I GIVE UP!!! – Should You?
_Bro
Posts: 437 Member
Giving up has been a healthy decision for me!
What did I give up on? I gave up on my overly restrictive diet and myopic focus on weight loss.
Why - due to failure?
Not Exactly – I lost 65+ pounds and achieved a low body fat %.
What was the problem?
-I looked like a skinny rat.
-My diet was not sustainable.
-Failure was imminent? My new lower weight provided me with a lower metabolism due to fat and muscle loss.
Without the support of lean muscle, minor easing of my diet resulted in the pounds returning. My diet was a trap!
So, I gave up on my OVERLY RESTRICTIVE DIET and focused on healthy choices:
1) Small calorie reduction
2) Eating back my calories when I felt like it.
3) Low fat protein, low glycemic carbs, Fruit in moderation, health fats, etc
4) I modified my exercise to include weights – not just cardio. High intensity interval training worked for cardio, why not weights? P90-X? Sure it fit into the principle that I was already following. Hello pull up bar, I will “own you” – one day?
5) And yes, I cheated -- Not for a whole day but for a meal, or two
..And so on.
In general, I did things in moderation -- including the changes above!
I didn’t want results overnight because I had already learned that they were just a long road to failure!
The pounds started to come off again but not as rapidly.
Some days my weight went up other days it went down.
No worries, I still stepped on the scale. I did my best to not focus on the changes and I gave it time. That’s not to say I didn’t give it plenty of effort... I pushed myself every day to eat better and workout with just a little more intensity.
And I feel great!
Do I still play around with making restrictions to my daily nutrition and leave some calories on the “table”? Sure. In fact, I am cycling my calories, fat, protein, and carbs around a bit to see how my body reacts.
However, for the time being I’m not imprisoned by a diet, treadmill, or elliptical machine.
Final thoughts:
1) Goals: Losing weight was the wrong goal for me -- Who really cares about what you weigh it’s how you look and feel. Right?
2) Exercise: Doing the same exercise is exhausting physically, mentally, and I think results bear that out over time – interval intensity, variety, and as P90-X would term “muscle confusion” are good things – mentally and physically.
3) Deficits: You lose weight by having a caloric deficit. This deficit is much more sustainable when you create it with exercise in addition to nutrition – don’t use diet alone!
4) Time: Gradual changes provide your body and mind time to adapt to a healthier lifestyle. Do it all at once and you’ll probably go back just as quickly.
5) Recovery: Counting sheep is an important exercise. Sleep is important for all kinds of reasons! You can fuel your body for optimal weight loss and do everything right. However, if you keep the pedal down the whole time you are more likely to burn out your motor
6) Failure is imminent when you accept a setback as being more than a temporary state. I have gained fat back, hit a plateau(s), need to take break(s), have been unable to exercise (insert reason here) and so on.. Don’t focus in on the “failure”. Some form of regression usually occurs anytime you make progress.
End of Rant
What did I give up on? I gave up on my overly restrictive diet and myopic focus on weight loss.
Why - due to failure?
Not Exactly – I lost 65+ pounds and achieved a low body fat %.
What was the problem?
-I looked like a skinny rat.
-My diet was not sustainable.
-Failure was imminent? My new lower weight provided me with a lower metabolism due to fat and muscle loss.
Without the support of lean muscle, minor easing of my diet resulted in the pounds returning. My diet was a trap!
So, I gave up on my OVERLY RESTRICTIVE DIET and focused on healthy choices:
1) Small calorie reduction
2) Eating back my calories when I felt like it.
3) Low fat protein, low glycemic carbs, Fruit in moderation, health fats, etc
4) I modified my exercise to include weights – not just cardio. High intensity interval training worked for cardio, why not weights? P90-X? Sure it fit into the principle that I was already following. Hello pull up bar, I will “own you” – one day?
5) And yes, I cheated -- Not for a whole day but for a meal, or two
..And so on.
In general, I did things in moderation -- including the changes above!
I didn’t want results overnight because I had already learned that they were just a long road to failure!
The pounds started to come off again but not as rapidly.
Some days my weight went up other days it went down.
No worries, I still stepped on the scale. I did my best to not focus on the changes and I gave it time. That’s not to say I didn’t give it plenty of effort... I pushed myself every day to eat better and workout with just a little more intensity.
And I feel great!
Do I still play around with making restrictions to my daily nutrition and leave some calories on the “table”? Sure. In fact, I am cycling my calories, fat, protein, and carbs around a bit to see how my body reacts.
However, for the time being I’m not imprisoned by a diet, treadmill, or elliptical machine.
Final thoughts:
1) Goals: Losing weight was the wrong goal for me -- Who really cares about what you weigh it’s how you look and feel. Right?
2) Exercise: Doing the same exercise is exhausting physically, mentally, and I think results bear that out over time – interval intensity, variety, and as P90-X would term “muscle confusion” are good things – mentally and physically.
3) Deficits: You lose weight by having a caloric deficit. This deficit is much more sustainable when you create it with exercise in addition to nutrition – don’t use diet alone!
4) Time: Gradual changes provide your body and mind time to adapt to a healthier lifestyle. Do it all at once and you’ll probably go back just as quickly.
5) Recovery: Counting sheep is an important exercise. Sleep is important for all kinds of reasons! You can fuel your body for optimal weight loss and do everything right. However, if you keep the pedal down the whole time you are more likely to burn out your motor
6) Failure is imminent when you accept a setback as being more than a temporary state. I have gained fat back, hit a plateau(s), need to take break(s), have been unable to exercise (insert reason here) and so on.. Don’t focus in on the “failure”. Some form of regression usually occurs anytime you make progress.
End of Rant
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Replies
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Congrats!!!
Patrick0 -
Damn. Just damn. Amazing job! And a great message.0
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Congrats. You did it right. I'm on the same course.0
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Thanks for the tips! Congrats on you achievements!0
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Excellent post. Amazing body! It sounds like you really have it figured out. I love that! AWESOME!0
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HOT!
Well done, grunt.0 -
Great post! You look awesome!0
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Well, you look like eyecandy. Congrats!0
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You look fantastic!!!0
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Your words are so inspiring. Your body is just...well...delicious. There is just no other way to put it.
Congrats on all your hard work!0 -
Pic #3 = Bow chica WOW WOW! I could bounce a quarter off those abs of yours!
You look GREAT!
Thanks for posting this.....excellent message for others......and fantastic that you are leading by example.
Way to GO! Congrats on your success!0 -
Great post, very inspiring and uplifting!!
COngratulations on your journey to success!0 -
Rock on, man!
Not only have you figured out what works for you, but it sounds like you've got a fantastic attitude.
Your progress is apparent not only in your physique, but in your words!
Congrats and keep taking care of yourself. 0 -
God damn! 0
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Thank you for your kind words..
We can all reach our personal goals as long as we give ourselves enough time and don't give in to giving up
What you weigh really doesn't mean anything -- In fact, I weight the same amount in my "skinny" pic as I do now.
Good luck everyone... This is a great site - I wished that I would have found out about this earlier. It could have saved me plenty of wasted effort and yummy calories that I didn't eat b/c of my stupid diet. :sick:0 -
Well said, thanks for sharringn needed to hear that if you dont feel like eating exercise calories everything will be fine.0
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Excellent job! Thanks for sharing your story.0
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Well said, thanks for sharringn needed to hear that if you dont feel like eating exercise calories everything will be fine.
Exercising in the am makes it easier.. I really believe that a slight deficit is the way to go so that ypu minimize the loss of lean muscle mass.
In the beginning I made the mistake of not eating enough
Diet alone is not the way to lose weight...
And AB workouts can be a big waste of time0 -
Um, wow... I have no words. You look incredible!
Congrats - and I WILL be coming to you for advice on toning, once I can do real push-ups...0 -
Um, wow... I have no words. You look incredible!
Congrats - and I WILL be coming to you for advice on toning, once I can do real push-ups...
Thanks Mia - one day at a time .. I don't have all the answers but I've made quite a few mistakes 0 -
Damn. Just damn. Amazing job! And a great message.
Took the words right out of my mouth!!! You look amazing, great job!!0 -
You do look amazing, way to go. I am just starting the battle again but love your positive attitude and I will do it this time, and some great advice. Thanks!!0
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I loved reading your commentary! I haven't put it into words yet, but many of the things you say are exactly how I feel - like small calorie reduction and eating back the calories when I feel like it. Sustainable is the key. Slow is the key.
Awesome results!!!0 -
*rawr*0
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When I was training in MMA, my instructor wanted to get me down to 140#. I was running (average eight-minute miles) six+ miles six days a week, hours and hours of training, eating as little as 900 calories a day. I got down to 145# and had god-like endurance. However, I felt weak and looked like a little emaciated boy.
I fell off the horse - hard (various factors). Got up to 245#. I'm not yet to my goal, but I'd say I'm much better off than where I was.0 -
Great Job!!! Thanks for the encouraging post!0
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Good job you look great!!!0
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@JohnnyNull: In my younger days I did BJJ -- The only time people did that type of restrictive eating it was for a pre-fight weight cut. If you have that type of mental toughness you'll have no problem getting back to goal weight.
Just make sure you don't do it in an un-healthy manner like I did the first go round.
I really think that not eating enough and super restrictive diets cause more problems then they actually solve. Furthermore, they create the wrong goal (weight loss) instead of better health...we all really just want to look and feel better.
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I appreciate all of the positive comments! I know they will help keep me motivated.
Thanks..0 -
hey good looking thanks for the inspirational post I will think of you when I feel myself slipping and remember things you have written to pull me right back on track x0
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Great pics and great story. i decided a long time ago that I don't care what I weigh, as long as it is a healthy, good looking weight. I am doing cardio plus weight training 3 times a week (can't wait to have time to do P90X again) with the results of losing fat and gaining muscle and am seeing both. One day I hope to have a similar post to yours.
You mentioned in a previous post that ab workouts are a waste of time. Does this pertain to losing stomach fat or gaining the 6 pack?0
This discussion has been closed.
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