Do you believe a restrictive diet "ruins your metabolism"?

Running_and_Coffee

Yeah, this 3 lbs is at the top of my range. I'd be OK with being 3 lbs up if I also swung below it, but that hasn't happened yet. :-) This is all great advice and I'm not going to do the overly restrictive approach. It is tempting when you see people losing half a dozen pounds in a a week, though!!!

WinoGelato

storyjorie wrote: »

Yeah, this 3 lbs is at the top of my range. I'd be OK with being 3 lbs up if I also swung below it, but that hasn't happened yet. :-) This is all great advice and I'm not going to do the overly restrictive approach. It is tempting when you see people losing half a dozen pounds in a a week, though!!!

But those are people with a lot of weight to lose, most likely.

Does the scale weight matter as much as a body aesthetic? Do you do any strength training? You may find that you are happier with the results focusing on recomposition (eating at current maintenance while strength training).

3rdof7sisters

This is interesting to me. OP, just curious, does your weight fluctuate at all from day to day? Do you weigh yourself daily?
I just started in January, but my weight can fluctuate day to day by 3 pounds (both ways, up and down).
It sounds pretty normal to me that you fluctuate when you have special occasions/business trips where you may be eating/drinking more. I think many of us have that in common. Perhaps you could eat a few less calories before and after these occasions to compensate. Is there a difference in how your clothes fit? Wishing you well!

CSARdiver

The closer you get to your goal the harder this becomes. I'm a lazy logger and rely on my workouts to carry the difference. I realize the closer I get to my goal the more accurate I'm going to need to be and planning small changes now to build and reinforce these habits.

Fat is nothing more than an energy reserve. Just as you don't run your car for too long when the fuel light goes on, your body doesn't like operating with a minimal reserve of fat, so you need to work harder to lose to get that cut defined look.

@WinoGelato mentioned this as well, but have you considered a progressive weight program? The aesthetic impact is frankly amazing and has turned many women to lifting. I use Justine Moore as an example, but there are several others out there who have before/after photos when they turned to weight lifting and put on 10 lbs and look fantastic.

Running_and_Coffee

3rdof7sisters wrote: »

This is interesting to me. OP, just curious, does your weight fluctuate at all from day to day? Do you weigh yourself daily?
I just started in January, but my weight can fluctuate day to day by 3 pounds (both ways, up and down).
It sounds pretty normal to me that you fluctuate when you have special occasions/business trips where you may be eating/drinking more. I think many of us have that in common. Perhaps you could eat a few less calories before and after these occasions to compensate. Is there a difference in how your clothes fit? Wishing you well!

Thanks for the well wishes! :-) I don't weigh daily but several times a week. I honestly don't fluctuate by 3 lbs very often. Maybe right after being ill or if I happened to eat an exceptionally sodium-rich meal, but day to day, not really. Fortunately, my clothes are fitting better even with just a few pounds. I seem to carry everything in my torso so a few pounds lost/gained is something I can really see and feel.