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amandarunning wrote: »stroutman81 wrote: »amandarunning wrote: »Another question (greedy!). What's your take on protein sources such as whey powder and protein bars? I have a sweet tooth and was satisfying that with a bar or two a day. Started to wonder if that was stalling weight loss so not had any for 3 weeks. No change on the scales so thinking that to hit my revised macros (with protein being the main goal) then adding a bar a day either for breakfast or as a snack wouldn't be such a bad thing? Just can't do savoury for breakfast!
Let me ask you this...
Why do you think powders and bars could stall your fat loss irrespective of calories?
Good question. Firstly, clutching at straws (other than tightening my belt calorie-wise!) for the scales refusing to budge. Secondly, if I continue to use them then I never really get top-side of my sweet tooth. Not getting top-side of that can lead to eating more calories as it's about taste and craving rather than hunger/nutrition/macros. Plus not using them makes me focus on protein & macro splits from whole/less processed foods which has to be a better option?
Going cold turkey on them hasn't hurt too much plus my wallet appreciates the change!
Am I answering my own question? Possibly. I'm thinking they should be the exception rather than the norm??
Today has been a juggling act with calories and macros which I've enjoyed. Then part of me wonders about doing this every day for the rest of my life and that seems obsessive, strict, controlling etc etc. That suits my nature but sometimes also makes me sigh...
Well, for what it's worth, I use powder daily. And most days I eat a bar, too. I mean, come on... how can you go wrong with a warmed Quest bar?!!
But for me, I accept that I'm not a robot and I am human... which means food ISN'T solely about fuel. It's also about pleasure and enjoyment.
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Well I love chocolate and getting my "fix" from protein bars certainly helps keep off cravings. I think I've been chasing my tail trying to see some progress without wanting to do the tough stuff like eat less...0
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Great thread. Lots of good information.
Thanks
Pedi0 -
amandarunning wrote: »Well I love chocolate and getting my "fix" from protein bars certainly helps keep off cravings. I think I've been chasing my tail trying to see some progress without wanting to do the tough stuff like eat less...
Well don't feel bad... most people overlook the obvious answers because they're not sexy. "Count calories better and consider cutting them back slightly" isn't exactly enthralling. It's much easier to think along the lines of, "There must be some special combination of foods that is either holding me back or can propel me forward."
And our diet culture breeds this line of reasoning. How many times do we see sensationalist headlines about a single food of list of foods being either the cure for cancer or the root of obesity?
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I have a question, if you'll humor me:
Why do some people lose tons of water weight in the beginning of a diet, while others lose very little? I mean, even people who have the same amount of weight to lose? Any insight on this?
Thanks!0 -
Very true and eating less isn't that palatable when you love food :-)
It feels good to have a plan and focus moving forwards. Thanks again for you help and time.0 -
I have a question, if you'll humor me:
Why do some people lose tons of water weight in the beginning of a diet, while others lose very little? I mean, even people who have the same amount of weight to lose? Any insight on this?
Thanks!
Totally depends on the person, the training, the diet, etc. For example, every molecule of glycogen carries 3 molecules of water. So if you're rocking a low card diet and/or a very glycogen-depleting training regimen, you can lose far more water than someone who's not applying these sorts of things.
Age, sex, weight, etc... there are a lot of factors that can influence this.0 -
Okay, a couple questions. I've always heard that you need at least a day off in between working a muscle for muscle recovery. If you are still sore on the 2nd day after a workout, does that mean your muscles are still recovering, and if so, would it make sense to wait another day? Also, how would you recommend combining workouts that are somewhat strength building (yoga, pilates) with actual weight training? For example, would there be a problem to do a full body workout on Day 1, pilates Day 2, and full body Day 3?
Thanks, and this is great!0 -
Wonderful thread - thank you. So much useful information.
My question - if you've time - is it realistic to get back to the weight you were in your 20s? I'm 42 yrs old, 5ft 0 and now 133lb. I lost 43 lbs already, but I want to be 116lb. Everyone at my slimming group, and my family, is telling me I won't be able to do it, and to stop being so unrealistic. They also say I'll look awful as my face will "fall in". What are your thoughts on realistic goals? my waist measurement at 133lb is 34 inches and I remember at 116 lb it was 25 inches - which is where I want it. Thank you.0 -
Ok one more question, when you are doing 45-90 min at a heart rate of 145ish, which based on your profile age is about 70-75% of theoretical max, do you feel like you are doing anything? Because I don't. I could do that for several hours before feeling it esp if we are talking about walking with a load or jogging. I tend to like to have my hr around 160-170 to feel like I am doing something. So is the idea of this lower intensity training to do it more often/ daily? Or should I do it and it will benefit me even if it doesn't feel like "real" exercise?0
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What exercises would you suggest to build up the musculature on and around the lower back area? I recognize that's a pretty broad question; I threw out my back squatting last weekend and am considering alternate workout plans right now.0
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With the understanding that you need low body fat in order to have visible abs, do you feel that it's beneficial to dedicate time to just doing ab/core exercise or just concentrate on compound lifting? I have seen a lot of suggestions for not doing ab or core routines if you are doing a full body lifting routine. On the other hand, I have seen some articles that would suggest ab/core routines are beneficial as it's your foundation and your abs are no different than other muscles and if you want to have developed abs, you should specifically work them.0
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Psulemon, Thx for letting me know about this thread!!!
Awesome thread!!!
Now for my turn for a question and hopefully a answer
I am 5.2 ft and was 115 lbs in 2013 and maintained my weight all year, was close to goal. My goal was to get to 20% bf. I did Chalean extreme and t25 all year. Come 2014 I thought I needed a switch and decided I wanted more definition. So switch up my program. Come July I didn't change at all, so I paid to get my numbers done and go kinda iifym style. I was suggested to go to maintance as I had been in a deficit for 2.5 years and I wouldn't get more definition as I needed more cals to get more definition. So I went from 14-1600 cals on average to 1700 daily. I was ok with those numbers as long as I lifted 6 days a week. Come oct I was sick and wasn't exercising as consistently. I didn't adjust my cals and of course I gained. Went to 122 lbs. I gained bdy fat and inches and a clothing size. I need to get back down. I am doing 1450-1500 now. Doing combat and pump. Never did fast reps like in pump before. Am I making a good choice doing pump instead of Chalean extreme? 5 lbs does t seem like a lot but me it is and I justvwant to feel comfortable again iny clothes! Will i reduce my body fat doing it this way or am I better off doing maintance like I was suggested? I'm probably around 24% bf now? I had a goal of mid March for our beach vacation but don't know if that is realistic?0 -
My fitness IQ just increased exponentially from reading this thread! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.0
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girlviernes wrote: »Okay, a couple questions. I've always heard that you need at least a day off in between working a muscle for muscle recovery. If you are still sore on the 2nd day after a workout, does that mean your muscles are still recovering, and if so, would it make sense to wait another day? Also, how would you recommend combining workouts that are somewhat strength building (yoga, pilates) with actual weight training? For example, would there be a problem to do a full body workout on Day 1, pilates Day 2, and full body Day 3?
Thanks, and this is great!
It's human nature to think categorically. We tend to organize things by simple rules and guidelines. But the thing is, our bodies don't know about these categories and rules. They just are - sitting there all adaptive to whatever it is we throw at it.
The question here really is, "Can I outpace my body's ability to adapt by throwing too much at it?"
Right?
First, yes... this is a balancing act between training and recovery. But people tend to forget that everything about the body is adaptive. There isn't some fixed time period that needs to be place between exercise bouts. Recovery ability, itself, is adaptive. Meaning one could conceivably start with, for example, a full body program done 2-3 times per week and add volume gradually as their bodies adapt until - at some point - adding a 4th day makes sense.
A buddy of mine and I were just chatting about this on FB and he called this "exposure therapy." I like that term.
Take myself as an example. I train full body 5 times per week. That doesn't mean I'm doing bench press 5 time per week. But it does mean each muscle is getting worked quite a bit across the week. I've been training pretty consistently for nearly 20 years. I've built a decent work capacity.
Oh yeah... on top of my strength training I go for a walk most days and typically 1 big hike each week.
So long story short... you can "grow into" a high frequency routine and be totally fine.
Now there are a lot of variables that need to be factored in including diet, work capacity, genetics, resiliency, temperament, lifestyle/other stress, etc. What I typically see in my practice is people trying to do far too dang much while slashing calories, raising babies, and vying for promotions at their stressful jobs. Oh yeah, all this while also having all sorts of jaded and extreme perceptions and expectations, which only adds more stress to the pot.
They try and go from 0 to 100 with no respect for building work capacity over time and balancing everything else with their training and diet.0 -
Wonderful thread - thank you. So much useful information.
My question - if you've time - is it realistic to get back to the weight you were in your 20s? I'm 42 yrs old, 5ft 0 and now 133lb. I lost 43 lbs already, but I want to be 116lb. Everyone at my slimming group, and my family, is telling me I won't be able to do it, and to stop being so unrealistic. They also say I'll look awful as my face will "fall in". What are your thoughts on realistic goals? my waist measurement at 133lb is 34 inches and I remember at 116 lb it was 25 inches - which is where I want it. Thank you.
I think a couple of things...
1) People will always say things like this. Ignore them.
2) Chasing a particular weight is silly. Forget about it.
3) Focus on the process - leading a fit lifestyle. The cards will fall where they fall. Base your decisions and behaviors on where you are today. Not where you were 20 years ago. Your body is different now.
4) You can always drop weight. So yes, theoretically it's possible to get to your coveted 116 lbs. But as I said above, I'd forget about it. If it happens, let it happen because it makes sense as you navigate down your journey.0 -
Ok one more question, when you are doing 45-90 min at a heart rate of 145ish, which based on your profile age is about 70-75% of theoretical max, do you feel like you are doing anything? Because I don't. I could do that for several hours before feeling it esp if we are talking about walking with a load or jogging. I tend to like to have my hr around 160-170 to feel like I am doing something. So is the idea of this lower intensity training to do it more often/ daily? Or should I do it and it will benefit me even if it doesn't feel like "real" exercise?
Your perceptions and the language of your body aren't necessarily on the same page. I see people, day in and out, doing the equivalent of punching their bodies in the face. They think it's best to jackhammer their body into submission with excessive intense exercise all because if "feels" best.
Building performance is a game of specificity and finesse. Don't get me wrong, there are times and place to really push it.
But cardiac output training is meant to be easy. It's low intensity. Going too high on the intensity continuum negates the adaptations we're trying to have happen. Namely, we want hypertrophy of the heart's chambers (namely left ventricular eccentric hypertrophy). This, in turn, will increase the amount of blood your heart can pump and thus increase the amount of oxygen being delivered to your muscles each beat and each minute. More oxygen = better recovery between intense bouts of anaerobic work.
Go too high in intensity and you don't allow your left ventricle to fill completely and thus you miss the specific stimulus we're shooting for.0 -
What exercises would you suggest to build up the musculature on and around the lower back area? I recognize that's a pretty broad question; I threw out my back squatting last weekend and am considering alternate workout plans right now.
Honestly, if you threw your back out I'd be going to get assessed by a qualified professional. The cause could be many things, but the logical thing isn't always so logical. Meaning, concentrating on the muscles of your lower back may or may not be the appropriate move. The only way you'll know is to get assessed.
Often times injuries come from issues that are above or below the actual joint that's having a problem.0 -
With the understanding that you need low body fat in order to have visible abs, do you feel that it's beneficial to dedicate time to just doing ab/core exercise or just concentrate on compound lifting? I have seen a lot of suggestions for not doing ab or core routines if you are doing a full body lifting routine. On the other hand, I have seen some articles that would suggest ab/core routines are beneficial as it's your foundation and your abs are no different than other muscles and if you want to have developed abs, you should specifically work them.
I find that most people don't need specific hypertrophy work for their abs. In almost all cases, once body fat is low enough, my clients (and myself) have perfectly fine ab musculature without ever doing any direct hypertrophy work. In many cases, hypertrophying the midsection would work against the appearance a lot of people are targeting.
I do, however, think core training is important. The vast majority of the time, though, it's going to be more isometric in nature where we're targeting anti-rotation and anti-extension stuff primarily.
And I never program entire routines for the abs.0 -
Psulemon, Thx for letting me know about this thread!!!
Awesome thread!!!
Now for my turn for a question and hopefully a answer
I am 5.2 ft and was 115 lbs in 2013 and maintained my weight all year, was close to goal. My goal was to get to 20% bf. I did Chalean extreme and t25 all year. Come 2014 I thought I needed a switch and decided I wanted more definition. So switch up my program. Come July I didn't change at all, so I paid to get my numbers done and go kinda iifym style. I was suggested to go to maintance as I had been in a deficit for 2.5 years and I wouldn't get more definition as I needed more cals to get more definition. So I went from 14-1600 cals on average to 1700 daily. I was ok with those numbers as long as I lifted 6 days a week. Come oct I was sick and wasn't exercising as consistently. I didn't adjust my cals and of course I gained. Went to 122 lbs. I gained bdy fat and inches and a clothing size. I need to get back down. I am doing 1450-1500 now. Doing combat and pump. Never did fast reps like in pump before. Am I making a good choice doing pump instead of Chalean extreme? 5 lbs does t seem like a lot but me it is and I justvwant to feel comfortable again iny clothes! Will i reduce my body fat doing it this way or am I better off doing maintance like I was suggested? I'm probably around 24% bf now? I had a goal of mid March for our beach vacation but don't know if that is realistic?
Wait. So people are charging for macro recommendations nowadays? Sheesh, I really need to put my guru hat on more often... smh.
Secondly, my apologies, but I don't stay abreast of all these fancy prepackaged workouts. They're just not my cup of tea. I can't tell you if one is better than the other for your goals. But I can tell you that I agree with the recommendation to go up to maintenance for a bit if you were really dieting for 2.5 yrs straight.
It sounds like you were at maintenance or above for a month, at least... maybe more.
If that's the case, I'd say you're good to head back into deficit territory. It's this side of things - the nutrition - that's going to be the primary driver of fat loss. Your current calorie target of 1450 or so is just about right as a starting point. It's toward the high end of things... so test it out. If it's yielding sufficient results... let it ride. What are sufficient results? Maybe .5% of your body weight per week on average.
And please understand that the exercise side of the coin should primarily be tailored for muscle maintenance. Let your nutrition handle the fat loss / calorie deficit side of the things. Tailor exercise to hold onto the "good stuff" as your diet takes the soft stuff off.
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Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry - I missed your reply! Thank you so much for your considered thoughts!stroutman81 wrote: »
1. I'd want to know exactly what injuries are present and what specific contraindications are in place. Generally 1 or 2 injuries don't negate all heavy lifting. Sometimes... but generally not.
RSI in right wrist/forearm, patellofemoral syndrome, mild osteoarthritis (knees, hips, toes), and chronic tendinosis in left ankle (that one's not going away ever). I can do matwork, bodyweight squats and bridges, weighted leg curls, and glute kickbacks on the cable machine. I increase reps/sets and load (if applicable), and vary tempo to create challenges, but progress is limited. I've been mostly focusing on form.
I also do rehab with my physio, who's approved the above, and suggests I can do most things as long as there's no pain.
The wrist/forearm is annoying - it had healed and woke up again after carrying groceries. It's ok for some things but surprises me too (like tonight, when I tried to do some gentle rowing and had to stop after ten minutes).stroutman81 wrote: »
2. In terms of cutting vs. gaining... you don't want to focus on gaining muscle when your body fat is already high. Generally speaking, you wan to start muscle gain phases from a lean body comp. The reason's simple...
Muscle gain requires a calorie surplus, right? Well... the higher your body fat %, the more fat you'll gain while rocking a surplus. So it makes the most sense to get lean first and then, only after, ease into a surplus. It should be such that you're providing your body sufficient calories to facilitate the energy intensive process of muscle growth but no so much to where you're outpacing your bodies ability to built muscle and thus having the excess spill over to fat.
This makes sense. I have to say, though - I lost over 50 lbs four years ago (maintained until slight regain last year due to injuries - back then I also had tendonitis in my rotator cuff), and wasn't thrilled with the results at the end of it. I'd mostly been doing metabolic stuff and cardio. I estimated (using calculators, measurements, calipers, pictures) that my body fat percentage was in the low 20s, but it didn't look how I'd anticipated it would look, if you get what I mean.
Some have advised recomping - would that make sense, given that I'm limited in terms of progressive resistance?stroutman81 wrote: »
3. What builds muscle during a surplus or preserves muscle during a deficit depends a lot of training experience. If someone comes to me with a decade of progressive resistance training under their belt, being confined to what amounts to "cardio with weights" is likely not going to be conducive to muscle growth or preservation. But if someone comes to me with very little experience, their muscles are more sensitive - they're less discriminatory toward the type and amount of stimulus for growth/preservation.
So yeah, this is another wrinkle of context that's going to influence things, too.
Got it. Yeah, basically I did bodyweight and weighted metabolic workouts (like the Men's Health Spartacus one) and cardio. I finally started lifting heavy just before my injuries last year. I had about six solid months of lifting, and then a few months here and there. My PB for deadlifts was #185 for 10.
(I don't know if you literally wanted the above information or not, but I didn't want to not answer; but please don't feel obliged to respond again. I do appreciate what you've already said!)0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »Ok one more question, when you are doing 45-90 min at a heart rate of 145ish, which based on your profile age is about 70-75% of theoretical max, do you feel like you are doing anything? Because I don't. I could do that for several hours before feeling it esp if we are talking about walking with a load or jogging. I tend to like to have my hr around 160-170 to feel like I am doing something. So is the idea of this lower intensity training to do it more often/ daily? Or should I do it and it will benefit me even if it doesn't feel like "real" exercise?
Your perceptions and the language of your body aren't necessarily on the same page. I see people, day in and out, doing the equivalent of punching their bodies in the face. They think it's best to jackhammer their body into submission with excessive intense exercise all because if "feels" best.
Building performance is a game of specificity and finesse. Don't get me wrong, there are times and place to really push it.
But cardiac output training is meant to be easy. It's low intensity. Going too high on the intensity continuum negates the adaptations we're trying to have happen. Namely, we want hypertrophy of the heart's chambers (namely left ventricular eccentric hypertrophy). This, in turn, will increase the amount of blood your heart can pump and thus increase the amount of oxygen being delivered to your muscles each beat and each minute. More oxygen = better recovery between intense bouts of anaerobic work.
Go too high in intensity and you don't allow your left ventricle to fill completely and thus you miss the specific stimulus we're shooting for.
Wow. Clearly I need to better educate myself on exercise physiology. Goes off to read....thanks so much!
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stroutman81 wrote: »Wonderful thread - thank you. So much useful information.
My question - if you've time - is it realistic to get back to the weight you were in your 20s? I'm 42 yrs old, 5ft 0 and now 133lb. I lost 43 lbs already, but I want to be 116lb. Everyone at my slimming group, and my family, is telling me I won't be able to do it, and to stop being so unrealistic. They also say I'll look awful as my face will "fall in". What are your thoughts on realistic goals? my waist measurement at 133lb is 34 inches and I remember at 116 lb it was 25 inches - which is where I want it. Thank you.
I think a couple of things...
1) People will always say things like this. Ignore them.
2) Chasing a particular weight is silly. Forget about it.
3) Focus on the process - leading a fit lifestyle. The cards will fall where they fall. Base your decisions and behaviors on where you are today. Not where you were 20 years ago. Your body is different now.
4) You can always drop weight. So yes, theoretically it's possible to get to your coveted 116 lbs. But as I said above, I'd forget about it. If it happens, let it happen because it makes sense as you navigate down your journey.
Thank you so very much - that is a very encouraging and wise answer. I very much appreciate it. I will carry on enjoying my tennis and this year take up lifting, continue at a slight deficit, and see where it takes me. And try to relax about the 116. It's lovely to get such expert help.
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This thread is amazing. I check in every morning and learn a little more and think "wow, that makes it so clear" - usually with a metaphorical face-palm :-)0
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Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry - I missed your reply! Thank you so much for your considered thoughts!
No worries... I've been worried about missing posts too.RSI in right wrist/forearm, patellofemoral syndrome, mild osteoarthritis (knees, hips, toes), and chronic tendinosis in left ankle (that one's not going away ever). I can do matwork, bodyweight squats and bridges, weighted leg curls, and glute kickbacks on the cable machine. I increase reps/sets and load (if applicable), and vary tempo to create challenges, but progress is limited. I've been mostly focusing on form.
I also do rehab with my physio, who's approved the above, and suggests I can do most things as long as there's no pain.
The wrist/forearm is annoying - it had healed and woke up again after carrying groceries. It's ok for some things but surprises me too (like tonight, when I tried to do some gentle rowing and had to stop after ten minutes).
Definitely some annoying stuff you're dealing with there. That's a bummer. I am glad, though, to hear that you're working with a physio. Hopefully you make some headway at, in the very least, ridding yourself of some of the pain.
I won't throw any exercise advice your way. It'd be beyond my scope and I'd be doing your physio a disservice. I'll say this, though. Take what you're permitted to do (in terms of exercise selection, intensity, and volume) and use it a few times per week. At a minimum, provide what stimulus you're permitted to provide in order to offer your body as much incentive as possible to hold onto muscle.
And in your case, you're going to want to ensure adequate protein intake more than regularly exercising folks. Strength training is our strongest stimulus for muscle preservation while dieting. If it's limited, we really need to focus on the second strongest stimulus, which is protein. Having lots of pool of excess amino acids in the bloodstream will provide a source for your body to preferentially tap into rather than turning to your muscle.This makes sense. I have to say, though - I lost over 50 lbs four years ago (maintained until slight regain last year due to injuries - back then I also had tendonitis in my rotator cuff), and wasn't thrilled with the results at the end of it. I'd mostly been doing metabolic stuff and cardio. I estimated (using calculators, measurements, calipers, pictures) that my body fat percentage was in the low 20s, but it didn't look how I'd anticipated it would look, if you get what I mean.
Some have advised recomping - would that make sense, given that I'm limited in terms of progressive resistance?
The idea being to build a bigger base of muscle so that the next time you cut down there's better likelihood of "looking the bf%"?
Is that what you're getting at?
If so, I'd say no. If you were working with me, I would not have you do any sort of muscle gain phase without first getting relatively lean again. I just don't see a point in it since the physiology still stands - higher bf% will lead to great rate of fat gain while in a surplus.Got it. Yeah, basically I did bodyweight and weighted metabolic workouts (like the Men's Health Spartacus one) and cardio. I finally started lifting heavy just before my injuries last year. I had about six solid months of lifting, and then a few months here and there. My PB for deadlifts was #185 for 10.
Total bummer, assuming you enjoyed heavy lifting.0 -
Wow. Clearly I need to better educate myself on exercise physiology. Goes off to read....thanks so much!
Training for physique optimization, while not without its nuances, is much simpler to understand than is training for performance optimization. Thankfully there are a lot of great resources out there and you can start with the book I mentioned above.
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stroutman81 wrote: »Wow. Clearly I need to better educate myself on exercise physiology. Goes off to read....thanks so much!
Training for physique optimization, while not without its nuances, is much simpler to understand than is training for performance optimization. Thankfully there are a lot of great resources out there and you can start with the book I mentioned above.
Well and that's where I got completely bogged down. The physique info is just so accessible.0 -
stroutman81 wrote: »Wonderful thread - thank you. So much useful information.
My question - if you've time - is it realistic to get back to the weight you were in your 20s? I'm 42 yrs old, 5ft 0 and now 133lb. I lost 43 lbs already, but I want to be 116lb. Everyone at my slimming group, and my family, is telling me I won't be able to do it, and to stop being so unrealistic. They also say I'll look awful as my face will "fall in". What are your thoughts on realistic goals? my waist measurement at 133lb is 34 inches and I remember at 116 lb it was 25 inches - which is where I want it. Thank you.
I think a couple of things...
1) People will always say things like this. Ignore them.
2) Chasing a particular weight is silly. Forget about it.
3) Focus on the process - leading a fit lifestyle. The cards will fall where they fall. Base your decisions and behaviors on where you are today. Not where you were 20 years ago. Your body is different now.
4) You can always drop weight. So yes, theoretically it's possible to get to your coveted 116 lbs. But as I said above, I'd forget about it. If it happens, let it happen because it makes sense as you navigate down your journey.
Thank you so very much - that is a very encouraging and wise answer. I very much appreciate it. I will carry on enjoying my tennis and this year take up lifting, continue at a slight deficit, and see where it takes me. And try to relax about the 116. It's lovely to get such expert help.
Slight deficit, some conditioning that you enjoy (tennis) and progressive strength training sounds like the perfect plan to me. I'd add to it a bunch of objectivity, awareness, patience, and flexibility.
Objectivity allows you to assess where you're at and how you're responding to what you're throwing at your body
Awareness keeps you in the present rather than fretting over the future. The future is out of your control. The present dictates, in large part, what your future will likely look like. Put differently, you really only have control of the 6 inches in front of your face, so place your energy there.
Patience allows you to maintain sanity and keep realistic expectations. This is a slow process. Heck, it's a forever process. So it's important to learn to sit back and let your body progress at its pace and to have self-compassion. It's not a linear process... sometimes you'll make great headway. Other times it'll seem like nothing's happening. The "secret" to success is to embrace when things are happening and accept when things are not without over reacting and going off the deep end.
Flexibility is so dang important. Many people get hung up on specific programs or ways of eating. They hold onto their beliefs about exercise and nutrition the same way religious zealots overbearingly argue their points of view. But the thing is... there are no one-size-fits-all programs and diets. What's ideal for you today likely won't be ideal for you 6 months from now. This is rooted in a process of trial and error in order to flesh out a "best fit" program for you. Heck, I've been doing this a long time and with all of my online coaching clients, this is something I stress to them at the very get go. Even though I have a good idea where you should be starting... it's still a process that involves some educated guess work on my part... to which I will respond flexibly and logically as their bodies tell us what they do and do not "like."0 -
When in a re-comp, what is the recommended deficit? Additionally, after being in one for about 6 months and knowing that it's a slow process, how many years are we talking here?0
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Always great input, just saying.0
This discussion has been closed.
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