Things just got real. Re thinking weight loss

viren19890

So this week I lost 0.4 lbs and my world got shaken when I lost 0.2 inches off my biceps and 0.5 inches off my calve muscles.

LOL I'm thinking that if I really even need to continue this weight loss. I'm 12lbs away from my goal weight but if I'll keep getting these mini heart attacks I'm wondering if it's worth it.

BTW guys what happens if meet my caloric goal through Carbs and fat and protein gets lower?

Example is I ran out of protein and it's being shipped. So I'm meeting my calories level but now my carb and fat level is higher and protein level is Low?
Will I lose more muscle?
Also what happens to excess Carbs? They get turned into fats?

MelissaLimeKiwi

Excess anything gets turned into fat. But if you're at your calorie goal then you are ok. You should be able to eat real food protein and still get enough. I eat cottage cheese and Greek yogurt and egg whites and lunch meat to get my protein.

whmscll

Run out of protein? Go to the grocery store and buy some meat, eggs, beef jerky, legumes...tons of actual food is high in protein.

usmcmp

Your arms and calves lean out first generally. If you aren't starving yourself and you are doing some form of resistance training you'll still lose inches on your arms and legs. Seeing a tape measure loss on biceps isn't something to freak out over.

EvgeniZyntx

So you lost a little fat off your arms and legs.
What is the problem again?

DopeItUp

This didn't happen.

AnvilHead

You're getting these "mini heart attacks" because you're overthinking everything and being neurotic about your weight loss (you've shown this tendency in many of your posts, not just this one).

Unless you're a bodybuilder at contest-ready (low single-digit) bodyfat levels, you're gradually losing fat. That can/will cause a reduction in measurements. Obsessing over a measuring tape is just as bad as obsessing over a scale number. If all you want is for the numbers on the tape to get bigger, start eating 4000 calories a day. The tape numbers will go up, but the majority of it will be fat gains. But if the tape numbers are all that matter, who cares?

You're eating at a deficit to lose weight/fat. Muscle gains are painfully slow, and once you've gotten past the "noob gains" stage, muscle gains in a deficit are virtually non-existent. Don't expect to put two inches of muscle on your biceps in a month, or even a year - especially when you're eating at a deficit. Unless you're jacking huge quantities of anabolic steroids, it ain't gonna happen. In a deficit, you're losing both fat and muscle. There's no way around that. Strength training and adequate protein can help minimize the loss of lean body mass, but you're still going to lose some.

Excess carbs, if you're in a caloric deficit, don't get converted to fat. There is no net storage of fat while in a caloric deficit.

Running out of protein powder is not an epic disaster - eat more protein rich foods. Greek yogurt. Meat. Eggs. Et cetera. It's not that hard to get adequate protein from your diet unless you're shooting for some completely ridiculous goal.


Seriously, you're way overthinking this and getting completely mental over it. Relax. Obsessing over every minor detail isn't going to change how (or how fast) things happen. Eat a reasonable diet, do a reasonable training program and quit freaking out.

Read these two articles for a good head check from a respected trainer:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/fundamental-principles-versus-minor-details.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-detail-oriented-do-you-need-to-be.html/

viren19890

AnvilHead wrote: »

You're getting these "mini heart attacks" because you're overthinking everything and being neurotic about your weight loss (you've shown this tendency in many of your posts, not just this one).

Unless you're a bodybuilder at contest-ready (low single-digit) bodyfat levels, you're gradually losing fat. That can/will cause a reduction in measurements. Obsessing over a measuring tape is just as bad as obsessing over a scale number. If all you want is for the numbers on the tape to get bigger, start eating 4000 calories a day. The tape numbers will go up, but the majority of it will be fat gains. But if the tape numbers are all that matter, who cares?

You're eating at a deficit to lose weight/fat. Muscle gains are painfully slow, and once you've gotten past the "noob gains" stage, muscle gains in a deficit are virtually non-existent. Don't expect to put two inches of muscle on your biceps in a month, or even a year - especially when you're eating at a deficit. Unless you're jacking huge quantities of anabolic steroids, it ain't gonna happen. In a deficit, you're losing both fat and muscle. There's no way around that. Strength training and adequate protein can help minimize the loss of lean body mass, but you're still going to lose some.

Excess carbs, if you're in a caloric deficit, don't get converted to fat. There is no net storage of fat while in a caloric deficit.

Running out of protein powder is not an epic disaster - eat more protein rich foods. Greek yogurt. Meat. Eggs. Et cetera. It's not that hard to get adequate protein from your diet unless you're shooting for some completely ridiculous goal.


Seriously, you're way overthinking this and getting completely mental over it. Relax. Obsessing over every minor detail isn't going to change how (or how fast) things happen. Eat a reasonable diet, do a reasonable training program and quit freaking out.

Read these two articles for a good head check from a respected trainer:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/fundamental-principles-versus-minor-details.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-detail-oriented-do-you-need-to-be.html/

I should've posted that I'm a vegetarian (no meat, eggs or fish) I only drink milk. Plus I take protein shake because with that I can control carb/fat intake but with vegetables I cannot.

Also- I freaked out a little bit due to the fact that so far since Jan 5 -I only lost 0.4 inches on my arms and belly and waist I lost most amount. From 44 inches down to 38 . Arms went from 16.4 to 16 and stayed there and now my 9th week into deficit I lost 0.2 inches from arms. So far I didn't lose anything so I was under the impression that I got only muscle there and no fat. When I lost 0.2 inches I feared that I am losing muscle along with the fact that my protein jug finished lol so it was a double whammy.

Brain went in overdrive - no protein to stop muscle loss.

You are right bro, I am nitpicking because first of all there is much misinformation out there , second I don't know jack *kitten* and thirdly I was told that I'd be losing strength while in deficit but I'm hitting PR (not rep PR but actual weight PR) in gym which makes me wonder if my deficit isn't big enough and then if my deficit is not big enough how did I lose muscle . So all these contradictory factors are playing Ping Pong with my brain.

So I keep waiting for the things to happen but something else happens instead which freaks me out.
I guess i'll just keep my eyes/ears closed and continue deficit until the last 10 lbs are gone.

jofjltncb6

Am I the only person who can't measure consistently enough to rely on a 0.2" change anywhere enough to freak out? I'm pretty sure my margin of error on most of my measurements is at last 0.5" and likely more.

TavistockToad

jofjltncb6 wrote: »

Am I the only person who can't measure consistently enough to rely on a 0.2" change anywhere enough to freak out? I'm pretty sure my margin of error on most of my measurements is at last 0.5" and likely more.

I gave up measuring for exactly that reason!

nutmegoreo

jofjltncb6 wrote: »

Am I the only person who can't measure consistently enough to rely on a 0.2" change anywhere enough to freak out? I'm pretty sure my margin of error on most of my measurements is at last 0.5" and likely more.

Moving the tape up one width on my arm can change it by 1/2 an inch, so no, not just you.

OP, likely measurement error. Looks like you've gotten some great advice already. Maybe work on being a little more chill on things. A few days under protein is not going to decimate your existing muscle mass that rapidly. Plan your protein replenishment before you run out.

jofjltncb6

TavistockToad wrote: »

jofjltncb6 wrote: »

Am I the only person who can't measure consistently enough to rely on a 0.2" change anywhere enough to freak out? I'm pretty sure my margin of error on most of my measurements is at last 0.5" and likely more.

I gave up measuring for exactly that reason!

I think measuring has its place...like weighing. I just don't understand an emotional reaction to any one data point. Maybe measure monthly for a year and observe the trend, sure...but TWO TENTHS of an inch at one measurement is meaningless.

Maxematics

Yeah, you post a lot and you normally sound like you're in panic mode when you do. It's going to be okay. Muscle is not lost in one day. You have a margin of error when measuring your body. If you keep scrutinizing all of this, you're gonna have a bad time.

I feel like you, that topolski guy, and that gemini person are all the same guy sometimes. It must be what happens to some new people when they first start their fitness journey. They overload their brains with broscience in addition to what they read on the forums and get a tad neurotic.

Try Greek yogurt for protein. I'm not a vegetarian, but that is my go-to non-meat protein source.

cthakkar1985

Greek yogurt, beans, lentils, milk, tofu, veggie burgers, and cottage cheese are some great vegetarian protein options. Any results that deviate from your expectations within a 1 week time period are nothing to worry about. Start eating more protein and stay the course.

youngmomtaz

My tape measure never reads anything useful unless it shows up as a full inch gained or lost.

So

#1. It is hard to acurately measure yourself. That said, I may be odd for the average female(I know there are some on here that do aim for muscles, but that is not the norm that I see in my world), but when my arms shrunk I got sad. I just started to reverse my thinking from weight loss to "make me some muscles!!" My arms and shoulders look awesome in a tank and I want to keep it that way! Butt and waist can get leaner slower as far as I am concerned.

#2. I agree with some of the others. If you drink milk will you add in cottage cheese or Greek yogurt? I am sure as a vegetarian you are better at veg protein options than I am, get to a grocery store!!

#3. Are you sure you are not just dehydrated? If I feel bloated and suddenly drop it, I feel slimmer. Add in some extra hydration.

Merkavar

viren19890 wrote: »

AnvilHead wrote: »

You're getting these "mini heart attacks" because you're overthinking everything and being neurotic about your weight loss (you've shown this tendency in many of your posts, not just this one).

Unless you're a bodybuilder at contest-ready (low single-digit) bodyfat levels, you're gradually losing fat. That can/will cause a reduction in measurements. Obsessing over a measuring tape is just as bad as obsessing over a scale number. If all you want is for the numbers on the tape to get bigger, start eating 4000 calories a day. The tape numbers will go up, but the majority of it will be fat gains. But if the tape numbers are all that matter, who cares?

You're eating at a deficit to lose weight/fat. Muscle gains are painfully slow, and once you've gotten past the "noob gains" stage, muscle gains in a deficit are virtually non-existent. Don't expect to put two inches of muscle on your biceps in a month, or even a year - especially when you're eating at a deficit. Unless you're jacking huge quantities of anabolic steroids, it ain't gonna happen. In a deficit, you're losing both fat and muscle. There's no way around that. Strength training and adequate protein can help minimize the loss of lean body mass, but you're still going to lose some.

Excess carbs, if you're in a caloric deficit, don't get converted to fat. There is no net storage of fat while in a caloric deficit.

Running out of protein powder is not an epic disaster - eat more protein rich foods. Greek yogurt. Meat. Eggs. Et cetera. It's not that hard to get adequate protein from your diet unless you're shooting for some completely ridiculous goal.


Seriously, you're way overthinking this and getting completely mental over it. Relax. Obsessing over every minor detail isn't going to change how (or how fast) things happen. Eat a reasonable diet, do a reasonable training program and quit freaking out.

Read these two articles for a good head check from a respected trainer:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/fundamental-principles-versus-minor-details.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-detail-oriented-do-you-need-to-be.html/

I should've posted that I'm a vegetarian (no meat, eggs or fish) I only drink milk. Plus I take protein shake because with that I can control carb/fat intake but with vegetables I cannot.

There are 100s of protein options other than protein powders.

Don't wait for some shipment. Your concerned about losing inches off your arm to the point of stopping your weightloss? But your willing to go low protein for a few days/weeks waiting on a protein shipment? Is that right?

Eat some lentils, tofu, eggs if you don't have any issues with them, veggie sausages, Greek yogurt etc etc go to the store and buy protein powder there?

viren19890

Thank you everyone for posting. I mark the spots where I use my measuring tape to ensure accuracy lol. I write down even 0.1 inches of difference.

Thanks again for the confidence. I went ahead and brought some protein food today lol because I am not sure when will my box arrive haha.

Thanks again

viren19890

Merkavar wrote: »

viren19890 wrote: »

AnvilHead wrote: »

You're getting these "mini heart attacks" because you're overthinking everything and being neurotic about your weight loss (you've shown this tendency in many of your posts, not just this one).

Unless you're a bodybuilder at contest-ready (low single-digit) bodyfat levels, you're gradually losing fat. That can/will cause a reduction in measurements. Obsessing over a measuring tape is just as bad as obsessing over a scale number. If all you want is for the numbers on the tape to get bigger, start eating 4000 calories a day. The tape numbers will go up, but the majority of it will be fat gains. But if the tape numbers are all that matter, who cares?

You're eating at a deficit to lose weight/fat. Muscle gains are painfully slow, and once you've gotten past the "noob gains" stage, muscle gains in a deficit are virtually non-existent. Don't expect to put two inches of muscle on your biceps in a month, or even a year - especially when you're eating at a deficit. Unless you're jacking huge quantities of anabolic steroids, it ain't gonna happen. In a deficit, you're losing both fat and muscle. There's no way around that. Strength training and adequate protein can help minimize the loss of lean body mass, but you're still going to lose some.

Excess carbs, if you're in a caloric deficit, don't get converted to fat. There is no net storage of fat while in a caloric deficit.

Running out of protein powder is not an epic disaster - eat more protein rich foods. Greek yogurt. Meat. Eggs. Et cetera. It's not that hard to get adequate protein from your diet unless you're shooting for some completely ridiculous goal.


Seriously, you're way overthinking this and getting completely mental over it. Relax. Obsessing over every minor detail isn't going to change how (or how fast) things happen. Eat a reasonable diet, do a reasonable training program and quit freaking out.

Read these two articles for a good head check from a respected trainer:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/fundamental-principles-versus-minor-details.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-detail-oriented-do-you-need-to-be.html/

I should've posted that I'm a vegetarian (no meat, eggs or fish) I only drink milk. Plus I take protein shake because with that I can control carb/fat intake but with vegetables I cannot.

There are 100s of protein options other than protein powders.

Don't wait for some shipment. Your concerned about losing inches off your arm to the point of stopping your weightloss? But your willing to go low protein for a few days/weeks waiting on a protein shipment? Is that right?

Eat some lentils, tofu, eggs if you don't have any issues with them, veggie sausages, Greek yogurt etc etc go to the store and buy protein powder there?

lol I did buy tofu, veggie ground round and all the goodies.

Although there was thread posted here recently by a person documenting no considerable muscle loss even staying on a low protein diet during his weight loss on a well basically fast food diet.

AnvilHead

viren19890 wrote: »

Also- I freaked out a little bit due to the fact that so far since Jan 5 -I only lost 0.4 inches on my arms and belly and waist I lost most amount. From 44 inches down to 38 . Arms went from 16.4 to 16 and stayed there and now my 9th week into deficit I lost 0.2 inches from arms. So far I didn't lose anything so I was under the impression that I got only muscle there and no fat. When I lost 0.2 inches I feared that I am losing muscle along with the fact that my protein jug finished lol so it was a double whammy...

The sooner you get used to the fact that weight/fat loss (and weight/muscle gain, if you're in a surplus) is not linear and won't happen in a regular, planned/scheduled fashion, the better. The human body isn't a machine - it's subject to a lot of variables and things aren't always going to happen like you expect them to. The body certainly isn't exempt from the laws of energy balance - you will lose weight if in a caloric deficit - but it's not going to continually happen at the same (or even a predictable) pace week after week, month after month. You have to keep at it and trust the process.

viren19890 wrote: »

You are right bro, I am nitpicking because first of all there is much misinformation out there , second I don't know jack *kitten* and thirdly I was told that I'd be losing strength while in deficit but I'm hitting PR (not rep PR but actual weight PR) in gym which makes me wonder if my deficit isn't big enough and then if my deficit is not big enough how did I lose muscle . So all these contradictory factors are playing Ping Pong with my brain...

1) You gain strength when starting a weight training program due to neuromuscular adaptations. Your central nervous system adapts to the new stresses being placed upon it by becoming more efficient at recruiting/firing your muscle fibers. It won't happen forever, but it will last for a while. At some point you'll plateau and maybe lose strength or maybe stay right where you are....maybe even continue to make very gradual gains in certain lifts. If you're waiting for your strength to drop suddenly and dramatically as evidence that your deficit is deep enough, you're doing it wrong.

2) Yeah, there is a lot of BS and misinformation out there. A LOT. There's nothing wrong with wanting to learn more about what you're doing (I do a lot of reading/studying), but you have to be looking in the right places or you're screwing up your head even worse. For starters, go to the site I linked those two articles above from (bodyrecomposition.com). At the top of the page, click on the link for "Articles". Read and learn to your heart's content - Lyle McDonald is one of the few good ones. His information is science/evidence-based and he doesn't peddle woo or bull****. There is a TON of completely free information on his site, more than you'll ever need to know about weight loss, training, physiology, nutrients/diet, etc.

viren19890

AnvilHead wrote: »

viren19890 wrote: »

Also- I freaked out a little bit due to the fact that so far since Jan 5 -I only lost 0.4 inches on my arms and belly and waist I lost most amount. From 44 inches down to 38 . Arms went from 16.4 to 16 and stayed there and now my 9th week into deficit I lost 0.2 inches from arms. So far I didn't lose anything so I was under the impression that I got only muscle there and no fat. When I lost 0.2 inches I feared that I am losing muscle along with the fact that my protein jug finished lol so it was a double whammy...

The sooner you get used to the fact that weight/fat loss (and weight/muscle gain, if you're in a surplus) is not linear and won't happen in a regular, planned/scheduled fashion, the better. The human body isn't a machine - it's subject to a lot of variables and things aren't always going to happen like you expect them to. The body certainly isn't exempt from the laws of energy balance - you will lose weight if in a caloric deficit - but it's not going to continually happen at the same (or even a predictable) pace week after week, month after month. You have to keep at it and trust the process.

viren19890 wrote: »

You are right bro, I am nitpicking because first of all there is much misinformation out there , second I don't know jack *kitten* and thirdly I was told that I'd be losing strength while in deficit but I'm hitting PR (not rep PR but actual weight PR) in gym which makes me wonder if my deficit isn't big enough and then if my deficit is not big enough how did I lose muscle . So all these contradictory factors are playing Ping Pong with my brain...

1) You gain strength when starting a weight training program due to neuromuscular adaptations. Your central nervous system adapts to the new stresses being placed upon it by becoming more efficient at recruiting/firing your muscle fibers. It won't happen forever, but it will last for a while. At some point you'll plateau and maybe lose strength or maybe stay right where you are....maybe even continue to make very gradual gains in certain lifts. If you're waiting for your strength to drop suddenly and dramatically as evidence that your deficit is deep enough, you're doing it wrong.

2) Yeah, there is a lot of BS and misinformation out there. A LOT. There's nothing wrong with wanting to learn more about what you're doing (I do a lot of reading/studying), but you have to be looking in the right places or you're screwing up your head even worse. For starters, go to the site I linked those two articles above from (bodyrecomposition.com). At the top of the page, click on the link for "Articles". Read and learn to your heart's content - Lyle McDonald is one of the few good ones. His information is science/evidence-based and he doesn't peddle woo or bull****. There is a TON of completely free information on his site, more than you'll ever need to know about weight loss, training, physiology, nutrients/diet, etc.

Thanks a lot for posting. I did read both articles.
Thanks again.

Maybe by the time I'm done cutting I would've at least learned few basic things and have built a strong foundation upon which I can learn further.

StealthHealth

viren19890 wrote: »

So this week I lost 0.4 lbs and my world got shaken when I lost 0.2 inches off my biceps and 0.5 inches off my calve muscles.

These measurements are well within the expected experimental (measurement) variation. They are insignificant in isolation and should only be considered as part of a set of measurements (to look for a trend).

Also.. everything that @AnvilHead said.

viren19890

AnvilHead wrote: »

You're getting these "mini heart attacks" because you're overthinking everything and being neurotic about your weight loss (you've shown this tendency in many of your posts, not just this one).

Unless you're a bodybuilder at contest-ready (low single-digit) bodyfat levels, you're gradually losing fat. That can/will cause a reduction in measurements. Obsessing over a measuring tape is just as bad as obsessing over a scale number. If all you want is for the numbers on the tape to get bigger, start eating 4000 calories a day. The tape numbers will go up, but the majority of it will be fat gains. But if the tape numbers are all that matter, who cares?

You're eating at a deficit to lose weight/fat. Muscle gains are painfully slow, and once you've gotten past the "noob gains" stage, muscle gains in a deficit are virtually non-existent. Don't expect to put two inches of muscle on your biceps in a month, or even a year - especially when you're eating at a deficit. Unless you're jacking huge quantities of anabolic steroids, it ain't gonna happen. In a deficit, you're losing both fat and muscle. There's no way around that. Strength training and adequate protein can help minimize the loss of lean body mass, but you're still going to lose some.

Excess carbs, if you're in a caloric deficit, don't get converted to fat. There is no net storage of fat while in a caloric deficit.

Running out of protein powder is not an epic disaster - eat more protein rich foods. Greek yogurt. Meat. Eggs. Et cetera. It's not that hard to get adequate protein from your diet unless you're shooting for some completely ridiculous goal.


Seriously, you're way overthinking this and getting completely mental over it. Relax. Obsessing over every minor detail isn't going to change how (or how fast) things happen. Eat a reasonable diet, do a reasonable training program and quit freaking out.

Read these two articles for a good head check from a respected trainer:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/fundamental-principles-versus-minor-details.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-detail-oriented-do-you-need-to-be.html/

Just had a question if in net deficit Carbs don't get stored as fats then why do people do carb cycling and low carb diets and how come some swear that it works?

LivingtheLeanDream

whmscll wrote: »

Run out of protein? Go to the grocery store and buy some meat, eggs, beef jerky, legumes...tons of actual food is high in protein.

+ 1

as for 'mini heart attacks' comment..... why? I don't get how you aren't happy to see inch loss... or a little weight loss.... its better than the alternative.

viren19890

RunRutheeRun wrote: »

whmscll wrote: »

Run out of protein? Go to the grocery store and buy some meat, eggs, beef jerky, legumes...tons of actual food is high in protein.

+ 1

as for 'mini heart attacks' comment..... why? I don't get how you aren't happy to see inch loss... or a little weight loss.... its better than the alternative.

lol calves and biceps are hardest places to gain. Especially when it "looks like it's muscle loss" lol

lorrpb

Are you reading the tape measure correctly? I've never seen a tape measure calibrated in tenths. Usually it's done in 8ths or maybe 16ths.

0.2 is about 1/4. That's not a huge amount and easily could be how the tape was held.

msf74

User error.

AnvilHead

viren19890 wrote: »

AnvilHead wrote: »

You're getting these "mini heart attacks" because you're overthinking everything and being neurotic about your weight loss (you've shown this tendency in many of your posts, not just this one).

Unless you're a bodybuilder at contest-ready (low single-digit) bodyfat levels, you're gradually losing fat. That can/will cause a reduction in measurements. Obsessing over a measuring tape is just as bad as obsessing over a scale number. If all you want is for the numbers on the tape to get bigger, start eating 4000 calories a day. The tape numbers will go up, but the majority of it will be fat gains. But if the tape numbers are all that matter, who cares?

You're eating at a deficit to lose weight/fat. Muscle gains are painfully slow, and once you've gotten past the "noob gains" stage, muscle gains in a deficit are virtually non-existent. Don't expect to put two inches of muscle on your biceps in a month, or even a year - especially when you're eating at a deficit. Unless you're jacking huge quantities of anabolic steroids, it ain't gonna happen. In a deficit, you're losing both fat and muscle. There's no way around that. Strength training and adequate protein can help minimize the loss of lean body mass, but you're still going to lose some.

Excess carbs, if you're in a caloric deficit, don't get converted to fat. There is no net storage of fat while in a caloric deficit.

Running out of protein powder is not an epic disaster - eat more protein rich foods. Greek yogurt. Meat. Eggs. Et cetera. It's not that hard to get adequate protein from your diet unless you're shooting for some completely ridiculous goal.


Seriously, you're way overthinking this and getting completely mental over it. Relax. Obsessing over every minor detail isn't going to change how (or how fast) things happen. Eat a reasonable diet, do a reasonable training program and quit freaking out.

Read these two articles for a good head check from a respected trainer:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/fundamental-principles-versus-minor-details.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-detail-oriented-do-you-need-to-be.html/

Just had a question if in net deficit Carbs don't get stored as fats then why do people do carb cycling and low carb diets and how come some swear that it works?

Because some people like to unnecessarily complicate things to try and speed up the process, or to quiet their feelz that they're "not doing enough".

Carb cycling may be useful for a bodybuilder at 7% BF trying to get to 5% for a contest, but for the rest of us it's pretty much irrelevant. Extremely lean people trying to get even leaner are fighting a different (and more difficult/complicated) battle than the rest of us. For most people (talking males here for a moment), it's not too hard to get down to 15% bodyfat. Getting down to single-digit bodyfat (especially without losing a lot of lean body mass) becomes increasingly difficult and requires different strategies.

Low-carb diets? You lose more water weight in the beginning, but over the long term it still comes down to CICO. There's no magic or "metabolic advantage" to a low-carb diet.

...and how come some swear that it works?

There are people who swear that green tea extract, raspberry ketones, shakeology and all the other woo works. There are people who swear that drinking apple cider vinegar works. There are people who swear that not eating after 5:00 pm works. And so on. Some of them are paid to say it works (there are a lot of paid shills on the internet), some of them are just deluded. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

viren19890

AnvilHead wrote: »

viren19890 wrote: »

AnvilHead wrote: »

You're getting these "mini heart attacks" because you're overthinking everything and being neurotic about your weight loss (you've shown this tendency in many of your posts, not just this one).

Unless you're a bodybuilder at contest-ready (low single-digit) bodyfat levels, you're gradually losing fat. That can/will cause a reduction in measurements. Obsessing over a measuring tape is just as bad as obsessing over a scale number. If all you want is for the numbers on the tape to get bigger, start eating 4000 calories a day. The tape numbers will go up, but the majority of it will be fat gains. But if the tape numbers are all that matter, who cares?

You're eating at a deficit to lose weight/fat. Muscle gains are painfully slow, and once you've gotten past the "noob gains" stage, muscle gains in a deficit are virtually non-existent. Don't expect to put two inches of muscle on your biceps in a month, or even a year - especially when you're eating at a deficit. Unless you're jacking huge quantities of anabolic steroids, it ain't gonna happen. In a deficit, you're losing both fat and muscle. There's no way around that. Strength training and adequate protein can help minimize the loss of lean body mass, but you're still going to lose some.

Excess carbs, if you're in a caloric deficit, don't get converted to fat. There is no net storage of fat while in a caloric deficit.

Running out of protein powder is not an epic disaster - eat more protein rich foods. Greek yogurt. Meat. Eggs. Et cetera. It's not that hard to get adequate protein from your diet unless you're shooting for some completely ridiculous goal.


Seriously, you're way overthinking this and getting completely mental over it. Relax. Obsessing over every minor detail isn't going to change how (or how fast) things happen. Eat a reasonable diet, do a reasonable training program and quit freaking out.

Read these two articles for a good head check from a respected trainer:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/fundamental-principles-versus-minor-details.html/

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-detail-oriented-do-you-need-to-be.html/

Just had a question if in net deficit Carbs don't get stored as fats then why do people do carb cycling and low carb diets and how come some swear that it works?

Because some people like to unnecessarily complicate things to try and speed up the process, or to quiet their feelz that they're "not doing enough".

Carb cycling may be useful for a bodybuilder at 7% BF trying to get to 5% for a contest, but for the rest of us it's pretty much irrelevant. Extremely lean people trying to get even leaner are fighting a different (and more difficult/complicated) battle than the rest of us. For most people (talking males here for a moment), it's not too hard to get down to 15% bodyfat. Getting down to single-digit bodyfat (especially without losing a lot of lean body mass) becomes increasingly difficult and requires different strategies.

Low-carb diets? You lose more water weight in the beginning, but over the long term it still comes down to CICO. There's no magic or "metabolic advantage" to a low-carb diet.

...and how come some swear that it works?

There are people who swear that green tea extract, raspberry ketones, shakeology and all the other woo works. There are people who swear that drinking apple cider vinegar works. There are people who swear that not eating after 5:00 pm works. And so on. Some of them are paid to say it works (there are a lot of paid shills on the internet), some of them are just deluded. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Thanks a lot bro for clearing that out. I always thought if carbs/fats/protein are necessary part of our lives how can totally eliminating one of those help.

Since January 1, 2016 -I've been reading and incorporating few thing and then dropping other methods "just for the sake of trying" and looked like everything worked but one thing that has stayed consistent is that my calories never go over my goal which is why I guess these all methods seem to be working since the Master of all CICO has stayed consistent.

If we throw out every method other than CICO then losing weight really does feel easy lol. It starts to feel like a burden when there is Intermittent fasting, carb cycling, low carb this low carb that, fat up/low etc.

Thanks again.

sarahlifts

TavistockToad wrote: »

jofjltncb6 wrote: »

Am I the only person who can't measure consistently enough to rely on a 0.2" change anywhere enough to freak out? I'm pretty sure my margin of error on most of my measurements is at last 0.5" and likely more.

I gave up measuring for exactly that reason!

+2
I do not measure. If I had a tattoo as a marker to measure then I would but that's crazy and I'm not crazy....hope I didn't just give people ideas...

blues4miles

jofjltncb6 wrote: »

Am I the only person who can't measure consistently enough to rely on a 0.2" change anywhere enough to freak out? I'm pretty sure my margin of error on most of my measurements is at last 0.5" and likely more.

My first month-to-month measurements showed the chubbiest part of my belly got fatter. I attribute it to user error, or water retention, or who knows. I mean even your muscles retain/let go of water. I'm taking the measurements for data, but yeah I figure they are overall kind of useless and maybe at each 3 month or 6 month mark I might be able to believe they are going down.

I don't set measurements or weight loss as goals though (things I can't control). I set calorie targets, number of times I work out, total miles ran that week, etc. as goals because those are things I can directly control.

viren19890

sarahlifts wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

jofjltncb6 wrote: »

Am I the only person who can't measure consistently enough to rely on a 0.2" change anywhere enough to freak out? I'm pretty sure my margin of error on most of my measurements is at last 0.5" and likely more.

I gave up measuring for exactly that reason!

+2
I do not measure. If I had a tattoo as a marker to measure then I would but that's crazy and I'm not crazy....hope I didn't just give people ideas...

So what you are saying is that I need to get various body parts tattooed -to make more reliable measurements.
Ok thanks