Monday, January 7, 2008

Day 85 - All about the stats

So let's start with the measurements:

Weight: 155 lbs (GAIN of 1# this week, loss of 1# in M2, 11# overall)
Bicep: 11.25" (loss of .5" this week, .5" in M2, 1.5" overall)
Chest: 35.25" (loss of .25" this week, .25" in M2, 1.25" overall)
Waist: 28.25" (loss of .25" this week, .75" in M2, 2.75" overall)
Stomach: 31.5" (loss of 0" this week, 1" in M2, 3" overall)
Hips: 38" (loss of .25" this week, 1" in M2, 3" overall)
Butt: 41.25" (loss of 0" this week, .5" in M2, 2.25" overall)
Thigh: 25" (loss of 0" this week, .5" in M2, 3" overall)
Total inches: loss of 1.25" this week, 4.5" in M2, 16.75" overall

As far as bf% goes, I got an Omron BIA Scale for Christmas and just started using it. So I don't have a baseline on it from day 1 so here's where the results get confusing. It came in at 26% today, which sounds high to me, but I'll see what it looks like in the coming weeks to see if I really believe it or not. When I was 17% bf, I had someone else measuring me with an electronic caliper at a gym so I know that was way more accurate than anything I am doing here. And according to the calculator in MS, I started with 23% bf. So it definitely is lower than reality, but if I go with the trend, today it said I was 17.9%, meaning that I have lost just over 5% bf, and 10.5 of the 11# I have lost were fat, only losing .5# of lean mass over the last 12 wks. That's pretty impressive I think! So I am going to continue to use this calculation as well as the Omron and just see what I come up. Although I didn't lose weight this week, I still lost inches, so I am chalking that up to muscle gain (hopefully!) and continuing on, more strict on myself, from today.

Next topic: The Pushup Challenge!
Today was my first official workout for the pushup challenge so I am a little behind everyone else, but my starting count (27) puts me in the third column of week 3 (following the 100 pushups plan) As a side note, Suzette was talking about how the women don't seem to go down as far as the men on their form, and I have a few answers/theories about that. First of all, I didn't go down as far as I usually do in the video. I guess I was just concentrating on getting a lot in and making the video so much, that my form suffered a little. However, usually I start the "up" movement when the fronts of my thighs touch the floor, not when my chest does (which is supposedly correct form) so I still don't go as far as the men. A couple of reasons for that, personally: first of all, I have bad shoulders. I am very careful about what I do to them so I try not to extend them too much beyond 90 degrees. Second, this sounds weird, but I have done pushups in my Jujitsu class for 14 years now and we wear a gi in there, which is loose, so when the front of it hits the floor, that's when I go up, so I have inadvertently trained myself to not go all the way down. And third, yes, women are just not as strong, in the upper body especially. Hate to admit it, but it's a fact of life when it comes to biology and average strength. However, the more often we practice exercises like the pushup, the better we'll get, Suzette, so I say just do what you can for now, be happy that we are able to do more than most of the female population, and just keep working toward those goals so we'll end up better :) Okay side note over. I did well on the pushups until the last series - I rested 3 min before to try to work up enough energy to do at least 25 on the last set and I still couldn't make it. I only did 20 but I will keep working at it :) Then I did my regular workout - light/heavy lactic acid training on the legs and then I was totally wiped. In a good way :) So all I have tomorrow is HIIT and abs so that will be exciting!
For my nutrition today, I didn't track it exactly but I did well except that I only had 4 meals. I also have ran out of some of the things I was eating every day since Jeff is eating them now too, and they go quicker. So I need to make a run to the store tomorrow to stock up and get both of us back to total tracking. Then I will feel better knowing EXACTLY where we are. But I am confident that we are doing well enough as far as calories go at least, which is the most important part for now.

I was going to post my new Goals / Accountability List today but I'm afraid I'll have to give you all a rain check on that - it has gotten late and one of the things I have committed to do is wake up on time and to do that I have to go to sleep on time. And I'm already 1/2 hr later than what I was really aiming for, so I'll sign off for now and have more on that subject tomorrow, as well as my pics that I am behind on posting. Talk to everyone soon!


4 comments:

KaliLilla.com said...

hi Joni!

I have one of those BF scales too and unfortunately I think mine is accurate because I've checked using various calculations and my bf keeps coming in around 23%. :(

Here's a link to one of the calculators I use: http://www.linear-software.com/online.html#women

Most of the formulas in this calculator require calipers, but in the far right column all you need are 4 body measurements and your age and weight in the line above it.

Michael said...

Joni, don't get too focused on the actual number, but pay more attention to the direction of your body fat. If you get 17% in one measurement and 23% in another and then next week you drop to 16.5% in the one and 22.5% in the other, you still dropped 0.5%. You look incredible, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Focus on what you've been doing because it works. Great job on the pushups!

Stu said...

Joni, I have the Omron BIA Scale at work and a few of us have been using it for a year now. I cannot vouch for its absoulute accuracy but it is very consistant so tracking a change over time seems to have a very good accuracy. I think that your photos are showing the best accuracy and there is no doubt that your doing great.

Well done.

Anonymous said...

joni, thanks, all good explanations. i will be working on trying to get lower with my pushups. i don't have calipers or a bf scale. i just use my measurements. but i still get different readings depending on the bf calculator. my readings go from 27-35% I have mostly gone by how i feel and look in the mirror and based on that I have a long way to go even after coming so far.. you are still showing improvment which is great. keep working hard!