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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Weight Loss - Down 8, Feeling Great!


A few years back, I hit my all-time high of 235 pounds. It was an all-time high weight, but all-time low in my health.

In the years since, I've done a few rounds of weight-loss since then with varying success. First I dropped from there into the low 200's, then let it pop up a bit before tackling it again.

What doesn't work:

- Exercise without diet change doesn't take off weight
- Dieting without exercise takes off weight, but it doesn't stay off

The only thing that's worked long-term is consistent exercise and controlling calories.

Last year, I dropped from 212lbs to about 190lbs. That was great. Over the next year I started to ignore diet a little, and the weight started to come back on, right back up to 196lbs.

So I'm back to dieting. In the last month, I've dropped 8 pounds, down to 188lbs. My target is to get into the 170's, then I will re-evaluate just how much weight I should be carrying.

How many calories?

I use this calculator. I set the activity level to "Sedentary" to find out how much I need before any exercise or activity is considered. Based on this, I burn about 2400/day just living.

To lose 1 pound a week, you need to burn about 500 calories more than you consume.

This time I've chosen 2000/day. It's worked out to about 2 pounds a week when activity is factored in, I tend to be doing a lot of long rides and such that burn through thousands of calories. I don't count calories consumed during exercise, and for long runs or rides I don't count my post-activity recovery food (usually 200 calories or so).

And I do take cheat days... I just make sure I don't go nuts with it, and don't take too many.

All of it adds up to (1) not feeling deprived at all, and (2) seeing great numbers on the scale.

Based on my BMI, I should be 185 just to not be "overweight". That ignores body composition, and I think mine is quite favourable with all the working out, but since I'm nowhere near the "athletic" category I'm not going to make excuses, I should be under 180lbs.

Feel free to ask me questions if you're going to do something similar! I love to hear other people's success stories.

2 comments:

answerphoned1,d6 said...

I'm 185 lbs. Put on a bit since Aida was born and can't get as much exercise as I used to. So I guess we're about the same weight now!

I don't think the BMI is the be-all, end-all...it doesn't seem to account for an athletic or muscular body-type. I think BMI plus some other measure (such as waist size) is probably a better indicator if you are a health risk.

Jon P said...

For now!!! :) 175, here I come!

BMI - yeah, I use it more as a guide than something set in stone.