New to community! Would like all you guys feedback

[Dj_HMHA]

Hello, as stated in topic I'm new to fitbit community as far as posting and using fitbit.

I am a former pro athlete who due to laziness and injury let myself go over the course of a few years. I'm motivated more than ever to get back in elite shape. I've lost 40 pounds and nearing my goal but I have questions. Being a former athlete never worrying about what goes in my body. So weight loss is new to me. I average 30000 steps for month of October. I feel like I could be doing things excessively, on Saturdays and sundays I dont due much just rest my body. I burn between 5500-7000 cal on active days I consume between 2500-3000 mon-fri. I lose 4 pounds a week. Except on weekends I over indulge and end up gaining roughly a 1 lb true weight and about 3-4 in water weight. I'm concerned am I doing things wrong I drink on weekends and over indulge on all the things I carve and I'm am dramatically increasing my sodium and carb level those two days. My questions are should I slow down with the weekend bingeing? Do I still need more calories? (I eat alot just no junk food alot of veg fruit lean protein and wheat bread)

how many steps do yall get on an active day?

Has anyone got close to are attempted 100000 step badge?

Thanks for the read look, forward to any and all responses.

DJ

[WavyDavey]

Hi @Dj_HMHA and welcome to the community!

If you are nearing your weight goal, you might want to look at upping the calories a little bit. You're running a pretty steep caloric deficit.

I think getting stricter control of the weekend situation will be very important to your long term success. If you can try to cut back on the drinks would be a big help--and probably go a long ways to curtailing the extra carbs and such. The two seem to go hand-in-hand. If your activity levels are so high, resting on weekends might not be a bad idea. I can't imagine burning 6k-7k calories a day.. That's quite a metabolism!

[Dj_HMHA]

Appreciate the reply thanx for advice .

I was thinking  the same thing it's hard to take in 3000+ if ur not eating junk food. Metabolism unfortunately isnt what it use to be I have to be active 7-8 hours a day.

[WendyB]

You are also putting a lot into how many steps you take.Its more about diet than steps

You can do massive amount of steps in a day and not lose weight. It all about what you eat and how much

Track the eating and the pounds will come off

[Maria527]

I trained and raced long distance run races and triathlons for several years (although nowhere near elite), so I get the whole routine of training hard, eating large amounts of food, then drinking on weekends.  I burned out from over training and injury and, like you, got lazy and gained weight.  I've managed to drop several pounds (but still have a few to go) and am hoping to get back into race shape for next year.

Weekends, I get it. You've worked and trained hard all week so you "deserve" to binge and drink on the weekends.  Now the bingeing and drinking has become a habit.  Habits are hard to break.  The best way to break a bad habit is to replace it with a good habit.  Plus, if you are over-restricting your calorie needs during the week, your brain is prompting you to binge on weekends to make up for it and causing those cravings. Fours pounds per week is too rapid. Ideally you should be losing 2 pounds per week.  Are you getting enough protein?  Protein will make you feel more satiated; carbs may be causing you to crash and start  craving again.

I find that the Fitbit log is quite accurate for me when it comes to burning and consuming calories.  It is a good way to monitor if you are getting too many or not enough calories.  I think if you balance your calories during the week, it will help curb your brain from prompting you to binge. May I ask what you are drinking on weekends?  If you want to allow yourself some adult beverages, there may be better choices.  My husband is a weekend drinker, but he switched to those alcoholic hard seltzers which have far fewer carbs and calories than beer.  I only drink very dry wines.

If you think you could be doing things excessively, you probably are - but that's what athletes do!  Everything to excess...

I'm no expert at all (just past experience), but I think the bottom line is that you should lessen your calorie deficit and aim for losing 2 pounds per week rather than 4.

[Dj_HMHA]

Thanks for the reply !

I drink rum or whiskey on the rocks I completely eliminated soft drinks from my diet. Ya I agree 4 lbs a week is too much i eat alot of lean proteins fruit and vegetables  during week no junk food at all. Without junk food the most I can eat is 4000 cal. Which still puts me at 2000-3000 deficit  a day and I eat quite alot jus all clean on weekdays.

[Dj_HMHA]

Thanks for reply!

The steps is just something that excites me. I enjoy being active in between hard workouts. The weight is falling off like crazy almost at my goal. its just the weekend bingeing and the calorie deficit. 

[emili]

So, here is my perspective.. there is a vast difference between having a great weekend and over indulging. Even when I was actively losing weight, I never let myself feel like I was missing out on the weekends- but within reason. To this day, I have been slim for the past 5 years and going strong, I do not miss out on anything during the weekend- within reason. To this day, breakfast and lunch are within my nutritional rules. This is Friday through Sunday. After 5- when I was losing weight, and out to dinner, I would choose things that I didn't eat during the week, but were not covered in cheese and fried to death. The whole thing for me was about not cooking and not cleaning up. I would order a dessert and share it with whomever was with me at dinner and I drank low calorie beer or clear liquor without adding juices and syrups. If we were out late, I would have chips and salsa wherever we were or I would bring my own snack if it was BYOF place. Now, I am a craft beer, white wine and whatever drink looks delicious weekender with slightly looser dinner rules, but I try not to go completely over the edge. Aside from the fact that I usually feel heavy and icky after, it is really hard to workout the days after. The body doesn't want to perform with all that crap rolling around. Have a great weekend- but be reasonable about it. Do good things for most of the day and then enjoy your evening...