Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Calorie counting update

Four weeks DONE! It's going pretty well, actually! I still spend too much time on it, but as long as I stick to paying attention to actual calorie counts on FitDay, the scale seems to move - very, very gradually.

Four week progress:
Weight change: -4.8 pounds
Bust: -1.5 inches
Waist: -1.5 inches
Hips: -1.0 inches
Thighs: -0.5 inches

Calories eaten per day, average: about 2000
Calories burned in exercise per day, average: about 370
Approximate distribution of calories: protein 19%, carbohydrate 40%, fat 41% (17% saturated fats)

Optimally I would cut that fat percentage down to less than 35% of calories, but it does seem to keep me from feeling too hungry. And I need to watch my energy levels and re-fuel well during exercise so that I can get in all my workouts.

I've officially transitioned from "obese" status to merely "overweight" status, based on my Body Mass Index, currently 29.3. (Yes, I'm aware of all the problems with interpreting BMI, and I am somewhat more muscular and heavier-boned than the average woman my height, but let's just keep it simple here). It will take me about 28 more pounds to graduate to "normal" status (BMI less than 25.0), but based on body fat percentage charts and my measurements, I'm in the "acceptable" range of body fat for women (huh? acceptable to whom?), but I'd definitely prefer to be down at the "fitness" or "athlete" level!!

Yes, I've still got a long ways to go! For non-smoking "older women", there is still an overall increased mortality risk at BMI levels above 25.0 (and for women under 55 years old, above about 21.0). But it's nice to be going in the right direction instead of the wrong direction!

It's a work in progress, a journey and not a destination, yadda yadda yadda.

8 comments:

Dr. Iron TriFeist :) said...

GREAT JOB!!!!!!! Welcome to the land of merely overweight. It's fun here. :) Seriously, I would have to weigh 114 pounds to reach a BMI of 21. That's less than I weighed in 8th grade and all through high school. 128 (BMI less than 24) will be hard enough.

Brooke said...

Great job on the weight loss, you must be so proud!!
If I may make a small suggestion, you really should up your protein and lower the fat. I know you said that the fats help you stay full, longer, but it's actually the opposite. Fats go through your system really quickly. Protein and fiber rich foods take longer to digest and therefore give you the full feeling longer.
Wow!! I just used something that I learned in nurtrition class. Yay me!!

Nancy Toby said...

Good points! I do try to keep high-protein foods in the mix, and need to work on higher fiber selections. I think the higher fat tends to keep me more satisfied-feeling, perhaps that's a better term. High-carbohydrate, low fat makes my blood sugar go nuts.

Thanks!

Bolder said...

booyah!

keep workin' it. you'll get results!!

Mojo said...

Very impressive, you lost a lot of inches. Almost 5 pounds too! Do your clothes fit differently?

I'm proud of you, it takes so much willpower to stick to calorie counting. I still don't know how you passed up that Samoa ice-cream. I look for it at every grocery store and can never find it!

Cliff said...

Nancy,

That's great. I found the hardest is eliminating sat fat. They are everywhere and they are out to get me :O.

Nancy Toby said...

Thanks! Yeah, it's mostly cheese and meat and (to my surprise) olive oil, but it's still too high. But improving, slowly....

Habeela said...

Woohoo! Doin' the happy dance for Nancy Toby! Keep up the great work!