OneGuyFromBarlick

Counting calories is easy if you use something like myfitnesspal as we do. It operates from a giant database with thousands of foodstuffs already in. You simply input what you eat each day and any exercise that you do. You can input your own recipes if you wish, the program will remember them and you can then recall them later. If you want to use it to loose weight it will offer you a daily calorie allowance to achieve whatever goal you set over a given period of time. Endomondo sports tracker that we also use interfaces directly with it, we use it to track and count calorie burn on walking, cycling, swimming, or any other calorie burning exercise. No problem setting that off on our phones before we set off. The fitness app probably takes about 5 minutes each day to complete.

Having read the numerous posts about diet and weight loss I thought I’d see how I measured up to the problem. Getting myself settled in a nice warm bath and taking up the Charles Atlas time honoured pose everything above the plimsoll line looked pretty good. Admittedly not the ripped six pack that you see on these pufta deodorant adverts but a more rounded manly figure that you see on Blackpool beach. Spurred on with this small degree of success I decided to get weighed. Dragging the scales from under the bath and slowly assuming a vertical position, rising too fast can easily bring on a dizzy spell and must be avoided at all costs. At this point I noticed that there was quite a large roll of fat being squeezed out from under my ribs. Never seen that before but undaunted I though I’d carry on with the weigh in.
Just as I expected, the scales were busted. They hit the buffers at 16 stone 6 pounds. A second try gave exactly the same results. Time for some experiments. Definitely busted. I mean, how can standing on one leg give the same results as standing on two? Answer me that if you can. Not to worry, downstairs for a cup of tea and a piece of cake to think things over.
So what are the options if the scales are right?
Dieting. All this calorie counting is far too complicated and time consuming and anyway I hardly eat anything at all as it is.
Exercise. Walking up and down Weets Hill just because its there has never appealed to me.
Surgery. Liposuction and gastric banding fall in the same category as self mutilation. Definitely not for me.
Perhaps another piece of cake would help me think.
Looking at the scientific side. The old grey matter uses up more energy than any other organ so I’m probably plus 5 Calories in pocket all ready.
Then there’s the BMI (Body Mass Index). Let’s see what this turns up. From the top of my head it ran something like this. Weight squared, that’s 16 X 6 = 96, divided by the circumference of the waist in feet, ie: 46 inches, call it 4ft for easy reckoning, gives dead on 24. An ideal BMI. No worries there!
Moving on to Charles Darwin, (Evolution of Species). It becomes obvious that this roll of fat is to stop the knees from impacting on the rib cage and preventing secondary damage to the heart. Isn’t nature marvellous?
Another piece of cake and then after a nap to settle down watching snooker.

"So what are the options if the scales are right? "

On the back of the proverbial envelope - with weight as stated, and BMI of 24 - you need to be 6'8" tall. Simples.

plaques wrote:
Dieting. All this calorie counting is far too complicated and time consuming and anyway I hardly eat anything at all as it is.

Moving on to Charles Darwin, (Evolution of Species). It becomes obvious that this roll of fat is to stop the knees from impacting on the rib cage and preventing secondary damage to the heart. Isn’t nature marvellous?

On the first and second part, no it isn't and on the third it would seem all you eat is cake.

Don't worry about Mr Darwin either, for protecting the heart, the extra roll of fat is not really required, your heart will already have as much fat as it needs courtesy of the cake.

I do agree that nature is marvellous though, as is the joy of walking up Weets.

The bottom line is chacun a son gout.....
BMI is a crap indicator, any nutritionist will admit that, it's used because it's easy. Someone like me with short legs and a BMI of 25 is told that I'm just OK whereas I am a lot better than that. As Danny Pateman used to say, with his belly rubbing on the steering wheel and wearing his overalls out, "It's just because I'm 6" too short." Funnily enough, before I even saw this topic I weighed myself this morning and I am 169lbs, just one pound above my fighting weight in the days when I was working like a horse. I have less muscle now so really ought to be about 160lbs but if I go down to that I start to look haggard!
The bottom line for me is that all my clothes from forty years ago fit me and I am no longer regarded as Type 2 diabetes but 'Pre-diabetic', not bad going considering the mileage. The main thing is to be happy in your body and in good health.
I'm aware of calories but never count them. I have held the view for years that the route to the right diet is to eat what you like, have as varied a diet as possible, avoid all processed or pre-prepared foods unless it is a treat and you are reasonably sure the ingredients are good, otherwise just eat natural foods and cook for yourself. My experience is that over the years I have trained myself to always err on the side of eating slightly less than I could manage..... I don't call that a diet, I call it a life style.

Pan Biker et al. Don't take me too seriously. 99.9% of what I said was tongue in cheek directed at those who appear to be totally blind to the harm they are doing to themselves. The BMI calcs: are total rubbish made up to get the correct answer using the wrong equation. Yes, I do watch my diet, White fish twice a week and smoke mackerel for nibbles, no sugar or chocolates. Swimming three times a week and three hours gardening each day. I'm envious of your walks and bicycle rides a back injury put an end to that for me. My little bit of wilderness used to be the moors above Burnley. Pendle Hill was another good walk.
6ft 1 inch, 12 stone 8 pounds, 76 years old. (and that's the truth!)

I thought you must have been eating a lot of pies since I saw you last!

Plaques, I would sooooo like to see some pics of your garden if you are putting that amount of effort in. Quite a few of us appreciate effort in the garden. ( I miss my old garden and often look back at my photos with misty eyes because I was out in it most days and it showed. My current garden has hopeless soil. I am just keeping it neat and tidy at present. Not sure about getting started improving things, because if I do it will be all consuming, and I know how much effort and money it can take. My eyes glaze over and I just keep digging and planting!)

Tripps wrote:...you need to be 6'8" tall. Simples.

That's me sorted then

P, taking into account the difference in height you are better than I am, positively spare!

Marilyn I wonder what your Wisteria is looking like now?
Hope they are looking after it properly.

I do miss it Cazza. We have spoken about running one around the ground floor of our deck. D will have to put the stainless steel wires up like we did before.
New owners seem to be caring for the place. I've driven past a few times. Can't see the backyard of course and I doubt it would be as manicured as it was...

I was in for a blood test today so took advantage of the scales, I've lost 2st 2lbs since Christmas.

Well done Kev.

Very impressive Kev.

Well done Kev! If you are on the same track as me you'll see a very positive benefit in your bloods. Good luck with it!

I test myself regularly and have seen a the benefits not only in blood glucose levels but also stability, between 5 and 7mmol/l is the norm. I have been low a few times so I reckon they'll reduce the meds

Well done Kev, brilliant news.

Earlier in the year an American scientist published a paper in which he said a reduction of one gramme in the fat covering of the Pancreas could cure Type 2 diabetes.... He was of course ridiculed by many. I reckon that in a lot of cases he is right!

Following a couple of blackouts (don't stand up too quick,Kev) a reduction of blood pressure drugs has also become necessary

Same thing was happening to Col, so he has come off the drugs too. Nothing to do with weight loss though, just eating more fat and few carbs.

Wendyf wrote:Same thing was happening to Col, so he has come off the drugs too. Nothing to do with weight loss though, just eating more fat and few carbs.

I reckon it's the same with me, Wendy. The weight loss is just a side effect

Win win all round, lovely!

Big Kev wrote:Following a couple of blackouts (don't stand up too quick,Kev) a reduction of blood pressure drugs has also become necessary

Following today's visit to the clinic the diabetes meds have been reduced too

Great news.
Did you get praise & encouragement Kev?