I couldn't think of a cute name for my log, but here it is....
I am 42 years old and have an 11 year old son, happily married, too! I weighed in at 226 pounds for years. In 2001, I changed my eating habits and started exercising. It took me a year and a half, but I lost 96 pounds eating
a lowfat, low calorie (between 1200-1300) diet. I was able to stay between 130-135 for about 2 years, but I have been steadily climbing for awhile and am up to 178.
I'm starting a journal to have everything I'm doing in one place. It will be nice just to scroll down and see what I have been up to!
Here goes:
Starting weight: 178
Here is what I did today. This is the second day of a new routine. (I am awaiting my copy of the "New Rules of Lifting.") I did the push workout yesterday.
10/30/07
Pull:
db curl:
5x25
6x25
5x25
crunches on ball:
3x12
cheater chins:
3,5,4
close grip pull-down:
6x90, 3 sets
barbell row:
6x80, 3 sets
10 minutes on treadmill at 3.6 mph with a 6% incline. Wanted to do more but ran out of time. Later walked 1.6 miles with family.
Here is how I ate today:
Total: 1571
Fat: 48
Carbs: 184
Fiber: 21
Protein: 105
Hey hello! So, you've started a log here as well.
You'll like the NROL. There's one caveat: having to watch the rest periods drove me crazy, so I sneakily stopped doing that. Perhaps it won't be as much of a burden to you?
I ... have an 11 year old son, happily married, too!
seriously - this is how I read this line - happily married 11 year old son - and then I saw your location and thought "Oh - he's in Alabama - that explains it"
Espi, it is nice to see a familiar face here! Thanks for the tip. I can't wait to get the book. I checked it out at the library and ordered it before I finished it.
Hi UConn Julie and Biskit!
Hahaha! Lisa S. That was pretty funny. However, I am not an Alabama native. I, my friend, was born and raised (okay reared) in Tennessee!
Okay, but seriously folks here is what I did today: Not much...
Actually 30 minutes cardio I also went for a short hike.
Total: 1863
Fat: 58 Carbs: 222 Fiber: 33
Protein: 142
Thought I would post to say that I haven't been working out this week because I have a horrible cold! I was out of town over the weekend, so I didn't get to workout then either but I plan to get back to it when I am feeling better. I'm aiming for Friday.
I am finally over a cold and worked out for the first time yesterday. This was my first NROL workout!
Straight sets:
Squats:
15x80
12x80
Supersets:
Static lunge:
10x60
10x60
DB Row:
13x15
13x15
Superset:
Push-ups: (so not my forte)
8
8
Crunch:
15
15
I have been lifting awhile and heavier than this, but I was huffing and puffing! Whew! It was either the remnants of the cold or the new exercises. I am sore today!
Here is how I ate:
Total: 1627 Fat: 47 Carbs: 202Protein: 99
I am finally over a cold and worked out for the first time yesterday. This was my first NROL workout!
Straight sets:
Squats:
15x80
12x80
Supersets:
Static lunge:
10x60
10x60
DB Row:
13x15
13x15
Superset:
Push-ups: (so not my forte)
8
8
Crunch:
15
15
I have been lifting awhile and heavier than this, but I was huffing and puffing! Whew! It was either the remnants of the cold or the new exercises. I am sore today!
Here is how I ate:
Total: 1627 Fat: 47 Carbs: 202Protein: 99
I really don't have a target. I am just struggling with reducing my calories and watching protein which I am working on increasing-the protein, that is!
Shall I tell you a lil' secret?
While eating enough protein is important, anything over 1g /lbs BW is gravy and apprently even 1g/lbs LBM can be enough..
It's mostly for satiety that keeping P high is important but if you have better compliance with higher F or C, then go for that approach. The idea I *had* to eat at least 1g/lbs BW if not 1.5 g/lbs kept me paralysed for too long.. I'm now at barely over 1g/kg BW and losing wt just fine.. It leaves so much room for FUN foods if you are being more flexible. Too clean eating is just less fun and not always equally effective !
Espi, thank you! Thank you! I am a carb lover and fiber fills ME up just fine, as well as protein, actually. I know what you mean by being "paralyzed." I can so relate to that. I read something and see it condoned by others as truth and I get tunnel vision about it, like there is only one way to do things! Thanks again, I really needed that.
Espi, thank you! Thank you! I am a carb lover and fiber fills ME up just fine, as well as protein, actually. I know what you mean by being "paralyzed." I can so relate to that. I read something and see it condoned by others as truth and I get tunnel vision about it, like there is only one way to do things! Thanks again, I really needed that.
Carb loving Karen
Yes, can say AMEN to that. Sometimes it seems that you are either in the carbloving fathating camp OR in the carbhating fatloving camp and both of them worship PROTEIN.
Yes, protein does need to comprise more than the paltry 15% of total calories most people get in and 1g/lbs BW is the best intake you can have. But going as far as 1.5g/lbs BW ? Only if it helps you to stay more satiated and HAPPY!
I could eat 1.5g/lbs BW when still having dairy in my diet, but once I realized that I had 1001 food sensitivities including dairy (and cheese) it was torturous to eat so much protein as there is only so much meat/fish/eggs to consume. How relieving it was to just drop it down to 1g/lbs and then just pick whatever macronutrient pleases you most.
That approach of either very low carb OR you are BAAAAD
OR the very low fat OR you're BAAAAD was very bad news happening.
Same bad news to try and eat 5-6 meals a day.. more torture. Having to eat exactly as planned while you're only getting hungry once you start (or even have finished) eating. Eating 3 meals a day plus fruit suits me just fine.
Go with your own gut instinct.. and then you'll be OK. Don't try to go too low for fats and keep protein high(ish) but not for the sake of more more & more.
But I *do* fully endorse zigzagging calories like mad.. you should know by now.
Espi said,
"But I *do* fully endorse zigzagging calories like mad.. you should know by now. "
Well, actually, no. I am very hard headed and it has taken me a long time to get out of that "the only way I can lose weight is very low calories" mindset. When I lost all the weight (96 lbs) in 2001-2002, my calories were very low. I didn't lift, only cardio. I was looking at pics the other day and found one of me at 130-131 pounds and I looked terrible. I am only shooting for 150-160. That is the range where I think I looked better and still felt great!! We'll see......
I have reformed, though, and will be zigzagging from now on!
And you are so right, we are all different, we must find what works for us.
The idea behind losing weight is to reduce calorie intake and increase output.
But there's an end to what you can do and oftentimes our bodies adapt by becoming more efficient at burning less calories with less input.
So, if you want to prevent your body to adapt the very last thing to do is to always do the same. Never ever eat very low calories 7 days/week. Never ever do the same workouts every week.
Exercise: progressively take up the weights and then after a deload (taking a few days up to 2 weeks off) start over again, but at a slightly higher resistance level.
Diet: take 1 to 3 refeeds weekly and eat at or over maintenance.
I've read you've received a new diet that has you at a slight deficit every day.. that just never ever worked for ME. I had to hike calories UP and DOWN like crazy.
The other advantage is also mental. It never really feels like dieting hard when you only have to worry about your diet every other day.. I'm working out every other day too.
However, it seems that going too low in calories just didn't work as well either.. like going for a bigger deficit than 1000 kcal below mtn wouldn't lead to better results. It would lead to overeating more the other day.. not too bad when it all cancels out each other and you still have a reasonable 200-300kcal deficit. But if you can get the same result with like 700-800 kcal deficit and a bit less calories on the other day?
Overeating or undereating by too much often also is a result of
- eating the 'wrong' foods for YOU (glutinous foods make me overeat BIG time)
- over exercising.. it can either blunt appetite so much that you have no appetite at all (very bad news) OR it can lead to overeating. Not very effective either though overeating is a very good protection against getting overtrained! (look at April who eats 6000 kcal a day!!)
So there's the balance you need to find between
- doing enough so it makes a difference, but not overtrain
- eating little enough to lose, but not so little that you get ill or overtrained
I've read you've received a new diet that has you at a slight deficit every day.. that just never ever worked for ME. I had to hike calories UP and DOWN like crazy.
I don't know if I could stand even one day at very low calories right now! Yikes!
Why not? Taking out 1-3 meals and you're all set.
It's really easy-peasy. Honest.
Big breakfast (no carbs !) , skip lunch and then have 2 meals again at 6pm and 9pm. Former is small, latter is larger. Presto, done!
No hunger involved whatsoever, unless the first meal contains carbs, because that sets you up for low bs levels and makes you tired & hungry. The carbs then come in the last meal(s) and you'll fall asleep in a carb coma.
No, gulp, lunch? Gulp??!! I eat b'fast at 5 am. I tend to have low blood sugar so I gotta eat regularly. It is great that you have found what works for ya!!
Hi Julie! I really like it so far. It tells me exactly what to do. No thinking involved! I like working out 3 days a week so much better that 4, but I guess I will be back to 4 eventually. Thanks for checking in.
Hi, I wanted to wish you good luck on NROL, I am on hypertrophy 1 currently and really enjoying training myself instead of paying some trainer to put together an inadawuate program for me!
Have a great week!
rebecca
I couldn't think of a cute name for my log, but here it is....
I was out of town over the weekend, so I didn't get to workout then either but I plan to get back to it when I am feeling better. I'm aiming for Friday.
NROL
Linear Mode
