Thanks Jen - a FULL rest week - what a concept! I'm also trying to decide if, during a rest week, I would eat at maintenance or go to a lower deficit as part of the reset process... For now just carrying on -- weight was back to 144# this morning (whew!!! ), so now I'm only 1/2# up from the lowest point. I was sure that 1.5# was going to linger, but it seems like it was just a weird blip. I hope!!!!
Complicated, isn't it? I'm thinking that you've been working very hard and the losses have been slow. I'd almost be tempted to say a full rest/maintenance week with the concept of a clean week. ie. don't use it to eat lots of whatever you want but do aim to hit your maintenance calories using basically clean foods. I say that because if you use it to eat lots of things you don't normally eat it might be hard to go back to hardcore dieting the week afterwards. At least that's how I see it.
I am not sure what cals you should do, but I just stuck to my normal deficit and backed way down on the cardio. It seemed to work just fine. I did make sure that I got my 50g of fat a day which seemed to help me too.
I am going to do a rest week next week while in CA. I will still do light cardio (swimming, walking around, even a slow light jog) but probably no lifting. Again I will stay at my normal cal intake (deficit). Right now I am calorie cycling so I get good feed days in sometimes. I have 1900 cals in my belly right now in fact.
__________________
The BIGGER I get the smaller you look
I had a pretty successful and unscheduled rest week earlier on, and I guess I needed it because it yielded a good weigh loss. I think if you can really stick your food, and light activity or lots of NEAT, it's a great idea!!! But then, what do I know??? Lolz...
I wish I knew what would be best for me... I wish I wasn't so scared of a few pounds - that I could feel comfortable to experiment and figure it out without freaking... I'm working on it
Quote:
Originally Posted by realcdn
Complicated, isn't it? I'm thinking that you've been working very hard and the losses have been slow. I'd almost be tempted to say a full rest/maintenance week with the concept of a clean week. ie. don't use it to eat lots of whatever you want but do aim to hit your maintenance calories using basically clean foods. I say that because if you use it to eat lots of things you don't normally eat it might be hard to go back to hardcore dieting the week afterwards. At least that's how I see it.
I think you are right that if I just eat anything I want, it'll be hard to rein it back in again. I also keep thinking that maybe somehow I'm missing some "cheat" in my diet or activity and if I could just be strict enough this would work better... but that's probably, at this point, not the best idea. I promised I'd do a maintenance calorie week as part of my goal - I suppose I need to do it sooner than later...
Quote:
Originally Posted by kfisherx
I am not sure what cals you should do, but I just stuck to my normal deficit and backed way down on the cardio. It seemed to work just fine. I did make sure that I got my 50g of fat a day which seemed to help me too.
I am going to do a rest week next week while in CA. I will still do light cardio (swimming, walking around, even a slow light jog) but probably no lifting. Again I will stay at my normal cal intake (deficit). Right now I am calorie cycling so I get good feed days in sometimes. I have 1900 cals in my belly right now in fact.
So much to figure out! Do I want to do a full rest week eating at deficit, a full rest week eating at maintenance, a regular workout week but eat at maintenance instead of deficit, a refeed day and go over maintenance but just that one day?!?!???
I have a picnic coming up on Saturday, which will be quite active but also tons of food. One option is to just eat for the afternoon (trying to keep it relatively clean and not pig out on cookies ) and do a PLANNED refeed for those 5 hours or so (as per Lyle's book). But I can't be 100% sure of the food that'll be available (other than burgers, etc).
I need to figure this out and make a decision. I know I'm being totally wishy-washy here, but I am genuinely scared. Having lost and the partially regained, I am perhaps overly sensitive to upward movement of the scale, and scared of over-eating... I'm not trying to be a total pain - I'm just afraid of falling off the wagon.
My instinct right now is to cut calories more and work out harder. But everything I have learned and seen says that's not gonna help at this point.
I have a lot of thinking to do and I need to figure out some way to shake things up that I can handle, before I stall out completely or have a gigantic unplanned "f--- it all" refeed.
No workout this morning, but trying to get NEAT in, karate tonight, tomorrow's a rest day... Friday I think I will do my first Power Lifting workout.
I think what you decide to do depends on what you can handle and what is your need. It will vary depending on person and circumstances. If you are able to mentally handle it there is never anything wrong with resting and eating at a really hard deficit. It gives your body time to just chill while melting away lbs.
Some people will not be able to handle that mentally though and will cheat their way up to maitenance calories while feeling guilty. So if you have been cheating a lot regularly then eating at maintenance is probably a better way to go because you need to satisfy a different need which is to give yourself a mental break from dieting. Or even eat until you feel full the whole week. This gives you a lesson on listening to what it means to be full.
A great strategy when doing higher cals is to eat only clean stuff (stay away from high Gl processed carbs) then it will be hard for you to gain even a lb of fat during this week. Your need may be to realize that you can eat a lot of food and still not gain and to lose all the guilt associated with eating. Again I say that a planned bulk is a great tool for educating yourself on how hard it is to gain fat. You can gain water and other stuff in a week but I bet you can't keep it on once you do a deficit again.
The only question is, What is your need?
My personal opinion from reading your logs is that no matter what you decide to do wrt eating that you will do well to stop all the cardio and exercise that you do for a time period. I know it doesn't sound like much to you but it sure does on this side especially since you lift too. Lifting is a lot all in itself. I am a pretty damn fine athlete (not just my opinion but according to many professionals) and the schedule that you have would kick my ass if I did it for more than 3 weeks. Remember that you are Mother and wife too. Sheesh....
__________________
The BIGGER I get the smaller you look
I'm not sure which option is right for you, but I'm going to tell you that if you keep eating low and working out harder, you're going to end up with a worse metabolism then you have now. Believe me, you don't wan to go there! It isn't fun, and it isn't a fix. Then you really will need to do MRM and take rest months and eat like a fiend and you will go crazy. It sucks!
And so I say, regardless of what you choose, take a rest week and eat no less than what you are eating now. Just see what happens. Then if you lose great, if you maintain, great. I find it unlikely that you will gain. I recommend on your rest week that you actually REST. Don't cardio, don't lift. Do some stretching, foam rolling, relaxing. Sitting, watching tv, reading, hanging with the DH and kids. Go ahead and do your normal walking and work and what not, but don't strain yourself. Eat clean, keep the sodium down, and I bet you after a week of rest you will at the very least lose any water you retaining from swelling and sodium.
I know the rest thing is scary. But look at me, look at Marty, look when we weren't doing anything but just eating and resting. I lost, Marty lost. Karla just went through the same realzation. At the very least, even if you only maintain, you will be so fired up to get back on the activity train that you will kill those next workouts
I think what you decide to do depends on what you can handle and what is your need. It will vary depending on person and circumstances. If you are able to mentally handle it there is never anything wrong with resting and eating at a really hard deficit. It gives your body time to just chill while melting away lbs.
Some people will not be able to handle that mentally though and will cheat their way up to maitenance calories while feeling guilty. So if you have been cheating a lot regularly then eating at maintenance is probably a better way to go because you need to satisfy a different need which is to give yourself a mental break from dieting. Or even eat until you feel full the whole week. This gives you a lesson on listening to what it means to be full.
A great strategy when doing higher cals is to eat only clean stuff (stay away from high Gl processed carbs) then it will be hard for you to gain even a lb of fat during this week. Your need may be to realize that you can eat a lot of food and still not gain and to lose all the guilt associated with eating. Again I say that a planned bulk is a great tool for educating yourself on how hard it is to gain fat. You can gain water and other stuff in a week but I bet you can't keep it on once you do a deficit again.
The only question is, What is your need?
My personal opinion from reading your logs is that no matter what you decide to do wrt eating that you will do well to stop all the cardio and exercise that you do for a time period. I know it doesn't sound like much to you but it sure does on this side especially since you lift too. Lifting is a lot all in itself. I am a pretty damn fine athlete (not just my opinion but according to many professionals) and the schedule that you have would kick my ass if I did it for more than 3 weeks. Remember that you are Mother and wife too. Sheesh....
Ok... first - do I really do that much? I do so much LESS than I used to do (and did, for years and years and years)... Yeah, I'm a mom and wife and work f/t (well, I'm off Fridays right now and LOVE it!)... but I guess I don't feel like I do that much. So many people here seem to do more, and again, I used to do SO MUCH MORE. And last night I was so tired (because I hadn't slept well the night before) that I really did SIT ON MY BUTT on the couch all night.
NEAT has always been tough for me, so I feel like somewhat of a slug and have been working so hard to force myself to be active outside the gym... but ok... I'm processing...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jesca
I'm not sure which option is right for you, but I'm going to tell you that if you keep eating low and working out harder, you're going to end up with a worse metabolism then you have now. Believe me, you don't wan to go there! It isn't fun, and it isn't a fix. Then you really will need to do MRM and take rest months and eat like a fiend and you will go crazy. It sucks!
And so I say, regardless of what you choose, take a rest week and eat no less than what you are eating now. Just see what happens. Then if you lose great, if you maintain, great. I find it unlikely that you will gain. I recommend on your rest week that you actually REST. Don't cardio, don't lift. Do some stretching, foam rolling, relaxing. Sitting, watching tv, reading, hanging with the DH and kids. Go ahead and do your normal walking and work and what not, but don't strain yourself. Eat clean, keep the sodium down, and I bet you after a week of rest you will at the very least lose any water you retaining from swelling and sodium.
I know the rest thing is scary. But look at me, look at Marty, look when we weren't doing anything but just eating and resting. I lost, Marty lost. Karla just went through the same realzation. At the very least, even if you only maintain, you will be so fired up to get back on the activity train that you will kill those next workouts
Thanks Jes. You're right. Karla's right. I know it. I'm TERRIFIED beyond belief at the idea of it.
I think part of me has always (since my weight loss) had this weird fear that if I skip a workout now, what if I can't workout next time (sick, injured, etc)? What if I skip this week then break my ankle? I know it sounds crazy, but it's how my mind works... what if what if... I've taken lifting breaks since starting NROLW and finding JP's forums, but... wow... to take a REAL FULL no-workouts week off?
But I don't want to get worse.
Here's my thought, and I think I'm gonna post in Leigh's forum too...
I could skip karate tonight, thus giving me today off, and at least til Monday at 8pm (next karate class) I could rest. That's a rest from 8am Tuesday morning til the next Monday 8pm. Pretty damn close to a week, right? I could delay starting Power Training for another week. I won't die (right?).
I could eat at maintenance for that time period. I'm still wearing the Bugg, so is maintenance what I specificallyl burn without the workouts, or do I pick a number (like 2000 kcal, which is my average burn) and just aim for that? I'll ask Leigh ... I MIGHT even just eat without thinking on Saturday at the picnic and pretend to be a normal person .
Thank you for everyone who is SO patient with me... I do have other questions but will post in FLTS because I think maybe others out there might be scared too... I'm gonna post and then really try it. It's just one week, right?
I need to figure this out and make a decision. I know I'm being totally wishy-washy here, but I am genuinely scared. Having lost and the partially regained, I am perhaps overly sensitive to upward movement of the scale, and scared of over-eating... I'm not trying to be a total pain - I'm just afraid of falling off the wagon.
My instinct right now is to cut calories more and work out harder. But everything I have learned and seen says that's not gonna help at this point.
I have a lot of thinking to do and I need to figure out some way to shake things up that I can handle, before I stall out completely or have a gigantic unplanned "f--- it all" refeed.
No workout this morning, but trying to get NEAT in, karate tonight, tomorrow's a rest day... Friday I think I will do my first Power Lifting workout.
Just chiming in to say, there's no way I see you falling off the wagon, except maybe if you run yourself into the ground. You are so determined that taking some time to rest and recover will not cause you to lose momentum.
Rest times can be wonderful and freeing. It's nice to take a break from the gym and give some extra attention to the other parts of your life.
Second, I think it sounds like you've got a plan. It is terrifying to take that week off and eat at maintenance. There's always nagging voice in the back of your head (at least my head). Don't be lazy. Don't eat that. Don't do this. Don't do that. It's so hard to ignore that voice and listen to your body instead.
It's just one week. Good luck. I'm sure your body will thank you! And you'll come back to all your activities with new vigor.
I can relate to being scared of missing a workout. When I was in high school I was that crazy runner girl that ran around town in below zero weather. Nothing could stop me! Then I broke my foot years ago and couldn't do ANY activity for over a month. When the doctor told me that I asked him but what about swimming? No. What about this or that? No. We went back and forth until I exhausted any options I could think of because I was terrified of gaining weight. I was running 8-12 miles 4 times a week when this happened, and it sounds like you were at a place of too much cardio once yourself. I still feel like I need to do "something" each day. I took a rest week about a month ago and low and behold I reached a new low weight during that week. I wasn't exactly watching what I was eating either, but just being mindful of how much.
Being on this board has helped me learn that my 3 mile run that I *have* to do is a drop in the bucket compared to what I can do with food.
Good luck figuring it out, and we will all be here for your rest week, if you decide to do one, to help you along!
Just chiming in to say, there's no way I see you falling off the wagon, except maybe if you run yourself into the ground. You are so determined that taking some time to rest and recover will not cause you to lose momentum.
Rest times can be wonderful and freeing. It's nice to take a break from the gym and give some extra attention to the other parts of your life.
Rest, it does a body (and mind) good!
Thanks Ceebee. I have fallen off the wagon before, so it's possible... but I will keep on reading and posting and reminding myself that I've changed... and that this is for a purpose, not just because I gave up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beach_plums
First off, yes, you really do that much!
Second, I think it sounds like you've got a plan. It is terrifying to take that week off and eat at maintenance. There's always nagging voice in the back of your head (at least my head). Don't be lazy. Don't eat that. Don't do this. Don't do that. It's so hard to ignore that voice and listen to your body instead.
It's just one week. Good luck. I'm sure your body will thank you! And you'll come back to all your activities with new vigor.
Thanks for the reassurance... I have that same voice in my head. In fact, I realized my stomach was growling and I could NOT figure out what to eat because I'm so used to restricting!!! So scared to screw up. I decided I needed to make a statement (of sorts ) and eat something "forbidden", so I went and got a Whopper Jr (no cheese, no mayo - it's all baby steps, right?) and had that. It has some veggies, fat, protein, not too awful sodium...
I really needed to make a clear "I am not starving myself" statement to myself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beesknees
I can relate to being scared of missing a workout. When I was in high school I was that crazy runner girl that ran around town in below zero weather. Nothing could stop me! Then I broke my foot years ago and couldn't do ANY activity for over a month. When the doctor told me that I asked him but what about swimming? No. What about this or that? No. We went back and forth until I exhausted any options I could think of because I was terrified of gaining weight. I was running 8-12 miles 4 times a week when this happened, and it sounds like you were at a place of too much cardio once yourself. I still feel like I need to do "something" each day. I took a rest week about a month ago and low and behold I reached a new low weight during that week. I wasn't exactly watching what I was eating either, but just being mindful of how much.
Being on this board has helped me learn that my 3 mile run that I *have* to do is a drop in the bucket compared to what I can do with food.
Good luck figuring it out, and we will all be here for your rest week, if you decide to do one, to help you along!
Thanks Bree - it's nice to know others understand the fear... and it REALLY helps to hear success stories, even though I'm not confident that mine will be one...
Ok - ate my whopper jr, came home, reset my Daily Plate goal to 2100 kcal. Yikes!!! Now I still have over 1000 kcal to go today!!!!!! (and that's after the whopper jr!).
I'm on my ass on the couch (no tmill surfing today)...
Leigh's reply to me was very helpful (on the FLTS thread) and while I can't disappear from karate, she said I SHOULD try to do 10 days if I can stand it. Maybe I can do 10 days at maintenance eating (or slightly over, as she suggested) and no workouts EXCEPT I will go to karate next Monday night. Then next Weds night karate, and I can go back to working out on my "regular" schedule and go back to my 1450 kcals after that.
No promises that I can do it 100% or that I will go the extra few days, and no promises I won't freak a bit... but I'm gonna go for it and try. PMS should be hitting any moment now - that should add even more fun to the mix!
I have yet to make it a full week with no working out. Still it is the right thing to do. We have to do what we can. We are not failing because we are learning.
__________________
The BIGGER I get the smaller you look
I think the thing that helped me through the MRM is the whole less than 3 ingredients food or "whole" food concept. When I would consider pigging out on something I would tell myself that I needed to eat some whole food first and then I would consider it. I was so full on the whole food stuff that I ended up (mostly) not eating said item. I think it's also what prevented me from gaining when I was eating nearly 3000 calories every day. I'm sure you will find a balance, just listen to your body and try not to think about restricting this week. I always find that the more I psychologically restrict, the more I HAVE TO HAVE THAT! And when I let myself go, I'm pretty good, actually, so I try to be mindful of what I'm doing and why, and when I'm hungry I try to eat. My lifes goal, at this point, is to be able to live my life without tracking. I can't go a week without tracking right now or I gain weight, but it cannot run my life, so figuring this all out is so important.
Bytsi, I'm just catching up on your log (again, it's a habit for me now to try to get 2 days worth of discussion in one shot). I just want to wish you good luck on your rest week. I really hope you can manage to find what works for you b/c I know you work SO hard and you're really faithful with diet and exercise (too faithful?!). Anyway, I hope to see some encouraging progress from you soon!
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
Also I completely understand freaking about going the other way...that's what I'm freaking about right now. Sometimes your metabolism just needs to rest and re-engage! Then you can kick some serious new Training Program BOOTAY!!!
I have yet to make it a full week with no working out. Still it is the right thing to do. We have to do what we can. We are not failing because we are learning.
Every fail is an opportunity to learn... I think I heard that somewhere
Quote:
Originally Posted by jesca
Awesome start already!
I think the thing that helped me through the MRM is the whole less than 3 ingredients food or "whole" food concept. When I would consider pigging out on something I would tell myself that I needed to eat some whole food first and then I would consider it. I was so full on the whole food stuff that I ended up (mostly) not eating said item. I think it's also what prevented me from gaining when I was eating nearly 3000 calories every day. I'm sure you will find a balance, just listen to your body and try not to think about restricting this week. I always find that the more I psychologically restrict, the more I HAVE TO HAVE THAT! And when I let myself go, I'm pretty good, actually, so I try to be mindful of what I'm doing and why, and when I'm hungry I try to eat. My lifes goal, at this point, is to be able to live my life without tracking. I can't go a week without tracking right now or I gain weight, but it cannot run my life, so figuring this all out is so important.
I would love to eat without tracking and not gain weight. So far that hasn't worked for me
I do remember the less-is-more with ingredients... I'm not always great with it, but I'm trying and it does make sense.
You're right about the restriction. When I told myself today that I could eat, all of a sudden, I couldn't think of what to eat!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Celestialmom
Bytsi, I'm just catching up on your log (again, it's a habit for me now to try to get 2 days worth of discussion in one shot). I just want to wish you good luck on your rest week. I really hope you can manage to find what works for you b/c I know you work SO hard and you're really faithful with diet and exercise (too faithful?!). Anyway, I hope to see some encouraging progress from you soon!
Thanks Celeste... I know I obsess a lot, but it's only because I have lost and gained and I wish I had some clue about how I could try to be even close to "normal" (whatever that is)...
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpacecityPaula
Bytsi:
Rest is good
That's all I have to say bout that
Quote:
Originally Posted by sidonia
I totally agree with Paula!
Also I completely understand freaking about going the other way...that's what I'm freaking about right now. Sometimes your metabolism just needs to rest and re-engage! Then you can kick some serious new Training Program BOOTAY!!!
Hey Kristen - I posted in FLTS to you, but... maybe you'll end up joining me and Karla on our rest and maintenance week... you do eat at a pretty big deficit (much bigger than mine)!
So... took DS for the last (hopefully) of the school supplies, then we had dinner since DH was working late and DD is at a soccer game (away, too far to go watch). We went to the health-food cafe and I had my fave sandwich - avocado and hickory tofu club on rye with alfalfa sprouts and swiss cheese and tomato slices... I ate half the sandwich, also ate about half of the sweet potato fries it came with - and I realized I was full. Go figure! So I took half the sandwich home for DH...
The problem I have had in the past is that my internal "You're FULL" meter doesn't always kick in... and the more I eat, it seems the more I want... I hope that was more with hi GI carbs, but I'll need to be careful even on a maintenance week.
I have about 300 kcals left... might even have a taste of some real ice cream!
Hey there. I saw from your post that you're going to do a rest/maintenance week. I was just going to share something from mine. I immediately gained about 1-1/2 pounds the first day. I'm just warning you, ya know.
(The day after I went back to my regular eating I came back to where I started on the day before. As well as having a huge loss that first week back.)
Good luck with the resting Bytsi! I know it's difficult for you, lol. I haven't been inhere in what feels like forever! I need to fix that, I'm so behind with logs. Anyway, I'm sure your resting will work out well!
Hey there. I saw from your post that you're going to do a rest/maintenance week. I was just going to share something from mine. I immediately gained about 1-1/2 pounds the first day. I'm just warning you, ya know.
(The day after I went back to my regular eating I came back to where I started on the day before. As well as having a huge loss that first week back.)
Good luck!
Well, ok... I achieved that milestone then. Up 1.5# this morning . Should I celebrate? sigh...
I just hope it comes back off. I'm trying to figure out how high I can stand to let it go before I decide the rest has to be over. I mean, I KNOW it won't go 1.5# every day (right??????), but... how high can it get before I say enough is enough? I'm at 145.5 this morning, AF is due sometime around the 25th or 26th (although schedule has been screwy the last few months), which won't help but should be taken into account...
Bleh. Although Leigh's post this morning saying if I have to question 10 days off it means I need 10 days off is hitting close to home .
I sat on my tush all night. Bugg says I hit just under 1900 kcals... I even cancelled my tennis "game" (in quotes cuz I'm a complete beginner and I suck too bad to actually call what I do playing ) for tomorrow - maybe the week after I can reschedule it.
Ate just about 2050 kcals yesterday. Macros not perfect but not awful...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb
Good luck with the resting Bytsi! I know it's difficult for you, lol. I haven't been inhere in what feels like forever! I need to fix that, I'm so behind with logs. Anyway, I'm sure your resting will work out well!
Thanks Kara... this goes against everything I've spent the last 11 years fighting for... it's hard. Are you gonna join the rest-week club too?
I've been lurking on this thread for a while. We have similar stats - I'm 5-2.5 also, and currently weigh 141, trying to get to 135. I've also lost over 40 pounds a while ago, which I think is similar to you.
I have taken lots of breaks. I like to think of breaks as a chance at practicing maintenance. The things you learn on your break will help you a lot after you reach your goal. You will get to see how many calories you really need to maintain (without exercise) and that will help you in the long run. Maybe if you frame this rest week as practice for the rest of your life, after you have reached your goal, it will help with your anxiety about doing it. Maybe you will gain a little bit of weight (but it won't be 1.5 daily!) But in the long run, you will learn from it, and probably have a good loss in a few weeks.
I know everyone will have a different opinion about this, but I would say if you are not hungry, I wouldn't eat, just to reach your 2100 calories. I think if you aren't hungry, you don't need them, so I'd just enjoy the feeling of not being hungry all the time. You don't need as much since you are resting.
When I've taken weeks off, I focus on my other hobbies, family things, friends, etc, and try not to think too much about food. (Again, it is kind of practicing maintenance.) I rarely gain weight when I take a break from working out because I am just not as hungry and don't think about food as much. And then when I go back to working out I feel stronger than ever. And when I go back to eating in a deficit, I lose weight.
Good luck with your break! I just wanted to chime in that they can be very useful, even though they are very, very scary when you are not used to taking them.
Girl I went up 1.8 lbs today for no reason. Obviously AF and perhaps some sodium came into play, but I ran last night and I ate in a deficit, so clearly a scale jump can happen for all kinds of reasons, not because you sat on your butt one night. Remember that rest time is when muscles are built and work time is when you shred them. If you're always shredding and not getting enough energy then you aren't going to build muscle.
Take me for example. Before my wedding I was doing weights and/or cardio daily plus Pilates one day a week. I worked out 6 days a week most weeks and was eating at maintenance level (in that was maintenance for not doing all that work. Just what I would need to maintain without activity, and then I did all that stuff - so it was technically a deficit) - so kind of what you're doing now, and I got no where. I wasn't losing weight and I really wasn't getting much muscle tone either. I very slowly managed to increase my weights on the workouts, but not really. In several months I managed to go from 20lbs to 26ish pounds on the squats (this was a massively high rep DVD - Jari Love does), so I wasn't even making monumental strength increases. Then the month of the wedding hit and I had NO time and NO energy. I got sick and had to take antibiotics and then I was around 3 weeks out and so stressed I couldn't eat. I pretty much quit the workouts and just ate when I could and I lost 10 lobs. Make sense? Of course when you first say - well I sat on my ass and did nothing and I lost weight it doesn't, but when you understand the importance of rest, it totally works out.
Then this last winter when I started doing NROL4W I was eating way more calories and the muscle tone increases and strength increases I saw were amazing, but I wasn't losing weight. Well of course not, the two don't really go hand in hand well.
It's taken me all this time to figure out which thing I have to focus on and where. I had a forced 6 week downtime so I could get my metabolism back on track and to realize I had been fighting with all the wrong weapons for two years. Now I think I finally have it, and it's so much easier than I had been making it. You should not try to kill yourself to lose weight. It is possible to make it harder than it should be and still not see results. There's no reason to scale a wall when you can simply walk around, unless you want to scale the wall. But if you're going to go over it, make sure you have the energy to get there. What Leigh says is true, you don't have to workout to lose weight, but if you are going to work out you have to fuel yourself for it, and/or at least be willing to take breaks from it, or it's like running in quick sand. A lot of work and you won't go anywhere but into the ground.
I know this resting is hard, but do whatever you can to ride it out. Enjoy it, it will go quicker than you think. Try to relax, being stressed about it will only produce cortisol and make it harder to lose weight. You have been working so hard, you deserve it, and I would hardly worry about losing the faith in 10 days. I didn't after 6 weeks, and you've got a better routine than I do. You will be fine
Sorry for the long post, but I totally know where you're coming from. It's a complicated place, but I know you will work it out.
Hey Bytsi, just to clarify--I wasn't saying you obsess too much, just referencing the comments others have made about how much cardio you do . Just didn't want you to think I was criticizing...
This is probably exactly what you need. And remember, one week (or so) isn't going to KILL you!!
Thanks Nanette
Quote:
Originally Posted by mememe
I've been lurking on this thread for a while. We have similar stats - I'm 5-2.5 also, and currently weigh 141, trying to get to 135. I've also lost over 40 pounds a while ago, which I think is similar to you.
Hi Mememe - we are a lot alike - my goal is also 135# (at least for now!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by mememe
I have taken lots of breaks. I like to think of breaks as a chance at practicing maintenance. The things you learn on your break will help you a lot after you reach your goal. You will get to see how many calories you really need to maintain (without exercise) and that will help you in the long run.
Part of my problem is that I've been at goal, been on maintenance. I screwed it up, or I wouldn't be here now
Quote:
Originally Posted by mememe
I know everyone will have a different opinion about this, but I would say if you are not hungry, I wouldn't eat, just to reach your 2100 calories. I think if you aren't hungry, you don't need them, so I'd just enjoy the feeling of not being hungry all the time. You don't need as much since you are resting.
So far, gotta say, by evening I have no problem getting the calories in . During the day I feel like I'm eating a lot, but since I'm almost always famished in the evening, last night and tonight I'm actually having to remind myself that this isn't a free-for-all pig-out fest.
The good news is that I didn't burn as little as I'd feared today... still around 1900 even though I had no workout and minimal NEAT.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jesca
Girl I went up 1.8 lbs today for no reason. Obviously AF and perhaps some sodium came into play, but I ran last night and I ate in a deficit, so clearly a scale jump can happen for all kinds of reasons, not because you sat on your butt one night. Remember that rest time is when muscles are built and work time is when you shred them. If you're always shredding and not getting enough energy then you aren't going to build muscle.
Yeah, I know the scale jumps for all kinds of screwy reasons... I do know I didn't eat 5200 extra kcals yesterday - I just hate seeing it go up!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jesca
Before my wedding I was doing weights and/or cardio daily plus Pilates one day a week. I worked out 6 days a week most weeks and was eating at... technically a deficit... I wasn't losing weight and I really wasn't getting much muscle tone either... I got sick and had to take antibiotics and then I was around 3 weeks out and so stressed I couldn't eat. I pretty much quit the workouts and just ate when I could and I lost 10 lobs. Make sense? Of course when you first say - well I sat on my ass and did nothing and I lost weight it doesn't, but when you understand the importance of rest, it totally works out.
Not eating much probably helped, but point taken
Quote:
Originally Posted by jesca
Then this last winter when I started doing NROL4W I was eating way more calories and the muscle tone increases and strength increases I saw were amazing, but I wasn't losing weight. Well of course not, the two don't really go hand in hand well.
It's taken me all this time to figure out which thing I have to focus on and where. I had a forced 6 week downtime so I could get my metabolism back on track and to realize I had been fighting with all the wrong weapons for two years. Now I think I finally have it, and it's so much easier than I had been making it. You should not try to kill yourself to lose weight. It is possible to make it harder than it should be and still not see results. There's no reason to scale a wall when you can simply walk around, unless you want to scale the wall. But if you're going to go over it, make sure you have the energy to get there. What Leigh says is true, you don't have to workout to lose weight, but if you are going to work out you have to fuel yourself for it, and/or at least be willing to take breaks from it, or it's like running in quick sand. A lot of work and you won't go anywhere but into the ground.
I know this resting is hard, but do whatever you can to ride it out. Enjoy it, it will go quicker than you think. Try to relax, being stressed about it will only produce cortisol and make it harder to lose weight. You have been working so hard, you deserve it, and I would hardly worry about losing the faith in 10 days. I didn't after 6 weeks, and you've got a better routine than I do. You will be fine
Sorry for the long post, but I totally know where you're coming from. It's a complicated place, but I know you will work it out.
Thanks Jes. It's so much easier to see it and make suggestions to other people than it is to recognize it in ourselves and make the necessary adjustments. I always wanted to believe I could build muscle and lose weight at the same time - duh!!! Picking ONE focus has been one of the hardest things I've had to do. And now, resting and eating is an even bigger challenge. I just have to have faith. And lots of support!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Celestialmom
Hey Bytsi, just to clarify--I wasn't saying you obsess too much, just referencing the comments others have made about how much cardio you do . Just didn't want you to think I was criticizing...
I didn't think you were criticizing Celeste
Quote:
Originally Posted by Espi
Just came in to give you a word of encouragement: You can totally DO it!
Just rest, relax & eat (within reason) and just like Anne said, you are going to be surprised how smoothly things will go once you resume dieting.
Thanks Espi - encouragement is gratefully accepted and appreciated
Hey Bytsi!
No I wo't be joining the rest-week club... I had a rest-month last month that I'm still trying to recover from! Rest-week is ok... rest-month is not! But you're more active than I am normally so I'm pretty sure you need this more than you think
STEP AWAY FROM THE SCALE GIRL!!! That's an order from all your imaginary friends.
Actually I was going to say, give the scale to your hubby to hide for the next 10 days
Hope you have a fabulous weekend Bytsi!
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
), so now I'm only 1/2# up from the lowest point. I was sure that 1.5# was going to linger, but it seems like it was just a weird blip. I hope!!!!
Remember that you are Mother and wife too. Sheesh....
. Should I celebrate? sigh...
.
Linear Mode
