LOL wow... ok - I do appreciate the support and advice... but I'm not going to step away from the scale - yet. Consider it in baby steps for me -- I'm home, it's there (and it's a big doctor's scale so way too big and heavy to move it anywhere, plus DH uses it daily too ). I'm gonna use it.
When I go on vaca for real, I won't weigh at all, I won't log food, I won't measure... but for now - I honestly feel like I'm gonna lose it as it is... I miss my workouts, the time to forget all the other stress and crap and just sweat. I'm scared to death here, and maybe you don't agree, but I'd rather see the scale along the way and NOT be shocked after a week away from it... I have control issues, I guess - that's not gonna change overnight.
I hate this already. I hate not being able to work out. I don't want to sit here on the couch and do nothing. I'm terrified that I'm going to undo all the hard work I've done. I know, logically, that isn't the case, I know that I can't actually do that in just a few days... but I'm scared. I hate this. Maybe if I wasn't doing the food AND exercise break at the same time it'd be easier... I hate this.
Well, I must be like you with the control. I do weigh on my breaks (minus vacation). It helped me mentally and I don't feel that it hindered me or stressed me out, anymore than I already was.
You will be fine. You will not undo your progress. You are treating your bodt the way it needs to be treated and giving it a break, from all the hard work you do. You will hop right back into things after your break and your body will love you for it.
__________________
Ginger
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." ~ John Bingham
Agreed on the scale love. I'm weighing daily as well and it has helped me rather than make me miserable, since I can pinpoint trends so much more clearly. It also was very interesting to see how menstrual fluctuations have become so much more pronounced, something which I would not have been able to see without daily weighing
Now.. the next step is to NOT freak out about the numbers on it. Breathe in , breathe out. You might want to do a bit of yoga though?
I think you should keep the scale...keep something you know and understand and need while you are not doing what you want to be doing. You'll make it tho, and in the long run it may just be what you needed.
The psychological connection to a workout is so strong for some people! I totally get it...I hate being sedentary cause I feel like...oh crap that's how I got this way in the first place...so it's hard to let it go.
Control issues....what control issues...none of us have those!!
Keep it up...you're doing great! Your body will thank you for it later!
I hear ya on the scale stuff girl. I couldn't stop weighing daily while I was on MRM, no matter how bad it got. Believe me it was frustrating, I wanted to quit so bad through most of it, but it was the best thing I did for myself. The scale is finally going down like it wouldn't before, so think about it like that. This weight (if any) that you could theoretically put on this week will come off so fast, it will make your head spin. I wouldn't worry about it - even though I know you will
Seriously, though, consider this an investment in your future and that it very well may make it easier to take the weight off later, instead of struggling with a 1lb per month type loss.
I'm the same way with the scale. And my weight spread-sheet, and my food compliance spreadsheet, and so on. I totally use them to ease my mind. Hang in there. Like the others have said, you're not going to undo anything.
Remember too that you aren't taking a complete diet break. You are still carefully watching and counting the foods that go into your mouth. You are just raising the calories a bit. That is still dieting.
That is the good and bad about this stuff. From what I can tell there is never really a break. It works well for the control freak in me.
__________________
The BIGGER I get the smaller you look
I kept track of food and weight during my maintenance/rest week. An exception to that was a meal out where I guessed at the content. What I learned is that the next time I do it (probably late October) that I must try to eat a little more.
So keep getting on the scale, but don't let it change what you're doing!
OMG, could you all tell how desperately I needed to hear this!?!? THANK YOU THANK YOU. I was totally freaking this morning. Not JUST from the scale (that didn't help) but just in general. I miss the stress-relief and, quite frankly, mood-elevation, that I get from workouts. I was losing it, and then went out for a while (including gym time - training my workout buddy since I can't workout - I actually wore flip-flops to FORCE myself not to exercise )... haven't caught up at all on the board (but I'll force some couch time tonight after my much-needed haircut)... but - THANK YOU.
I needed this support and understanding more than I could express.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GinnyLou
Well, I must be like you with the control. I do weigh on my breaks (minus vacation). It helped me mentally and I don't feel that it hindered me or stressed me out, anymore than I already was.
You will be fine. You will not undo your progress. You are treating your bodt the way it needs to be treated and giving it a break, from all the hard work you do. You will hop right back into things after your break and your body will love you for it.
Thanks Ginger... I know my body needs it. I know others said it took a few days to get into the groove and just relax... and control issues - who me?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Celestialmom
Hang in there...
I'm trying... thanks
Quote:
Originally Posted by Espi
Agreed on the scale love. I'm weighing daily as well and it has helped me rather than make me miserable, since I can pinpoint trends so much more clearly. It also was very interesting to see how menstrual fluctuations have become so much more pronounced, something which I would not have been able to see without daily weighing
Now.. the next step is to NOT freak out about the numbers on it. Breathe in , breathe out. You might want to do a bit of yoga though?
Thanks for the understanding and yeah... breathe... PMS is NOT helping my acceptance and stress levels here . I was aware, even as I was losing it, that it was partly PMS. Didn't stop the feelings though...
Quote:
Originally Posted by sidonia
I think you should keep the scale...keep something you know and understand and need while you are not doing what you want to be doing. You'll make it tho, and in the long run it may just be what you needed.
The psychological connection to a workout is so strong for some people! I totally get it...I hate being sedentary cause I feel like...oh crap that's how I got this way in the first place...so it's hard to let it go.
Control issues....what control issues...none of us have those!!
Keep it up...you're doing great! Your body will thank you for it later!
He Kristen - I know you're having a rough time too (I've tried to duck the bullets and just follow along on the FLTS thread )... your encouragement means a lot. You said it perfectly - sitting around is how I got like this (and even fatter before). I have fought my natural laziness forever, and to feel like I'm giving in to it is so hard and frightening.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jesca
I hear ya on the scale stuff girl. I couldn't stop weighing daily while I was on MRM, no matter how bad it got. Believe me it was frustrating, I wanted to quit so bad through most of it, but it was the best thing I did for myself. The scale is finally going down like it wouldn't before, so think about it like that. This weight (if any) that you could theoretically put on this week will come off so fast, it will make your head spin. I wouldn't worry about it - even though I know you will
Seriously, though, consider this an investment in your future and that it very well may make it easier to take the weight off later, instead of struggling with a 1lb per month type loss.
I know you went through even worse... it's nice (in a warped way) to hear that others can't let go of weighing either... I do hope (desperately) that the weight will just WHOOSH away... It's hard not to feel like I'm destroying all that slow and hard-fought loss... losing so slowly and now the scale's where it was over a month ago! I have to just do it though... thank you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beach_plums
I'm the same way with the scale. And my weight spread-sheet, and my food compliance spreadsheet, and so on. I totally use them to ease my mind. Hang in there. Like the others have said, you're not going to undo anything.
Thanks... it helps to not be alone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kfisherx
Remember too that you aren't taking a complete diet break. You are still carefully watching and counting the foods that go into your mouth. You are just raising the calories a bit. That is still dieting.
That is the good and bad about this stuff. From what I can tell there is never really a break. It works well for the control freak in me.
LOL Karla - I don't think I realized how MUCH of a control freak I was/am - til now
Quote:
Originally Posted by realcdn
I kept track of food and weight during my maintenance/rest week. An exception to that was a meal out where I guessed at the content. What I learned is that the next time I do it (probably late October) that I must try to eat a little more.
So keep getting on the scale, but don't let it change what you're doing!
Thanks Anne. Eat more, huh? Cuz I'm sure you already know that my instinct is to cut back a bit. 2100 made me gain, maybe I should try 1900 instead??? But you say to keep eating, Leigh says keep eating... Over the course of a week, we're talking maybe 1000 calories (1/3 of a pound) if I stay at the 2100 kcals, so I just have to remind myself of that. Just do it just do it just do it just do it.
I'm so NOT hungry today.
Had lunch out (yeah, I know, but it was with a good friend and we hardly get time ever!)... I ordered a large-ish meal but didn't even eat half. I just felt stuffed. I have to leave for my haircut (nervous about that too - new stylist ) and I KNOW I have to eat something before I go, but I'm just not hungry.
This is showing me, in a lot of ways, how psychological my usual hunger is.
That and that I'm being less active, so less hunger too...
I love this board - you all are amazing and your support means the world to me. Thank you.
I know you went through even worse... it's nice (in a warped way) to hear that others can't let go of weighing either... I do hope (desperately) that the weight will just WHOOSH away... It's hard not to feel like I'm destroying all that slow and hard-fought loss... losing so slowly and now the scale's where it was over a month ago! I have to just do it though... thank you.
Girl, I'm not even trying to lose right now and I'm obsessed with weighing. It's a control thing for me and I totally understand being unable to stay away. You're doing just fine! All your hard work is paying off even if you don't think it is right this second.
Girl, I'm not even trying to lose right now and I'm obsessed with weighing. It's a control thing for me and I totally understand being unable to stay away. You're doing just fine! All your hard work is paying off even if you don't think it is right this second.
Thanks for the encouragement
So, as expected, I weighed in this morning -- and back down to 145# (from 146.5 yesterday). Weird sh*t going on here .
Ate ribs for dinner yesterday - not a huge serving, but I was stuffed... expected to be up again (plus salt?). No complaints at NOT being way up though
I am waking up famished during this refeed - how weird is that?
However, I WANNA WORK OUT!!!!!!!!! I miss being active... for all my years of pre-weight-loss couch-taterhood, I no longer want to just sit. I mean, sometimes, yeah - but I am so used to being more active now - I want to be active!!!!!
Ok... at least not losing it this morning... that's progress
If it helps at all, I took a 5 day break of no workouts and eating whatever I wanted within reason (IOW, I didn't go out and eat 3 pizzas and drink 2L of beer one day, but I did drink beer, eat cookies, pizza, fries, burgers.... but stayed under 2000 calories most days). It was a great reprieve. I gained a couple of pounds which went away within a few days... then hung around my 141-142 weight for about a week... then dropped under 140.
So if after your rest period you're not seeing any changes or benefit from it, just give it time. It might take 2-3 weeks or longer but your mind AND body will enjoy the rest.
__________________
"If 'toning' is the goal, strength is the method." ~ Mark Rippetoe
I understand what you are going through. I was just like you until after I got pregnant, and still freaked out while I was gaining when pregnant. Going through pregnancy and gaining 50lbs made me lose the fear. I realized that my body is going to do what its gonna do, and something times the obsession makes it worse. (I gained 50lbs despite watching my calories and excersing). I since then dropped it all, and more. Losing the weight obsession is helping me tremendously, because I am more relaxed and dont freak out if I miss a workout day or eat extra calories. (hopefully this wont change when I start a more rigid cutting diet).
I would normally be at the gym right this second and I'm not! I slept in and everything. We can do it! Keep ass-sitting! Stay strong!
Didja stay strong all day??? GOOD JOB!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DirtyMartini
If it helps at all, I took a 5 day break of no workouts and eating whatever I wanted within reason (IOW, I didn't go out and eat 3 pizzas and drink 2L of beer one day, but I did drink beer, eat cookies, pizza, fries, burgers.... but stayed under 2000 calories most days). It was a great reprieve. I gained a couple of pounds which went away within a few days... then hung around my 141-142 weight for about a week... then dropped under 140.
So if after your rest period you're not seeing any changes or benefit from it, just give it time. It might take 2-3 weeks or longer but your mind AND body will enjoy the rest.
Thanks DM... it's always good to hear from others who've done this too.
Today was a big picnic and I just ate what I felt like... started with salad and grilled chicken, but also had some sweets, pasta salad, a few tater chips... OINK!!!! But then no real dinner cuz I just wasn't really hungry. Didn't track at all. Didn't eat so much that I felt sick though, so I think I'm within my range for calories... give or take...
It was important, I think, to just let myself relax and not track food today. And the brownies were GOOOOOOD
Quote:
Originally Posted by workoutgirl
I understand what you are going through. I was just like you until after I got pregnant, and still freaked out while I was gaining when pregnant. Going through pregnancy and gaining 50lbs made me lose the fear. I realized that my body is going to do what its gonna do, and something times the obsession makes it worse. (I gained 50lbs despite watching my calories and excersing). I since then dropped it all, and more. Losing the weight obsession is helping me tremendously, because I am more relaxed and dont freak out if I miss a workout day or eat extra calories. (hopefully this wont change when I start a more rigid cutting diet).
Glad that it helped you Mandy... I was fat when I had my kids ("obese" according to my OBGYN ), so I didn't gain much (I was horribly sick and couldn't keep anything in for all 9 months - both times!) nor did I lose afterwards. I'm pretty good at holding weight - my ancestors needed to make due with little food, I think ...
My rationalization tends to be something like this: When I was fat, I used to think about food all the time. When, where, what... I knew all the drive throughs, who served what, when breakfast was over at McD's... When I changed my life, I still think about food (and exercise) a lot. But at least now instead of thinking about junk and crap and hiding how much I really eat, I focus on healthy food and exercise... Overall, I think that's a positive change
Um, I might have gone on an eensy little mountain bike ride but it was SO pretty out! I barely broke a sweat. Still, I promise to not touch anything that weighs more than 3 pounds until next Tuesday.
Also I ate with happy abandon today too. Not out of control, just enjoyed my chow. I'm so glad you had a good day! Life is too short to worry so much and you've changed the way you think about food which is so important.
So, as expected, I weighed in this morning -- and back down to 145# (from 146.5 yesterday). Weird sh*t going on here .
Ate ribs for dinner yesterday - not a huge serving, but I was stuffed... expected to be up again (plus salt?). No complaints at NOT being way up though
I am waking up famished during this refeed - how weird is that?
However, I WANNA WORK OUT!!!!!!!!! I miss being active... for all my years of pre-weight-loss couch-taterhood, I no longer want to just sit. I mean, sometimes, yeah - but I am so used to being more active now - I want to be active!!!!!
Ok... at least not losing it this morning... that's progress
Hmmmm.... Scale went down..... Funny how this all is working.
I just had a great workout but am looking forward to my rest day begin on Monday. I will be in a week-long all day conference with coworkers and then locked in a 5-star hotel with a pool side room. I wonder if I will be able to fnd anything to do while there that is restful? All kidding aside this hotel has a kick-ass gym that I will not go in.
__________________
The BIGGER I get the smaller you look
I will be in a week-long all day conference with coworkers and then locked in a 5-star hotel with a pool side room. I wonder if I will be able to fnd anything to do while there that is restful? All kidding aside this hotel has a kick-ass gym that I will not go in.
I suspect they'll also have a fantastic sauna as well. Think of a nice relaxing hot as hell sauna followed by a nice cooling dip in the pool. Not half an hour of laps, but just a little light swimming.
Um, I might have gone on an eensy little mountain bike ride but it was SO pretty out! I barely broke a sweat. Still, I promise to not touch anything that weighs more than 3 pounds until next Tuesday.
Also I ate with happy abandon today too. Not out of control, just enjoyed my chow. I'm so glad you had a good day! Life is too short to worry so much and you've changed the way you think about food which is so important.
ROTFL! One "eensy" little mountain bike ride, eh?
Don't be overdoing it on those killer 3# db's either, ok? -- if you're not careful you'll get all big and bulky and ugly
Quote:
Originally Posted by kfisherx
Hmmmm.... Scale went down..... Funny how this all is working.
I just had a great workout but am looking forward to my rest day begin on Monday. I will be in a week-long all day conference with coworkers and then locked in a 5-star hotel with a pool side room. I wonder if I will be able to fnd anything to do while there that is restful? All kidding aside this hotel has a kick-ass gym that I will not go in.
Well... down, up, down, up... back up 1# to 146 this morning. I'm just going with it, recording it... I didn't log at all yesterday and I ate some junk food, so - it was a mental break for me and I probably had tons of salt. No idea what the real kcals were either - but I do know that I didn't go 3500 over maintenance, so the pound is just another glycogen-refill blip.
Also AF is due in the next couple days, so...
I love nice hotel gyms, but I agree - don't even check it out. Take Anne's advice: float in the pool (no lap swimming) and enjoy the sauna and whirlpool and get a massage too
Spent an hour at the gym this morning training someone - did nothing except watch, even though I SO wanted to join in! I didn't even try a chin-up (I do think this break is messing with my chin-up program, but I'm being good ).
I'm going to karate tomorrow (at least that's the plan, although DD has a soccer game and I would have to leave after the 1st half to make it)...
I think I'll continue the refeed at least til AF arrives (no point trying to switch to a deficit on the last day or 2 of PMS!). That'll put my refeed in the 7-10 day range depending on when she shows up...
I will start working out again though after the 7 day rest. I have not lifted in 2 FULL weeks (was just about to end my rest from lifting week when I decided to do this rest/refeed), and had only done some LISS cardio (and a little karate) on the other days, so I think that's a good enough physical break for now. I'm really really ready to get back to the gym!!!!
I think, because I've been off for 2 weeks from lifting, I'll do a simple 2 or 3 set push/pull/squat/dl/rotate workout for one or 2 days and consider that a break-in for my Coach Dos program (which I've had ready to go for over a week now!!!!!).
hiya, bytsi! it's killing me to not read your whole log before posting, but if i wait until i do, i'll never post!!
you've done so well, a little time off isn't going to hurt your progress, tho actually taking the time off may kill you. you're doing great so far - you're eating well, you're not sweating the scale, and you've got a plan. just hang in there a little longer!
So... the break is over.
I went to karate tonight and it was SOOOO good to move and sweat again!!!! When we started our warmup with jumping jacks I was hopping around and smiling
I was going to eat my 2100 kcals for a day or 2 more, but I just wasn't hungry today. I can't explain it, but I think my body just said "done" and no more pigging out. I just didn't want to eat a lot today. So, I hit 1402 kcals (I'm going to aim for 1400 for a while, I think).
IF the weight comes right back off, like I've been told it should, then I will do this every 10-12 weeks (12 weeks will coincide with the break from lifting again, anyway).
I'm at 146# for the 2nd day in a row... we'll see how long it takes to start dropping and hopefully I'll drop a bit quicker now.
I don't wanna do the pics for the challenge, but I will. There won't be any good changes though - not with the refeed and break week all coming so close to them... bleh. I'm not a quitter though, and taking the break was a goal for the other general challenge... BIG PICTURE, long-term goals, right?
I might do the light re-break-in lift tomorrow morning instead of cardio...
Had an awful hair weekend. I went to a new hairdresser on Friday (the one I've had for 17 years isn't doing hair anymore ). She hacked me. Mangled. Looked like a little kid played with scissors or maybe a lawnmower near my head . It was so bad that I was embarrassed to leave the house. Awful!!!
So... I was going to go back today and ask them to fix it, but then I started thinking - why let them fix it, they might just make it worse!!! Instead, I went somewhere else and paid (again) for a haircut. The woman was trying to be nice, but she was pretty shocked at the bad haircut (all the angles and layers and everything were just bad and wrong and the two sides of my head didn't even match!). It seems better now but it's SO short!!!!! I had a ponytail on Friday, and now I have a bob that is cut to my neckline in back and a little above my chin in front . At least hair grows...
Oh, Bytsi, I'm so sorry about the hair disaster . Do you have a way to put it up or otherwise hide it until it grows out?
Is your rest officially over then?
And, I don't know if this is any consolation either, but I remember the first month challenge pictures from last time and it's really hard to see the difference in those pics for most of us. It won't be just you who will feel they're almost exactly the same. The bigger changes don't show until you look at the pics over time.
LOL guys, yes really!!! It's been a week (I started Tuesday of last week). I "officially" started purposely eating more on Wednesday, but since I'd overeaten on Tuesday anyway, it counted -- this is the way it fits best with only missing one karate class... I really was going to eat more for a day til AF came - but I was just not hungry yesterday. WEIRD!!! And then... AF came this morning, so... rest is done. I went from 7am Tuesday til 8pm the next Monday without a workout too.
Thanks for the consolation about the hair... the good news is that I did it myself today and it turned out ok, so at least she cut it well. Just short. I've heard compliments on it, but I never know if people are just being polite cuz it's a HUGE change from where it was!
Weight today 144# (lost TWO already?!? - I'm not sure it's not just an early blip, but I liked seeing it ). My lowest recent weight was 143.5, so I hope this is the start of a big downward trend!
Thoughts on the break:
- Eating more was fun, but not as fun as I'd remembered from the past . I enjoyed taking a brownie at the picnic, the whopper jr was tasty, and it was good to focus on eating when hungry and stopping when full (although I didn't always get that quite right).
- Working out - I missed it! Yeah, I felt less sore, but I get so much mental stress relief from exercise... next time I might not limit myself quite as much (Leigh has suggested acting like my ankle was sprained and doing that level of activity). I think a few walks (at a leisurely pace) and general NEAT / movement would've helped me feel better.
- I did stretch and foam roll, but not as much as I'd thought I would. I still need to improve that.
I will do another break. Probably at the end of Power Lifting's 12-week cycle. And then in Feb when we go on vacation
I will be less fearful of breaks in the future (assuming this continues to trend well). I certainly know that I didn't undo EVERYTHING and I didn't gain 10 or 20#'s in a week
I felt a little weaker, honestly, when I lifted this morning. But, I didn't lift for at least 2 weeks, and I am not a great morning lifter, so that could be part of it.
I just did my version of a "break-in", to get back into the swing of it...
Chinups: 2x3 bodyweight
Pushups: Perfect pushup: 12, 10
Squats: 10 @ 45#, 2x8 @ 65# (still working on my ROM)
I think I hit all the planes, and hopefully won't be too sore. Gotta figure out my schedule for starting Power Training - Friday is good, but my gym is closed Monday which would be my next regular lift day... sigh...
). I'm gonna use it. 
- that's not gonna change overnight.
) and I KNOW I have to eat something before I go, but I'm just not hungry. 
). She hacked me. Mangled. Looked like a little kid played with scissors or maybe a lawnmower near my head 
Linear Mode
