The Bod Pod

Well, I did it. I was fully expecting my body fat percentage to be between 40-42. Wrong.

I came in at 39.1%!!! Woo hoo. I was thrilled with that number.

My weight was 205 (it was afternoon, not first thing in the morning when I normally weigh). I have 80 pounds of fat on my body and 125 pounds of fat-free mass. Not bad at all for my weight!

I didn't even score in the Risky category, I came in at "Excess Fat."

So, the Bod Pod man came up with a game plan for me. This game plan scares me because it's not what I'm used to.

First off, he wants me eating 125 grams of protein daily. For the past few days, I've been freaking out about that because that's a lot. He told me I couldn't eat that alone, I'd have to have a protein shake and eat bars. Well, surprise, surprise...thanks to my handy dandy Calorie King, I went back a couple months and my average protein intake is 110 grams per day. So I don't have much to up that at all.

My RMR, or resting metabolic rate, is 1611 calories. That's what my body uses to do nothing, lie in be all day. My TEE, or total energy expenditure, is 1998. That is the caloric amount my body needs to use to have a "sedentary" day. He wants me to use that number, 1998, to base my daily caloric intake.

He wants me to take that, and he rounded to 2000, add the calorie burn from my workout, then subtract 500 calories to lose a pound a week. So if I do a workout and burn 450 calories, I'll be eating 1950 calories a day. For ease, I'm just starting out with 1500 calories a day and adding in my calorie burn. Same number, easier to compute. On days I don't work out, I'm to eat 1500 calories a day.

He says I've been starving my body.

Okay, so this is scary. It's more than I'm used to. And I may not eat *all* my workout calories, but will definitely eat some--at least up to 1950. I was worried about this and a personal trainer/fitness video designer I kinda/sorta know has recommended I try it for a month. So I will.

The Bod Pod test itself was quick and painless. Change into a sports bra and spandex shorts, get weighed, hop in the pod, sit still, the guy opens the door, shuts the door, I hold still, and repeat a couple times. That's it. I did have to wear a cap to cover my hair but it wasn't tight like a swim cap.

The test cost $40. It was well worth it. To me, it proved I'm doing very well with muscle gain/fat loss.

In the book Where Did All the Fat Go by Rob Huizenga, M.D., he used an example of a 200 pound woman who is an inch taller than I am. Her body fat percentage was 46--mine was 39. She had 92 pounds of fat and 108 pounds of fat free mass. I have 80 pounds of fat and 125 pounds of lean. At the end of the section in this book he states, "A woman who is 5'6" tall with 108 pounds of lean tissue is quite athletic." That made me smile, because I'm an inch shorter and have 17 more pounds of lean and 12 less of fat than his example. Does that mean I'm athletic? My husband took exception to the term athletic. He stated a better word would be muscular. At any rate, both are what I'm going for.

So the month of August, I'm going to try this. I was told to give it three to four weeks--and I will.

The bottom line is that $40 was was an inexpensive way to boost my confidence tremendously!

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p.s. I do not follow the plan in Dr. Huizenga's book...he would have me eating no less than 1276 calories a day. That's NOT going to happen. This book is the basis of The Biggest Loser, a show I do not watch, I was just curious about the science behind the show.

When Pigs Fly

That's when I'll hit ONEderland, or so it seems.

I am a daily weigher, and I've been bouncing from 202.5 to 204. Up, down, up, down. It's getting annoying.

So, I'm taking action. I have heard of The Bod Pod and I need a vacation, so my son and I are soon going to hit the road for a two-day vacation which will include me getting a Bod Pod analysis.

The Bod Pod measures your fat/lean body mass and gives you a resting metabolic rate. It's extremely accurate. I don't need to do this, but I'm hoping that having a RMR unique to me--mine alone--will help me figure out a better caloric intake to get the weight to start coming off. Hubby and I both figure I'm probably around 40% fat--we shall see.

Hubby and I were also talking about it, and this year has been very rough on me physically. I had a lot of pain. I know I whined about it enough here, but it was really bad at times. That has to have had an impact on my health. Plus, I did have two surgeries in less than a year. So perhaps these things all add up.

Right now I am working on The FIRM again--the old videos, which I love, love, love. I'm shrinking a bit--which means I'm losing fat, but the scale isn't moving. We can really see changes in my body, more muscle definition which is great. When I first found The FIRM back last fall, after awhile my weight loss slowed but I lost inches.

So the point is I know I'm doing the right thing, I'm moving in the right direction, BUT:

I want to be in ONEDERLAND, Damn IT!!!

Ha ha. Hopefully the info I gain from The Bod Pod will help me get there. For now, I'll just continue to do my very best every day and love every minute I'm FIRMing. That's living in the now. Onederland will happen.

Uh Oh

What is the worst thing that can happen to a weight-loss blogger? Having the fan on her computer quit. Oy!

I got everything transferred onto a portable hard drive before it quit, but it's toast. I guess we need to send it off. Hopefully it can be fixed.

Can you hear that? It's me hyperventilating. How will I live without my notebook??!!??

The worst part? My calorie counting software is on that computer. Today I was going on memory. I have to go find my calorie count book--it's here somewhere.

I can use hubby's computer, but it's awful. It's not awful, it's just not what I'm used to. Plus he'll be down here any second to bump me off. lol

So I'll be scarce until this thing gets fixed.

Breathe.

Monday Morning Weigh-In

Yes, I know it's Tuesday. I'm a day late and a dollar behind.

Weight: 202.5
Loss: 1.5

Yay!

Frustrations...

Crawled into bed only to discover my kitty had pottied on it. Second time this week.

Note to self: It's wonderful that I have waterproof mattress pads.
Note to self: Go back to the old kitty litter. I hope that's the issue. Kitty is 16, but I'm not ready for -- well, enough said.

Curled up on love seat because the sheets from the last time are in the washer. Can't sleep.

Note to self: Sleep, dag-nab-it!

My house is a mess (well, I wouldn't die if someone came in, the public areas are okay, but it needs a really good cleaning.) Laundry is behind. Book work is behind. Feeling very overwhelmed. Have a major project I want to do and haven't found (made) the time to do it.

Note to self: Get off your butt and get 'er done. Except tomorrow we'll be out of town all day.

The biggie that's been on my mind: Was invited to a very close relative's milestone birthday. Would require driving 3 1/2 hours each way to attend. It's at night, and so I'd have to get a motel because I'm a baby when I'm tired. Don't want to spend money on a motel. Love the relative with all my heart, but her adult kids are hard to take. I have not RSVPed yet. I want to be there for the relative, but frankly? Parties are not my thing. This is outside, in a back yard/garage, and food will be a horrible issue. I get heat-induced edema, and I don't want to stand around outside in humidity for a few hours because I will swell. I will be chastised if I bring my own food, and they don't eat like I eat.

Bottom line: I don't want to go. I really, really don't. I also don't want to hurt her feelings. But dag-nab-it, I don't want to go. I'd rather go for an afternoon where she and I could visit, quietly. I am not in the mood for drama, whining, complaining, arrogance, being told how to eat, etc. And if I go, that's what I'll get.

What to do?

Note to self: I got nothin' here.

I'm going to try to get some sleep again. I'm not even tired, sadly. sigh

July 7

Today is the anniversary of my mother's death. I thought of it briefly when I awoke, but put it out of my mind. Then at exactly the time she passed, I thought of her, looked at the clock and was somewhat shocked. Why did I think of her that exact moment? I remember exactly what transpired 17 years ago today as if it was yesterday. I still miss her very much, but the pain and tears are long gone, replaced with wonderful (and some not-so-wonderful) memories.

I'm feeling a touch of depression set in. Don't know where it's coming from, but I've had a couple "pajama days" this week and that's not a good sign. Tomorrow we're going to the big city and I hope to get lots of sunshine, lots of thrifting, and a nice lunch out to lift my spirits. I think I'm just a bit uncertain about my health--I think that's what's causing it. So I need to come to terms with things and soon!

Food's been great, I've done two days now of my 90-day rotation. Still laughing about it, how long will I last? I hate set rotations--yet I ***love*** The Firm and it is proving to be the best way to get back in the groove of working out again.

I had the most phenominal dream this morning. I'll probably write about it later, I'm still processing now. I think the dream touched on some things I've been worrying about--some of my issues. It was strange, but I could see connections.

That's about it. Fighting the dark cloud so it doesn't hover over me.

Monday Morning Weigh-In

Yes, I know it's Tuesday, not Monday. It feels like Monday after a 3-day weekend, though.

Today's weight: 204

I shot up a gazillion pounds the day after surgery and I've been busting my tail to get back to 204. Finally, I've made it.

My tummy is finally back to its normal size. This just happened within the past couple days. I have a bunch of new stretch marks on my tummy--I'm not very happy about that! Yet, it is what it is.

Exercise goals have changed: I'm going to work on The Firm's 90-Day Rotation. It starts out for the first two-thirds at an intermediate level, then bops back up to advanced the final month. I think that's what my body needs at the moment: Not pushing myself so hard, just a gentle but fun and effective way to get back in the groove. Plus, my Firms just bring me great joy.

Feeling pretty good overall. I am having some pain in the area that was causing me trouble. It has not been to the degree it was prior to surgery, yet it's still there. Another "it is what it is." I've decided the best thing to do is accept that I may have chronic pain from here on out. I'm hopeful we can get it figured out or that it will stop, but if it doesn't, I will just accept it. I hope to quit bitching about it so much.

And that's that. 204. Yes. My eye's still on the prize.

Marching forward.