weight loss?

O

owie66

New member
okay so here's the deal, I'm 42 years old I am 5'11" tall and when I started losing weight I was 294. So I started my weight loss the third week in March 2012, since then I have lost 42 pounds, at my last weigh-in Friday 8 June 2012 I was 252.


because I was almost 300 pounds when I started I've heard several things, like the more you weigh as you start to lose weight a lot of it is water weight, so my question is how do I determine how much of what I've lost is water and is fat?


So one of the things that I've been doing this to lose weight is walking with a backpack, and here it gets a little sticky I've read on many different websites that walking with a backpack will help burn more calories, so my question is if I carry more weight in my backpack do I burn more calories with more weight, example my backpack currently has about 30 pounds in it, last night I went on a road March, sorry prior military I went 8 miles in two hours in 22 min. with a 30 pound pack, the program using to help with my diet and exercise is my fitness pal it seems like the program only calculates time and type of exercise but if I add weight should I not burn more calories?


So just a few questions that I'm having with my weight loss progress. I want to be doing whatever I can to help lose weight,

are there any other suggestions out there besides walking with a backpack and running that would help to add this into a Regiment

I guess my question would be because I work so much what is the most effective way of burning calories in a shorter amount of time per day. Example when I plug in two hours and 22 min. into my fitnesspal backpacking it spit out about 1800 cal that I had burned. How accurate is that? I mean what other variables goes into the equation like when that people say backpacking do you mean on uneven ground elevation changes in my, because when I'm doing my backpacking it's pretty much an even surface like sidewalks but there are hills in that kind of thing but not uneven ground for the most part help? I guess the big question that I have am I wasting my time could I be doing something that burns calories more efficiently than what I'm doing, I looked at bike riding swimming running and none seem to burn calories at the rate at which I burn calories by walking with a pack?





Thank you Tim
 
ATo calculate how much fat you have lost you will need to measure bodyfat % , thic can be done through bioelectrical impedance (easiest, not particularly accurate but ok for tracking changes), calipers (more accurate, harder to find an experienced person to take measurments), then there is underwater weighing, MRI and CAT scans but these methods are expensive and inconvenient but do give the best accuracy.
 
I believe you lost most of your water weight in the first couple of weeks, so don't worry about it.


Changing the pace of your walk can gain much more burned calories than carrying a backpack. At your weight, walking at 2.5 miles per hour, you would burn about 811 calories. If you doubled your pace to 5 mph then you would burn 2164 calories. Walking at the slower pace with a 50 pound backpack would only net you an additional 161 calories.


It's great that you have the time to do that long a walk. I don't have the time so I try playing basketball which burns a lot more calories than walking, but also has a much higher injury risk factor. Stick with the walking if you can!


professor Tom Laurie

author of The Losing attitude for Dieters
 
Owie, first off, a big congrats on your success thus far ! That's freaking fantastic !


Now, as far as what exercises are best, I'd say, whatever exercise you enjoy doing the most ! I like hiking / hill climbing too. But I also do a lot of cycling...... lately in my bedroom, on my cycling trainer, as its just quicker / more conveniant. But I like riding outdoors, if its my day off, and I'm not on the water :)

This is just my cardio though. I do a TON of weight training.


Now, you have only talked about your exercise, and while this is "somewhat" important to weight loss, I tend to look at exercise as "what one does to maintain good health, and a strong cardio vascular system"......

And "DIET" as what one does to lose weight, or maintain a healthy weight.


When I first started my journey back to health, 33 months ago, I did zero exercise, besides my very active job (which used to just flat kill me). I lost my initial 80 lbs, in about 7 or 8 months, diet alone.

Only then, did I start doing my hill climbs.... then started using a Bowflex... then bought a Mountain Bike... then got some free weights... etc.


Nowadays, all of this stuff ^ is a part of my normal daily life. Same with my super healthy diet.


BTW, it might surprise you, but I am able to maintain my current weight of about 206 lbs @ 12-13% BF (I'm 6ft even) eating 3800-4000 cals a day :)

My long term goal is to get up to 225 @9% BF Of course for myself, their will never be any such thing as "maintenance". Whenever I get to 225@9% I'll just have to raise the bar to a higher level. If I'm not shooting for the top, I'm falling to the bottom. But that's just me.


Peace,

Fish
 
Good job Owie



You said: if I carry more weight in my backpack do I burn more calories with more weight?



Yes. More weight moved = most work done = higher energy cost = you burn more



You said: when I plug in two hours and 22 min. into my fitnesspal backpacking it spit out about 1800 cal that I had burned. How accurate is that?



Not very unless myfitness pal accounts for your walking speed, your weight (and the weight of your backpack), the ground, elevation changes etc...



You said: "could I be doing something that burns calories more efficiently than what I'm doing, ...?"



Yes. Grow your Lean Body Mass by pumping iron or sprinting. These are the most effective ways to burn fat because they presever your muscle and burn LOTS of energy.



Hope this helps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top