Looking for people that are not easily offended to talk fitness.

I am crass, tactless, completely insensitive, and find myself constantly insulting people without intention. Therefore, I would like to start a group for people like me, if there are any, who can help motivate/ get motivated without getting angry when I say something completely inappropriate. I promise to conform to the basic guidelines as set out by our wonderful mediators, but I can't promise I won't encourage discussions about sex, politics, and any other such drama-starters.

In short, I know that somewhere, over the rainbow, poorly motivated sarcastic wiseguys like myself are looking for a kick in the pants, and I'm here for you friends. Let me kick you in the pants. (Metaphorically of course)

jef9up, well done!  I'd have to lose a leg (or two) or something to ever weigh 135 lbs. so I envy you. 

I'm bad about weekends too.  I used to have a cheat day on Saturdays, but decided to give it up to see if it would make a difference on the scale.  Mind you, I never went crazy, I would just allow myself dessert or a more calorie dense (read: fattening) meal.  However, it hasn't made a lick of difference.  If fact, I've actually gained 2 lbs. since I did that.  I just don't get it.  Eat clean = gain weight?  Whatever!!!

I called my doctor this morning to get a referral to a nutritionist in my medical group.  I paid out of pocket to see one on my own last Summer, but she was telling me to eat only 1200 calories with all of the exercise I was doing (my BMR is 1705).  At first it worked, of course, but then it stopped and I haven't been able to lose but 12 lbs. since last October.  My body just apparently doesn't want to give up any more fat.  Anyway, hopefully meeting this new nutritionist will help me figure out if I'm eating too little or too much.

Well my scale was not so nice, but what can you expect when you have miso soup and teriyaki chicken the day before. Helllooo sodium monster. Even so, when I went to record my weight on my monthly chart (I have weeklies and line graphs and bar graphs of everything, total spreadsheet geek) I still managed to be 8 down from last month, yay me! I felt like I've been here hovering around 260 forever, but I guess that's not so. Maybe next week into the 250's, yeah yeah yeah!!

I have been have a lot of erratic scale readings for the last few weeks, ever since my Dreaded Plateau ended. I have been considering going back to 1700 cals per day (I raised to 1900 in attempt to break plateau and just stayed there), but it's so darn hard to get back down after having a higher daily limit. And I have been wanting to get back to the gym for some weight-lifting, so maybe I will stay at 1900 and work in some weights instead. Sounds like there are multiple benefits to it!!

I would like to inject some testosterone into the progesterone, and will add my smarta$$ery to the conversation. There used to be more of me to go around, so I guess I'll have to spread myself thin to represent my gender.

Answer to the first question is lettuce as a substitute for bread.

Sexercise is a good idea . .. even if it doesn't burn that many calories, it's a good idea. I guess passive sexual activity is better than passive-aggressive sexual activity.

Oh yes, rah rah blah blah for your weight loss for motivation purposes, of course.

Original Post by was128:

Pitas are made of the same ingredients as bread, how could it possibly be better?  (Just check the calories - it seems better maybe because it looks like a smaller amount then bread, but in reality it's just less fluffy - piece of whole wheat bread is about 60 cals, a whole wheat pita is about 120.)  Who wants a life without bread anyways.   I hate "low"  (low cal, low carb, low fat, low sugar) foods.  Just eat a reasonable amount of regular healthy food and exercise.  But if you really want to have the sandwich ingredients without the bread, just make yourself an anti-pasto snack - buy the good quality stuff - olives, pickles, sun-dried tomatoes, strong cheese, and nice cold cuts (or even better, a sliced up chicken breast or steak or something).   Have a nice glass of wine with it too.  mmmmm.

 Can we revisit the bread/pita question for a moment?

Where is this bread that is only 60 cal per slice, whole wheat no less? All the bread I have seen, and I have checked all available, is 100-120 cals per slice. I found a bakery that made a multigrain organic loaf that had only 75 cals per slice, and I thought that was pretty sweet! Slices are just a little smaller though, so it's no miracle.

I personally LOVe pitas, I lived in the middle east as a kid and learned to love them. I am gald for their popularity now, because they are more widely available. THe Safeway here makes a ww pita that is 150 per whole pita, and relatively low in sodium. So I can stuff full two pita pockets for 150, or I can have one sammich made with bread for 200 cals, not counting the stuffings of course, so to me that's no contest! I do love bread of all kinds though, so sometimes you just gotta.

Original Post by victoriagirl:

Where is this bread that is only 60 cal per slice, whole wheat no less?

 The one I know of is Healthy Life.  However, if I'm gonna indulge in a good sandwich, give me real, hearty, whole grain, fully textured, crusty-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside bread.  But pitas are great in the meantime. 

OK everyone.  My OCD is kicking in something fierce today and I'm analyzing the heck out of my calories.  I'm going to lay out my required calories as I've figured them to be and my exercise.  This may be long, so deal okay?  :o)

I eat a macronutrient ratio of 40% complex carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat.  When I eat bread, it's whole wheat.  Pasta is also whole wheat when I imbibe (maybe twice per week).  Only lean protein and dairy choices (1% milk, fat-free yogurt).  I also aim to eat at least two servings of fruit and 3 servings of non-starchy veggies.  Fats consist of nuts or nut butters and olive oil.  Everything is precisely measured.

Based on the Harris-Benedict formula for figuring out calories (as taught to me by a nutritionist), my BMR calories are 1708 for my current weight.  That's the amount of calories I need to sustain my body if I didn't get out of bed.  Since I have a desk job and am therefore sedentary for most of my day, I will multiply that number by 1.1 to reach 1878.  Now to reach a 500 cal./day deficit, I will lower that figure to 1678 because I will definitely burn at least 300 calories through exercise.  That will give me a deficit of 1400 cal. from calorie restriction.  I figure the total calories needed in a week and then cycle or zig-zag my calories each day.

I exercise 6 days/week, devoting 2 days to a full-body weight routine with my PT (435 cal. burned), 2 days @ 1 hr. each to advanced Step aerobics (585 cal. burned (I actually work out twice on Tuesdays for a total of 2 hrs.)) and 3 days @ 30 min. to training for the C25K (275 cal. burned).  On the C25K training days I will also ride the bike or hop on the step mill to reach a calorie expenditure of 300 calories.  Add to that the various calories burned for housecleaning and yard work and I'm averaging around 2200 calories burned through exercise (I have a HRM so I track this very carefully). 

Looking at the math, I should be losing AT LEAST 1 lb. per week, yes?  Well, I've actually gained 2 lbs. over the last three weeks.  What friggen gives?  Am I eating too much?  Too little?  Not enough exercise?  What do you guys think?

Frustrated to the enth degree!!!

It sounds like you are doing all the right things (sounds like my easting plan actually, so I guess that's why it sounds good to me). How long have you been using this calculation? Have you had success with it up until now, or is it something new you just started?

I ask because I suspect you have had success with it up until now, and have just run into a stall. Or a DP (Dreaded Plateau). Sometimes out bodies just need some time to adjust. Sometimes they do not submit to mathematical formulas. Or perhaps your scale could use an exorcism. Either way, I think you can be confident that you are doing what is right for your body and your health, and you can be proud of that.

My body does not submit to math anymore. I was losing exactly how much I calculated I should up until a couple months ago. Then everything went haywire. I plateau'd for several weeks, and when it finally broke, my weight loss became unpredictable. Well I can predict it will go down over time, but the week-to-week loss is just not as systematic as it used to be. I should be losing a steady 1.5 lbs per week, minimum, but lately its been up two, down three, up one, down four, you get the idea.

I would give it a few weeks before worrying about it. I know it's frustrating doing all the right things and seeing nothing from it, but I think the best thing to do is hold steady, keep up your excellent eating plan and workout routines, and when your body is ready to give up some lbs, you will have everything in place for that to happen.

Thanks victoriagirl.   You are correct in that I've had success with this program up until now.  Intellectually I know that I am doing everything right.  I've really been trying to not focus on the scale, but today it's just really pissing me off since it is now a full four months without a single oz. lost.  I cannot deny the changes in my body.  There is that.  But, psychologically, I want to see the numbers going down.  

Okay, I'm done.  No more downer B.S. from me.  I'm going to go read my smutty romance novel and eat my tofu.

Cheers!

Hey, "Mc85" (yea...i know i mistyped it...SO WHAT!?) I want in!

[grumbling...almost mumbling]

...please...

=DnD

Original Post by durgy:

I would like to inject some testosterone into the progesterone, and will add my smarta$$ery to the conversation. There used to be more of me to go around, so I guess I'll have to spread myself thin to represent my gender.

Answer to the first question is lettuce as a substitute for bread.

Sexercise is a good idea . .. even if it doesn't burn that many calories, it's a good idea. I guess passive sexual activity is better than passive-aggressive sexual activity.

Oh yes, rah rah blah blah for your weight loss for motivation purposes, of course.

ok finally a real man not afraid. actually pk chang has some tofu thing wrapped in lettuce thats pretty good. sexercise sounds fine but i like to be able to zone out when im working out as well. its hard enough for me to fit both in.

and 1aprilfool, im actually not irish, from la-la land, but live here. but i get a little (or not so little) irish in me now & then. well im part irish with other things mixed in, but i dont look it

rnjt, <grinning lasciviously> Okay, well it's cool for you to be living abroad.  It's so very The Holiday.  Does your man look like Jude Law?  :0)

Gentlemen, it's nice to have a testosterone chaser to go with our estrogen swill.

Original Post by 1aprilfool:

OK everyone.  My OCD is kicking in something fierce today and I'm analyzing the heck out of my calories.  I'm going to lay out my required calories as I've figured them to be and my exercise.  This may be long, so deal okay?  :o)

I eat a macronutrient ratio of 40% complex carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat.  When I eat bread, it's whole wheat.  Pasta is also whole wheat when I imbibe (maybe twice per week).  Only lean protein and dairy choices (1% milk, fat-free yogurt).  I also aim to eat at least two servings of fruit and 3 servings of non-starchy veggies.  Fats consist of nuts or nut butters and olive oil.  Everything is precisely measured.

Based on the Harris-Benedict formula for figuring out calories (as taught to me by a nutritionist), my BMR calories are 1708 for my current weight.  That's the amount of calories I need to sustain my body if I didn't get out of bed.  Since I have a desk job and am therefore sedentary for most of my day, I will multiply that number by 1.1 to reach 1878.  Now to reach a 500 cal./day deficit, I will lower that figure to 1678 because I will definitely burn at least 300 calories through exercise.  That will give me a deficit of 1400 cal. from calorie restriction.  I figure the total calories needed in a week and then cycle or zig-zag my calories each day.

I exercise 6 days/week, devoting 2 days to a full-body weight routine with my PT (435 cal. burned), 2 days @ 1 hr. each to advanced Step aerobics (585 cal. burned (I actually work out twice on Tuesdays for a total of 2 hrs.)) and 3 days @ 30 min. to training for the C25K (275 cal. burned).  On the C25K training days I will also ride the bike or hop on the step mill to reach a calorie expenditure of 300 calories.  Add to that the various calories burned for housecleaning and yard work and I'm averaging around 2200 calories burned through exercise (I have a HRM so I track this very carefully). 

Looking at the math, I should be losing AT LEAST 1 lb. per week, yes?  Well, I've actually gained 2 lbs. over the last three weeks.  What friggen gives?  Am I eating too much?  Too little?  Not enough exercise?  What do you guys think?

Frustrated to the enth degree!!!

Maybe what you are experiencing is muscle gain and not weight gain. I understand muscle weighs more than fat. Maybe the gain is a good thang.

Original Post by 1aprilfool:

rnjt, Okay, well it's cool for you to be living abroad. It's so very The Holiday. Does your man look like Jude Law? :0)

Gentlemen, it's nice to have a testosterone chaser to go with our estrogen swill.

he's more the viking decent of irish, fair (ish, his hair has gone quite dark these last couple of years). really, as bad as the dollar is, overpriced ireland is THE holiday? they just passed a stupid law where clubs have to close an hour earlier, many people are losing out on wages as a lot of people work for clubs. & its not going to do anything to minimized the problems they are trying to correct, just aggravate them. i dont know maybe im getting disillusioned.

but anyway, with all the exercising you do are you sure you are eating enough? gaining a small amount of pounds could be anything, and i know when i weight lift, my muscles hold onto a lot of water. some times for awhile as my body adjusts to the new workout. its a process of repairing themselves. i dont know it all can be very tricky and really only a longer period of time can tell. maybe you should start measuring yourself.

I posted something about this in the Lounge, my sistahs

Yesterday some creepy woman (me neighbor's "girlfriend") showed up at the workout room and just stood around and watched me workout from about 5 feet away for like 40 minutes. This is at 5:30ish when I usually have the room to myself. She did not herself workout. If I glanced in the mirror and caught sight of her she smiled at me. I sneered, flipped her off, told her to stop staring, and she kept on doing it.

She is likely Chinese and in Bahrain on a whore visa (I think hotel hospitality worker is the technical term) for 6 months or so. If she is there today and doing the same thing I may just have to beat the crap out of her.

If I call, please come bail me out . . . I believe homicide would be justifiable.

Edit: I just got back from my work out and creepy stalker lady did not show up. I tiptoed out of my apratment and went down the stairs stealth-style so as to not alert her I was on the move. I think I will always bring my cell with me to call management if it happens again.

so i take it she wasn't attractive? are women often, umm, well a little more direct in bahrain (never been, we have a couple of client's hotels there tho)?  can you actually get a 'whore' visa?

DURGY:

That was ME, you ninny!

I thought the 'sneer' was cute, tho. And that arm/finger sign you made is a mating gesture in my native country.

In any case, I can take a hint. Besides, the bellhop looks promising...

=DnD

Original Post by rnjt:

so i take it she wasn't attractive? are women often, umm, well a little more direct in bahrain (never been, we have a couple of client's hotels there tho)?  can you actually get a 'whore' visa?

 Not attractive. I don't think they call it a "whore visa" officially, but there are some people who are in this country in the employ of hotels, for what, I dunno or wanna know. Oh yeah, I think they're whores!

Thanks for outing yourself DND. Please keep up the not showing up thing. It was appreciated this morning.

rnjt, I've been toying with the idea that I may not be eating enough.  The problem is, I don't know how much to bump it up.  Perhaps instead of multiplying my BMR by 1.1 (sedentary), I should use 1.2 (light activity) or 1.3 (moderate)?  I do consider myself moderately if not heavily active, but I'm not so certain I should eat that way.  Thoughts?  Suggestions?

DnD, funny!  Durgy, is a whore visa like being a prostitute or a mail-order bride or something?  I take it a client hotel is like a brothel?  Sorry guys, I'm not really worldly so I have to get these things spelled out in layman's terms.

I find it fascinating to hear about and meet people from other countries.  Again, not very worldly.  I've left California like three times since landing here from the Midwest when I was five.  What is it like?  Is your day-to-day life similar to ours in the States?  You know, get up, go to work, etc.  Does everyone live in the major cities or do you have suburbs with supermarkets and strip malls like us?

I am not sure how they dole out whore visas . . . this is supposedly a Muslim country after all. For the record, whatever the visa is called, it is not a "whore visa". If the mood strikes me I will go to where the whores congregate and ask them about their work status.

I came here from California via Kuwait. Bahrain is a small island nation of less than 800,000 people on about 700 square kilometers of land. We have malls. Non-laborer-types work in office buildings. This is the country where Michael Jackson was hanging out for a while after he beat the Jesus juice rap.

I walk to the store, and they always have some weird fruit there. I life rambutans, but not mangosteens (a lot of work for like no fruit). Longkongs are good, they're kind of like lychees. I'm not sure how to pick out a good custard apple. The mangos we were getting from Pakistan for a while were amazingly good, and then they went away. Fresh spinach is like $20 a pound, because it does not grow anywhere too close by, I guess.

In California you have Mexican laborers. Here we have Sri Lankans and Pakistanis and Indians. Much like CA we also have philipinos.

When I'm eating my oatmeal looking out over teh Arabian Gulf, I could be in about any coastal city in the world. If you live close to a mosque and you hear teh call to prayer like it is in your bedroom, you know you are in an Islamic nation.

From here I can take some good trips. Saw teh pyramids, went to Oman, I am going to Beirut for Eid (which is teh feast weekend right after teh holy month of Ramadan). I was raised Catholic and Christians are given a fair shake.

Original Post by 1aprilfool:

rnjt, I've been toying with the idea that I may not be eating enough. The problem is, I don't know how much to bump it up. Perhaps instead of multiplying my BMR by 1.1 (sedentary), I should use 1.2 (light activity) or 1.3 (moderate)? I do consider myself moderately if not heavily active, but I'm not so certain I should eat that way. Thoughts? Suggestions?

DnD, funny! Durgy, is a whore visa like being a prostitute or a mail-order bride or something? I take it a client hotel is like a brothel?

uh just for the record my client (we deal with mostly hotels) are NOT that kind of hotel, at least not that i know of. think more 5 star.

april- maybe try bumping up a little at a time to see how that goes. try it after a major exercise routine or something.

my tip for the day: ALWAYS carry some healthy snacks on you. i made the mistake of not eating before my weight watchers meeting, & all we really do is talk about food. anyway, i was famished & unfortunately didn't have any money afterwards. luckily a grocery store i pass in a sort well to do neighbourhood had some cheese samples out. i grabbed about 10 pieces, im sure the locals never really do that (can anyone say ghetto?). but i felt like it was a matter of survival.