Totally Blew It This Week & Weigh-in Monday

This week I thought that I would try to focus on balancing my diet.  35% protein - 35% carbs - 30% fat.   One thing is obvious - I am addicted to bread and pasta.  When I was only eating those foods on workout days I had no problem sticking to my daily calorie budget.  This week I overate EVERY day.  It got so bad that by the end of the week I just gave up and didn't even enter my food into the LoseIt app.  Thankfully I only gained a little over a pound.

I think I have to go back to restricting my carbs on non-workout days.  I felt more in control when I did that.  I know with the holiday season that there will be lots of days where I am not following my diet because "tis the season" but at least on the other days I should be pretty much on target.


Weight:  212.8 lbs (+1.2 lbs)  Total Weight Loss to Date:  12.2 lbs

Chest:  44.5"(no change)

Ribs:  38"  (-0.5")

Upper Arm:  13"(no change)

Waist:  41" (-1") I attribute the fluctuations in waist size to bloating maybe from eating carbs

Hips:  45"(no change) 

Upper Thigh:  24" (no change)

Calves:  17.5"  (no change)

Weigh-in Monday

Another week of no change but I think that is pretty good considering I upped my calories by 500 per day and have been eating carbs every day.  The one thing I did notice was that I am bloated more often.  My waist size fluctuates by 1" to 1 1/2" depending on the day.

I am going to give it another week at 1,800 calories per day and see where I am at next week.  If I still don't have any change then I know that this is what I need to do to maintain my current weight.  I will then start dropping my calories bit by bit until I hit a range where I am losing 2 - 3 pounds per week.

Weight:  211.6 lbs (no change)  Total Weight Loss to Date:  13.4 lbs

Chest:  44.5"(no change)

Ribs:  38.5"  (no change)

Upper Arm:  13"(no change)

Waist:  41" (no change)  

Hips:  45"(no change) 

Upper Thigh:  24" (no change)

Calves:  17.5"  (no change)

 

Weight and Measurements - Week in Review

I didn't post this past week because I think it is getting pretty boring posting basically the same thing every day.  I also took time off work and wasn't watching my diet at all.  I still managed to get into the gym 3 times but I didn't do any extra cardio.

I upped my calories to 1,800 from 1,300 but truth be told I had 3 days where I ate 2,500+ calories.  I am happy to report that I only gained 1 pound from all that gluttony!

I also got a body analysis report (which I can't find right now) and I lost another 1% - 2% body fat and gained a couple pounds of muscle.  Results are still small and doing a little bit of research through google about "why I am I not seeing results" it seems that in addition to not eating enough I might not be pushing my body hard enough.

Years ago, I got in pretty good shape using the weight machines.  I know it isn't as effective as free weights but on the flip side I can lift heavier weights which might add more muscle which in turn burns more calories.  I can always alternate the weight machines with dumbbells.  I am going to try that this week.

Weight:  211.6 lbs (+1.2 lbs)  Total Weight Loss to Date:  13.4 lbs

Chest:  44.5"(no change)

Ribs:  38.5"  (no change)

Upper Arm:  13"(no change)

Waist:  41" (no change)  

Hips:  45"(no change) 

Upper Thigh:  24" (no change)

Calves:  17.5"  (no change)

  

Food Log:

Weight and Measurement Day - Small Changes

Another week of small changes is getting me down.  It is so hard to lose weight.  I know I am healthier and I have toned down but I am still 50 lbs overweight.  This sucks.

Weight:  210.2 lbs (+0.4 lbs)  Total Weight Loss to Date:  14.8 lbs

Chest:  44.5"(no change)

Ribs:  38.5"  (-0.5")

Upper Arm:  13"(no change)

Waist:  41" (+1")  

Hips:  45"(no change) 

Upper Thigh:  24" (no change)

Calves:  17.5"  (-0.5")

  

Food Log:

Really Really Hard to Eat Enough Protein

Today I tried to adjust my diet so that I would be eating 35% protein, 30% fat and 35% carbohydrates.  I ate a LOT of meat today and protein was only 18% of my diet.  I have no idea how I am going to get it up to 35%!

I am going to make the Mexican Spaghetti Squash recipe tomorrow (without the squash) and see if the combination of meat and beans boosts my protein.

Food Log:

Am I Not Eating Enough Calories?

This week was just an ordinary week.  I was basically stuck to my diet except for Friday where I indulged in all my favorite junk foods.  It was the last day of work for a week and I celebrated with A&W chubby chicken burger with onion rings, donut and chips/dip.  Yeah yeah I know - that is a stupid way to celebrate but whatever :)

I read something this week though that made me think that maybe my calories might be too low and that may be why I am not losing weight.

I stumbled across a blog post here that talks about macros which basically is how many grams of protein, fat and carbs you should be eating in order to lose fat.  By their calculations I should be eating 2,500 calories per day - 35% protein - 30% fat - 35% carbohydrates

When I started exercising in August my net daily calorie budget on the LoseIt app was 1,473 but as I lost weight it reduced my calorie budget to 1,297 as of October 31.  The LoseIt app subtracts the calories burned with exercise from total calories to get the net daily budget.  Up until today I have only been looking at net calories.  When I  averaged out the actually calories consumed it turned out to  be 1,600 calories per day.

That is a difference of 900 calories!

So I increased my calorie budget in the LoseIt app to 1,800 per day.  If I start gaining massive amounts of weight I can always drop it back down again.  I will just be looking at total calories consumed because I cannot turn off the net calorie function in the app so even though I ate 1,800 calories today it is showing that I am 500 calories under budget.

When I looked at the percentage of protein, fat and carbs I am eating the thing that sticks out is that I don't eat enough protein.  Below is a pie chart that represents pretty well how my diet averages out.  Some days my carbs are a lot higher but the protein usually stays under 25%. Today I ate a whopping 8 3/5 ounces of pork and my protein was only at 13% of my diet!

Food Log:

I Had Every Intention of Going to the Gym Tonight But . . .

Today was gym day.  Usually I drop by right after work and then I am home by 6 pm but today I had to drive my son to work so I couldn't stick to my normal schedule. 

No problem!  I can come home, have supper, get a bit of stuff done and then go to gym at 8:30 p.m.  I was on track to do that when I remembered that I promised to make a pot of soup for work tomorrow.  I just didn't have enough time to make the soup and still go to the gym.

Truth be told though, I haven't been feeling well the last couple of days.  I am fighting off a cold and with everything else I said screw it.  I am going to take the night off from working out and watching my diet.   

I think I will have time to go to the gym tomorrow after work.  I am helping to put on an information session regarding emergency grab n go bags at the rec centre.  It will be rushed but I think I can do it..


Food Log: