Skin fold testing only estimates the least troublesome type of fat. Subcataneous fats are not generally the *main* issue for health, rather it is the internal fats around and in organs that causes the main direct risks to health.

It was 5 weeks.

April 19th-May 30th. Back at it, I really need to get my run time down, I hate running...

Sounds realistic from a medical perspective, but since you are building and losing equally everywhere (I assume, since you can't direct where your body stores fat) I would say that monitoring "external" fat will also somehow monitor "internal" fat?

I still favour direct use of waist measurement in combination with hip and height as being simple, reliable and something that correlates well with early mortality in middle ages and on.

While for the same person *at the same time*, the use of subcutaneous fat as a simulcrum of total body fat is reasonable. I'm not sure that over longer periods this would hold up well or be a basis for making a highly informed decision about the desired end state. In particular many elderly people seem to lose much of their subcutaneous fat (and muscle) while still having a large midriff. I'm fairly sure that they would have had different body composition in their middle age and youth in most cases, whether they were healthy or overweight.

WTG Chucky!! Keep up the good work, it inspires us all.

I'm experiencing the same trouble with clothes. I'm down 71 lbs since March 15 and I'm running out of ways to keep wearing my "normal" clothes. I'm having a unusual problem in that I think I'm losing weight too fast, but I haven't been successful at slowing it down. I'm eating as much food as I possibly can, but without the calorie rich fats I used to eat it's very hard to slow down the weight loss.

Thanks! That's something I will have to address at some point in the future. I have no wish to return to my previous diet/meal sizes,so halting the weight loss will be another challenge I guess.

I have felt 'full up' on days where I've only consumed 1400kCals.Going back to 1800/2000 will require some thought but I'm sure someone on here has the answer.

Your requirement falls with your weight (one of the reasons that diets 'taper' is that the same intake which gives weight loss initially will taper to a lower static weight even in the absence of metabolic adaptation (starvation reflex)).

You can estimate what your final requirement might be by redoing your BMR x 1.4 at your target weight, and comparing to that for your original BMR x 1.4... which is likely to have been close to your actual habits of the past.

Bear this in mind too when evaluating progress and planning your nutrition and exercise regimes.

I think Lieste said it more scientific (not sure I got all of it ) but yeah, after a while on 1400 your body gets used to it.

At the end of a diet, what you might need to do is reverse dieting:
http://breakingmuscle.com/nutrition/reverse-dieting-what-it-is-and-why-you-should-try-it

Basically raising your intake slowly. It can also help in the middle of a long drawn out diet.

You said you didn't like the weights, but creating and maintaining muscle even trough a diet will help reduce the effects of adaption.

Bonus advice: If you can swing it, get some nice new clothes, maybe a bit on the tight side. Yes, you will "outdiet" them again as you keep going, but in my experience to get the full benefit of a slimmer body is also a mental change. I have a friend who did about the same downsizing of what you are going for, but he still doesn't have the full self-esteem which he now could easily afford... basically he thinks of himself still as the overweight dude. Enjoy the process and the feeling of getting somewhere by enjoying the ability to dress much better and look much better now, it's a reward in itself that will make the diet more fun.

99.8 KG! (15st 10lbs)

I have realised something though,my upper body strength is pretty poor.Maybe I do need to try those weights again.All this cycling has done wonders for my legs,pity the upper body doesn't match them.

*note to self* Playing computer games isn't exercise.

Get a Vive and play full room, it might be

What is the exact reason you dislike weights, can you specify? Maybe someone here can suggest alternatives.

I'm doing HEMA, with a focus on German Longsword (after Meyer), but with staff, grappling, dagger, sidesword and sword and buckler. I've also got my eye on a local archery club once I have finished kitting out.

Not a big fan of traditional sports, but hitting and being hit with swords is fun, and educational.

As for weights.. go shopping with bags on foot, carry the stuff home. If you are too far for that to be practical you can still park up on the opposite side of the car park or down the street rather than right by your door... and carry from there. Rowing can be fun too - we have a local boat hire on our river and it can be fun to take a snack and a friend.

Rowing? That's a thought.I used to love hiring a boat and disappearing up the river.

I don't have a real reason to not like the weights,it just looked like hard work.

Weights are better as light to moderate with lots of reps, rather than very heavy weights lifted only a few times - unless you want to train for "maximum" strength rather than a functional one. IMO. YMMV.

But then you can do it as just part of your normal routine if you walk and carry. You can use milk cartons with water (or sand if you want heavier) as makeshift free weights.

I have 2 dumbbells,8kg on each. I've seen some routines I can do so it's just about getting into it. I know I can do it,I just need a kick up the backside.

Congrats, Chucky!

Give us a pic one day, it can be headless for anonymity.

++++++++++

Below is a candid blurry pic I took tonight to show workout laziness:

+ Less weight than usual and no extra reps (only 3 sets of 10 for all exercises).
+ Inadequate workout clothes
+ Poor foot form (not flat on ground)
+ Wearing Crocs? Crocs?!

LOL.

Yet *I* will probably get screamed at on my last set to give just one more.

But hey, a half-ass workout is better than none at all, right? She has yoga tomorrow night so I'll give her a pass.

EDIT: I probably wouldn't have taken that pic if not for the animals, they were cracking me up going round-and-round playing tag around the bench.

'NUTHER EDIT: I was just kidding, of course. Last night neither of us felt like working out, it was wife's turn to get us up and motivated. The second best reason to have a home gym (best reason is not having to leave your house) is that you can wear whatever you want, doesn't have to be workout clothes and tennis shoes (unless you're also running the treadmill).

Wife discovered something last weekend that blew both our minds!

We were invited to another little family gathering on Saturday, this time the family of her brother's second wife. We never see her brother anymore but we're still close to his second wife and we wanted to see our nephew and meet her new husband (very nice gentleman).

Her parents have a pool and swimsuits were welcomed. Nah, I'm just not there yet, in some ways I haven't even caught up with 2009 yet (first pic).

That *after* pic is going to become a *before* pic by the end of the year, especially chest muscle definition.

Wife wanted to swim (first time in years) but knew that her *current* swimsuits would be too big (one piece, she's never had a bikini body). So she went digging into the containers from her mom's house, stuff we haven't gone through yet. She actually found a swimsuit that fit, but she also found something else, the bridesmaids dress for a good friend's wedding (black wedding/church - not that it matters, just FYI). It was in a bag we never opened, she had no idea she still had it.

Couldn't put it on feet first, I had to slip it over her head and it *almost* fit. Fine in the waist/hips, but could only zip it up 3/4 of the way in the back. I told her let's dry clean this sucker and if we have to, we'll add a strap in the back (about 3" across), but she HAS to wear it when we redo those pics! Clothes from our very first pic together, unfreggin' believable!

I don't have that 3-piece suit anymore (lol) but even if I did, I still had two more inches to grow.

I should note that as cool as it was finding that dress, she has no desire to be that size again. I'm the only one wanting to get as slim as high school, she was happy to get into triple-digit lbs. and out of size 0 (which was much smaller in the 80's than it is today). So that dress is not any kind of goal whatsoever.

I still want to retake the fireplace pic and if adding a strap at the top of the zipper is cheating, then so be it. Mom could probably do it, doesn't have to be perfect, it's not like she wants to start wearing a frilly 80's dress again.

The whole weekend just fired me up to improve my efforts before I get left too far behind.

You look like a cast member from the film "Wall Street".

I spent the weekend going through all my clothes.All the stuff I had at the beginning of the year is now too big to wear.Just about all of it has gone to the old clothes collection bin in the local Tesco car-park. I did this because I'm NOT going back!

I've been wearing my brother's hand-me-downs for a while but even they are getting a little loose.I do have a few things that have been hanging in the wardrobe for I guess 10 years that I can wear.Never thought I'd ever be wearing some of those again.Not sure if they are still in style though...

I HATE buying new clothes.I don't have a clue about style or colours.I was too tight to buy a new belt so I made a few extra holes in the one I have and trimmed it down a bit.

I really need a responsible adult to take me clothes shopping.I never thought I'd be saying that at 56.

Other than a few concert T's, these are among the last *new* clothes I've purchased (first pic).

Mine is the larger white one, wife picked out the black "V" collar.

I clothes shop at Goodwills and thrift stores, all except for the very rare suit which I'll buy at Men's Wearhouse when they're running a sale (buy one get another half price).

I told my wife she should go crazy with her wardrobe/shoes/whatever, just leave me out of it. She couldn't resist and bought me a $60.00 shirt to sweat in (next two pics).

Eh, just...no. All of her yoga/workout clothes have that little horseshoe symbol (I can't find a brand name) and I figure it's all expensive. And that's fine, I want her to spend money on herself, but I don't need this.

Ok, the one shirt I can live with (and I do appreciate the thought). Also, I promised to buy a tux when I get there, I might even buy some new Levi's. She still shops the thrift stores with me so it's cool.

Wow, your wife owns and wears a SimHQ t-shirt?? She truly IS a keeper.