Have you lost weight since you got your Fitbit?

[Rnda]

I am the exact same weight as I was when I got my Flex 3 1/2 months ago!

How about you?

I'm hoping with Spring here and Summer around the corner, that my walking will increase. 

Moderator edit: title

[criminginc]

Dear Blacksands,

If you're doing increased resistance training, it's might be masking fat loss. BMI is not a great measure when it comes your true % of body fat you lose because the calculation does not account for gains in lean muscle mass. But if you feel you still have some excess fat to lose, you can try several different ways to bust out of that plateau such as altering your diet (do something like intermittent fasting for a short period, or Keto). You can also change up your exercise routine. For instance, if you don't do any interval training (whether on a bike, running/walking, step machine/elliptical), try those changes. If you don't hike, but have trails near where you live, try trail hiking, especially on trails with undulating elevations. However, I'd also try out lowering the intensity of your cardio sometimes to stay within a fat burning zone rather than cardio zone.

Keep in mind too that resistance training might be putting more muscle on you, which would throw off BMI calculations, giving you a false positive for how much body fat you have since BMI calculations don't do a good job of accounting for increased muscle development. I'm trying to get back into great shape but at my best (outside of high school wrestling season), I was about 190 lbs, which at 5'8", BMI calculation put me at nearly 295 body fat. I probably was closer to 12 or 13%, maybe even a bit lower (at the time in the late 1990s/early aughts, I was running a health club and trained body builder and exercise fitness show types as private clients).

One other thing, although there is some evidence of set point effect, i.e. your body basically reacting to weight loss by trying to stay within some range, this doesn't mean you cannot continue to lose weight or break from that plateau. It simply might mean that you need to adjust your diet and exercise routine, or maybe even not if you are putting on more muscle.

[SunsetRunner]

@criminginc Thanks for your input. As mentioned I had wondered if gains in lean mass was offsetting fat loss such that the scales were no longer a true reflection of what is really happening.  However there's no easy way to determine if that's really the case short of doing a dexa scan however, according to crude online body fat calculators I'm around 22.5%.  That's OK - considered "normal" but I feel it could be less.   

When I started the weight-loss journey I went down the low-carb/intermittent fasting route as these seemed in combination to be useful tools, which they were, but ultimately it's all about energy balance and while the numbers I'm logging suggest I'm in a calorie deficit that clearly isn't the case.  

I run 4 - 5 times a week, typically 45mins - 75mins on VERY hilly terrain often including very technical bush trails.  Some of the hills are very long and slow climbs, others extremely steep, which can kind of substitute for HITT.  On 'rest' days I spin or walk for an hour.  Resistance workouts I do alternate days.  I don't think my aging body could handle much more than that!  😎

[JennyTheUnfit]

Yesterday, my very romantic boyfriend bought me some .. fat callipers! He knows me well, they are SO MUCH FUN. The best thing is that you can't do them on yourself, so you have the excuse to dramatically pinch parts of your partner. You take four readings at different points on your upper body. They are more accurate than scales for % body fat, although for us the values we got were very similar to our scales (mine was pretty much bang on, his was 2% higher).

Anyway, my partner came out at 22%: the same as you. He is properly fit (similar levels of activity to you) with disturbingly angular muscles. I was really surprised his % wasn't lower given what I'd read about usual values for men. Is it possibly an older man thing (I  don't know how old you are!)? 

Anyway callipers might be an alternative option if you have muscle and want a more accurate value for % fat? They only cost about £6 and it's worth that much just for the comedy value. 

[SunsetRunner]

@JennyTheUnfit I had wondered about measuring using calipers but one potential issue I see is that after losing a fair bit of weight I am left with the usual surplus of skin and I have a feeling this may actually lead to skewed caliper measurements.  And yeah... it could just be an 'older man' (62) thing. On a positive note though, I did read a study recently, a meta-analysis that actually suggested lowest risk of death for over 65's from any cause was actually at a BMI of 27 - 27.9 - so maybe I shouldn't worry so much!  😀  

[GeorgyGirl66]

OMG! I have been SO slacking! I had some emotional things going on, and I leaped off the wagon. Well, I put my FitBit back on today. Ugh. I hate that I messed up. I can feel it in my body.. just feel so blah! Tomorrow is a new day. New start. sigh.. Here we go!

[JennyTheUnfit]

Interesting, I have no idea if that would skew it. I guess you'd have less fat-per-square-inch of skin than it might expect? Easier to do the measurements though! So maybe bioimpedence is better after all. 

The (very good) booklet that came with the callipers gives lowest-mortality weights for men/women at age 25-59 based on height and frame (small/med/large - you work it out by measuring your elbow!). Eg for a 5'9" man with a medium frame, lowest mortality is at 143-155 pounds = 65-70 kg. 

I just checked and it tells me I should be 129-142 pounds = 58.5 - 64.5kg. That's very pleasing as I was 64.5 kg before I decided to start losing weight, and my current goal is 58.5 kg (which is what I weighed when I moved in with my partner, before we started having four-course meals including desert wines and cheese). 

[JennyTheUnfit]

Oh and yes for elderly it's definitely better to have some weight on your bones. Although as I understand it it's not necessary so much that the fat is necessarily doing you good day-to-day, but it gives an important buffer in case you get ill and lose weight - else you can quickly get into bad territory.  

[Sunnylane]

When my Fit Bit was working and I was walking or riding for my daily exercising,

[criminginc]

A little back story first. Used to work in the fitness industry for a decade and was an athlete (wrestler, for which my weight varied ridiculously between seasons). Post college, I kept myself in good shape in the gym, hiking, mountain biking etc. and quite lean & muscular at around 220 until I hit my forties when I stopped exercising regularly and became quite sedentary--partly due to job demands with 15 hr a day workdays and few days off (my fault in many ways...bad time management, stress, etc... Beginning around 2010, I gained about 100 lbs over the decade. Developed diabetes among other negative health effects.

Fast forward to a year ago, I bought my fitbit. I was going to get healthy during covid. Kept putting it off until my diabetes diagnosis this past March. Since then, I've lost about 42 lbs (the right way, i.e. eating right and exercising regularly), my BP is back to normal, and my resting HR has gone from 100 bpm to 64 bpm. My fitbit has been helpful toward me keeping track of my progress and in achieving my goals.

[SunsetRunner]

@JennyTheUnfit

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@JennyTheUnfit wrote:The (very good) booklet that came with the callipers gives lowest-mortality weights for men/women at age 25-59 based on height and frame (small/med/large - you work it out by measuring your elbow!). Eg for a 5'9" man with a medium frame, lowest mortality is at 143-155 pounds = 65-70 kg. 

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Though I'm not quite 'elderly' yet, what I was looking at was this:   

So, if this is correct, and there's no reason to think it isn't, then if I'm this same weight in 3 years time when I will be so-called 'elderly' then my BMI is going to be spot on!  😀   

[SunsetRunner]

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@criminginc wrote:

... my BP is back to normal, and my resting HR has gone from 100 bpm to 64 bpm. 

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I wish I could say the same.  My BP, though lower than it was when I was obese it never actually got back to the normal range and still requires some medication.  Perhaps age and genetics have the final say...  🤔   ?

Otherwise, I have a similar story...from triathlete in my 20's/30's to obese, hypertensive, pre-diabetic in my late 40's and beyond.  Somewhat ironic that now in my 60's I'm actually fitter and healthier than I've been for the last 20-odd years.  The fitness tracker has certainly been a useful tool and ultimately contributed toward turning things around. 

[mejens]

Im up about 4 pounds. I walk my dog 3 miles nearly daily, weight lift 2-3 times a week and get in the occasional 13 mile bike ride. I've been trying to be as good as I can (it's a challenge) with logging my food. I've honestly been frustrated. Not at fitbit...just at myself. I see all this progress and activitiy and I just put on the pounds. Starting to feel desperate. 

[sorivera]

Happy for you.  Keep going!!!! 🙂

[DRadj]

I hit a 40 lb. weight loss yesterday!  I've been at this since the beginning of the year.  I've had weight issues all of my life and finally said enough is enough and really committed myself to getting healthier and losing some significant weight.  Tracking my meals, weighing myself every day, keeping my calorie intake at what my normal weight should be, and working out daily have all been keys to improvement for me.  Also, I don't get discouraged if my weight goes up here and there.  That's normal (especially while on vacations).  I know that if I stick to my routine and stay positive over the long term, I'll reach my goal.

[slammykong]

I started at 168. I'm was down to160 after a month or so, but can't seem to push past that. I'm walking about 3 miles a day and tracking all my food. I'm eating at a deficit of 500 or more calories a day. It's been a month since I've lost anything.

[Glenda]

If necessary you could stand on two scales and add the amounts.  I couldn't stand it if I couldn't weigh every day.  I think it is helpful.  Most scales go up to 300 I guess maybe more??   So if your last trip to the doctor's office had your weight at less than 600  you can weigh at home.

[SunsetRunner]

I don't mean to be harsh but what you posted makes no sense at all. You are clearly NOT keeping accurate track of your calories. A 500 calorie or more deficit a day is a pound or more a week plain and simple. If you aren't losing it is because you are not maintaining that calorie deficit. You need to re-evaluate your process.

[Jabu]

Hello,

Becareful of the reduced calorie. Don’t starve yourself. But keep it
going. Much success!


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Sent from Gmail Mobile

[slammykong]

So, planning all my meals and recording every bite of food each day using the fitbit app is not is not adequate? i'm not sure what you're recommending.

[mejens]

i wasn't suggesting anything. I have been struggling with weight loss. Besides walking 3 miles ~5 times a week, I have been bike riding about 15 miles when I can, and lifting weights 2-3 times a week and haven't budged a pound. It's been a bit frustrating.