Tony Sestito said:In reply to 93EXCivic :
... Most healthy people consume about 3000 calories a day.
I really think that is a really bad generalization even if you limit the application to only males between 18- 50 years old. In addition, people's energy requirements do fluctuate.
TheGloriousW said:Tony Sestito said:In reply to 93EXCivic :
... Most healthy people consume about 3000 calories a day.
I really think that is a really bad generalization even if you limit the application to only males between 18- 50 years old. In addition, people's energy requirements do fluctuate.
I was kind of thinking the same. I know it isn't perfect but MyFitnessPro has me at 2270 calories for a .5lb loss a week.
The 3000 is a complete generalization and everyone is different. For example, my Samsung Health app tells me for my weight and height I should be consuming 3350 calories a day. So, cutting that down to 2500 for me and making sure the burn is over the intake is a basic operating model. Ideally, I'd like to consume even less and burn even more.
Tony Sestito said:The 3000 is a complete generalization and everyone is different. For example, my Samsung Health app tells me for my weight and height I should be consuming 3350 calories a day. So, cutting that down to 2500 for me and making sure the burn is over the intake is a basic operating model. Ideally, I'd like to consume even less and burn even more.
Just be careful not to cut your calories too aggressively. Our bodies can go into starvation mode and slow down our metabolism to better match our caloric intake. So although you want to create a caloric deficit, it is possible to take it too far.
I see a nutritionist on a regular basis, they take a body fat reading and give me an estimated amount of calories for each day. The number isn't perfect, but it seems fairly accurate. My magic number right now seems to be about 1800 calories. If I'm right around that number, I seem to lose a pretty consistent amount of weight each week. It's good to check in every so often just to make sure you have an idea of what that rate is.
You also need to make changes periodically. If you eat the same calories day in and day out for a really long time, the body will fully adapt to it. This is especially true if you're eating at a deficit. Your burn rate will eventually slow to match the intake. That's where things like cheat meals or short spikes come in, it keeps the body "guessing" as to your intake and can keep the burn going.
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
Right now, I'm more or less trying to get into a routine so I can get a baseline of how I need to operate going forward. Part of that is sticking to the same/similar foods/habits, at least for a little while as I get started. Good call on the spikes/cheats to keep the body guessing. I'll also factor in more exercise soon into the routine; I'm a member at the local Y and I've been trying to play drums at least 3x per week, which is a killer workout on its own (there have been multiple studies on this).
One thing that sucks is that my health insurance (which is pretty good all things considered) will not cover me seeing a nutritionist or any weight loss medication/procedures since I'm not a diabetic. My PCP and I have danced the dance with them, and they won't budge. They would rather see someone become diabetic and then have to take that medication than prevent it altogether! Really messed up, but I don't want to flounder the thread. 
SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) said:... That's where things like cheat meals or short spikes come in, it keeps the body "guessing" as to your intake and can keep the burn going.
Cool, so I can call dinner last night a cheat. My middle son cooked an Italian sausage and pasta dish that was outstanding and I definitely ate too much of it. At the end of the day, I was 500 calories past my 2600.
SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) said:You also need to make changes periodically. If you eat the same calories day in and day out for a really long time, the body will fully adapt to it. This is especially true if you're eating at a deficit. Your burn rate will eventually slow to match the intake. That's where things like cheat meals or short spikes come in, it keeps the body "guessing" as to your intake and can keep the burn going.
And why you should mix up exercise/activity routines as well. Constantly varied intensity and progressive overload. You need to present new stimuli to your body so it doesn't get a chance to fully adapt.
They studied the phenomenon with mail carriers. If you walk the same route every day, your body gets really efficient at walking that route.
Tony Sestito said:The 3000 is a complete generalization and everyone is different. For example, my Samsung Health app tells me for my weight and height I should be consuming 3350 calories a day. So, cutting that down to 2500 for me and making sure the burn is over the intake is a basic operating model. Ideally, I'd like to consume even less and burn even more.
You must be tall, jacked, or very active. I don't want to be negative but those apps are very bad at estimating expenditure. If you calorie delta is as you state you'd be losing about a 1 1/2 pounds per week.
SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) said:You also need to make changes periodically. If you eat the same calories day in and day out for a really long time, the body will fully adapt to it. This is especially true if you're eating at a deficit. Your burn rate will eventually slow to match the intake. That's where things like cheat meals or short spikes come in, it keeps the body "guessing" as to your intake and can keep the burn going.
So question on this. During the week, I have been pretty consistent at doing either a 30 minute workout or 30 minute bike trainer ride burning between 150-300 calories and intaking around 2400-2500 calories (which should give about a .5 lb per week weight loss). On the weekend I currently do a longer bike on Saturday (burning between 800-1200 calories) and an ultimate frisbee game burning around 1000 calories on Sunday (plus possibly a shorter ride) and eat more but getting approximately the same goal of in vs out. Does this work to avoid doing the same things over and over?
In reply to 93EXCivic :
https://www.strongerbyscience.com/podcast-episode-109/
Popular Diets And Common Nutrition Misconceptions
So, I've been at this for about a week now. Down 3lbs so far, which is nothing, but it's a start. Two things that have stood out during this week of tracking calories and paying attention:
-I set a goal for 2500 calories a day. My actual average is about 2100. I've been pretty much eating what I want to but less of it and have substituted some things for others. Easier than I thought! I had one "cheat day" included and I hit about 2700 calories that day.
-I actually FEEL better. I noticed a difference in energy almost immediately. Hope this lasts.
Again, it's only been a week. I haven't really introduced exercise yet save for playing the drums once this week for about an hour. Hoping to get a few more weeks under my belt and then I'll start going to the gym again. Hoping I can make this a habit!
In reply to Tony Sestito :
Awesome!
I have noticed that I feel better as well. That alone is worth keeping an eye on the intake.
10 days later and I'm only down another half a pound. I guess some progress is better than none.
I've spent a fair number of days on the road and it's surprisingly hard to accurately count quantities and such when you are eating out 3 meals a day. Doubly true if you are eating at local joints without advertised nutrition data. I think some of my estimates were off a little.
I also haven't made the time to build the weight machine. That's happening this weekend. That should help pick the pace back up.
Less to come.
In reply to Tony Sestito :
I am coming back to this thread after a leave of absence. You lost three pounds in a single week? And you call that nothing? I think that's plenty! Losing too fast is a great way to start a yo-yo effect and I think it's generally hard on a person anyway.
Sounds like you're doing great right where you're at. Good luck on keeping up the good work.
In reply to Toyman! :
Got thrown off your game and still made progress.
Progress is progress.
I am down 12 since this thread started. I was down 15 but progress comes and progress goes. Still counting calories, not getting enough exercise though.
Toyman! said:10 days later and I'm only down another half a pound. I guess some progress is better than none.
I've spent a fair number of days on the road and it's surprisingly hard to accurately count quantities and such when you are eating out 3 meals a day. Doubly true if you are eating at local joints without advertised nutrition data. I think some of my estimates were off a little.
I travel at least 1-2 days a week and I understand the challenge. What works for me is just skip lunch. Hotel breakfast, heavy on the fruit and dairy, maybe some eggs and bacon but no cheese. Lunch if it happens is a bottle of water and a coke zero and some beef jerky (small package - 200kcal). Dinner is whatever I want but try to avoid fast food. If I can swing it I will run into a Walmart or a decent gas station and get a premade salad.
This is when I am doing sales calls. When I am actually doing field work then I will actually eat, but still keep it pretty light and simple.
Progress was made today. Just assembling this thing was a workout. Between this, the treadmill and the elliptical I think my bases are covered.
I may have to fight off the rest of the family to use it though.
I had a rough weekend doing house stuff, including going into a crawlspace under my house through a small opening to inspect the inner foundation. That was fun, because I don't exactly fit under there. Today, I am sore as hell because of it. It's evident that it's just about time to hit the gym again. I did, however, keep a cap on the caloric intake all weekend, so that's good.
Spent some time on the elliptical. Then worked with weight for 45 minutes.
My arms feel like spaghetti noodles.
Surprisingly it's actually a good feel.
I have never done much weight lifting. I won't call it fun but there is a certain satisfaction to it.
Toyman! said:Spent some time on the elliptical. Then worked with weight for 45 minutes.
My arms feel like spaghetti noodles.
Surprisingly it's actually a good feel.
I have never done much weight lifting. I won't call it fun but there is a certain satisfaction to it.
Nice work! Wait until you start to see some improvement in strength or body transformation. That's when the real satisfaction begins. Just like the dietary change, you'll have good days and bad days with weights. You'll have periods of significant change, and periods where you plateau. That's all normal. Just keep showing up and putting in the work and you'll get the results you seek. You're building new habits for a new lifestyle, so making time to do the work consistently is really more critical than anything else. You're off to a great start. Keep building that momentum!
In reply to Toyman! :
What all exercises did you do?
Did you track your weight, sets, and reps?
It's not necessarily fun, but it can be very satisfying. Especially if you're someone who tracks numbers and likes being able to see objective progress. You figure out a base line, and then see when you can lift a heavier weight or crank out an extra rep beyond what you thought you'd be able.
As your body adapts to this type of exercise, recovery will come come quicker and the muscle soreness will be less.
While I haven't started going back to the gym yet, I've been trying to get an hour of drumming in on the days I work from home. Drumming is a great way to get excersise! I've been building my chops back up, and I'm starting to feel like I did 20 years ago when I was regularly gigging behind the kit, which is great.
Yesterday, I decided to try having a protein shake for lunch (which is usually what I have for breakfast) after a particularly aggressive session of playing really fast stuff, and holy crap did I feel it. In fact, I had such an energy boost that I went back and played for another half hour after a meeting! It was like I did speed or something, because I was able to play things during that second session I've never been able to play.
Can't wait to go back to the gym on top of all of this.
In reply to Beer Baron :
Hmm. I didn't think to write it down. I'll have to track it from now on. I wasn't super sore this morning but I could tell I did something.
I did 4 sets of 10 at bench press with 95 pounds including the bar, 4 sets of 10 wide grip pulldowns at 105 pounds, 4 sets of 10 cable flys at 40 pounds, 4 set of 10 curls at 90 pounds. All of these were done moving in a slowish controlled fashion with a 1-2 minute break between sets.
I guesstimated the starting weight by adding weight until it wasn't too easy. By the time I finished 4 sets, I was struggling with the last 3-4 reps.
Damn, I really need to write this down or I won't remember what I did or how much weight to use by the next time I work out. My plan was Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for an hour to start.
I have a wall chart coming with some suggested workouts for the machine. I have also ordered another barbell and ankle straps.
I need to add some leg exercises. I need to use the big muscles to burn some big energy and get my heart rate up. I tried a few body-weight squats yesterday and I don't think my knees are going to stand that until I shed some weight. I'm going to have to come up with something to exercise those muscles without abusing my knees. Maybe some from and back leg extensions.
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