Wednesday cafe and cardio

Hump day.....but I hate the camel commercial... After today we will be closer to the weekend...

I need to do a lot of paperwork today. I have been postponing it but I can't any longer.   Ugh..wish me luck.. It is like with changing the way we eat - it is hard to start but once I see the results - I can keep going... But the beginning is hard... 

Last few days I have been eating too many nuts.  Nuts are great - but if I don't measure them - I can eat a lot...really a lot.   That needs to stop if I want to reach my goal if 155...  My scale was not kind to me today and I know why.  Weighing every day is a good reminder when I try to lose - any extra carbs and calories will show up the next day as water gain - but unless I change what I do and how much - the water gain would turn into fat gain...I know...I've seen it and felt it. 

Talking abou****er gain - I know I need to do low carbs while I am losing - so when I get in maintenance and increase food and calories - I do expect 2-3 lbs weight increase.  With up to 5 lbs day to day variation.  That means I need to get below my "real goal" to be able to be happy with my weight in maintnace. 

Ideally I would like to be 155-158.... With no more that 159.5 on high days.  That also means I need to get as low as 152-153 to be 155-158 comfortably in my range.   

I know that once my weight drops below 160 - it would be difficult for me to stay motivated... (Because my brain would try to tell me we are at goal and can have "little extra") 

I do plan to find way to motivate myself.  Ugh. 

I plan to hide my chocolate chips and the almonds (have them at work - too close, easy for me to reach) 

Eats today: (edited - because i changed things around)

Coffee + Miralax + coffee

B: protein cookies.. (made 4 dozens this morning - 3 cookies is a serving) 

Green tea - lots of green tea today

L: dry sausage, canadian bacon ,20 chocolate chips (I put them away) , 20 almonds.

coffee with coconut milk

S: protein shake

D: shrimps and roasted zucchini.

LNS: nuts - premeasured - that's when I need them. 

S: protein shake,  

Exercise - not today. - I hope to start working on the paperwork.

Have fun BOTTers - I plan my rewards at each small goals along the way.   For me - getting back into my size 6 - meant i could go and spend some money on new clothes (I mostly shop consignments or thrift stores - and put a limit on how much I spend) and get a massage to help my body with " size adjustment". My next - under 160 for at least 4 days in a raw - would be - facial.... (love groupon or LS) 

Good morning, H.a.l.a. and fellow Botters,

I know exactly what you mean about difficulty staying motivated when at or near goal.  My body tells me all the time, "you have lost your regain...eat up!"  I counter that by eating my 1718 cals allowed per day AND making sure I get my 300 mins of exercise per week.  If I do eat over my limit, I add more exercise.  I follow the TDEE method of weight loss, and my goals are set to lose 1/2 lb per week at this point.  I had a few difficult days since summer started (mostly due to watermelon) but have kept the excess lbs at bay through increasing my workouts.

I also reward myself for every few lbs lost, sometimes with food, but it has to be something delectable that is not ordinarily eaten every day, and usually "too rich for my blood" (cost-wise).  But mostly I'll reward myself with a movie. 

Today has been spent sweating in my classroom...they turn off the air conditioner during summer.....I am slowly getting the room back together !

Sheila....what is TDEE ?

I wish  I were in the 160's....haven't been there since high school !   I am just aiming for onederland !

my eats today.........vits taken....water consumed

breakfast.....coffee/miralax elixir.....cottage cheese/pineapple

lunch...........turkey/crackers

snack..........watermelon

dinner..........stroganoff and asparagus

snack..........protein coffee

have a great evening everyone !!

I hope Shelia does not mind me pitching in.. 

As far as I understand that,,, TDEE is "Total Daily Energy Expenditure" ...

( not sure if I am that old - or try to lose weight using so many ways - but I know way too much about different methods... grrr..)

 I am not sure if she uses the actual TDEE or calculated: the way I understand - we all have BMR- Basic Metabolic rate: the theoretical number of calories you need if not active - i.e. sleeping, Mine is close to 1400-1500;  add additional exercise: i.e. running : worth 300 calories and your TDEE for that day should be 1400+ 300=1700; so theoretically if you eat less than 1700 per day while running every day - then you should be losing weight...

MFP app is normally set up on TDEE (if you add activities - it allows you to eat more...) 

There is other methods to determine TDEE:  

Determining TDEE

1. The simplest (and least accurate) method to determine TDEE involves a simple calculation. Determine your body weight in pounds. Multiple this number by 15.5 in order to approximate your TDEE. NOTE: Although this method is simple, it is highly inaccurate, especially when it is applied to individuals who are significantly overweight.
2. Using the number you've calculated above, compare it to your average caloric intake. If the intake and TDEE are about equal, then most likely you'll maintain a stable body weight. If your intake is several calories less than the TDEE, then you should lose weight. Likewise, if your intake is several calories more than your TDEE, you should gain weight. 
   
   Harris-Benedict Calculation T
   
3. The Harris-Benedict calculation is a little more complex in calculating, but it provides a more accurate TDEE. It does not, however, include muscle-to-fat ratios in its computation. The Harris-Benedict formula uses two steps to determine the TDEE. First a base TDEE is determined. Then, the base is adjusted for activity level.
   
   To determine the base TDEE for females:
   TDEE = 655 + (4.4 x weight pounds) + (4.6 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
   
   To determine the base TDEE for males:
   TDEE = 655 + (6.2 x weight pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years) 
   
   
4. Adjust your TDEE for your activity level by multiplying the values calculated in step four by the appropriate value listed below.
   
   

   	Females	Males
   Little or no exercise	TDEE x 1.2	TDEE x 1.2
   Light exercise	TDEE x 1.375	TDEE x 1.375
   Moderate exercise	TDEE x 1.55	TDEE x 1.55
   Heavy exercise	TDEE x 1.725	TDEE x 1.725
   Very heavy exercise	TDEE x 1.9	TDEE x 1.9 6

hey - under 200 is great- who knows - once you get there... you may aim under 190.. then under 180...

It depends how you feel and how your body is and where it needs to be...

My body looks in some areas (I do dress for that) as if I am  lighter than I am.  Bu at 160 - my BMI is just 27.5.  To be normal BMI I need to  bge 145 or less...I was there once and I did not liked it... that's why I set up my goal weight as 155-159.5 as long as my Body fat% is above 24%.. if it drops below that- I will be gaining weight... 

my current body fat% is app 28- 29%,, That is good for  a woman my age. It get bit lower - but not much... if I get to 155 and all I lose is just fat-  (6 lbs) my body fat% should be 25-26%... very lean  for my age...(54) 

Thanks for the info.....

H.a.l.a.s info is correct in general.  There are a few differences though.  TDEE is based on, as she said "total daily energy expenditure".  I determined mine using scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator and it needs to be updated and revised after every 10 lb loss or so.  Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) which is the energy the body uses (calories) just to maintain it's vital functions (imagine lying comatose and not moving...the body is still using calories (energy) to maintain it's functions, i.e. temp, digestion, breathing, brain function etc).  Then you add your average daily activity level (sedentary, light activity, moderate activity, or strenuous activity).

On scoobysworkshop it will say a) desk job with little or no activity b) lightly active (1-3hrs/wk) c) moderate (3/5hrs/wk) d) strenuous (5-6hrs/wk) or e) strenuous (7-21hrs/wk).  You choose your average daily activity, and using the calculator, enter your stats.  This will roughly determine your TDEE, and is only an estimate.  You determine how fast/slow you want to lose by decreasing your TDEE calories by a certain percentage.

Using myself as an example:  My BMR:  1385  My TDEE (based on moderate exercise 5hrs/wk) 2147 minus 20% (calories) =1718 calories/day to lose 0.9 lbs /wk or 3.4 lbs/mo.

MFP uses a different activity scale and lists my TDEE as 1800, with 1550 daily cals allowed for a 250 cal deficit (1800-250=1550) for a 0.5 lb/wk loss doing 6 (45 min )workouts/wk.

The key to using TDEE is also maintaining your activity level.  If you change your activity level for a sustained period, you need to recalc your TDEE to continue to lose.  If you eat under your TDEE, as H.a.l.a. pointed out, you will lose.  Eat at your TDEE to maintain.  You can learn much more on this from scoobysworkshop.  It can be very confusing at times, so I would suggest you visit the site so you can get a better understanding.  It really does work, but just needs some tweaking during times of change.

BTW, I lost my regain eating above 1200 cals most of the time, but always doing my recumbent bike workouts (before I started using TDEE).  It was, and still is, the only exercise allowed due to my back fracture and unstable osteoporosis.  I still do it 5-6 days/wk, but it's all cardio and I have lost a lot of muscle mass.  It's ok though, because you'd never know (with my clothes on :)  Hope this helps!

Thanks Sheila...

I do yoga and I do have a lot of muscles.. (from before). I hate doing cardio because I have to take extra cortisone because my BS would drop if I forget.  (happened so many times) once it drops my body goes in yo-yo mode with sugar, that can last 24-48 hrs.. and I hate that... so I try to do more slow - less cardio more slow resistance, or walking.  If i try to do treadmill for 30 min - 20 min into it - I am blacking out..or about to black out. Hate that.   Extra cortisone makes me more hyper and I never know how much to take - to be "just enough", so evening exercise on that is no-go.  And that makes me hungry. 

I noticed MFP added calories when I had my flex band and did more walking... I thought that was   like TDEE.. more or less. 

Thanks for clarifying... 

H.a.l.a...you are correct when you say that MFP adds, or gives you extra calories to "eat back" when you log your exercise in.  The problem there is that MFP greatly exaggerates the amt of calories you actually burned, and believing that you actually burned, let's say, 1400 calories running 4mph for 30 mins will get you in trouble if you "eat back" that 1400 cals, PLUS your allotted calories for the day.  So, the general consensus on that theory is when MFP gives you a certain number to "eat back", eat half of what it says. 

I'm not allowed any exercise that would put stress on my unstable spine, so resistance exercises and weights are out.  How I wish I could do squats with weights, because my nice butt is not so nice anymore, lol.  I bought a Total Gym in March...it's still in the box, because my doc said NO...(sigh).  As soon as my thyroid levels stabilize, my endocrinologist will let me start on the intramuscular or intravenous osteoporosis meds.  Until then, it's all cardio...all the time :(

Wow I've never heard of this before. I checked it out and I guess it makes me wonder if I'm not eating enough? I"m a little confused. I weigh 198 currently and I'm 5'3" I do WII Fit Aerobics every day for 30-45 min but I've been consuming around 1300 cal/day. Does this mean I should up my calories or am I misunderstanding?