RandoneeRider

Gotta share with y'all my results from yesterday's Hydrostatic Body Fat testing. But first, some thoughts/results from the last couple months riding my new bicycle:

NOTE:
- Juuuust before my retirement date in December, I underwent surgery in November for an umbilical hernia, resulting in a couple months of being off work (not allowed to be among the inmates) eating lotsa comfort food, basic inactivity, looking soft, and feeling the gravity of my 255+ pounds.
- January of '11, I started riding the stationary bike for 30 minutes 5 days a week. Then for 4 months, I performed a "Push/Pull" dumbell routine four days a week in addition to the stationary bike.

I bought the bike with weight loss and fitness in mind weighing in at 250 pounds. My intent was to ride at least ten miles every other day. Soon I was taking the bike out on 20 mile rides, and itching to get my 'fix' in daily. Since May 20th I've ridden over 450 miles, done nothing to modify my diet (Subway sammichs, red wine, pizza or pasta, In & Out Burger "protien style", and potatos/French Fries whenever available), and yet I seem to have lost almost 20 pounds (weighing 232 the last few days).

So yesterday I gave up fifty bucks to get dunked and have my body fat measured. The results are interesting..... I got me LOTS-O-FAT! Allow me to share with you my initial stats: 229 pounds, 5' 2", 57 year old male. The results of my trying to blow out AS MUCH AIR AS POSSIBLE while I was under water getting weighed, best of three efforts:

Body Fat Percentage: 36.2%
(Weight of Body Fat: 82.9 lb's)

Lean Body Mass Percentage: 63.8%
(Weight of Lean Body Mass: 146.1 lb's)

According to my age group and percentage of fat, I have been placed in the 1% percentile with a rating of "Very Poor". Oddly, my resting metabolic rate of -1936- calories per day ("70% of daily energy expenditure") impressed the gentleman who conducted the test....., he said something about how that was pretty amazing for a guy my age who stands a mere 5' 2". Whatever, I'm hella fat.....

So fast forward to UPS dropping off a case of Medifast meal replacement this morning. I have yet to read the material, but it's said to be the nutritional equivilant of 2,000 vitamin rich calories, while actually being only 1,000 calories (wha the??). I'm supposed to eat the meal replacements every 3 hours, drink a gallon of water (based on my weight), and prepare one "Lean & Green" meal with real food daily.

Based on yesterday's results of measuring my body fat, if I want to lose fat at no expense of lean muscle mass , I should eat 2,200 calories a day AND additional colories based on the intensity (light, moderate, vigorous) and kind of exercise I am engaging in.

If I were to follow the Medifast plan as prescribed, I would lose LOTSA weight, some fat, and more importantly the resulting caloric deficet would burn off lotsa lean muscle mass as well..... and THAT'S counter-productive!

There ya have it.....
some of you may be interested in all of this, others will find it boring and simply wanna RIDE. But I wanna get fit, maintain muscle mass, lose fat, and someday look tough-n-fine in some bright colored jerseys, tight shorts (sans "rolls"), and complete a Century RIDE. Well, time to eat, drink more water, and get a little resistance training in. I tried a "high risk, high gain" 10 mile ride on an empty stomach first thing this morning..... wasn't bad, it's nice out that time of the day!

-= PAT =-

myrridin

Some things to consider.

After you use this program to loose weight, what kind of long term dietary intake are you planning? Are you expecting to go back to eating what you used to? If that is the case why wouldn't you expect to simply gain back the weight again?

Permanent weight loss seems to require a permanent change to one's lifestyle. As such learning to eat properly in both type and quantity from the very beginning seems to be a good idea. Given such ideas, please consider just what this diet gimmick your considering does to the long term goal of permanent weight loss.

RichardGlover

I'd check the protein content of the medi-whatever meal replacements.

You CAN lose weight on an extremely calorie-restricted diet without losing muscle mass - or much muscle mass. BUT... BIG CAVEAT... you have to keep your protein intake up.

If, based on your weight, you're getting, at a minimum, about 85g of protein per day, you won't lose much (if any) muscle mass. If you start adding strength and/or endurance training to your life, you'll need more protein. If that's you, then you need to talk to your dr and do research on your own about protein recommendations for athletes.

Check the labels. See how much protein the replacement things are providing. If it's way low, then look elsewhere. If it's close, then make up the difference by replacing the 'lean-and-green' meal with one that's high protein, low-fat, & low-carb.

Either way, make sure you start taking multivitamins. That's probably what the meal replacement thingies mean by '2k of nutrients in 1k of calories'. It may even be true. It may even provide the USRDA of a ton of vitamins. But it's still probably not providing everything you need. Add a multi-vitamin - flinstones chewables are great, and not just for kids.

RandoneeRider

RichardGlover,
THANKS..... I'll be looking into claimed protein content of the meal replacements. The sales pitch is that they're designed with balanced carbohydrate/protein content in mind. But as you suggest, I need to maintain enough protein for my bike rides, resistance training, and walking ("rest & recuperate" during motorcycle rides over the weekend!). When I asked about this....., the "life coach" or whatever they wanna call themselves, suggested to limit my exercise to no more than thirty minutes, especially during the first three weeks of the 'diet'/lifestyle change. I think all they do is parrot what they've been coached to say.... liability issues, etc.

The diet absolutely prohibits any fruit. BUT I may sneak a banana, non-fat dairy, some tofu, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and protein powder into a blender after 20+ mile bicycle rides (being careful to see if my energy allows the longer rides). I've already added to the 'plan' this morning, 278 calories of hard boiled egg & steel cut Irish Oatmeal. I'll be looking at the total calories and percentage of protein by day's end. But I've already established that I need to add as many as 470 calories (from 30 minutes on the bike and 30 minutes of resistance training) to the 2200 calories needed based on my Resting Meabolic Rate.

The whole purpose of all of this is two-fold:
To reduce Body Fat/get fit
-and-
pay attention to my intake/exercise discipline/learn how to prepare inteligent meals.

myrridin

I'm curious, how does the medifast meal replace fit into the program? Does the program include learning to prepare healthier meals or is it more like those where you purchase prepared foods?

RandoneeRider

The program provides menus, such as suggestions for the one "lean & green" meal daily.... I haven't studied the material yet, it's sitting in the living room awaiting me to come in and study it.

-- I think (quite frankly) that it's gonna be on me to teach myself how to prepare healthier meals. --

This is just another variation of the MANY fad diets out there, and I think quite honestly that it's designed to give people the instant gratification of melting off the weight..... with little (or no) regard to maintaining lean muscle mass. The plan, as it arrives at your doorstep, could likely work well for a person who is not active and may already be.... smaller but w/excess fat. I am NOT that person.

I already know how to order a mean bacon burger, chorizo con nopales, or quatro formaggi..... but I'm actually off to the store right now to buy broccoli, salad makings, tuna, eggs, and chicken breasts. I figure at age 57, it's about time I grow up and learn how to take care of myself..... never met a woman who wanted to accesorize with a five foot dude on her arm. Gonna be just me and Cleo & Patra.... I better pick them up some nom noms too....

goldfinch

Rando, you just needed someone like me who nudges up against 4'11".

I am surprised at your fat percentage because you are so strong and riding so much, as compared to me. But then again, you still have much more muscle mass than I do. I would be interested in knowing how much of me is fat but am not sure that I am up for the dunking. Either way, I know that I need to build more muscle which will require weight bearing exercises. I can do squats in the motorhome.

myrridin

I can only suggest what has been working for me... Which is gradual and incremental changes in how and what I eat. A little over a year ago I ate three food groups (meat, cheese, and pasta) and only drank coke. Now I only drink water, and eat a healthy balanced diet... With a much wider variety of veggies. I added veggies one at a time and tried difference preparations to find the most palatable. Over time I have developed a taste for them so that I actually LIKE them now...

For me trying to change to much too soon has never worked... I kept falling off the wagon.

RandoneeRider

(goldfinch, I would love a 4' 11" gal in my life, but if you're a dude and I learn to like it, that might explain why at my age I'm still unmarried...... I keed, I keed! ((...truth is, I don't think there could be a more boring straight than I.)) Yeeeears ago, I was asked to escort a young lady to her installation as Honored Queen in Job's Daughter. The Air Force swept us through Turlock on our way to Sacramento, and her family looked me up because my 5' 2"ness would be a better fit walking her down the aisle. I later took her to the Jr. Prom as well..... Honest to Dog, I felt like I was gonna break her tiny 4' 11" frame! Up to that point my girlfreinds had either been athletes, taller than me, or years later, with 'issues' seeking only to dominate/henpeck....)

Well.... I find myself questioning this angle of attack to my "diet". I've been eating the "meal substitutes, made a tuna salad on my own, had a harld boiled egg with my Irish oatmeal this morning, drinking my water, every 3 hours, and I am NOWHERE NEAR the amount of calories I was instructed to eat by the health guru yesterday who dunked me (hydrostaticly...). I made 4 servings of the steel cut oatmeal this morning and put them in containers, made a bunch of hard boiled eggs (some of which I hope to pickle), preparing (in advance) chicken breast, long grain brown rice, and asparagus spears to be frozen, etc..... And in ten minutes I'm supposed to eat again; I think I'll make this one my "lean & green" meal. If I were to add the calories I've consumed so far, with only one more meal yet to go for the day, I'm only at 940 calories and 87.5 grams of protein.

Wow.... it was a heck of lot easier to get the calories eating a whole footlong Subway sammich, a steak, and/or go to the brewery and down a couple beers or red wine with my Turkey bacon club sammich......

I'm gonna beat this though......
I wonder why fruit is so forbidden(?); I could make a killer protein shake with strawberries, cranberry & apple juice, half a banana, protein powder (or firm tofu), ice, honey, bee pollen, ginger, nutmeg, low fat milk...... Getting excited at the thought of one... maybe after pounding out a 25 mile bicycle ride.

goldfinch

Don't worry, I am straight too. And a woman. And your age. But, married.

How many carbs in your diet? I started fairly low carb and upped the carbs a bit over time by adding fruit. I rarely eat bread, rice, and other beige foods. Not even oatmeal. But I want my fruit. Blueberries with half and half for breakfast. Or an apple with walnuts or cheese. I know they are bundled sugar but I don't find that they throw me out of whack provided that I balance the sugar of the fruit with something like cheese or milk or nuts. I also use a refined stevia in lieu of sugar which helps.

In six months I have dropped 20% of my weight without starving myself. I still need to drop 10% of where I am at now. But I am going slower, moving more to a diet that I can live with long term. So much of diet is habit. I am now out of the habit of chocolate and bread, formerly my two favorite food groups. No, that really isn't correct. My favorite food is diet coke. I haven't dropped it and have no intention of dropping my cola.

The interesting thing about diets is that we all can do an experiment of one. I suddenly and dramatically changed what I ate when I went on a trip by myself. I went from a vegetarian home to eating fairly low carb plenty of meat diet of 1100 to 1200 calories a day. I think the shock to my system helped. I've modified what I eat from how I started, but I still try to stay at an average of 1200 calories a day. I know that I have to remain agile, mobile and hostile when it comes to food.

Randonee, I'll be interesting in hearing your reports. Any advice for me on building up my muscles? Keep in mind that I live in a motorhome and can't carry around weights or join a gym.

RandoneeRider

goldfinch,
Keep in mind that I know little of what I speak.... but I've been asking questions. Most interesting thing I've heard recently was yesterday while waiting to get my body fat floated. They guy suggested that my recent bicycle habit was a good thing, low impact & such.... but that I should be sure to incorporate into my routine "weight bearing exercises". "Walking is good", adding... "even without a heavy backpack". He was also very quick to point out the BIG benefits of lunges, squats, stairs.... that sorta thing. -AND- You would be surprised at how effective a routine with dumbbells can be, and they don't take up (too) much room. I've decided/discovered that one can get away without having a weight bench to benefit from the dumbbells.

EDITED to say:
The Medifast program has been around for over 25 years.
"This program is muscle sparing - even at 1000 calories a day! This is a unique program developed by Johns Hopkins University and is both healthy and ingenious - nothing else out there like it!"
- Okay -
For it to work properly, I am not given license to modify it in ANY way. It is for this reason that I will be eating all the perishables I have in the house, getting the 2200 to 3000 calories I need daily, riding the bike for my 20+ miles, using my dumbbells, walking in the evenings, and taking days off as needed. The bike will be totally set up & finally dialed in, I'll be feeling stronger/healthier, and may even continue to lose weight just by engaging in all this physical activity. In the meantime, I'll be reading and preparing for the new venture into rapid weight loss, attending meetings and asking questions, and ready & willing to cut back on my fanatical need to RIDE, LIFT, WALK, and RIDE SOME MORE.

Then into August, I'll cut back on the activity but remain active, start the meal replacement diet, learn to eat my vegi's, and look forward to my Lycra NOT being so TIGHT!

My fanaticism is SCREAMING out to me for a RIDE today, but I've been going out daily and riding longer farther than I have been accustom. Adding recently my resistance training..... time to take a chill pill and give my fanaticism a break.

exile

Looking at the info available on the MediFast diet it was originally intended for morbidly obese people to loose weight quickly. However the diet was not intended to be used long term and was doctor supervised because of the extreme caloric reduction.

The diet in its current form sort of resembles it (from a calorie standpoint), but unfortunately really doesn't provide help with making long term sustainable food choices (unless you plan on purchasing there foods).

I think it will work because of the extreme calorie deficit, however I am a bit wary concerning the nutritional profile. I couldn't find any information regarding macro nutrient profile of the meal plan. It also seemingly contradicts itself by stating something along the lines of getting around 2K calories in only 1K calories worth of food. However it also states that the dieter may need to take a Multi to help supplement because their could be a deficiency in nutrients.

To me the last sentiment has me questioning what exactly is being used as "fillers" in processing? There were also some concerns over constipation which means you might want to add some sort of fiber to help supplement.

As for why they specifically forbid fruit I am unsure about. I know there was some concern in the Low Carb diet group that certain fruits were high in carbohydrates and since fructose is considered a simple sugar would also be high on the glycemic scale.

RandoneeRider

exile,
I'm seriously obese "Morbidly Obese",
my BMI is off the chart and the Hydrostatic weigh-in put me in the very low, "very poor' 1% percentile group. I could pretend to be flattered by his comment that my Resting Metabolic Rate is very good for a guy who stands 5' 2", my bpm in the morning is 50-52 upon rising, I might feel good that I'm quite capable of walking 7 miles at a rather spirited pace, can ride the bicycle 25 miles in 95* temps at an overall average of 13 mph, no medical problems, etc.... but I'm fat none-the-less.

It's absolutely amazing what I've learned in the last couple days, how I've been forcing myself to down a gallon of water daily, counting calories & protien ferDogsakes, making (smarter) choices, have no desire for that box of red wine on the kitchen countertop (digestive aid don'tchaknow, and good for taking vitimans with), as well as eating (some) vegi's & home-made meals!???!

At 57, fat, really short, white, and a God loving Traditionalist (leaning right).... that is to say, a "minority" in Kalifornia, I have NO CHANCE of finding any work when I want to get back into the fray. The ONLY thing I can change is my Carharts wearing big/fat bod' and attempt to look a little less slovenly by dropping a quick 100 pounds.

I'll be watching, listening to my body, and consulting/asking my doctor for some more blood work to be performed when significant weight has come off. In short, I'm about as skeptical as you. I think the claim that Medifast's 1,000 calorie "5 & 1" is (equivalent to) "2,000 calories nutritionally"..... is because the meal replacements have been pumped with a balance of vitimans & soy comparable to a 2,000 calorie day.

Sure I've lost 20 pounds since I started riding the bicycle a month and a half ago, but the body is gonna git hep to what I'm doing.... so it's up to me, and I've chosen this route. Gonna get another dunking three months from now and see what the results are; if I've lost muscle mass I'll know that Medifast is not what it claims to be.