The INGO Hardcore Weight Loss/Fitness Thread

[Hoosierdood]

I got myself a calorie tracker app about a week ago. Not doing anything more complex than a 2k/day simple cap. It's not starvation but from a week of data its a lot less than I was eating. Wouldn't be surprised if my norm was north of 3500c/day.

Going okay so far. Seem to still have normal energy for my regular exercise. Does seem to mean I can't really drink though, no 700c in the budget for those two imperial stouts and glass of bourbon in front of the TV at night.


Bottom line is I've been running 5-7 days a week for the better part of a decade and haven't lost the weight. It's great for cardiovascular fitness and practical capability, but I just can't outrun the eating. Some injuries are starting to stack up from running this weight around. Maybe documenting the eating and living under a budget will crack the code.

I did something similar. It’s eye-opening when you actually start tracking calories. I’ve found that baked potatoes or vegetables with my meals fills me up on fewer calories. Oikos Greek yogurt has a zero carb/sugar option that gives plenty of protein for a middle of the day snack. Grapes, apples, and bananas have been common as well.

 

[Ark]

I did something similar. It’s eye-opening when you actually start tracking calories. I’ve found that baked potatoes or vegetables with my meals fills me up on fewer calories. Oikos Greek yogurt has a zero carb/sugar option that gives plenty of protein for a middle of the day snack. Grapes, apples, and bananas have been common as well.

Yep. Looking at a small stack of cookies like "I can eat that or I can eat  dinner"

I already made apples, grapes, and salad into fixtures so that helps. I treat a few frozen grapes as a freebie.

Around six months ago I made a big change and ditched breakfast cereal entirely. I used to straight up shovel that stuff. Now it's mostly bacon, eggs, and sometimes homemade bread toast.

 

[chipbennett]

I got myself a calorie tracker app about a week ago. Not doing anything more complex than a 2k/day simple cap. It's not starvation but from a week of data its a lot less than I was eating. Wouldn't be surprised if my norm was north of 3500c/day.

Going okay so far. Seem to still have normal energy for my regular exercise. Does seem to mean I can't really drink though, no 700c in the budget for those two imperial stouts and glass of bourbon in front of the TV at night.


Bottom line is I've been running 5-7 days a week for the better part of a decade and haven't lost the weight. It's great for cardiovascular fitness and practical capability, but I just can't outrun the eating. Some injuries are starting to stack up from running this weight around. Maybe documenting the eating and living under a budget will crack the code.

The fundamental - and, ultimately, inescapable (see also: the infamous "Biggest Loser" weight rebounds) - reality with respect to "eat less, move more" is that Energy In and Energy Out are not independent variables. The body will eventually adjust its own mechanisms (i.e. your metabolism) to account for the reality (long-term energy deficit) you present it.

You're right, that one can never outrun (literally or figuratively) a poor diet. Weight gain or loss, whether lean mass or fat, is a matter of hormonal balance, much more than of energy balance.

 

[Frosty]

I just threw a curveball at my metabolism. I switched up from 1500 calorie breakfast to about 500. I know 1500 sounds like a lot, but it was my biggest meal. Lunch is salad with a serving of lean protein and an apple, dinner is usually a couple bananas or another apple. Breakfast was steel cut oats with a couple tablespoons of peanut butter, and a couple bananas mashed up in it. I want to see if I can get a faster loss cutting back the carbs.

 

[melensdad]

I got myself a calorie tracker app about a week ago. Not doing anything more complex than a 2k/day simple cap. It's not starvation but from a week of data its a lot less than I was eating. Wouldn't be surprised if my norm was north of 3500c/day. . . .

SAME, did that about 3 weeks ago. Like you I am amazed at the amount of calories that I used to pound down. I stay about 1700 calories per day. Clearly not starving.

I've totally changed my snacking habits.

Skipping drive-thru windows when I drive. I take a plastic container in the car with me that has carrots, grapes, celery, pea pods, etc. And I also keep an extra bottle of water or can of sparkling water in the car too. Often I am thirsty but think I am hungry.

Also doing things to BULK UP MY FOOD with lower calories.

I made Zatarain's Jerk Chicken (box meal that is primarily rice) but to reduce the calories and increase the bulk I added an entire head of cauliflower. Almost no calories were added, but the 'volume' of the food doubled.

I've done a very same thing with Hamburger Helper. Start with the basic box meal, add an entire head of cauliflower or head of Bok Choi (tasteless Chinese cabbage). Toss in a few chopped peppers, a large chopped onion, etc.

I find I am also cutting back on SALT but because of the lost flavor I tend to add HOT SAUCE to amp up the flavor.

Starting to substitute low calorie, low carb "vegetable noodles" and "cauliflower rice" for regular noodles and rices. In a lot of my cooking.

I just threw a curveball at my metabolism. I switched up from 1500 calorie breakfast to about 500. . .

I just did the opposite. My breakfasts are mid-morning and very low calorie. Often raw carrots, pea pods, celery, etc. Today I took my wife to breakfast and had Eggs Benedict. The Hollandaise sauce was probably good for 750 calories all by itself. Not to mention the eggs, English muffins and the side of fried potatoes.

Now I'm sitting like an unmotivated lump!!!

And this is new, but my motivation has dropped substantially.

I was crushing my AppleWatch 'rings' and increased my goals a couple times. I still was exceeding the higher goals. Until this week. Now I barely hit the goals. I do. But just. I've met/exceeded my goals 38 days in a row. The last 5 days have been a struggle to get the motivation up to meet them

 

[Ark]

Starting to substitute low calorie, low carb "vegetable noodles" and "cauliflower rice" for regular noodles and rices. In a lot of my cooking.

I discovered those tofu shirataki miracle noodles or whatever they're called from some rando on YouTube. They come in refrigerated little packs suspended in some preservative water that you wash off. 20c for the whole package.

It's in the rotation now, with some onion and chicken breast it's an entire dinner pan or two full bowls for like under 300c.

I know there's a bunch of low cal stuff in the Asian food world I haven't even found yet.

 

[Snapdragon]

SAME, did that about 3 weeks ago. Like you I am amazed at the amount of calories that I used to pound down. I stay about 1700 calories per day. Clearly not starving.

I've totally changed my snacking habits.

Skipping drive-thru windows when I drive. I take a plastic container in the car with me that has carrots, grapes, celery, pea pods, etc. And I also keep an extra bottle of water or can of sparkling water in the car too. Often I am thirsty but think I am hungry.

Also doing things to BULK UP MY FOOD with lower calories.

I made Zatarain's Jerk Chicken (box meal that is primarily rice) but to reduce the calories and increase the bulk I added an entire head of cauliflower. Almost no calories were added, but the 'volume' of the food doubled.

I've done a very same thing with Hamburger Helper. Start with the basic box meal, add an entire head of cauliflower or head of Bok Choi (tasteless Chinese cabbage). Toss in a few chopped peppers, a large chopped onion, etc.

You can also do this with zucchini. This time of year a lot of people have so many they are giving them away. We just finished up one of those ginormous big-as-your-head zucchini that I cubed up, cooked, and mixed with meat sauce (Ragu and ground beef). Then I baked it with cheese on top.

 

[melensdad]

You can also do this with zucchini. This time of year a lot of people have so many they are giving them away. We just finished up one of those ginormous big-as-your-head zucchini that I cubed up, cooked, and mixed with meat sauce (Ragu and ground beef). Then I baked it with cheese on top.

Yup, and Butternut Squash too

 

[Frosty]

And this is new, but my motivation has dropped substantially.

I was crushing my AppleWatch 'rings' and increased my goals a couple times. I still was exceeding the higher goals. Until this week. Now I barely hit the goals. I do. But just. I've met/exceeded my goals 38 days in a row. The last 5 days have been a struggle to get the motivation up to meet them

You probably need the rest of barely hitting those goals, let yourself recover. Mine has its ups and downs, I’m on day 106 of closing my move ring, but there’s been a couple nights I had zero motivation and had to make myself get up and do some walking.

 

[melensdad]

You probably need the rest of barely hitting those goals, let yourself recover. Mine has its ups and downs, I’m on day 106 of closing my move ring, but there’s been a couple nights I had zero motivation and had to make myself get up and do some walking.

I'm on day 39 of closing all 3 of my rings. Almost got them now. After a bout of self-pity I got up off the couch and did the hardest Exercycle workout I've ever done. I may not want to push on, but I don't want to quit either.

I'm teaching a beginning Saber Fencing class tonight so I'll get all 3 rings closed pretty easily.

 

[Frosty]

I'm on day 39 of closing all 3 of my rings. Almost got them now. After a bout of self-pity I got up off the couch and did the hardest Exercycle workout I've ever done. I may not want to push on, but I don't want to quit either.

I'm teaching a beginning Saber Fencing class tonight so I'll get all 3 rings closed pretty easily.

View attachment 224417

Ha, I’m having a bit of self pity myself thinking about lifting weights in a minute. I’m going to, but I’m not going to like it

 

[melensdad]

Ha, I’m having a bit of self pity myself thinking about lifting weights in a minute. I’m going to, but I’m not going to like it

 

[Frosty]

Got in some hiking, 12 3/4 miles, over 1800 calories burnt. Felt good… now? Not so much!

 

[melensdad]

Closed all my rings about lunchtime. My old workout goal was 50 minutes. I’ve been averaging closer to 70 minutes. Increased my goal to 60 minutes today, curious to see if my average goes up over the 70 minutes I currently am doing.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

I'm back on track. I lost 1.4 pounds this past week. Not bragging, but I'm really starting to see some improved definition in my arms, shoulders, and legs. The bad thing is my belly and love-handles like living here; I'm having a heck of a time getting those areas to shrink. The weight is coming off somewhere though, so I'll keep pouring the cardo on and see where this goes.

 

[Frosty]

Well killed it hiking yesterday, then the wife took me to the buffet last night for my birthday I only have so much self control… however, looking at my fitness app it says my active calories and resting calories combined for yesterday was over 5100.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

Well killed it hiking yesterday, then the wife took me to the buffet last night for my birthday I only have so much self control… however, looking at my fitness app it says my active calories and resting calories combined for yesterday was over 5100.

That's not that bad. . .if you're bulking up for Mr. Olympia.

 

[Frosty]

That's not that bad. . .if you're bulking up for Mr. Olympia.

Thankfully that’s how many calories I burnt yesterday, I’m pretty sure that’s not how many I ate… I hope… regardless, I put on about 7 pounds overnight, damn water retention!

 

[Hoosierdood]

Officially hit the 10 lb lost mark today. I’m 3 weeks into counting my calories, and have already had to tighten my belt one notch. I’m really seeing it in my stomach. I may actually be able to see my Willy by the end of the month.

 

[melensdad]

Officially hit the 10 lb lost mark today. I’m 3 weeks into counting my calories, and have already had to tighten my belt one notch. I’m really seeing it in my stomach. I may actually be able to see my Willy by the end of the month.

I noticed the fastest shrink in my body shape change in my belly and man boobs. I'm down 15# from my mid-July weight of 206#. Started really watching my food intake and doing extra walking at the end of July, but didn't formally start counting calories until near the end of August. Started serious exercise in early August.

I'm sort of stuck at 191# now but notice I have more endurance, and don't run out of breath as quickly as I did. So I may be stuck here for a few days but I'm feeling better.

185# is my goal for Mid-October.