GeekFit PodcastPodcast hosts: Jason Tucker and Steven Klassen discuss healthy weight loss for geeks.
Jason at the gym – GeekFit IO
Aug 18th
It’s been a bit since I’ve been to the gym and after visiting the Doctor for my yearly physical he said I need to hit it hard. Video recorded in HD!
What’s The Secret?
Feb 2nd
I got a Facebook comment on a recent Body Bugg update (3944 calories burned, 2958 calories consumed, and a 986 deficit). The question: “How do you burn so many calories, must have the secret…”
This was my response (written first thing in the morning, so bear with me):
I wish I could say it’s all muscle, but that only accounts for maybe an extra quarter calorie per minute (225 calories over 15 hours)**. I burn ~2750 calories a day at an idle, so that extra 500-1000 comes from deliberate daily exercise. 30m on the treadmill, a couple 15 minute brisk walks, etc. The 4500 calorie days are a Zumba class or a combination of weights and some intervals.
I’ve had a couple surplus days though – no exercise and usual intake. That’s good food, too. After tracking with a Body Bugg like this it’s really easy to see how tossing a Double Bacon Western Cheeseburger in the mix (or something similar) would EASILY pack on the pounds.
So, why 3000 calories at an idle instead of 2000 (USDA break-even calorie number)**? I’m carrying 100 lbs of extra ballast. I’m used to carrying it, so it’s like a workout you do for too long and plateau.
If I had to guess I’d say 2000 is a average, 2500 (extra 500 for the muscle composition), and then an extra 250 for carrying the extra weight brings us to 2750.
So the secret is to either be 100 lbs overweight (I really don’t recommend this one!) and/or lift weights to get the added benefit of the extra burn.
** This is a complete WAG (wild @$$ guess) based on what I’ve been heard from other bodybugg users who average 1-1.5 calories/min at an idle.
GeekFit IO
Nov 26th
I spent a month on the road working in Dallas, TX. Before I left I made sure to weigh in and post the results (384 lbs) to Daily Burn so I could check my progress throughout the trip. I had forgotten that unfortunately most scales don’t weigh anyone over 350 lbs (the big weight to 300 and the smaller weight to 50). So blindly I pressed on, enjoying progress checks via other methods: my belt loosening and having to drop down twice to another hole, being able to double-time it up 7 flights of stairs before I got winded, my clothes generally feeling looser, and the seat on Southwest not squishing me quite so much on each round-trip to Austin on the weekends.
Last Saturday I flew home, 6 hours in total, and was eager to weigh myself Sunday morning. I came in at 366 lbs, netting me a loss of 18 lbs. On a hunch I weighed in again this morning and was at 362 lbs for a total loss of 22 lbs. That’s some Biggest Loser weigh-in progress, y’all.
So, what changed? I had been working out half-heartedly, eating “alright” and avoiding the major pitfalls, but not really pressing in any particular direction. I had maintained the 370-375 range until late August when, unchecked for a bit, jumped up to 384. That set off all the bells & alarms. I wasn’t quite back where I had started, but my “eh, it’s maintaining” attitude went out the window. Something had to change, and like now.
Around the same time I had been reading up on carbohydrates, protein, and procrastination in general. That gave me some interesting insights to what starches and carbs would do to my overall intake for the day. I started preferring protein over carbs, veg over starch, and worked out every day. The stairs were the other big thing. I was on the 6th floor of the hotel for a while and then the last couple weeks they had me up on the 7th floor. I took the stairs every time I had to go to/from my room. The only exception being heading down for breakfast in the morning. I was already plenty worked up from the rush of getting out of the shower, getting ready, getting dressed, and then packing out the door with my backpack on.
All in all it was a good trip. I got a lot of work done and kicked my fitness into high-gear. I think I made the most progress on the cardio and now I’ve got to bring the resistance training up a few notches.
Back to Basics
Dec 12th
The holidays have been wreaking havoc on my diet, so I’m going back to a regular food log which you can find at the link below. So far my breakfast was a train wreck, but the goal today is to eat every 3–4 hours. Stay tuned… another show this weekend.
Fill the Gaps
Jun 27th
I knew that once I stopped going out to eat when I travel that there was going to be trade offs. The up side: I’d have time to hit the gym, and I’d be eating store bought food. The down side: nearly total lack of social interaction.
My routine so far for this trip:
- wake up at 6am
- get ready for work
- have breakfast in the room
- work for 8–12 hours
- head directly to the gym
- cardio or weights, alternating days
- back to the hotel & shower
- dress in comfy clothes
At that point it’s 8 or 9pm. I figure I have 2–3 hours of time I could spend filling the gaps. On a “school night” some TV in the room, a video on my laptop, or something else I can turn off when it’s time to sleep is probably a good idea.
What about Friday night through Sunday?
