My NROL Experience - Page 31 - JP Fitness Forums

L'ilJ · 11-01-2007, 01:48 PM

So how long will you stay on Plan A for TNT? Are you still feeling good?

stingo · 11-01-2007, 02:34 PM

Well my probationary period is nearly over - the compulsory month for Plan A. If I go strictly according to the book, I'd stay on it til I have less than 20 lbs to lose. Not sure if I'll continue with Plan A at this point though as I might give one of the less restrictive plans (C, D or E) a go.

L'ilJ · 11-01-2007, 02:48 PM

Sounds good! Are you still losing weight pretty steadily?

stingo · 11-01-2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L'ilJ

Sounds good! Are you still losing weight pretty steadily?

I don't know - my pants feel a little looser, but I've pretty much given up on using a scale entirely. Too many wide swings in weight that I really can't account for from day to day.

L'ilJ · 11-01-2007, 03:07 PM

Giving up the scale is probably a good idea (not that I have, but I know it's a good idea). Maybe weigh yourself once a week or once every 2 weeks just to see that there is a general trend downwards. It sounds like it's working well for you overall though - which is GREAT!

stingo · 11-01-2007, 03:22 PM

I hope so - if it's not, I really don't know what I'd do then.

Victoria · 11-01-2007, 03:34 PM

Tom, I'm just curious...are you considering switching out of Plan A because you are missing carbs or another reason?

stingo · 11-01-2007, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victoria

Tom, I'm just curious...are you considering switching out of Plan A because you are missing carbs or another reason?

No, it's not really out of missing carbs - it's more about thinking "This isn't working, I must change it" (regardless if it's true or not - which I think that the plan IS working, but more slowly than I'd hoped) and being ready for whatever change that might be. Without the scale it's a bit more difficult to gauge progress, and being impatient for results after a long plateau, I'm just trying to think ahead.

Victoria · 11-01-2007, 03:42 PM

Ugh....I feel your frustration.

But, are you sure you can't settle for a slower rate of fat-loss? If you switch to say Plan C, won't that deliver an even slower rate than Plan A is designed to do? I'm just thinking out loud with you...

L'ilJ · 11-01-2007, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stingo

No, it's not really out of missing carbs - it's more about thinking "This isn't working, I must change it" (regardless if it's true or not - which I think that the plan IS working, but more slowly than I'd hoped) and being ready for whatever change that might be. Without the scale it's a bit more difficult to gauge progress, and being impatient for results after a long plateau, I'm just trying to think ahead.

Just make sure you're taking measurements and photos on a regular basis. Sometimes it's hard to judge progress by the scale only, especially if you're lifting. You're adding muscle while you're losing fat. Don't get discouraged and make sure you're setting realistic expectations. Losing a pound a week is probably a pretty realistic guideline depending on how much you have to lose.

Chris-STL · 11-01-2007, 05:00 PM

I've gone through this multiple times actually. I am down about 50lbs from my peak. Be patient, and it will all work out. I always figured if it took me 10 years to gain 50lbs, I should be happy to loose it in 5. Anything faster than that was bonus! I'm still not ideal, I doubt I ever will be honestly.

You will get there!

RebeccaC · 11-01-2007, 07:44 PM

Hi Stingo, I just was checking in to see how you were doing with TNT. I can understand your frustration at the slow results but you know the saying 'slow and steady'....keep it up!
Rebecca

Lost Dog · 11-02-2007, 01:16 AM

Just so you know, you don't have to make a leap from A to C. You can stick with A and have a weekly C style meal or two.

The diet will work best if you either do all of your carby meals on the same day OR have your carby meals after a serious weight workout. For the fastest fat loss, don't mix and match.

If you are happy with A progress, you don't need to switch things up. You also don't need to wait until the the switch to D for a meal that includes some carbs (after your four weeks, of course.).

Uh, none of my above drivel is in the book, of course. I'm extrapolatin' and using my noggin. But, I am correct.

Almost four weeks? Wow. Seems like it went fast!

Espi · 11-02-2007, 07:38 AM

Agree with Roland: stick with A but spike your workouts with carbs. For me, weekly carbups never worked as well as ingesting carbs on workout days.. OR which seems to work even better, to take extra carbs the night before a workout. Especially since carbs make me drowsy so that when I eat them after a WO and that's too early in the day, I'm finding myself overeating nearly every single time.

With carbs the night before, I've got more stamina during the WO. Total strength doesn't really matter as much actually, just that I don't fade away as quickly.
Mind you when I was realllyy eating extremely low carbs, funky stuff happened and I'd not be strong but have amazing endurance. Not that this is a good thing: cortisol levels were through the roof. And cortisol = BAD news for fat loss, though it can make you lose LBM pretty well (what we don't want).

Just to confuse you even more

stingo · 11-02-2007, 10:40 AM

Thanks for the support everyone... I've had a little epiphany... See below... (I hope Mahler would approve...)

stingo · 11-02-2007, 10:40 AM

Yes, we’ve all been there. After experiencing progress and success in the quest for self-improvement, the road suddenly and inexplicably flattens out to a hazy, vague horizon. Putting one foot in front of the other only seems to lead to more of the same road, with no end in sight.

This is the way I’ve been feeling with regard to my own journey. After months and months of no changes in the usual ways of measuring (e.g., scale), I decided to change things up a bit by trying something radically different: a low-carb diet. It was great to have “good” food again like whole eggs, cheese, sausage, and full fat versions of things like cream cheese and sour cream. So it was with great gusto that I started the new plan, ready to find that trail off the plateau.

Fast forward to a month later – the reality of dieting low carb has finally set in. That it requires a continual watchful eye for hidden carbs. Like cornstarch or flour that are used as thickeners in many of my favorite dishes, or having to make special orders to leave off the bun or bread when ordering sandwiches. I’ve also noticed that low-carb really isn’t a grab and go type of diet, as most foods (protein sources) require some kind of processing/cooking. (As opposed to just grabbing a piece of fruit for example.) Still, all the work is paying off in a smaller waistline right?

This is where impatience has crept in, accompanied by doubt. Looking in the mirror, it seems like I’ve lost some weight, but I don’t want to believe it so as not to delude myself that everything’s working as intended when it’s not. My clothes seem slightly looser too – in times past a month would have brought much more noticeable change, but now the improvements are stealthier and not as obvious.

After feeling like I’m still stalled on the plateau for the past two weeks, I received an interesting message today in the form of two things: I have a day by day calendar on my desk that I tear off a sheet from every day. It hit me that there weren’t all that many pages left on it now (this being November obviously…), so it was much smaller than it was. Also too, I keep a stash of red plastic cups at my desk, and I tend to take one a day from the pile for use during the day. Again, I noticed how small the “pile” of cups had gotten. These happened within about 5 minutes of each other, soon enough for my brain to make the connection between them and how it applied to me. Clearly, the message was that there’s very little time left in the year to drink beer, and that I’d best get to it. (Just wanted to make sure you were paying attention.) Slow and steady improvements, day by day will get me to where I want to be. I just have to be patient.

lance02 · 11-02-2007, 12:27 PM

You're right on Stingo. Small gains over time lead to the bigger gains you're looking to see. Day to day change is small, but you're making progress, and will see the results when you compare over a longer time horizon. I like to think of it like a piggy bank (in reverse). I can put money in, and it adds up over time, and occassionally I can take money out (cheat meal), and there's a small dip in the savings, but as long as I keep putting my change in, it really adds up over