Beyond calories in versus calories out

[kfisherx]

I just wrote this up in a log and thought I would share it here for comment and possible discussion. This is my personal fat loss findings after just recently completing my first cut. During this cut I consistently lost just under 1 lb a week all the way down to around 12% bf. It did not get harder to lose the weight at 15% like they say but I did get more tired. Here though is what I found most valuable to me (lesson-wise)

So what are the basics? (beyond cals in and out)

I cannot stress to you and everyone on here how important the REST and RELAX part of the program was to me on this recent cut or how large of a role it played in my success. When I slept for less than 7 hours a night, my weight loss slowed or stopped. When I did too much cardio, I got all out of whack and my weight loss slowed or stopped. I HAD to focus on the nutrition and drop everything else for that goal to be reached. There was a time when I had to drop the 26 mile bike rides to work because there is NO WAY I could have maintained a deficit and continued with those rides. Sure they were fun but.... My health and my fitness goals are my first priority for right now. As I grow in these areas I will learn to add appropriate levels of exercise back into my life.

I will speak only for me and my experiences now. With respect to exercise, my thinking was pretty disordered in the past. I figured more was better. I ran and ran and ran all the time. I rode bikes, I played games I was always looking to break a sweat. While I do enjoy being active, as I grow in my fitness this year and take an honest assesment of what I am doing I realize that the exercise is really not for enjoyment but because I think it does me good. Sure it is meditative but so is just sitting and meditating. The problem is that I back then I had no good idea of how to balance all the working out with the rest of my ultra busy life and my diet. So instead of getting fit, I was always burned out. Guess what? This slows or stops my fat loss too.

Today, when I go out people always ask me how many hours I spend every day working out. (as if it is hours a day) In fact this is the NUMBER ONE question I answer anymore now that I am sporting the "fitness model look". I answer that my workout time is less than 3 hours a week but my food prep time is at least 6 hours a week and beyond that I have to make sure that I sleep and rest and plan so that these things are not compromised. People never believe me when I tell them this and it always results in long conversations and them wanting to understand more. The truth is that for SOME PEOPLE less really is more and more thinking instead of doing is needed.

So what is your ratio of food prep and rest planning to working out? Mine is at least 3:1.

[Tiggy]

Well said. Yer talkin' to someone like me who fights to keep it simple.

This week I chose a new program that's quite a bit less volume than I'm used to. Mixed, short cardio, too. Still trying to wrap my head around it, though, so your post is a great reminder: LESS IS OFTEN MORE.

Food prep is key, so I shop every two days to decrease boredom, but I cook every day. I'll have to get back to you on the ratios.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PROGRESS!

*I wanna be a fitness model like you, and once I show THAT kinda progress, I'm fittin' to buy me a red bikini and walk through the supermarket! What can I say? It's L.A.*

[onepack]

Thanks for the insight. I always find it so interesting to see how people achieve their fitness goals and what they learned along the way. Once again, Congrats!

[Leigh P.]

Rest and recovery are key. It never seems that way to most but always glad to see when people get it and it clicks that to take care of yourself leads to faster body composition results.