Ok - let me answer a few questions here :)

First off: Pink Dumbbells is a fitness forum... you can check it out at www.pinkdumbbells.com

Next: Metabolism testing - it's easy - it's painless. Bascially You have a mouthpiece that connects to this little machine called a "Body Gem" and you spend about 7 minutes breathing into the thing... here's a more indepth explination.


The Body Gem is a device that is capable of measuring an individuals' own resting metabolic rate with startling clinical accuracy, and present the results in a simple daily caloric requirement. The compact device is non-invasive, lightweight, and it provides a true measurement of how many calories the individuals' body requires to maintain proper metabolic function.

The device has been tested to offer repeatable accuracy within a 1% margin of error when compared to the medical standard Douglas Bag. By detecting changes in air quality regarding temperature increase, oxygen content reduction, humidity and moisture change, and pressure change, an exact, scientific measurement can be made of the amount of heat energy required to create that specific change in air volume. This data is calculated into a number of calories representing the amount of energy required for an individual to maintain their body for a 24-hour period (assuming 16 hours of rest, and 8 hours of sleep). This number, representing RMR (resting metabolic rate), is the minimum number of calories required to keep the body functioning correctly for 24-hours. Factored into an equation with energy requirements for exercise and activity level reveals a scientifically based number of calories required for body maintenance.


That being said, let me tell you about saturday and the tailspin of confusion it's put me into...

I got two numbers Saturday that SHOULD be useful. My BMR and my body fat %.

So, my BMR - that's Basel Metobolic Rate, the number of calories I burn just sitting still and breathing and stuff is 1788.

My body fat% based on being 'pinched' in four places: Bicep, tricep, Back and hip. the total (are you ready cause I wasn't?) 31%

Now to say that both these numbers surprised me is an understatement. Let's start with the BMR. In a way it makes sence. It explains why I struggle to get my calories down to what they say a 'woman' should eat (somewhere in the 1400 range is what I always hear). And it's competely supported by my updated Body Fat % - 31% Body fat at my current weight of 203 is about 140 pounds of lean mass - an amount very much capable of supporting a BMR of over 1700. But, what it doesn't explain is why in the HELL I struggle to lose a single pound. Even when I say 'Eff it' and go hungry I can barely scape together a 1 lb loss. Everyone say it with me.. "Arrrrrrgggg!" And before you came at me with the 'evils of scale use' let me just say - I take my measurements, I measure body fat, I take progress pictures. NOTHING is changing people...

Then there's this 'new' body fat %. I was well aware that my scale was probably wrong, but I verified it with the navy measurement site and other then wanting to watch the numbers go DOWN I wasn't that concerned about the actual number. HOWEVER - my body fat % has an effect on my goals. I'm not interested in starving myself. I want to maintain my lean mass, but according to this new number my LEAN MASS is already 10 pounds over my goal of 130. Ok, I'm willing to deal with that - BUT, according to these numbers - if I was to reach my goal of 18% Body fat I would weigh 170. People, I've BEEN to 175 before and that is NOT 5 pounds from goal. And I highly doubt I've managed to put on THAT MUCH muscle over the past few years.

So - here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to ignore the new body fat % and continue to measure in my old way. Just watch that I'm not dropping lean mass to the best of my ability. As for my goal. I'm not going to change it - yet. About 160 I'm going to start to analyze my visual appearance and go from there. I suspect my goal is still very close to what I originally predicted - between 130 and 135. But, I could be surprised.

As for calories. I'm going to go on the assumption that the reading was right. Perhaps I'm WAY overdoing it on my free day (or having too many three day free 'days') I'm going to spend a solid week recording calories and see how it goes (probably three days this week - and then the entire week next week). Keeping my calories around 2100 and my free day around 2500 SHOULD show results with the amount of exercising I'm doing...

And so onto other things.

Didn't run yesterday. I got involved in other things. I DID however do 40 minutes of cardio on Saturday. My food for the two days was good. I was proud of how I controlled myself. No alcohol while we were out Saturday night - and good eats when we went out to dinner!

This morning I was up and at’em at the normal time. Hit the gym. did some quick cardio and then hit the weights:

Chest:

Flat BB Press (plus bar): 80 x 6 / 80 x 7 / 80 x 6
Incline DB Press: 50 x 6 / 50 x 6 / 50 x 6
Cable flye: 30 x 6 / 30 x 6

Abs:

Cable Crunches: 190 x 15 / 190 x 15
Leg lifts: 15 / 15
Incline Crunches: Highest Level x 25

And that was that. The plan for today is to do so LISS walking when I get home, and a training run tomorrow morning.

Have a great Monday everyone.