Eat & Move Series | April Review

Muscle building nutrition is not rocket science; it just requires some basic knowledge, discipline and consistency. You need to eat a good healthy diet every day to get the results you desire. Nutrition is often overlooked ...but the fact is, if you don't have a good muscle building diet you are really limiting the results you get from your training.
~ Muscle and Strength

APRIL Mini Goal - Nutrition

This mini goal was adjusted from that originally outlined in 2016 Eat & Move Series | Mini GOALS.  Remember to allow flexibility in your goals that would take life into consideration.  In the first quarter, goals I had been working to towards brought attention to this area as one needing attention in order to achieve my overall goal.  I chose to addess the issue and lay the foundation for the mini goals that will follow in both the Training and Diet components.

Re-cap
Track everything eaten to determine ability to achieve set goals, identify where and how this is not occuring, and devise a plan to close the gap.

I used the Calorie Counter app by Fat Secret (free in Play Store for Android) - the name is so misleading, as it also tracks workouts, and has recipes and the corresponding website.  There is a  Food Diary which allows a record of everything eaten throughout the day in 4 meal categories.  Foods are broken down into major nutritional components - fat, carbs, protein; a daily summary is provided with percentage ratios as well as percent of RDI.

I also took advantage of updating the Exercise Diary, which includes many activities such as TV Watching and Cooking.  

The app uses these together to calculate a value called Net kCals (+ve = weight/lean muscle mass gain, -ve = weight loss)

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GOAL MEASUREMENT/PROGRESS/SUCCESS

The app generates 2 report-like screens, both with measurements valuable towards assessment.
This Month View shows daily totals at a glance and gives an overall daily exercise and food average.

and Full Diet Calendar with Daily Food RDI and Exercise, percentages, and daily nutritional summaries. 

▼ net is negative ie Food kCal are less than exercise kCals and body is in a state of loss  

▲net is positive ie Food kCal are more than exercise kCals and my body is in a state of gain

I NEED ▲s

Summary
I calculated the following weekly averages and assessment averages from the generated reports for simplified analysis.

Dates with no/missing entries not included in calculations - 7 days excluded

OBSTACLES/HURDLES

I diligently updated the app daily for a full week ...and then fell off for the whole next week. I have no idea how that happened. One day I went on the app to update that day, and there were 7 fully blank days prior (see 9-15th Apr).  And I was drawing a blank on what I had eaten for most of those days, so I decided to scrap that week and made it a point to update daily going forward.  I even set a reminder on my phone to make sure I did. Don't judge. Gotta do what I gotta do to stay on track.
Therefore, instead of having 2 weeks assessment and 2 weeks to work on adjustments, there was only 1 week for adjustments.

1656kCals!! 

When I finally had 2 weeks to assess, I was so surprised by how little calories I was actually averaging! I never once achieved my Suggested RDI of 2700 which is calculated by the app using key variables including age, weight, activity level etc.  I wasn't even making the generic suggested daily recommended of 2000kCals used on labels for nutrition info.  How was this possible?  I eat all day...I thought.  As it turned out I don't.
Now I work from home one would think having the food right there in the kitchen I would eat more, but as it turns out, I eat less - I don't pack 'lunch' like I used to: lunch = fruit, snacks, actual lunch, pre & post workout meals.
Goal Disadvantage of Working from Home

I get into my projects and once not disturbed, sometimes go through until my stomach is literally talking to me.

Advantage of Working Away from Home 

There are distractions - phone calls, drop ins, meetings - I also made it a point to take breaks, I looked forward to lunch, and almost always counted down until the end of the work day, and of course had my workout meals.  

After this became apparent to me following the 2 weeks I allotted to documenting, I really had to take stock of it.

Working from home was sabotaging my diet goals!  

Post Assessment

I made it mandatory to include breaks and started prepping 'lunch' as I would if I leaving the house. Having the meals prepared made it easier to stop and eat, without taking that extra time away from my work to 'fix a plate'.  

However, on breaks I would find myself catching up on Whatsapp and social media, sometimes getting carried away, so I had to also start setting timers on myself *hides face* tell me that doesn't happen to you though??
There was some improvement, but not much, leaving a lot to go to achieve success on this goal.

1742kCals!! 

The one positive result, was my success with the quality of my intake.  The Nutritional Summary indicates a Carb-Protein-Fat ratio consistent with that required for muscle gain.

Overall Assessment - FAILURE.

Conclusion
My average daily intake is below my RDI calculated suggestion, however, my average net kCals are ▲s, therefore my body is still in a state of gain, and isn't canablising on itself.
I am providing my body with quality nutrition to support lean muscle mass building, but definitely require high quantities.

Future Considerations
Maintain use of the app to track intake.  The goal is to achieve successful figures within the next month - May.  Report summarized progress updates throughout series.

*I found and use this app from the Google Play Store for Android devices on my own.  It was not brought to me by any particular company, nor am I affiliated with Calorie Counter, Fat Secret or their brands.

~ Josie Jo ~

Have you ever calculated your personal RDI and compared your actual RDI?