Blog to Fit Friday Wrap-Up. Nov 28, 2008

Week two is history at BlogToFit. How did all the Americans do with Thanksgiving? Were you able to resist all the yummy food or did you indulge? Even if you’re gripping a bottle of Pepto Bismol tight today, don’t sweat it. Or actually, DO sweat it. Just increase your activity over the next few days to offset the indulgences!

A news report said today that a typical Thanksgiving Day meal is about 1,900 calories and takes 18 miles to walk the weight off.

The highlights this week:

• On Monday, David Wright talked about how difficult change is. Also, Tara posed the age old question, what weighs more, Jay Leno’s head or you?
• On Tuesday, Tara dissed skinny people and laid out her fitness plan.
• On Wednesday, we all weighed in and most of us were a pound or two lighter this week than last week! Congrats!
• On Thursday, Dave Fowler talked about losing fat – the sub-optimal way! Then he scared small children everywhere by posing in nothing but his skivvies and posting the photo on our site.

Joining the fun for Wednesday Weigh-In this week:

Avlor is a loser (!) who uses a Wii Fit as part of her fitness regime which seems like far too much fun to be fair but after reading of her experiences what how many people now inform Santa that their kids (cough cough) might quite like to have one . .  .

notSupermum has obviously been charmed by Dave F and his shameless attempt at becoming the Blog To Fit hottie by posted provocative photos of himself. Anyway, she has also promised to post pictures of her quite fabulous weight loss progress next week – although I’m told there will be clothes involved.

That Girl 39 suddenly thinks she’s Irene Cara or something as she’s not jogging along the beach with  Flashdance in her head. Whatever gets you there, ThatGirl, whatever gets you there!

Mike Goad has been unwell so is in need of some Blog To Fit love, so we’re sending it across post haste along with a big batch of cyber hugs.

Deconstructing Jen take a deep breath – this week Jen lost 4.8 lbs. You are such a loser Jen! Good for you! She’s also taken on the drinking as much water as is humanly possible thing, and claims success too.

A Dad’s Life another ‘water’ convert and a blogger who has made a commitment to get out running, cut backon the vino and “I will limit myself to a small slice of pie per day at dinner AND then only eat half of it” – way to go that man!

DC Urban Dad is also a loser but if you need another reason to go visit how about the fact that he’s posted just about the worst photoshopped pic of himself. That is SO not his head on that body. Is it?

Remember, whether you are lurking or this is your first time here, there’s still time to join along at any point. This isn’t like an episode of Lost or something where if you miss even one, you’re doomed to playing catchup forever. Join in at ANY time! This is an open ended process as each of us has our own goals. Thanks to everyone who has been participating and helping to grow this blog.

Question of the week:

While we’re all bloggers here at BlogToFit, this group project is new for us. We’ve got some great things in store for you but before we get too far ahead of ourselves in planning, we’d like to ask you what you would like to see as this site grows? Feel free to let us know how we’re doing and where we can improve.

From all of us at BlogToFit, have a healthy weekend and we’ll see you again on Monday!

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Losing Fat The Sub-Optimal Way

Fill your freezer with chicken breast portions and frozen fruit for smoothies because that’s all you’re going to eat for the next year.

Yeah right! I don’t think so somehow.

OK, so those choices can be good and delicious but oh, so, boring, if eaten day after day.

I’ve seen so many fitness sites that tell you to eat a teaspoon of peanut butter with a stick of celery at 10.30 am and then you can treat yourself to dry chicken breast and rice cracker for lunch, I mean, whoop-dee-doo – that’s something to look forward to and no mistake. Not.

Picture: ishdia

As I’m trying to build a sustainable and enjoyable lifestyle rather than embarking on a fad diet regime, there has to be some variety to keep me interested and keep me on plan. My diet, in its broadest meaning, has to include things I like to eat even if they’re not perfectly nutritionally balanced.

Those ‘serious’ about weight loss and fitness will tell you that you NEED an optimal diet. One calculated to the last calorie and comprised of the ideal balance of Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat. Maybe that’s true if you’re setting out to be a semi-professional athlete but if your goals are not quite so lofty and your life doesn’t revolve around fitness and diet then you can chose the next best option – a sub-optimal approach to fitness and diet.

Get Fit – Lose the Fat – Do it the Sub-Optimal way

This still involves making better choices, it still involves making sacrifices and comprises but it’s easier to sustain and the results can be good.

How do I know this? I’ve done it.

Last year I got down from 205lbs to 183lbs taking the sub-optimal route.

I exercised for 30 minutes a day, and I still ate things like bacon sandwiches, tuna mayo, pasta, cake and pretty much anything else I wanted – and best of all I still had sugar in my tea. Woo hoo!

All I had to do was moderate the quantity of food I ate.

So if it worked…. why do I need to lose the weight again?

The problem was not the diet, the exercise or the lifestyle, but more to do with the fact that having been thrown off the horse when I got some bad news about a posting at work, I failed to climb back in the saddle quickly enough. I let my state of mind govern my actions. That’s my Achilles heal. The rest of it worked and worked well and I’m so confident it works, I’ve jumped straight back into it.

How It’s Achieved

The method isn’t super complex…

The daily intake of calories necessary to maintain my weight (6ft, male, 200 lbs) is approximately 2600. I used an online calculator.

To lose a pound of fat I need to burn approximately 3500 calories.

Therefore I need to reduce my calorie intake by 500ish calories a day and exercise enough to burn 500ish extra calories a day to get somewhere near a 2 lb loss each week.

Both of those goals are achievable (for me) and won’t result in me starving myself, depriving myself or working-out for hours on end.

At this point I would stress that you can seriously stall your progress by eating too little and exercising too much. I know this because I’ve done it.

I’m also aware that my analysis above is greatly oversimplified but for what I’m trying to do and the way I’m going about it, it doesn’t need to be an exact science.

The general principle of what I’m trying to do here has already been stated on this site: Eat less, move more.

Ok, so you need to have a rough idea of the caloric content of the foods you’re eating. But it can’t harm to educate ourselves about what we’re consuming, or asking our families to consume. It takes a little while to adjust to these measures especially if you have to research the calorie content of certain foods, but once you’ve done this for your ‘core diet’, you can pretty much work by guestimation and making minor adjustments after that. This is NOT calorie counting though. It’s best guess estimation of portion size – mainly so that you don’t underfeed yourself!

I stress again that this is not an exact science at this level – there’s wriggle room.

Here’s what I want to achieve:

I want to get down from 200 lbs (198 as of yesterday’s weigh-in) to 173 lbs without losing any muscle in the process. I’m looking to lose the weight at the rate of 1.5 to 2 lbs per week through a combination of caloric deficit and moderate exercise. I believe I can do this in 14 weeks but this is an aiming point not a deadline.

Exercise:

• I walk the dogs daily anyway so I’ll continue to do that
• I’ll run three times a week (usually 1.5 miles)
• I’ll do bodyweight exercises three times a week (to maintain what muscle I already have).

Diet:

• I’ll eat three main meals a day
• And three snacks

This will be my baseline to work from not a set of cast iron rules. Remaining flexible is key, so that I can adapt when appropriate. I’ll be throwing in extra bits and pieces for the sake of variety and sanity but first I need to get on with achieving the baseline.

I intend to write about what I’m doing most days. The public scrutiny will keep me honest and the support will keep me on track. The only delay might be in us trying to hive off part of the website to do it, so that the front page isn’t littered with my ramblings.

I’m going to take photos throughout the process and post the pictures up on the site. The plan is I’ll see a change and be motivated to continue. I hope you’ll also see the changes and feel free to comment on what you see. And please do give feedback. Keep in mind though that I can’t alter my genetics! I just have to make the best of what I’ve got.

For what it’s worth I can see beneath the fat to the potential, and that drives me to achieve my goal.

Yes, I’ve got bed head. Yes. I’m pale. No, I won’t be shaving my chest.

And I wore my ‘Boden’ boxer shorts deliberately to take attention away from my love handles.

Without further ado… here are the before pictures:

NOTE: Picture Removeded (apologies)

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Wednesday Weigh In Number Two

Welcome to the second installment of the Blog To Fit Wednesday Weigh-in. While last week was the first weigh-in, this is the first update on our weight loss goals.

And good thing the weigh-in is today, rather than Friday, when many of us might weigh an extra pound or two following a Thanksgiving day of pigging out on all matter of yummies while actively engaged in the sport of watching football on TV. For those of us who are watching what we eat we’ll be forced to choose: eat sensibly on Thursday or work out four times as hard on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Without further ado, here are the updates.

Tara Cain

“Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out. But I can usually shut the bitch up with cookies” – that’s the birthday card a good friend sent me for my birthday last Friday!

It really made me chuckle, than I thought ‘ye gads, it’s funny because it is SO me!’ The OLD me (though not old as in aged obviously).

So, this past week I think I have walked about 5 miles just going to and from the toilet.

One of my aims was to drink more water, and boy does my body know about it!

So I’ve been knocking it back like some kind of water wino for four days.

Then hubby and I went away for the weekend to a spa hotel. As a treat I had a fancy pants facial and the therapist said to me: “You are NEVER 40!”

I didn’t need to be told twice. I’ve probably broke the record for the amount of water one human can consume in the space of an hour! I am officially declaring this part of The Plan a success.

OK, I’m not sure how it’s helped with my diet, but by jove, I had the best compliment I’ve had since becoming heavy with child way back in 2002 so I’m sold.

And yes, we indulged on my 40th, but I stuck with The Plan and only gave in to one midnight mince pie. Oh and we shared a bag of toffee and nut popcorn at the cinema, but that doesn’t count as it’s against the law to watch a movie without popcorn, so obviously the calories don’t register.

And so, after a week of quaffing water like it’s going out of fashion, learning a little self control and pulling on the walking boots, here it is; the moment of truth. (Oh lordy, I’m nervous as HELL!)

Just the stats: Tara Cain

• Starting weight Wed. Nov.19: 168 lbs.
• Goal weight: 140 lbs.
• Weight today: 166 lbs
• Amount lost this week: 2 lbs.

So, I haven’t broken any records and I can’t go on a spending spree for a new pair of jeans/shoes (you know what I’m talking about don’t you ThatGirl39?) but those 2 pounds are coming OFF my stats and I’m going to leap in the air and do a woo hoo for that.

David Fowler

Relying on one piece of data captured as a snapshot on a specific day (Wednesday), isn’t particularly scientific. And if the single piece of data doesn’t say what you want it to say it’s easy to become despondent. That’s why I’m looking at several bits of data every week and it’s why I weigh once a day – SHOCK, HORROR.

It’s not for the feint hearted but it works better for me because the readings give me a trend for the week.

There’s so much at play with body weight. It can vary tremendously from day to day or hour to hour. For example, your weight can be significantly affected by the levels glycogen you have stored up (or perhaps depleted through vigorous exercise) or just the fact that you’re not regular with your twosies.

Watching the trends can work really well, but you have to be able to take the rough with the smooth and not get too hung up on every variation.

Remember, your weight will vary throughout the day and often over the course of a couple of days, so keep this in mind. Accept that from time to time you will get some bizarre readings, whether you weigh once a day or once a week. When that happens, fall back to looking at the trend.

If you choose to weigh-in daily…. Weigh just once! At the same time everyday – after you’ve been to the loo, before you shower (and absorb a gallon of water) and while you’re wearing your flimsiest knickers and bra (unless you dare to get all nuded up ). Then, LEAVE THE SCALE ALONE until the next day.

Just the stats: David Fowler

Starting weight Wed. Nov.19: 200 lbs.
Goal weight 173 lbs.

Format: Start / Last Week / This Week

• Weight: 200 / 200 / 198
• Amount lost this week: 2 lbs.
• Hips: 40 / 40 / 39.75
• Waist: 38.5 / 38.5 / 38.5
• Belly: 40.25 / 40.25 / 40
• Chest: 41.5 / 41.5 / 41.25

(Weight is in lbs and measurements in inches)

David Wright

My first week was hardly the banner break out week I was hoping. What happened, you ask? Well, life happened. As anyone who follows my blog knows, my schedule has been pretty much dictated by my son’s bouts of sleeplessness and separation anxiety.

Yeah, I know, excuses, excuses.

I need to find a way to leap when such hurdles come my way as surely such hurdles are a frequency when you have a 19 month old.

Despite a consistent workout routine, I managed to lose one pound this week, better then I’d feared.

However, I’ll likely be passing up on the really good food tomorrow.

Just the stats: David Wright

• Starting weight Wed. Nov.19: 350 lbs.
• Goal weight: 250 lbs.
• Weight today: 349 lbs
• Amount lost this week: 1 lb.

Now it’s your turn.

If you’d like to post a Wednesday Weigh-In post on your blog and help spread the word of our goals, please do so. Get all the info on how you can participate right here.

See you downstairs in the comments – and let’s all show our support and visit anyone taking part.

Want a bit of humor and motivation delivered via email every weekday? Subscribe to get each BlogToFit post delivered for free! Email not your thing? That’s okay, you can also subscribe via RSS – like all the cool kids do. It’s also free. Unless you really WANT to pay us.

The Plan

Skinny people really get on my nerves.

Especially the ones that say ridiculous things like: “Sometimes I actually forget to eat.”

Forget to eat? do you also forget to breathe while you’re at it?

Sure I’ve forgotten to put my make up on. I’ve even forgotten my own birthday once, but that was because I was huge with child and hormones had taken over. But forget to eat? Never.

I’m that person who is scoffing down their healthy breakfast and daydreaming about what to have for lunch and all the while my inner voice is chanting its own little mantra: MUST. EAT. SOMETHING. SWEET.

And when I’m stressed I eat.

I read somewhere that the typical symptoms of stress are eating too much, impulse buying and driving too fast. Are they kidding? That’s my idea of a perfect day!

I have precisely zero willpower and a compulsion to buy every multi packet of Kitkat when they are on offer in the supermarket. I cannot lie, I have a sweet tooth. I have several sweet teeth.

Banning food is like a red rag to a bull. If you tell me I can no longer eat something, I want it. Right now. In fact, it could be something I have never craved in my life before, but if you tell me it’s on the no no list I will suddenly decide it’s my most favourite thing ever. And oh my, I want it I want it.

See what I mean? Unless of course you told me I could absolutely never each mushrooms again and I’d be laughing.

If you eat when you’re stressed it soon spirals into a sequence of ‘I’ve had a bad day so I’m treating myself to this’ and then an hour later you feel so angry and upset with yourself you think I may as well eat the the lot and ‘be good’ tomorrow.

So, I have a Plan. A really simple Plan. One even I can stick to.

1. Drink more water.

Tsk you’re thinking, is that it? Well, you know how we all secretly hope there is this magic ‘thing’ we can do that will make us lose weight and look younger? Well that ‘thing’ is water.

When I was trying to get pregnant with my first baby I drank enough water to flood Africa.

My skin was amazing, my appetite didn’t rage out of control and I felt fabulous.

Sure it’s a bit boring, but what have you got to lose?

2. Taste my food.

Hands up, I am guilty of just shovelling it in. I’m so hungry that it barely touches the sides and I’ve finished off the plate before hubby has even sat down with me.

The trouble with that is you just keep eating passed your ‘I’ve had enough’ stage and end up over eating.

so I am going to take my time, enjoy my food (which I’ve usually slaved over anyway) and STOP WHEN I’VE HAD ENOUGH. I am going to eat until I am satisfied.

Which leads me on to

3. Eat when I’m hungry.

I am clearly not a 3 meals a day girl. I snack, I graze, call it what you will but I need a constant stream of food. If I leave it until I’m really hungry I end up doing what I’m trying to avoid in number 2.

I’m not a fan of portion control either. If my plate looks too small or I feel like I’m being deprived, I’ll start eying up everyone else’s plates and then I’ll want to snack even more and it’s just a slow downward spiral.

4. Stop eating so late

This is a real tough one for me. I either have to eat with the children around 5pm or wait until hubby gets home (and I’m usually in the middle of the bedtime routine so we have to wait to eat until after that) and eat at around 8.30pm.

I HATE eating that late at night. So I am going to stop eating after 7pm. That should put paid to the bar of chocolate that usually surfaces just in time for Heroes/Desperate Housewives/Smallville.

I CAN watch the telly without feeding my face.

5. Move.

Hubby and I recently went on a walking holiday (yes, ha ha Dave, I know you think ‘walking’ is another way of saying something else, but frankly I’ll take my exercise where ever I can thank you!)

Anyway, we are hooked. And I will be writing more on it when I finally manage to sooth my thighs into believing I am not torturing them but I am doing them good.

So there you have it.

Not great leaps in change. Baby steps.

Have you come up with your Plan yet? Or if you already have one, share.

Tomorrow it’s our second Wednesday Weigh In so get posting people.

And please PLEASE, if you haven’t had any success so far DO NOT GIVE UP. Come on over and see if we can’t motivate you to keep going.

Want a bit of humor and motivation delivered via email every weekday? Subscribe to get each BlogToFit post delivered for free! Email not your thing? That’s okay, you can also subscribe via RSS – like all the cool kids do. It’s also free. Unless you really WANT to pay us.

Do you weigh the same as Jay Leno’s head?

I don’t know about you, but my bathroom scales are boring.

I’m not even a big fan of scales. I mean for starters they lie. And secondly they should recognise that I’m having a ‘down’ day and not tell me I’ve put on 2lb just by eating that one square of chocolate I found down the back of the sofa where the children usually sit.

I’m too cheap to splash out and buy one of those fancy pants ones you see that are all chrome and glass and tell you your weight, your BMI, your daily calorie intake and what the contents of your fridge are in alphabetical order.

But these scales, these scales I would be prepared to fork out my hard-earned cash on.
On these scales you get to compare your weight with celebrities. And being shallow and a bit of a celeb watcher, I find that just darling!
But these aren’t just any old celebs. Oh no, these are proper top of the class AA List celebs.
So forget boring old numbers, now you can find out if you are the same weight as say Fozzie Bear or the Karate Kid or Judge Judy.
Not so sure about ‘half a John Candy’ or ‘Jay Leno’s Head’ and if I ever stood on there and the needle stopped on Mr Ed, I’d throw them out the window.

Anyway, if like me you find scales a bit depressing and tend to use them to step on to reach the top shelf, try these things of beauty.

NOTE: There is another fabulous and a lot more sensible post today, from David Wright on, well it’s so good just go read it here.

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