Monday, October 31, 2011

IFWL Experiment - Week 4

quick update for week four results
weigh in on 10/3            - 218.4 / 53.3 lb fat   / 24.4% body fat
end of week 1 on 10/10 - 214.2 / 54.8 lb fat     / 25.6% body fat
end of week 2 on 10/17 - 214.4 / 51 lb fat     / 23.8% body fat
end of week 3 on 10/24 - 214.4 / 51.7 lb fat  / 24.1% body fat
end of week 4 on 10/31 - 208.6 / 53.4 lb fat / 25.6 % body fat

At first glance it looks great to lose 6 lbs in a week, but of course we know that's not real since the body fat went way up. I did some yard work the previous weekend and was bit by something and got poison ivy or something like that and had an allergic reaction. so I've been on some kind of drug, prednisol?, for the past week and last night my body decided to get start a faster filtering process so I was up every hour to go flush out the system. Anyway I was definitely dehydrated this morning. On the positive side if I look back to the end of week one when I was at the same body fat % I am 6 lbs under that. Saturday morning at was at 212 and I suspect that is about right, so I'm going to claim 2 more lbs this week and 6 for the month.

Monday, October 24, 2011

IFWL Experiment - Week 3

quick update for week three results
weigh in on 10/3            - 218.4 / 53.3 lb fat   / 24.4% body fat
end of week 1 on 10/10 - 214.2 / 54 lb fat     / 25.6% body fat
end of week 2 on 10/17 - 214.4 / 51 lb fat     / 23.8% body fat
end of week 3 on 10/24 - 214.4 / 51.7 lb fat  / 24.1% body fat
I slacked off a bit last week and it shows, will attempt to get back on track this week. no cheating with the peanut M&M's and more focus on whole foods...

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Week two of the IFWL Experiment

quick update for week two results
weigh in on 10/3            - 218.4 / 53.3 lb fat   / 24.4% body fat
end of week 1 on 10/10 - 214.2 / 54 lb fat     / 25.6% body fat
end of week 2 on 10/17 - 214.4 / 51 lb fat     / 23.8% body fat
looks like progress is being made, about 2 lbs a week is nice and where I'd like to be, so business as usually this week

Monday, October 10, 2011

Week one of the IFWL Experiment

So since I'm injured and don't expect to be doing any intensity any time soon I've decided to try out an experiment on myself. Intermittent fasting has been gaining some popularity on the fringes of the endurance community as a way to loose some of your fat reserves without having to starve yourself. So here is how it is supposed to work, as I understand it.
You eat dinner the night before as usual and then go to bed and sleep. Get up in the AM and before eating anything, do an aerobic workout in the fat burning zone for 30 minutes up to 2 hours. Then attempt to make it until it has been 12 hours since you last ate before eating breakfast. Do this 3 or 4 times a week. The idea is to teach your body to rely on fat as fuel and to lessen it's need for quick carbs.
My starting weight was 218.6 - and body fat % at 24.4 - quick note here, I am using a scale to measure body fat and while it gets close, it is by no means accurate. it is very susceptible to hydration and humidity, but is generally within a 3% range.
After one week my weight is at 214.2 and body fat % at 25.6. I suspect that this mornings lowering of weight and upping of body fat is due to me being dehydrated after yesterday's 40 mile bike / 3 hours of yard work. But I do believe I have lost some of that as real weight loss. Next week should be a better indicator as I won't be doing all the yard work and should be in a better hydrated state.
I did 3 workouts fasted the first week.
Monday - 30 min spin on the bike + 30 minutes of core and resistance
Wednesday - 45 min spin on the bike + 30 minutes of core and resistance
Friday - 5 minute walk on Treadmill + 30 minutes of core and resistance
I also took a 90 minute spin class Thursday night ( which explains the no spinning of friday), and did the aforementioned 40 mile bike + yardwork on Sunday.
I have modified my diet slightly as I am trying to eat more vegetables throughout the day and eat less for dinner, but I am not going hungry. I usually start off the workout hungry, but after about 15 minutes that goes away, at least until I am done with the workout.
My goal is to lose about 15 lbs of fat before Christmas, get my injuries healed up and be ready for next year.