Need help starting
Options
Replies
-
-
How were the last few weeks of the reset prior to the deficit being taken - no weight changes?
Did activity level change during those deficit weeks compared to prior?
How has lifting progress been feeling, like harder to his similar weights/sets/reps?0 -
retirehappy wrote: »
My measurements always seem to change, so I wonder if I am juat not consistent. My clothes fit the same...How were the last few weeks of the reset prior to the deficit being taken - no weight changes?
Did activity level change during those deficit weeks compared to prior?
How has lifting progress been feeling, like harder to his similar weights/sets/reps?
My weight was increasing.
Not that I am aware of. I didn't change anything up until after several weeks of cutting. Then I changed my workouts, with still not much to show for it.
And before vacation I was progressing fine. Increasing in both weight on bar and reps. When I last broke my squat PR I added 5 pounds and 2 more reps.0 -
Saranharm, what kind of changes are you seeing in your measurements?
One thing I've noticed with eating and lifting was that certain parts got bigger (chest, shoulders, buttocks) and certain got smaller. The clothes started fitting differently, tops got tighter in the upper area but loser at waist. Weight was the same, size was similar, but proportions were different.0 -
I'd suggest if at end of reset your weight was still increasing slowly - you were eating above TDEE, well of course you were.
If reset was long enough and that was still happening, I'd suggest you were eating above potential TDEE then, not still suppressed.
Sounds like from reset time to now, the proof is in the pudding that your estimated TDEE figure is too high.
And while you could slowly gain muscle and fat weight to eventually make that TDEE be correct - why?
Because you can also start with better TDEE estimate and still lose fat weight and gain strength and transform body at the same time.
There is no additional benefit of eating more than you burn if body has sped up all it's going to.
A TDEE estimate is just that - an estimate - and should eventually be adjusted for what reality is showing.
I've seen far too many that could really benefit from losing the lbs on their joints earlier rather than later, even if they are becoming strong in the meantime.
Now - if really close to healthy weight by 10 lbs and no health issues from it - then perhaps not that bad eating at maintenance and lifting. It'll take years to trade that fat weight for muscle (if ever), but that's not that bad.
40-50 lbs though - that's a different story on the heart and joints and other systems - and that much muscle will never be gained. Even if the strength to carry it is improved.
Plus the ability to lose fat while gaining some muscle is possible at the start of lifting and with enough fat to lose - it won't happen later.0 -
TerezaToledo wrote: »Saranharm, what kind of changes are you seeing in your measurements?
One thing I've noticed with eating and lifting was that certain parts got bigger (chest, shoulders, buttocks) and certain got smaller. The clothes started fitting differently, tops got tighter in the upper area but loser at waist. Weight was the same, size was similar, but proportions were different.
Up a half inch or so, then down a quarter inch. I suppose some of that could be muscle retaining water? And that's why it seems to move around a lot?0 -
I'd suggest if at end of reset your weight was still increasing slowly - you were eating above TDEE, well of course you were.
If reset was long enough and that was still happening, I'd suggest you were eating above potential TDEE then, not still suppressed.
Sounds like from reset time to now, the proof is in the pudding that your estimated TDEE figure is too high.
And while you could slowly gain muscle and fat weight to eventually make that TDEE be correct - why?
Because you can also start with better TDEE estimate and still lose fat weight and gain strength and transform body at the same time.
There is no additional benefit of eating more than you burn if body has sped up all it's going to.
A TDEE estimate is just that - an estimate - and should eventually be adjusted for what reality is showing.
I've seen far too many that could really benefit from losing the lbs on their joints earlier rather than later, even if they are becoming strong in the meantime.
Now - if really close to healthy weight by 10 lbs and no health issues from it - then perhaps not that bad eating at maintenance and lifting. It'll take years to trade that fat weight for muscle (if ever), but that's not that bad.
40-50 lbs though - that's a different story on the heart and joints and other systems - and that much muscle will never be gained. Even if the strength to carry it is improved.
Plus the ability to lose fat while gaining some muscle is possible at the start of lifting and with enough fat to lose - it won't happen later.
I had stabilised. Then went up another 100 calories just to test, gained. When I went back down I was still inconsistent and my weight did not go back down at all.
So maybe more deficit?0 -
So the 100 cal increase, if truly above a good TDEE estimate - would have taken 35 days to slowly gain 1 lb.
Was that indeed what you saw?
If it was faster or more gained with just 100 cal increase over short time - you may not have actually reached potential TDEE, and that was just muscle carb stores topping off with water, something like that. Indicating not quit there yet.
But, if merely 100 cal under potential TDEE - I'd also expect body to NOT be so stressed that it does not allow a deficit and fat loss.
So it could be the potential TDEE is even higher than 100 cal.
Do you use Fitbit or similar that could give some outside validation to TDEE estimate?0 -
If I remember correctly, I seemed to gain several pounds at once every other week or so.
I have no Fitbit of any kind.0 -
That could have been some stress effects, or workout effects, combined with eating closer to potential TDEE, which may indeed have been higher than estimated.
Was it getting warmer for your workouts during the fast gain, or workout length increasing?
Just trying to think of other valid reasons for water weight increase, because several lbs still sounds like a bit much for eating around TDEE.0 -
Just some thoughts:
Hey,
Check out @Adrienneosuna on Instagram. She is an inspiration to me. She weighs the exact same but has lost 6 sizes, eats 2000 calories, lifts etc. But it's encouraging to me because she looks more like me than many fitspo. It's made me look at adding more calories, lifting harder (love to lift) and focus on how I feel/inches and not the scale.
I think many of us end up coming back once or twice because we aren't mentally ready for not getting that "perfect" body. I think my mind is Finally thinking straight. I tend to ignore reality and pretend things won't happen to me lol. I won't ever have a perfect body. I've had 3 large babies and I didn't stretch well. I've gained 170 pounds, I've lost 150 pounds through that experience. I've had two abdominal surgeries. I didn't know I needed a sports bra until it was a little too late, then I breast fed for over 3 years. I got new stretch marks with every kid. And that's ok. I probably won't wear a bikini, but I'm not sure I would choose to anyways lol.
Maybe my stomach fat is gross to others, well if someone is that shallow, then just stay away from me. Don't bother looking in my direction. I actually don't give a *kitten*.2 -
@saranharm Thanks for telling us about Adrienne. Awesome inspiration!
Thanks for your post and thoughts! It's not about perfection, it's about progress. Your body was able to bring your beautiful kids to your life and I'm sure you would never trade that for anything, much less for the perfect body. This is real life and all of our not so perfect parts (at least imperfect in our minds) are part of who we are and tell our story. I'm still on the nursing wagon and have no clue how long it will go, but it's all good! BCAA's and creatine that I'd love to be taking now can wait. I'm a work in progress as well!
I'm trying to get out of my shell and pushing myself to post on Instagram as well @Fit_and_Real_Mom.
Tereza
Team EM2WL0 -
Great points @saranharm - I think another aspect to coming back to it I've noticed.
Some know that they could dedicate enough focus to the effort of getting that "perfect" for them body - at the expense of other priorities in life. Young and single and very little other responsibilities - great, maybe not as hard.
But people discover that after putting that focus and energy into those attempts to do it fast, or faster than slower anyway - they miss out on a lot of other things of their life now. (eating out with family without stress of doing so)
Or the priorities they want are kept straight - but then that causes the body desire goals to always be missed.
So accepting the fact there is only so much time in the day, and there are other people in your life, and your life is not defined totally by how you look to others but yourself anyway - allows people to tackle the goal slower, and perhaps not to the same ultimate goal anyway. (stronger and more confident rather than size 1)
I really think that cuts down on stress too. Which is going to help life in general.
I've known several that were doing and wanted to keep doing these pretty high fitness goals (races, ect) before they got married, or before kids. Some attempted the same end goals, even though they had no where near the same training time available. So then stress usually injury, probably some internal turmoil and resentment, and other things made those high goals unreachable in the time desired (perhaps forever).
I'd suggest it's the same as the mental hurdle of accepting the fact you cannot do as much when you are older as you could when younger in regards to many other aspects of life (some are better of course). Somehow we get over that (perhaps some have midlife crisis in general about getting older of course) and move on with adjusted goals.4 -
NSV: posted a picture of me fishing that had my torso in it. I'm wearing white- not black to try and slim (and die of heat exhaustion like I usually do). My belly isn't hidden behind a child either. I feel like this is a big mental victory for me! Now hopefully these good feelings will continue even though I am getting to my hormonal phase of the month.
Also, wore shorts today. In public!2 -
NSV: posted a picture of me fishing that had my torso in it. I'm wearing white- not black to try and slim (and die of heat exhaustion like I usually do). My belly isn't hidden behind a child either. I feel like this is a big mental victory for me! Now hopefully these good feelings will continue even though I am getting to my hormonal phase of the month.
Also, wore shorts today. In public!
Hey! I saw this on my newsfeed as well. You are killing it! To me the mental victories are more important than the physical ones because that is what in the long run helps change our mindset and allows us to follow our journey with patience and consistence.
Please may I quote this and repost on my newsfeed as well?1 -
@saranharm wow, girl, amazing NSV's! Yay for shorts and ditching the black! To be able to enjoy the summer with your attitude is a huge conquer! Your kids will not remember mom hiding, but mom having fun and enjoying life with them. Those are the memories that count and that will stick. Make this the summer that you are starting to chose to live your life loving yourself as you are, right now. Brush the mind games away. Keep up with the amazing work, you are a success in progress!
Tereza
Team EM2WL2 -
Seeing some gains in my arm muscles. Woot!
Also, today I took my kids out for ice cream. I was feeling free to get an ice cream but decided against it because I had ice cream/brownies on Sunday and it gave me a nasty headache.
I love being free to have one, if I want. Not compelled because I don't have self control. Not unable to get one because of a strict diet mentality.
Loving myself - as I am now. Working on myself for my future (and not even necessarily aesthetic goals, but strength, endurance, and longevity).
Moving in the right direction!7 -
Also, haven't weighed in... ? Weeks. Tossed my scale - no regrets.6
-
@saranharm This.is.amazing! I love your post! Woohoo! Yes, you can have that ice cream if you like, nothing is forbidden. If you decide to have it fine, you will move on without feeling bad, guilty or derailing the whole thing. Nice mindset change!
Would you mind if I shared you NSV's?
Tereza
Team EM2WL2 -
Seeing some gains in my arm muscles. Woot!
Also, today I took my kids out for ice cream. I was feeling free to get an ice cream but decided against it because I had ice cream/brownies on Sunday and it gave me a nasty headache.
I love being free to have one, if I want. Not compelled because I don't have self control. Not unable to get one because of a strict diet mentality.
Loving myself - as I am now. Working on myself for my future (and not even necessarily aesthetic goals, but strength, endurance, and longevity).
Moving in the right direction!
Oh yesssssss!
THIS. This is what the whole lifestyle is about.
You are so 'getting it' right now.
Definite mindset change.
I can feel the freedom in you from your post. Just the 'it's just food. I can have it or leave it.' Tackling those mental chains that have us thinking about food in some form or other, like constantly is so liberating.
Enjoy the new you. Everything keeps getting better from here on in.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator3
