So, I had my coworker redo my 7-site caliper body-fat reading. It was almost exactly the same as one month ago, as was my weight on the scale. I don't have my measurement changes because I was stupid and didn't do them last month (but did them today so I can check from now on).
I am THRILLED. Why? Because I am eating up to 500 calories more PER DAY than I used to (of cleaner foods than I used to, for the most part), I'm not doing ANY steady-state or even aerobic-interval cardio - I'm only doing HIIT, and that's only 1-2/week. Lifting NROL4W 3/week. My weights have increased AMAZINGLY quickly on this program (I just did 3x8 shoulder presses with 35# dbs!!!). I'm not super-active at my job either...
Of course I'd love to have 5% lower bf, or lose 15# of fat (in one month!?!?) - but I'm NOT starving myself, I'm not berating myself constantly for being a pig (which I used to always say to myself whenever I slipped and ate more than 1200-1400 cals/day). I'm working HARD at the gym, but using the time so efficiently, and seeing obvious significant increases in strength (even though I'd been lifting regularly in the "big boys" part of the gym for nearly 10 years). I am sure that I am increasing muscle, but even moreso - I'm increasing my metabolism - and I thought my metabolism was in dire need of CPR, it was so near death from the constant starving and cardio
.
I honestly believe that if I'd eaten this much without doing NROL4W, if I'd stuck to my old lifting and cardio program, I would be up quite a few pounds by now (and not pounds of muscle). I promised myself a minimum of 6 weeks of blind faith in Alwyn and Lou - and I'm seeing results. I'm happier, more energetic, stronger - and I believe this works and I'll only see more and more results in time.
Having said all that, it's not JUST because of what I do in the gym - my eating, despite the increase in calories, is a lot cleaner than in the past. It's a combination of all of it (including eating between 120-150+ grams of good protein every day).
I love eating when I'm hungry instead of being mad at myself for feeling hunger, instead of punishing myself and berating myself for eating a minimal amount of calories for an active woman
