FAT LOSS CHALLENGE

[kallefs]

Measurements is the weight lifted. Lifts goes up, weight goes down=good. Lifts goes up, weight stays the same=good. Lifts goes down/stalls, weight goes wherever=bad.

[LvH]

Those of you who are trying to lose... are you relying solely on scales or are you using measurements and / or body fat percentage? Scales alone are not accurate - you may be losing physical weight, but that weight may well be muscle instead of fat and that would be counter-productive.

Yeah that's true. Do you recommend just a couple places or would I have to measure everything? For body fat percentage, I thought the only way to do that is in one of those water tanks or something?

I have been thinking that if I don't feel really hungry/weak/tired/psycho and I'm running o.k., then I'm hopefully not calorie negative enough to start losing muscle, and some fat will go first? Although I may have to feel really hungry sometimes to make some progress. If I don't make progress this week, that's what I'll try to do next week.

I am tracking calories / nutrition. I'm using http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/. To anyone thinking of using livestrong though, I think the amount of calories they say are burned during exercise is always way too high (unless you are one of the awesome strong and huge people here!), so I under-report exercise.

[vegansludge]

Those of you who are trying to lose... are you relying solely on scales or are you using measurements and / or body fat percentage? Scales alone are not accurate - you may be losing physical weight, but that weight may well be muscle instead of fat and that would be counter-productive.

Yeah that's true. Do you recommend just a couple places or would I have to measure everything? For body fat percentage, I thought the only way to do that is in one of those water tanks or something?

I have been thinking that if I don't feel really hungry/weak/tired/psycho and I'm running o.k., then I'm hopefully not calorie negative enough to start losing muscle, and some fat will go first? Although I may have to feel really hungry sometimes to make some progress. If I don't make progress this week, that's what I'll try to do next week.

I am tracking calories / nutrition. I'm using http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/. To anyone thinking of using livestrong though, I think the amount of calories they say are burned during exercise is always way too high (unless you are one of the awesome strong and huge people here!), so I under-report exercise.

If you're in a deficit for quite some time, you are inevitably going to lose muscle. However, if you're keeping your protein pretty high (definitely hitting, if not exceeding, the 1g per lb. of bodyweight), the losses won't be as high. However, as much as I wish it were possible, there is no way to just lose fat and not muscle when you're in a caloric deficit.

To address the part I bolded, I personally don't think that's a healthy way to go about losing weight. You shouldn't want to feel hungry to re-affirm your fat loss. If anything, you should want to feel full more often and for longer periods of time when you're in a deficit because it makes the process easier and you're more likely to stick with it if you feel "normal" than if you feel hungry.

[LvH]

Vegansludge, thanks for the post!!

Yeah that is a really good point, that I'll be more likely to stick with the deficit if I feel "normal" rather than hungry. I didn't really feel hungry yet but.... didn't lose this week either - that will be another post.

Yup I'm definitely not getting that much protein, more like .5 - .75 x BW. I had thought that was plenty, but with a goal of losing more fat than muscle I will keep this in mind, thanks

[LvH]

SECOND WEEK UPDATE!!!

Let's hear it!!!

[LvH]

My 2nd week:

no loss!! And I thought I was good this week!! I am going to have to actually stick to my recommended calories or less. In the past I still lost weight even if I went a bit over most days, but apparently not anymore

On the bright side, I have really been kicking ass (relative to my past) in my running training plan. And strength training once a week is a stunning improvement over NEVER (previously).

Net loss, 0. Net gain, 0. But baldy, don't forget I've got kallefs!!! And maybe others...

Kallefs, I like your measurement system too! This week I should really be able to lose SOMETHING for our side.

I'm definitely planning to keep trying to lose for longer than 2 more weeks. I'll keep the challenge going as long as anyone besides me is still into it. Since one month was the original deadline, I'll post a list of everyone's losses / gains at the one month mark.

[vegansludge]

Vegansludge, thanks for the post!!

Yeah that is a really good point, that I'll be more likely to stick with the deficit if I feel "normal" rather than hungry. I didn't really feel hungry yet but.... didn't lose this week either - that will be another post.

Yup I'm definitely not getting that much protein, more like .5 - .75 x BW. I had thought that was plenty, but with a goal of losing more fat than muscle I will keep this in mind, thanks

No problem! I followed the approach you first posted (as well as not getting enough protein) for quite some time and ended up losing too much muscle, looking "skinny fat," and still have a hard time eating enough to be putting on muscle - which is my current goal.

Also, another nice thing is that protein provides a lot of satiety. So increasing your intake's a win/win.

[kallefs]

I'm up to 84 and currently stuffing myself Feels good to eat again.

[kallefs]

Still at 84 kg. Christmas is around the corner, bulking might ensue.

[LvH]

THIRD WEEK UPDATE!!!

Nice one kallefs for already posting yours I'm a day late, thanks for picking up my slack! Hey at least you didn't go up. Christmas is hard, it seems like the more friends and family you have the more food is everywhere!! Most of it is not vegan though, around me, so that helps.

[LvH]

3rd week: minus 2 lbs!

Yay! Apparently staying under my recommended calorie limit IS actually required

I think it may really have helped that I increased my protein too, which was due to vegansludge's post. It's hard to tell within one week, but I think that may be a huge improvement for me, thanks again vegansludge!

[vegansludge]

3rd week: minus 2 lbs!

Yay! Apparently staying under my recommended calorie limit IS actually required

I think it may really have helped that I increased my protein too, which was due to vegansludge's post. It's hard to tell within one week, but I think that may be a huge improvement for me, thanks again vegansludge!

No thanks need, glad to be of help!

kallefs - Extra calories = PRs and progress, go for the holiday bulk!

[Talyn]

I'm at 65kg at the moment. Revising the plan to hit 64kg by new years, rather than xmas.

Feeling stronger than ever at the moment, so I don't mind the delay.

Lowish carb iifym this week, to prepare for the xmas feast to end all xmas feasts.

[LvH]

Feeling stronger than ever at the moment, so I don't mind the delay.

Awesome!!!

Hehe, now that I googled it I learned what iifym is, too

[vegansludge]

Lowish carb iifym this week, to prepare for the xmas feast to end all xmas feasts.

After today's carb-ocolypse, I'm dropping them starting tomorrow to prepare for the weekend as well. IIFYM or die.