28 thoughts on “WGOM Fitness: 13 September 2013, Improbable”

1. I've said this before, but for me, the key to weight loss was changing my diet, not exercising. Exercise is good, but for me at least, the only way to lose weight is to eat properly.

   1. definitely.

      It takes an hour of low-impact aerobic exercise to burn about 455 calories for a 200-lb man, or about 365 calories/hour above the resting metabolic rate (roughly 1920 calories/day according to the formula here, assuming a 45-year old, 6-ft, 200 lb man).

      A can of soda has about 150 calories. Calorie consumption (and avoidance) is so, so much easier than burning extra calories. Not to mention the set-point problem that leads most of us to consume extra calories after workouts.

   2. I need both to lose weight.

2. a handy chart and article from Mayo on exercise and calorie expenditure.

3. I wouldn't put too much thought into a 5 pound difference a week apart. My weight swings 5 pounds in a day depending on my hydration level.

   1. I wouldn't, except that it was a steady downward trend throughout the week, and I've been keeping well hydrated, etc. Probably still best not to think too much about it.

4. How do you keep up with the CSA? We feel overwhelmed by all the food.

   Part of the problem is that we get so many vegetables that we don't really eat on their own. Things like cucumbers, egg plant, peppers, and herbs. It leads to us making pasta or salsa and just having more and more food.

   1. We get overwhelmed sometimes too. One of the things I try hard to do is make dishes that use a higher ratio of vegetables than "normal". So if I make pasta or stir fry, I cut way back on the noodles or rice, relative to the vegetables. Think of it as a vegetable dish with pasta, not the other way around.

      I'll also often double up on the veggies in a meal, like last night, where we made both beans and broccoli to go with the meal, instead of just one. That's especially true of the veggies we eat regularly, because if we get those out of the way together it makes more room at a meal for veggies we don't eat regularly, and then I'm challenged (in a good way) to come up with a use at a different meal. So, we used up beans and broccoli last night... tomorrow I'm making roasted eggplant, peppers, onion, and tomato. Oh yeah, find a dish that uses lots of things at once (ratatouille, roasted veggie dishes, fajitas, etc.).

5. so, yea. I had a burger today at lunch. Topped with bacon, onions, mushrooms, and a generous portion of BBQed brisket. With a side of rib tips. And fries. And potato salad. Not losing weight today.

   1. When I have a lunch like that, I skip dinner.

6. When I lost weight a few years ago, I found the best thing was to find foods I really enjoyed that had little to no sugar or fat and stick with those. My favorite thing was sliced tomatoes with fat free cottage cheese. I could eat that all day and lose weight. I think it helped that I don't mind not having much of a variety of foods as long as I really like them. I usually don't eat the same thing twice in a day, unless it's a second helping at a meal, but I can eat the same thing for lunch day after day. I also like cutting up apples and dipping then in a little vanilla yogurt. Sometimes, it works well to find something low cal and carb that may be bland but filling and add a little bit of something to give it flavor, such as carrots with a little salad dressing for flavor. Just be wary of using too much flavoring.

   1. When I lost weight a few years ago, I found the best thing was to find foods I really enjoyed that had little to no sugar or fat and stick with those. 

      Pickles. Sure, they're super high on sodium, but the pepper homemade varieties - oomph, just delicious (and zero points, even if you have seconds).

      1. Homemade, fermented pickles!!!1111one1111!!!

         Just made my second batch. Remembered the garlic this time. Easy peasy and delicious, and not all that high in sodium.

         1. 1/2 jalapeño? No.

            A full habañero or nothng.

            My ghost and trinisad scorpion peppers are probably not going to come to fruition, sadly. Not that I'd make pickles out of them, but I was hoping for some devastatingly awesome hot sauce.

            1. I used (very hot, from Indian market) chile flakes, coriander seed, mustard seed, dill seed, black peppercorns. Make sure you use kosher salt, not table salt.

               fermented hot peppers will be happening at some point in the future, after i have a bit more confidence with the techniques.

               1. Ah, yes. There's a noticeable difference between kosher and table salt.

      2. Apropos of this conversation, my Father-in-law just informed me that his scorpions are growing nicely. 1,463,700 Scovilles (418 times hotter than a Jalapeno!) here we come!

   2. I could eat celery hearts plain all day long.
      Not sure what I'd do with all the rest of the celery though.

7. Since my son just got to 18 months yesterday, we did the whole weigh and measure thing.

   When he was born I was at 200 pounds and he weighed almost 10 pounds.
   Yesterday I was at 183 (-17) and he was at 28 (+18) pounds (and 33 inches, not surprisingly he's going to be tall).

   I'm hoping that I don't have to lose a pound for every one he gains from here on out, but I thought was a nice bit of almost symmetry (and an obvious nod to the more active lifestyle of parenting).

   1. I think 17 pounds in 18 months is pretty awesome. If I could do that, I'd be happy. I want the results now, but I slowly put on the weight, so slowly taking it off is good too, right?

   2. I didn't realize that OGZ was so close in age to your son (she hit 18 months early this month). She is not quite that big, although she keeps stretching out, too. My weight hasn't changed much since she was born, which is okay by me.

      1. I don't think I recognized it either.
         LBR turned 18 mos last month.

8. Nate Burleson crashed his car because of falling pizza

   1. Seems like the pizza joint could say whether it was one or more pizzas. That info isn't classified is it?

      The 'Za Protection Act of 1987.

      1. All We Are Saying
         Is Give Pizza Chance.

9. NBBW and NBB did the ING Hartford Half Marathon this morning. 54F instead of 32F from last year a welcome start temp.

   Strong finishes by both (she - sub-2Hr., me- 3 min < last years time, and a new PR for the half for this boyo). But quite sore this afternoon - Gold Bond Lotion - a Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed.

   1. Congrats to you and the wife.

      I just signed up for my first half.

      1. Cool, A'Nod.

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