Getting on the bandwagon

[clutch_c]

Since everyone else seems to be doing it (and following my own suggestion to BARGErs to lose some damn weight), I’m starting my program today.

Current Statistics:

• Weight=240.0
  
• BMI=31.7
  
• Body Fat% (Tanita scale) = 36.5%
  

Goals (by May 31, 2010):

• Weight=190
  
• BMI=25.0
  
• Body Fat%=20%

That comes out to 1.2 pounds per week, which seems doable. In the past, I

Comments

If I might offer some advice

[freelikebeer]

I need to figure out a way to deal with that.

Start over. You get to a point where your body is well-adapted to the exercise that you are doing. Run for a while. Then ride for a while. Then spend a month flogging the stairmaster. Progress is measured in how many pounds you lose, not how long your bike rides are [or what have you].

Skip the weight training. It is much better to do that OR endurance exercise. Plus, you can lift more intensely and get the max muscle benefit.

As for the food, try and think of it in terms of relative intake [I know patrissimo objects to this, but to first order, calories consumed less calories expended is a good measure of how you are doing; plus I think it is a good habit of mind to think of them together].

What part of town do you live in?

Good luck. With some of my own luck, I'll be at BARGE2010 and be 30 lbs lighter myself.

Re: If I might offer some advice

[adb_jaeger]

As for the food, try and think of it in terms of relative intake

I honestly can't imagine any way in which just keeping a calorie deficit *won't* make you lose weight. Atkins works, but it works not because bacon is magically slimming, but because you eat less. Warrior Diet, South Beach Diet, Weight Watcher, all the same. Gastric bypass: same.

Whatever makes you able to consume fewer calories than you burn is a good diet.

I always liked the Hacker's Diet, and was doing his style of spreadsheet long before I'd ever read his pages.

Righty-oh

[freelikebeer]

Fat has a huge hormonal effect on you. Once you get down to pretty-effin-lean, different hormones have a much stronger play in what you metabolize [or catabolize, as the case may be]. [And this is the crux of my disagreement with Patri, I think].

Re: If I might offer some advice

[clutch_c]

Good idea. I tend to get in a rut and do the same exercises. After a while the intensity goes down as my body figures out how to do the work with less effort. Adding some variety might help, I'll try it.

I live in Tucson, far east (east of Catalina Highway).

[gunga_galunga]

Aiming for about 1600-1800 calories per day. Tracking intake with Fit-day software.

How many calories are you eating a day now?

That comes out to 1.2 pounds per week, which seems doable. In the past, I’ve run into a plateau around 215-220 lbs. After being stuck for a month or so, I get frustrated and give up. I need to figure out a way to deal with that.

The way I dealt with a plateau was to just not really worry about it. I was more focused on getting in shape than losing weight, losing weight has been the side benefit.

The El Tour De Tucson, a 109 mile charity bike ride, is November 21. I’m not sure if I’ll be ready for 109 miles by then (my past riding has been a max of about 35 miles), but the ride also has options for 80, 67 or 35 miles. The 67 might be a reasonable goal.
How hilly is the course? 67 is definitely do-able by November. 80 is do-able, and even 109 is if your butt can take the pain. You've got 14 weeks. If you can ride 20 miles right now and increase the mileage for your long ride by 10% a week, that's

...and it didn't kill me

[freelikebeer]

So, it, uhh, made you stronger?

Re: ...and it didn't kill me

[gunga_galunga]

So, it, uhh, made you stronger?

It must have. I haven't gotten much faster, although I can get up hills easier now than I could back then.

[clutch_c]

Knowing how many calories I eat now is tough, because I tend to graze on stuff like dry cereal or whatever I can eat standing in front of the refrigerator. I've also been going through a couple of glass of wine with dinner and sometimes a drink after. I'm guessing it adds up to around 2500-3000. So 1800 will be a big reduction.

The course is basically flat with one notable long uphill stretch of several miles. I can ride 20 miles now if I take it slow, so I'm pretty sure I can work up to 67. I don't have to register for it for a while, so I'll see how ambitious I feel when registration time comes around.

[mickdog]

Sounds reasonable. I wish you the best. Posting to LJ about it periodically not only keeps you accountable, but you get good motivational feedback. I did when I started running a year ago.