Celebrating Non-Scale Victories! Members share your NSVs here!
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Great job HeidiHoMom!!0
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Before Christmas I was losing about a pound a week. Gained just a bit back during the holidays and today lost it and a little bit more.
12/13: 223.6
12/22: 222.4
1/9/13: 222.2
Now to continue to lose eating above my BMR.0 -
Today ( January 10th) I am down to 220.6 making it a 2 pound loss for the week but also I was able to add some run intervals back into my walk again.0
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Funny NSV -- the trainer in the gym today told me I looked like I could eat whatever I want and not gain an ounce -- AND he called me an "ectomorph" body type!!! Ha! (He also told me I looked great for 47, but I am sure they are paid to say that!)
I've been lifting regularly for about four months now and am just .5 lbs up over where I was when I started reset in October...so slowly getting it into my head that weight doesn't mean squat after a certain point!0 -
Began *officially* eating more on Dec. 9, but this picture is actually from a couple weeks earlier when I finished phase 1 of NROLW. Can't remember my exact weight, but it was somewhere around 165. Was doing NROLW as well as half marathon training (15-20 miles/week), and trying to stay under 2000 cals per day.
This one is from last Thursday, Jan. 25. Still weighing approx 165 and on phase 3 of NROLW. Running is down to 2 days/week, (maybe 10-12 miles) and eating on average 2200-2400.
The running will pick up again, but this time I know better...MORE FOOD + WEIGHTS = AMAZEBALLS.
Edited to apologize for that giant photo!0 -
***Update on my stats:
December 6th: (I think that's when I started EM2WL) February 1st: (Starting NROLW Tonight)
W: 200 W: 191.2 (as of this AM)
BMR: 1711 BMR: 1672
TDEE: 2352 TDEE: 2300
15% reduction = 1999 10% Cut: 2070
BUST: 42" BUST: 39.75"
NATURAL WAIST: 34" NAT. WAIST: 31"
ABDOMEN (BELLYBUTTON): 37" ABDOMEN (BELLYBUTTON): 34"
HIPS: 42" HIPS: 40"
I feel amazing. I have completed both the 30 day shred and Ripped in 30. I am just coming off of an exercise break week, was hoping to eat at my maintenance/full TDEE but ended up still being at a cut level due to some unforseen circumstances.
I am very excited to start NROLW today, and will post an update after Stage 1 is done...about 6 weeks.0 -
I'm down another 5 lbs or so and a pants size!0
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Thanks so much for this thread. After trying so many crazy and supposedly sane eating plans, I have started this plan. I lost 86 pounds in 2011 by eating well below my BMR. During 2012 I slowly gained 20 of that back(most days eating 1500 with spikes of much more), I had in laws move in, had a knee injury that kept me from the gym for 4 months, went on a fantastic road trip eating out all the way, and stopped logging into my tracker regularly.... there are the excuses. Starting November 2012 I started eating 1200 a day, with a few holiday glitches. I stayed the same weight, actually gaining a pound on 1200 a day! How is that possible!? I had been going to rehab, and was about ready to get back to the gym. .. Well... on new year 2013 I got back on track, changed trackers to MFP (hurray! Soooo much better than my last one) then followed its advice, 1200 calls a day +exercise. Well I have never eaten back exercise before... I then found this TDEE(???) thing mentioned, checked it out, and decided I was just plane crazy to follow any plan that says to eat 1200 a day, well below my BMR... and gain weight. I have really trained my body to live on nothing! So I started upping my calories. Within 2 weeks I added between 3-800 cals a day depending on exercise. I gained two pounds at first, and 2 weeks later, my weight is SLOWLY going lower. Perhaps I need to add more calories? I need to measure again. I am maintaining/losing weight on average 600 cals a day more. I eat over my BMR, have started lifting twice a week, and am back to my dancing and walking. I am going to be 60 in 4 months. I do not feel starved anymore, and actually have problems eating enough at times... now that is a new one! I will check in later with further results, but being able to eat more and stay the same/lose slowly... now that is amazing to me! I am looking to lose about 20 more pounds... but as you say here, changing body comp is where its at!:happy:0
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Wow! Everyone has done such great progress. Thank you so much for the inspiration. I found this group after I googled "tired of starving myself" lol Yes, I googled a statement haha. I have been back and forth back and forth since I started in June 2012. Don't get me wrong, I've come a long way already, but I'm far from where I want to be. I have two children and my tummy isn't what it used to be. I want to have a realistically flat stomach. I'm not talking about ab (although that would be great) I'm just talking about no jiggle when I walk. lol
I'm tired of cutting out food groups, carbs, working out like a maniac and not getting anywhere while obsessing over a number on the scale. An example, I weight myself Sunday morning and I just started balling like a freaking kid. Hubby heard me from the bedroom and thought there was something seriously wrong with me. He ran in only to find out I was crying cus I gained 2.5lbs. lol He was like "SERIOUSLY! I THOUGHT SOMEONE DIED!" lol The only thing out of the ordinary that I had had to eat this weekend was Thai on Fri night and 2 slices of thin crust pizza and I gained weight. Granted, it wasn't good for me food, but I'm just tired of not being able to indulge just out of fear of gaining weight. I feel like I can't enjoy food anymore and I'm tired of that. I don't my body to freak out anymore if it has 300 or 500 calories above the 1200 I've been averaging.
Anyway enough about me lol So glad to see that so many of you are having great results with this program because it reassures me that I'm making the right choice in starting with this.0 -
Began *officially* eating more on Dec. 9, but this picture is actually from a couple weeks earlier when I finished phase 1 of NROLW. Can't remember my exact weight, but it was somewhere around 165. Was doing NROLW as well as half marathon training (15-20 miles/week), and trying to stay under 2000 cals per day.
This one is from last Thursday, Jan. 25. Still weighing approx 165 and on phase 3 of NROLW. Running is down to 2 days/week, (maybe 10-12 miles) and eating on average 2200-2400.
The running will pick up again, but this time I know better...MORE FOOD + WEIGHTS = AMAZEBALLS.
Edited to apologize for that giant photo!
You look great.
I love your bathing suit too! 0 -
This made my day! LOve it! 0
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I stumbled upon EM2WL several months back when I began having issues with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar/non-diabetic) and I was trying to find the best way to avoid the low blood sugar episodes but hopefully still lose weight. (I'm not sure which of my MFP friends led to me EM2WL since several of them are on here but whomever it was...THANK YOU!) When I first started reading all of the EM2WL info I was reluctant like most but I've been reading about health, nutrition, and fitness for years because I truly love learning about it so the principles with EM2WL all made perfect sense to me and the fact that I wouldn't be starving was a bonus! I have literally tried everything since I became overweight at the age of 9, diet pills (as early as age 11), meal replacement shakes, nutrisystem (age 12), weight watchers (about 15 times, age 15-36), every workout craze, even HCG injections (two separate times in 2011) combined with the crazy 500 calorie diet that goes with it. I'd even burn mega calories (tracking with my bodybugg) and log every food I ate creating 1,000+ calorie deficit each day and get pissed off a few weeks later when I lost nothing and go splurge and give up. Yes... I have a horrible track record for that..not getting results I wanted so I'd get mad say screw it and go to McD's for a big mac, fries and DIETcoke (of course..lol) followed by ice cream! Little did I realize I was destroying my body as well as my mental well being by the horrible drastic actions I was putting myself through. I may have still been beating myself up that way had I not started having issues with hypoglycemia, but because of it I HAD to change my ways. I can't go without eating every 2-3 hours and I have to eat good carbs with protein and fats or my levels drop a few hours after eating and I get to where I feel as if I'll pass out and I have to quickly drink some juice. So now I eat the best I can to avoid it which means I'm eating MORE because I'm eating 6-7 times each day and I'm eating MORE because I'm eating better foods that are more nutrient dense and offer my body better fuel than that big mac and fries I used to eat. My body forced me to eat better, and now that I'm nicer to my body its finally being nicer to me! Since September I've lost 8 pounds most of which was in September and October when I was eating about 1650-1700 calories but still struggling with the low blood sugar a bit so starting in November I upped my calories to 1800 and started eating even better foods. My TDEE is only 1,816 with the very light activity I do because unfortunately the hypoglycemia has given me some anxiety especially when it comes to working out since exercise lowers your blood sugar I've been a little leery especially since I had a few episodes. I am however working on that and am starting to get back into working out since I do LOVE lifting HEAVY! When that happens I will up my calories accordingly. Between November and now I did an unintentional reset eating at 1,800 where I maintained my weight but in the last two weeks dropped a little more scale weight but I've been losing inches as well, feeling trimmer and fitting into clothes that were too tight. I guess my body finally realizes I'm done abusing it and its willing to let go of the stubborn fat.
My best NSV recently: last weekend the hubby and I went dress shopping for a big event on April 1st ( hes getting promoted to MSgt in the Air Force) and I tried on several dresses surprisingly I wasn't critical of myself! No I actually thought "wow! I look good" in almost every single dress! The only ones I didn't like it was because of the dress itself not my body. I used to try on 50 dresses and leave with 0..this time I tried on 7 and bought 2...I only need 1..lol! But my hubby said they looked so good he wanted me to get both (he actually wanted me to buy 3) and the one I don't wear to the promotion ceremony I can wear to a dinner out or something. The next day he even text me and said "I hope you know how stunning you looked in those dresses yesterday" talk about making my day!!!
EM2WL is really a life that I can and will live! It's not some crazy, drastic, unhealthy quick fix that helps me lose a few only to gain 10! I've always loved food, couldn't stand eating 1,200 calories a day and going to bed with my tummy growling and now I realize I don't have to! Now I can eat foods that fuel my body and look "stunning" while eating!!!
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This is great! And so encouraging to everyone else too!0
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I stumbled upon EM2WL several months back when I began having issues with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar/non-diabetic) and I was trying to find the best way to avoid the low blood sugar episodes but hopefully still lose weight. (I'm not sure which of my MFP friends led to me EM2WL since several of them are on here but whomever it was...THANK YOU!) When I first started reading all of the EM2WL info I was reluctant like most but I've been reading about health, nutrition, and fitness for years because I truly love learning about it so the principles with EM2WL all made perfect sense to me and the fact that I wouldn't be starving was a bonus! I have literally tried everything since I became overweight at the age of 9, diet pills (as early as age 11), meal replacement shakes, nutrisystem (age 12), weight watchers (about 15 times, age 15-36), every workout craze, even HCG injections (two separate times in 2011) combined with the crazy 500 calorie diet that goes with it. I'd even burn mega calories (tracking with my bodybugg) and log every food I ate creating 1,000+ calorie deficit each day and get pissed off a few weeks later when I lost nothing and go splurge and give up. Yes... I have a horrible track record for that..not getting results I wanted so I'd get mad say screw it and go to McD's for a big mac, fries and DIETcoke (of course..lol) followed by ice cream! Little did I realize I was destroying my body as well as my mental well being by the horrible drastic actions I was putting myself through. I may have still been beating myself up that way had I not started having issues with hypoglycemia, but because of it I HAD to change my ways. I can't go without eating every 2-3 hours and I have to eat good carbs with protein and fats or my levels drop a few hours after eating and I get to where I feel as if I'll pass out and I have to quickly drink some juice. So now I eat the best I can to avoid it which means I'm eating MORE because I'm eating 6-7 times each day and I'm eating MORE because I'm eating better foods that are more nutrient dense and offer my body better fuel than that big mac and fries I used to eat. My body forced me to eat better, and now that I'm nicer to my body its finally being nicer to me! Since September I've lost 8 pounds most of which was in September and October when I was eating about 1650-1700 calories but still struggling with the low blood sugar a bit so starting in November I upped my calories to 1800 and started eating even better foods. My TDEE is only 1,816 with the very light activity I do because unfortunately the hypoglycemia has given me some anxiety especially when it comes to working out since exercise lowers your blood sugar I've been a little leery especially since I had a few episodes. I am however working on that and am starting to get back into working out since I do LOVE lifting HEAVY! When that happens I will up my calories accordingly. Between November and now I did an unintentional reset eating at 1,800 where I maintained my weight but in the last two weeks dropped a little more scale weight but I've been losing inches as well, feeling trimmer and fitting into clothes that were too tight. I guess my body finally realizes I'm done abusing it and its willing to let go of the stubborn fat.
My best NSV recently: last weekend the hubby and I went dress shopping for a big event on April 1st ( hes getting promoted to MSgt in the Air Force) and I tried on several dresses surprisingly I wasn't critical of myself! No I actually thought "wow! I look good" in almost every single dress! The only ones I didn't like it was because of the dress itself not my body. I used to try on 50 dresses and leave with 0..this time I tried on 7 and bought 2...I only need 1..lol! But my hubby said they looked so good he wanted me to get both (he actually wanted me to buy 3) and the one I don't wear to the promotion ceremony I can wear to a dinner out or something. The next day he even text me and said "I hope you know how stunning you looked in those dresses yesterday" talk about making my day!!!
EM2WL is really a life that I can and will live! It's not some crazy, drastic, unhealthy quick fix that helps me lose a few only to gain 10! I've always loved food, couldn't stand eating 1,200 calories a day and going to bed with my tummy growling and now I realize I don't have to! Now I can eat foods that fuel my body and look "stunning" while eating!!!
LOVE this! Thanks for sharing. This is a very encouraging post!0 -
Just took my 2 month progress pics and I couldn't believe the difference. I am trying to find my true TDEE and doing Stronglifts 5x5. I don't know how to post pics on here, so I am including the link to my blog post. Thanks!
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/caleo2006/view/2-month-progress-pics-em2wl-style-5160230 -
Caleo, WOW big changes!! That's amazing that it only took 2 months. You can really see you're smaller through your mid section and legs and upper back. Great work!!
As for me, I am down another 5 lbs or so.0 -
Two major NSV's lately. The first one has to do with a pair of incentive jeans that I bought back in February. They were tight to button and there was major muffin top. So I just looked at them and didn't wear them. Until mid-May that is. I've been wearing them since. Here's the comparison pics (if I remember how to post pics on here). The second NSV is pretty major for me. For the first time in my life I did a REAL PUSH-UP yesterday. No knees, no degrees (I'd been doing 30 degree push-ups pretty regularly) - a regular flat on the ground full body push-up. I did THREE!!! Practice practice practice has helped with the push-ups. I think planks have really helped and I think doing reverse push-ups helped a TON!! Anyways, here's the pic - hopefully!
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NSV- My body is thanking me for eating more food!
My sex drive is back. It`s almost a problem with the kids around all the time. Sigh.
My hair is nicer. It`s not kinky and dry it`s been smooth and pretty for a week or so now. Why? More food.
I`m not reacting to things that happen to me with mistrust and anger. A completely mental thing, but since I have some serious family problems I usually react the same way to them. Somehow my mind can get around it now. My brain has more food.
I really was, a fat anorexic. Now that I average in my burns to my food I ate like 500-1000 cal a day for 3 years. Of course I ate more but I exercised a lot too. crazy! YOur body can live on that. But it sure doesn`t feel like life does it.
I don`t look better but I feel so much better.0 -
I’ve written a few NSVs lately on my profile (and seen them shared on the Facebook page, blush and thank you!) and I wanted to pull them all together with my history as a reflection of how far I’ve come in 2013 and let you know how Eat More To Weigh Less has helped me change my life in the last six months. I am so much stronger, mentally and physically, than I ever realised I could be. I am so grateful for the patience and wisdom of the EM2WL team and members on the forum, all the unpaid work you do and time you give. You are heroes and I feel like telling you this every day.
I’m not at my “goal weight” yet but that has become less important over time, especially as I reflect on how I’ve changed my relationship with my body and food over the last year, now the healthiest it has ever been. For me the main reason to care about the number on the scale now is because one of my goals for 2014 is to be able to deadlift my own body weight. I have lost over 28kgs / 62lbs in the last year and countless centimetres/inches (I haven’t been very consistent with measuring) and about four dress sizes. I focus on small weight loss goals at a time with no “perfect” or “ultimate” number in mind, though I do want to lose more weight and reduce my body fat %. Eat More To Weigh Less has taught me how much the diet industry and women’s media has failed us, and lied to us. I have so much knowledge now and without evangelising, I want to be able to give that information to the people in my life who are struggling, when they ask me for it. Now that they finally believe me that I’m not following some magic diet, they really want to know HOW I’ve been successful. I tell them, lifting weights, and eating more! I direct them to Eat More To Weigh Less and let them know I’ll be there if they need help getting started. Some of them have started, some of them won’t, but at least they can see me and know it is possible without fad dieting.
Ten years ago I was thrown against a wall by an ex and suffered from what was probably undisguised whiplash. I spent the next decade in chronic and debilitating pain and experienced frequent migraines. The pain was so bad a neurologist said the reason I spent a year throwing up multiple times a day was "stomach migraine". I was really fit and slim before that but now in pain, I became afraid of movement, my body got fat and tired and my anxiety and depression got worse. I had a couple of years of intensive physiotherapy for my neck which didn’t help. I lived like a victim. This man wasn't the last abuser in my life, but he was the one who did the most mental and physical damage.
I've done so much psychological and physical work in the last year to release that trauma, making unconventional choices in the right “therapies” or “treatments”. I focused on relationships of love and trust in my life, and learning to love myself past the body positivity I tried to practice. I finally decided that body positivity could also mean it was okay to want to _change_ my body. When I joined MyFitnessPal earlier in 2013, I wanted to lose weight but realised I needed to stop crash dieting, because I would lose only to regain. I’d been doing a lot of cardio and resistance training, but I didn’t feel balanced, and was still binge eating. Overcoming disordered eating is possible, but it took me months of mindfulness and vigilance, and realising that instant gratification wasn’t helping or satisfying me.
I was lucky that some of the women on my friends list were following Eat More To Weigh Less, and I was encouraged to check out the forum and website. I had been eating my BMR (and not eating back exercise calories) and losing weight, but with all the exercise I was doing I was hungry all the time. In June I took a leap of faith and upped my calories slowly. Since then I have a better grasp on my TDEE and eat a 20% cut which is around 2000 calories a day (or more!) and am still losing weight. That’s when I really started to make strength gains and lose more weight. There were times when I doubted. There were times when I wasn’t consistent either, I love cooking and I love food and I still eat out with family and friends. I don’t believe food has a moral value and while I enjoy it in moderation, I don’t feel guilty about the choices I make. I don’t punish myself by exercising more just because I ate more on a one off occasion. I’ve always known how to eat healthily (I was brought up vegetarian though I’m no longer one) with a focus on fruit, vegetables and whole grains. My problem was eating too much (sugar especially) with emotional and hormonal binge eating, taking different medications for my health that made me gain even more weight, and not exercising enough. I haven’t cut anything out while counting calories, in fact I’ve probably added more, but with a greater balance. I’ve never liked soft drink and I don’t drink a lot of alcohol either, but still enjoy it on occasion. I eat heaps of carbs. My main focus is my protein macro and eating over 100g of protein a day, to help in building muscle. I find if I focus on protein all my other macros fall in line. I break many of those stupid (and unscientific) “dieting rules” and eat late dinners, snack late at night (I hate going to bed hungry) and I eat dessert every day. Something so important I learnt when overcoming disordered eating was learning to trust my body and my hunger again, and listen to it. I now know when I need to eat more and I’m not afraid to.
I decided to make 2013 my year of focusing on getting other chronic health conditions I had under control. Eating more and being fitter and stronger helped me find the courage and energy to pursue treatments I needed, because I didn’t want anything holding me back! I grew bored with the cardio and resistance training I was doing. A girlfriend of mine had been lifting, doing CrossFit and now Olympic lifting, and I was in awe of her, but still afraid. I saw all the inspiring women from Eat More To Weigh Less on my friends list lifting and I wanted to start. Your encouragement meant so much to me. I paid a trainer for a few sessions to teach me how to correctly and safely do compound lifts, and then started StrongLifts on my own.
I’ve become a more confident person in the last year (I even wear sleeveless clothes outside the house!) and always looking for ways to challenge my fitness rather than staying still physically (and mentally). Kiki recently helped me reflect on how my relationship with cardio has changed. I used to do so much cardio so I could burn more and lose more, and that worked because I was eating well. That approach is boring and exhausting though. I even used to do cardio and lift weights on the same days, I'd hate to contemplate doing that often now! My cardio goal for next year is to find more opportunities and time to go on hikes with local groups, because it's nice to get out of the city and the hikes are challenging. I walk a lot, because I don’t have a car, so I get a lot of NEAT. I’ve never been a runner but I’ve started doing C25K and I love it, especially because it’s only a half hour commitment three times a week. I also LOVE how efficient my workout is when I concentrate on compound lifts for 30-45 minutes three times a week. Something Kiki wrote that resonated with me about designing her workout schedule: "some things are included out of necessity, and other just for kicks". For me, lifting and doing -some- cardio is necessity, and I think Pilates is my kicks (when I find time for it, or yoga). I'll continue to mix up what I do as I make strength gains or get bored, because I like new challenges and variety. I'm never doing hours of cardio again though, unless it's outdoors. I even want to do Park Run next year - the old me would have shied from running outdoors with people I don’t know.
It wasn't until I started learning to lift “heavy” and got strong that it all came together. Today I have a strong back and shoulders and can hold my neck up without exhaustion. My chronic pain is gone and I rarely get migraines. I've never felt as feminine as I do now with curves and muscle (I joke that my body type is now “muscular hourglass”). I thought there'd be a point before now where I'd look at my body and think, "That's enough muscle". I now know I've got a long way to go until that, because I love celebrating more muscle! I'm so centred and I feel so powerful, and that feeling comes from challenging my strength and building muscle. I never thought I’d want my body to do what it does now, and didn’t know how much I’d enjoy it. Mentally I am calm and I feel like no one could (or should) mess with me. I am less defensive and I don't live in fear every day. If I ever have a daughter I will encourage her to do a martial art or lift weights, because I believe these are powerful practices to create a mental and physical posture to shield from potential abusers, and live with confidence and strength. To live with power. The real “secret” to my success so far has been getting strong!
Before (about a year ago) and now photo!
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Wow Kathleen, You have really triumphed over so much!! Thanks for sharing your story! You look gorgeous!!I’ve written a few NSVs lately on my profile (and seen them shared on the Facebook page, blush and thank you!) and I wanted to pull them all together with my history as a reflection of how far I’ve come in 2013 and let you know how Eat More To Weigh Less has helped me change my life in the last six months. I am so much stronger, mentally and physically, than I ever realised I could be. I am so grateful for the patience and wisdom of the EM2WL team and members on the forum, all the unpaid work you do and time you give. You are heroes and I feel like telling you this every day.
I’m not at my “goal weight” yet but that has become less important over time, especially as I reflect on how I’ve changed my relationship with my body and food over the last year, now the healthiest it has ever been. For me the main reason to care about the number on the scale now is because one of my goals for 2014 is to be able to deadlift my own body weight. I have lost over 28kgs / 62lbs in the last year and countless centimetres/inches (I haven’t been very consistent with measuring) and about four dress sizes. I focus on small weight loss goals at a time with no “perfect” or “ultimate” number in mind, though I do want to lose more weight and reduce my body fat %. Eat More To Weigh Less has taught me how much the diet industry and women’s media has failed us, and lied to us. I have so much knowledge now and without evangelising, I want to be able to give that information to the people in my life who are struggling, when they ask me for it. Now that they finally believe me that I’m not following some magic diet, they really want to know HOW I’ve been successful. I tell them, lifting weights, and eating more! I direct them to Eat More To Weigh Less and let them know I’ll be there if they need help getting started. Some of them have started, some of them won’t, but at least they can see me and know it is possible without fad dieting.
Ten years ago I was thrown against a wall by an ex and suffered from what was probably undisguised whiplash. I spent the next decade in chronic and debilitating pain and experienced frequent migraines. The pain was so bad a neurologist said the reason I spent a year throwing up multiple times a day was "stomach migraine". I was really fit and slim before that but now in pain, I became afraid of movement, my body got fat and tired and my anxiety and depression got worse. I had a couple of years of intensive physiotherapy for my neck which didn’t help. I lived like a victim. This man wasn't the last abuser in my life, but he was the one who did the most mental and physical damage.
I've done so much psychological and physical work in the last year to release that trauma, making unconventional choices in the right “therapies” or “treatments”. I focused on relationships of love and trust in my life, and learning to love myself past the body positivity I tried to practice. I finally decided that body positivity could also mean it was okay to want to _change_ my body. When I joined MyFitnessPal earlier in 2013, I wanted to lose weight but realised I needed to stop crash dieting, because I would lose only to regain. I’d been doing a lot of cardio and resistance training, but I didn’t feel balanced, and was still binge eating. Overcoming disordered eating is possible, but it took me months of mindfulness and vigilance, and realising that instant gratification wasn’t helping or satisfying me.
I was lucky that some of the women on my friends list were following Eat More To Weigh Less, and I was encouraged to check out the forum and website. I had been eating my BMR (and not eating back exercise calories) and losing weight, but with all the exercise I was doing I was hungry all the time. In June I took a leap of faith and upped my calories slowly. Since then I have a better grasp on my TDEE and eat a 20% cut which is around 2000 calories a day (or more!) and am still losing weight. That’s when I really started to make strength gains and lose more weight. There were times when I doubted. There were times when I wasn’t consistent either, I love cooking and I love food and I still eat out with family and friends. I don’t believe food has a moral value and while I enjoy it in moderation, I don’t feel guilty about the choices I make. I don’t punish myself by exercising more just because I ate more on a one off occasion. I’ve always known how to eat healthily (I was brought up vegetarian though I’m no longer one) with a focus on fruit, vegetables and whole grains. My problem was eating too much (sugar especially) with emotional and hormonal binge eating, taking different medications for my health that made me gain even more weight, and not exercising enough. I haven’t cut anything out while counting calories, in fact I’ve probably added more, but with a greater balance. I’ve never liked soft drink and I don’t drink a lot of alcohol either, but still enjoy it on occasion. I eat heaps of carbs. My main focus is my protein macro and eating over 100g of protein a day, to help in building muscle. I find if I focus on protein all my other macros fall in line. I break many of those stupid (and unscientific) “dieting rules” and eat late dinners, snack late at night (I hate going to bed hungry) and I eat dessert every day. Something so important I learnt when overcoming disordered eating was learning to trust my body and my hunger again, and listen to it. I now know when I need to eat more and I’m not afraid to.
I decided to make 2013 my year of focusing on getting other chronic health conditions I had under control. Eating more and being fitter and stronger helped me find the courage and energy to pursue treatments I needed, because I didn’t want anything holding me back! I grew bored with the cardio and resistance training I was doing. A girlfriend of mine had been lifting, doing CrossFit and now Olympic lifting, and I was in awe of her, but still afraid. I saw all the inspiring women from Eat More To Weigh Less on my friends list lifting and I wanted to start. Your encouragement meant so much to me. I paid a trainer for a few sessions to teach me how to correctly and safely do compound lifts, and then started StrongLifts on my own.
I’ve become a more confident person in the last year (I even wear sleeveless clothes outside the house!) and always looking for ways to challenge my fitness rather than staying still physically (and mentally). Kiki recently helped me reflect on how my relationship with cardio has changed. I used to do so much cardio so I could burn more and lose more, and that worked because I was eating well. That approach is boring and exhausting though. I even used to do cardio and lift weights on the same days, I'd hate to contemplate doing that often now! My cardio goal for next year is to find more opportunities and time to go on hikes with local groups, because it's nice to get out of the city and the hikes are challenging. I walk a lot, because I don’t have a car, so I get a lot of NEAT. I’ve never been a runner but I’ve started doing C25K and I love it, especially because it’s only a half hour commitment three times a week. I also LOVE how efficient my workout is when I concentrate on compound lifts for 30-45 minutes three times a week. Something Kiki wrote that resonated with me about designing her workout schedule: "some things are included out of necessity, and other just for kicks". For me, lifting and doing -some- cardio is necessity, and I think Pilates is my kicks (when I find time for it, or yoga). I'll continue to mix up what I do as I make strength gains or get bored, because I like new challenges and variety. I'm never doing hours of cardio again though, unless it's outdoors. I even want to do Park Run next year - the old me would have shied from running outdoors with people I don’t know.
It wasn't until I started learning to lift “heavy” and got strong that it all came together. Today I have a strong back and shoulders and can hold my neck up without exhaustion. My chronic pain is gone and I rarely get migraines. I've never felt as feminine as I do now with curves and muscle (I joke that my body type is now “muscular hourglass”). I thought there'd be a point before now where I'd look at my body and think, "That's enough muscle". I now know I've got a long way to go until that, because I love celebrating more muscle! I'm so centred and I feel so powerful, and that feeling comes from challenging my strength and building muscle. I never thought I’d want my body to do what it does now, and didn’t know how much I’d enjoy it. Mentally I am calm and I feel like no one could (or should) mess with me. I am less defensive and I don't live in fear every day. If I ever have a daughter I will encourage her to do a martial art or lift weights, because I believe these are powerful practices to create a mental and physical posture to shield from potential abusers, and live with confidence and strength. To live with power. The real “secret” to my success so far has been getting strong!
Before (about a year ago) and now photo!0
