Happy Sunday, everyone!

Only a pound down this week, but after last week's 5 pound loss I pretty much expected as much. Still, 12.5 pounds off this month is not bad here at month nine of my journey.

Volunteered at my school's spaghetti dinner fund raiser last night--planned for two cups of spaghetti w/awesome homemade sauce, two meatballs and one small piece of garlic bread (all also homemade) and that's exactly what I had. No seconds and no trip to the dessert table. I did make sure I had calories left for a grapefruit and my daily prunes when I got home--gotta have the fibre and evening cals.

It looks like most everyone is doing well. If we can get through the worst of winter and end up 10% smaller just think of what we'll accomplish come spring!

I am so looking forward to doing the outdoors stuff I've been (to be perfectly blunt) too damned fat to do for the last few years. My mountain bike is coming out of storage, as are the tent and camper. We're planning a camping trip to Acadia Natl. Park where of course there are miles and miles of the most beautiful hiking and climbing opportunites. Of course, there will also be some Jeep trips and other things as well. I may even break out my golf clubs (FOUR!).

Anyway, looks like the April Fool's goal is going to happen, perhaps even a bit early. I'm pretty sure I can take of the last 15 pounds by then.

Keep up the great work, eveyone, and keep your eye on the prize--YOU!

Regards,
Michael

Am I too late to get in? I'd love the challenge. I just bought new scales and had to "restart" my diet. I was using another web site for the last 24 days.. The new good set of digital scales showed that I actually weighed 5 lbs more than the crappy cheap set showed. optimalbody weight does not allow you to tweak that stuff. Now I am here at FitDay and things seem so much easier and better to use. I need to lose 12 pounds to make the 10% but would like to place the bet at 15 lbs. If I have lost less than 15 lbs. by 4/1 I will not consider success.

Brenda, welcome to FitDay and the forums.

Of course you are welcome to join the challenge--the more the merrier! 15 pounds in 8 weeks is quite doable if you work it.

If you like, post your starting weight in the 10% April Fools Day Check In thread. Many of us update the thread more-or-less weekly to share our progress. Purely optional, of course.

If there's anything we can do to help, don't hesitate to ask.

Regards,
Michael

Almeeker- thanks for your thoughts- they mean a lot to me :)

Michael- a pound is a great loss! You are doing so well and i know you will hit those numbers before our deadline...you are rocking it! I too am looking forward to the warmer weather!


As for my weigh in this week: it is BAD! I am almost embarrassed to put this up...i went from 189.8 to 193.8. I am so upset at myself. This weekend was a girls weekend- i drank a bit but it was not like i went crazy drinking and eating! I mean a 4 pound weight gain is huge! I nearly cried on the scale this morning...

Feeling depressed about the entire situation but i know i need to dust myself off and get back on that horse.

Things i need to do this week;
workout 5 times.
eat 1,800 calories- that is how many i am supposed to eat but last week i was trying to eat only 1,300 which really screwed me up i think!
try and stay positive and calm
be appreciate of what i have


Here's to a better week....

Thanks, Kaitlin.

Now, don't beat yourself up about the (very) temporary gain due to fluid retention. You know as well as I do that it takes an EXTRA 14,000 calories to "gain" four pounds of fat.

On my monthly day off (which was a week from last saturday, FWIW) I generally drink beer to excess and eat way more than usual. I hit a bit over 3K calories this time, which includes 1K in beer (a modest for me six 12oz. bottles). Of course I KNOW I will retain fluid and my liver will slow up processing fat as it has to deal with the alcohol. I also know that I don't have a deficit that day. So, I make sure not to weigh for at least a week. Sure enough, on this saturday, I had zero loss--on Sunday, I was down a pound (1.5, actually, but I rounded down).

We just get back on our usualy plan and stick with it. As you also know, the occasional day or two like that is fine--it's when they start getting closer and closer together that starts the downward spiral.

Have a pleasant and healthy day!

Regards,
Michael

Mike, I have a question- My daily calories burn (seated lifetyle) is 2,500- 595 deficit= 1,905...which is what i am supposed to be eating but last week for some reason i tried to stay around 1,300 calories...this could hurt me more than help i learned right?

eating 1,900 calories makes me feel like i'll gain weight!

Well, IF your burn calculation is accurate, then at a (honest) 500 cal per day deficit you will, on average, lose one pound of fat.

Now I'm male, and considerably heavier than you so my basal burn will be higher than yours, exercise notwithstanding.

As you know, I've been on ~1500 calories since May. My actual average calorie intake over that period, which includes "days off" since I log EVERYTHING is around 1580 per day. After nine months my weekly average loss is down to around 2.7 pounds which is pretty much right on the money with the "math".

Part of the problem is that all of this is a serious of "guesstimates". Lifestyle, exercise and basal metaboslims are all, at best, informed estimates, as is caloric intake. I think that with only a wafer-thin 500 calorie difference that it is too easy for that 500 to end up effectively being more or less "zero".

I also use seated with some movement as my lifestyle. I add in 8 hours of sleep and log my daily exercise and any activities that I think are important. My daily "burn" is generally around 3,000 to 3,100. That means, on average, I run a 1,400 to 1,500 deficit. As my weight goes down, so will the deficit unless I make it up in additional exercise.

I'm getting long winded here, but I'm not a big believer in the whole "starvation mode" notion. Oh, I'm sure the body does try to conserve energy but really, I've gone 30 days on zero calories before and lost weight like the dickens. I spent nine months on a strict 1,000 calories and 10 grams of fat total plan the last time I used FitDay back in '01-02 and lost almost 200 pounds.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think you might consider (and I know there are other folks who will respectfully disagree) cutting back the cals a bit. I know you eat well and exercise so I really don't think it will hurt you and really, you can eat darned well on 1,500 calories and seldom be (physically) hungry. If 1,300 keeps you comfortable, great, if not try 1,400 or 1,500.

This is all just MHO based upon my experience, and as always, YMMV.

Regards,
Michael

Challenge Tally
 

As of now 01/31 we have lost a total of 198.25 pounds! :D

Let's all give ourselves a pat on our (smaller) backs!

Regards,
Michael

WOW!!!!

i hope everyone is starting to see the little changes that are probably happening to our bodies! Today i noticed my arms feel more firm! WOO HOO

Ok if i join this challenge?i'm 264lbs atm so would need to lose 26lbs is that about right.
I'M Tom btw as in the t47tom soon to be 48 lol.Hi all.:)