I found this site: http://www.free-online-calculator-use.com/military-body-fat-calculator.html#Neck which gives you instructions on measuring your body fat % the way the U.S. Navy does it.
My stats are:
Neck: 12.8"
Waist: 27.75"
Widest part of hips: 39.5"
Height: 65"
Plugging this information in gives me a body fat percentage of 27.6% which is far better than my Tanita scale which measures me at 34%!
I am still learning to use calipers, so decided to try this method first, then see what the calipers say.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thoughts on a Treadmill
This is my treadmill stream of consciousness:
...Madonna is so awesome, the hair on the back of my neck is standing up watching this dvd concert....this thing better not reset again.....I wonder if anyone's checked me out at all since I have been working out..probably not there's far hotter girls in here, I'm the geeky girl in glasses and a tank top...but it would be nice to know my efforts are being noticed and appreciated....time for some Public Enemy!....this time going up to 10% grade....pant/pant/pant....decreasing grade...I am breathing so hard I wonder if anyone's thinking I am hyperventilating...time to bring it down and have some fun with Model Walking.....it's hard to walk in a straight line with your arms swinging side to side like models do, my inner quads are getting a nice workout and my abs feel good and tight doing this...I wonder if anyone else has fun like this on the treadmill....time to finish it up with Space Frog.....I see the mountain top! Follow Me!....I wonder if I'll actually someday be in a contest....that seems so unreal, but how cool would that be? .... I can get through this stress in my life.....I will be okay.
...Madonna is so awesome, the hair on the back of my neck is standing up watching this dvd concert....this thing better not reset again.....I wonder if anyone's checked me out at all since I have been working out..probably not there's far hotter girls in here, I'm the geeky girl in glasses and a tank top...but it would be nice to know my efforts are being noticed and appreciated....time for some Public Enemy!....this time going up to 10% grade....pant/pant/pant....decreasing grade...I am breathing so hard I wonder if anyone's thinking I am hyperventilating...time to bring it down and have some fun with Model Walking.....it's hard to walk in a straight line with your arms swinging side to side like models do, my inner quads are getting a nice workout and my abs feel good and tight doing this...I wonder if anyone else has fun like this on the treadmill....time to finish it up with Space Frog.....I see the mountain top! Follow Me!....I wonder if I'll actually someday be in a contest....that seems so unreal, but how cool would that be? .... I can get through this stress in my life.....I will be okay.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
My Madonna Inspiration and other thoughts
I have always admired Madonna.
When I get on a treadmill, I watch her Confessions Tour and the hair on the back of my neck stands up because she is so freaking awesome. I have a handful of her best, most recent videos and watch them during my cardio.
On a few levels I can relate to Madonna. Here is a woman who has had to find her own way, make her own choices and mistakes and keeps forging onward. She explores characters, personae and when photographed lately, seems to be wearing things that almost appear as costume.
She has invested a lot in herself-her brand- but now seems to be investing in her health and in reaching her potential. She had children late in life and continues not to "settle" for anything that doesn't meet her standards.
I enjoy the idea of dressing up to be someone or something else (so Halloween and the World's Largest Disco are my favorite annual events!), I too feel like I've had to figure much out for myself, have yet to really want children and feel like I'm discovering a love for myself late in life.
Anyhow---Madonna truly inspires me on the treadmill because I am there, reaching higher, pushing onward in life towards the next great thing, learning about my strengths rather than focusing on the weaknesses and failings I know all too well.
When I get on a treadmill, I watch her Confessions Tour and the hair on the back of my neck stands up because she is so freaking awesome. I have a handful of her best, most recent videos and watch them during my cardio.
On a few levels I can relate to Madonna. Here is a woman who has had to find her own way, make her own choices and mistakes and keeps forging onward. She explores characters, personae and when photographed lately, seems to be wearing things that almost appear as costume.
She has invested a lot in herself-her brand- but now seems to be investing in her health and in reaching her potential. She had children late in life and continues not to "settle" for anything that doesn't meet her standards.
I enjoy the idea of dressing up to be someone or something else (so Halloween and the World's Largest Disco are my favorite annual events!), I too feel like I've had to figure much out for myself, have yet to really want children and feel like I'm discovering a love for myself late in life.
Anyhow---Madonna truly inspires me on the treadmill because I am there, reaching higher, pushing onward in life towards the next great thing, learning about my strengths rather than focusing on the weaknesses and failings I know all too well.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Banana Cream Pie Protein Pudding
1 box of Jell-O Fat Free (also sugar-free) White Chocolate pudding mix
2 cups 1% milk
ground flax seed
2 scoops of your favorite vanilla type protein powder...for this recipe I used the "Whey Isolate Protein Powder" by Kaizen (sold at Costco)--2 scoops ...if you want to tell me what protein powder you end up using, I can tell you the new nutritional info. Make sure to get a protein powder low on carbs. Usually they are artificially sweetened if low on carbs.
5 little snack sized containers
artificial banana flavoring (sold in the baking section where you get vanilla)
Directions:
Blend the pudding powder, milk and protein powder for 2 minutes on low. Once you have it blended or even started blending it, add in about 3 little caps full of banana flavoring.
Get your 5 little snack sized containers out on your counter and spoon a tbsp of ground flax seed into each giving a little shake to get it to settle evenly.
GENTLY start ladelling a little bit of the mix into each cup so that it doesn't disturb the ground flaxseed too much (this is going to act like your graham cracker pie crust like in real banana cream pie). Pour the rest into each cup. Refrigerate until it's got a nice thick consistency and enjoy!
Using my protein powder, nutritional info per serving is:
149cals
0.72g fat
11.6g carb
1.6g fiber
18.72g protein
2 cups 1% milk
ground flax seed
2 scoops of your favorite vanilla type protein powder...for this recipe I used the "Whey Isolate Protein Powder" by Kaizen (sold at Costco)--2 scoops ...if you want to tell me what protein powder you end up using, I can tell you the new nutritional info. Make sure to get a protein powder low on carbs. Usually they are artificially sweetened if low on carbs.
5 little snack sized containers
artificial banana flavoring (sold in the baking section where you get vanilla)
Directions:
Blend the pudding powder, milk and protein powder for 2 minutes on low. Once you have it blended or even started blending it, add in about 3 little caps full of banana flavoring.
Get your 5 little snack sized containers out on your counter and spoon a tbsp of ground flax seed into each giving a little shake to get it to settle evenly.
GENTLY start ladelling a little bit of the mix into each cup so that it doesn't disturb the ground flaxseed too much (this is going to act like your graham cracker pie crust like in real banana cream pie). Pour the rest into each cup. Refrigerate until it's got a nice thick consistency and enjoy!
Using my protein powder, nutritional info per serving is:
149cals
0.72g fat
11.6g carb
1.6g fiber
18.72g protein
Saturday, August 29, 2009
1st Quarter Summary
It's been nearly 3 months since I started going to the gym.
I have added definition to my upper body and overall strength by continually moving up to the next weight on the stack or the next dumbbell to see if I can handle it. I started out going 3x a week for a habit, then started doing a more programmed routine 3x a week, then stepped it up for the last 3 weeks to do 2-day splits. It now takes me about 1.5 hrs to do my weight routine and 30 minutes to do cardio. I got out of bed 3 days in a row to make it to the gym for 5 a.m. (to see if I could do it). I have pinned down a new selection of routine food staples that I eat just about every day.
I have not seen much fat loss though, and I use scales that weigh in pounds and provide body fat %. I have weighed at the gym in the evening and at home in the morning and still no real changes.
At this point, it comes down to food.
I'm not entirely sure what caloric balance will work for me and have gone on the guidance of the personal trainer I've seen 4 times and still nothing.
I found this site this evening and determined the following:
Basal Metabolic Rate:
370 + (21.6 x 47kg) <--the 47kg is the lean body weight since I know my body fat % from the scales.
370 + 1015
= 1385
Total Dietary Energy Expenditure:
Using the Moderately active multiplier = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
1385 x 1.55
=2146.75 (this is the number of calories I would need to eat in order to maintain my weight)
To lose 2lbs a week:
(each pound of fat is 3500 calories...)
3500 x 2 = 7000
need to cut back 1000 calories per day
2146.75-1000 = 1146.75
It starts to be detrimental to metabolism when you go below 1200 calories per day so...will need to bring calories down to 1200 per day.
NEW EXERCISE PLAN:
For the next 3 months, I am going to follow Kris Gethin's 12-week transformation .
NEW EATING PLAN:
The Drawing Board....
Since I would need 1g of protein per pound of body fat in order to build muscle (to increase metabolism and hotness) and a gram of protein has 4 calories:
4 calories x 152lbs = 608 (51% calories from protein)
Since I need a good amount of fiber each day, I have a cup of All-bran and have 1% milk, blueberries, plain yogurt and a few other things that have a carb count in them, and since carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram and I would likely be having around 111g of carbs a day based on my eating trend, I would want to build into my food plan 37% calories from carbohydrates.
That leaves 12% for fats. Since that is probably a bit unrealistic with all the chicken, natural almonds and other protein sources that come with fat, I'm going to have to cut back on carbohydrates by about 10%. So.....
Final draft:
51% calories from protein (612 calories)
27% calories from carbohydrates (324 calories)
22% calories from fats (264 calories)
As well, I will need to eliminate cheat meals each week and go to 1 cheat "treat" every other week to keep me going. Maybe I will have a feature Cheat Treat 'O' the Month! It's a toss-up between the big Cadbury Fruit & Nut bar or something like a Dairy Queen Blizzard!
Nothing sucks more than working super hard at the gym not to at least start to see some fat coming off. Even 5 lbs would've been nice, but generally I'm flyin' solo on this mission and I'm trying to get the information I need to yield the right results.
To execute this plan effectively WILL require menu pre-planning. That's where FitDay.com comes in for me.
I have added definition to my upper body and overall strength by continually moving up to the next weight on the stack or the next dumbbell to see if I can handle it. I started out going 3x a week for a habit, then started doing a more programmed routine 3x a week, then stepped it up for the last 3 weeks to do 2-day splits. It now takes me about 1.5 hrs to do my weight routine and 30 minutes to do cardio. I got out of bed 3 days in a row to make it to the gym for 5 a.m. (to see if I could do it). I have pinned down a new selection of routine food staples that I eat just about every day.
I have not seen much fat loss though, and I use scales that weigh in pounds and provide body fat %. I have weighed at the gym in the evening and at home in the morning and still no real changes.
At this point, it comes down to food.
I'm not entirely sure what caloric balance will work for me and have gone on the guidance of the personal trainer I've seen 4 times and still nothing.
I found this site this evening and determined the following:
Basal Metabolic Rate:
370 + (21.6 x 47kg) <--the 47kg is the lean body weight since I know my body fat % from the scales.
370 + 1015
= 1385
Total Dietary Energy Expenditure:
Using the Moderately active multiplier = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
1385 x 1.55
=2146.75 (this is the number of calories I would need to eat in order to maintain my weight)
To lose 2lbs a week:
(each pound of fat is 3500 calories...)
3500 x 2 = 7000
need to cut back 1000 calories per day
2146.75-1000 = 1146.75
It starts to be detrimental to metabolism when you go below 1200 calories per day so...will need to bring calories down to 1200 per day.
NEW EXERCISE PLAN:
For the next 3 months, I am going to follow Kris Gethin's 12-week transformation .
NEW EATING PLAN:
The Drawing Board....
Since I would need 1g of protein per pound of body fat in order to build muscle (to increase metabolism and hotness) and a gram of protein has 4 calories:
4 calories x 152lbs = 608 (51% calories from protein)
Since I need a good amount of fiber each day, I have a cup of All-bran and have 1% milk, blueberries, plain yogurt and a few other things that have a carb count in them, and since carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram and I would likely be having around 111g of carbs a day based on my eating trend, I would want to build into my food plan 37% calories from carbohydrates.
That leaves 12% for fats. Since that is probably a bit unrealistic with all the chicken, natural almonds and other protein sources that come with fat, I'm going to have to cut back on carbohydrates by about 10%. So.....
Final draft:
51% calories from protein (612 calories)
27% calories from carbohydrates (324 calories)
22% calories from fats (264 calories)
As well, I will need to eliminate cheat meals each week and go to 1 cheat "treat" every other week to keep me going. Maybe I will have a feature Cheat Treat 'O' the Month! It's a toss-up between the big Cadbury Fruit & Nut bar or something like a Dairy Queen Blizzard!
Nothing sucks more than working super hard at the gym not to at least start to see some fat coming off. Even 5 lbs would've been nice, but generally I'm flyin' solo on this mission and I'm trying to get the information I need to yield the right results.
To execute this plan effectively WILL require menu pre-planning. That's where FitDay.com comes in for me.
Monday, June 22, 2009
My Newbie Goals
I have been following a ketogenic diet for what seems like a long time. If I haven't been "on the diet", I have been "off the diet, trying to get back on". I have been faithful to the Dr.Bernstein program really believing that it has been my saving grace. I have been fortunate that my last and present health benefits plan has reimbursed 85%-100% of the cost of the program, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here today weighing around 145lbs and wearing a size medium or 9/10.
While it is certainly wonderful to fit into clothes at that size and opens up so many clothing options at cheaper prices at this size, because of the super strict nature of the plan I've been successful on, I am now tiring of it and have found that it is really hard to lose those last 5-10lbs. Mostly because I already look in the mirror and am generally happy with the clothing size and because it's a diet that is very isolating and requires a great deal of discipline and focus.
I have never been a gym person. Mostly because the only gyms that are available in the area just don't seem like places I would want to spend much time in. However, recently a Gold's Gym opened and I signed up for it. I'm actually enjoying the amenities, the atmosphere and can see myself going regularly.
Last week I went 3 times. That hardly ever happened in the past!
I've also been feeling like I need a new direction in life. For the last several months I have been coming to terms with where I am financially and it seems like it will be another 5 years or so before my credit report is sparkling clean. At 38 years old, it just feels like I am resigned to this financial situation and that it is weighty enough to prevent me from enjoying other aspects of life. Mainly children...do I want them? When I do want them, can I afford to have them? When I can afford to have them...will I be able to have them? What if I miss that boat entirely because I spend the next 3-4 years waiting for my financial fitness to improve and biology has made the decision for me??.....my mind has been spinning about it and at this point, I need to look at what I can do to put my mind towards something less stressful.
I've never really worked out consistently.
I am easily stressed and worry excessively.
Without the confines of the diet I've been or been trying to follow, I am scared because I don't know how to eat that will not make me gain weight.
With this in mind, I recently was exploring a website called TMuscle.com . After just trying to figure out what would make a productive routine at the gym, I started checking out the areas devoted to "figure athletes". The loftiest goal I could think of would be in good enough shape that I could be a figure athlete.
My realistic goal which is important for me right now would be to start building muscle so that I can increase my metabolism so that I can afford to follow some semblance of 'normal eating' and feel confident that I can keep my weight loss down.
Also, I have a Tanita scale which currently shows my body fat percentage at 34% and if that's accurate, I need to lose some body fat.
I have come a long way from 231 lbs 9 years ago.
So, today I will go to the gym and report later what I did.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)