black olives, ginger soy sauce)
- 2 grilled seasoned chicken breasts
- grilled salmon
- grape tomatoes
Total kcal: 1013

Total kcal consumed for 6-3-19: 2105

6-3-19 exercise:
- 12 mile walk (MapMyWalk says 1689 kcal burned, 15:38 pace)
Total steps: 28,280

6-3-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 4922
6-3-19 MFP kcal burned: 3959
6-3-19 MFP kcal deficit: 1854
 
LaMaria said:
These apps have weird ideas of activity levels. I've got mine set to "professional athlete" to come close to what I normally burn for work and exercise. Do you have MFP set to weightloss? It may be that the number it's giving you is the amount you should aim for in order to lose weight at a sensible pace, not the total amount you're expected to burn in a day (average daily calorie use for sedentary youngish men tends to be estimated at around 2500 kcal).
Oh, about why I enjoy weight training: I physically enjoy feel my muscles engage and I like the feeling of accomplishment that comes from finishing that last rep. When I run I only feel accomplished once, at the end of the run, when I lift heavy things I feel accomplished with every set :)
Click to expand...

Agree. They're wonky although I'm impressed with my Fitbit. Might be good for me to ditch all the rest and just log food in MFP because of the food database they have and rely on my Fitbit for calories burned. This is kind of what I wanted to figure out with all this logging so it's helpful to see what's going on. I'm surprised MFP doesn't do a better job and getting the BMR/base goal is pretty important. I don't know about a weightloss setting using that app but it makes sense that it could be your target for weight loss. They don't really make that clear or at least it wasn't for me.

2500 seems a lot for someone who's sedentary. Maybe so if they're otherwise healthy. Once I get to my goal weight, consuming that amount or a little higher with exercise is gonna be great. :D

I'm feeling pretty darn good right now even though my calories are in the 2k-2.2k range and I'm exercising a ton. My resting heart rate has dropped even more from last month. I got over that binge pretty quickly.

Hope everyone and anyone who's reading is doing well! :waving:
 
bensanon said:
I don't know about a weightloss setting using that app but it makes sense that it could be your target for weight loss. They don't really make that clear or at least it wasn't for me.
Click to expand...
The app I use lets you set a goal (muscle gain, weightloss, health) but then doesn't do anything with that information even though quite a few people in their comments section assume that if they set it to weightloss it'll give them weightloss calories. I think what you did is very sensible: starting out with more than one system to find out which fits you best.
 
6-3-19 sleep: 5hr 3min

6-4-19 weight: 232.0 pounds

6-4-19 breakfast:
- eggs
- yogurt with blackberries and blueberries
- avocado on sprouted bread
- decaf coffee
- multivitamin
Total kcal: 506

6-4-19 lunch:
- turkey burger on sprouted bread with Swiss cheese and mustard
- grape tomatoes
- pistachios
Total kcal: 654

6-4-19 snacks:
- pistachios
- Swiss cheese
- Medjool dates
- Doritos
- chocolate chip protein bar
Total kcal: 1,680

6-4-19 dinner:
- mediterranean salad trio bowl with chicken (Zoe's kitchen; chicken, pesto farro, quinoa, cauliflower rice, Greek tzatziki, Italian salsa verde, feta, cucumbers, dill)
- grilled potato salad (Zoe's kitchen; potatoes, green onion)
- sushi roll (salmon, cream cheese, jalapeno, tempura fried, scallion, masago, eel sauce, spicy mayo)
- sushi roll (tempura shrimp, avocado, cream cheese, crab stick, masago, scallion, spicy mayo, wasabi mayo)
Total kcal: 1,946

Total kcal consumed for 6-4-19: 4,786

6-4-19 exercise:
- none
Total steps: 3,525

6-4-19 Fitbit total kcal burned: 2,461
6-4-19 MFP kcal burned: 2,250
6-4-19 MFP kcal deficit: -2,536

Today was not good. I overate. It wasn't really binging. This morning I woke up and I was sleepy and couldn't shake it off all day. In the afternoon I took a nap. Every time I sleep or rest, I overeat. It's like my body cannot get enough rest and wants more. I've had other things going on like allergies, pimples and tender gums. Maybe signs of stress?? It's got to be the move and change in environment too. I'm such a sensitive person and it takes awhile to adjust. All I can do is ride this out and keep working on it and I'll eventually get back. It comes and goes like waves. Frustrating!
 
Moves can be so stressful! I would definitely give yourself a bit of slack as you get settled.

As for the low cal/high energy expenditure, this is can be one use for looking at your overall volume of exercise. If you do X kms in a week and you have a day like yesterday where you do not feel rested and you end up overeating, then maybe you're not quite able to do X kms weekly, or you are not giving your body enough fuel. So you could try cutting back your weekly kms a bit (maybe 10%) or you could try adding a few hundred calories each day (or even just on exercise days) and see if that helps things.
 
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