Oh When the Girls Come MARCHing in: March Accountability & Weigh-In
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I find the best way to preserve muscle while operating in a calorie deficit is to lift weights and keep my protein intake around 100 grams a day. It's difficult and it requires me to ea protein at every meal along with beans, chickpeas, or quinoa for my carb as well. But it has made a world of difference in the past 3 weeks --- I haven't lost any strength at the gym (I havent gained any either but that's ok, Im cutting bodyfat right now) and I've lost a fair amount of weight so far this month.0
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I find the best way to preserve muscle while operating in a calorie deficit is to lift weights and keep my protein intake around 100 grams a day. It's difficult and it requires me to ea protein at every meal along with beans, chickpeas, or quinoa for my carb as well. But it has made a world of difference in the past 3 weeks --- I haven't lost any strength at the gym (I havent gained any either but that's ok, Im cutting bodyfat right now) and I've lost a fair amount of weight so far this month.1
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My moving average is a bit rubbish at the moment as I started recording my weight the day after I came back from holiday, at which point the scales said 168.4lbs. I know it was mostly water weight, given that I am down 5lbs since that weigh in 9 days ago. My deficit in that time hasn’t been big enough to warrant that level of fat loss. Plus the weekend saw my 2lb ToM weight increase, so that is part of my average too. Meh. It’ll go down again soon enough.
It looks like the weather is slowly starting to pick up now, so am thinking about starting running again. I tried a two minute run on the treadmill on Sunday and that was ok on my foot, but yesterday I just couldn’t get a comfortable stroll going. So yes, I’m a bit worried about that. Mind you, I never did like running on a treadmill, I much prefer the outdoors. And would use the C25K program again. But I think my first step is to buy a new pair of trainers. Ideally some that are a bit narrower at the front as I think the width around my toes is where I struggle since I have lost weight. What doesn't help is that my right foot is at least half a size smaller than my left foot.
Height: 5'10"
HW: 183lbs
SW March: 162lbs (last February weigh in)
Ultimate goal: Around 150-154lbs
March goal: 162
March Body fat goal: 26%
End of February Measurements: Waist 77, Belly 95, Under bust 88, Bust 101
26th April: 179.4lbs - Body fat: 29.6%
31st May: 173lbs – Body fat: 28.2%
28th June: 170.6lbs - Body fat 27.6%
26th July: 168lbs - Body fat 26.9%
31st Aug: 169lbs - Body fat 27.2%
27th Sep: 166lbs – Body fat 26.6%
25th Oct: 164lbs - Body fat 26.3%
29th Nov: 161.4lbs – Body fat 25.7%
20th Dec: 163.6lbs – Body fat 26.1%
31st Jan: 163.6lbs - Body fat 26.2%
7th Feb: 164lbs – Body fat 26.3%
14th Feb: 163.6lbs – Body fat 26.1% (ToM)
21th Feb: 162.2lbs – Body fat 25.8% (Moving average 163.2lbs)
28th Feb: 162lbs – Body fat 25.8% (Moving average 161.8lbs)
7th Mar: HOLIDAY! No weigh in
14th Mar: 165.6 – Body fat 26.5% (Moving average 164.4lbs)
21st Mar: 164.2 – Body fat 26.3% (Moving average 164.6lbs)
28th Mar:
@holytricoli Welcome! That’s exactly how I started. Well done on your progress so far and yes, weight training for the win. In fact, I’d reduce your cardio to maybe 2-3 sessions and fill the rest of your exercise schedule with weight training.
@meghanregan & @theknitpicker – Glad it was helpful! It’s not exact science/maths, but close enough to give an indication.
@curlygirlusn Weights are my favourite. Like you say, getting lighter but not losing strength. If anything (for me personally) gaining some strength – not much, but still.
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Still making good progress. No complaints here other than wishing my kids would stop teaming up and conspiring to keep me awake at night.
Height: 5'1"
HW: 195
SW March: 148.2
Ultimate goal: 130 would be outstanding.
March goal: Nailed my first goal of 145. Maybe 143 or 142 to finish out the month.
March 1st: 148.2
March 6th: 146.8
March 9th: 147.2
March 12th: 145
March 17th: 144.2
March 21st: 143
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Height: 5'3"
SW: 155
CW: 145
GW: 120
BF: 33%
March GW: 143
Stretch goal for March: 140
March 3: 144.6
March 8: 143.4
March 14:142.2
March 21: 143.2
March 31:
I saw a new low of 141.2 on Sunday, but it has crept back up for today. Stupid water weight. Oh well, I know I'm headed in the right direction. I know my body is getting stronger, so there's that. Over the weekend I jogged for 3 minutes in a row, a personal record so far. Also last night I stuck both a wheel pose and a headstand in yoga. I didn't hold either for long, but was happy I got there at all, lol. Hopefully next week those two pounds come back off, and I'll hit my 140 stretch goal. Just gotta keep trekking!
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Height: 5' 6
HW: 168.0 lbs (4/2016)
CW: 145 bs
BF% 22.24
March goal: 142.5
Ultimate goal: 136lbs
BF% Goal 20%
March 1: 145
March 8: 146
March 15: 144
March 22: 147 (TOM arrived today. Ugh)
March 29:
I’m trending .23 for fat loss. Jeez. OTOH this week I noticed my biceps are popping and I have shoulder caps!! Sculpted arms? I’ll take it. This makes me super happy.1 -
Height : 5'8"
HW: 155lbs
CW: 125lbs
Body Fat % : 21.5%
March Goal : 20% bf
Long term goal: 16% bf
March 1: 124.8 lbs
March 8: 129.4 lbs
March 15: 124.9 lbs
March 22: 126.3 lbs
March 30:
I have been more conscious about how drastically my pendulum swings, I'm either eating beautiful well-balanced meals in insufficient quantities or I'm shoving doritos and chocolate in my mouth like my life depends on it. Finding middle ground has been hard for me. The calorie difference certainly isn't big enough to be concerned about disordered eating necessarily but I'm trying to do better. My progress in the gym has been encouraging since I've been forcing myself to make sure I'm netting at least 1600 calories, so hopefully I can stick to this and not panic when I see these fluctuations. At the end of the month I may need to take a break from the scale.
@Crafty_camper123 - That's awesome, I am trying so hard to enjoy yoga, I hope I can get to the point that I'm excited about it like that!1 -
Height: 5' 9"
HW: 173 lbs (four years ago, have been maintaining since then)
CW: 142.8
SOM BF: 24.4
March goal: 143.8 lbs ( - 3 lbs)
March stretch goal 141
UGW: 135
March 1: 146.8 lbs
March 8: 144.6 lbs
March 15: 143.6 lbs
March 22: 142.8 lbs
March 29:
EOM March Weight:
EOM March BF:
TL;DR: I struggled to find my motivation this week, but am trying to push through that.
This week was a slog, but I made it through, and appear to have stayed on the 1lb/week-ish track despite a weekend of eating and drinking socially and not really tracking everything.
I find the hardest part about being not-so-heavy is the motivation. A few weeks in, there's always a voice inside my head that kicks in and is like "why bother, you're fine as is, it's not like you really need to lose weight, it's not like losing a few more pounds will make a huge difference. Wouldn't it just be easier to give up and eat whatever you want?"
This week was the one that that voice kicked in. It also doesn't help that my partner (who is trying very, very hard to be supportive) started to get a bit frustrated. He loves to cook and does a lot of the cooking. He also loves to wing it (rather than following recipes and using measurements), and loves to make rich foods. He has been keeping track of what he adds and how much, and has been relaying this to me before the meal. This sometimes means I half my portion to make it fit within my goal. He expressed frustration that he feels he can't cook for me anymore, and asked for some advice to do better... so we're working on that. He also echoes that voice - says I look great and that I don't need to change.
So - all that said, this week was a hard one. I tried to remind myself why I'm doing this, and why I'm doing it now.
I started the 21 Day Fix a week ago Saturday (at home workout videos are the only way I stay consistent, and I liked that this one has a focus on using weights). The first week I was so sore. The second week I'm feeling a lot stronger, but still struggling with some of the moves. It made me realize that a desk job and very little formal exercise means that I'm not in great shape. One of my motivators is to remind myself of how good I feel when I'm in better shape, and that if I keep at it, I will get there.
My other motivator is around how I look in clothes. I've always had a stronger lower body, and my arms have always been a bit soft. I'm wearing a sleeveless, backless wedding dress in just over five months. I want to look my best.
Beyond that, summer is coming, and I want to feel good in summer clothes.
@rianneonamission Nice work, and great vacation photos! I'm a fan of C25K in terms of working me back into running (I also run with my dog and find that she needs the walking breaks to get the hang of it again). Some stores will actually sell you different sizes of shoe to make sure that you're in the right fit. I also find that listening to podcasts when I'm running keeps me putting one foot in front of the other.1 -
Height: 5' 9"
HW: 169.0 lbs
CSW: 161.1 lbs
March goal: 158 lbs ( - 3 lbs)
Ultimate goal: 145 lbs
March 1: 161.1 lbs (using Feb 28 weight)
March 8: 160.6 lbs
March 15: 159.9 lbs
March 22: 159.3 lbs
March 29:
EOM March Weight:
Yay! Feel like I've made some progress on weight and have made some gains in the gym! Can't wait until it gets a bit warmer here and we can start walking our dog in the morning again, its nice to move a bit before going to work.
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@rianneonamission , I'll be starting a C25K mid-April too. Technically I can run 3-4 km, but I'd really like to improve my cardio endurance as it's in pitiful state. Will be fun having you as a virtual running buddy.
And AMAZING vacation photos! 1 -
@saragd012 Just start small and use modified beginner poses. There are tons of beginner yoga dvd's and you could probably look them up online too. One of my favorite videos I used to do was Shape up With Sharon Mann : Yoga and Pilates. Total a** kicker. But with Beginner, Intermediate and advanced variotions on all her poses. Sadly I lost it in a move and havent replaced it yet. Don't let the scale get to you. I have seen 8lbs in one day myself. It's annoying and kind of discouraging. Just remember it's only water weight. It's a great tool to track your progress, but try to focus on your other accomplishments through the week. Trying to come up with an NSV every week no matter how trivial it seems has been really motivating to me.1
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Height: 1m67 / 5'6"
HW: 64 kg / 141 lbs
UGW: 57 kg / 126 lbs (20-22% BF)
January SW: 62.4 kg / 137.6 lbs (~34% body fat)
February SW (trending): 60.4 kg & 31.8% (19 kg) BF
March SW (trending): 59.2 kg & 30.5% (18.1 kg) BF
March goal: maintain or lose while losing BF.
March 2: 58.2 kg / trending: 59.2 kg / 30.5% (18 kg)
March 9: 58.2 kg / trending: 58.7 kg / 30.2% (17.7 kg)
March 16: 57.8 kg / trending: 58.2 kg / 30.2% (17.6 kg)
March 23: 57.9 kg / trending: 58.3 kg / 30.2% (17.6 kg)
I've nothing to say about last week, except that it was the most insecure and horrendous week (weight loss wise) since I started. Today the whoosh came though and I "lost" a pound overnight. @theknitpicker , I remember you used to post about your struggles with maintenance and how difficult it was. I think now I understand what exactly you meant...
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Height : 5'5"
HW: 172 lbs
CW: 149 lbs
March Goal : 145 lbs
Long term goal: 135 lbs
March 1: 149 lbs
March 8: 148.4
March 15: 147.4
March 22: 147
March 30:
Just a little bit more!1 -
theknitpicker wrote: »Height: 5'0" / 153 cm
HW: 61.7 kg
GW: 47.5
End-of-Feb SW: 55.4 kg / 31.8 % BFP (Moving Average 54.3 kg)
March GW: 53.9 kg / 30.4 % BFP
March 1: 55.4 kg / 31.6 % BFP (Moving Average 54.1 kg)
March 8: 54.9 / 31.8% (Moving Average 54.2)
March 16: 54.9 / 31.3% (Moving Average 54.3)
March 23: 54.0 / 30.4% (Moving Average 54.1)
March 30:
Much better week than the last few, down to a few main changes:
1. I'm not sick. And that has made a massive difference. Stepped up training, PB'd on deadlifts (which still scare the crap out of me), and all around just feel more physically ON IT.
2. I stepped it up at the gym (see point 1). I knew my exercise has been on a downward creep, and my body has thanked me for reversing that trend.
3. I went a bit more aggressive on my deficit, eating at my goal weight deficit numbers, vs. my current weight ones. Not long term, and not by much, but enough so I could see a change in numbers to give me a confidence boost! And it worked! So one more week here to (perhaps) hit BOTH my March goals (which seemed so impossible last week) and then back to normal.
Phew. March has been a total emotional roller coaster, but at lease things are still heading in the right direction!
@Starflight00 Seriously - I found maintenance to be a much bigger mind-fluff than anything on my weight loss journey so far! It definitely helps in preserving LBM, but for me, it definitely played with my mindset more than I thought it would!
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@Urbancowbarn to be fair, I average .225% on fat loss. Slow & steady 1
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theknitpicker wrote: »@Urbancowbarn to be fair, I average .225% on fat loss. Slow & steady
It’s so tough to be patient!! I was just giving myself a slow and steady pep talk. You must have read my mind. Lol!0 -
Height: 5'3”
HW: 127
Ultimate goal: Maintenance. Goal range is 108-113.
SW February: 110.3 trending
SW March: 110.7 trending
March 2: 111.0 (110.7 trending)
March 9: 111.2 (110.9 trending)
March 16: 111.2 (110.8 trending)
March 23: 110.8 (110.8 trending)
March 30:0 -
March goal is 148 lbs. Final goal weight is 140 lbs.
3/01/18 155 lbs
3/09/18 153 lbs
3/16/18 150.5 lbs
3/23/18 151 lbs (what the hell?)
3/30/18
Here's hoping i make it through the weekend without cheating.0 -
Height : 5'10"
HW: 165lbs (about 5-6 years ago)
CW: 142.0
March Goal Weight: 143 (Achieved!)
New March Goal Weight: 142
Long term goal: 140lbs and lower bodyfat percentage
March 2: 147ish (pretty sure the scale I was using was wrong)
March 9: 143.6
March 16: 142.0
March 23: 143.4
March 30:
Scale went up today.
With my monthly about to start any day now, sodium still in my system from grabbing Chinese Wednesday night (it still fit into calories!), and going harder on my workouts this week I can't really say I'm surprised though. Water weight comes off eventually! 1 -
Height: 5'3"
HW: 139lbs
Goal Weight: 110-115lbs
Starting March: 119
March Goal: 115
Jan 05: 121.8
Jan 12: 122.2
Jan 19: 119.4
Jan 26: 119.2
Feb 2: 118
Feb 9
Feb 16
Feb 23: 119.4
Mar 2: 119
Mar 9: 121.8
Mar 16: 119.6
Mar 23: 117.8
Definitely felt like I made better choices this week. Need to go back to focusing on my water intake too.1
