How long did it take you to see results?
pinkita
Posts: 779 Member
Hi all,
Today I'm starting Week 6. I see zero changes in my body. I've seen photos of women who've done SL and changed their bodies so I'm getting concerned that maybe I'm only increasing strength without enjoying the other benefits of heavy lifting. As of today I still intend to finish the 12 weeks, but if I don't see changes by then I'm thinking I'll go back to my 35-min kettlebell workouts 3x a week and cardio 2-3 days a week.
Today I'm starting Week 6. I see zero changes in my body. I've seen photos of women who've done SL and changed their bodies so I'm getting concerned that maybe I'm only increasing strength without enjoying the other benefits of heavy lifting. As of today I still intend to finish the 12 weeks, but if I don't see changes by then I'm thinking I'll go back to my 35-min kettlebell workouts 3x a week and cardio 2-3 days a week.
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Replies
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I just took 8 week pictures.
*I* still don't really see a difference, even looking at the pics, but other people tell me there is one.
http://2010flacas.blogspot.com/2012/06/progress-with-pictures.html0 -
I just took 8 week pictures.
*I* still don't really see a difference, even looking at the pics, but other people tell me there is one.
http://2010flacas.blogspot.com/2012/06/progress-with-pictures.html
Your boobs look perkier (higher), your posture is better, you look smaller from the back too. The April pic from the side is kinda dark so it's hard to tell, but your measurements prove you're getting smaller. My clothes are still tight, and I've had to dig bigger clothes out of the bag I was planning to donate because the smaller stuff doesn't fit anymore.0 -
Hi all,
Today I'm starting Week 6. I see zero changes in my body. I've seen photos of women who've done SL and changed their bodies so I'm getting concerned that maybe I'm only increasing strength without enjoying the other benefits of heavy lifting. As of today I still intend to finish the 12 weeks, but if I don't see changes by then I'm thinking I'll go back to my 35-min kettlebell workouts 3x a week and cardio 2-3 days a week.
Six weeks is not very long. At six weeks I would expect to just begin to see visible results. But if you are getting stronger, you are getting results. Give it six months then see where you are. Seriously, you will see results, but it does take time.0 -
1. I tightened the straps on the bra which could account for the "perkier". The bra feels a lot tighter - I'm hoping that's because I'm developing my back, because the boobs do feel smaller.
2. All my clothes have elastic waistbands and all my shirts are loose. I feel no difference in how they fit and I still feel like my belly is humongous.
I am carefully tracking my calories, even when I go way over. Yesterday, I ate at McD's. :ohwell: I've been over the cals my nutritionist and doc recommend 7 of the last 10 days with more carbs than I want in about as many.
The scale didn't move for more than 3 weeks at one point.
When I look in the mirror, I feel like I am bloated and awful.
It's comments from my 16 year old daughter and the increase in strength that have kept me from giving up. My kid is very busy with her own life, and sometimes I don't see her for more than a few mins a day. After not seeing me much for several days, I was standing up when she walked in the house and said, "Wow, right there [pointing to the upper belly] looks smaller!"
So, you know, sometimes our perceptions of ourselves are not what's really happening. :flowerforyou: Be gentle with yourself and keep lifting.
Are you getting stronger?0 -
1. I tightened the straps on the bra which could account for the "perkier". The bra feels a lot tighter - I'm hoping that's because I'm developing my back, because the boobs do feel smaller.
2. All my clothes have elastic waistbands and all my shirts are loose. I feel no difference in how they fit and I still feel like my belly is humongous.
I am carefully tracking my calories, even when I go way over. Yesterday, I ate at McD's. :ohwell: I've been over the cals my nutritionist and doc recommend 7 of the last 10 days with more carbs than I want in about as many.
The scale didn't move for more than 3 weeks at one point.
When I look in the mirror, I feel like I am bloated and awful.
It's comments from my 16 year old daughter and the increase in strength that have kept me from giving up. My kid is very busy with her own life, and sometimes I don't see her for more than a few mins a day. After not seeing me much for several days, I was standing up when she walked in the house and said, "Wow, right there [pointing to the upper belly] looks smaller!"
So, you know, sometimes our perceptions of ourselves are not what's really happening. :flowerforyou: Be gentle with yourself and keep lifting.
Are you getting stronger?
Thanks. I've been worried because of having to wear bigger clothes, weight gain, and I no longer get positive comments from people. I look fatter in current photos than in photos from 3 mos ago, etc. etc. As for getting stronger, I'm progressing in most of the movements. The Overhead Press and Bench Press are my Achilles heels though; I've had to repeat weights several times but haven't had to deload yet. Today I'm redoing the Overhead Press with 65#.
Thanks for the encouragement. I hope to see some positive changes somewhere by the end of the 12 weeks!0 -
Hi all,
Today I'm starting Week 6. I see zero changes in my body. I've seen photos of women who've done SL and changed their bodies so I'm getting concerned that maybe I'm only increasing strength without enjoying the other benefits of heavy lifting. As of today I still intend to finish the 12 weeks, but if I don't see changes by then I'm thinking I'll go back to my 35-min kettlebell workouts 3x a week and cardio 2-3 days a week.
Six weeks is not very long. At six weeks I would expect to just begin to see visible results. But if you are getting stronger, you are getting results. Give it six months then see where you are. Seriously, you will see results, but it does take time.
Thank you. Patience is my biggest challenge with this kind of stuff!0 -
And looks like I'll have to deload the Overhead Press after today. Was only able to do 4 reps on the first set, doh!0
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Strength is my main goal- I have this crazy drive to see how heavy I can lift. So for me, progress isn't visual. I've gone from air to barbell and I'm angling to get some strongman type stuff for Christmas (hellooo Atlas stones!) so that's huge progress to me.
As far as physical changes people can see- my hammies are popping, biceps and entire upper arm is firmer and less wiggly. Booty getting higher from the hip raises and squats and DL's. My core is changing too- but it's not really shrinking yet- more just getting...solid.. I guess is the best way to describe it. I plan on lifting heavy stuff for a long time so having a nice trunk makes me happy. Good strong midsection wrapping around my important bits. I like having a spleen lol
I will say I retain water MUCH easier than I ever did on a bodybuilder workout and my muscles swell more- so clothes can seem odd fitting. But then the 'whoosh' happens and I lose some inches- as long as I eat enough (for me around 2500 cals a day). I've dropped carbs down since I'm not doing cardio and that's helped. I'm not super low- I eat the heck out of rice and I refuse to live in a world without ice cream. Cutting some carbs and replacing that with meat has helped get rid of the carb bloaties. I was eating more carbs than I needed, basically.
ETA**
Forgot to give you a time frame. D'oh! Took about three months to see my body change
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And looks like I'll have to deload the Overhead Press after today. Was only able to do 4 reps on the first set, doh!
I'm only at 55 on the overhead.
Are you paying attention to the diet side of the equation? Eating above BMR, but under TDEE?0 -
And looks like I'll have to deload the Overhead Press after today. Was only able to do 4 reps on the first set, doh!
I'm only at 55 on the overhead.
Are you paying attention to the diet side of the equation? Eating above BMR, but under TDEE?
Yes I wear a BodyMedia Fit which averages a 2100 TDEE. I'm aiming for 20% below that.0 -
And looks like I'll have to deload the Overhead Press after today. Was only able to do 4 reps on the first set, doh!
I'm only at 55 on the overhead.
Are you paying attention to the diet side of the equation? Eating above BMR, but under TDEE?
Yes I wear a BodyMedia Fit which averages a 2100 TDEE. I'm aiming for 20% below that.
So about 1680, which sounds good.
Depending on what time of day I lift, I may get hungry in the evening or I may not get hungry until the next day. The day I'm ravenous, I eat around 1700. On the day I'm not, I eat around 1300-1400, so that I average 1400-1500. Maintenance for my goal weight is ~1650.
So, hmmm. . . . Trying to think. Maybe try cutting 100 cal/day and see if that moves anything?0 -
I took my profile picture the other day. I've been lifting for 3 weeks and notice differences in the picture but I don't see it in the mirror. I know that doesn't make much sense. Maybe the lighting in my picture is better than in front of my mirror lol.
Keep at it, you will see results!0 -
I took my profile picture the other day. I've been lifting for 3 weeks and notice differences in the picture but I don't see it in the mirror. I know that doesn't make much sense. Maybe the lighting in my picture is better than in front of my mirror lol.
Keep at it, you will see results!
You look great! Hopefully I can get close to what you look like right now lol0 -
Well after comparing pics I'd taken May 1st (before doing SL) and pics from yesterday, I'm very tempted to stop SL and just go back to my 35-min kettlebell workouts 3x/week and cardio 2-3x/week. Seeing those pics was downright depressing. I looked at the pics from May 1st and thought how slim and fit I looked back then. Too bad I didn't realize it at the time. This is hardly motivation to continue. I'm 17# fatter than I was on May 1st. @#$!0
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Can you give us more details on your diet?
Are you eating the same amount of cals everyday?0 -
Can you give us more details on your diet?
Are you eating the same amount of cals everyday?
I set my daily goal to 1680 (since BodyMedia Fit gives me an average of 2100 TDEE, so I set it for 20% below that), and I have my macros set to 40/30/30. Yesterday I was about 130 cals under my daily goal, sometimes I'm about that much over. I try to eat as clean as possible (though did have a splurge on Saturday evening when we went out for a Father's Day dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant, and ate a lot, including dessert, and felt yucky after so I don't think I'll be doing that again, at least not to that extent.
I think I'm going to try and keep my carb intake to 100 grams or less per day and see if that helps, along with more lean protein and healthy fats. This past week I ate every 3hrs or so, trying to have 3 meals and 3 snacks. That was a challenge for me, especially when at work, and there seems to be so much controversy about whether you really need to eat 5-6x a day vs 3 meals a day, so who knows...0 -
I see no changes in me whatsoever. Not in shape, not on the scale.
I am just this
> <
close to quitting entirely. I mean deficit eating as well as heavy lifting. I work out 6 days a week - 3 high intensity cardio and 3 lifting. I've been doing SL 5x5 since April 9. This should accomplish SOMETHING, shouldn't it? I weigh/measure/log every bite that I take. I know I'm at a difficult age for this, but seriously...?
If it weren't for the fact that my partner desperately needs to lose weight (and he will quit if I quit), then I would not keep this up.
:explode: :mad: :brokenheart: :sad:0 -
What are you eating? What are your numbers?
Sounds like you're maintaining - which could be a good thing (at least you know your maintenance numbers now). If that's the case, you could do a 10% cut and see what happens.0 -
Pinkita
I'd say you are putting on muscle but not losing fat therefore you can't really see the difference and you look the same. Maybe you try doing a cutting phase and see how that goes? Have your weight lifting numbers been going up? If so thats awesome 0 -
Pinkita
I'd say you are putting on muscle but not losing fat therefore you can't really see the difference and you look the same. Maybe you try doing a cutting phase and see how that goes? Have your weight lifting numbers been going up? If so thats awesome
Overall I've been progressing except for certain moves like Overhead Press and Bench Press where it's going slower.
What do you mean by a cut phase exactly? As I mentioned in earlier posts, my BodyMedia Fit shows, on average, that I burn 2100 daily. I set my daily calorie goal to 1680 (20% below my TDEE).0 -
I would actually do a smaller deficit for a month and see how you fare. 20% is a bit big on such a weight heavy program. Also if you're not hitting enough protein often enough that can stall you out a bit.
Sorry you're having a rough patch.0 -
I would actually do a smaller deficit for a month and see how you fare. 20% is a bit big on such a weight heavy program. Also if you're not hitting enough protein often enough that can stall you out a bit.
Sorry you're having a rough patch.
Unfortunately I bought into the "reset your metabolism" hype and started eating at maintenance several weeks ago, but stopped after about 3 weeks because a) I felt bloated/sick, b) I noticed myself falling back into old habits, and c) I reviewed 370 days of my food diary(!) to see my calorie intake during that time, and I only ate 1200 cals on 21 days. So I decided to stop the madness and reduce cals again. As for protein, I've had my macros set to 40/30/30 and I focus on hitting the protein macro, because it seems impossible (at least in my case) to achieve the perfect 40/30/30.0 -
I would actually do a smaller deficit for a month and see how you fare. 20% is a bit big on such a weight heavy program. Also if you're not hitting enough protein often enough that can stall you out a bit.
Sorry you're having a rough patch.
Unfortunately I bought into the "reset your metabolism" hype and started eating at maintenance several weeks ago, but stopped after about 3 weeks because a) I felt bloated/sick, b) I noticed myself falling back into old habits, and c) I reviewed 370 days of my food diary(!) to see my calorie intake during that time, and I only ate 1200 cals on 21 days. So I decided to stop the madness and reduce cals again. As for protein, I've had my macros set to 40/30/30 and I focus on hitting the protein macro, because it seems impossible (at least in my case) to achieve the perfect 40/30/30.
Well, sorry it didn't work for you. Maybe there is a better workout plan for your goals or it's just a tweak needed to your deficit. It's all trial and error in the end, really. Everything we do with food is an estimate.0
