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So this post is about some things I have learned this month, about me and my goals and also the Fitness app on my watch which usually I love: Every month it sets a challenge, separate to my own goals for exercise, movement and standing. In the past they have been quite achievable, but this month it set me a movement goal for the first time - to use 23,100 active calories over the month, that means above my normal resting calories. I have just squeaked in and hit this challenge today, with half a day left to go, but it was a mistake for me to go for it, I now see. This is why: I usually average about 600 active calories a day, meaning my maintenance cals should be about 2350. I have found a great equilibrium with this and losing weight, and even when my weight reduced (now by 27kg) I have managed to keep at about that by increasing the duration or intensity of walks. But to use 770 calories extra a day has taken me an average of 1 hour 45 minutes of exercise. Like lots of you I am super busy, I have two teens, run the house, and I work. I have found myself resenting the extra time it has taken out of my day, even on walks which usually I love. It has tipped me all out of a carefully created balance for a goal that I DIDN'T SET MYSELF. In fact it was set by AI. On top of that I found the extra exercise during calorie deficit made me extra hungry and I have snacked more, which I never do, and not on the right foods, AND I haven't taken a rest day, which is not good for you folks! I do mix up my workouts but still, we do need to rest! As I understand it, if you hit your monthly challenges they will just keep getting harder and pushing you to do more and more. So you are bound to end up at 'failure' in the end. How demotivating. From now on I am going to ignore challenges that do that, stick to the goals I set myself and not wear myself out just because I'm stubborn. Thanks for coming to my TED talk!
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777 kcal
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Fat: 32.23g | Prot: 70.37g | Carbs: 54.54g.
Breakfast: Tesco Pomegranate Seeds, Passion Fruit, Blueberries, Bio-Tiful Kefir, Sainsbury's Chia Seeds. Lunch: Onions , Red Tomatoes (in Tomato Juice, Canned) , Egg, Olive Oil, Tesco Large Flat Mushrooms. Dinner: Tesco Frozen Green Beans, Salmon. more...
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 Comments
This is very very interesting! Thank goodness you recognised it was doing you no good. AI is quite scary sometimes.
30 Jun 21 by member: mincepiemuncher
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I trust this site more than anything. I have an exercise bike (which I've started using again) It's not state of the art but it just assumes your weight and the number of calories you burn off. This site knows how much I weigh and calculates the time/activity/weight proportionately.
30 Jun 21 by member: Gilly B
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Very good points Janus. Love your positive reflections on the month. Good reminder to enjoy a happy equilibrium, I'm very guilty of chasing 🌈.
30 Jun 21 by member: suma-ya-c
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Thanks, TryTry - I think in this the AI is just not very sophisticated, in that although it has some data about my age, activity levels, fitness etc, the way it sets challenges is to encourage you to keep doing more, which assumes that is what you want/need. I checked and the July challenge it has set is an average of 81 minutes exercise a day, when my own target is minimum 30 but I usually hit 60. All it is doing is taking an average then adding a bit more, when what I actually need is consistency and quality. Gonna ignore i t!
30 Jun 21 by member: JanusWoman
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Gilly I really do love the fitness app on my watch, it is great for prompting me to keep active by gamifying it a bit and letting me know what's going on with my heart rate. I'm not that interested in how many calories I use up while exercising, more interested in the results in good habits, strength and fitness and body shape. I think that is why, in particular, a 'burn more calories' challenge was really inappropriate for me.
30 Jun 21 by member: JanusWoman
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Yes Suma, honestly I think that finding that balance and focus is really important and helpful, and stops you swinging one way then the other. For me at least it is important to do the right amount of exercise for me and my lifestyle and my own goals than it is to keep pushing for more. Just the same as I don't want to under eat or over eat too much but keep up a sustainable pace and have a good sense of the right calorie deficit/maintenance numbers. Maybe all this need for balance is why I'm giving yoga a go at the moment!
30 Jun 21 by member: JanusWoman
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JanusWoman's Weight History
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