Body fat test

Calories eaten yesterday: 1187
Fat: 30g (24%)
Carbs: 93g (33%)
Protein: 110g (39%)

Weight this morning: 134.2 (One week ago: 134)
Calories burned in exercise today: 231

Crap. I'm higher today than a week ago. That is not good. :(

Settle in with hot cocoa. Today's a long entry.

Today is the summer solstice - the longest day of the year. So why are more days still so chilly here? I'm wearing long sleeves more often than not.

Ok, measurements and body fat test results from today and from March 9, just after starting NutriSystem. (I started NutriSystem March 4.) It turns out he did the math wrong back in March, so my body fat was way off from what I thought it was. I will update my March blog entry to reflect the real numbers, and I have updated them here in the parenthesis.

Measurements in inches (3/9/07 measurements):
Neck: 11.9 (12.3)
Chest (above breasts): 35.6 (33.3)
Breasts: 33.6 (35.25)
Biceps: 13 (11)
Forearm: 11.9 (9.25)
Waist: 30.5 (29.25)
Hips: 35.75 (37.5)
Thigh: 21.6 (21.25)
Calf: 14 (14.9)

Weight: 135.75 lbs. (146.75 lbs.)
Body fat percent: 27% (29.5%)
Fat mass: 36.5 lbs. (43 lbs.)
Lean mass: 109 lbs. (103 lbs.)

I think the waist is off because he tells me to suck in my tummy, so I do suck it in, but only a little. I don't think sucking it in is an accurate measurement.

Higher numbers on some of these aren't bad. It could mean I'm building muscle. Glad to see the hip measurement go down.

However, body fat is an inexact science unless you are weighed in a water tank. Calipers have an error margin of 3-5%. So when Jason told me that I'd lost 6 pounds of fat and gained 6 pounds of muscle, I asked how the scale could reflect a 10 pound loss because if those numbers were true I should have stayed the same weight. He said water weight varies from day to day and that the calipers will always be a little off on body fat percentage, which throws off the numbers for fat and lean mass pounds.

So overall good news, but could have been better.

What I'm doing in terms of workouts and eating are working, so I'll continue. He had me do a squat test and said my form was better than last time except that I lean over too far still. But no more of my feet turning out or arching my lower back.

Jason and ended up spending an hour together going over this and other stuff, so by the time I started my workout it was already 12:30. I did 1 hour of weight training, and since I had to leave for work then I walked from the BART station to work for my cardio.

One thing I asked Jason about was the ankle attachments for the cable machines. He said they are hidden because people steal them, and showed me where they are kept. He said if I use them, to return them when I am done. In the same drawer I saw resistance bands and asked about them. He highly recommended using them and that they are great for travel. I got to thinking about my vacation in a month and thought, "Hey, I could pack those in my suitcase!" He didn't recommend the types that 24 Hour sells and told me (in a quiet voice) to go to WalMart or a sporting goods store. When he showed me the bands and explained the weights he said I was "advanced." I don't know what exactly he meant, and I don't care. I'll take the compliment!

I hit WalMart on my way to work to get the bands and there they were - three "weights" of bands with detachable handles, perfect for travel. Only $11 for all three! These will enable me to do something while on vacation. Jason said all the equipment you ever need to work out is an exercise ball and resistance bands. That's it.

Technorati tagged: diet, weight loss, health, fitness, exercise, obese, overweight, NutriSystem