4 month specific plan - please help!
Options
ghsfitnesspal
Posts: 260 Member
Hello there,
I sent a PM but I dont think my mail is working - I can't tell if it's received or not!
My query is because I get married in December and my aim is to be in my best body possible for that day, and I know that I could do more, I just don't know what exactly. I'm very worried that I've been around the same 2kg for a few months and desperate to get something working.
I set my macros as you recommend (to a point on protein, I wrote why below) and log every day (or back/pre log). Please, if you are able to/have time/any desire to, can you help me work out what to do to be the best I can be for this pretty huge target date? I have sent a dropbox link to Sara with photographs and a spreadsheet with cals and weigh since I started tracking which shows the not-much-changes clearly. I'll send it again via PM if needed
Provide your stats (height/weight/age/bodyfat% if you know it/etc)
175cm, 77.2kg this morning, 28,
BF: 26.3, CBBF: 23.7%, MBF: 29.7%
What's your current gross intake of calories, on average? between 1700-2000
What's your current average intake of protein, carbs, and fats, in grams? (GRAMS, not percent!)
219g carbs, 65g fat, 75g protein (if I reach 80g protein I'm extremely happy, it hovers between 70-80 normally). I should be aiming for 122g, now I'm on 1950 cals on MFP but Im finding that 80g is how I eat when I'm constantly aware of trying to get more in. Fromage frais, eggs, cheese, pulses are my go-to, as other sources arent available near me. I am aware I can try protein shakes; the price is prohibitive for me. If protein intake is a big problem, please do say and I will try and work out a new eating pattern
Do you use a food scale and measure everything? I measure everything except the milk in my tea, and the apple/banana/pear I have at work as I cant have a scale here.
Do you track all of your intake, daily? (Everything?) I log everything I've eaten, but as mentioned above, I estimate occassionally. Same if I must eat at a resturant - I'll log ingredients if theres no info available, and I'll log over what I think to cater for some ingredients I dont know about!
Do you take cheat days or days off? Days I cant control, I notice it's about 2100, but I try to eat a greater deficit the days prior or after for a weekly lowering.
How much weight have you lost so far and over what time period?
Started September 2012 at 91.3kg
Feb 78kg
From Feb-July went between 78 and 82kg
July and August has been 79-78-77kg
Describe your activity (exercise and non exercise) and did you change that activity withing the last couple of months?
Desk job, no movement. Insanity 5-6times a week, since April, so no change. I do every so often (every 3 weeks or so) have a weekend bike ride, or walkng, but nothing overly strenuous or regular
Thank you for reading all this. My only concern is that I applied for SideSteels program, but I realise that his will take time to set up and select participants (and of course, I dont know if I'd be selected to fit his desired group of participants). I realised that 4 months isn't long, however, and I must act as soon as possible.
I sent a PM but I dont think my mail is working - I can't tell if it's received or not!
My query is because I get married in December and my aim is to be in my best body possible for that day, and I know that I could do more, I just don't know what exactly. I'm very worried that I've been around the same 2kg for a few months and desperate to get something working.
I set my macros as you recommend (to a point on protein, I wrote why below) and log every day (or back/pre log). Please, if you are able to/have time/any desire to, can you help me work out what to do to be the best I can be for this pretty huge target date? I have sent a dropbox link to Sara with photographs and a spreadsheet with cals and weigh since I started tracking which shows the not-much-changes clearly. I'll send it again via PM if needed
Provide your stats (height/weight/age/bodyfat% if you know it/etc)
175cm, 77.2kg this morning, 28,
BF: 26.3, CBBF: 23.7%, MBF: 29.7%
What's your current gross intake of calories, on average? between 1700-2000
What's your current average intake of protein, carbs, and fats, in grams? (GRAMS, not percent!)
219g carbs, 65g fat, 75g protein (if I reach 80g protein I'm extremely happy, it hovers between 70-80 normally). I should be aiming for 122g, now I'm on 1950 cals on MFP but Im finding that 80g is how I eat when I'm constantly aware of trying to get more in. Fromage frais, eggs, cheese, pulses are my go-to, as other sources arent available near me. I am aware I can try protein shakes; the price is prohibitive for me. If protein intake is a big problem, please do say and I will try and work out a new eating pattern
Do you use a food scale and measure everything? I measure everything except the milk in my tea, and the apple/banana/pear I have at work as I cant have a scale here.
Do you track all of your intake, daily? (Everything?) I log everything I've eaten, but as mentioned above, I estimate occassionally. Same if I must eat at a resturant - I'll log ingredients if theres no info available, and I'll log over what I think to cater for some ingredients I dont know about!
Do you take cheat days or days off? Days I cant control, I notice it's about 2100, but I try to eat a greater deficit the days prior or after for a weekly lowering.
How much weight have you lost so far and over what time period?
Started September 2012 at 91.3kg
Feb 78kg
From Feb-July went between 78 and 82kg
July and August has been 79-78-77kg
Describe your activity (exercise and non exercise) and did you change that activity withing the last couple of months?
Desk job, no movement. Insanity 5-6times a week, since April, so no change. I do every so often (every 3 weeks or so) have a weekend bike ride, or walkng, but nothing overly strenuous or regular
Thank you for reading all this. My only concern is that I applied for SideSteels program, but I realise that his will take time to set up and select participants (and of course, I dont know if I'd be selected to fit his desired group of participants). I realised that 4 months isn't long, however, and I must act as soon as possible.
0
Replies
-
Tagging0
-
tag0
-
48-hour bump - though you both seem busy so just checking it's on radar if not immediate action list 0
-
Thanks - and tagging0
-
5-day bump! 0
-
Hi! Sorry for the delay.
Just looking at your stats (weight and average cals):
29th April - 178lb
14th May - 180.5lb - 1,730
4th June - 179.2lb - 1,737
22nd June - 175.9lb - 1,673
2nd July - 172.6lb - 1,700
15th July - 173.8lb - 1,639
29th July - 172.2lb - 1,629
19th Aug - 171.6lb - 1,877
Average for the whole period - 1,728 with 209 carbs, 63g fats and 71g protein
I would really recommend getting your protein up as it is pretty low. It looks like you live in the UK so protein powder should be easy to get and not that expensive if you need it. From your diary you look to be a vegetarian. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, fat free milk are good 'go-to's' as well as seitan and other 'fake meat' products. You can even make your own seitan from vital wheat gluten. Also check out this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/926789-protein-sources
I would also recommend trying to incorporate some kind of resistance training into your exercise routine.
With regard to your intake, while you are losing, it is at a pretty slow rate, so please set your intake to 1,600 (no eating of exercise calories back) and try to get at least 120g protein. Keep your fats as is for now. We may tweak depending on the answer to the following question:
Do you have PCOS or thyroid issues?0 -
Hello!
Thank you very much for replying - I really appreciate the time you've taken.
1. I don't have PCOS or thyroid issues as far as I know!
2. I changed my goals to 1600 with 160g carbs, 120g protein, 53g fat, and following a rather 'uge weekend will begin immediately
3. I'll do my best on the protein - I've made my own sheet similar to yours with my typical portion (ie,2 eggs, 50g mushrooms, 30g chedder cheese for easy reference!)
4. Resistance training - this is the hard one as I'm at early learning stage. I looked online and it seems to refer to weight machines, free weights and calisthenics. I have only 10lb hand weights which I know I cant do much with Is calisthenics planks, pressups, pull ups, squats and lunges? I recently began the Betty Rocker 4 week series which has 3 minutes each of 6/7 moves including planks, lunges, V sits, pressups, high kicks, squats and so on, but I will change this at any suggestion
Again, thank you very much!0 -
Re resistance training, have a look into Convict Conditioning and You are Your Own Gym - people have pretty good things to say about them and they are body weight and as such do not need any equipment. Importantly, they include progression.
If you can get back to us in 2 weeks with an update, or earlier if you are having issues.0 -
I will look at them both Is it useful to intgrate something high cardio like Insanity into alternating fays of bodyweight progression or should I stick to the one program in it's entirety? 0
-
I will look at them both Is it useful to intgrate something high cardio like Insanity into alternating fays of bodyweight progression or should I stick to the one program in it's entirety?
I would not do anything to 'strenuous' on your off days as it can impede recovery. Steady state on off days as long as its not too long is fine, or you can add 20 - 30 minutes after your session of higher intensity. Doing higher intensity stuff is also fine if you have an extra day's rest after (e.g. MTF lifting, then Saturday is fine to do it).0 -
Okeydoke!
1. Protein powder trial on its way
2. Seitan flour ordered (that stuff looks incredible!)
3. I just found the convict conditioning progressions in a handy layout from their website so I can get started tomorrow morning without the book. I know there's YT channel for them too, so I'll check form as I go. I'll also integrate Insanity and running as you suggest steady state/high intensity and keep a log so I know what's been done
This is the link if you or anyone else are interested! http://convict-conditioning.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/progressions.jpg
Thanks so much Sara, I'll be back around 15th Sept 0 -
Hi Sara and Steel,
just checking in 2 weeks after your advice on the 27th August.
Target calories were 1600, with target macros 165c/ 53f/ 120p starting at 78.3kg
*The first week I averaged 1642,177c/ 56f /103p and went to 76.2kg
*Second week I averaged 1564, 173c/ 48f/ 113p and went to 76.1kg (with brief midweek spike)
*This week (pre-logged) is 1621, with 171c/ 59f/ 92p, I'll try and increase that protein and decrease the carbs by Friday
This past weekend I had a crazy food time and averaged 2700 on both Saturday and Sunday, was 77.3 on Monday, and today 75.9 (whoo!) - I was 78.2 on day of your advice
The MFP prediction is that I should be sort of expecting 75.5kg this week. Measurements have gone down 1-2cm across waist, hips, thigh and upper arms 19th August when I last measured so something is happening...
I've started Convict Conditioning and am trying to get my head around doing enough with it, as I'm definitely not pushing myself at all. Will work on that.
Please can you confirm to continue/increase exercise/change macros? Thanks very much! 0 -
Proceed as you have been, results look good.
Follow up in two weeks.0 -
ta much for replying! Hope you had a good weekend 0
-
Good morning Sara and Steel,
It's been three weeks since my last follow up - done a good job in getting better protein levels than before but otherwise struggling a little on weight/scale/measurements/photos followups
Figs for last few week - my macros are 165C, 53F, 120P
13/09/2013: 1564cals 173 c/ 48f /113p - 76.1kg
20/09/2013:1592 cals 171 c/59f/92p - 75.3kg
27/09/2013: 1468 cals 154c/48f/100p - 75kg
04/10/2013: 1587cals 166c/53f/100p - 76kg
11/10/2013: 1671cals 159c/55f/94p - 75.9kg
18/10/2013: 1560 cals 156c/53f/106p and today 75.5kg (which is a relief, it's been 75.9 for 6 days straight but it's still higher than a month ago)
As I mentioned, measurements are the same as a month ago, but I know I'm losing a lot of mass from upper body/collarbones from the mirror, so I took photos. they look the same as they did 6-8 weeks ago, which isnt inspiring :P
Please can you give me your thoughts, and tweaks? thank you!0 -
Tell us how Convict Conditioning is going and I'd also like to know when you started, and what duration/intensity you're working at. I'd also like to know if you've increased the intensity/volume/frequency. Include date(s) when possible.
I'm trying to get a gauge on overall training volume and also when you started the program.0 -
I started CC and struggled to keep up motivation with the program, without having a proper guide for form. With this in mind, but wanting to find a good bodyweight series, I started Rocktober on October the 1st, which means I have a guide to follow and uses many of the moves in CC.
I do add in 5-10 incline pullups when possible, maybe 2-3 times a week (and hey, they're getting better). I suspect I'm over on the cals now I'm not doing any cv - I havent had time for a run in 4 weeks
Rocktober -1 minute each move 3xthrough, 3/4 sessions a week. I do work hard in these and my thighs/shoulders are liking yoga alternating each day to feel less tight.!
Week 1, squats, incline pressups, backwards lunges, plank, tri-dips, side squats with bicep curl (3kg weight), bridge lift
week 2, globe jump squats, pressups, backlunges with pulse, side plank, tridip, side squats w/overhead lift, single leg bridge lift
week 3 (current) - plie squat with pulse, pressups, reverse lunges w/kick, side planks with pulse, tri-dip with pulse,shuttle with curtsey lunge, elevated bridge lift0 -
4 day bump Whenever you have time though!:flowerforyou: 0
-
I started CC and struggled to keep up motivation with the program, without having a proper guide for form. With this in mind, but wanting to find a good bodyweight series, I started Rocktober on October the 1st, which means I have a guide to follow and uses many of the moves in CC.
I do add in 5-10 incline pullups when possible, maybe 2-3 times a week (and hey, they're getting better). I suspect I'm over on the cals now I'm not doing any cv - I havent had time for a run in 4 weeks
Rocktober -1 minute each move 3xthrough, 3/4 sessions a week. I do work hard in these and my thighs/shoulders are liking yoga alternating each day to feel less tight.!
Week 1, squats, incline pressups, backwards lunges, plank, tri-dips, side squats with bicep curl (3kg weight), bridge lift
week 2, globe jump squats, pressups, backlunges with pulse, side plank, tridip, side squats w/overhead lift, single leg bridge lift
week 3 (current) - plie squat with pulse, pressups, reverse lunges w/kick, side planks with pulse, tri-dip with pulse,shuttle with curtsey lunge, elevated bridge lift
Does this Rocktober program do anything to increase the intensity of the program as time goes on? What I'm looking at here is to see if this program is progressively demanding.0 -
I move itself becomes harder and either the reps increase or speed slows - eg plank, to side plank, to side plank slow dips. Back lunges, to lunges with slow pulse, and plie squats with pulse. Incline pressups to half pressups to full pressups to pressups with punches.
You'll know whether this is correct better than I, but it certainly feels challenging at each session, not sure if that's the same thing! With Insanity, I knew it increased from month 1 to month 2 in moves, but as it's cardio as well as bodyweight I dont know how that compares0
