new and lurking......

[getmovin78]

Hey ya'll,
Ive been lurking for a while, just no postings. I was intrigued by this site b/c fat loss has always been a problem for me. Ive lost alot of the weight in the past doing weight watchers and lots of cardio, but never had the body I really wanted. I carry most of my weight in my thighs, but I also carry a bit in my triceps and now my stomach since having a baby over a year ago.

I do have issues with emotional eating, that I am managing, but it can get out of hand sometimes.

I am finishing up stage 1 of NROLW. I am pretty committed to NROLW and I love the program, but I do find I need more calories to keep me going strong.

Do you think its worth giving OPT a try after I complete the program? What is your experience with this? I am about 10lbs from my goal. Ive always struggled with the last 10lbs, story of my life, so excuse me if I sound jaded, just have started to wonder if I will ever get there or if I should just give up.

[krispy1138]

Originally Posted by getmovin78

Hey ya'll,
Ive been lurking for a while, just no postings. I was intrigued by this site b/c fat loss has always been a problem for me. Ive lost alot of the weight in the past doing weight watchers and lots of cardio, but never had the body I really wanted. I carry most of my weight in my thighs, but I also carry a bit in my triceps and now my stomach since having a baby over a year ago.

I do have issues with emotional eating, that I am managing, but it can get out of hand sometimes.

I am finishing up stage 1 of NROLW. I am pretty committed to NROLW and I love the program, but I do find I need more calories to keep me going strong.

Do you think its worth giving OPT a try after I complete the program? What is your experience with this? I am about 10lbs from my goal. Ive always struggled with the last 10lbs, story of my life, so excuse me if I sound jaded, just have started to wonder if I will ever get there or if I should just give up.

I've had good luck with OPT so far - down 4 lbs in 12 days, despite a few off-plan days with a lower or no deficit. I originally thought I had "the last 10 pounds" to lose, too, but realistically I think it will be closer to 20 lbs to get the look I really want.

If weight loss is your goal, I think you should try OPT now. I was doing NROLFW before this and I loved it, too, but I wasn't able to create enough of a deficit to lose weight and still get through the workouts (it seems like some people can, and some people can't). I plan on going right back to it, though, once I've lost the weight.

[Leigh P.]

Originally Posted by getmovin78

Hey ya'll,
Ive been lurking for a while, just no postings. I was intrigued by this site b/c fat loss has always been a problem for me. Ive lost alot of the weight in the past doing weight watchers and lots of cardio, but never had the body I really wanted. I carry most of my weight in my thighs, but I also carry a bit in my triceps and now my stomach since having a baby over a year ago.

I do have issues with emotional eating, that I am managing, but it can get out of hand sometimes.

I am finishing up stage 1 of NROLW. I am pretty committed to NROLW and I love the program, but I do find I need more calories to keep me going strong.

Do you think its worth giving OPT a try after I complete the program? What is your experience with this? I am about 10lbs from my goal. Ive always struggled with the last 10lbs, story of my life, so excuse me if I sound jaded, just have started to wonder if I will ever get there or if I should just give up.

I don't think a "program" is what you need as much as education on how fat loss works. I see the phrase jaded it leads me to believe you have been twisted and turned so much that you are left at a stand still on information sources to trust.

I will say my book does teach that but so do others. Get down the basic principle of fat loss and THEN find a program you like doing to work with it. IMO, more times then not for women, I just find NROL to be to aggressive for fat loss compliance.

[maggieandmommy]

I'd agree with Kobeat's suggestion that if your current goal is fat loss, then you might want to look at Leigh's books (especially FLTS) now and keep NROL for later if you decide to go back to it. Leigh gives good solid teaching--not just a program to follow, though there is that as well--that will help you understand why you need to do certain things in order to lose weight and maintain loss. When I read her books, it was like someone had unlocked the mystery that I'd been messing with off and on for my adult life.

NROL is a good program, though it's designed more for general fitness rather than fat loss. Some people have had fat loss with it, true, but the more common experience is that it focuses on building muscle rather than losing fat, and these are often competing goals. If you work through NROL at this point (that infamous last 10 pounds point), then would you get frustrated if you went up a bit in weight--even if that weight was muscle? If so, then I'd focus on the fat loss first.

[getmovin78]

Originally Posted by maggieandmommy

I'd agree with Kobeat's suggestion that if your current goal is fat loss, then you might want to look at Leigh's books (especially FLTS) now and keep NROL for later if you decide to go back to it. Leigh gives good solid teaching--not just a program to follow, though there is that as well--that will help you understand why you need to do certain things in order to lose weight and maintain loss. When I read her books, it was like someone had unlocked the mystery that I'd been messing with off and on for my adult life.

NROL is a good program, though it's designed more for general fitness rather than fat loss. Some people have had fat loss with it, true, but the more common experience is that it focuses on building muscle rather than losing fat, and these are often competing goals. If you work through NROL at this point (that infamous last 10 pounds point), then would you get frustrated if you went up a bit in weight--even if that weight was muscle? If so, then I'd focus on the fat loss first.

Actually, that has already happened. Ive gained some weight, and its only Stage 1 ! But I do feel really strong and energetic, which is why I want to continue with the program. I dont look terrible and since winter is coming, I dont mind if I dont lose right now. Clothes can cover !

Perhaps in Jaunary I can switch my focus to fat loss and become more aggressive with the diet.

How fast do most people lose weight on this program?

Thanks for your feedback!

Cheers

[getmovin78]

Originally Posted by Leigh P.

I don't think a "program" is what you need as much as education on how fat loss works. I see the phrase jaded it leads me to believe you have been twisted and turned so much that you are left at a stand still on information sources to trust.

I will say my book does teach that but so do others. Get down the basic principle of fat loss and THEN find a program you like doing to work with it. IMO, more times then not for women, I just find NROL to be to aggressive for fat loss compliance.

actually, by jaded it means I dont trust myself to get there. I know most programs work as long as you follow them. I have just not found one that I could stick to long enough to see results.........does that make sense?

[lorigaud]

Originally Posted by getmovin78

I know most programs work as long as you follow them. I have just not found one that I could stick to long enough to see results.........does that make sense?

Does it make sense? Um.. yeah. It's the story of my life LOL!

Although... in reality, it's not that I CAN'T stick to a program long enough to see results. It's more that I, for whatever reason, sabotage myself and end up giving up.

That being said, I'm starting OPT again on Monday, and this time I'm going to stick with it for the entire twelve weeks. There... I said it out loud LOL!

[getmovin78]

Originally Posted by lorigaud

Does it make sense? Um.. yeah. It's the story of my life LOL!

Although... in reality, it's not that I CAN'T stick to a program long enough to see results. It's more that I, for whatever reason, sabotage myself and end up giving up.

That being said, I'm starting OPT again on Monday, and this time I'm going to stick with it for the entire twelve weeks. There... I said it out loud LOL!

Hi Lorigaud,
Thanks for that! Why do you think we do that to ourselves? I see others who have so much determination, and they are melting before my eyes, and i cant seem to do it for a freaking week without screwing myself up, LOL :-)

Anyone have any good articles about self-sabotage? i think Tom venuto used to have one somewhere, gotta look for it.

[lorigaud]

Originally Posted by getmovin78

Hi Lorigaud,
Thanks for that! Why do you think we do that to ourselves? I see others who have so much determination, and they are melting before my eyes, and i cant seem to do it for a freaking week without screwing myself up, LOL :-)

Anyone have any good articles about self-sabotage? i think Tom venuto used to have one somewhere, gotta look for it.

I'd love to read that.... it's a recurring theme with me! I wish I knew why I keep repeating this same pattern.... to get so close and then give up is so frustrating. Maybe I need therapy LOL!

[Etana]

Originally Posted by getmovin78

Hi Lorigaud,
Thanks for that! Why do you think we do that to ourselves? I see others who have so much determination, and they are melting before my eyes, and i cant seem to do it for a freaking week without screwing myself up, LOL :-)

Anyone have any good articles about self-sabotage? i think Tom venuto used to have one somewhere, gotta look for it.

I took a seminar (Landmark Education for Living) in which they said self sabotage is just a human mechanism, the same as when Leigh says the body just goes to the feed," the body just goes to sabotage as soon as it reaches a discomfort or unfamiliar place. It wants to be comfortable (read "fat" since that's what we're used to). I generally don't ask for the "why's" anymore, since I spent years in therapy and it didn't cause actions to change. Now I have substitute "mantras" in my head, like "just do it," etc.

But what I wanted to write about is:
One thing I did that REALLY relieved the stress of sabotage and "screwing myself up" after a whole day of eating well, or 5 days of clean eating, then I blow it in 15 minutes of 500-1000 cal that put me over.... I began doing Eat Stop Eat ESE by Brad Pilon 2 days a week. So I'd eat my evening small meals Sunday night, then not eat other than water Monday, then Monday night I'd eat my 1 or 2 small meals. I really liked it. I felt calm and energetic all day Monday. I had a greater respect for the food Monday night, and had between 400-800 calories Monday night. So when I counted my food average for the whole week, it allowed a 1200-1400 calories dieter to be over a couple of times without "blowing the week." I did this Thurs night with Friday ESE too, and really looked forward to a treat of a Fri night meal.

It totally relieved the "cheater" stress, and allowed me to actually enjoy the 1 or 2 indulgences I had during the week. It allowed me to meet my target calories for the week without being PERFECT.

Note: I felt energized and peaceful not weakened on the fast days. You might not feel the same about fasting.

[lorigaud]

I have actually thought about doing ESE, but I'm not sure that I can handle the fasting part without feeling starving. Then of course I tell myself that OPT WILL work for me as long as I stick to it... so I'm just kind of wishy washy on the subject LOL. At this point, I'm going to try OPT again and see what happens... and then possibly pursue the idea of ESE.

[Etana]

Originally Posted by lorigaud

I have actually thought about doing ESE, but I'm not sure that I can handle the fasting part without feeling starving. Then of course I tell myself that OPT WILL work for me as long as I stick to it... so I'm just kind of wishy washy on the subject LOL. At this point, I'm going to try OPT again and see what happens... and then possibly pursue the idea of ESE.

What ESE did for me was to allow myself to accept how I tend to be, (an occasional cheater!), instead of punishing myself every single week or evening. It took a ton of pressure off and made me relax and feel happy, AND meet my target weekly calories.

I did drink black coffee, tea, water, sugar free gum.

I'm Jewish, so compared to Yom Kippur fast with no water, it was a breeze, espec since I didnt' have to sit in boring temple all day. I've also, in my past, gone on 5 day fasts a few times... Since ESE isn't a 24 hour fast, but more like 18-22 hours it was okay. I made sure to have good healthy protein the last meal before the fast.

HOWEVER, I did NOT do ESE the exact way Brad Pilon says: eat exactly as you eat when you're not dieting and then fast 1-2 days, to cut your calories. I did ESE while in deficit, so I could hit my deficit weekly target.

[getmovin78]

This is very interesting, and something I could be interested in trying as I do tend to fast right after a binge anyway. I used to do this years ago when I was in super shape, but it was usually after a binge, but helped keep me in control. lately my appetite is telling a different story.

So twice a week you fast all day and then eat a few meals at night? Does it matter which day of week?

[Etana]

Originally Posted by getmovin78

This is very interesting, and something I could be interested in trying as I do tend to fast right after a binge anyway. I used to do this years ago when I was in super shape, but it was usually after a binge, but helped keep me in control. lately my appetite is telling a different story.

So twice a week you fast all day and then eat a few meals at night? Does it matter which day of week?

I'm not doing it now; I'm doing Leigh's REPAIR, tomorrow is my week 8 Refeed.

Brad suggests 1 or 2 days a week. It doesn't matter which day. You can even start at 2 and do it from lunch to lunch. A few meals at night is because I was eating 6 small 150-300 calorie meals, so I'd have a protein/carb snack dinner and a protein/carb snack, or 1 larger meal instead of the 2 smaller meals.

You can buy Brad's book Eat Stop Eat; it was a good read.
Fasting for weight loss, Lose weight quickly and easily with the Eat Stop Eat method of Flexible Intermittent Fasting and Weight Training

I have to mention 1 thing: I did it twice a week for about 12 weeks. My total calories were between 1200-1400 average per week (I thought 1200 but maybe I was 200/day higher, now that I'm weighing food).. I was doing Turbulence Training bodyweight 3x/week, 2-3x per week of either HIIT interval or Jazzercise. I lost about 2-3 pounds in all that time. That's why I'm here, hoping for a transformation. I'm not quite positive what I've learned, except to
1. eat less calories since I don't move enough
2. move more, beyond exercise, just life moving
3. get more sleep
I hope that will work when I start my cut on 10/20