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When I carefully track, I find the 3500cal/# to not be accurate. I also find I need far fewer than 2000cal/day for maintenance unless I am working hard.Fun experiment I've been running.
For years I used a fitbit, and I feel it greatly overcounted my steps, and thus my calories. For a couple years I've been using a Garmin Instinct, and it counts steps, and gives you a calorie estimate for your day. I wanted to put that to the test...
A tactic I use to stay on the rails is documenting everything I eat. In fact most of the time, planning the whole day's nutrition out. I track my daily caloric intake, and have been juxtaposing it against my theoretic burn as calculated by the Garmin.View attachment 301742
Since October 2, when I started this, I have averaged 3,034 calories a day in consumption.I have averaged burning 3,280. Over that span, that is a -10550 net.
There are 3,500 calories in a pound, and thus I should have lost 3.08 pounds over that span. But, I weighed myself on October 2, and also today, and I have lost nearly 14 pounds. That's a delta of 38,000 calories, either overestimated in my consumption, undercounted by my watch, or both. That's an error of over -800 calories a day!
Of course there's water and natural variation that could account for some oCAREFULLY TRACKf this, but I weigh myself frequently enough to know that my watch is undercounting my caloric burn. I'm pretty dialed in on caloric intake documentation. So, if I continue to try to stay ahead of my watch, I should continue to lose body fat.
I'll continue to run the experiment. Maybe there was an initial drop or something, and it will even out. Either way, kind of interesting.
There are 3,500 calories in a pound, and thus I should have lost 3.08 pounds over that span. But, I weighed myself on October 2, and also today, and I have lost nearly 14 pounds.
I like the data. Any updates?Fun experiment I've been running.
For years I used a fitbit, and I feel it greatly overcounted my steps, and thus my calories. For a couple years I've been using a Garmin Instinct, and it counts steps, and gives you a calorie estimate for your day. I wanted to put that to the test...
A tactic I use to stay on the rails is documenting everything I eat. In fact most of the time, planning the whole day's nutrition out. I track my daily caloric intake, and have been juxtaposing it against my theoretic burn as calculated by the Garmin.View attachment 301742
Since October 2, when I started this, I have averaged 3,034 calories a day in consumption.I have averaged burning 3,280. Over that span, that is a -10550 net.
There are 3,500 calories in a pound, and thus I should have lost 3.08 pounds over that span. But, I weighed myself on October 2, and also today, and I have lost nearly 14 pounds. That's a delta of 38,000 calories, either overestimated in my consumption, undercounted by my watch, or both. That's an error of over -800 calories a day!
Of course there's water and natural variation that could account for some of this, but I weigh myself frequently enough to know that my watch is undercounting my caloric burn. I'm pretty dialed in on caloric intake documentation. So, if I continue to try to stay ahead of my watch, I should continue to lose body fat.
I'll continue to run the experiment. Maybe there was an initial drop or something, and it will even out. Either way, kind of interesting.
I like the data. Any updates?
My fitness goals for the year were modeled after someone else I saw in this thread. 20,000 pushups and body weight squats, hike 600 miles, and weigh 190 lbs. I passed the 20,000 mark for both pushups and squats at the end of November. The mileage goal I am nowhere near complete on, hopefully, get to 400 for the year. The weight goal, I am around 207, but my body fat % has gone down. I feel like if I turn my body just right, with light at just the perfect angle, I can almost see an ab.I see enthusiasm for this thread has waned. Got a wild hair and took the MTB for a 25 mile trip to Boulder City. I need a road bike.
First, those monitors are abysmal at accurately estimating caloric expenditure from exercise. By abysmal, I mean 50-100% error or more. Second, 3500 cal/lb of body fat, that is fact. Weight loss is way more complicated because body water is so variable. Also remember that body water is going to fluctuate not only with hydration, but also with glycogen stores in muscle. Glycogen stores water at a ~ 3:1 rate, 3g of water per 1g of glycogen. So, heavily deplete glycogen (hard training, fasting, long term diet) you are going to lose a ton of water weight.Fun experiment I've been running.
For years I used a fitbit, and I feel it greatly overcounted my steps, and thus my calories. For a couple years I've been using a Garmin Instinct, and it counts steps, and gives you a calorie estimate for your day. I wanted to put that to the test...
A tactic I use to stay on the rails is documenting everything I eat. In fact most of the time, planning the whole day's nutrition out. I track my daily caloric intake, and have been juxtaposing it against my theoretic burn as calculated by the Garmin.View attachment 301742
Since October 2, when I started this, I have averaged 3,034 calories a day in consumption.I have averaged burning 3,280. Over that span, that is a -10550 net.
There are 3,500 calories in a pound, and thus I should have lost 3.08 pounds over that span. But, I weighed myself on October 2, and also today, and I have lost nearly 14 pounds. That's a delta of 38,000 calories, either overestimated in my consumption, undercounted by my watch, or both. That's an error of over -800 calories a day!
Of course there's water and natural variation that could account for some of this, but I weigh myself frequently enough to know that my watch is undercounting my caloric burn. I'm pretty dialed in on caloric intake documentation. So, if I continue to try to stay ahead of my watch, I should continue to lose body fat.
I'll continue to run the experiment. Maybe there was an initial drop or something, and it will even out. Either way, kind of interesting.
Some people like myself can’t lose an ounce of weight while weight training. Doesn’t matter if it’s high reps low weights, big weights, low reps, whatever. People like me just get hungry and stay hungry all the time which is not doable for the long-term. What I found that does work is if I do low impact low and slow things like walking, riding a bike hiking etc. Rowing works too. With these tools I can lose weight well not getting ravenously hungry.First, those monitors are abysmal at accurately estimating caloric expenditure from exercise. By abysmal, I mean 50-100% error or more. Second, 3500 cal/lb of body fat, that is fact. Weight loss is way more complicated because body water is so variable. Also remember that body water is going to fluctuate not only with hydration, but also with glycogen stores in muscle. Glycogen stores water at a ~ 3:1 rate, 3g of water per 1g of glycogen. So, heavily deplete glycogen (hard training, fasting, long term diet) you are going to lose a ton of water weight.
Smart weight loss is slow, like 1-2 lbs per month. And, IMO, you have got to be strength training while losing weight, or you will lose lean tissue, lowering your metabolic capabilities more.
Could you make the rest of us mortals feel worse? Jeez Miller you're kicking old man time's ass.Broke my wrist end of July in 2022, so was not very active through the end of last year.
I decided I would start a new pushup regiment in 2023. Started with 100 pushups/day (average) in Jan, 125 Feb, 150 March, 175 April, and 200/month rest of year. I have been able to stay with it and 59,300 through November. A little ahead of schedule for December, so shouldn't be an issue. I will go for full 200 per day in 2024.
Lifted at the gym 189 days through November and even though Dec is difficult, shouldn't be an issue hitting 200 days. One of my side goals was to flat bench 315 on my 55th bday, but I was in AK. I did pull it off a week before I left, so officially at 54. Guess I still have to fulfill the 55yo goal.
Wish I could include running miles/year, but I think my knees and ankles wouldn't last very long. Just low impact cardio at the gym.
All-in-all, pretty happy about my physical shape for a 55 yo dude who still likes to have some pints and whisky.