April Check in & Chat - Spring into the Squat Rack
Replies
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Workout B today. The only weight I increased were my deadlifts. I'm going to have to redo OHP because I've been doing push presses the whole time (yay
). I was proud of myself, but now feeling like an idiot. Soooo....
Soos-- I love your profile picture!
jstout--Sorry you're still having pain. Glad you found something that works though!
vegas (? I forget)-- Congrats on the PR for benches and rows. That's awesome!
macy-- Ouch! DId you break anything or just thoroughly bruise your arm?
Hi to newbies, yay to people that need yays, and WTG and you're awesomes all around!0 -
@Macy -- Sorry you got hurt !! Get better soon.
No lifting today due to female stuffs and general unwellness. Going to take a couple days and get back to it Saturday. Hoping that certain things will settle down by then that have been acting up.
Also I'm excited! A friend is coming over Saturday to lift with me because she wants to learn!! I get to pass on my addic ... err .. hobby! Woot!
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Hey, y'all! :flowerforyou:
I'm still around. Just babying my back so I can complete the mud run on Saturday. Can't wait to get back to my 5x5 lifts.
Hi to all the new folks and much love to my girls! I have many pages of posts to catch up on and will check in again soon!
@ Macy - I hope you feel better soon!0 -
Did B today.
70 on OHP but just couldn't get the last rep up. Form was much improved over last time so I think one or two more rounds at 70 before bumping up any.
160 on Deadlifts.
Worked with a broomstick for the squats. Did a few sets at body weight again today with no problems.
I'm feeling spent for the week. I'll see how I feel after what I hope will be a good nights sleep before I decide if tomorrow will be a break day or not.
Dani - That is awesome that you get to share the hobby of lifting with a friend. Most of the people I know give me odd looks when I start talking about the joys of picking heavy things up and putting them back down.0 -
Some of you ladies have seriously inspiring numbers!
I did workout B today, got 5x5 on 45kg squats although I did notice a couple of times my form was slipping (leaving my hips bent too long, knee buckling) so I'm going to increase and keep an eye on it. I'd like to get to 50kg before I do a form deload. The empty bar feels like nothing now! I then went to OHP, for some reason even though I kept the weight the same (20kg, empty bar) I couldn't hit 5x5 this time although I did last time. Not sure what's going on there. So looks like I'll be stuck with 20kg again next time. I might bring in my baby plates the time after. Any increase is better than no increase! Lastly, deadlift. Tonight it was 65kg and that is starting to feel HEAVY. I had to take my hands off the bar for the first time, considering getting some gloves since my poor hands are definitely starting to feel it. May also have to change my grip in the next workout. Fingers crossed I can do 70, because that's not far off my bodyweight.
I don't think I've lost any inches yet but I can definitely feel everything tightening up. I'm trying to eat at TDEE -20% but I've been over for the last few days. Trying not to let it bother me as I probably needed it. On track from Monday though!0 -
I'm trying to eat at TDEE -20% but I've been over for the last few days. Trying not to let it bother me as I probably needed it. On track from Monday though!
As long as you land somewhere between TDEE - 0% and TDEE -20% you are successfully losing fat. I'd call that "on track"0 -
@Macy hope it's just minor and feels better fast!
I took two days rest and that was very nice. According to my plan, I am doing two workouts at deloaded weights and then two more rest days this week. So today I got in there and I did:
75 lb squats 3X5, This is 75% of my last workweight. I worked on form. I've picked up a little flop forward at the bottom of my squat and I need to get rid of that... Is that weak abs doing that? I think that's what it is. I HATE ab work more than cardio, and so they have always been weak-ish.
45 lb OHP 5X5. My last workweight was 48.5 so not a true deload LOL. My form sux. I can't bring the bar straight up off my chest to save my soul, and the hell of it is that I can FEEL it making it harder, but I still can't stop it :grumble:
95 lb. deadlift. This was 65% of my last work weight and I focused on my form which is good -- natch', that is why I can do way more weight on DL's than any other lift LOL.
Then I did a half hour of cardio and called it good. 0 -
Then I did a half hour of cardio and called it good.
I would have called that good without the cardio. :laugh:0 -
So I am supposed to be doing a set of progression photos, measurements and scale weight on Saturday. These would be 6 week shots/numbers as the last (first set really) of pictures were taken when I first started my second cycle of SL at the beginning of March.
I think that I have decided to wait until my 3 months are up to go through all of this. Why?
I think I need to work on loving my body the way it is....and appreciating what it can do more than what it looks like. I think I need to really devote some time to becoming strong and sexy....not necessarily just skinny and sexy. I know that every day I make good decisions and I exercise at least 5 if not 6 days/week. But I find that I'm again getting obsessed with what I eat.....an overwhelming sense of guilt if I indulge in something I shouldn't or if I can't workout.....to the point that I'm not sure it's a healthy obsessive or unhealthy obsession.
I am constantly seeing these success stories where women have dropped 90lbs in one year and yet here I am 18 months in and actually up 12lbs from my lowest weight....and it all started when I started SL. The frustration is tremendous and starting to become demotivating! I love my new lifestyle, don't get me wrong. I don't plan on going back to VLCD or not lifting or anything....I know for sure that I can't reduce my calories much more, if at all, and if I can't lose at 1800....well.....then I need to change my frame of mind.
Has anyone been here? Any words of wisdom or advice?
Sorry for my rant.....just having one of those very frustrating days
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Thanks for all the well wishes...I'm sure it's just a bad bruise. It seems a little better tonight. Ice has been my best friend today!
I did feel a little sad as I passed the power rack on my way to my treadmill. I tried to lift some plates to do some squats, but it was a no-go!
@vegas...no words of wisdom from me (I can't even feed my dog!), but it has taken me 3 years to lose 22 pounds if that makes you feel any better! I would rather be stronger and heavier though rather than just thinner.0 -
Any words of wisdom or advice?
Yes. Quit beating yourself up for no reason.
If this is true (from your profile): "I started my weight loss journey in September 2011. Since then I have lost 62lbs and 33 inches from my chest, waist, and hips."
... Then you've still lost 50 pounds, and that's still amazing. 33 inches? I don't know what that's even like to lose that many.
And ... even more amazing, you've gained strength, confidence, a new lifestyle, and you've found a new passion and a new level of discipline that you didn't know you had before you started all this.
You're fine.
Of course all this comes from my Nutella-addled brain that just went 1200 cals over goal (with zero buffer cause I'm eating at maintenance ATM), so what do I know? :laugh: :drinker:
No, seriously. You're completely fine. :smooched:
We need to learn how to celebrate progress, and not defer happiness until we've achieved some level of perfection that's never going to ever happen, ever. It's fine to be happy now. You've more than earned it. 0 -
So I am supposed to be doing a set of progression photos, measurements and scale weight on Saturday. These would be 6 week shots/numbers as the last (first set really) of pictures were taken when I first started my second cycle of SL at the beginning of March.
I think that I have decided to wait until my 3 months are up to go through all of this. Why?
I think I need to work on loving my body the way it is....and appreciating what it can do more than what it looks like. I think I need to really devote some time to becoming strong and sexy....not necessarily just skinny and sexy. I know that every day I make good decisions and I exercise at least 5 if not 6 days/week. But I find that I'm again getting obsessed with what I eat.....an overwhelming sense of guilt if I indulge in something I shouldn't or if I can't workout.....to the point that I'm not sure it's a healthy obsessive or unhealthy obsession.
I am constantly seeing these success stories where women have dropped 90lbs in one year and yet here I am 18 months in and actually up 12lbs from my lowest weight....and it all started when I started SL. The frustration is tremendous and starting to become demotivating! I love my new lifestyle, don't get me wrong. I don't plan on going back to VLCD or not lifting or anything....I know for sure that I can't reduce my calories much more, if at all, and if I can't lose at 1800....well.....then I need to change my frame of mind.
Has anyone been here? Any words of wisdom or advice?
Sorry for my rant.....just having one of those very frustrating days
OMG.....I could have written this!
I'm super heavy and still, the weight isn't coming off. I'm making strength gains, but I'm losing from ideosyncratic places....places where one doens't habitually measure and the scale doens't move. Heck, last few weeks, I've gone down to 1500 or lower and all it does it make me cranky and less strong.
No words of wisdom, just commiserating. I thought I was the only one gaining weight (I'm up 8 lbs since starting SL last October).0 -
Still working on squat form. Today's lesson was trying to work on staying more upright as I come out of the squat. I have a tendency to lean forward to 'help'....up to 75 on squats (started at 65 on Monday) working form. It's going to be a while before I'm back to 140, but I'll be doing it right.
Watching my torso alignment really engages my abs more. A lot more.
So, today was OK, but I felt weak.
Squats: 75 5x5
Bench: 85 5x5, going up to 90 next time!
Row: 90 5x5 going to 95 next time. I've finally gotten the hang of this one.
DH noted that when I move around, very little flesh "moves", everything is way firmer than it used to be and yet, I still feel like "the blob" from the movies. Then again, my monthly visitor has just arrived which always makes me feel terrible about myself and everything in my world. Ah, hormones.0 -
So I am supposed to be doing a set of progression photos, measurements and scale weight on Saturday. These would be 6 week shots/numbers as the last (first set really) of pictures were taken when I first started my second cycle of SL at the beginning of March.
I think that I have decided to wait until my 3 months are up to go through all of this. Why?
I think I need to work on loving my body the way it is....and appreciating what it can do more than what it looks like. I think I need to really devote some time to becoming strong and sexy....not necessarily just skinny and sexy. I know that every day I make good decisions and I exercise at least 5 if not 6 days/week. But I find that I'm again getting obsessed with what I eat.....an overwhelming sense of guilt if I indulge in something I shouldn't or if I can't workout.....to the point that I'm not sure it's a healthy obsessive or unhealthy obsession.
I am constantly seeing these success stories where women have dropped 90lbs in one year and yet here I am 18 months in and actually up 12lbs from my lowest weight....and it all started when I started SL. The frustration is tremendous and starting to become demotivating! I love my new lifestyle, don't get me wrong. I don't plan on going back to VLCD or not lifting or anything....I know for sure that I can't reduce my calories much more, if at all, and if I can't lose at 1800....well.....then I need to change my frame of mind.
Has anyone been here? Any words of wisdom or advice?
Sorry for my rant.....just having one of those very frustrating days
Vegas - You know I say this with love ( ), but stop beating yourself up for what you put into your mouth!
You look amazing, and I would kill to have a shape like yours.
That said, remember, the scale numbers are just that - numbers. This strength training/heavy lifting has put a whole new spin on my "weight loss" journey, in that it's not really about the "weight loss." It's about getting healthy, getting strong, and looking good, no matter what the scale says.
Your lift numbers are freaking badass, and you should be SO very proud of yourself.
I have days like this, as well. First bit of "wisdom"...Don't compare yourself to anyone else. This is you versus you, not you versus some skinny b!tch whose metabolism is through the roof.
Love you for YOU, and be PROUD of everything that you have done thus far.
Confession time: When I first joined this group and started lurking in February I saw your profile pic and thought, "OMG! Look at HER! I want THAT kind of body...she's got to be one tough lady!"
So guess what? You are a role model and an inspiration for an "old" gal such as myself. :blushing:
Keep doing what you are doing, and stop feeling stressed out over culinary indulgences...you said yourself, you make smart choices all the time. That's more than a lot of people can say! 0 -
Ah, hormones.
Aren't those such fun?
:huh:0 -
So I am supposed to be doing a set of progression photos, measurements and scale weight on Saturday. These would be 6 week shots/numbers as the last (first set really) of pictures were taken when I first started my second cycle of SL at the beginning of March.
I think that I have decided to wait until my 3 months are up to go through all of this. Why?
I think I need to work on loving my body the way it is....and appreciating what it can do more than what it looks like. I think I need to really devote some time to becoming strong and sexy....not necessarily just skinny and sexy. I know that every day I make good decisions and I exercise at least 5 if not 6 days/week. But I find that I'm again getting obsessed with what I eat.....an overwhelming sense of guilt if I indulge in something I shouldn't or if I can't workout.....to the point that I'm not sure it's a healthy obsessive or unhealthy obsession.
I am constantly seeing these success stories where women have dropped 90lbs in one year and yet here I am 18 months in and actually up 12lbs from my lowest weight....and it all started when I started SL. The frustration is tremendous and starting to become demotivating! I love my new lifestyle, don't get me wrong. I don't plan on going back to VLCD or not lifting or anything....I know for sure that I can't reduce my calories much more, if at all, and if I can't lose at 1800....well.....then I need to change my frame of mind.
Has anyone been here? Any words of wisdom or advice?
Sorry for my rant.....just having one of those very frustrating days
I hear you. This is where I was two weeks ago. I haven't been gaining lately, but I've stalled. I had this idea that I'd keep consistently losing and I'd be not too far from 200 when I leave on my trip. Then, in November when I go back to the doctor that told me I'd lose weight, I'd be down 60 pounds and get a nice high five.
Probably not going to happen. A lot of people think I weigh less than I do (not sure if I carry my weight well or if I'm just relatively dense), but I still weigh 217lbs, which is far too much. Building muscle is great (not that I'm really going to be do much of that on a deficit), and losing inches is awesome, but I know at some point the scale will need to move. But, I can't make it do anything. I'm not going to starve myself to make the scale move.
However, even though I know what you're going through, I have no real words of wisdom. Personally, posting the progress pics helped me because even though I can't see any changes (my eyes usually go straight to my stomach where there has been little progress), but other people can point out where there have been changes. I get so frustrated, but then I look at what others are telling me, and I can start to see the changes, even if they aren't where I want or as drastic of a change as I want. That said, I don't love my body now. It sucks.
I've been reading some fitmamatraining.com (she was a suggested read by gokaleo), and she's all for accepting yourself even if you want to make improvements. The problem is we all know we need to love ourselves. The question is how to get there. She suggested starting by finding one thing you love about yourself and dressing it up. Concentrate on that (hers was her eyes so she made sure to wear eye makeup), then find something else you can love. Sadly, I almost don't want to do this because it already takes me too long to get ready in the morning :laugh:
I'm sorry. I'm really not very helpful this morning.0 -
Oh and Vegas, very fitting. FitMamaTraining just posted a link to this blog post on FB:
http://fitmamatraining.com/your-scale-is-an-*kitten*/0 -
Vegas, I still struggle with this--and I'm all about loving what you got. I am trying to come to terms with the fact that I will never see my lower abs. Obliques, yeah, I can see them, but I have a little layer of fat there and I'm not willing to cut my cals enough to get low enough bf to really see them.
OHP day on Wednesday--warm up sets of 5 reps of 30, 35, 45, then work sets of 50 and 60 for 3 reps and 65 for 7 reps.
Dips--body weight for 3 reps, then 3x8 assisted
Chin ups--1 set of assisted reps (10) with 110 lbs assistance, 2 sets of negative whatchamacalits, and then 2 sets of 8 with 95 lbs.0 -
Thank you all for such kind words....not gonna lie....I kind of teared up this morning reading such lovely words of encouragement
:happy: Also, @macy and @gl.....it doesn't make me happy to hear that you can identify.....but it does, if that makes sense :laugh:
I do have to stop being so hard on myself....I know where it comes from....I guess I just don't know how to get over it/get past it.
I was traveling for work this week and while I know I made "decent" choices I was really beating myself up because I didn't log. Well I just tallied everything up.....yeah I averaged about 1900 calories per day and worked out every day. Beating myself up for that is NOT GOOD!
@mouse.....you are so cute! Sometimes I think we forget that other people's perception of us is so different than our own! Thank you for such a lovely compliment!
@Dani.....you should start writing articles or blogs or something....seriously.....I always look forward to everything you have to say. You are always the voice of reason!
@auddii......I recall a couple of weeks ago when you were in a tough place....and I remember giving you the advice that I would give to myself :laugh: I know all these things deep down....but somehow making me believe them are a completely different ball game! I have checked out Fit Mama and although I love her overall message, she's not my favorite. Not sure why though :laugh:0 -
So I am supposed to be doing a set of progression photos, measurements and scale weight on Saturday. These would be 6 week shots/numbers as the last (first set really) of pictures were taken when I first started my second cycle of SL at the beginning of March.
I think that I have decided to wait until my 3 months are up to go through all of this. Why?
I think I need to work on loving my body the way it is....and appreciating what it can do more than what it looks like. I think I need to really devote some time to becoming strong and sexy....not necessarily just skinny and sexy. I know that every day I make good decisions and I exercise at least 5 if not 6 days/week. But I find that I'm again getting obsessed with what I eat.....an overwhelming sense of guilt if I indulge in something I shouldn't or if I can't workout.....to the point that I'm not sure it's a healthy obsessive or unhealthy obsession.
I am constantly seeing these success stories where women have dropped 90lbs in one year and yet here I am 18 months in and actually up 12lbs from my lowest weight....and it all started when I started SL. The frustration is tremendous and starting to become demotivating! I love my new lifestyle, don't get me wrong. I don't plan on going back to VLCD or not lifting or anything....I know for sure that I can't reduce my calories much more, if at all, and if I can't lose at 1800....well.....then I need to change my frame of mind.
Has anyone been here? Any words of wisdom or advice?
Sorry for my rant.....just having one of those very frustrating days
It is absolutely about perspective. I lost the 100 pounds , well 95 now, and I still have those days where I look at all the jiggly stuff and i don't think about how far I have come but how far I have to go. I think we all need to be reminded about that from time to time. You Vegas are truly lovely! You have a beautiful face and an amazingly beautiful strong body! One of the doctors i went to recently had some good advice about not worrying about the scale. She said to just keep on doing what i am doing. I think that's what you should do too!0 -
afternoon, all!
B lifts tonight, will have my tough face on for any mansplainers out there on the OHPs! will also see if my tame receptionist is around for a video...
and vegas you look awesome.
remember, don't do this because of looks, do it for how it makes you feel, do it for being fit and strong, do it because you want to. and blow raspberries at anyone who thinks differently!0 -
So I am supposed to be doing a set of progression photos, measurements and scale weight on Saturday. These would be 6 week shots/numbers as the last (first set really) of pictures were taken when I first started my second cycle of SL at the beginning of March.
I think that I have decided to wait until my 3 months are up to go through all of this. Why?
I think I need to work on loving my body the way it is....and appreciating what it can do more than what it looks like. I think I need to really devote some time to becoming strong and sexy....not necessarily just skinny and sexy. I know that every day I make good decisions and I exercise at least 5 if not 6 days/week. But I find that I'm again getting obsessed with what I eat.....an overwhelming sense of guilt if I indulge in something I shouldn't or if I can't workout.....to the point that I'm not sure it's a healthy obsessive or unhealthy obsession.
I am constantly seeing these success stories where women have dropped 90lbs in one year and yet here I am 18 months in and actually up 12lbs from my lowest weight....and it all started when I started SL. The frustration is tremendous and starting to become demotivating! I love my new lifestyle, don't get me wrong. I don't plan on going back to VLCD or not lifting or anything....I know for sure that I can't reduce my calories much more, if at all, and if I can't lose at 1800....well.....then I need to change my frame of mind.
Has anyone been here? Any words of wisdom or advice?
Sorry for my rant.....just having one of those very frustrating days
Ah, yes. I'd be shocked if any woman on here said "No, never experienced this." I ABSOLUTELY know how you feel, too. And honestly, yes, sometimes the success stories are hard, because you see people who have lost all this weight in the same amount of time in which you feel like you are spinning your wheels...maybe there's some progress but it feels like there is still SO FAR to go. I totally get it.
The thing I've been working on lately is stopping my brain once I start COMPARING myself to others. Because, honestly, NOBODY wins when I play the comparison game. If I decide I'm better than someone else, then I've put them down in order to try and make myself feel better, and ultimately that sucks. And if I decide I'm worse than someone else, I've put myself down and I've put them on some sort of pedestal that makes me jealous and resentful of them, and kind of makes me want to kick that pedestal out from under them. Anyways, not good for anybody. I think it just takes practice. I feel like I've actually made exercise a part of my life, even a habit, but it took a really long time. And the mental thing is somewhat of a habit, too, and requires training your brain, in a way.
So, I think of it this way. I need to fill my brain with good stuff. I need to recognize when I'm thinking things that are not true, or not healthy, or not fair. Sometimes it's just like STOP, BRAIN! and then read a good book, or go exercise (ha) or purposefully tell myself I'm being wrong. Sometimes it's talking it out on here with fabulous people like yourself.
For myself, I know it has gotten better. I have those sucky days less than I used to. And as I go forward, I plan to have them less and less and less.
So here's some truth for you: You are fabulous and awesome, and you still would be even if you never lost another single pound. That is the truth. You are much more than what your body looks like or weighs, and you are an amazing person. Be kind to your body and love it NOW, and enjoy life, using it and making it do stuff, NOW.
Ok, off my soapbox now. 0 -
Ah, yes. I'd be shocked if any woman on here said "No, never experienced this." I ABSOLUTELY know how you feel, too. And honestly, yes, sometimes the success stories are hard, because you see people who have lost all this weight in the same amount of time in which you feel like you are spinning your wheels...maybe there's some progress but it feels like there is still SO FAR to go. I totally get it.
The thing I've been working on lately is stopping my brain once I start COMPARING myself to others. Because, honestly, NOBODY wins when I play the comparison game. If I decide I'm better than someone else, then I've put them down in order to try and make myself feel better, and ultimately that sucks. And if I decide I'm worse than someone else, I've put myself down and I've put them on some sort of pedestal that makes me jealous and resentful of them, and kind of makes me want to kick that pedestal out from under them. Anyways, not good for anybody. I think it just takes practice. I feel like I've actually made exercise a part of my life, even a habit, but it took a really long time. And the mental thing is somewhat of a habit, too, and requires training your brain, in a way.
So, I think of it this way. I need to fill my brain with good stuff. I need to recognize when I'm thinking things that are not true, or not healthy, or not fair. Sometimes it's just like STOP, BRAIN! and then read a good book, or go exercise (ha) or purposefully tell myself I'm being wrong. Sometimes it's talking it out on here with fabulous people like yourself.
For myself, I know it has gotten better. I have those sucky days less than I used to. And as I go forward, I plan to have them less and less and less.
So here's some truth for you: You are fabulous and awesome, and you still would be even if you never lost another single pound. That is the truth. You are much more than what your body looks like or weighs, and you are an amazing person. Be kind to your body and love it NOW, and enjoy life, using it and making it do stuff, NOW.
Ok, off my soapbox now.
I had been thinking about you all morning, Vegas, and I had this big long thing in my head all ready to type out - and then jayliospecky and went and did it for me. She's right. There will be days when the self-love is harder. But it's just like the lifting- some days are tough, and we need to go back and revisit our form so that we'll be ready for the next. You can do it. No - you ARE doing it. Hugs to you.
Took a small deload today on squats from 100 to 90 to fix the form issues you kind ladies helped me see -turns out they were related. If the weight gets too heavy I tuck my pelvis, which tilts me to the right. Whaddyaknow. So, at 90 and with mad focus, I was able to push through 5 x 5 with solid form, and feel much better about the squats. I had a friend with me today, and it was very helpful to get some immediate feedback.
Benched 75 - wasn't sure I'd make it, but I felt really good about the whole set.
Pendlays - I stayed at 90 for another week, and I think I'll stay one week more. I can feel my form wanting to break down in the last rep of each set.
Plus some assisted chin ups and dips.
Have a great weekend all!0 -
So here's some truth for you: You are fabulous and awesome, and you still would be even if you never lost another single pound. That is the truth. You are much more than what your body looks like or weighs, and you are an amazing person. Be kind to your body and love it NOW, and enjoy life, using it and making it do stuff, NOW.
*sniff*
*wobble*
Well fine then, now I feel like I have nothing to say because this was the best. *sniffle*
Mmm ok but. Vegas (and everyone) I basically spent all of last year having little blips like this. I stalled out at the end of 2011 at about 171, things just stopped happening, and I was so HUNGRY sometimes. I upped my cals a bit more (I think from about 1650 to 1850) and that was a huge improvement for me, and I got down to 163 (on low days) and I was like "YEAH! This is working!" And then I spent a couple months just...fighting with it. I don't know. I could look at my diary, I suspect I got a little lazy here and there, but overall I just didn't make progress. Went on our honeymoon in Hawaii and got sick at the end, gained a couple pounds and lost a little strength.
Was super determined to get back to 163 at some point because BY GOD I'D SEEN IT AND WHY COULDN'T I SEE IT AGAIN?
Lifted weights. Cut hard to 1800. Was fine for 2 weeks then miserable (and that is the beginning of a pattern I now recognize). Never saw my weight go down, keep fluctuating in the 165-168 range. I think I saw 164 a few times but it wasn't good enough because it wasn't 163 (oh god this is making me headdesk as I think about it). Raised my cals again. Had some bingey days because 1800 and I are not good. Didn't make progress and stopped weighing myself regularly because all weighing did was make me upset. I'd get on the scale feeling good, see a high number, and spend the rest of the day feeling fat. I'd get on the scale feeling fat, see a low number, and spend the rest of the day wondering how I could still look so fat at such a low number. Got to around November and had been thinking a lot about being happy with my body, etc, then finally thought "F. This. I'll take a break." and decide I was just going to keep lifting and let myself eat what I wanted over the holidays. Ate ALL the candy my friends from MFP sent me when we did a little xmas exchange. Ate all the leftover candy that I hadn't squeezed into their xmas packages. I say that like it was a ton but it wasn't really, 2 bags or so? Regardless, I just ate some when I wanted it and didn't count how many I'd had.
I started over on January 1st at 171.0. You'll notice that's what I weighed in January of 2012 too. Or maybe you won't because I'm a terrible storyteller. Anyway. About 2lbs of that was water, dropped them almost immediately. I've seen 166.6 during my completely random weigh-ins but I also see 169 sometimes. I took a 2 week maintenance break and felt GREAT during it, I felt like I even had some extra fat loss during that time (my tummy looked flatter). As of yesterday and continuing into today I'm 2.5 weeks into my cut and my belly looks terrible, like I made backwards progress. Except I couldn't have (right?), because I'm eating 300-400 calories less on average than I was during my maintenance phase.
And at the end of the metaphorical day, I wear a smaller clothing size than I did last January. It took a long time to confirm that and longer to believe it, but I do.
The point of this entire super long ramble is that, in my experience, constant self evaluation of how your body looks Naked, what it weighs, what your measurements are, what your bodyfat is, are not very helpful to either your physical or mental well being. You love lifting weights. You've learned to eat reasonably, you make healthier choices than you did when you were overweight, and you look good right now. When you go out in public people look at you and see a fit person, not a fat person. ("Other people do not think you look fat" <-- this is my personal mantra some days).
You have good habits. You have a sport/physical activity that you love. Relax. You're doing really good. 99th percentile good. Better than a lot of those success stories good of people who have spent hours frantically exercising and eating salads with fat free dressing every day for lunch. (unless you do the latter, in which case WHY, fat free dressing is gross.)0 -
I think we can all agree that barbells > scales. :bigsmile:0
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I think we can all agree that barbells > scales. :bigsmile:
Amen to that.
After reading all this beautiful stuff from all you beautiful women, I just took the batteries out of the scale and stuck it in the attic. And I've told myself that if I want to get it back down again, I need to pull my pants down, look in the mirror, and squeeze my glute. That ought to put me back on track (and yes, I am loving the fact that I am growing a booty).0 -
I just popped in to say. That was a ****ton of awesome posts, and even though its' gray and cold here again I am cheered.
I'm going to the gym today, and cutting again. Yesterday I had an interview so I didn't eat much as I was nervous most of the day. I did try to pack it on at night, but still only hit 1500. So now I'm worried I won't be able to bench for crap and I'm scheduled to pr today after my deload> workup from a while back. Maybe if I eat a bunch today before gym (not right before) I'll be able to lift some things. :happy:
Great numbers all!0 -
Gosh guys, just... ALL of this. What an incredibly moving series of posts. Vegas, I don't have anything much to add, except that when I try to *force* my body to do something, it usually ends badly. I try my best to be loving & respectful, and to work *with* her.
I like to think about how much my body loves me. She has faithfully served me to the best of her ability every day. I think about all the times I fed her crap, went to work when I was sick, exercised through an injury. Didn't let her get the sleep she needed, put caffeine, alcohol, etc in her to *make* her do what *I* wanted to do. But she just kept showing up, doing as much as she could, always trying to please me, protect me, take care of me.
Today we work in tandem more. She complains, we rest. She's hungry, we eat. She's sick, we stay home in bed. I give her the protein, etc that she needs. We go to the gym together, and if she says, "Oh Boy, I can hardly wait to hit the weights!", then we go hit the weights. If she really isn't feeling it, we take a rest day or we go for a walk with the dog.
Now if *I* don't want to hit the weights that day but she does, we still go do it. I like to make my body happy now, because I am grateful for all the carrying, walking, typing, dancing, sitting, lovemaking, running, crawling that she has done for me. I hope I never try to be a tyrant over my body ever again.
I hope that you can get back to that place with your body -- fast!0 -
So I am supposed to be doing a set of progression photos, measurements and scale weight on Saturday. These would be 6 week shots/numbers as the last (first set really) of pictures were taken when I first started my second cycle of SL at the beginning of March.
I think that I have decided to wait until my 3 months are up to go through all of this. Why?
I think I need to work on loving my body the way it is....and appreciating what it can do more than what it looks like. I think I need to really devote some time to becoming strong and sexy....not necessarily just skinny and sexy. I know that every day I make good decisions and I exercise at least 5 if not 6 days/week. But I find that I'm again getting obsessed with what I eat.....an overwhelming sense of guilt if I indulge in something I shouldn't or if I can't workout.....to the point that I'm not sure it's a healthy obsessive or unhealthy obsession.
I am constantly seeing these success stories where women have dropped 90lbs in one year and yet here I am 18 months in and actually up 12lbs from my lowest weight....and it all started when I started SL. The frustration is tremendous and starting to become demotivating! I love my new lifestyle, don't get me wrong. I don't plan on going back to VLCD or not lifting or anything....I know for sure that I can't reduce my calories much more, if at all, and if I can't lose at 1800....well.....then I need to change my frame of mind.
Has anyone been here? Any words of wisdom or advice?
Sorry for my rant.....just having one of those very frustrating days
I completely agree that loving your body that way it is and appreciating it for what it can do is primary. After years of body dysmorphia, I finally found that I was able to do exactly that. I had been focusing on martial arts and strength training for a while. I had deliberately gained 15 pounds (which put over 40 pounds on all my lifts), on top of the 30 pounds that I gained after retiring from professional dance. I was at my highest weight ever and I realized I liked myself.
Now you are in a different place than I was, as you are trying to lose weight and gain strength at the same time. That is very do-able when you are still new enough to lifting that you can make linear gains, but at a certain point you have to change your programming in order to keep losing and lifting. Stronglifts is not conducive to that, past a certain point, which differs for everyone. Look into some of the intermediate/advanced programs, which have you add weight to your lifts every week instead of every session, or even every month.
Or, you could just focus on getting your lifts up, and getting as strong as possible. You can always cut later if you want to.
Also, I am cutting now, and for the very first time in my life, I have been able to do it without obsessing, or lapsing into all the ED behaviors I used to use to keep my BF under 14%. I think that's because I stopped hating fat on my body and started loving what I could do.
I don't know what will be best for you, of course. Strength training is one of the best things you can do for yourself. :-) I'm glad to hear you don't want to give it up.0 -
WOW, you ladies are great. Really nice, encouraging words from you all. It made me re-think my scale tantrums I have every week. Whats the point??? I need to stop. I am going to weigh in once per month and concentrate on measurements and clothes.
I have only done 2 workouts so far, but love it. So simple, doesn't take forever, and i don't need to carry a clipboard and photos of workouts around the gym with me like I did with NROL4W.
Plus I get to workout with the husband, and it makes me feel a little sexy to lift infront of him!!!!!0
