PH Losers 2020 - Anyone want to join me?
Discussion
ben5575 said:
I generally try to stay at least 1,000kcal under what I expend and eat c.200g of protein on an IF16:8 with no booze.
I found it quite easy to be under 1000kcal doing 16:8, assuming I was eating healthily. On a couple of occasions when MFP had taken exercise into account, it was actually a bit of a struggle to eat enough for it to let me "Complete" the day.So with that in mind, and having only lost 0.9kg this week, 16:8 starts again at 8 pm tonight!!
Can anyone recommend a decent calories-burned app that'll sync with my Polar H7?
I currently use BLE Heart Rate Monitor as the live read-out and graphing are excellent but I think it's over-estimating on my calories burned at the gym despite knowing my weight, height and age. Here are my last two workouts for example:
Admittedly I'm making my gym sessions count but I'm doubtful I'm burning 1,000 cals/hr doing it. Also ignore the peak HR in the second screenshot, I forgot to stop it before taking off the HRM and it went a little nuts. I deffo didn't hit 234bpm!
I'd like to try and benchmark BLE HRM to see how accurate the cals are - and if it's way off, I'd like to run a second app alongside that's known to be more accurate...
Weigh in night for me tonight - I've had a cold since last Weds so haven't gym'd it up as usual on Thurs and Sat. Back to it tomorrow night all being well.
Edit: current stats are 144.7kg, nearly 41 and 5' 10" if anyone's able to help work out whether BLE HRM is way off..?
I currently use BLE Heart Rate Monitor as the live read-out and graphing are excellent but I think it's over-estimating on my calories burned at the gym despite knowing my weight, height and age. Here are my last two workouts for example:
Admittedly I'm making my gym sessions count but I'm doubtful I'm burning 1,000 cals/hr doing it. Also ignore the peak HR in the second screenshot, I forgot to stop it before taking off the HRM and it went a little nuts. I deffo didn't hit 234bpm!
I'd like to try and benchmark BLE HRM to see how accurate the cals are - and if it's way off, I'd like to run a second app alongside that's known to be more accurate...
Weigh in night for me tonight - I've had a cold since last Weds so haven't gym'd it up as usual on Thurs and Sat. Back to it tomorrow night all being well.
Edit: current stats are 144.7kg, nearly 41 and 5' 10" if anyone's able to help work out whether BLE HRM is way off..?
Edited by Funk on Monday 13th January 14:22
SlidingSideways said:
I found it quite easy to be under 1000kcal doing 16:8, assuming I was eating healthily.
Sorry, that was may appalling english! What I meant was that I try to keep a calorie deficit of around 1,000 kcal between what what I expend and what I eat (hence the examples I gave).I can't get through a day eating less than 1000kcal. Well I can, but not sustainably as it's just miserable. I'd rather create the deficit by burning the calories off whilst getting fit and being sensible with food, than starving myself as for me it's more sustainable.
Re BMR, I use that as a baseline then track and add calories expended on my fitbit. Whilst I appreciate that fitbits aren't 100% accurate(!), I think they're more accurate than a scientist's generic definition of of what 'moderate' means when calculating what I should be eating.
But I'm learning as I go, so if I've got it all wrong please tell me. Always keen to learn - there's so much bro science out there it's scary!
Funk said:
Admittedly I'm making my gym sessions count but I'm doubtful I'm burning 1,000 cals/hr doing it.
Those are both hard sessions there Funk!! And you're a big lad too. I don't think 1,000cals/hr is unreasonable from the tech I've used.Here's one of mine from a hard kickboxing session. I was averaging 143bpm which isn't far from your 138bpm average in your examples and it averages at 757kcal/hr. I'm 97.5kg, you're 144kg so 50% bigger. Your 1000kcal/hr doesn't sound stupid to me.
ben5575 said:
Funk said:
Admittedly I'm making my gym sessions count but I'm doubtful I'm burning 1,000 cals/hr doing it.
Those are both hard sessions there Funk!! And you're a big lad too. I don't think 1,000cals/hr is unreasonable from the tech I've used.Here's one of mine from a hard kickboxing session. I was averaging 143bpm which isn't far from your 138bpm average in your examples and it averages at 757kcal/hr. I'm 97.5kg, you're 144kg so 50% bigger. Your 1000kcal/hr doesn't sound stupid to me.
Maybe I'll just buy a Fitbit and see if it agrees with the Polar H7 + BLE HRM combo... Actually the Fitbit might be useful anyway as I'm not really tracking anything outside of gym sessions.
I track calories using MFP - it's as useful for avoiding over-doing things as it is for being aware that more food is required on training days. It's also a good thing to know what components of the meal were big calorie givers. If it's not the main and healthy features of the meal, it's an easy way to cut bad calories out or substitute them with healthier options.
For me, under-eating is more impactful on my training than anything else. Recovery just takes forever without the appropriate nutrition.
For me, under-eating is more impactful on my training than anything else. Recovery just takes forever without the appropriate nutrition.
Just thought I'd add myself to the list and have also signed up to MFP, interesting to track the food I have.
I've always been slightly on the heavy side, am currently 15 stone 3lbs at 6'1" with a target to get below 14 stone. My weight has fluctuated over the years between 14 stone (stomach bug after visiting Egypt) and 17 stone (living next door to pub for 12 months).
The key issue I have is that I am rubbish in making time to go to the gym - I hate mornings and need to do the school run, I like to work through my lunch hour and then at the end of the day I just want to get home, so any exercise during the winter months is very difficult.
I've always been slightly on the heavy side, am currently 15 stone 3lbs at 6'1" with a target to get below 14 stone. My weight has fluctuated over the years between 14 stone (stomach bug after visiting Egypt) and 17 stone (living next door to pub for 12 months).
The key issue I have is that I am rubbish in making time to go to the gym - I hate mornings and need to do the school run, I like to work through my lunch hour and then at the end of the day I just want to get home, so any exercise during the winter months is very difficult.
Smitters said:
I track calories using MFP - it's as useful for avoiding over-doing things as it is for being aware that more food is required on training days. It's also a good thing to know what components of the meal were big calorie givers. If it's not the main and healthy features of the meal, it's an easy way to cut bad calories out or substitute them with healthier options.
For me, under-eating is more impactful on my training than anything else. Recovery just takes forever without the appropriate nutrition.
My main issue is trying to work out the bare minimum calories I should drop to. MFP has suggested 1500 max per day but seems to throw a wobble whenever I am sub 1200. I’m on 500 so far for today, dinner is likely to be 450 so that leaves me on sub 1000 which probably isn’t wise if I’m heading to the gym tonight or doing some weights at homeFor me, under-eating is more impactful on my training than anything else. Recovery just takes forever without the appropriate nutrition.
Having an absolutely terrible time, and have not managed to muster motivation. Cant stop eating everything in sight, not helped by the fact that the cupboards are all still full of stuff bought to eat over christmas.
I will start, but its a soft start at best.
Step 1, stop the booze.
Step 2, cut out junk food
Step 3, excercise
I will start, but its a soft start at best.
Step 1, stop the booze.
Step 2, cut out junk food
Step 3, excercise
Funk said:
Interesting; I'd always assumed it was far too high. It's also typical of my gym sessions, here's the most recent 9 showing duration, av. HR and the cals it reckons I've burned:
I *think* the calories burned are also gross. So include calories you would burn for that 1 or 2 hours if you were sat on your arse. So if your monitor is saying 1600kcal over a 2 hr work out, a big lad like you must be burning what, 100-150kcal/hr just staying alive, so that 1600 is actually 1300 net if that makes sense?But don't underestimate those workouts of yours. I can vouch for a 90min 140bpm average work out as being hardcore. That is serious cardio.
Be great to get any other other feedback though, as like you, there's a bit of fumbling in the dark over all of this.
ben5575 said:
Funk said:
Interesting; I'd always assumed it was far too high. It's also typical of my gym sessions, here's the most recent 9 showing duration, av. HR and the cals it reckons I've burned:
I *think* the calories burned are also gross. So include calories you would burn for that 1 or 2 hours if you were sat on your arse. So if your monitor is saying 1600kcal over a 2 hr work out, a big lad like you must be burning what, 100-150kcal/hr just staying alive, so that 1600 is actually 1300 net if that makes sense?But don't underestimate those workouts of yours. I can vouch for a 90min 140bpm average work out as being hardcore. That is serious cardio.
Be great to get any other other feedback though, as like you, there's a bit of fumbling in the dark over all of this.
The main cardio part of my workout is at the end of my sessions where I'm on the elliptical and get my heart rate up to 150+ for half an hour or so then onto the bike to cool down at the end. The biggest spike in HR is the warm-up on the rowing machine usually, it normally pushes into the 170s. One thing that I've found is that much as I love the workouts they're pushing a little too late into the evening (which means I'm eating later as I go straight to the gym from work) so the PT's suggestion to split out cardio and weights is a good one. The plan is to get into the routine of getting up at 6am and doing the 30-40 mins cardio every morning and the weights every Tues/Weds/Sat at the usual time.
Edited by Funk on Monday 13th January 17:35
Well a slightly surprising 2.7kg (6lbs) loss for me this week; current weight now 142.2kg. Odd, given that I've had to swerve two gym sessions this week thanks to a cold - it never seems to make any sense! Hoping it's fat loss rather than muscle - am back at the gym tomorrow night so it'll be interesting to see how it feels after a week away from it and whether I have to dial back on the weights a little.
Bought a Fitbit Charge 3 tonight - as an all-in-one device it'll be interesting to see how closely it and the HRM/BLE HRM app agree on the stats tomorrow. It's also neat that it integrates so tightly with MFP too.
Edit: Thought more about this overnight and actually it fits with what's changed this week the more I consider it; the only difference this week was the lack of gym on Thurs and Sat - which means there's no way I could've put on muscle. I think that means that each of the weeks I've had a maintain or little net loss actually have been muscle gains offsetting fat loss.
Bold prediction for this week then: as I'm back at the gym from tonight I reckon next week will see only a small loss, assuming I maintain the same dietary regime...
Bought a Fitbit Charge 3 tonight - as an all-in-one device it'll be interesting to see how closely it and the HRM/BLE HRM app agree on the stats tomorrow. It's also neat that it integrates so tightly with MFP too.
Edit: Thought more about this overnight and actually it fits with what's changed this week the more I consider it; the only difference this week was the lack of gym on Thurs and Sat - which means there's no way I could've put on muscle. I think that means that each of the weeks I've had a maintain or little net loss actually have been muscle gains offsetting fat loss.
Bold prediction for this week then: as I'm back at the gym from tonight I reckon next week will see only a small loss, assuming I maintain the same dietary regime...
Edited by Funk on Tuesday 14th January 10:08
giblet said:
Smitters said:
I track calories using MFP - it's as useful for avoiding over-doing things as it is for being aware that more food is required on training days. It's also a good thing to know what components of the meal were big calorie givers. If it's not the main and healthy features of the meal, it's an easy way to cut bad calories out or substitute them with healthier options.
For me, under-eating is more impactful on my training than anything else. Recovery just takes forever without the appropriate nutrition.
My main issue is trying to work out the bare minimum calories I should drop to. MFP has suggested 1500 max per day but seems to throw a wobble whenever I am sub 1200. I’m on 500 so far for today, dinner is likely to be 450 so that leaves me on sub 1000 which probably isn’t wise if I’m heading to the gym tonight or doing some weights at homeFor me, under-eating is more impactful on my training than anything else. Recovery just takes forever without the appropriate nutrition.
Going below 1200 is only sustainable for a short period (a few weeks) and while it will work, I found I felt pretty horrible. MFP panics for liability reasons I suspect. Even 1500 is low for the majority of people. Unless you're 165cm tall and 70kg or less, 1500 will be low enough.
With MFP - make sure you record the exercise you're doing, either by linking to your Strava/fitness tracking app, or manually - it'll add calories back on, so say you do an hour in the gym, which equals ~400 kcal burnt, your new daily target will be 1900kcal total.
I've found not all calories are equal, so if I hit, or even slightly exceed my MFP target, but all the calories are good ones, I'm still losing weight. Plus, with good calories, I'm less likely to exceed the target because I feel fuller throughout the day. Soup, noodles and protein I find particularly good.
Therefore, the onus for me is more on getting 1500-1800 net calories in, 90% of which are good (there is Bourville chocolate in there...), I'm losing ~1-2 pounds per week, but it feels very sustainable and I don't suffer any side-effects. In fact (gasp) it's almost like it's not a diet and just a sustainable healthy lifestyle. Dammit! I've been tricked into this!
In terms of my own progress, a lot of my clothes are starting to feel roomier, but my side-view when glanced in the mirrors in the gym is still one of a dad-bod - far too thick in the middle. I'm very aware I don't want fatty organs any more than I want a tubby looking body. I have seen my Dad and so I know my future if I don't take care. Plus, I've always been a mesomorph to exomorph bodyshape, putting on muscle or fat with ease, despite being just 170cm tall. I seem far better suited for weights and powerlifting than running, but hey ho. You love what you love.
Just signed up, hoping this will give me some accountability!
Hit an all time high at 110kg few years back and currently back down to 103kg. No real target number in mind, with a baby due in April (congrats to the other expectant dads, as I noticed a few in here already), I'm focusing on strengthening my core, increasing flexibility and getting stronger/fit for sports.
Currently working away during the week for work staying in hotels with no access to cook food, so having to really limit choices as it's normally a delivered takeaway for dinner and leftovers for lunch (I'm fasting i.e skipping breakfast). Tracking food through MFP as best I can and eating ~2200 calories/day, while weight/cardio training 4xweek, with a match on weekends.
Good luck to you all!
Hit an all time high at 110kg few years back and currently back down to 103kg. No real target number in mind, with a baby due in April (congrats to the other expectant dads, as I noticed a few in here already), I'm focusing on strengthening my core, increasing flexibility and getting stronger/fit for sports.
Currently working away during the week for work staying in hotels with no access to cook food, so having to really limit choices as it's normally a delivered takeaway for dinner and leftovers for lunch (I'm fasting i.e skipping breakfast). Tracking food through MFP as best I can and eating ~2200 calories/day, while weight/cardio training 4xweek, with a match on weekends.
Good luck to you all!
I've spent my entire lunch time reading about this and I'm still none the wiser, although I think I now know enough to expect about 100 different answers 
So....
Is there a Protein/Carbs/Fat ratio I should be aiming for to help maximise shifting the lard?
I'm not looking to go keto or low carb, just make the most of the changes that I've made (I seem to have fallen into doing Slimming World, as the wife is and it makes cooking easier, but keeping calories under 1500 as per MFP's suggestion and all within 16:8 eating pattern).
<takes a step back now that the can of worms is open...>
Pointers to good reading on the subject would be appreciated, cheers.
So....
Is there a Protein/Carbs/Fat ratio I should be aiming for to help maximise shifting the lard?
I'm not looking to go keto or low carb, just make the most of the changes that I've made (I seem to have fallen into doing Slimming World, as the wife is and it makes cooking easier, but keeping calories under 1500 as per MFP's suggestion and all within 16:8 eating pattern).
<takes a step back now that the can of worms is open...>
Pointers to good reading on the subject would be appreciated, cheers.
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