A little help and encouragement needed

MrsCJ1

Hello Everyone!

This is my first post, and I am brand new to EM2WL. In high school I weight 170 lbs at my heaviest. I am 5'9" and I currently weigh around 153-155ish.. I was about 145 at my smallest and I was very comfortable at that weight. I have been trying to get back there for the last 2 years and it just wont seem to happen for me. At that point I wasn't focused at all on my diet. I just ate healthy and didn't count a single calorie. About a year and a half ago I gained some weight, and I'm still not exactly sure why. I didn't make any big changes in diet or exercise. After this I freaked out and I restricted my calories (1200 per day) and dropped down to about 150 and the weight loss stopped. I had been eating at this calorie level and binging a day on the weekends for months. I am just tired of it. I miss being able to NOT dwell on my food intake .. constantly. About 3 weeks ago I upped my calories to about 1500 per day and I am now averaging about 1700 per day. I used Scooby's and it said my BMR is at 1534 and my TDEE is 2378. I am slowly trying to up my cals.. but I have gained 4 lbs within the last 3 weeks. I am not giving up... I plan on getting my metabolism back on track...and I need my quality of life back! However, I am afraid that I will continue to gain weight... did anyone else here have an initial weight gain before seeing results? About how long did it take until you saw the results?

Thank you.. in advance.. to anyone who responds.

kelp99

When you increase your calorie intake after not eating enough you will gain wait as your body needs to readjust to the adequate supply of energy. After awhile your weight will level off. If you can do it, up your calories to eat at TDEE until you stop gaining weight, and then do your 15 -20% cut. I had been at cut for about 5months and I'd stopped losing weight until I upped my calories to eat at TDEE, waited until I stopped gaining and then did a gradual cut [from 2800 - 2600 - 2400]. After doing this the lbs seem to melt off.

Technically you are at a healthy weight already, so maybe you want to focus on building muscle, and to do that usually you need to eat more....

MrsCJ1

Thanks for the advice! I have been thinking about focusing more on weight lifting and less on cardio. I have been doing the P90x workouts at home, which is circuit training and high reps. With this, I can only use 5-10 lb weights at the most. I think I'll start hitting the gym again and up my weights.

Thanks again for responding!

Mom2M_and_O

If you're happy doing the P90x workouts, then keep doing those. i personally don't think there's a need to join a gym right now unless you just really, really want to. I'm doing Chalean Extreme, which I understand is not "lifting heavy", but after 8 weeks I've lost 5" overall and 5% BF according to their dinky little calipers (understanding there is a margin of user error there, of course....). But, get this, I'm only down 1.4 pounds as of this morning (it was 2.4 pounds 3 days ago, so there's water retention in there right now). According to my BMF report this morning, my average daily deficit this month was around 250 calories. I averaged 1900 calories a day -- more than I had meant to do this month, but I was hungry and needed to eat, so....

I did part of P90X last spring and let myself get discouraged because I wasn't gauging my progress by good standards -- just scale weight. So, I would encourage you to keep with it IF you enjoy the program. If you don't enjoy it, find something else that you do enjoy and eat to accomodate it. But I do recommend the weights.

With Chalean, I started out in the 5-10 lb range and was able to significantly increase it the next month. But her approach is a little different from Tony's. She focuses on slow and controlled more than he does. I think it's harder to do heavier weights when you're moving faster.

momof2osaurus

ChaLEAN Extreme is NOT lifting heavy?? Why not?

Mom2M_and_O

ChaLEAN Extreme is NOT lifting heavy?? Why not?

:laugh: Well, i guess I was influenced by another thread I read last week defining what "lifting heavy" actually is, and they didn't sound the same to me. BUT that's not to say you don't get results from similar kinds of strength programs, in my opinion. And it may be a case of splitting some hairs because the weights I've been trying to use sure feel heavy to me! :laugh:

Being a CLX participant, though, I'm certainly not minimizing the program or what can happen with it. I personally love it and find it to be a great fit for me.

momof2osaurus

I mean, I guess if you do it with barbie weights it's not lifting heavy...lol. Can you point me to the thread that defined "lifting heavy"? I'd love to read that!

Mom2M_and_O

I mean, I guess if you do it with barbie weights it's not lifting heavy...lol. Can you point me to the thread that defined "lifting heavy"? I'd love to read that!

I agree. I mean, the numbers on my weights are not sexy or anything, but it's all I can do to get through 8 reps of 15 lb on shoulder presses with good form. Any heavier right now and I'd risk damaging something, I'm certain. But I have tried to consciously increase the weights as the program has gone on rather than staying in a comfort zone as I know progress will only happen if I progress.

Here's the thread.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/905962-heavy-lifting-defined-must-read?hl=lifting+heavy+defined+splits

It was one of those that went on for 7 pages so I didn't read the whole thing. I got through three pages or so and it was all sounding the same. I've not researched NROL4W which seems to be the go-to "lift heavy" program on EM2WL, so I don't know how that starts you off if you're brand new to using any weights at all. But I would think any kind of strength training program (as long as you push yourself) would give some good benefits. In fact, I know they do because of the changes I just saw in my husband doing P90X. So, again, I suspect there's some splitting hairs going on.

Also can't discount lack of understanding on the part of the OP of the programs he specifically calls out as not being good enough.

heybales

I mean, I guess if you do it with barbie weights it's not lifting heavy...lol. Can you point me to the thread that defined "lifting heavy"? I'd love to read that!

Weight lifting, or heavy lifting, is when you put a heavy enough load on the muscle for you to cause micro-tears, the body's response is to repair it stronger. Eventually, if eating enough, to build more muscle.

Strength training as part of circuit or other cardio type exercise is putting more of an endurance load on the muscles. You'll still get strong, but the body's response is to increase glucose stores so you can go longer next time.

It's really like the difference between regular intervals, which improves the cardiovascular/cardiopulmonary system as focus, and HIIT which improves muscle strength like lifting does.

Both will feel the same when you do it, worn out, unable to go faster, ect. But the response is different.

So lifting that is difficult because you are just plain worn out by the amount of activity is not a heavy load on the muscles.
Lifting that is difficult because you are trying to do more than they can do with short time of load (3 x 10, 5 x 5, 2 x 15, ect), is a heavy lifting load.

So easily seen by doing 5 lb curls until you just can't do it anymore.
Compared to 25 lb curls until you can't with good form anymore.

It will feel a tad different at failure if you really notice, and if sore the next day will feel different too.

I always recommend someone do that exact test sometime. Problem is, need fresh muscles, so not at the end of a workout. Do one arm one method, one arm the other. 3 sets for each, keep track of what reps you hit.
Of course if at the beginning of a workout, probably just ruined getting some other good lifts in since the bicep is used for any pulling motion.
But still useful as a test to feel the difference a heavy load to failure on fresh muscle feels like.

Saw link. I'll disagree with much of what he said.
Studies have shown that doing 2 or 3 sets, with reps up to 20 but failure at that point, still causes muscle growth.
Sticking to just 5 reps as only valid range is stupid, more reps is just more endurance focus muscle strength.
And the idea that you can't do split workouts is stupid too, but, 3 x full body is better than 4 x split in which case only 2 x weekly full body. Body builders with their big huge muscles will actually do 1 x weekly for a specific muscle many times.

You can even do isolation exercise instead of compound. But since most are limited by time, compound allows hitting more for given amount of time. Plus, if you wore out your biceps on Tue focus, you wouldn't be able to use them for any good pulling motions on Wed for example, so other reasons not to do them, but doesn't make them invalid.

Hence the reason so many disagreed with him on several points.

momof2osaurus

Huh. Thanks for the info! I'm trying to figure what the heck to do as a non-gym, non-expensive strength program, and there's a ton of info out there that makes it hard for a total newbie to figure out what the best option is.

To the OP, sorry to hijack your thread! :flowerforyou:

heybales

Huh. Thanks for the info! I'm trying to figure what the heck to do as a non-gym, non-expensive strength program, and there's a ton of info out there that makes it hard for a total newbie to figure out what the best option is.

To the OP, sorry to hijack your thread! :flowerforyou:

Well, depending on how much you can do, many body-weight exercises will count as heavy lifting for quit some time. Like Pull-ups and dips could take a long time before 3 x 15 is not a strain. And then griping a couple 10 lb dumbbells between the legs makes it hard enough again.

MrsCJ1

If you're happy doing the P90x workouts, then keep doing those. i personally don't think there's a need to join a gym right now unless you just really, really want to. I'm doing Chalean Extreme, which I understand is not "lifting heavy", but after 8 weeks I've lost 5" overall and 5% BF according to their dinky little calipers (understanding there is a margin of user error there, of course....). But, get this, I'm only down 1.4 pounds as of this morning (it was 2.4 pounds 3 days ago, so there's water retention in there right now). According to my BMF report this morning, my average daily deficit this month was around 250 calories. I averaged 1900 calories a day -- more than I had meant to do this month, but I was hungry and needed to eat, so....

I did part of P90X last spring and let myself get discouraged because I wasn't gauging my progress by good standards -- just scale weight. So, I would encourage you to keep with it IF you enjoy the program. If you don't enjoy it, find something else that you do enjoy and eat to accomodate it. But I do recommend the weights.

With Chalean, I started out in the 5-10 lb range and was able to significantly increase it the next month. But her approach is a little different from Tony's. She focuses on slow and controlled more than he does. I think it's harder to do heavier weights when you're moving faster.

I do enjoy it. Thank you! I am hoping to start seeing some progress soon. It is just so discouraging to see that number on the scale go up.

CanGirl40

First, I Heybales!

Second, I was in a similar boat where I'd go low-cal on weekdays and then pretty much binge on weekends...then "start over" on Mondays. I've been on EM2WL for 7 months now and it has been THE BEST (along with strength training).

I now have control over my food. I don't eat emotionally anymore. I eat around 1800-1900 cal/day and feel great!

Feel free to friend me for support!

MrsCJ1

First, I Heybales!

Second, I was in a similar boat where I'd go low-cal on weekdays and then pretty much binge on weekends...then "start over" on Mondays. I've been on EM2WL for 7 months now and it has been THE BEST (along with strength training).

I now have control over my food. I don't eat emotionally anymore. I eat around 1800-1900 cal/day and feel great!

Feel free to friend me for support!

Thanks so much for the reply. I will definitely friend you. Any support would be wonderful! I know that I am already at a healthy weight, but I really would like to be at a peak fitness level. I also want to STOP with the binges and emotional eating...it is too much psychologically. I just want to live a fit and healthy life. Thanks again for the encouragement!