12-11-2018 08:14 - edited 12-14-2018 09:21
12-11-2018 08:14 - edited 12-14-2018 09:21
I'm new to Fitbit and hoping to have success with a very low calorie (VLC) diet in conjuction with increased exercise. I am logging food on Fitbit.com, counting steps with a Versa, and checking weight daily with an Aria. My plan is to keep caloric intake consistently less than 800 kcal/d while getting at least 10k steps per day.
I am aware that studies don't show better long-term results with VLC diets compared with conventional low calorie diets and such diets can variably reduce resting metabolic rate, thus impacting weight loss success in the long run. But I'm not at all patient, and I think seeing quicker results is something I need to stay motivated.
I am male and started the program on December 9th with a weight of 258.6 lbs, height 5'11" (BMI 36.1). I think this is probably the heaviest I have ever been. My Aria tells me that my starting body fat percentage was 35%, though I understand that is not very accurate. For what it's worth, I am not muscular or athletic.
I'll journal my progress in this thread and would love to hear from others. Has anyone here had more than a year or two of sustained weight loss after starting out with a VLC diet?
Answered! Go to the Best Answer.
12-16-2018 15:57
12-16-2018 15:57
Kindoflazy, fitday.com in "How to Avoid Having Loose Skin after losing weight" said 2 pounds a week and had a few other helpful comments. Also the page had some distressing photos for you . (brush your skin to stimulate blood circulation, eat plenty of protein, massage etc)
12-16-2018 17:06
12-16-2018 17:06
Hi!
I just wanted to suggest Juice +, because it is natural. It is fruits and veggies that are dehydrated and put into a pill form.
Like everyone else, the low calories are of concern, but if you are under a Dr's watch, then it is not my concern. Just make sure that you are building muscle, even if it is lifting hand weights while watching TV. By building muscle, you body will be building muscle, while it burns some too (due to the low calories). But I really just wanted to say congrats on starting your journey and good luck. I have worked in the fitness world in the past, so I am pretty knowledgable.
12-16-2018 17:26
12-16-2018 17:26
@Glenda wrote:Kindoflazy, Here on "The Learning channel" TV they have shows sometimes about people who lost lots of weight and had LOTS of horrible excess skin. It is not life threatening like all the excess fat, but would be extremely depressing. You definitely would NOT enjoy having any of it and there seems no way to get rid of it except to gain the weight back and loose slower.??? But I don't know all about that. If you can keep up your motivation losing slow enough to avoid that I think I would if you don't have an urgent health issue. Maybe if you have never seen one of those programs you might be able to watch one on "TV on demand"? I don't know how fast is too fast for a bigger person either. Maybe you could find out on duckduckgo??? I think I'll check. They answer everything else. If you lost 3 pound a week it would take 6 months to lose 80 pounds. You could plan 3 months at 3 pounds a week and see the result and then decide???
Thanks again, Glenda. I'll definitely do some research on that!
12-17-2018 05:38
12-17-2018 05:38
@bikerhiker wrote:
My BMI @ 142lbs was lower than 30 and my body fat percentage was about 21.9%. If you look at most marathon runners in general, they are very thin with some as thin as sticks... when we run that long, we create a huge caloric deficit and athletes would sometimes consume protein and little carbs enough to encourage the body to burn mainly body fat and maintain a very very low thin weight profile. So in a way, it's very similar to your situation, except you are creating the caloric deficit through very low calories.
I do understand that some of your peers were able to do a VLCD without the adverse effects you encountered. Still, I am guessing that the safety issues of VLCD are different for someone like me compared with someone who has a normal BMI and is running marathons, and not only because I have a lot more excess fat. For example, I don't sweat much in a typical day, so electrolyte losses are probably far less than what you experience.
12-17-2018 05:40
12-17-2018 05:40
@Glenda wrote:Kindoflazy, fitday.com in "How to Avoid Having Loose Skin after losing weight" said 2 pounds a week and had a few other helpful comments. Also the page had some distressing photos for you . (brush your skin to stimulate blood circulation, eat plenty of protein, massage etc)
Thank you again, Glenda!
12-17-2018 05:43
12-17-2018 05:43
@ItIsTime wrote:Hi!
I just wanted to suggest Juice +, because it is natural. It is fruits and veggies that are dehydrated and put into a pill form.
Like everyone else, the low calories are of concern, but if you are under a Dr's watch, then it is not my concern. Just make sure that you are building muscle, even if it is lifting hand weights while watching TV. By building muscle, you body will be building muscle, while it burns some too (due to the low calories). But I really just wanted to say congrats on starting your journey and good luck. I have worked in the fitness world in the past, so I am pretty knowledgable.
Thanks so much! I am trying to build muscle as best I can. I have a Bowflex home gym and doing all the exercises it supports, but I don't really know how much weight to use, how many reps, etc. So I am pretty much winging it :).
12-17-2018 07:08
12-17-2018 07:08
You should look at the NIH bodyweight planner - https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp I have had success using their guidelines. The Fitbit overestimates the my calories burned most likely due to many years of yo-yo weight loss and gain. I have been eating at my calculated BMR and seem to avoided the dreaded loss plateau until recently. Also it is the Holiday season with lots of temptations lately 🙂
12-17-2018 07:27
12-17-2018 07:27
Thanks so much, Jim. Will do.
12-17-2018 10:33
12-17-2018 10:33
Does it take an act of Congress to get a list of the order of Rans in these Fitbit discussions? I can't get the list no matter what I do. It must be secret. They keep talking about the list but never show it. Most annoying. Walker, jogger, recovery runner. Heck Why do they even give those titles if they never give the list.
12-17-2018 10:39
12-17-2018 10:39
There's a thread about the rankings in the Community Basics forum:
https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Fitbit-Community-Basics/About-Community-Ranks/td-p/272000
12-17-2018 16:17
12-17-2018 16:17
There is no list of ranks when you click that link.
12-17-2018 16:34
12-17-2018 16:34
I see:
First Steps |
Stepping Up |
Keeping Pace |
Walker |
Powerwalker |
Distance Walker |
Tireless Walker |
World Walker |
Jogger |
Recovery Runner |
Base Runner |
Runner |
Strider |
Tempo Runner |
Hill Runner |
Sprinter |
Progression Runner |
Pace Setter |
Distance Runner |
Interval Runner |
Cross-Country Runner |
Veteran Runner |
5K Racer |
10K Racer |
Marathon Racer |
Ultramarathon Racer |
VIP |
Sorry OP for getting off topic!
12-17-2018 17:25
12-17-2018 17:25
No worries 🙂
12-17-2018 17:49
12-17-2018 17:49
A couple of basic ideologies around this:
Do three reps of the weight you choose 10 to 15 times each rep.
To know if you are lifting enough, the last rep should be challenging for you, if it is not, then it is not enough weight.
More importantly is proper technique. Make sure you are keeping your back straight, shoulders rolled back, and try to lift through the stomach.
Hope this helps!!
12-17-2018 21:11
12-17-2018 21:11
@Glenda wrote:Does it take an act of Congress to get a list of the order of Rans in these Fitbit discussions? I can't get the list no matter what I do. It must be secret. They keep talking about the list but never show it. Most annoying. Walker, jogger, recovery runner. Heck Why do they even give those titles if they never give the list.
I'm working towards the Obnoxious Know It All badge
12-18-2018 07:55
12-18-2018 07:55
Thank you DM Fan, Evidently I'm a dunce. I have copied your list and will take good care of it . Now I would like to know how to reward you with the designation "solution" or anything else good I can do for you. I don't usually visit "discussions" on Fitbit but did the other day and saw Kindoflazy and felt like commenting but I don't really know how to do this stuff.
12-20-2018 20:48 - edited 12-20-2018 20:51
12-20-2018 20:48 - edited 12-20-2018 20:51
@Glenda wrote:Thank you DM Fan, Evidently I'm a dunce. I have copied your list and will take good care of it . Now I would like to know how to reward you with the designation "solution" or anything else good I can do for you. I don't usually visit "discussions" on Fitbit but did the other day and saw Kindoflazy and felt like commenting but I don't really know how to do this stuff.
Hi @Glenda -- you cannot be a dunce as there is only one and I'm already it. Here's a few things I've figured out through trial and error: