Calling all butt-kickers and cheerleaders!

[Gen]

Originally Posted by Bytsi

Just dropping in to say hi

Hi Bytsi! Thanks! Its great to see more people in my log! Sometimes I wonder if I have any readers and if I should even keep logging, but I like to anyway so I do. In any event, nice to see you around here!

[Espi]

I'm nearly always reading your log off-line but thought to check in since you did.. the more logs you visit the more reciprocal visits you get
Just that some people always remain more popular than others... throwing in juicy details will attract droves

[Mercedes]

Hi Gen,

Justbeen reading your log since you came by my journal. I see you're in the UK but from the US. Hope you're liking it is this 'green and pleasant land'

I also have thyorid issues (hypo) and I personally find weight loss is that bit harder even if treatment is technically correct. Well done on losing 2kg recently though.

[Espi]

I'm on T3-only meds myself due to poor conversion, but even then the key factor is staying away from gluten.. and like you reminded me.. extending that ban to dairy (and legumes) as well even though I feel that is only a limiting factor as far as health is concerned and not so much re slowing wt loss. But maybe I'm just fooling myself here...

[Gen]

Originally Posted by Espi

I'm nearly always reading your log off-line but thought to check in since you did.. the more logs you visit the more reciprocal visits you get
Just that some people always remain more popular than others... throwing in juicy details will attract droves

I know; I read more logs than I post in. Even in "real" life I tend to be the quiet girl watching the conversation... until after a couple glasses of wine. Then I chirp in a bit!

Originally Posted by Mercedes

Hi Gen,

Justbeen reading your log since you came by my journal. I see you're in the UK but from the US. Hope you're liking it is this 'green and pleasant land'

I also have thyorid issues (hypo) and I personally find weight loss is that bit harder even if treatment is technically correct. Well done on losing 2kg recently though.

I'm very happy here in the UK. Firstly the love of my life is here and secondly, life seems a bit easier. Now that I'm actually thinking about it, theres a bit of pressure that's been released I think. I didn't have health insurance in America for one, and I had a temporary job for over 2 years waiting tables to afford to live. I'm not sure if its the difference in politics and economics of the 2 places or just circumstances of living as a single woman vs a married woman. Probably both I guess.

The only time I've ever easily lost a significant amount of weight was completely accidental. It was a difficult time in life and I responded by not being able to eat. For months (3 or 4) I ate only at the end of the day because I was starving, but not much because I couldn't really hold much down due to nerves. I went from somewhere around 170ish to 133 at the lowest! Making the effort though, as a happy person, I've only been able to lose 10 lbs. I normally stall at around week 3 or 4 so now that I know about them I try to refeed at about those times. I like refeeding anyway . You just have to really want it and stay consistent even without obvious results. I always keep telling myself that I can't eat an average of 1500 calories a day without eventually losing weight. If I continue to eat an average of 1500 calories a day indefinitely I'd end up underweight and malnourished in fact, so it will work, I just have to be patient. I'm not very patient though. I want it now!

Thanks for the congrats too!

[Gen]

I'm about to sign up for a life coaching course online. Its 100 hours and then I'm certified and able to join a coaching organization and call myself a coach. There's much more to do after that of course, but its a start. I've been feeling lately like I'm not going anywhere, I'm just waiting. I hate that; I always have to be working toward a goal. The goal invariable changes way before I get to it, but I'll go crazy if I'm not working to one.

My goal now, which has been the most complete stable unchanging goal I've had - maybe ever - is to be a personal trainer. What kind of personal trainer I don't know; maybe more like a fitness, health and wellness coach. I've always been really into psychology, but never wanted to be a "psychologist", though even that interests me more now than it did when I was younger. I'm a lot warmer than I used to be. And now (the past few years) I'm really into health and fitness. This is the first time I've had a clear vision of what I'd like to do everyday.

It's a far cry from what I actually do everyday which is analyze insurance claims and negotiate settlement.

The other thing about me is that since I was 18 I've been practically obsessed with entreprenuerism. I love it and have studied it as obsessively as all my other interests. I'd just never found the right field until now. My thoughts are always filled with how I would market myself. I have tons of ideas and I think my problem will be more about whittling those ideas down to a focused and targeted few than not having enough.

I still have to lose enough weight to prove that I can practice what I preach though.

This weekend has turned into a refeed weekend; it started with an innocent purchase of a container of brownie bites to hand out to colleagues in an attempt to be nice. They sat at my desk and the rest is history...

[Espi]

Whoops..

Very interesting about your entrepreneurial ideas.. they are nearly absent with me and then again I'm owning a business!
So, enlighten me.. what would you do to market yourself?

[Gen]

Originally Posted by Espi

Whoops..

Very interesting about your entrepreneurial ideas.. they are nearly absent with me and then again I'm owning a business!
So, enlighten me.. what would you do to market yourself?

Train people for free or trade in the beginning people like masseuse's, hair stylists and nail technicians, a business coach, a wedding planner; attend wedding shows; conduct cooking classes and/or healthy eating "seminars"; offer to do health and fitness in the workplace presentations in offices; train five gorgeous girls for free and parade them around together in the city centre in bright colored tops with my logo on them; do the course that qualifies me to get GP referrals and network with GP's; just plain network with people; discounts for people who refer new clients; offer online services for less money; have a newsletter-like website; create a community for clients and host healthy events featuring healthy food and activities; team up with business that complement mine, or can, for cross-advertising; contests... I'll stop there.

I just love it. When I owned a little breakfast and lunch place with my ex-husband we ran a campaign on my birthday. The restaurant was named after me so we ran an ad in the local paper that everything would be priced as if it were the year I was born and invited everyone to guess what year that was. There was no prize but it was fun anyway; we had a clown come in for entertainment too. We definitely gained customers that came back often from that day. Fun, "guerilla marketing" stunts have always been my favorite part of business.

[Espi]

Whew.. lots of ideas & many good ones too. Need to copy cat some of those!

Networking is a must.. too bad if you've never been great at it. My SO is a born networker.. at least not intentionally, he just has a memory like an elephant and natural empathy for people. (he's the one behind our bizniz.. I just do the practical /financial/administrational stuff)

[Gen]

Originally Posted by Espi

Whew.. lots of ideas & many good ones too. Need to copy cat some of those!

Networking is a must.. too bad if you've never been great at it. My SO is a born networker.. at least not intentionally, he just has a memory like an elephant and natural empathy for people. (he's the one behind our bizniz.. I just do the practical /financial/administrational stuff)

It'll definitely be something I'll have to work at. My husband is actually the more friendly empathetic one of us as well. But, I'm all about getting out of your comfort zone for psychological well roundedness so I'll have to do it and figure it out.

[Gen]

Chapter 2, Day 1

I chose not to weigh or measure myself today because with AF and my "refeed weekend", it'd just annoy me. Did well though. I could have had an 800 calorie day but decided not to. It hasn't seemed to be any benefit anyway really; I just lose my energy and I think my metabolism slows a lot for it. Maybe if I alternate super low with maintenence days, but then, why? Anyway...

Food today:
Coffee/milk
Quark with strawberries and prunes (believe it or not, Yum!)
65 g chicken, interesting bits from a greek salad, no dressing
protein bar
Chicken Thai curry (200 g chicken, peppers, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, egg noodles)

Workout today: Lower weights, higher reps. I'm only doing higher weight once a week right now.

Push up - BW 4 x 8 - I started doing these on Saturday because up until now I just couldn't do any. Saturday I wasn't able to do the last rep on the last set. Today I just about could.
Plank - 60 sec x 2
DB shoulder press - 6kg, 6 x 12
DB row - 6kg, 6 x 12
Back ext - 15 x 4
Step ups - 6kg, 6 x 12
Two point db row 6 kg, 6 x 12
DB bench press - 6 kg, 8 x 12
****************************** ***********************
Smilies thanks to Pips

[Espi]

That many sets , like step ups w 6kg 6x12 is 6 sets of 12 reps, right?

Maybe you would feel better on 3 sets of 8 reps with more weight..

[Gen]

Originally Posted by Espi

That many sets , like step ups w 6kg 6x12 is 6 sets of 12 reps, right?

Maybe you would feel better on 3 sets of 8 reps with more weight..

Yup. It more sets than I've ever done before for anything. On my higher weight days I do 9kg, 4 sets of 8 or 10. I had no plans going into it except doing lots of sets and reps.

If you haven't quite noticed yet, I'm not following a program at all. I just go in and do a full body workout, trying to hit all the big muscle groups, incorporate push/pull, at least one lower body move, and do something better than last time. That's the most organized I get so far. The plan is to go at it properly with barbells and more weight once I'm done cutting. I haven't had any problem gaining strength so far, so I think that with the effort and enough calories I'll have to move off the db's. Plus I may want to search around for a workout partner.

[Gen]

Wednesday's workout:

Plank - 90 sec
push up - BW, 4 x 8
Plank - 60 sec
DB squats 7k e 4 x 10
lat pull down 30kg 1 x 12, 35kg 3 x 12
DB row 7kg each 4 x 12
back extention BW 4 x 15
SB crunch BW 5 x 20

treadmill, walk/run (mostly walk) 30ish min.

I had KFC yesterday so today I'm trying to keep it low. If I manage, my weekly calorie average will still only be 1700ish.

[Gen]

I've been reading this weekend what Leigh has to say about thyroid issues and fat loss. Before today, I didn't think it pertained to me because I'm medicated but apparently that doesn't necessarily matter.

So I'm going to try easing up and see if that works. Walking every day and one day lifting heavy for 1 set of 5 reps, thats it. God that's nothing, I'll have to walk a lot to keep myself busy!

I'll do 4 days at 1200 (or lower, if you've been watching me you know that I don't plan lower than 1200 really but I can and will go down to 800) Friday and Saturday at 2000 - 2200 and Sunday at 1600.

The only thing I'm unsure of is whether I need a repair week or two because I am sore today. I'm always sore.

[AnnetteW]

Gen, I'm finally getting past that "always sore" issue. It just takes so long to recuperate from a weight workout, but it's getting better. Heck, and my weights aren't even that heavy yet, I feel like such a wuss.

[Gen]

Originally Posted by AnnetteW

Gen, I'm finally getting past that "always sore" issue. It just takes so long to recuperate from a weight workout, but it's getting better. Heck, and my weights aren't even that heavy yet, I feel like such a wuss.

No, if I'm not sore the next day I take it as a sign I didn't do enough so go back and work even harder. But mine aren't that heavy either I don't think. Some might disagree, but I almost can't wait to get past this weight loss so I can eat and lift!

[Gen]

In other news, I'm going to Paris for my birthday weekend! September 17th we leave so I have a short term goal now. I don't expect to be a lot slimmer, but a bit would be good. I have one weekend in between now and then that I might go a bit over board. Other than that, I should be good.

I've been eating really low and walking a lot and thats it. Its all that I can do right now. No breakfast, very small lunch of either a protein bar or a bit of chicken and cottage cheese and normal dinner. (Not maintenence or free meal type dinner, deficit type dinner.) I've done about 1100 calories both today and yesterday. So far, so good.

[AnnetteW]

Wow, Paris should be wonderful that time of year.

How exciting.....the coffee, the baguettes, oh my

[Gen]

800 - 1100 calories once or twice a week is one thing. 1100 calories every day is something else entirely! I'm doing alright, but yesterday my husband met me after work and we went to see a movie where we bough popcorn. The furiousness (is that a word? lol) that I ate that popcorn with was ridiculous. I only ate half my dinner when we got home, and I'll eat the other half for lunch today. I still came in at under 1200 for the day, supposedly.

Today is refeed day #1: I have 2 pieces of Galya's banana bread for later (while my collegues eat the scones I'm making this morning for them), half yesterday's dinner for lunch and fresh pizza (I made the dough last night) for dinner! And wine! Yay! I'll be counting the minutes!

[Gen]

I've been about 200 - 300 calories per day over what I should be this weekend. Pizza friday night; steak and cheese baguettes saturday night; croissants this morning...

The very low calories all week has made me a bit bingey. Not very very bad, just a bit more than I should. I'll try harder next time. Not next weekend, I have visiting and stuff to do then. I'm going to eat low Mon - Thursday night and then just do what I can.

I'm doing pretty well though. I fit into things I didn't used to fit in as well and I'm noticing things like definition in the chest and ab area. I took pictures earlier in the week but haven't uploaded them. I may not post before and after pics until the 12th week: Sept 20th-ish.

Also, I've been making meringue all day for my house mate's birthday dinner tonight and I had the gresatest idea to make protein cookies with protein powder in meringue! I'm so done with making meringue today but it's something I'll definitely try soon!

[realcdn]

Originally Posted by Gen

The very low calories all week has made me a bit bingey. Not very very bad, just a bit more than I should. I'll try harder next time. Not next weekend, I have visiting and stuff to do then. I'm going to eat low Mon - Thursday night and then just do what I can.

That's what I find the worst about trying low cals (for me at least). I go too low and I just don't stick it.

Let's see how the meringues go - they sound interesting. I'm assuming you're going to whip the egg whites first, then blend in a flavoured protein powder (chocolate sounds good).

[Espi]

You're not wanting to put 1 high kcal day smack in the center of the week to offset that problem of falling into food? Not that I ever have that problem

Totally envious of your meringue-making capacities! (or perhaps I'm just underestimating my own abilities)

[Gen]

Originally Posted by realcdn

That's what I find the worst about trying low cals (for me at least). I go too low and I just don't stick it.

Let's see how the meringues go - they sound interesting. I'm assuming you're going to whip the egg whites first, then blend in a flavoured protein powder (chocolate sounds good).

Yeah, I'm thinking if it works I'm buying peanut butter protein powder and maybe cookies n' cream flavor! My chocolate chip meringues came out really nice last night.

Originally Posted by Espi

You're not wanting to put 1 high kcal day smack in the center of the week to offset that problem of falling into food? Not that I ever have that problem

Totally envious of your meringue-making capacities! (or perhaps I'm just underestimating my own abilities)

I'm really going to consider it, Espi. Maybe, if I just have breakfast on Wednesday and then jog a bit that evening at the gym it might help.

[clubchub]

Hey Gen - looks like you're doing well. It's really hard to stick to plan when you have lots of social activities going on. That is my biggest challenge. You're winning the fight despite bingy feelings. When I get those bingy feelings, if I manage only a few hundred calories over rather than 1000, I consider it a victory. It's as if you ate maintenance that day instead of running a deficit, so you don't lose any ground and you have the opportunity to go at it again the next day. It also gives you the opportunity to try and figure out if what you're eating and how much activity you are doing is creating a managable deficit. If the deficit is too big, you can make adjustmetnts.

Nice job on the merangues.

[Gen]

Originally Posted by clubchub

Hey Gen - looks like you're doing well. It's really hard to stick to plan when you have lots of social activities going on. That is my biggest challenge. You're winning the fight despite bingy feelings. When I get those bingy feelings, if I manage only a few hundred calories over rather than 1000, I consider it a victory. It's as if you ate maintenance that day instead of running a deficit, so you don't lose any ground and you have the opportunity to go at it again the next day. It also gives you the opportunity to try and figure out if what you're eating and how much activity you are doing is creating a managable deficit. If the deficit is too big, you can make adjustmetnts.

Nice job on the merangues.

Its definitely not a manageable deficit. I too Leigh's advice and ran with it. She says that for thyroid troubled people to eat as low as you can 5 days a week and then refeed 2 days. So, as low as I can? Hah! With a four day limit (I chose four low days, two high, one medium) I can eat super low! 1100 calories max all week; no breakfast ever, which I started to crave by friday; mostly all protein as you'd imagine. It's fine, I just craved my rice cakes and peanut butter!

I think what I'll try to do is eat low Mon, Tues, a little higher Wed and jog that night, low Thurs and until dinner Friday, refeed Saturday up to Sunday breakfast, and then go back down. It sounds complicated but makes plenty of sense to me.

Thanks for the encouragement. Definitley in need at the moment.

[Gen]

Well this isn't working at all either!

My 9 day average is around 1700 calories; my 6 day average is the same and yet from last friday morning I'm up .3 kg. I weighed in at exactly 72 kg this morning.

I know, the low is too low - it makes the high too high but still the average is 1700, I'd think I would have lost .5 a pound. 1/4 maybe? Something?

I am fitting in clothes better, I am smaller, it's just soooo slow! I cannot stand to put so much effort in for so little return. I'm weak and unhappy and have no energy for anything on low days and bingey and frantic on the high days.

I may just stop starving myself and just eat maintenence until I can go see the dr and he can give me more meds. I have to hope that's what it is because nothings working. I've lost 2 kg in the past 8 weeks and even that didn't seem to happen with any rhyme or reason, it seemed almost incidental.

[Gen]

I had a nice relaxed weekend with some good food and no counting. It was the first time in over 12 weeks that I didn't count.

I've also been reading about thyroid issues and weight loss, and adrenal fatigue. I don't think I've ever been quite so lost or frustrated. Its not about vanity; its about the fact that I can't be a pudgey personal trainer. I may have to rethink that I guess.

Anyway, I was too disgusted to care today. I didn't count calories I just ate "within reason." I didn't starve myself, I had breakfast, lunch, dinner and a protein bar as a snack. I didn't enter it all into fitday until now...

1397. Wow.

[Gen]

Just looking at fitday. My average calories over the last month is 1693, my two month average right now is 1683 with protein at 116 g average. And I haven't lost anything. Seriously.

[Etana]

Subscribed...
I'll read your log and we can weep together, or throw medicine balls or something....