PHAT fighters Q1 Weight Loss Challenge
Discussion
I'm not in this challenge, so forgive me for the intrusion, but if it helps anyone....
I wanted to get in trim properly this year, started out at 75kg on 1st January, and yesterday's weigh in had me at a tantalising 70.35kg. I'm 170cm (5ft 8) tall so average in most areas.
Stuck rigidly to a maximum 1800 calorie per day routine, including at least 150g protein and less than 100g carbs every single day. Some days were high fat, others just mixed it up a bit but the maximums stayed. My energy levels, concentration and mood have all increased massively. I gym 3 or 4 times per week and even on those days I have plenty enough energy to get through a workout. I'm getting bored of chicken a bit and miss random slices of toast, but spooning out and eating lumps of peanut butter is so much fun.
So, for those at the plateau, hope this helps in some way.
Use MyFitnessPal (online, or app) and track your food properly every day. Invest in some digital scales and manage it from there, honestly it has been brilliant.
I wanted to get in trim properly this year, started out at 75kg on 1st January, and yesterday's weigh in had me at a tantalising 70.35kg. I'm 170cm (5ft 8) tall so average in most areas.
Stuck rigidly to a maximum 1800 calorie per day routine, including at least 150g protein and less than 100g carbs every single day. Some days were high fat, others just mixed it up a bit but the maximums stayed. My energy levels, concentration and mood have all increased massively. I gym 3 or 4 times per week and even on those days I have plenty enough energy to get through a workout. I'm getting bored of chicken a bit and miss random slices of toast, but spooning out and eating lumps of peanut butter is so much fun.
So, for those at the plateau, hope this helps in some way.
Use MyFitnessPal (online, or app) and track your food properly every day. Invest in some digital scales and manage it from there, honestly it has been brilliant.
104.9kg, still on schedule for the summer. The wife is in on the challenge too so with luck we´ll manage it.
The key is just not buying s
t food (junk choc, biccies, crisps etc) and having it in the house. If it´s here, I´ll find it and eat it. If there isn´t any I can´t be arsed to go and buy any, so I stay off it. Then a few minutes later I´ve forgotten I wanted it in the first place,
Weird but true.
The key is just not buying s
t food (junk choc, biccies, crisps etc) and having it in the house. If it´s here, I´ll find it and eat it. If there isn´t any I can´t be arsed to go and buy any, so I stay off it. Then a few minutes later I´ve forgotten I wanted it in the first place,Weird but true.
Yeah, creeps up on you doesnt it.
I am noticing how stairs so much easier, sounds pathetic but they do, but then I suppose ascending without vs with almost 40 pounds will be noticeable, especially with a bit of additional fitness thrown in, I am finding this way more compelling than eating crap.
I did however nosh a massive Chicken Kebab last night, went up a bit this morning but needed a proper feed.
I am noticing how stairs so much easier, sounds pathetic but they do, but then I suppose ascending without vs with almost 40 pounds will be noticeable, especially with a bit of additional fitness thrown in, I am finding this way more compelling than eating crap.
I did however nosh a massive Chicken Kebab last night, went up a bit this morning but needed a proper feed.
88.6kg this morning. The weight losses are definitely getting smaller and linger apart. My diet basically consists of half milk/water porridge with honey and raisins for lunch (11am) I've never eaten breakfast. Then around 5-6pm eating a healthy cooked from scratch meal. Normally some oily fish or some sort of lean meat with vegetables or in brown pasta/rice.
I'm trying to lose a stone after gaining it leading up to Christmas and continuing the scoffing through most of January. There have been cakes in the kitchen at work all week due to a birthday. What seems to be helping is that whenever I feel myself weakening is that I make myself all het up and angry and shame myself mentally by thinking stuff like:
"No, you are not going to eat that stty heart attack causing cake. You will not be so pathetic as to give in and eat it....don't be so weak minded. It's just fking cake, be a responsible adult and do what needs to be done"
I'm not an angry, bad tempered person, but by working myself up and channelling my inner anger I can use it productively. It's no good just thinking the words, you actually need to make yourself angry!
I don't think this is a recommended method
, but it seems to be helping.
"No, you are not going to eat that s
tty heart attack causing cake. You will not be so pathetic as to give in and eat it....don't be so weak minded. It's just fking cake, be a responsible adult and do what needs to be done"I'm not an angry, bad tempered person, but by working myself up and channelling my inner anger I can use it productively. It's no good just thinking the words, you actually need to make yourself angry!
I don't think this is a recommended method
, but it seems to be helping.NordicCrankShaft said:
88.6kg this morning. The weight losses are definitely getting smaller and linger apart. My diet basically consists of half milk/water porridge with honey and raisins for lunch (11am) I've never eaten breakfast. Then around 5-6pm eating a healthy cooked from scratch meal. Normally some oily fish or some sort of lean meat with vegetables or in brown pasta/rice.
Is that all Nordic? Doesn't sound like more than 1000cals p/day. Given your weight, thats likely to be 1800-1900 BMR, possible that your body is fighting against fat loss due to thinking its being overly starved?Edited to add: The past few days I've increased my calorie intake to 1900 (previously it was 1500) but still not eating the additional exercise calories. Weight loss appears to have continued, down to 104.88kg this morning (from 105.2 on Monday).
Sub 100kg is starting to come into sight now, hopefully by the end of February then I can reassess my physical condition (body fat) and set a revised target weight
Edited by Pete102 on Thursday 9th February 08:40
Pete102 said:
NordicCrankShaft said:
88.6kg this morning. The weight losses are definitely getting smaller and linger apart. My diet basically consists of half milk/water porridge with honey and raisins for lunch (11am) I've never eaten breakfast. Then around 5-6pm eating a healthy cooked from scratch meal. Normally some oily fish or some sort of lean meat with vegetables or in brown pasta/rice.
Is that all Nordic? Doesn't sound like more than 1000cals p/day. Given your weight, thats likely to be 1800-1900 BMR, possible that your body is fighting against fat loss due to thinking its being overly starved?p1stonhead said:
Isnt this a myth?
Possibly, there is likely some research out there. Obviously long-term restriction of calories is going to result in weight loss but short-term eating very little surely has to provoke a response by the body.More than happy to ready any research / info if anyone has any - genuinely interested.
Pete102 said:
p1stonhead said:
Isnt this a myth?
Possibly, there is likely some research out there. Obviously long-term restriction of calories is going to result in weight loss but short-term eating very little surely has to provoke a response by the body.More than happy to ready any research / info if anyone has any - genuinely interested.
Doing dry january/feb (except for odd family gathering days)
Eating healthily old WW points system, and going spining 2-3 times a week.
I've gone from 111.13 to 104.4kg as of Monday gone, just over a stone dropped.
GF has gone from 87.7 to 82.4kg in same period.
Pretty pleased really.
My goal is about 100kg as I'm 6'4" any less and I look like death incarnate..
Eating healthily old WW points system, and going spining 2-3 times a week.
I've gone from 111.13 to 104.4kg as of Monday gone, just over a stone dropped.
GF has gone from 87.7 to 82.4kg in same period.
Pretty pleased really.
My goal is about 100kg as I'm 6'4" any less and I look like death incarnate..
p1stonhead said:
Pete102 said:
p1stonhead said:
Isnt this a myth?
Possibly, there is likely some research out there. Obviously long-term restriction of calories is going to result in weight loss but short-term eating very little surely has to provoke a response by the body.More than happy to ready any research / info if anyone has any - genuinely interested.
We arent anywhere near "starvation mode", we are in hunter gatherer business as usual mode, the starvation thing apparently doesnt happen in a few days of calorie restriction whilst you are still getting some food, people always cite it as a possibility when you skip breakfast which is ludicrous, I mean and overweight bloke skips a bowl of porridge and sits at a desk versus our distant ancestors travelling miles across the Savannah searching for food.
Sometimes, it seems you can work harder and see less results, it is frustrating, but if you are truly eating under what you use, it will come off, perhaps try having a carb heavy meal and a couple of glasses of wine to see if it consolidates all the effort put in ?
To add to the above that, there's no doubt that the type of calories will make a difference. Nordic's food looks both low on calories and low on protein and fat. Carbs (from the porridge) will deliver slow energy to get you through the day, but for fat burning and general health you need a combo of fat and protein as well.
1,000 calories for example is probably ok if you are sedentary enough, but throw in some exercise and add another 500 calories from protein and fat and i'd wager you'd lose weight quicker.
1,000 calories for example is probably ok if you are sedentary enough, but throw in some exercise and add another 500 calories from protein and fat and i'd wager you'd lose weight quicker.
Jefferson Steelflex said:
To add to the above that, there's no doubt that the type of calories will make a difference. Nordic's food looks both low on calories and low on protein and fat. Carbs (from the porridge) will deliver slow energy to get you through the day, but for fat burning and general health you need a combo of fat and protein as well.
1,000 calories for example is probably ok if you are sedentary enough, but throw in some exercise and add another 500 calories from protein and fat and i'd wager you'd lose weight quicker.
Everything I have ever read on the subject says that isnt true and that you could lose weight eating 1500 calories of ice cream as easily as 1500 calories of veg.1,000 calories for example is probably ok if you are sedentary enough, but throw in some exercise and add another 500 calories from protein and fat and i'd wager you'd lose weight quicker.
p1stonhead said:
Jefferson Steelflex said:
To add to the above that, there's no doubt that the type of calories will make a difference. Nordic's food looks both low on calories and low on protein and fat. Carbs (from the porridge) will deliver slow energy to get you through the day, but for fat burning and general health you need a combo of fat and protein as well.
1,000 calories for example is probably ok if you are sedentary enough, but throw in some exercise and add another 500 calories from protein and fat and i'd wager you'd lose weight quicker.
Everything I have ever read on the subject says that isnt true and that you could lose weight eating 1500 calories of ice cream as easily as 1500 calories of veg.1,000 calories for example is probably ok if you are sedentary enough, but throw in some exercise and add another 500 calories from protein and fat and i'd wager you'd lose weight quicker.
However we dont process food in such a simple manner, some food takes more energy to process than others, eat 1500 calories of Ice Cream, then a tenth of that in Kale, a lot of energy is expended breaking down the cellular structure of the Kale compared to Ice Cream which is a lot easier to process being water, fat and sugar with no challenging structure to it.
Also, some more subtle effect are like eating nuts, eat 200 calories of mixed nuts or a 200 calories chocolate bar, the nuts take more digesting than the chocolate, the dont spike blood sugar and take a lot longer to process, so two/three hours later when your chocolate bar is a distant memory and your stomach is grumbling an you are shaking as your blood sugar has dropped, what do you do, you eat more, if you had eaten the nuts you probably wont be thinking about food, so it may get you to dinner and avoid another snack inbetween. So 200 cals of nuts, vs 200 cals of chocolate, they arent really equal.
I use calories as a handy guide to whether I am in a deficit, to do a mental tot up of what I have eaten and then base further food on that.
My problem int he past was, to lose weight I would just eat less of my normal crap, with the effects on bloody sugar causing massive energy swings and gnawing hunger, to lose weight and fit on or around 2000 calories a day, I cant fir much crap into that as it means throwing out something else that will get me through the day better or provide more benefit and avoid the misery of "being on a diet"
I don't know if how I'm doing it is right or wrong but I feel good. I don't feel like I'm lacking in energy really other than my job being a physical one and just generally a little tired from work. I do every now and then pop a scoop of whey protein into my porridge, but I don't feel the urge to snack so much. Drinking plenty of water to keep me hydrated also and I do now and again binge on low fat milk ( I love milk). I don't really feel like this is a struggle though not drinking so much booze has probably helped quite a bit.
At the beginning i subscribed to the "if it's not in the house I won't eat it" approach however even in the last few weeks my attitude towards food has changed massively which was tough as i love food!
Now I can have sweets and crisps in the house and not eat them and if I do I eat them in moderation rather than blowing trough a whole tube of Pringles.
Also eating stuff like home made pizza but on tortillas has massively helped my cravings when I have wanted a papa johns!
Just short of 10kg loss since the first week of Jan so very happy so far!!
Now I can have sweets and crisps in the house and not eat them and if I do I eat them in moderation rather than blowing trough a whole tube of Pringles.
Also eating stuff like home made pizza but on tortillas has massively helped my cravings when I have wanted a papa johns!
Just short of 10kg loss since the first week of Jan so very happy so far!!
Broke into the 14s, 14 st 13, down from 17.10 last year, and that was after a couple of weeks of not daring to get on the scales, so reckon I was nudging 18 but 17.10 was my starting weight in early Sept 2016.
Hit a plateau about 15.5, I found that not doing loads of cardio and focusing on weights helped, also not starving myself, when try to lose weight you feel like it should be horrible but it really doesnt need to be, a long time with a moderate calorie deficit, then amp things up with some exercise.
Am at 21 percent body fat according to my scales, based on the pictures online I would say that is about right based on images online showing people at different body fat percentages, want to be 15 which ties in with my goal of 14 stone or thereabouts, another 13 pounds, under a stone to go, at that weight then its just really adjustments and keeping on track, if I want to go lower it is not that far away, it is disheartening when you have loads to lose and seems impossible but it really isnt.
Just been out and put on some 34 inch waist jeans, and they fit really well, spend a load on some nice Diesel ones a couple of months back, 36's which are now too loose.
A tip that is helping me, I think is giving up milk in Coffee, end up having loads of brews and each one has 15 to 20 cals of milk in, it, save the milk for a Protein shake and have the Coffee black which I have got used to and now prefer, so say you have a good few brews int he day, that is between 100 and 200 cals of milk a day additional, all adds up, over a month, 100 cals less a day is not far off a pound, not quite that simple but must make a difference.
Hit a plateau about 15.5, I found that not doing loads of cardio and focusing on weights helped, also not starving myself, when try to lose weight you feel like it should be horrible but it really doesnt need to be, a long time with a moderate calorie deficit, then amp things up with some exercise.
Am at 21 percent body fat according to my scales, based on the pictures online I would say that is about right based on images online showing people at different body fat percentages, want to be 15 which ties in with my goal of 14 stone or thereabouts, another 13 pounds, under a stone to go, at that weight then its just really adjustments and keeping on track, if I want to go lower it is not that far away, it is disheartening when you have loads to lose and seems impossible but it really isnt.
Just been out and put on some 34 inch waist jeans, and they fit really well, spend a load on some nice Diesel ones a couple of months back, 36's which are now too loose.
A tip that is helping me, I think is giving up milk in Coffee, end up having loads of brews and each one has 15 to 20 cals of milk in, it, save the milk for a Protein shake and have the Coffee black which I have got used to and now prefer, so say you have a good few brews int he day, that is between 100 and 200 cals of milk a day additional, all adds up, over a month, 100 cals less a day is not far off a pound, not quite that simple but must make a difference.
Edited by J4CKO on Friday 10th February 13:01
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