Tag Archives: assessment

Day 238: Lean out

Day 238 - front

  • Weight: 139.0 lbs.
  • Workout C: 30 minutes, 3 seconds; next: Workout C, April 29
  • Total inches: 125.0
  • Protein: 131 g (0 g over target)
  • Calories: 1,940

I have slid backwards in body fat.

My fat went from 25.5 percent at the start of the year to 26.7 percent.

Date Aug. 30 Oct. 1 Nov. 1 Jan. 2 April 19
Body fat % 23.5 24.5 26.8 25.5 26.7

body fat percent

The challenge before me is to figure out where I need to tweak: exercise or diet. For my age and gender, 18.1 percent to 19.6 percent is considered good, while 13.6 percent to 16.3 percent is excellent. I am back in the poor to very poor range.

I already made a big adjustment last week in recalculating my protein intake based on my protein shake epiphany. For now, I stay on this new course, hoping that the next BodPod assessment — maybe in July — yields happier numbers.

Day 238 - side

Day 30: It’s what’s inside that counts

Day 30

  • Weight: 127.4 lbs.
  • No workout today
  • Total inches: 119.9
  • Protein: 150 g (28 g over target)
  • Calories: 2,451

One month down, maybe a month to go.

I know all the external measurements. But the one that comes tomorrow will be critical: body fat percentage.

I started with 23.5 percent on Day 0. I’ve gained 5.6 pounds. Time to find out what’s muscle and what’s fat.

I’m lucky to have Ginny coming along tomorrow morning for moral support. She examined the photos of Days 1 and 30 …

Day 1 vs. Day 30

Comparing Days 1 and 30
[Click image for larger version.] 

She wrote:

“This is amazing! I’m shocked.

“Your face is fuller, your collarbone is softer, your chest is filled out. Look at how much straighter the line of your sides are — no love handles and broader chest.”

I am trusting her judgment, not only because it’s very flattering, but also because I spent 10 minutes in Photoshop examining the pics up close, in transparent layers, any way I could try to detect the hint of change.

This will be a scientific assessment to see if my body fat has increased (unhealthy), decreased (healthy) or stayed the same (which I can live with).

BodPod, here I come again.