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mebsers · 05-14-2009, 04:51 PM

I've been learning a lot on these forums, and now I am going to start keeping a training log for myself.

My weight has been really weird lately. I was fatter than I've ever been in my entire life after I graduated from law school and studied for the bar. (All that sitting around). After that trauma was over, I started to become interested in running (which, until this time, I had despised) and all of the sudden one day I realized that I needed to buy new pants! I went to the mall on my lunch break and bought pairs of jeans two full sizes smaller than I had been wearing.

One and a half months and a vacation later, I can barely fit into my "fat jeans" from law school. And those new jeans I bought - there is absolutely no way. What is going on here!

Well, now I'm starting to gain an understanding of how losing weight works. From reading these forums I've learned that the most important aspect to keep in check is the diet. My entire life I was told (by my mother) that the only way to lose weight and get skinny (which was the only option) is to limit yourself to 800 calories a day - which is what I did for a while. Not a healthy 800 calories, mind you, but white bread, sugary cereals, "diet cookies," diet pop, etc. I lost weight but I also lost tons of muscle and did a terrible number on my metabolism. In fact, I have never recovered. And now I know that that is not the right way to lose weight. In fact, it's probably counter productive.

Losing weight is so much more complicated than I ever thought. It's weighing food and figuring out how your protein, carbs and fat break down. It's upping calories on days you work out, your BMR, your calorie deficit. I've learned even crazier things poking around on these forums - like stuff about cycling calories (?). As for right now, I'm happy to be getting my first cheapo digital food scale from target and to know about post-workout protein shakes.

I worked out this morning, which was different because I usually go after work. I think I have a stronger workout in the afternoon (not a morning person), but I'm also really tired at the end of the work day, so sometimes it's a toss up. I'll post my workout and food later on! Time to get out of this cube and get my scale!

05-14-2009, 04:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
mebsers Meow. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 6	Lift! Run! Moo! I've been learning a lot on these forums, and now I am going to start keeping a training log for myself. My weight has been really weird lately. I was fatter than I've ever been in my entire life after I graduated from law school and studied for the bar. (All that sitting around). After that trauma was over, I started to become interested in running (which, until this time, I had despised) and all of the sudden one day I realized that I needed to buy new pants! I went to the mall on my lunch break and bought pairs of jeans two full sizes smaller than I had been wearing. One and a half months and a vacation later, I can barely fit into my "fat jeans" from law school. And those new jeans I bought - there is absolutely no way. What is going on here! Well, now I'm starting to gain an understanding of how losing weight works. From reading these forums I've learned that the most important aspect to keep in check is the diet. My entire life I was told (by my mother) that the only way to lose weight and get skinny (which was the only option) is to limit yourself to 800 calories a day - which is what I did for a while. Not a healthy 800 calories, mind you, but white bread, sugary cereals, "diet cookies," diet pop, etc. I lost weight but I also lost tons of muscle and did a terrible number on my metabolism. In fact, I have never recovered. And now I know that that is not the right way to lose weight. In fact, it's probably counter productive. Losing weight is so much more complicated than I ever thought. It's weighing food and figuring out how your protein, carbs and fat break down. It's upping calories on days you work out, your BMR, your calorie deficit. I've learned even crazier things poking around on these forums - like stuff about cycling calories (?). As for right now, I'm happy to be getting my first cheapo digital food scale from target and to know about post-workout protein shakes. I worked out this morning, which was different because I usually go after work. I think I have a stronger workout in the afternoon (not a morning person), but I'm also really tired at the end of the work day, so sometimes it's a toss up. I'll post my workout and food later on! Time to get out of this cube and get my scale!