Weight Loss Discussion Thread

[hellymedic]

Mr Average has not grown significantly taller in the last 40 years.

He was 65kg when I started medical school, 70kg a while later and is now rather more.

David's height approximates to that of Mr Average and probably has not changed much in the last 30 years. (He'll be 50 later this year.) I don't think he's too thin.
Everyone else is too fat.

My attitude to food and fat is 'dangerous'...

[Ningishzidda]

Ideal bodyfat is a tricky one.

The US Navy has a chart, and so do HM Forces. They are different.

I have found 'A1', 'Thin', 'Slim', 'Excellent', 'OK' and 'Trim' amongst descriptions varying from 12 to 22 %. 
Each has a frig-factor for age, which complicates matters as the skinfold curves are non-linear to start with.

Slimguide calipers also have a recommendation.

As a guidline in our world, a Pro cyclist is typically 8 - 12 %.


Incidentally, I heared that the average waistline measurement of 18 - 25 year old women has increased by 1" per decade from 1945.
It was 26" then and 32" in 2005. The fashion industry have reluctantly accepted this. So have 18 - 25 year old men. 

PPS. Bioimpedence measurements at home are not worth the steam off my p**s. 

[hellymedic]

I continue to use the spring balance I purchased in 1982.
Yesterday's antics suggest they are acceptably accurate.
Expanding waistlines are a problem for the lean.
Whilst my waist is not as trim as it was in the 80s, my hip measurement is much the same and M&S is far to baggy round the waist.

[red marley]

Whilst my waist is not as trim as it was in the 80s, my hip measurement is much the same and M&S is far to baggy round the waist.

As I know you are a fan of grammatical correctness, can I point out that having clothes that are far to baggy is quite different to having ones that are far too baggy?

[hellymedic]

Whilst my waist is not as trim as it was in the 80s, my hip measurement is much the same and M&S is far to baggy round the waist.

As I know you are a fan of grammatical correctness, can I point out that having clothes that are far to baggy is quite different to having ones that are far too baggy?

Indeed. My mistake!

My 41" hips needed a Size 16 in 1984.
I am sitting in a pair of Size 14 trousers (bought last year) which comfortably clothe my 41" haunches but have six spare inches round the waist.
Size 12 is tight on the hip but still roomy on the belly.

I had a 26" waist when I went to university, which was a Size 14 then.
It would be a Size 8 now!

[sojournermike]

After David's partial health screening today (he still needs a blood test to check his sugar, cholesterol etc), he was told he should weigh more.
He has a BMI of 20.5 and a comfortable subcutaneous layer.
He is lean but not emaciated.
We think that obesity (or at least fatness) are being normalised and that this is unhealthy.
I have been slated Elsewhere for having a 'dangerous' attitude to food and fat.
I think unhealthy eating habits are being normalised by society and the food industry.
I don't think our latest encounter with the NHS was helpful...

Yes, I think that you're right. There does seem to be some reasonable evidence that lower calorie intakes and lower weight are positively correlated with longevity.

The approach carries through into other areas as well. Statins are the drug of choice for high cholesterol, and this is fundamentally because losing weight/controlling diet is too hard for the population at large and so medical intervention is used as an alternative rather than a supplement (yes, I appreciate these approaches are not sufficiently effective for everyone).

I think the excess of everything we enjoy in the richer parts of the world, together with a super efficient profit making food industry make choices difficult for people. In our historic state we never had to learn self control where food was concerned - getting enough was the problem. No wonder it's so hard when there's too much available cheaply.

Off to burn off a few calories now:)

[essexian]

Some weight loss at last!!!!

After being stuck for the last couple of weeks, I am very pleased with the 0.8kg loss recorded this week.

Off for a veggie BLT to celebrate 

[Wowbagger]

There was a hint earlier this week that I would have been able to record a reduction this week, but it's level I'm afraid.

[shyumu]

Lost 4.5kg yesterday - that can't be good.  I suspect that I have some water and glycogen to replace.

[sojournermike]

Lost 4.5kg yesterday - that can't be good.  I suspect that I have some water and glycogen to replace.

Very impressive - how did you do that.

I'm up a bit this week - bad week at work and little exercise

[shyumu]

A 220km DIY audax... I now feel like a piece of dried fruit and I know my weight will come straight back as soon as I see a glass of water.  Tried scrambled eggs for breakfast today - hoping that my body will use some of its fat stores to rebuild muscle and glycogen.  This thought is not based on any scientific knowledge, just hope.

[sojournermike]

A 220km DIY audax... I now feel like a piece of dried fruit and I know my weight will come straight back as soon as I see a glass of water.  Tried scrambled eggs for breakfast today - hoping that my body will use some of its fat stores to rebuild muscle and glycogen.  This thought is not based on any scientific knowledge, just hope.

Excellent and well done - Tuesday audax toimprove Wednesday morning weigh in.

Not sure about you theory, but hope is always good.

[crowriver]

Some weight loss today. Probably dehydration after yesterday's DIY 300k audax. Also I found I couldn't eat much after about 10pm, and did not eat any 'recovery' meal upon arriving back home in the wee small hours. Could also be more modest eating habits over the past week.

What does appear to be the case is that a 300 seems to provide more of a 'workout' than a 200: surprise surprise!

[rafletcher]

Well a somewhat surprising 0.5kg loss from last week. Surprising because I seemed to be nearly 3kg heavier at the weekend than I am now (and I am hydrated this morning). I thought the comfort (over) eating last week would have stalled or even reversed the losing trend, but thankfully not.  Got to be strong willed this weekend - wife's away from tomorrow night until Sunday, and I'm still a bit down after Mums death, so the temptation will be to once again comfort eat and drink. And as the weather looks less kind this weekend I'll probably not be riding as much as recently (managed 90 miles -a lot for me - last weekend)

[L CC]

I got away with it for a bit, but my current comfort eating/ lack of non-exercise movement is catching up with me. Thankfully the battery in my scales is flat.

The sooner a) the knee is fixed and b) my housing situation is resolved, the better. I'll put back everything I lost in January before the end of the month if I keep this up.

I haven't (yet) found anything comforting you can get easily in a lunchbreak, except sugar, in all its transient not-as-good-as-you-think-it's-going-to-be.

[sojournermike]

Somehow lost a litle bit this week, despite not getting out between last Sunday and yesterday morning. Mille Cymru is putting the pressure on - need to commit to miles or give someone else the chance.

[citoyen]

I've been on a minor upward trend lately but I seem to have halted that. Really need to restore some dietary self-discipline.

I'm not doing the Mille Cymru, but I am doing the Brimstone 600 and I've had a look at the route profile... 

If I can shed the remaining 4kg to get to my target weight between now and the end of May, it might make it a little easier. Or should I say marginally less difficult...

[crowriver]

Let myself go this past week, and it shows.

[hellymedic]

Things might be moving in the right direction or I might have made no progress at all this year.

I am not gaining weight or bulk.

I suppose that is good news.

[geraldc]

I'm getting stronger with regards to body weight exercises, so I seek solace in that. Other half will be working abroad in a week or so's time, so I'll get back on fasting then.

[Wowbagger]

Not a good week for me. A very fine meal at my brother's place on Sunday did not help, but having a really bad cold, which in itself instills lethargy and the desire for food, have put me up 1kg. I think a significant amount of that mass is the content of my nasal cavity.

[SteveC]

200g is probably noise, but it's noise in the right direction.

[IanN]

I'm normal! 

Well, that might be going a bit far, but I have a BMI of 24.9, down from 27+ at New Year, and the first time for somewhat more than 10 years.
An arbitrary line in the sand, but I'm quite pleased. A midrange BMI of 22 - 23 would be more of a challenge. A whole stone of challenge. Hmmmm.

[rafletcher]

Well, another small loss after another emotionally turbulent week (now the funeral is over I hope things will calm down a bit, and some normality can start to return) so basically pleased, as I had expected to be static or even gain some - too much red wine and cheese.

Trying to (re)impose some self-control this week, and the weekend looks good for getting out

[L CC]

I'm astounded my diet isn't having more effect on the scales.

Maybe stress is burning calories as well as sending me cake-wards?