Weight Loss Weekly/to Date

[[old] DIESEL]

<!--quoteo(post=57968:date=Mar 1 2006, 04:52 PM:name=Dave Evans)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Dave Evans @ Mar 1 2006, 04:52 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Well I bought the C2 a bit over 5 weeks ago now and things are going well.<br /><br />Lost 10kg (22lbs), about the same to go.<br /><br />Averaging 11k per day and growing. As I hadn't really done any real exercise for a few years I started out very light and now comfortably doing between 10k & 15k per day, mostly low intensity 5k blocks.<br /><br />Interesting to note that with some very rough maths this total distance rowed (425k) is equal to about:<br /><br />24,000 KCal expended<br /><br />Which is typically described as being equivelent to about 3kg (6.8lbs) of bodyfat burned - suggests rowing is directly responsible for only about one third of my weight loss so far. Actually its the (psychological) mainstay of my plan so in a way its more important than a third. I recently noticed I should be able to make my first million meters before season end so pushing along for that.<br /><br />As far as eating is concerned:<br /><br />Breakfast: Small bowl of cerial + a little honey &/or berries<br />(was never eating breakfast before - bad)<br /><br />All day: Snack whenever I'm hungry (or not) on fruit. Always make sure I have apples, bananas, grapes, etc on my desk. Drink a *lot* of water.<br /><br />Dinner: Whatever, but usually the quantity for one meal split across two sittings. I find that irrespective of how much I eat at meal #1 I still get hungry before going to bed and need to eat again. By spreading dinner over time I consume less total. I find that the body is a bit slow to tell you you're not hungy any more so its easy to eat more than you need before feeling the need to stop. I serve half (so I don't power through the whole lot) and after I drink plenty of water which seems effective at making a small meal make me feel sated.<br /><br />If its something fatty like sausages i make sure its small in quantity and have a heap of salad or veg but little or none of the high cal veg like potatoes. Basically I don't exclude anything but try to keep the total energy content way down but not heaping lots of high cal things togeather. Try to keep things like cheese to an absolute minimum.<br /><br />Also, since starting I've completely eliminated:<br /><br />Drinking coffee at the office (was having dozens of little cups of sugary nasty machine coffee each day)<br />Alcohol (except a few beers on a few nights out)<br />Sodas etc, in fact I drink almost only water and after 5 weeks really sugary stuff like coke now tastes quite different and if I try it I actually don't like it much any more.<br />Chocolates, pastries, all that crap.<br /><br />The main thing really seems to be preparation. Don't put yourself in a losing fight by getting hungry and then having tasty/easy high cal things around. I had fun eating most of that stuff around the house, then just made sure I never bought any more - if its not there I can't eat it. Stay on top of hunger with lots of low cal snacking, water etc. So far I haven't struggled at all, its been surprisingly easy. Fun in fact.<br /><br />Dave<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Start eating a lot more. 6x/ day if possible small meals spaced out every 2-3 hours - each meal should have a lean protein source, vegetables and/or fruit, and carbs (only in the 3 hours after your workout). Right now, given your increasing workload and insufficient diet, your metabolism is going to eventually shut down, causing your weight loss to stagnate and while the scale says you lost the weight, when you take your shirt off, you're going to look like crap. Why? a lot of the weight you're losing is muscle. Scale weight is pretty much meaningless other than giving you an idea of where you are. The MIRROR NEVER LIES. The scale does. You want to lose FAT - not MUSCLE. there is a difference. <br /><br />1. Eat way more protein. <br /><br />2. You're eating way too many bad carbs. Keep it simple. Rolled Oats, Sweet Potatoes, Rice, Fibrous Fruits (apples, berries) - I put whole grains - but just stay away from breads (unless you baked it yourself, you have no clue what kind of processed flour they are using ) <br /><br />2b. REMEMBER THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE WEIGHT IS CONTROLLING YOUR INSULIN LEVELS. You should tattoo this somewhere so you never forget it. <br /><br />3. Invest in a good protein powder supplement. The best in my opinion is Biotest's Metabolic Drive protein powder. (I'm partial to the Vanilla flavor - it's the most versatile) <br /><br />4. Invest in a good Fatty Acid / Fish Oil Supplement <br /><br />5. Start lifting weights as a complement to your rowing. You'll drop bodyfat faster - you'll get faster on the erg, and you'll start to look much better nekkid. Which is like the icing on the cake, right? <br /><br />6. Keep a Food Diary - this is so key - and every 2 weeks you make the proper adjustments - that way you can customize your diet to your individual biochemistry. You may find you need more carbs or less - I can't tell you for sure, but that diary will. <br /><br />Just check out the response I gave Heather, and it gives you an idea of how to eat for effective fat loss. <br /><br />good luck, <br />D <br />

[[old] Kappy]

Hi all.<br /><br />I weighed in this morning - although I had planned on only weighing myself on mondays - and I was finally below 150. I'm still a little stunned that it has been so hard - since I was 143 in January. I really had assumed that the weight gain was a fluke and would be 'easy come - easy go' -- so far NOPE. Nevertheless, 149. Next goal - 149 in street clothes and shoes after a meal -- and then start gunning for 139.<br /><br />I am going to probably have to ditch the 'too easy to fudge' weight watchers plan for the cold hard calorie count. I think its probably the most dependable method. <br /><br />:) Kappy -<br /><br />I also wanted to just congratulate Heather again - because she already HAS made lighweight by being able to race as a lightweight on the erg. Its not just going to happen. Technically it HAS happened.<br /><br />I don't see the need to second guess her plan so far. Especially if its working. DO appreciate the nutritional advice for my own sake. But I don't think its neccessary to say that there is any 'bad news' to tell Heather about her weight loss - when it looks like she is really going to go lightweight. And those scores for a lightweight are right up there. Hopefully the next step is the next four pounds followed by good speed on the water.<br /><br />:)

[[old] Godfried]

<!--quoteo(post=57968:date=Mar 1 2006, 10:52 PM:name=Dave Evans)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Dave Evans @ Mar 1 2006, 10:52 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quotec-->... Interesting to note that with some very rough maths this total distance rowed (425k) is equal to about:<br /><br />24,000 KCal expended<br /><br />Which is typically described as being equivelent to about 3kg (6.8lbs) of bodyfat burned - suggests rowing is directly responsible for only about one third of my weight loss so far. ...<br /> </td></tr></table><br />Your body doesn't stop burning fat when you stop rowing. After the workout your metabolism stays high for a while. <br /><br />And I remember something about loosing water with the bodyfat.

[[old] DIESEL]

<!--quoteo(post=58044:date=Mar 2 2006, 04:14 AM:name=Godfried)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Godfried @ Mar 2 2006, 04:14 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><br />Your body doesn't stop burning fat when you stop rowing. After the workout your metabolism stays high for a while. <br /><br />And I remember something about loosing water with the bodyfat.<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Not necessarily. Depends on the intensity. If you're doing hard 4x1Ks then yes, for up to 6 hours. If you are doing a long 60 minute row at steady state. Not for too much longer. <br /><br />Losing water = obviously, you sweat like a pig on the erg!! especially in the summer! <br /><br />cheers!

[[old] devans]

<!--quoteo(post=58044:date=Mar 2 2006, 04:14 AM:name=Godfried)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Godfried @ Mar 2 2006, 04:14 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quoteo(post=57968:date=Mar 1 2006, 10:52 PM:name=Dave Evans)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Dave Evans @ Mar 1 2006, 10:52 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quotec-->... Interesting to note that with some very rough maths this total distance rowed (425k) is equal to about:<br /><br />24,000 KCal expended<br /><br />Which is typically described as being equivelent to about 3kg (6.8lbs) of bodyfat burned - suggests rowing is directly responsible for only about one third of my weight loss so far. ...<br /> </td></tr></table><br />Your body doesn't stop burning fat when you stop rowing. After the workout your metabolism stays high for a while. <br /><br />And I remember something about loosing water with the bodyfat.<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />It does, but most of my rowing has been quite low intensity. *very* rough numbers - really only gives an indication of magnitude as everyone is different.

[[old] Godfried]

<!--quoteo(post=58080:date=Mar 2 2006, 03:40 PM:name=DIESEL)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(DIESEL @ Mar 2 2006, 03:40 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quoteo(post=58044:date=Mar 2 2006, 04:14 AM:name=Godfried)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Godfried @ Mar 2 2006, 04:14 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>... And I remember something about loosing water with the bodyfat.<br /> </td></tr></table><br />... Losing water = obviously, you sweat like a pig on the erg!! especially in the summer! <br /> </td></tr></table><br />No, I read when you loose bodyfat you also loose some water that is stored with the bodyfat.

[[old] devans]

Thanks for the input.<br /><br /><br />Start eating a lot more. 6x/ day if possible small meals spaced out every 2-3 hours<br /><br />Actually I already eat much more often that that. I graze all day, plus breakfast, two small evening meals, and other evening snacks. <br /><br /><br /> - each meal should have a lean protein source, vegetables and/or fruit, and carbs (only in the 3 hours after your workout). Right now, given your increasing workload and insufficient diet, your metabolism is going to eventually shut down, causing your weight loss to stagnate and while the scale says you lost the weight, when you take your shirt off, you're going to look like crap. Why? a lot of the weight you're losing is muscle. Scale weight is pretty much meaningless other than giving you an idea of where you are. The MIRROR NEVER LIES. The scale does. You want to lose FAT - not MUSCLE. there is a difference. <br /><br />To be clear, I'm definitely *not* advocating my 'diet', its flawed in many ways which you point out here. The reason has a lot to do with some of what I posted above. An optimal diet is one thing, a pattern that is comfortable, livable, and achievable without going to war with your own moods & willpower etc is often a little different. I only exercise in the evening, yet I have carbs in the morning and through the day. Reason? I have enough trouble disciplining myself to eat breakfast (never hungry until at least 10am and always in a rush in the morning) so breakfast has to be something appealing and my choice of cerial etc satisfies that for me (not even 'good' cerial) <br />"Metabolism shutdown" is a little strong. Sustained energy debt is certainly going to cause metabolism to slow but its not like BMR suddenly halves. Cycling the energy intake & debt levels up and down can confuse the body a bit to reduce the onset of of this. I agree with the bit about the mirror vs weight, both mirror & clothes fit is showing good redutions in the blubber.<br />There are other factors to consider here too, such as goals. In the immediate short term my interest is not very focused on aesthetic perfection or looking 'toned'. I'm knocking 20kg or so off fast to take the weight off my joints so I can start running again.<br /><br /><br />1. Eat way more protein. <br />2. You're eating way too many bad carbs. Keep it simple. Rolled Oats, Sweet Potatoes, Rice, Fibrous Fruits (apples, berries) - I put whole grains - but just stay away from breads (unless you baked it yourself, you have no clue what kind of processed flour they are using ) <br /><br />As above, right now its more about what suits me and is easy for me. Things like eating fruit during the day (but no protein at all) are because is dead easy & very convienient for me. Absolutely agree with the advice, I just don't intend on following it (much, yet)<br /><br /><br />2b. REMEMBER THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE WEIGHT IS CONTROLLING YOUR INSULIN LEVELS. You should tattoo this somewhere so you never forget it. <br /><br />My current crude approach to this for now is frequent eating.<br /><br /><br />3. Invest in a good protein powder supplement. The best in my opinion is Biotest's Metabolic Drive protein powder. (I'm partial to the Vanilla flavor - it's the most versatile) <br /><br />Thanks for the tip, I'll look into it. How are you normally taking it?<br /><br /><br />4. Invest in a good Fatty Acid / Fish Oil Supplement <br /><br />Again, thanks for the tip.<br /><br /><br />5. Start lifting weights as a complement to your rowing. You'll drop bodyfat faster - you'll get faster on the erg, and you'll start to look much better nekkid. Which is like the icing on the cake, right? <br /><br />All part of the plan... later. Right now I'm very time poor. Currently no equipment at home other than the erg and I'm doing work->home,eat&exercise,sleep->work in a furious cycle. I've decided I like the convenience of sprinkling exercise through home time and don't want to haul back & forth from gym for now. Like dietary improvements it would undoubtably help.<br /><br /><br />6. Keep a Food Diary - this is so key - and every 2 weeks you make the proper adjustments - that way you can customize your diet to your individual biochemistry. You may find you need more carbs or less - I can't tell you for sure, but that diary will. <br /><br />Again, good advice that I won't be taking for now. I have done this in detail some years back and its very educational and really raises ones awareness (that stays with you) of things in food that otherwise slip by unnoticed.<br /><br /><br />Just check out the response I gave Heather, and it gives you an idea of how to eat for effective fat loss. <br /><br />I'll go take a look. What I'm doing is definitely far from optimal but the important point is that its both easy and achievable for me. Something flawed that you actually do is a lot better than a perfect plan that you fall off (assuming its not so badly flawed as to be dangerous etc). As I progress I'll start looking for things to tinker with and no doubt incorporate things you've suggested here. It will never be an ideal program however, I'm not that focused on body, and happiness for me includes too many things that just don't belong in such a plan. <br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Dave

[[old] DIESEL]

<!--quoteo(post=58191:date=Mar 2 2006, 05:58 PM:name=Dave Evans)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Dave Evans @ Mar 2 2006, 05:58 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Thanks for the input.<br /><br /><br />Start eating a lot more. 6x/ day if possible small meals spaced out every 2-3 hours<br /><br />Actually I already eat much more often that that. I graze all day, plus breakfast, two small evening meals, and other evening snacks. <br /><br /><br /> - each meal should have a lean protein source, vegetables and/or fruit, and carbs (only in the 3 hours after your workout). Right now, given your increasing workload and insufficient diet, your metabolism is going to eventually shut down, causing your weight loss to stagnate and while the scale says you lost the weight, when you take your shirt off, you're going to look like crap. Why? a lot of the weight you're losing is muscle. Scale weight is pretty much meaningless other than giving you an idea of where you are. The MIRROR NEVER LIES. The scale does. You want to lose FAT - not MUSCLE. there is a difference. <br /><br />To be clear, I'm definitely *not* advocating my 'diet', its flawed in many ways which you point out here. The reason has a lot to do with some of what I posted above. An optimal diet is one thing, a pattern that is comfortable, livable, and achievable without going to war with your own moods & willpower etc is often a little different. I only exercise in the evening, yet I have carbs in the morning and through the day. Reason? I have enough trouble disciplining myself to eat breakfast (never hungry until at least 10am and always in a rush in the morning) so breakfast has to be something appealing and my choice of cerial etc satisfies that for me (not even 'good' cerial) <br />"Metabolism shutdown" is a little strong. Sustained energy debt is certainly going to cause metabolism to slow but its not like BMR suddenly halves. Cycling the energy intake & debt levels up and down can confuse the body a bit to reduce the onset of of this. I agree with the bit about the mirror vs weight, both mirror & clothes fit is showing good redutions in the blubber.<br />There are other factors to consider here too, such as goals. In the immediate short term my interest is not very focused on aesthetic perfection or looking 'toned'. I'm knocking 20kg or so off fast to take the weight off my joints so I can start running again.<br /><br /><br />1. Eat way more protein. <br />2. You're eating way too many bad carbs. Keep it simple. Rolled Oats, Sweet Potatoes, Rice, Fibrous Fruits (apples, berries) - I put whole grains - but just stay away from breads (unless you baked it yourself, you have no clue what kind of processed flour they are using ) <br /><br />As above, right now its more about what suits me and is easy for me. Things like eating fruit during the day (but no protein at all) are because is dead easy & very convienient for me. Absolutely agree with the advice, I just don't intend on following it (much, yet)<br /><br /><br />2b. REMEMBER THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE WEIGHT IS CONTROLLING YOUR INSULIN LEVELS. You should tattoo this somewhere so you never forget it. <br /><br />My current crude approach to this for now is frequent eating.<br /><br /><br />3. Invest in a good protein powder supplement. The best in my opinion is Biotest's Metabolic Drive protein powder. (I'm partial to the Vanilla flavor - it's the most versatile) <br /><br />Thanks for the tip, I'll look into it. How are you normally taking it?<br /><br /><br />4. Invest in a good Fatty Acid / Fish Oil Supplement <br /><br />Again, thanks for the tip.<br /><br /><br />5. Start lifting weights as a complement to your rowing. You'll drop bodyfat faster - you'll get faster on the erg, and you'll start to look much better nekkid. Which is like the icing on the cake, right? <br /><br />All part of the plan... later. Right now I'm very time poor. Currently no equipment at home other than the erg and I'm doing work->home,eat&exercise,sleep->work in a furious cycle. I've decided I like the convenience of sprinkling exercise through home time and don't want to haul back & forth from gym for now. Like dietary improvements it would undoubtably help.<br /><br /><br />6. Keep a Food Diary - this is so key - and every 2 weeks you make the proper adjustments - that way you can customize your diet to your individual biochemistry. You may find you need more carbs or less - I can't tell you for sure, but that diary will. <br /><br />Again, good advice that I won't be taking for now. I have done this in detail some years back and its very educational and really raises ones awareness (that stays with you) of things in food that otherwise slip by unnoticed.<br /><br /><br />Just check out the response I gave Heather, and it gives you an idea of how to eat for effective fat loss. <br /><br />I'll go take a look. What I'm doing is definitely far from optimal but the important point is that its both easy and achievable for me. Something flawed that you actually do is a lot better than a perfect plan that you fall off (assuming its not so badly flawed as to be dangerous etc). As I progress I'll start looking for things to tinker with and no doubt incorporate things you've suggested here. It will never be an ideal program however, I'm not that focused on body and happiness for me includes too many things that just don't belong in such a plan. <br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Dave<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Hey Dave, <br /><br />No worries, my friend - baby steps, baby steps are the order of the day - but just so you are aware. The important thing is that you are being consistent with the exercise and are slowly tweaking your diet to optimum levels. <br /><br />Think of it this way: did you ever wonder why people have so much trouble "losing the last 10 lbs." ?? That's what I mean by "metabolic shutdown" - by underfeeding your body - your body goes into survival mode and slows the metabolism way down in order to compensate for the chronic energy (calorie) shortage it operates under. <br /><br />If you are time compressed you can try what I try - cook a bunch of food on Sunday morning and prepackage it into those little tubs you can buy at Wal-Mart or Target. I usually cook my potatoes, rice, meat, chicken, and fish on Sunday and Wednesday - and prep any salads every morning. It makes life so much easier, and sticking to a healthy eating plan that much simpler. <br /><br />My protein powder I take as a shake. One when I wake up. One right after I work out. Try this recipe on for size: <br /><br />My super shake. (you can adjust the quantities depending on bodyweight. I weigh 235 lbs. <br /><br />Sub 200 lb. guys use 2 scoops of protein, everything else the same <br /><br />women under 150 lbs. use 1 scoop protein, and cut everything else in half, except the oats (go 1/3 cup) and the apple juice - need that for sweetness) <br /><br />Water or Unsweetened Green Tea (1.5 cups), <br />3 Scoops Biotest Metabolic Drive, <br />Handful of Frozen Blueberries, <br />4 oz. Natural Apple Juice, <br />1/2 cup of raw rolled oats, <br />1 tbsp. ground flax seeds, <br />1 serving of powdered Greens Plus, (about 2 tsp.)<br />1/2 banana or 1/2 an apple (cored of course with the skin) <br />crushed ice <br /><br />on the side <br /><br />1000 mg Vitamin C <br />4 Fish Oil Capsules <br /><br />That shake is like rocket fuel - got it all - vitamins, minerals, vegetable micronutrients (the Greens +), slow release milk/whey protein, low glycemic carbs, essential fatty acids (Omega 3-6-9) and tons of fiber. <br /><br />As to the weightlifting: If you don't have access to a gym just do bodyweight exercises - they are very effective substitutes. Buy a pull-up bar at your local sporting goods store and put it over the door jamb of a door in your house and pull away. Do some push-ups, chair supported dips for the upper body and body weight squats, walking lunges, and chair step ups for the legs. All good substitutes. <br /><br />If you live in a warmer weather climate and have access to a wheelbarrow - just throw a bunch of stuff into it and walk around - do sets of 100-200m in your backyard - it's a really deceptive ass kicker!! <br /><br />

[[old] Meri Goehring]

Love the diet and food advise lately! My 'weigh in' day is Friday. I am stuck. Start 206lbs, wk1 203, wk2 202, wk3 202, wk4 201, today 201. Yug. Must try to include some weight lifting into my life. Counting calories has helped me start to change, but old habits die hard. Will try to keep the 5000M per day challenge this month. May March Madness mean more muscle minus midriff mass to many!

[[old] DIESEL]

<!--quoteo(post=58379:date=Mar 3 2006, 10:39 PM:name=Meri Goehring)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Meri Goehring @ Mar 3 2006, 10:39 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Love the diet and food advise lately! My 'weigh in' day is Friday. I am stuck. Start 206lbs, wk1 203, wk2 202, wk3 202, wk4 201, today 201. Yug. Must try to include some weight lifting into my life. Counting calories has helped me start to change, but old habits die hard. Will try to keep the 5000M per day challenge this month. May March Madness mean more muscle minus midriff mass to many!<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Hey Meri, <br /><br />keep up the good work. Don't get discouraged and just remember the old adage "slow and steady wins the race." Just have a plan and execute it one day at a time and the results will come. <br /><br />Again, don't be a slave to the scale - go by the mirror and how your clothes are fitting. Scale weight is deceptive. You could be gaining weight, but yet getting leaner. For example, 4 weeks ago I switched my weight lifting routine from a straight powerlifting routine to a more volume oriented routine (working each body part multiple times a week, very short rest periods) to lean out for the summer. I've gained six pounds with all this lifting and erging eating around 3400-600 kcals/ day but my body fat has dropped 2%. Catch my drift? <br /><br />Here's a little motivating tip. Find a picture of a person (magazine or whatever) that you want to look like your "goal physique" now put that on your refrigerator door. Talk about a deterrent when you face that picture in a moment of weakness! Yes, your family will think you're nuts, but hey, if you're really committed to this, you gotta be willing to do whatever it takes. <br /><br />keep it up, and of course, if you have any questions - don't be bashful! <br /><br />good luck, <br />D

[[old] Kappy]

I have noticed something that I hope will proove helpful to me. And if it does - it may be helpful to others too. <br /><br />When I started weight watchers two years ago I lost something like 12 pounds in the first two weeks. In the next two months I dropped another 15 pounds - and eventually I ground to a halt and become very frustrated. I yo-yoed for about a year 5-15 pounds above my goal weight before bouncing up really really high recently.<br /><br />Reviewing my old notes - I noticed that when I started weight watchers - I counted every silly AP (activity point) under the sun. As I dropped weight - I quit giving myself credit for things like washing my car and focused more on actual training. Nancy Clark mentioned something about this in this months nutrition article in the rowing magazine.<br /><br />I have recently gotten one of the newer heart rate monitors that estimates how many calories you burn. As an experiment I left it on to read calories burned during those daily 'activities' and when I rest. I am tempted to believe that one of the reasons my weight loss stalled was because I started to focus myself on strenuous training activity and neglected the less hunger inducing 'busy bee' activity. Because it is starting to appear that just being 'busy' has a much greater impact on calories burned.<br /><br />I was shocked to find out that washing the car DOES burn off calories! Although I burn off calories faster by training - I noticed that I actually make up for the time difference by resting. IE - if I jog two miles I am liable to spend more time sitting around inside afterwards than if I take my dog for a two miles walk. With my dog - today it took over an hour to go three miles - but it burned more than 500 calories. Obviously I burned half of the calories walking - and burned the other half playing with my pooch - but then I got home and did some yardwork. So overall I burned more calories and felt less hungry by taking the 'slow activity.' Had I jogged the distance, I would have spent much of the rest of that time resting (showering and resting) and feeling like I deserved to eat.<br /><br />I was also surprised that a few hours of doing very strenuous yard work - [clearing downed trees] burned as many calories as an extended rowing workout. As training - it was useless. Unlike a solid rowing workout - I don't think the activity will better prepare my for future yardwork. And I am exhausted. BUT in terms of burning calories the monitor says it was huge. And I am not particularly hungry.)<br /><br />I am starting to think that low level activity that bumps up your activity rate, takes up time you might spend otherwise sitting may have been a more effective "fat burner" than the higher intensity activity I focused on as time wore on. I am going to try to continue doing those random activities that I gave myself credit for when I first tries weight watchers as much as I can. My health will probably interfere. But if not - I'll report on how it does.<br /><br />There is also a possibility that my heart rate is just a completely bogus estimate of my activity level and metabolism. I have bouts of extreme low blood pressure - and my heart rate can get easily elevated when I move around.<br /><br />Nevertheless I am going to experiment with this.<br /><br />Also I've noticed that 'guy' chores burn a LOT more calories than 'chick' chores. So my car might get washed more - but I don't see my bathroom getting more attention, or me catching up on laundry.<br /><br />:)<br /><br />Kappy<br /><br />(I rowed on the water this evening and will erg before going to bed. This experiment doesn't mean I wont be rowing daily.)

[[old] DIESEL]

Hey Kappy, <br /><br />It seems you have discovered the wonders of NEPA (Non Exercise Physical Activity) <br /><br />Here's another one - try to walk everywhere as much as possible instead of driving. That will burn calories like crazy. <br /><br />Keep it up! <br /><br />D

[[old] Steelhead]

<!--quoteo(post=58379:date=Mar 3 2006, 07:39 PM:name=Meri Goehring)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Meri Goehring @ Mar 3 2006, 07:39 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>[snip]<br />Must try to include some weight lifting into my life. [snip]<br /> </td></tr></table><br />Meri,<br /><br />You are onto something there vis-a-vis including some weight lifting. This article may help motivate you:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/200 ... ting_x.htm" target="_blank">http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/200 ... g_x.htm</a> Here's an excerpt:<br /><br />Study: Lifting weights attacks belly fat<br /><br />DALLAS (AP) — By just lifting weights twice a week for an hour, women can battle the buildup of tummy fat that often takes hold with aging, a new study suggests. And they didn't even diet.<br /><br />The study focused on intra-abdominal fat, the deep fat that wraps itself around organs and is the most unhealthy because it's linked with heart disease.<br /><br />"One of the most common complaints in women, especially as we continue to age, especially as we go through menopause, the No. 1 complaint is abdominal growth," said Dr. Tracy Stevens, a cardiologist who directs the women's heart center at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City.<br /><br />"It's the apple-shaped person I'm most worried about," said Stevens, who was not involved in the study. "The more central the fat, the more it's laid down in the arteries."<br /><br />The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and is being presented Friday at an American Heart Association conference in Phoenix.<br /><br />Mike

[[old] Meri Goehring]

[quote name='Steelhead' date='Mar 5 2006, 11:38 PM' post='58583']<br /><br />You are onto something there vis-a-vis including some weight lifting. This article may help motivate you:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/200 ... ting_x.htm" target="_blank">http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/200 ... g_x.htm</a> Here's an excerpt:<br /><br />Thanks for the great advise. Today is weigh in for me, week 6 and my weight in is still 201-same now for 3 weeks. I have cut calories, but gently. No time this week to include weights, but tried a couple of shorter, more intense rows (thanks for that suggestion 'Rowmantic') due to a busy schedule. I'm glad to see others have reached a 'plateau' and have been able to overcome the frustration. I'll try to keep up the fight, but crave a freshly drawn Bass beer- (I'll admit to a guilty pleasure, one of many!) Good luck to all!<br />Meri<br /><br />

[[old] DIESEL]

[quote name='Meri Goehring' date='Mar 10 2006, 12:04 PM' post='58934']<br />[quote name='Steelhead' date='Mar 5 2006, 11:38 PM' post='58583']<br /><br />You are onto something there vis-a-vis including some weight lifting. This article may help motivate you:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/200 ... ting_x.htm" target="_blank">http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/200 ... g_x.htm</a> Here's an excerpt:<br /><br />Thanks for the great advise. Today is weigh in for me, week 6 and my weight in is still 201-same now for 3 weeks. I have cut calories, but gently. No time this week to include weights, but tried a couple of shorter, more intense rows (thanks for that suggestion 'Rowmantic') due to a busy schedule. I'm glad to see others have reached a 'plateau' and have been able to overcome the frustration. I'll try to keep up the fight, but crave a freshly drawn Bass beer- (I'll admit to a guilty pleasure, one of many!) Good luck to all!<br />Meri<br />[/quote]<br /><br />Hey Meri, <br /><br />I'm willing to bet a MILLION DOLLARS that even though the scale remained the same, your body composition changed. You have replaced that fat with muscle mass - so while the scale remained the same, you are leaner. Remember, when you have been relatively sedentary for a while and you start exercising (especially something as intense as rowing) you are going to put on some muscle mass as the body adapts to the rowing movement and compensates for the strength required to do the movements. Muscle weighs 5x more than fat - yet takes up 1/3 the space - very dense AND METABOLICALLY ACTIVE STUFF. What this means is that soon your metabolic rate (as soon as your body recalibrates for the new muscle) is going to shoot up and the pounds will start coming off again. Just wait till you add the free weight sessions - that is truly going to send your metabolism into overdrive!! <br /><br />Weights + rowing + clean diet = METABOLIC WARP SPEED !! <br /><br />Aren't you just itching to hit the gym now? <br /><br />Keep it up! <br />D<br /><br />Almost forgot, <br /><br />Go ahead and have that Bass, you've earned it, trooper ! <br /><br />You don't have to be 100% on your diet - aim for 90% compliance and you're well ahead of the game. A treat once in a while keeps you sane! You'll note that when you plan your 'treats' after a while you don't crave them as much. Funny how the mind works, huh? <br /><br />