My (Weight)Year Summary & Future Goals. Suggestions?

[melaangus]

This year (2016) I decided that I won't go on "a diet" or try to go to the gym often. That's because dieting is temporary (and I always gain the weight back) and I don't last long on a on a gym exercise routine. Instead, I tried to add more exercise to my general life (playing soccer with a friend occasionally, walking a bit more, I adopted a dog and my daily walks with her (sometimes more than once a day and typically on the mountain which means climbing) plus playing with her kept me more active overall. This actually helped me go from about 236+ when I started the year to 213 now. I slowly lost weight and kept it off. I didn't keep gaining it back. I slowly lost the weight, plateud often but never regained.

Now, I got myself the fitbit to keep better track of my activities. I have set step goals (8000 for now that I've been sick and stuff, although I try to do much more than the minimum) and will step it up to min. 10000 in a week or two. I'll also use it to make sure I don't stay too many hours sitting down during the semester (I study and teach, so I sometimes spend too much time on a desk studying or correcting homework assignments). Any suggestions how to best utilize my fitibit to try to exelarate my weight loss process in 2017 while still creating permanent & healthy habits, instead of simply weightloss habits and and then stopping them (and therefore losing healthy habits/regaining weight).

[SunsetRunner]

It seems like you havea fairly good start already, keep doing what works for you. Aside from that try logging your food intake and setting some calorie goals. Don't get to fussy about the numbers, the margin of error on packaged foods and in the databases can be as much as +/- 5% and the fitbit is just estimating your calorie burn rate, even if you have one with a heart rate monitor.

It is all based on statistical averages based on weight, gender, age, and appearant activity level which in turn is based on steps and/or heart rate if your fit bit tracks that. I would not be surprised if the fitbit's margin of could be as high as +/- 10-15%.

Use it only as a rough guide to help you better understand how your body reacts over the long term. Get a couple of weeks of diligent recording doing things just as you have been without worrying about whether you are over or under some target amount of calories and see how the numbers match up to what you see happening on the scale.

That will give you some insight into how accurate the numbers are and may help you in accounting for any margins of error as you go forward.

Alternately just use it as a motivational tool to get your steps in and keep doing what works best for you.

[emili]

I think you have great ideas and you have a few more already. I think by the virtue of seeing what you are doing or not doing each day, will push you to do more. I would also encourage you to participate in step challenges. Not with people who triple your step goal without trying, but those who are slightly ahead of you and with an extra 15 minutes you can overtake them. Playing with your dog is excellent- for the dog and for your health. I do second the food logging. You can't outrun a poor diet. Its important to know what you are putting in, not just what you are giving out. Good luck to you in your journey..