FIT.Y.E.R.O. (Meathead, wellness, fitness, diet, exercise) Thread

pretzel__logic

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I can't decide if I'd love those or love them for a week and then leave them strewn about my home and office never to be touched again.
 

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
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I fidget with whatever is in my pocket, typically my car key fob. Knew as soon as I saw them I'd use them. There's really not many other products out there other than that weird website.
 
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Anon1711055878

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I just constantly stim out by rubbing my index or middle finger on my thumbnail. Like don’t even realize it. My thumbnails always look shiny and freshly manicured tho, so spectrum living aint all bad lol
 
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anthonys735

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Jan 29, 2004
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Was trying to see what it offered over the free version. Thoughts?
I'm a sucker. Who knows? I have turned it off a few times and apparently turned it back on during last cut. Reading this probably the barcode and macro stuff which is mainly what I'm looking for. I do need to turn off the exercise altering my caloric goals. Someone posted a few free options awhile back that I meant to check out. I know bonz like his scale's app.

 
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CSC81

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Was trying to see what it offered over the free version. Thoughts?
To add a bit to what Anth said, I have used both the free and paid versions of MFP, and to me the only real difference was the barcode scanning. Which was pretty helpful, especially when I first started using it.

But after a while, at least for me, I kind of got into a routine of eating a lot of the same things over and over and it’s already in my saved history anyway. So, I just stopped paying for it, and if I needed to add a new item and it wasn’t already in the database, I would literally just go through and “create the food” myself.

Can be a little bit of a pain and time-consuming on the rare occasions it happens, but again, I generally eat a lot of the same things in various combinations when I’m really “on track,” so that doesn’t happen very often.
 
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Bonzo_Cat

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This smart food scale is pretty handy and inexpensive. Has a huge database it pulls from for meats, vegetables, grains, etc. Or use your phone scan anything with a bar code and it’ll pull the macros. If it’s a local brand like Kroger’s CarbMaster milk, you can create the item / macros.

When in maintenance I rarely use because like CSC said, when you eat a dozen or so of the same things throughout the week, you quickly have a general idea of your intake.

In a cut or like now a bulk, it’s invaluable.
 

UK-Chulo

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Mar 22, 2007
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To add a bit to what Anth said, I have used both the free and paid versions of MFP, and to me the only real difference was the barcode scanning. Which was pretty helpful, especially when I first started using it.

But after a while, at least for me, I kind of got into a routine of eating a lot of the same things over and over and it’s already in my saved history anyway. So, I just stopped paying for it, and if I needed to add a new item and it wasn’t already in the database, I would literally just go through and “create the food” myself.

Can be a little bit of a pain and time-consuming on the rare occasions it happens, but again, I generally eat a lot of the same things in various combinations when I’m really “on track,” so that doesn’t happen very often.
Wife has used mfp for tracking nutrition. She was using a white label app from her trainer for tracking workouts. He wants to start charging for it. So we are exploring using mfp for the workouts too. It allows you to build a workout but you can’t check of sets as you go during a workout. You pretty much load the whole workout and log it once finished.

May end up using Strong for her workouts. One solution would be nice if all convenience features were covered. Paid is fine if it is user friendly and comprehensive.

Cronometer is cool for nutrition tracking.
 
Aug 10, 2021
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So, uhh, how exactly does the scale thingee work? You weigh something take a picture with the phone and it syncs somehow? Does it sync with MFP?

We are currently trying the premium version of Carb Manager to try the AI photo recognition for food journalling. LOL. Jian Yang's HOT DOG NOT HOT DOG app was more accurate. Don't bother. Otherwise the app has been pretty handy. I'm currently able to journal for a couple days in a row before quitting which is about 1.75 days longer than my previous efforts.
 

Bonzo_Cat

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So, uhh, how exactly does the scale thingee work? You weigh something take a picture with the phone and it syncs somehow? Does it sync with MFP?

We are currently trying the premium version of Carb Manager to try the AI photo recognition for food journalling. LOL. Jian Yang's HOT DOG NOT HOT DOG app was more accurate. Don't bother. Otherwise the app has been pretty handy. I'm currently able to journal for a couple days in a row before quitting which is about 1.75 days longer than my previous efforts.
Say you want to measure Fage Greek yogurt for the first time. You scan the bar code with the app on your phone (comes with scale), then spoon out however much you want to eat into a bowl that you placed on the scale. The app gives you readout of the macros.

For meat, vegetables, fruit that doesn't have a bar code, you type in what you want to measure in a search bar and do the same as above. Haven't found any meat or produce that the app doesn't have data on. Pretty simple.

Is it exactly the nutrients in the filet, salmon or sweet potato you're eating at that time? Probably not, there's differences in the quality of meats, fish, etc...Weigh a 6oz chicken breast and compare it to what Doctor Google says the macros will be and it's damn near the same.

And if you use it regularly, that's all that matters. Like an Apple Watch / FitBit, Oura Ring, the accuracy may not be 100% but it's based on your inputs and outputs, so it paints as accurate a picture as you can get.
 

RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
26,498
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Since im now at 160 pounds, my TDEE to lose weight has fallen to 1500. I've been 16-8 intermittent fasting. It's helped a lot. I can eat something before bed, and have a mid-day meal while keeping my budget of 1500 calories. Hoping to drop to 150. And be done. Just maintain/gym life then.
 

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
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Congrats on the success, folks. I've rebounded very nicely after my ****** eating month. Locked in, logging food, 1 cheat meal last week, the rest were b/w 2200-2500 calories, 200+g prot and trying to drag those carbs up closer to 150. Made a change to get more calories in Breakfast and Lunch and away from dinner. Hopefully I adapt to 2500 so we can take it up to 2800-3000 or so in just over a month. Fingers crossed.
 

CSC81

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Made a change to get more calories in Breakfast and Lunch and away from dinner.
This is ultimately a goal of mine.

“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” To use the old saying.

There are plenty of studies out there that say “Time distribution doesn’t matter, it’s only total calories over a 24hr period that count.”

I generally follow the science. ****, my undergraduate degree is in kinesiology with an emphasis on exercise science. But this is one nutritional concept I just am absolutely hard headed about, can’t get behind, and call ******** on. At least from an anecdotal standpoint. I know it’s only n=1, but I know for an absolute fact that, personally, if I shift the majority of calories to earlier in the day, fat loss and maintenance of lean mass are exponentially improved.

My main problem is, I can fast all day and eat later with no issues at all. Every time I try to shift my main calories to earlier (and I’ve done it many times), the rise then drop in blood glucose makes me ravenously hungry later. Absolute test of mental fortitude, and if I’m the least bit emotional or having a “bad day,” I say “Whatever” and just wreck the whole day on cals/macros.

- Total side note, but drove by Ford’s recently and forgot they have that outdoor workout area channeling Muscle Beach vibes. That place is so cool and legendary (to clarify, I mean Ford’s; but Muscle Beach is also legendary, of course).
 

Bonzo_Cat

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<- used to belong to Ford's Fitness after graduating. The prototypical no-frills meathead gym. RIP Glenn Ford, great guy and fraternity brother.

- Working out early in the morning aids you in consuming a bulk of daily macros by midday. It's 11:30 and I've ate two meals, will have a third before 2:00. At that point I'll be close to 1,800 calories and 150g protein. Final meal around 6:30 and I don't have to go overboard to 200+g protein and 2500 calories.

However, upping it to a desired 3k and regularly hitting that number for the winter arc is going to be a bit of a challenge.
 

CSC81

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Oh, I have no problem eating earlier in the day at all. I could easily fit all of my cals/macros in by 12-2pm, no problem.

It’s just that spike then drop in blood glucose that makes it most difficult for me. Even with low glycemic carbs, which should in theory keep the sugar levels more stable and rising then dropping again at a steadier rate, I still want to eat everything in sight by 6-7pm.

Whereas, if I fast earlier and backload, I have no problem waiting. I’m sure some of it is psychological (having “something to look forward to”). But there’s also definitely a chemical and hormonal component (ghrelin/leptin exchange, to start with). “Feeding the beast,” for lack of a better way of putting it, also has the effect of making you hungrier, earlier.
 
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Bonzo_Cat

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'Boiling frog' technique. Consistency and slightly increasing calories over time will get you there.
 
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anthonys735

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Jan 29, 2004
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100% I could workout at 6a and not eat until 12-1p without issue. Then want like 2000 calories at dinner with snacking and ****. Forcing calories earlier is tough. That's why Int Fasting was easy, although I'm not sure it did anything. Actually, I'm sure, it didn't do anything.

Before I was like:

Breakfast: 500 Calories
Lunch: 450 Calories
Snack: 200 Calories
Dinner: 600 Calories

On a weekday I'm ringing in at 17-1800 calories then on a Saturday 4000 or some dumbshit. Body has to hate that **** and we know prolonged caloric deficit actually slows everything down. Anyways, I was shoving 1200 calories of whole foods down my gullet at night. That's a **** load of food. So, goal is reverse diet to 3k cals with more balanced front loaded meals. Up to 8 eggs a day, lol. Working though. Eat more, lift more, weigh less. Plus the walking desk treadmill right before/after lunch is a real gamechanger. Definitely eliminates that bleh.
 
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We are moving and won't be done until November 1. I'm just worrying about doing the absolute basics -- namely, getting in three kettlebell workouts a week, eating reasonably, and maximizing sleep to the degree possible.

I think it is important to figure out some baseline plan you can revert to in times of stress so you don't spiral out of control. For the next couple of weeks, I'm going to take 3 apples and 3 fairlifes with me in addition regular meals. I have no idea when I will be able to eat, etc. If worse comes to worse, I can always find a way to eat 3 apples and drink 3 fairlifes over the course of a day and at least eat a healthy dinner.

Is that ideal? Absolutely not. Is it better than having no plan at all? Yup! And is it something I might actually do in between moving and operating my business? Also, yes!

I'll see what my measurements say in November. If I'm not a slob then, I might keep a similar routine through the holidays with the idea to ramp it back up in January. Not really looking to worry about tracking my diet or doing a bunch of walks along with all of the billion other things to do in Nov and Dec if I can get away with it.
 
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anthonys735

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Certainly makes your tummy feel better the day after. Have a buddy, that we vacation with, that swears by them and makes us one every morning. Think he uses water, acv, cayenne and maybe a little honey. I just always forget about it with all my other supplements and potions.
 

Ron Mehico

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My wife for a couple of years would make an apple juice, ACV, cayenne, and honey shot every morning. She’s skinny and has a flat stomach but she also hasn’t done it in like 4 years so who knows.
 
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Aug 10, 2021
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I used to take fish oil religiously. I haven't since the big *** bottle i bought from Sam's ran out. That was probably a year ago. I haven't noticed any difference.

It seems like the medical industry isn't pushing it like they used to. Anyone know why? (Or if I'm just an idiot.)
 

Kooky Kats_anon

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Aug 17, 2002
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Acutally, on the ACV bottle there’s a recipe:

6oz Warm/Hot water
1.5 TBS ACV
1 teaspooon honey
Cinnamon.

Pretty effing tasty.

It blunts glucose spikes, assists liver function, anti inflammatory properties as well as melts visceral belly fat.

If you like kombucha, you’ll love this.

I know this will sound weird-but-to keep on 16hr fasting schedule, I sub diet cream soda for the honey. Profit.
 

chitown87

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I'm fairly sure that barcode scanning works on MFP if you set your location to a different country, even if you don’t pay for premium.
 

Bonzo_Cat

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I just take a swig out of the apple cider bottle from time to time. No sense gussying it up.

Fish oil, Krill, MCT oil have never made me feel any different but the support they provide to your heart/joints/brain has been thoroughly researched and about as indisputable as you can get for a supplement.
 

Bonzo_Cat

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Hank, living in Lexington, you should get on a schedule with Anth's trainer. Start once a week while during the move or if not, right after. You'd learn a ton about the science behind lifting, diet, supplements, etc. Josh is elite at what he does.
 

anthonys735

Heisman
Jan 29, 2004
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Get on the Magnesium train.
I get a good dose from LMNT and I do take a mag supplement most of the time. Just haven't reupped. I tend to do that with supps. I'll drop them for a bit for no real reason. Other than creatine, melatonin and psyllium husk. LMNT is moving into that territory.
 
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Anon1711055878

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So if someone is in a caloric deficit they will lose weight? Who would have thought?
Ughh… yeah.

It compared the weight loss rate with a control group that only used restricted calories. Data showed those taking acv acheived better results than the control. Much more information out there too (much of it is way over my head without further reading).

This is a nerdy meathead thread. We understand cico.