Thanks for that Star. And I would agree, we are our own worst critics, unfortunately.
Congrats on the weight!
Journey, Not A Destination
- Thread starter Steve
- Start date
Thanks for that Star. And I would agree, we are our own worst critics, unfortunately.
Congrats on the weight!
Happychubette
Banned
Just getting caught up with your journal. Congrats on upcoming wedding, etc.
SunnyDay1
New member
wow... thanks for all of that...
and everything made sense until the part where you said at 1200 calories what happens when i plateau. i obviously don't understand how it works because i thought it would be like this- if i start at 1700 and lose some weight i'll hit a plateau- then i'll drop it lower to 1500 maybe- lose a little more weight, then hit another plateau- then maybe drop it all the way down to the 1200... now yes, those numbers are based on- well, nothing really- just my uneducated thoughts about it... but it seems to me that if how many calories i should take in is based on my weight/body fat% then i wouldn't reach a plateau eating 1200 calories right off until i'm at the same weight as i would if i gradually reduced it. i know that keeping weight off is tough if you lose it fast if you lose it fast with a diet you can't maintain, but what if i can maintain 1200 calories? also, i don't understand how i can hope to lose weight if i increase my calories each week like you said. i wasn't undereating before. just like you said when i asked before why what i was doing wasn't working-- it wasn't working because i wasn't eating as few calories as i thought i was. some days i did ok, but on a day to day basis i was really getting more like 2000.
as for my exercise-- i can't go to a gym right now because it's not in my budget for time or money (i have 3 kids under age 6). i have the yoga booty ballet dvd's and i get up and do one of them before the kids get up 6 days a week. i also ride my stationary bike for 20minutes in the afternoons about 3-4 times a week. other than that my time daily is split pretty evenly i guess between being lightly active (housework and kids) and being sedentary (way too much time in front of computer).
thanks so much for all of your help!! i'm really trying to get this right.
and everything made sense until the part where you said at 1200 calories what happens when i plateau. i obviously don't understand how it works because i thought it would be like this- if i start at 1700 and lose some weight i'll hit a plateau- then i'll drop it lower to 1500 maybe- lose a little more weight, then hit another plateau- then maybe drop it all the way down to the 1200... now yes, those numbers are based on- well, nothing really- just my uneducated thoughts about it... but it seems to me that if how many calories i should take in is based on my weight/body fat% then i wouldn't reach a plateau eating 1200 calories right off until i'm at the same weight as i would if i gradually reduced it. i know that keeping weight off is tough if you lose it fast if you lose it fast with a diet you can't maintain, but what if i can maintain 1200 calories? also, i don't understand how i can hope to lose weight if i increase my calories each week like you said. i wasn't undereating before. just like you said when i asked before why what i was doing wasn't working-- it wasn't working because i wasn't eating as few calories as i thought i was. some days i did ok, but on a day to day basis i was really getting more like 2000.
as for my exercise-- i can't go to a gym right now because it's not in my budget for time or money (i have 3 kids under age 6). i have the yoga booty ballet dvd's and i get up and do one of them before the kids get up 6 days a week. i also ride my stationary bike for 20minutes in the afternoons about 3-4 times a week. other than that my time daily is split pretty evenly i guess between being lightly active (housework and kids) and being sedentary (way too much time in front of computer).
thanks so much for all of your help!! i'm really trying to get this right.
TomO
0
Oh, wow, I totally misunderstood you. This makes a lot more sense. That's what I did after my last week off.
Anytime.
I am so ticked.... I typed up an entire post to this and my IE blewout on me. I had to start from scratch. That might be the most frustrating thing!
No.
I told you before that reducing calories by too much too quick leads to a magnified response via the various physiological survivial adaptations the body undergoes during a diet.
So, going right to 1200 will leave you stalled long before you reach your goals.
Anytime you diet, your metabolism is going to slow. But doing things incorrectly (read cutting calories too much) leaves you with plateaus much faster than had you gone about it a different way plus a loss of muscle.
Both of which you DON'T want. I promise.
I don't understand what you are asking me here.
Sure, you can remain at 1200 calories forever. But you will forever by AWAY from your end goals too.
And let's just say for aurgument's sake that 1200 calories did take you to your goal weight. So what? You still won't look how you want. As I said before, losing weight too quickly leads to a loss in muscle. You are giving too much importance to the number on the scale.
And let's not forget. The leaner you get, the more your body will resist further weight loss. Hence, another reason why setting calories at the lower limit for starters (note: you are below that limit already IMO) will not get the job done.
My recommendation was not made so you can lose weight by upping your cals. The recommendation was made to "fix" YOU so you can then lose weight, after you are fixed.
Systematically upping your cals over time will speed your metabolism back up. Give you clean slate with a lot of room to wiggle. Once you get back up to a normal, average maintenance level, then you can start dieting using sane numbers.
Again, that is my advice though. You can choose to follow my path or not. It doesn't really matter to me. I've told you twice now why cutting calories by too much is not the answer. It is up to you to understand and believe it. Better yet, it is up to you to do something about it.
Think about this:
At 180 lbs, 2000 calories should still lead to weight loss.
Take an average 180 lb individual off the street who has NOT been dieting and make them eat 2000 calories per day. 9/10 of them will lose weight.
So by telling me that you were not losing on 2000 calories tells me one of two things:
1. You were not calculating your cals correctly and were actually eating more than 2000, or
2. Your metabolism is slower than it should be and you should take the necessary steps to correct it, as outlined ealier.
Remember, progressive overload is necessary. That means you must always challenge yourself. Getting on the bike and riding for 20 minutes is fine. As long as you are systematically upping the intensity. If you are hopping on and doing the same thing over a long time continuum, you aren't doing much for your body.
I would also suggest throwing in some calisthenic work. Think push-ups, bodyweight squats and lunges, etc.
Don't try to understand the exact physiological processes of the body. That's impossible without an education.
All you need to know is:
Diet too hard = bad
bad = rapid metabolic slowdown and muscle loss
everthing above = weight loss plateau long before you reach your goals with no room to change things
gee, thanks for dumbing it down for me
It's not just for you. Most think they have to know the whys. Heck, science can't even explain all the whys yet. On top of that, the adaptations that accompany dieting that we are aware of are very intense on the knowledge scale.
You are talking about a lot of hormonal disruptions and shifts that happen on different scales depending on the person and the circumstance.
So after your week off,
Week 1 might be like a 3/5 on the intensity scale
Week 2 would be a 4/5 on the intensity scale.
Then, on week 3 and on, you can really go for it like you've been. But you will have some different exercises since we are going to make some tweaks.
TomO
0
I'm looking forward to it!
Curvie Girlie
New member
Yep, everything counts! Even walking up the staris a few extra times, right? Hee hee, my BF likes that I consider laundry a small workout in and of itself.
Just stopping into say hello, Steve.
I'm dizzy from trying to catch up on everyone's diaries. My internet access was crappy last week.
It seems like you're doing quite well with your efforts. Keep inspiring us!
We talked about the personal trainer thing a few weeks back. I didn't hire one, but I'm lifting much more intensively now. My husband has been spotting me, so I've been able increase the weight and really push myself.
I'm noticing a difference already!
Keep in touch.
Jen
I'm dizzy from trying to catch up on everyone's diaries. My internet access was crappy last week.
It seems like you're doing quite well with your efforts. Keep inspiring us!
We talked about the personal trainer thing a few weeks back. I didn't hire one, but I'm lifting much more intensively now. My husband has been spotting me, so I've been able increase the weight and really push myself.
I'm noticing a difference already!
Keep in touch.
Jen
I stayed 100% on plan with my nutrition this week. It certainly wasn't easy. I hung out with a lot of friends. I simply brought my handy cooler along with me. Did I get shit for it? Certainly.
They poked their fun.
But they also wished they had "good" bodies too. It's so funny how some people want things so badly, yet, do nothing to have these things.
Seems like insanity to me.
Oh well, weight is coming off nicely. I should say fat. I am sitting at 194-195 right now. I am having a difficult time avoiding sugar. I am a fanatic for candy and cookies and the like. When I am bulking, I have a little bit of these things every single day. When I am cutting, I don't have them at all.
My fiancé is always saying things like, "you can have just one cookie."
But it doesn't work like that. At least not for me. If I have one cookie, that is telling my subconscious mind that it is OK to do that again in the future. And without fail, I will. So I stay very strict. I find myself measuring time and time again, sometimes on an hourly basis, where I associate my pain and pleasure. If I don't do this, cravings get the best of me and they redirect my pain to the idea of NOT having those cookies.
I am not sure how much I will get done on this cut. If I will reach the physique I want. I am doing some different things than the last time I cut down. But I know one thing. I am having fun doing it. I love a challenge!
They poked their fun.
But they also wished they had "good" bodies too. It's so funny how some people want things so badly, yet, do nothing to have these things.
Seems like insanity to me.
Oh well, weight is coming off nicely. I should say fat. I am sitting at 194-195 right now. I am having a difficult time avoiding sugar. I am a fanatic for candy and cookies and the like. When I am bulking, I have a little bit of these things every single day. When I am cutting, I don't have them at all.
My fiancé is always saying things like, "you can have just one cookie."
But it doesn't work like that. At least not for me. If I have one cookie, that is telling my subconscious mind that it is OK to do that again in the future. And without fail, I will. So I stay very strict. I find myself measuring time and time again, sometimes on an hourly basis, where I associate my pain and pleasure. If I don't do this, cravings get the best of me and they redirect my pain to the idea of NOT having those cookies.
I am not sure how much I will get done on this cut. If I will reach the physique I want. I am doing some different things than the last time I cut down. But I know one thing. I am having fun doing it. I love a challenge!
depriving yourself of things you really enjoy doesn't seem like a lot of fun to me but -eh that's why you're you and I'm totally not you're a better man than I am... with more willpower and I suppose getting to your goal is worth it
rock on.. and stuff
you're a better man than I am... with more willpower and I suppose getting to your goal is worth it rock on.. and stuff
depriving yourself of things you really enjoy doesn't seem like a lot of fun to me but -eh that's why you're you and I'm totally not
rock on.. and stuff
Haha, thanks Mal.
Perception is everything.
By NOT doing what it takes to achieve the goal I REALLY want... am I not depriving myself of something I really want, too?
I think it leaves you (me) with a question. Which do you (I) want more?
interesting question?
And could go both ways? what's the point of having a rocking body if you aren't enjoying the trip getting there? I have no answer... because you're probably enjoying the trip...
And could go both ways? what's the point of having a rocking body if you aren't enjoying the trip getting there? I have no answer... because you're probably enjoying the trip...