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Back again, 3rd time
beastmode_kitty
Posts: 845 Member
OK, I'm back at eating more again. Yes for the third time, but this time it'll stick. Why? Because I started to see results in the area that i wanted them in. Realized the only way was because I was eating more. Doing Ashley Horner's Charlie Mike 5 days a week eating 1600-1700 calories was not cutting it for me, especially when I almost passed out. Actually in fact for the past year I was eating about that and working out hard.
The last couple times that I started to eat more, I saw a gain on the scale but never did I measure. So I turned away from it, and decreased my calories. So should have measured myself instead of relying on the scale. Now I only rely on the numbers on the scale to calculate my body fat % instead. This time I feel im on the right path and that I will stick to it!
The last couple times that I started to eat more, I saw a gain on the scale but never did I measure. So I turned away from it, and decreased my calories. So should have measured myself instead of relying on the scale. Now I only rely on the numbers on the scale to calculate my body fat % instead. This time I feel im on the right path and that I will stick to it!
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Good for you.
Educate yourself about all the totally valid and expected reasons why you'd gain fast water weight eating more than minimum while getting good workouts - and perhaps start viewing the scale as important a figure as your height marked on a door frame.
Oh, you don't have your height marked on a door frame and compare frequently .....
And watch the changes from that workout have a better effect.
Also always do the math for weight changes in case you think they are fat, since fat is not fast lost or gained.
When you attempted eating more those few times - how much weight gained in how much time did you see?1 -
Good for you.
Educate yourself about all the totally valid and expected reasons why you'd gain fast water weight eating more than minimum while getting good workouts - and perhaps start viewing the scale as important a figure as your height marked on a door frame.
Oh, you don't have your height marked on a door frame and compare frequently .....
And watch the changes from that workout have a better effect.
Also always do the math for weight changes in case you think they are fat, since fat is not fast lost or gained.
When you attempted eating more those few times - how much weight gained in how much time did you see?
I saw a gain within a week, usually a few pounds or so, but my mentality was a lot different than it is now. I also weigh and measure pretty much everything that i eat and take weekly measurements of myself. I never did that when i gave this a go the other 2 times before. This time when I saw a gain on the scale and 4 inches were lost I smiled.3 -
Inches lost are way better than pounds lost! Great job on eating more again! Fuel your body, get your workouts in, sleep, drink water and the results will come. Check the stick annoucements of this forum or www.eatmore2weighless.com for questions and support on eating more for fat loss.3
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Well i've done it! I've been at 2000+ calories now for over a month and have not looked back. I love how I've been feeling and looking these days. I'm setting new PR's almost every week now, and love how strong both mentally and physically that I have become!
I used to always be so skeptical about increasing calories, as I associated it with gaining weight. The number on the scale doesn't define you or your hard work. All it is, is a number! And I've learnt that now. Took me a damn long time, but I finally have done it. So for anyone that think that they can't increase calories, well I got news for ya, you can! Don't be scared. Let go of the stigma, and do it gradually like I did. The results will only work in your favor!5 -
Wow!!!! I don't even know were to begin on how much I love this update! Nope, the number on the scale does not define you, it's just a number. New PR's, feeling good and loving how you look now, that's what I'm talking about!
WTG!
Tereza
Team EM2WL0 -
I love this thread....way to go @beastmode_kitty!0
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beastmode_kitty wrote: »Well i've done it! I've been at 2000+ calories now for over a month and have not looked back. I love how I've been feeling and looking these days. I'm setting new PR's almost every week now, and love how strong both mentally and physically that I have become!
I used to always be so skeptical about increasing calories, as I associated it with gaining weight. The number on the scale doesn't define you or your hard work. All it is, is a number! And I've learnt that now. Took me a damn long time, but I finally have done it. So for anyone that think that they can't increase calories, well I got news for ya, you can! Don't be scared. Let go of the stigma, and do it gradually like I did. The results will only work in your favor!
May I take this to share with the Fam as a NSV?:)
Good job!! So glad you are embracing it all!!0 -
beastmode_kitty wrote: »Well i've done it! I've been at 2000+ calories now for over a month and have not looked back. I love how I've been feeling and looking these days. I'm setting new PR's almost every week now, and love how strong both mentally and physically that I have become!
I used to always be so skeptical about increasing calories, as I associated it with gaining weight. The number on the scale doesn't define you or your hard work. All it is, is a number! And I've learnt that now. Took me a damn long time, but I finally have done it. So for anyone that think that they can't increase calories, well I got news for ya, you can! Don't be scared. Let go of the stigma, and do it gradually like I did. The results will only work in your favor!
Great job on mental aspect.
And see, this ability to have really great workouts and energy level, beyond just transforming the body, does increase your daily burn, and it's probably higher than estimated TDEE (which could be problem when time to maintain or bulk) - but it also gives you the chance to now actually lose some fat weight you don't want.
But you gotta start with a healthy body first no matter where it's at, then take reasonable deficit from there to maintain that healthy body.
And having the better mental attitude about it allows you to confirm that is happening.
Compare that to people that start extreme diet with extreme increase in workouts - they have no idea how good their workouts could likely be.
You now know how it feels though - and will want to keep that probably.0 -
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beastmode_kitty wrote: »Well i've done it! I've been at 2000+ calories now for over a month and have not looked back. I love how I've been feeling and looking these days. I'm setting new PR's almost every week now, and love how strong both mentally and physically that I have become!
I used to always be so skeptical about increasing calories, as I associated it with gaining weight. The number on the scale doesn't define you or your hard work. All it is, is a number! And I've learnt that now. Took me a damn long time, but I finally have done it. So for anyone that think that they can't increase calories, well I got news for ya, you can! Don't be scared. Let go of the stigma, and do it gradually like I did. The results will only work in your favor!
May I take this to share with the Fam as a NSV?:)
Good job!! So glad you are embracing it all!!
Absolutely you can!!1 -
Yay! What an incredible update!
So happy for you especially as your mental results are just as good as your physical. Isn't it liberating?
Keep going! If you feel this good after a month, imagine after 6 months, or a year?!?!?!0 -
rastaempress wrote: »Yay! What an incredible update!
So happy for you especially as your mental results are just as good as your physical. Isn't it liberating?
Keep going! If you feel this good after a month, imagine after 6 months, or a year?!?!?!
You're right!! Was tired of feeling tired and depressed all the time. Its nice to finally break free of all that and just be happy with everything I have accomplished. No more mental fogginess
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And it just gets better! No looking back into eating as a bird with working out as a fiend just to look skinny fat, feel tired and "hangry"all the time! It's nice to have that fog lifted. For me besides being tired and depressed, as I got older it would get harder to the point that I would just give up, lose the faith in myself and settle for less in everything. It's not just the food or how we look, this journey is way more powerful than that, it reflects in all aspects of our life, from out moods to self confidence.
Btw, the Team EM2WL loved your journey story and will feature you on the site. You are an amazing inspiration for us and all the followers of EM2WL lifestyle!1 -
TerezaToledo wrote: »And it just gets better! No looking back into eating as a bird with working out as a fiend just to look skinny fat, feel tired and "hangry"all the time! It's nice to have that fog lifted. For me besides being tired and depressed, as I got older it would get harder to the point that I would just give up, lose the faith in myself and settle for less in everything. It's not just the food or how we look, this journey is way more powerful than that, it reflects in all aspects of our life, from out moods to self confidence.
Btw, the Team EM2WL loved your journey story and will feature you on the site. You are an amazing inspiration for us and all the followers of EM2WL lifestyle!
My biggest struggle would be learning to let the scale go. I started a no weigh june movement and have a few people following me now. Going to work hard this whole month and see where I end up at on June 30th. Looking to lower my body fat % so I'll check it then at the gym that I go to.
I'm really happy to hear that you guys will be featuring me and I am excited to see it up on the site. If you ever need someone to join your team I would love to do so!1 -
beastmode_kitty wrote: »rastaempress wrote: »Yay! What an incredible update!
So happy for you especially as your mental results are just as good as your physical. Isn't it liberating?
Keep going! If you feel this good after a month, imagine after 6 months, or a year?!?!?!
You're right!! Was tired of feeling tired and depressed all the time. Its nice to finally break free of all that and just be happy with everything I have accomplished. No more mental fogginess
^ this is me right now. So tired. But when eating more I was not making any progress. I cannot be bursting out of my jeans forever. It's so uncomfortable for me to carry around this much fat (mostly belly!) Feel like it's a real catch22!
Are your inches still decreasing?
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Letting the scale go IS hard! It took me a long time to actually let it go. Now I just don't want to get on it at all, lol. My next step is to learn not to care about the reading, no matter what. But no rush, lol. It sucks that we need the # for the BF though.
Best use of the scale ever:
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@saranharm i havent really measured inches in awhile. Not really sure how to be honest. But my clothes are feeling looser.0
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@terezatoledo yes!! Nice head rest for a kitty. I actually hid my scale away so im not tempted to use it.1
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beastmode_kitty wrote: »rastaempress wrote: »Yay! What an incredible update!
So happy for you especially as your mental results are just as good as your physical. Isn't it liberating?
Keep going! If you feel this good after a month, imagine after 6 months, or a year?!?!?!
You're right!! Was tired of feeling tired and depressed all the time. Its nice to finally break free of all that and just be happy with everything I have accomplished. No more mental fogginess
^ this is me right now. So tired. But when eating more I was not making any progress. I cannot be bursting out of my jeans forever. It's so uncomfortable for me to carry around this much fat (mostly belly!) Feel like it's a real catch22!
Are your inches still decreasing?
Speaking for someone who burst out of my jeans three different times, It does level out, especially when you finally find your TDEE. When I originally jumped in cals, I jumped up in size a tiny bit..but it wasnt TDEE.. Then I went higher to what I *thought* was TDEE, and the inches gained but plateaued... And then I went even higher now, to what should be pretty darn on my TDEE and once more jumped up in sizes. I have levelled out now after sitting at TDEE for about 3 months.
Its not easy to gain weight purposefully. I had to remind myself that when I lost the weight originally, it was doing low cal crash diets.. I lost a ton of muscle.. So this whole rebuilding has been gaining back my muscle. Yes fat has come along for the time being, but its a short term pain, for long term gain.. I dont want to mess up and not be eating as high as I should be, and have to struggle once again down the line for being too low on cals. Personally, Ive learned more about myself in this past 18 months of really letting go. Progress is painfully slow sometimes, but that doesnt mean there isnt any. So even though you dont think there is any progress by eating more, I promise you the progress WILL show up in the end. But you have to be willing to give it everything, and sometimes that means increasing in size to gain back your lost muscle.
I totally understand where you are coming from. When I first went up in size, I cried for weeks. I never wanted to see these sizes again, so it was mentally draining to wear them. But after a while, I realized that size means nothing. I know when my time has come to cut properly, the inches will fall away, and the fat will vanish.. and my muscles will show how hard I worked at my progress. The mental game is sometimes a lot harder to win than the Scale game.
Kelly
Team EM2WL1 -
I agree with @Raynn1
So far ive seen changes in body composition. Things starting to tighten up. But in terms of pants size not so much. Im guessing because i was so low for so long that eating 2000 now is more or less closer to my TDEE. Eventually i will increase it more but im quite happy with the gainz i have in strength eating where im at now. Its all trial and error.1 -
I am in the same boat as you @beastmode_kitty. This is my 3rd time starting EM2WL. This time I am in it for the long haul. Ran into the issues of the scale not moving fast enough so I started eating less to see results then ended up feeling tired all the time which led to overeating anyways
Ive been back at it for 2 weeks now and feel sooo much better and my workouts have improved because I am actually eating enough to fuel them! 0 -
I am in the same boat as you @beastmode_kitty. This is my 3rd time starting EM2WL. This time I am in it for the long haul. Ran into the issues of the scale not moving fast enough so I started eating less to see results then ended up feeling tired all the time which led to overeating anyways Ive been back at it for 2 weeks now and feel sooo much better and my workouts have improved because I am actually eating enough to fuel them!
That is totally me right now! I also can't imagine what it would be like eating less than I do now. I've gotten so used to it.
A bit of an update - I'm progressing very nicely on the weights. I actually had to add another 5lbs to each lift. The biggest being the Overhead Press. I've been stalling at 30lbs for such a long time, bad shoulder, and trying to compensate for it. BUt for some reason today I wanted to try 40lbs and I managed to squeeze out 5 reps for 3 sets. I'm going to keep it at this number until I can hit 8 reps for 3 sets! When I did lat pull downs I managed to sneak a peek in the mirror and saw all my muscles in my sun burnt back pop out. I was quite impressed with everything I have seen. So happy I returned back to the EM2WL way of life 2 -
It's a work of patience, consistency and time. The old ways that we used before just do not work. Fad diets and products offer us a quick fix, promise us results that if we reach, we cannot maintain.
When we focus so much on the scale and it doesn't move, it can become really frustrating and tempting to go back to dropping the calories lower and exercising even more. But it just does not work. It's easier said than done, but dumping the scale is the way to go. Aiming for feeling good, sleeping well, getting stronger, hitting PR's shifts the focus of the scale and it's quite liberating.
Time will go by anyway, in a heartbeat the summer will be gone and unless we did it the right way (fueling and nourishing our bodies and workouts), we will just have spun our wheels and won't get anywhere new.3 -
Left pic is about a year ago, right is from today. Obviously the damage of eating too little has clearly shown i haven't progressed too much in a year. This is why eating too few calories doesn't work! With the amount of work I have done, obviously I was just preserving the muscle I did have and any weight that I was losing on the scale was more muscle than fat. Seeing this picture just drives me even more to continue on the Em2WL way of life! A year later I should see more progress than that!1 -
LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!!
You are doing amazing progress and looking lean and fierce! Smally waist, tighter buttocks, back dimples, stronger traps and delts, the whole shebang!!!
Yay for eating and lifting!
Tereza
Team EM2WL0 -
That's great progress, ditto's to above observation on changes.
I'm sure you did preserve what you had since lifting - which means you didn't lose more muscle than fat, if any.
So obviously lost fat in order to see that muscle - this mis-termed "toning".
I'll bet a huge issue with fat loss was that big a deficit at first - your daily burn slowed down to compensate - so you didn't have the deficit you thought you had.
So any sick weeks eating more, or vacation, or binges, ect, just made it easier to go into surplus or maintenance mode - and you had more time of no deficit than you think.
And if course with body in this state - it doesn't respond to workout with as much improvement, and usually you don't get as good of workouts anyway.
Look at that left bicep - hope you didn't break the phone holding it!0 -
That's great progress, ditto's to above observation on changes.
I'm sure you did preserve what you had since lifting - which means you didn't lose more muscle than fat, if any.
So obviously lost fat in order to see that muscle - this mis-termed "toning".
I'll bet a huge issue with fat loss was that big a deficit at first - your daily burn slowed down to compensate - so you didn't have the deficit you thought you had.
So any sick weeks eating more, or vacation, or binges, ect, just made it easier to go into surplus or maintenance mode - and you had more time of no deficit than you think.
And if course with body in this state - it doesn't respond to workout with as much improvement, and usually you don't get as good of workouts anyway.
Look at that left bicep - hope you didn't break the phone holding it!
LOL my bicep may look huge but I still have a good layer of fat around it. Hoping to boost my metabolism now by i eating more and staying consistant with it which is something I used to lack in the past. But it takes a lot of trial and error to get the confidence you need to push yourself.0 -
I'll bet your daily activity has gone up very decently - that's the first thing the body does to slow you down when you undereat by too much - makes you move less.
And - having great workouts that actually cause some good damage and require good repair - that's a great change too.
Have you experienced yet the extra hunger in the 24-48 hrs after lifting was done?
You now have some experience with what is possible in pushing yourself - you can be very confident that continuing to do that will continue to cause improvements.
And I gotta tell you - you should really arm-wrestle someone now to compare to later - just don't beat them too badly. ;-)0 -
I'll bet your daily activity has gone up very decently - that's the first thing the body does to slow you down when you undereat by too much - makes you move less.
And - having great workouts that actually cause some good damage and require good repair - that's a great change too.
Have you experienced yet the extra hunger in the 24-48 hrs after lifting was done?
You now have some experience with what is possible in pushing yourself - you can be very confident that continuing to do that will continue to cause improvements.
And I gotta tell you - you should really arm-wrestle someone now to compare to later - just don't beat them too badly. ;-)
I have actually. I do get hungry quite easily despite the macros I eat. But I try and fix that with having some water as sometimes I know its my body telling me its thirsty. Doesn't always work but I check it anyways. Its amazing what your body tells you when you really listen to it!0 -
beastmode_kitty wrote: »
I have actually. I do get hungry quite easily despite the macros I eat. But I try and fix that with having some water as sometimes I know its my body telling me its thirsty. Doesn't always work but I check it anyways. Its amazing what your body tells you when you really listen to it!
EAT!!! Lol.
I always get hungry the day after a huge lift day.. I usually work to get in more protein, but I dont fret if I go over my cals by a 100 or two if I need to. It usually balances out by the end of the week:)0
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