The Ferret Returns!

ToothlessFerret

New member
Ok, why am I back with a new diary?

Have I put on more weight? No. since I stopped cutting five months ago, my overall body weight has remained pretty static.

Am I overweight? Well, technically no. My BMI is 22 - perfect!

Why then do I want to lose weight? Well I don't particularly want to lose weight this time. What I want is to lose body fat. Since I stopped cutting, I have continued to exercise and to eat healthy. But despite that, I still have more excess body fat on my torso than I would like to have. I still have a bit of a belly, and man-boob material. I like strength training, but if I try harder to bulk, the fat is going to get worse. Its a bit of an experiment. If I carefully cut calories for five weeks or so, can I get finally rid myself of a problem that I have carried since I was a boy?

How will I measure progress I don't trust my electrical impedance scales for measuring body fat, and I can't afford to buy calipers at the moment. So I'm going to rely on weight scales and how I look/feel for measurement.

What are my goals? My goal is to reduce my body fat percentage, but in terms of weight, I reckon that I could chop off another 8 pounds, which would still leave me safely in the ideal/healthy BMI range.

What method will I use? Last time I relied on healthy eating small portions of wholesome food, reducing alcohol, and lots of exercise. I didn't bother calorie counting. This time, I want to try and do it a little more scientifically. I have signed up with Fitday.com, and have started tracking my calories, exercise, and nutrition. I will try and keep a daily diet and exercise log here on this thread.

Calorific intake? I will initially aim for 2,200 Cal's per day. I work, and I exercise, so I hope that this will be a sensible amount. If I fail to achieve weightloss, then I may decrease the calories.

Exercise I will continue as I have. I will try to strength train at gym three times per week. Run with Wolfy 3-4 miles twice per week. Walk with Wolfy 1-3 miles five times per week. However, as I work shifts at a power station, I know that some weeks it will not be practical.

Nutritional rules I will aim for good balances of carbs, fats, and protein as always. I will eat lean protein and plenty of greens. I will eat small but often. I will log everything as honestly as I can at Fitday.com. I will not consume any alcohol during this period (thats a sacrifice!).

Time scale? I am going to dedicate the whole of February. Depending how it goes, I might extend it into March. I effectively started two days ago when I signed up with Fitday (January 28th), and I review my progress on 2nd March. Its just a short diet, a stage within my longterm lifestyle plan.

Wish me luck!
 
good luck - but you don't need it - you've got determination and are willing to put in the effort.. you're gonna get whre you want to be..

pretty shiney new diary :D

:wipes a smudge:
 
we are kind of here for the same reasons :)
i have a healthy bmi also but am still pretty tubby after a bit of a xmas splurge twinned with injury
i hope you are successful with your fat reduction
im sure if you keep an eye on your nutrition then you will be
let me know how you get on
 
Wow... thanks everybody! Ok, here goes....

Tracked at Fitday.com:

29th Jan: Cals eaten 2564. Cals burnt 3890

Slipped up because I underestimated the cals of an oat bar - 411 cals!! Weight trained at gym.

30th Jan: Cals eaten 2152. Cals burnt 3152

Ran 4 miles with Wolfy.

31st Jan: Cals eaten 2161. Cals burnt 4008

Weight training at gym. I made the same mistake again with that oat bar - but now I am aware, it wont happen again. For evening meal, I had salmon, spinach, and shittake mushrooms. Delicious :)
 
Hey Ferret,
It's good to see you back and posting with a new diary!
You're always an inspiration :)

Even when you have me dreaming of pubs ;)
 
Yay, Ferret's back!!! :) :) :)

BTW, everytime you mention Wolfy, I picture my son...that's his dad's family's nickname for him. LOL!!
 
I was never away :) You all make me feel so welcome on here, it really is an unusually pleasant board. Thank you.

Todays boring FitDay figures:

Calories eaten: 2098.

Calories burnt: 3825.

I seem to be burning an awful lot of calories according to Fitday.com. I'm not convinced that its accurate for me, but at least its a guide. I'm suffering from exertion today, I feel as though I have been overtraining. For a few days I had stiff legs after too many deadlifts, squats and cross-country running over the two previous days. Today the ache has spread across my arms and chest from too many pull ups and heavy dumbbell bench presses yesterday. Maybe its also the reduced calories, but I feel as though I could do with a real rest. I tried to book Friday off work, but couldn't get it :( Ah well, I'll try and take it easier for a day or two.

Only exercise today was four miles of walking after work - two with Wolfy (not DQ's son ;) ), and two ...

Strawberries, rasberries and yoghurt for supper, yum :)
 
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Good to hear you're on track. When I find myself all aching and painful from the workouts I give myself a day or two off as I find I can't do anything really worth going to the gym for anyway, it's always so half-hearted if you're hurting.

Anyway hope the weekend goes well for ya. :)
 
you don't eat them - i'mnot sure a ferret could eat a groundhog :D that's like cannibalism or something :D

this year we're celebrating the early spring thagt he's predicted..

'sides - i'm determined to make groundhog day an adult holiday filled with innuendo and other good stuff :D

just humor me and celebrate 'k?
 
Daily Fitday Stats.

Calories burnt: 3870
Calories consumed: 2107


Food notes: Had some boiled brown basmati rice today. Well, every now and then...

Exercise notes: Ran 4.2 miles with Wolfy - cross country mixed with cross town.

Decided that I'm going to start tackling the front garden this weekend (the rear garden is Wolfy's open-cast mine area). I want to create a small vegetable plot. I've been inspired after reading on nutrition. I did have a big vegetable garden years ago, but it was so much work - then we moved into town. It'll be a great education for the kids!
 
Daily Fitday Stats.

Calories burnt: 3088
Calories consumed: 2034


No exercise today, but walked Wolfy 2 miles, then later took Wolfy and the family all afternoon. I was very good there - I ate a small cup of mussels, and later had a nice warming leek soup outside of a sandwich shop.
 
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Fitday - It doesn't add up!

Daily Fitday Stats.

Calories burnt: 4088
Calories consumed: 2341


Well, my first week with Fitday.com, and what do I think? I am in a state of utter confusion. The figures entered on my Fitday account for the past week suggest an average of 3873 calories burnt per day. This seems excessive. However, what sort of data that I enter, and how I enter it isn't at all clear.

First of all, it asks you for your Lifestyle Level. It gives you 5 levels to choose from, clearly related to how you work. Now, I work full time in a power station. Some days are strenuous, with lots of manual work - other times I spend lots of sitting or standing time in a control room. So veering onto the side of caution I opted for Standing work (housework) as my option.

Ok so far - but under activities, you have lots of daily choices for Occupation. Nothing that describes my work - so each time that I work a shift, I choose something that I imagine burns a similar amount of energy - depending on how hard that I had to work that day. I also exercise - mainly running, walking, and strength training. So I add those activities .... it adds up to an average of 3,873 calories per day. That seems rather high - or is it for my lifestyle? I wonder if I should be entering my shifts under activities/occupation at all - or if I should choose another lifestyle level - I don't know .... and no-one here appears to know either!

/end of moan. By the way, my average calories daily consumed for the past week has been 2,233 cals. A hell of a deficit from 3,873 cals allegedly burnt, but it seems higher than most people here seem to consume to lose 2 pounds per week.

Today A bit of a struggle. I wanted to go to gym for strength training, and then start digging the garden, but I had a phone call from the station - they needed me in for a busy shift. Still - it was activity by profitable means! When I got home, Mrs Ferret had cooked us a nice sunday roast. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN ROAST LAMB AND ROAST POTATOES? A lot, so I just had a little, and filled the rest of the plate with kale, broccoli, and carrots. Still, it used up my daily calorie allowance a little early. :)

Took Wolfy for a 2.2 mile frosty walk after dinner, now to bed...
 
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Weighed in this morning - first week.

Down 3 pounds to 144 pounds / 65.5 kg. Despite my concerns, the weight does seem to be heading in the right direction.
 
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