Year AND Month comparison pictures!
This April fool didn’t take measurements this month last year, however this was a conscious decision. I believe around this time I was first exploring a subreddit called “r/loseit”, attending my first lessons in the major truth of calories in, calories out, CICO if ya nasty. This absolute equation tells us that for changes in weight, one must consider the ratio of calories taken in, vs calories that are used by the body. It sounds so deceptively simple that I was quite skeptical of the wisdom that was imparted to me by the incredible shrinking ladies and gentlemen on a separate but complementary subreddit “r/progresspics”. So skeptic, in fact, that I had discussed a plan to write down my measurements on a weekly basis to my partner. As he was much better at seeing the changes that were already starting to occur, he offered a suggestion of rather than increasing my rate of measurements, that I decrease the frequency to avoid getting too preoccupied with such a passive process. Anyway, my time and attention had to be redirected toward getting a good understanding on what my daily calories were so I could adjust them to allow for a slow but steady change in my weight.
How many calories does my body work through in 24 hours?
The energy out is a sum of the calories used while exercising (fitness trackers can give a “calories spent” estimate), the movement that we do while we complete our activities of daily living, and our basal metabolism, energy that is used for the “behind the scenes” processes that occur even when we are at rest. This is why we feel the sensation of hunger even without excessive motion; the body has been working through the resources that had been provided up to that time, and the supply is running low. For weight loss to be possible, you must eat fewer calories than what your body needs to keep itself running; your body will not go without, it will go for your fat (and/or muscle) stores to ensure that it keeps functioning properly. On the other side of the coin, if you are looking to build muscle or fat stores, it is necessary to eat in excess of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
There are many different approaches to a way of eating that will also impact the way that weight is lost and the speed and sustainability of these approaches. Some have been demonstrated to have great results and some are found to be based on little evidence; every person should do their own research and seek out professional advice and supervision as they deem necessary. When I return with the next #LOSERin2018 post, I will be sharing information about a few ways of eating that I was introduced to through a couple of documentaries and sharing a new yearly comparison, as well as a monthly to show what not perfect progress looks like but what a steady commitment can achieve.
Monthly goal check-in
Last month I had challenged myself to keep half of my meals plant-based and I give myself a B+ for this goal. While I did find more plant-based items on my plates as a whole for the past month, too many of these products were processed or required a considerable amount of preserving and packaging to make their way to me. As I know I have felt better for energy, inflammation, stomach distress, I will maintain my goal of half plate plant-based, but focus on the quality of plant that is being used. With the warmer weather approaching, I am excited for the local growing season to start producing my own produce to supplement my grocery purchases.
Progress Picture Verification: Complete!
I am aware that plagiarism that claims an individual's weight loss as their own or to use to sell a product exists, so I have included a verification photo to show that I am a real person (that procrastinated on getting this post completed yesterday, heh) and that I did not use any pill, wrap, or fad diet to achieve these results, just a lot of challenges of my willpower!
Are you already a #loserin2018 ? Feel free to share your own information about how you have achieved success and help our global community grow healthier in the comment section!
And remember, the steem work makes the dream work! ;*