Staying Lean
Replies
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Totally hear you.
Love (and relate to) the "jellybean" focus. That was me during my successful weight loss - when my exercise was moderate and a lower priority, and all of my attention and commitment was on diet. I rejected the symbolic jellybeans too!
But I find I always have to choose. I can't bring that 100% game to my diet AND bring 100% game to my fitness goals. I can have more moderate / less hard goals for BOTH diet and fitness, or intense, hard goals for either / or. But I've only got 100% to play with. So... the more challenging my one goal (currently: fitness is taking 75%), the less focus, energy and drive I seem to have for the other (25% is left for diet).
At this point, I'm really, really into feeling strong and achieving my fitness goals. I'm killing it. But also... eating like 2750 calories a day and sorry-not-sorry about it. I'm 5 lbs above where I feel like I "should" be (10 over my low-low weight, achieved in the 90%-95% diet-focused phase).
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I got down to about 20% bf. It was fun to be the leanest I'd ever been...for about a month. Gym performance started to suffer. I switched my focus to training for a pl competition.
I'm maybe 23% bf now, which is still very lean by "normal" standards..and I've added 100+lbs to my total. 3% extra is totally worth it.3 -
20% isn't really lean so it will be maintainable if you have your intake/expenditure in check.4
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I think it may not be sustainable depending on the time you want to spend. I think for my own life enjoyment I prefer to be less strict with my food and I do not do a massive amount of exercise.
when I was younger I was doing sport on a competitive level and hence I was quiet lean but the sport I did had weight categories and there is quiet'some'pressure to be low on weight.
now I am at 51 kg was gaining to 58 due to pcos and fertility treatment. while I liked how I looked at 48 and how fit I felt I dont think I have the time to train so much 2 to 3 hours a day and I want to eat some of the foods that I did not eat at that time like cake or chocolate. so being that lean is not achievable for me for the effort that I am willing to put into this at this point of my life
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I would stick to what you can comfortably maintain. If you want to drop your bf%, it takes a entire lifestyle change to hold it there, and it's usually not fun. Everybody's weight fluctuates(: 12% is where I'm at 80% of the year. Still gotta cut once in a while, just to remind yourself that it's achievable1
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I've never really been able to find that happy medium point to stay at. When I'm lean enough to see my abs and I like how I look in the mirror I feel weak and tired. When I'm heavier I feel puffy, slow, and bloated. I recently did a 15lbs bulk and I didn't enjoy the feeling of eating in a surplus or having the extra weight on. Now I'm trying to cut back down to my prebulk weight. My original goal was 175-180lbs but I've never gotten below 184-186 even at my leanest.0
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deputy_randolph wrote: »I got down to about 20% bf. It was fun to be the leanest I'd ever been...for about a month. Gym performance started to suffer. I switched my focus to training for a pl competition.
I'm maybe 23% bf now, which is still very lean by "normal" standards..and I've added 100+lbs to my total. 3% extra is totally worth it.
I hear ya! Especially mornings for me... During a cut, I wake up feeling like I never slept. And I survive off of espresso! Lol! My workouts feel cumbersom and I don't get a great pump like when I'm running off of good fuel.
I heard a quote last night in this "America Ninja Warrior," inspired show... the guy said, "I'd rather be able to do really awesome and challenging things then look good." And I think I need to shift my mindset more in that direction. And like you guys have said, maybe do a cut now and then just for the sake of good life discipline.
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After few years of up and down weight I decided that I will focus on the lowest weight I can happily maintain. It isn't as low as I was hoping it will be. But I can't go on trying to hard and not being able to sustain it again
I read this quote and it was life changing for me! I am at my best weight. I have been lower weight before, but I wasn't as happy as I am not and I was not able to sustain it and enjoy my life as much as I do now
Dr Yoni Freedhoff
""Best weight” is a non-statistical goal that is easy to set and easy to explain to patients. Patients can diet themselves down to any weight they put their minds to, but to maintain that weight, they need to actually enjoy the lifestyle that got them there.
A patient’s best weight is therefore whatever weight they achieve while living the healthiest lifestyle they can truly enjoy. There comes a point when a person cannot eat less or exercise more and still like their life. The weight they attain while still liking their life is thus their “best” weight, as without the addition of pharmacotherapy or a surgical intervention, no further weight loss will be possible.
We need to remember that in modern society, eating is not simply about survival. We use food for comfort and for celebration and, with the exception of religious prohibitions, there should be no forbidden foods. If your patient cannot use food to comfort or celebrate, or if they consider certain foods “forbidden,” then they are likely on a diet, and unfortunately diets are known to fail over 95% of the time. For sustainable weight management, a patient should be consuming the smallest number of calories that still allows them to enjoy each day. Some days will simply warrant more calories, such as birthdays, anniversaries, religious holidays, and days when injuries, illness or fights with loved ones occur. Simply put, ice-cream and cookies and their cultural and ethnic equivalents are vital parts of a rich life experience.
With exercise, a patient should be encouraged to be as physically active as possible and include as much additional exercise as they can enjoy each day. Some days obviously will allow for more activity than others, but there is a maximum, above which the patient would run out of time or energy, hurt themselves or come to hate exercise. That is when they quit. Eating less and exercising more within the context of a life the patient does not enjoy is the very definition of a diet, which is why diets almost always fail over the long-term. If a patient does not enjoy the way they are living while they are losing weight, they will almost certainly revert to “normal” practices and gain the weight back."16 -
I love that @HappyGrape ! I am at my "Best Weight" right now too. And your best weight could change through different phases of your life.3
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Love that @HappyGrape thanks for sharing!!!!1
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Anyway, if you want to hold your current weight are the calories a bit higher than when you were maintaining at 20%? I find that if you eat in maintenance and focus on gym performance, the physique starts to come with it. You can recomp a bit and enjoy food.
Yeah, that's really my best bet. While cutting, I got down to a miserable 1,200-1,300 calories a day! My maintenance level is 1,600-1,800 with the occasional 2,000-2,300 on the weekends. But I just look "softer," and "puffier."
take up some exercises n u can eat back half of what u burned plus ur daily maint. allowance0 -
Dr Yoni Freedhoff
""Best weight” is a non-statistical goal that is easy to set and easy to explain to patients. Patients can diet themselves down to any weight they put their minds to, but to maintain that weight, they need to actually enjoy the lifestyle that got them there.
A patient’s best weight is therefore whatever weight they achieve while living the healthiest lifestyle they can truly enjoy. There comes a point when a person cannot eat less or exercise more and still like their life. The weight they attain while still liking their life is thus their “best” weight, as without the addition of pharmacotherapy or a surgical intervention, no further weight loss will be possible.
We need to remember that in modern society, eating is not simply about survival. We use food for comfort and for celebration and, with the exception of religious prohibitions, there should be no forbidden foods. If your patient cannot use food to comfort or celebrate, or if they consider certain foods “forbidden,” then they are likely on a diet, and unfortunately diets are known to fail over 95% of the time. For sustainable weight management, a patient should be consuming the smallest number of calories that still allows them to enjoy each day. Some days will simply warrant more calories, such as birthdays, anniversaries, religious holidays, and days when injuries, illness or fights with loved ones occur. Simply put, ice-cream and cookies and their cultural and ethnic equivalents are vital parts of a rich life experience.
With exercise, a patient should be encouraged to be as physically active as possible and include as much additional exercise as they can enjoy each day. Some days obviously will allow for more activity than others, but there is a maximum, above which the patient would run out of time or energy, hurt themselves or come to hate exercise. That is when they quit. Eating less and exercising more within the context of a life the patient does not enjoy is the very definition of a diet, which is why diets almost always fail over the long-term. If a patient does not enjoy the way they are living while they are losing weight, they will almost certainly revert to “normal” practices and gain the weight back."[/quote]
I love this! When I first started losing weight, I didn't really believe I would be able to do it- and thought that if I lost 10 or 15 pounds, that would be great. I ended up being quite successful and kept increasing the amount I thought I could lose. About 6 months ago, I hit 55 pounds lost- and decided I would keep going another 10 pounds- which would put me in a normal BMI- and at the lowest weight I have been as an adult as far as I can remember.
Great plan- but it just didn't happen! I have been maintaining since then. I have thought about cutting my food more- but at the moment I seem to maintain with about 2,000 calories- and a regular amount of exercise. (probably more than 2,000 as I think I probably underestimate my food- I log food- but not to 100% accuracy).
My best weight- the one that I hope to maintain for the next 40 years or so- is a little higher than I might have liked. But I an healthy, I feel great, my clothes look great, and I've focused on changing my eating habits and being a better role model for my kids. I sometimes still get trapped into thinking I'm not quite there- or 10 pounds less would be better and start getting down on myself. I need to talk to myself and remember my main goals.
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I think the only way for me to maintain that kind of leaness is if it were my job, like a fitness model or such. The $$$ incentive would help, but i think it would be a hard, hungry and somwhat miserable existence for me.
Maybe my age has a little to do with it?? I'm 45 now, and that lean, ripped look isn't high on my agenda like it used to be when i was younger. I'm just glad that I'm healthy, somewhat fit, at a good weight for me, and most of all satisfied and happy.5 -
Since no-one has dropped this yet I'll put this here. One of the best realistic articles on the sacrifices it takes to get and stay lean.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean
and TLDR, the info graphic is here:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic
I fluctuate up and down between lean-ish and lean depending on my life, social life, training schedule and current level of commitment to nutrition. It will be very rarely healthy for anyone, particularly females, to stay lean (15 +/- 3% for females) year round IMHO. I'd say that most people who do that, do it because it's their jobs or superior genetics allows it. For most people I'd say mentally and physically it's better to hold a little more fat and enjoy life.2 -
Since no-one has dropped this yet I'll put this here. One of the best realistic articles on the sacrifices it takes to get and stay lean.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean
and TLDR, the info graphic is here:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic
that is quiet a realistic article and describes fairly well how I feel. the last few kg to get the lean look is not worth the effort for me right now
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My "best weight " is 120 lbs, give or take a couple. Last year I got down to 114 lb and was prolly under 20%. It was cool to achieve that level of leanness. Especially since I am 48 & 5'3. I was fascinated at how my skin felt as thin as paper because I'd lost so much fat on my abs. But, it was not realistic long term.
Any deviation from my diet plan made me feel out of control. I'm maintaining 21% bf pretty easily and still enjoy life
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Since no-one has dropped this yet I'll put this here. One of the best realistic articles on the sacrifices it takes to get and stay lean.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean
and TLDR, the info graphic is here:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic
I fluctuate up and down between lean-ish and lean depending on my life, social life, training schedule and current level of commitment to nutrition. It will be very rarely healthy for anyone, particularly females, to stay lean (15 +/- 3% for females) year round IMHO. I'd say that most people who do that, do it because it's their jobs or superior genetics allows it. For most people I'd say mentally and physically it's better to hold a little more fat and enjoy life.
That was great. In my profile pics I'm 15.1% body fat according to a bod pod, but I think I'm probably not quite that low (I'm 5'6" and I was at 120 lbs). That was last summer. I remember feeling really great about myself and I was so in the zone that I didn't feel deprived and it didn't seem that hard to get there. Then I gained 5 lbs 'cause I let loose a little for the summer. Then I wanted to bulk, but I wanted to get those 5 lbs off so I could start my bulk from the lowest possible body fat I had been at and it was just impossible for me to get those 5 lbs off again! So, I bulked at a starting point of 125 lbs, gained 20 lbs over the winter and it was glorious at the time! I'm back down to 130 after almost four long months of cutting and it's just such a struggle this time.
Like a lot of people here, I yo yo'd for 20 years. I thought I was over the mental craziness that comes with that struggle. That body I had last summer was still very, very new to me and I have to say the bulk/cut cycle, even though it was very controlled, has turned out to be so reminiscent of the out of control up/down yo-yo'ing that I did. I'm not sure I'm far enough away from my "before" way of life to handle it AND be patient with the process. Add to that that I never plan on competing and what am I doing this for again? Oh right, I want to look and feel good
Ramble over.2 -
Since no-one has dropped this yet I'll put this here. One of the best realistic articles on the sacrifices it takes to get and stay lean.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean
and TLDR, the info graphic is here:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic
I fluctuate up and down between lean-ish and lean depending on my life, social life, training schedule and current level of commitment to nutrition. It will be very rarely healthy for anyone, particularly females, to stay lean (15 +/- 3% for females) year round IMHO. I'd say that most people who do that, do it because it's their jobs or superior genetics allows it. For most people I'd say mentally and physically it's better to hold a little more fat and enjoy life.
Great resources! What an encouraging perspective!0 -
Since no-one has dropped this yet I'll put this here. One of the best realistic articles on the sacrifices it takes to get and stay lean.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean
and TLDR, the info graphic is here:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic
that is quiet a realistic article and describes fairly well how I feel. the last few kg to get the lean look is not worth the effort for me right now
The graphics suggest that men "may" get a 6-pack at 6-9% BF which I do not think is generally true.
10% was low enough for me to get them and most other references on the Net that I've seen suggest that 10-12% is enough to achieve that, which again was the case for me.
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If you're doing a 50k right now, I'd stop worrying about leanness and focus on performance. Then, in the fall/winter, eat a bit more a do some kind of heavy squat/glutes program and bulk up a few pounds. Then next spring you'll have more muscle and you can eat more and look leaner!
Oh, that's pretty close to what @sardelsa said.
Also, take some pictures- you probably look almost exactly the same but feel squishier.4 -
trigden1991 wrote: »20% isn't really lean so it will be maintainable if you have your intake/expenditure in check.
20% is considered the high end for athletes so I think it's pretty lean for a female. Maybe not 6 pack lean lol but still5 -
Verity1111 wrote: »trigden1991 wrote: »20% isn't really lean so it will be maintainable if you have your intake/expenditure in check.
20% is considered the high end for athletes so I think it's pretty lean for a female.
Me too!
I have no illusions that i'll ever be 20% body fat. I think 22-23% is definitely doable though.2 -
It's so funny, I was pretty lean a few years ago and as much as I loved it, looking back, it kinda sucked. I didn't do/eat anything fun, I was freezing all the time, I was tired, had dark circles under my eyes, and was pale. Now sitting around 21-23% BF, higher weight than ever (130 at 5'3), thicker hair, better complexion, eating/drinking almost anything I want (I have a decently healthy diet anyways). I'm WAY happier now! And I was still self conscious when I was that lean, I'm way less self conscious now. I feel more free and happier in general5
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lbaxandall wrote: »It's so funny, I was pretty lean a few years ago and as much as I loved it, looking back, it kinda sucked. I didn't do/eat anything fun, I was freezing all the time, I was tired, had dark circles under my eyes, and was pale. Now sitting around 21-23% BF, higher weight than ever (130 at 5'3), thicker hair, better complexion, eating/drinking almost anything I want (I have a decently healthy diet anyways). I'm WAY happier now! And I was still self conscious when I was that lean, I'm way less self conscious now. I feel more free and happier in general
Being lean and being healthy don't HAVE to be exclusive of each other. Though, I guess I'm not sure what you mean when you say you were "pretty lean"...0 -
Since no-one has dropped this yet I'll put this here. One of the best realistic articles on the sacrifices it takes to get and stay lean.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean
and TLDR, the info graphic is here:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic
I fluctuate up and down between lean-ish and lean depending on my life, social life, training schedule and current level of commitment to nutrition. It will be very rarely healthy for anyone, particularly females, to stay lean (15 +/- 3% for females) year round IMHO. I'd say that most people who do that, do it because it's their jobs or superior genetics allows it. For most people I'd say mentally and physically it's better to hold a little more fat and enjoy life.
This article was really, really eye-opening for me. Like, really. I identify with "Bill" so much - I'm so close to "awesome", and I'm frustrated that what I'm doing isn't getting me there. I needed someone to break it down for me like this.
Doesn't mean I don't still want it, but recognizing that it's a whole separate step, and that I have to be willing to make other "tradeoffs" is an important realization in deciding how "badly" I want it. The "hard" transition is something I don't think I appreciated.3 -
JeepHair77 wrote: »Since no-one has dropped this yet I'll put this here. One of the best realistic articles on the sacrifices it takes to get and stay lean.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean
and TLDR, the info graphic is here:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic
I fluctuate up and down between lean-ish and lean depending on my life, social life, training schedule and current level of commitment to nutrition. It will be very rarely healthy for anyone, particularly females, to stay lean (15 +/- 3% for females) year round IMHO. I'd say that most people who do that, do it because it's their jobs or superior genetics allows it. For most people I'd say mentally and physically it's better to hold a little more fat and enjoy life.
This article was really, really eye-opening for me. Like, really. I identify with "Bill" so much - I'm so close to "awesome", and I'm frustrated that what I'm doing isn't getting me there. I needed someone to break it down for me like this.
Doesn't mean I don't still want it, but recognizing that it's a whole separate step, and that I have to be willing to make other "tradeoffs" is an important realization in deciding how "badly" I want it. The "hard" transition is something I don't think I appreciated.
Yes, thank you for sharing this. I keep thinking it shouldn't be so hard to get to the next level of fitness, but some of my goals may not be realistic if I want to keep a full-time job and at least a bit of a social life! I really need like 9-10 hours of sleep to maintain the routine I'd like to do.1 -
JeepHair77 wrote: »Since no-one has dropped this yet I'll put this here. One of the best realistic articles on the sacrifices it takes to get and stay lean.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean
and TLDR, the info graphic is here:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic
I fluctuate up and down between lean-ish and lean depending on my life, social life, training schedule and current level of commitment to nutrition. It will be very rarely healthy for anyone, particularly females, to stay lean (15 +/- 3% for females) year round IMHO. I'd say that most people who do that, do it because it's their jobs or superior genetics allows it. For most people I'd say mentally and physically it's better to hold a little more fat and enjoy life.
This article was really, really eye-opening for me. Like, really. I identify with "Bill" so much - I'm so close to "awesome", and I'm frustrated that what I'm doing isn't getting me there. I needed someone to break it down for me like this.
Doesn't mean I don't still want it, but recognizing that it's a whole separate step, and that I have to be willing to make other "tradeoffs" is an important realization in deciding how "badly" I want it. The "hard" transition is something I don't think I appreciated.
Yes, thank you for sharing this. I keep thinking it shouldn't be so hard to get to the next level of fitness, but some of my goals may not be realistic if I want to keep a full-time job and at least a bit of a social life! I really need like 9-10 hours of sleep to maintain the routine I'd like to do.
My body demands 8-10hrs of sleep now. I HAVE to get it. I have friends desperately trying to lose weight on 4-5hrs sleep and they refuse to see it's holding them back. But then again, when you have 6 kids, a husband that travels and a writing career (one example) I'm not sure how you do it all either.1 -
mom23mangos wrote: »JeepHair77 wrote: »Since no-one has dropped this yet I'll put this here. One of the best realistic articles on the sacrifices it takes to get and stay lean.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean
and TLDR, the info graphic is here:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic
I fluctuate up and down between lean-ish and lean depending on my life, social life, training schedule and current level of commitment to nutrition. It will be very rarely healthy for anyone, particularly females, to stay lean (15 +/- 3% for females) year round IMHO. I'd say that most people who do that, do it because it's their jobs or superior genetics allows it. For most people I'd say mentally and physically it's better to hold a little more fat and enjoy life.
This article was really, really eye-opening for me. Like, really. I identify with "Bill" so much - I'm so close to "awesome", and I'm frustrated that what I'm doing isn't getting me there. I needed someone to break it down for me like this.
Doesn't mean I don't still want it, but recognizing that it's a whole separate step, and that I have to be willing to make other "tradeoffs" is an important realization in deciding how "badly" I want it. The "hard" transition is something I don't think I appreciated.
Yes, thank you for sharing this. I keep thinking it shouldn't be so hard to get to the next level of fitness, but some of my goals may not be realistic if I want to keep a full-time job and at least a bit of a social life! I really need like 9-10 hours of sleep to maintain the routine I'd like to do.
My body demands 8-10hrs of sleep now. I HAVE to get it. I have friends desperately trying to lose weight on 4-5hrs sleep and they refuse to see it's holding them back. But then again, when you have 6 kids, a husband that travels and a writing career (one example) I'm not sure how you do it all either.
Omg I wish I could get at least 7.. instead it's 5-6h of broken up sleep if I'm lucky. I always wonder what kind of progress I would have with more sleep ...1 -
Since one of your goals is to build up the glutes, perhaps rather than focusing on getting back down in weight and getting leaner, maybe eating at maintenance and doing more lower focused training you can recomp, and even if you gain a little extra it won't be the end of the world (and may even be a good thing!). Then if you have a vacation, special event, etc you can focus on leaning down again. So basically you are going between focusing on growth/bodybuilding/performance, and then being lean for short periods of time. I don't know where you live, but you can also cycle between being more lean for hotter months, then a bit heavier (less lean) during the cool ones. Whatever you prefer.
That is what I would do vs. trying to be very lean all the time.
Yesssss, so much of this!!! I stayed very lean for about a year but it was definitely a grind tracking all of the time....then I switched to this exact approach and it was a game changer for me. Now I get to enjoy being very lean in the summer but get to become more lax with my diet in the fall/winter and eat in a way that fuels performance and muscle growth. I've learned to appreciate both my lean summer body and strong fluffier winter body, I think it's been the key to my diet sanity.3 -
Well, maintaining 6-7% was relatively difficult and definitely took it's toll. I maintained it for about 6 months, and then life happened and it wasn't really possible any more. Now I'm trying to get back there.0
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