:tu: Hi! This is my first entry on this journal. I started a "journey" last Saturday and hope to keep up with it until I reach my goals. I am from Portugal so all the numbers will be in the metric system initially at least until I manage to understand perfectly how to recalculate my weight, high and everything else in "the other system" :confused: .
I am 1'58m tall and 55 kg with a 28,04% body fat percentage :p not good not good...
I am taking some pictures of me now so I can make a weekly track for myself and maybe post here a monthly track.
I am a bit confused now at start with all the information on food and exercise also my current numbers and figure aren't that cheerful soooo...
As I had the chance to write before on other threads I practise water aerobics 3x/week. I've added a fast walk/run up a 15% decline for 45 minutes 4x/week and light lifting the rest day after the walk.
I am controlling my calorie intake up to a maximum of 1500 cal/day.
I am also starting to learn how to control a 40/40/20 diet as I still find a bit hard to gather accurate information on the content os every piece of food I take.
Anyway! I've started! Please hit me hard with the heaviest dumbell you have in case I fell off track! :D

:D Gave up on posting my photos!! They are so embarassing that I decided not to post them! I'll keep them for a personal track and (hopefully) a few good laughs in a couple of months!!
Yesterday was a mess... After spending some time on the forums searching and looking for some answers with the help of other amazing members who were on line, I came up with a few guidelines. And one of the most important ones: keep a 1500 cal/day diet! Of course I left the computer and by the end of the day I came up with a different number! 2000 cal!!! Beautiful!
After banging my head on the wall a few times I decided it was time to start for real and with no excuses. My 28% BF scared me and believe me my photos scared me even more!!!
Figures are:

Height: 1'58 m
Weight: 54.5 kg
BF: 28%

Basal:1332 cal
Lifestyle:568 cal

Race walking 4x/week
Water aerobics 3x/week
Light lifting 4x/week

And a 1500 cal/day diet!

Comments? Anyone? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!!!!! :bow:

I guess I'll keep it up and keep track of the results for a month... Then and maybe THEN I'll post some pictures! :gl:

Do those 'life style' Calories include your cardio sessions? (I doubt it)

I think you need to eat more Calories.

Also if you are 120lbs (54.5 kg) with 28% bodyfat you need MUSCLE. Lots of muscle.

I know it might sound backwards, but I think you need to be bulking, not cutting. Assuming all your numbers are accurate, you would have only 86 lbs (39kg) of lean body tissue. That number needs to go UP UP UP which will increase your metabolism, which will increase the number of Calories you burn a day, etc, etc, etc.

That would be the most effective strategy, for you.

To do that, don't lift light, lift HEAVY!

PM Chim-Chim, Freemason, and/or Woeisemma for advice they'll tell you right! (And are all ladies). Karatetricker or jeremylikness for some manly advice.

-Allen

:tu: Hi Allen! Thanks for the thread! The lifestyle number refers to my profissional activity as I work in an office and most of the day I just sit down at the computer and move around the office occasionally.
I got all the numbers from http://www.mybodycomp.com and http://www.fitday.com/ so I guess they should be more or less accurate.
I am still "tunning" my diet and work out. As I am just starting I plan on gradually increase weights and difficulty levels. The 1500 cal diet is sometimes a bit hard for me. Only now do I realise how badly people eat! I was in a seminar yesterday and today and the coffee breacks consisted of coffee and cookies; lunch was a gathering of fried meat and fish and whatever!!! But no fruit, no nothing really! I nearly starved! I didn't know what was best! To eat a little of bad food or not eat at all! I ended up not eating at all! I had to leave for a while ang go outside the seminar and get myself some real healthy food!
Anyway, I go and have a good look at the threads of the members you mentioned! Thanks for the tips!! :bow:

:tu: Hi Allen! Thanks for the thread! The lifestyle number refers to my profissional activity as I work in an office and most of the day I just sit down at the computer and move around the office occasionally.
I got all the numbers from http://www.mybodycomp.com and http://www.fitday.com/ so I guess they should be more or less accurate.
I am still "tunning" my diet and work out. As I am just starting I plan on gradually increase weights and difficulty levels. The 1500 cal diet is sometimes a bit hard for me. Only now do I realise how badly people eat! I was in a seminar yesterday and today and the coffee breacks consisted of coffee and cookies; lunch was a gathering of fried meat and fish and whatever!!! But no fruit, no nothing really! I nearly starved! I didn't know what was best! To eat a little of bad food or not eat at all! I ended up not eating at all! I had to leave for a while ang go outside the seminar and get myself some real healthy food!
Anyway, I go and have a good look at the threads of the members you mentioned! Thanks for the tips!! :bow:

*I BELIEVE* that it is usually better to get SOMETHING into your stomach, even it is bad, then to not eat at all. If you simply don't eat, your body will think your starving and hose your metabolism and that should be avoided at all costs. Also, if you deny yourself too long, eventually hunger WILL win and a binge will occur. Also, should be avoided. (*Just my opinons)

-Allen

Yep... a week today... :cool: and I just HAD to take my day off!!

Yesterday I was supposed to do my water aerobics class and some lifting. Instead, I have to thank my beloved :p profession... I had to walk for about 20 miles on a railway track!! I don't know how railway tracks are in the rest of the world but in Portugal they are sided by two iron rails (of course...) with small rocks between them. Ok... Try and walk 20 miles on small rocks and keep your balance and your legs and your whole body in one piece!!! Plus... great weather... had to drink 200000 gallons of water to keep on water level on my body!!! :mad:

Oh well... by the end of the day I was so hurt and the sun on my skin hurt so much that I just skipped class... and slept...

After a week, lost 1 lb but I'm not sure if this is onlly due to yesterday's effort. It was really hard on me.

I'm keeping up my 1500 caland ther outine exercise. Was I supposed to notice anything else different other than my weight?... A week is just a week so I don't really know if in such a short time I am supposed to feel something else...

Amazing how will power can do the trick sometimes...
I literally dragged myself to my morning sprint today... and amazingly enough...I didn't feel as well as usually after doing it.
Retaining water: my 121 lb just jumped to 122...great day today... :rolleyes:

After registering every single piece of food I put in my mouth for some days now, I realized one thing I had never noticed before... my meal times are a complete mess! I don't have a "snack time" or I don't have anything at all really! I only have three meals that are always at the same hour: brackfast, lunch and dinner. My snacks are at the most different hours as possible!!
I don't think that is very positive. I have to get my timetable more regular...

According to the Harris Benedict formula:

age 28
weight (kg) 55kg
heigh (cm) 158

BMR = 655 + (9.6 X weight in kilos) + (1.8 X height in cm) - (4.7 X age in years) = 655 + (9.6 x 55) + (1.8 x 158) - (4.7 x 28) =1335.8

Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
Calorie-Calculation = BMR X 1.55 = 1335.8 x 1.55 = 2070.49 cal...

So I guess my 1500 cal/day is ok... even though I'm not getting any results so far but I am absolutely POSITIVE!! :mad:

*sigh* Keep up the work girl...

Yes! DO keep that chin up. Results aren't measured in centimeters, kilograms, or even clothing sizes. It's in feeling good, being HEALTHY, and having lots of energy. Your post in my journal really cheered me up. Give yourself some of that same lovin'!

Ok so I started this journal in May, we're in August now and not much has changed. I gave up my water aerobics as it wasn't doing much for me at least physically. During July I did water aerobis 3x + body pump/combat 2x /week. That did some trick and I ended up more toned and lost 2-3 pounds and some volume, which is great.

Anyway I got a bit tired cause I like to see some changes and FAST! I know things won't happen overnight but I've been eating clean for some months now and I'm getting to the point of saturation. I do a cheat meal every seven days but the other 6 days are getting a bit dull.

After reading most of the posts in the nutrition forum I realised I'm not that strange as I just CAN'T get any junk food in my stomach now! It's amazing as I pass by Pizza Hut or McDonald's and just the smell makes me sick!! :p

Anyway, right now I became sort of addicted to Body Combat and do it 3x/week. I'm still trying to find out how many calories are burnt in a BC class but I know that as aerobic class it is fantastic! Any comments on Body Combat how be highly apreciated!!

Also I just got my bycicle back and am planning on "taking good care of it" :cool: starting this weekend and do it every other day.

News are I try and make a balanced diet, pretty much as I had in the beginning only now I manage to make my six meals every day.

Meal 1: bread+1sl low fat cheese+milk+coffee (200ml) = 451 cal

Meal 2: soya yogurt = 135 cal

Meal 3: salad + tuna (or chicken breast ) + eventually 1 cup rice = 384 cal

Meal 4: cereal bar = 84 cal

Meal 5: soup / salad and boiled fish or chicken breast = 350 cal

TOTAL: 1400 cal

Of course this is an average number as I find it a bit difficult to measure calories let alone protein,fat and carbs! I'm from Portugal and the measures are different from all the available systems on the internet. I've tryed and converted them but is still difficult to measure exactly the amount of food, I can only guess in average. I guess tha solution to this problem would be if I brought home made meals, that would be ideal but my job doesn't always permit it.

That's it for the feeding part. Any observations will be apreciated guys! :jumping: Some of you already told me to let go the morning bread and cheese... I've tryed but I get too hungry afterwars, I replaced the morning bread and cheese for all bran but it didn't last longuer than 1:30 hour for me to be hungry again!! :o So I went back to my usual stuff...

After doing some maths and talking with some of you guys I know I need an average 2000 cal/day to maintain so I need to cut down to 1500 cal/day to loose fat.

Right now I'm...

still the same height... 62.20 in
lost a little weight... 119lbs

I still need to update my measurements so I guess I'll do it on my next post.

;) take care everyone!

So I gave it some thought during the weekend... and decided to quit bread and cheese in the morning. Now I take my cereals and oat with milk in the morning.
Also I got constipated (is that the term?...) as I don't go to the bathroom everyday now :rolleyes: I had to find a way to make things work in a more "natural" way but I guess tonight I'll just take more drastic measures and get some pill or something...It'll be my first time as I usually take care of these constipations with tea and the morning cereals. Doesn't seem to be making the trick this time...
How many calories does it take painting the house? It was my whole weekend...

I still have a "fat person's head"... whatever that means.
After so many years tucking my belly even though I hardly notice any belly these days I still find myself pushing and holding breath so that the belly doesn't come out so much. Of course that results in stomach aches all the time which reminds me I don't have to do that anymore.
I still hate hearing someone calling me a fat person for a joke. I find that insulting even if that is only a remider of the truth everyone can see.
After putting all my efforts and best wishes to start a new program which included cycling and running I got constipated and my boss sent me 1200 miles away from home. Great. Driving all day long to spend an hour looking at the construction we're about to destroy...
Anyway food is great and I've managed to keep it clen despite the travel (took lunch and snacks with me).

I know what you mean about travel and eating. I just got deployed to Florida to work a disaster and it is making it really hard to do prepared foods with the little time I have. I think you are doing fine, just stay focused. At least you are keeping your journal up to date, and I have not even been doing that.

Also, April everyday? You and I were born 6 days apart. There seem to be so many April babies. =) Good luck with your travels, workout and diet.


I still have a "fat person's head"... whatever that means.
After so many years tucking my belly even though I hardly notice any belly these days I still find myself pushing and holding breath so that the belly doesn't come out so much. Of course that results in stomach aches all the time which reminds me I don't have to do that anymore.
I still hate hearing someone calling me a fat person for a joke. I find that insulting even if that is only a remider of the truth everyone can see.
After putting all my efforts and best wishes to start a new program which included cycling and running I got constipated and my boss sent me 1200 miles away from home. Great. Driving all day long to spend an hour looking at the construction we're about to destroy...
Anyway food is great and I've managed to keep it clen despite the travel (took lunch and snacks with me).

This stomach thing is not very nice... I was in pain all day long yesterday and night too. Today I woke up feeling a little better but I still felt some pain in the morning. This has been quieter these last few hours and i've had lunch and everything. Does it feel great to be able to eat without feeling pain in your stomach or what! I ate my lunch like crasy but was wise enough to go on some salmon and vegetables :cool: "me be smart" :cool:
Hope things ease up a little bit. Maybe it is just the stress. Things have been quite crasy at work and with the new house and everything... Holidays in 3 weeks... I can't wait anymore... I'm feeling really tired.
Of course I don't have to mention the fact I haven't been to the gym lately :o but with the stomach like that I would probably end up under some weights or whatever.. :d_rolleye

Went to the doctor yesterday. The stomachache was not going away and instead was getting worse. After a 10 minute laugh with the doctor at the sounds my belly can make, she told me I had an irritated intestine ( :confused: whatever...) which basically means that my intestines, instead of looking like intestines, look like plastic tubes, completely frozen... how strange can I be?... Because of all the stress at work and with the new house, my head "told" the body to just stress up and it did. :rolleyes:

Anyway I'm taking some pills now and hope everything will come back to normal in less than a week...

Apart from that and slowly, very slowly, the body combat classes are working on my body. My stomach is flat with no fat around the waist ( I don't think I remember ever not having fat around my waist...) but then again my hips and thighs look just the same. Once I feel better from my intestines (now I know it is not the stomach) I have to start running! That has to be the only way of definig my thighs faster!

Went to the doctor yesterday. The stomachache was not going away and instead was getting worse. After a 10 minute laugh with the doctor at the sounds my belly can make, she told me I had an irritated intestine ( :confused: whatever...) which basically means that my intestines, instead of looking like intestines, look like plastic tubes, completely frozen... how strange can I be?... Because of all the stress at work and with the new house, my head "told" the body to just stress up and it did. :rolleyes:

Anyway I'm taking some pills now and hope everything will come back to normal in less than a week...

Apart from that and slowly, very slowly, the body combat classes are working on my body. My stomach is flat with no fat around the waist ( I don't think I remember ever not having fat around my waist...) but then again my hips and thighs look just the same. Once I feel better from my intestines (now I know it is not the stomach) I have to start running! That has to be the only way of definig my thighs faster!

Everything get fixed up after the doctor visit? How are things going?

-Allen