Before & After - 2 mo. Pic TDEE-20% & Lifting Heavy

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Replies

  • RobinsEgg
    RobinsEgg Posts: 3,702 Member
    Thank you so much - you're quite an inspiration!
  • pilarter
    pilarter Posts: 49
    I have a question here, because I don´t like lifting heavy. I read that lifting lighter would eventually work out well too, and I really love cardio. I am at a stall for the last 4-5 weeks. I recently purchased a Fitbit Zip (10 days ago) and since then I am eating at TDEE -20%.
    The question is: Would this work for me, not lifting heavy, just very light weight, and doing lots of cardio? Do I have to lift heavy if I only want to lose 5 more pounds and decrease 5% BF?
  • OtiWanKenobi
    OtiWanKenobi Posts: 340 Member
    Check out this program - stronglifts.com 5x5 I just switched to TDEE and this program. I haven't gained any weight in fact today I lost 1.5 lbs. It's really easy to do and you won't have to spend a lot of time in the gym.

    I will. I'm currently looking into starting strength which seems to be a similar program. Thanks for the tip!
  • OtiWanKenobi
    OtiWanKenobi Posts: 340 Member
    I have a question here, because I don´t like lifting heavy. I read that lifting lighter would eventually work out well too, and I really love cardio. I am at a stall for the last 4-5 weeks. I recently purchased a Fitbit Zip (10 days ago) and since then I am eating at TDEE -20%.
    The question is: Would this work for me, not lifting heavy, just very light weight, and doing lots of cardio? Do I have to lift heavy if I only want to lose 5 more pounds and decrease 5% BF?

    Well you should lose weight with TDEE-20% and working out regardless. :) I say try the light weights and more reps and see how that works for you. I've heard and from personal experience that it does help with endurance. That's the type of workout I was doing before I started lifting weights.

    I did a lot of cardio ( running long distances, yoga sculpt which is like insanity with yoga and 5lb weights, ryder -spinning class). So I will say that it did build my endurance. But because I was at such a high deficit I wasn't seeing the weight come off. I would do an hour or more of each 5 times a week. my arms and legs were still flabby...jiggly.

    I started lifting weights because I wanted to become stronger and lose body fat. I also wanted to tone my arms and lose the flab. After lots of researching I learned that in order to lose body fat, I needed to build muscle and the only way to do that was to lift heavy and to lift heavy you need to eat more, etc.

    My personal advice is to try it for several weeks and see how it works for you! :) The key here is to eat more to properly fuel your body for those exercises.
  • Naturally_EB
    Naturally_EB Posts: 44 Member
    Congrats on your success so far! :flowerforyou: Your story is very motivating!

    I've recently started eating my TDEE-20% as well. It's only been a week and I'm very nervous that I won't see any results. Usually, I would go to the gym and only focus on cardio 3x/ week, but now I know I was going about everything all wrong. I'm now determined to incorporate strength training into my regimen 3-4x/week with some cardio after I train.
  • angy67
    angy67 Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you so much for posting and congrats on your progress!! I feel that the same has been happening to me. I have eaten too little for too long trying to lose and only to stay the same or gain while working out hard!! I am on week two of eating 20% of my TEE feeling leaner and better all around. Congrats to you for keeping the faith and trying something new :) You look great!!
  • gangstagirl625
    gangstagirl625 Posts: 187 Member
    what is TDEE it is driving me crazy that i don't know what it stands for????? plz help
  • nagniho
    nagniho Posts: 132 Member
    what is TDEE it is driving me crazy that i don't know what it stands for????? plz help

    TDEE stands for Total daily Energy Expenditure

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    HA! You rock woman!
  • snowmanluv
    snowmanluv Posts: 200 Member
    Thanks for posting especially this pics. I started with the lower numbers not losing any. I went to tdee and gained after 1 1/2 weeks. I was a little discouraged but I didn't know about the learning curve per say. Had a friend lose 22 with way, way low numbers. . I went back down to 1200 with 20-25% fat. Lots of people have lost tons of weight eating 1500-1700 calories and working out. (50-100 pounds lost). It can be done.
  • tenajh
    tenajh Posts: 208 Member
    Your hard work both mental and physical really shows!! So proud of you -- love this before and after story ; )
  • OtiWanKenobi
    OtiWanKenobi Posts: 340 Member
    Thanks for posting especially this pics. I started with the lower numbers not losing any. I went to tdee and gained after 1 1/2 weeks. I was a little discouraged but I didn't know about the learning curve per say. Had a friend lose 22 with way, way low numbers. . I went back down to 1200 with 20-25% fat. Lots of people have lost tons of weight eating 1500-1700 calories and working out. (50-100 pounds lost). It can be done.

    Yeah, my journey began in 2011 at 245 pounds and I lost a lot of weight at being at a restrictive calorie goal of 1200 cals. I very seldom ate back my exercise calories too. I lost close to 50 lbs. but for the past 1 1/2 yrs I've been stuck in the high 190's. there came a point that I thought maybe this was the weight I was supposed to be. Nothing I did would help budge. I trained for a 1/2 marathon where I ran about 30 - 40 miles a week and I barely lost 3 lbs.

    I did the TDEE-20% in January and gained and gave up. But after learning about the time it takes for your body to adjust (4-6 weeks) prompted me to try again.

    That's why I hope more people see this and realize that it may work for them if they have patience with their bodies and that they don't need to starve themselves to achieve the same results with a restrictive diet.
  • maegmez
    maegmez Posts: 341 Member
    Amazing results! I love success stories like this because it gives me more courage to start lifting....but I have to wait about 9 months plus recovery time now!
  • tulsaplumber
    tulsaplumber Posts: 1
    That is amazing...Great for YOU!
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    You look great! Keep it up!
  • OtiWanKenobi
    OtiWanKenobi Posts: 340 Member
    You look great! Keep it up!

    Thanks! & thanks for bumping this!
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    You look great! Keep it up!

    Thanks! & thanks for bumping this!

    Anytime!!
  • savetheteaboy
    savetheteaboy Posts: 12 Member
    That is awesome! You look amazing! You have most definitely reassured me that eating my TDEE - 20% is the best way forward :D
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    YAAAY! Great progress! Big difference between those two photos and the measurements you posted--well done, and thanks for sharing your photos and how you're doing it.

    :flowerforyou:
  • sinistras
    sinistras Posts: 244 Member
    What? Pregnant? I was doing heavy lifting the DAY before my son was born--yes, squats. My labor was highly efficient, about 4 hours for first baby, and recovery was quicker than I expected--thanks to lifting. Use those muscles and have a way better pregnancy and recovery than the average Jane!

    Amazing results! I love success stories like this because it gives me more courage to start lifting....but I have to wait about 9 months plus recovery time now!
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
    Thanks for this post, I've just bought the New Rules book and its great to hear of success stories with lifting. I want to try and lose around 20lbs by the end of June for when I fly out to see my hubby in the states so I guess I should make a start this week, haha!!! He's got an apartment which has about 3 gyms on site so I could carry on while I'm there too, save me putting on too much weight with all that lovely food over there x
  • calaz84
    calaz84 Posts: 72 Member
    Wow... love the responses. thank you so much!

    I'll try to answer everyone's questions....

    I followed "helloitsdan" In Place of a Roadmap otherwise known on here at IPOARM.

    I did read the whole book "New Rules of Lifting for Women", however, for me I found it to be too restrictive and hard to follow for some reason as I'm a person that loves to run. HOWEVER, it's a great book to read if you're just starting out because it gives you a lot of background of how lifting works and it's easy to read. I do recommend you read this because it may work for you and if not at least you'll gain knowledge and confidence. :)

    I ended up following Jamie Eason's livefit plan which is free. I followed her plan but modified in the sense that I ran on one or two of the rest days in the first phase. I also didn't go by her diet...followed my own, but with some of her tips and recipes.
    I found her plan easy to follow and she also post pics and videos of the sets in case you're not sure of the proper form.

    I also went to my personal friends who lift for advice and encouragement as this was really scary and intimidating for me.

    ***I GAINED WEIGHT THE FIRST TWO WEEKS. After raising my calories I gained and I was discouraged. HIDE THE SCALE!!! My husband hid it from me while I was at work. So be patient, you're body will eventually let go. IT TOOK A MONTH TO SEE AND FEEL ANY CHANGES (**this was the case for me because I was eating at high deficit for over a year!!!). & if you're lifting weights you definitely don't want to weigh yourself everyday because your muscles repair themselves by retaining water and glycogen.

    Make sure you take measurement and pictures. You really don't notice the changes until you see it in pictures. I found a great app on the iPhone called Body Shot that helps keep track of your measurements and pics and does the whole comparison thing for you.

    I work out at my home gym where I have several heavy hand weights and I work out at my work gym...they have free weights, a smith machine, etc.

    However, right now I'm in the process of finding a local gym that has all free weights because as I've been learning from other lifters is that the smith machine doesn't give you the full benefit because you're not learning how to balance the bar when squatting or pressing.

    I was actually kind of shocked at how quickly my body changed. I was working out 5 days a week, doing rigorous exercises where I was burning like 500 - 700 cals and hour and my body just did not want to budge. Now I workout 1/2 as much.

    I think a combo of eating more and lifting definitely got my metabolism going. I'm much more happier now that I am eating more because I see it as fuel not as something to fear.

    Hope this helps some of y'all!



    This is great thanks so much for this post!!!
  • calaz84
    calaz84 Posts: 72 Member
    Dang I cant get the body shot app it requires ios6 and I refuses to update because I love my map!!! I'll look for one similar.
  • pilarter
    pilarter Posts: 49
    Thank you! I will keep on this for a few more weeks. Right now I am highly discouraged, I gained almost 4 pounds in those 12 days. I have reaad that this happens, that my body needs time to adapt after a lifetime eating too little calories, but I am not hopeless because I still fit in my recently adquired size 10 slimfit jeans :wink:
    And because I love having plenty of calories to eat everyday, sometimes I cannot eat that much ot feeling bloated. WOW!
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    Wow - seriously well done, amazing job in just 2 months.

    Bumping this for sure so I can read back on it. x
  • Tandi_S
    Tandi_S Posts: 439 Member
    This thread is full of win! Congrats on your progress and keep it up!

    :drinker:
  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
    In For Supporting You!!!!
    Looking Great Woman, in a short amount of time.

    3c0372e0-7d44-4b33-b01a-e0f667475340_zps06784309.jpg

    Since you like Doggies!!
  • OtiWanKenobi
    OtiWanKenobi Posts: 340 Member
    In For Supporting You!!!!
    Looking Great Woman, in a short amount of time.

    3c0372e0-7d44-4b33-b01a-e0f667475340_zps06784309.jpg

    Since you like Doggies!!

    Awwww that's awesome! Soooo cute! Thanks. I love the doggies! :D
  • OtiWanKenobi
    OtiWanKenobi Posts: 340 Member
    What? Pregnant? I was doing heavy lifting the DAY before my son was born--yes, squats. My labor was highly efficient, about 4 hours for first baby, and recovery was quicker than I expected--thanks to lifting. Use those muscles and have a way better pregnancy and recovery than the average Jane!

    Amazing results! I love success stories like this because it gives me more courage to start lifting....but I have to wait about 9 months plus recovery time now!

    OMG yes! We're planning on starting a family but I totally plan of lifting and exercising while pregnant. :D Thanks for your feedback on that because it encourages me to definitely continue weightlifting. The hubby told me I was nuts!
  • goodtimezzzz
    goodtimezzzz Posts: 640 Member
    LOOKING GREAT KEEP IT GOING HOT STUFF!!

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