How Can I Improve? What's going on?

[klm83]

Just to warn you... this is a long post, my apologies, but I didn't want to leave anything out that might be pertinent.

My weight started going up at the end of this summer, and I'm having a hard time getting it to go back down. This summer I got down to 150's from just doing workout classes at the gym (Bodycombat, Zumba, things like that). Using home Accumeasure calipers I was getting a BF reading of 27%. Toward the latter end of summer, I started doing NROLFW, then left for Europe for a whole month in September which kind of did me in and I gained about 7 pounds while I was on vacation and then the weight just kept going up.

So I started back at the gym after vacation, getting right back into NROLFW, but since I was struggling, and weight kept going up, I decided I would hire a trainer. So I hired one of the trainers at the gym, he actually has a BS, which I was hoping would provide a bit of extra knowledge, and I've been working with him twice a week. I've been working with him since November 8th. Started out November 8th at 169lbs, and according to his handheld BF electrical impedance device (which I don't have the highest faith in regarding accuracy) had a BF of around 30%.

Siiigh... let's get to work.

So we've been working since November 8th, and I decided to also get some blood-work done to rule some things out. Some of my symptoms include frequent shakiness and lightheadness in between meals, occasional numbness in my toes, frequent thirst, often feeling like I'm starving and shaky, heart palpitations- even if I had just eaten a high protein meal 2 hours prior... I started wondering if it could be diabetes, or reactive hypoglycemia, or maybe something with my thyroid, or maybe weight gain was due to pregnancy or hormones (although all home pregnancy tests were negative).

Blood-work came back and after 12 hour fasting (overnight, and then coming in for tests around 10am the next morning) was 90. (What's interesting, is when i went in for this test, after not having eaten since dinner the night before... I didn't feel that bad. If I wake up and don't eat- it's not nearly as bad as eating something, and then waiting a few hours later.) My thyroid and prolactin levels were normal. My liver enzymes were just barely elevated. Supposed to be between 15-37 and mine was 39. They told me it wasn't of concern. My overall cholesterol was 132, my LDL was 77, my HDL was 51, and my Triglycerides was 22. Most recent blood pressure I had at the doc office that day was great. (112 over something... can't remember the bottom number, but they told me it was good).

My stats:
5'2", 168lbs
BF (Omron handheld): 30%
larger frame (wrist circumference measurement is 6.5")
according to quiz for body type, (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm) I am 1.5 (mix between Meso and Endo)

Workouts
The workout that my trainer has me on, plus my Pole Fitness class I take....

Recent exercises and weights as of this week (hoping I remembered all the weights fairly accurately, if anything, they should be close estimates)....

Monday:

Upper Body

-10-15 minute calisthenic warmup- jumping jacks, animal movements, inchworm, etc.
-Chest presses (laying on back on a bench, using dumbbells) - 35lbs - 3sets x 10reps each
-Lat pull down machine - 100 lbs, 3x10
-Mountain climber pushups (alternating bringing knee into chest after coming up) - 3 x 10
-Rear Delt Pull (not sure what this contraption is called) - 25-30lbs (have to double check this weight on this one)
-Tricep pull down cable machine (hands starting at chest, pushing down, palms down) - not sure the weight on this one, I'll have to check
-Shoulder Press on Ball with dumbbells- 25lbs, 3x10 (not always able to get all reps on last set)
-Bicep curls - 20lbs, 3x10 (although I'm not always able to eek out those last reps on the last set)

Tuesday:
10 min warmup
45 minute cardio- heart rate maintained at 145bpm
10 min cooldown

Wednesday:

Lower Body

-10-15 minute calisthenic warmup- jumping jacks, animal movements, inchworm, etc.
-Barbell squats: 105lbs - 3x10
-In between doing the barbell squats- 10 jump squats (so three sets of 10)
-Stiff legged deadlifts: 95lbs - 3x10
-One legged lunges holding one weight on opp side: 25lb dumbbell - 3x10
-Hamstring curls on machine (laying on stomach kind) - 50lbs - 3x10
-Reverse crunches - 3 x 10
-Suitcases (standing, barbell in one hand, lean to that side, use opposite side ab muscle to pull yourself up to standing straight again) - 30 lbs, 2x15
-Plank from Elbows - 60 sec, 2 times
-Swimmers on ball (for lower back, alternating arms/legs) - 15 reps
-Upper body lift on ball (laying on stomach, arms behind back, feet on floor) - 15 reps
-Lower body lift on ball (laying on stomach, hands on floor, lifting legs) - 15 reps


Thursday

Pole Dancing fitness class- about 1.5 hours. Usually involves crunches, ab work, planks, squats, and arm work, pushups- you name it for the first 30 minutes. Then the rest of the class is spent learning/doing tricks, spins, and climbs on the pole.

Friday

Sometimes it's just cardio- 10 min warmup, 45 min cardio at 145bmp hr, 10 min cooldown.

But recently, he's been having me repeat upper or lower body workout on Fridays (depending on where we are at on the rotation.)

Saturday
Free cardio day- usually a fitness class, or play some raquetball. Anything that gets me moving and gets my heart rate going.

Sunday
Rest day

Also, sounds like very soon, my trainer is going to be switching everything up- since it's been almost a month now following this routine.


Nutrition

I try to aim for 1800 cals a day. I try for 160g prot, 60g of fat, but I feel like I have a really hard time eating that much protein, and such little carb. Usually I seem to fall around 110-130g of protein, and usually seem to fall around 40g of fat, rest in carbs. At 1800, I feel very hungry all day- it's hard for me to stay at 1800 because of this, and a lot of times I end up at 1900 or 2000. I'm also a recovered disordered eating person- so as much as I am trying to be spot on with my food- I've been letting myself have a bit of dark chocolate here and there, and occasional eating out- because I'm a little fearful of being any more strict with myself (and I realize that for some, maybe my diet doesn't feel strict at all- but it certainly feels that way to me right now).


Here's one day of eating for me (and if you want to see more, here's a link to my log on myfitnesspal (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/kmahly)). You can click the thumbnail to see the larger view.

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9374/nutritions.th.png (http://img257.imageshack.us/i/nutritions.png/)


So wow... if you made it to the end of this very long post of mine, not only are you very patient and kind, but I seriously need to rep ya for sticking with me till the end.....

In summary, I feel a bit stuck. My doc doesn't see anything wrong with me, but I'm sitting here wondering why I'm having such a hard time, and why my weight isn't moving. I feel like I have PLENTY of muscle right now, and really just want to cut, get some of this body fat off- but it doesn't feel like much is happening. I feel like I should have seen at least a bit of weight drop in 1 month's time- 1 pound doesn't seem like much considering a BF percentage of 30%.

Any suggestions? Is my diet just still not tight enough? I'm wondering if my occasional splurges, albeit seeming innocent enough, are actually sabotaging me- even though right now I already feel a bit deprived. I'm curious when I get measured again to see if at least my BF % may have gone down.

[MeMightyMouse]

Hi there! Sorry to hear about the problems you're having, and here's hoping you feel better soon.

I took a quick peek through your nutrition log, and though I only looked at a couple days, I think you may be on track in thinking that you could tighten things up a little. You've probably read a lot of threads on here that mention that sticking to right macros (rather than eating "clean") are what make or break your diet. While I don't disagree with this, for people who have difficulty getting their macros on target or who are having issues with hunger, taking that clean eating/whole foods type approach may be useful because you're likely to be eating foods with greater volume (google volumetrics for more info), have more fiber and have a lower glycemic index. I don't know if that site can do it, but if you can, you might want to start tracking your fiber intake.

You'll also see a lot of threads on this site about the number of times you eat per day not mattering, but you may also want to look into splitting up your diet into fewer smaller meals as it sounds like you could be experiencing blood sugar fluxuations that are leading to you not feeling well, and spreading your food out may help. One option is to divide up your protein grams into the number of meals you plan to eat per day, and get that many at each meal (ie be sure you are eating a serving of protein at every meal). Same for carbs. The downfall to that method is that small meals can easily turn into constant grazing. Another approach is to plan out your entire day's worth of food the night before (or even several days in advance), and eat exactly what you planned to eat when you planned to eat it. It may sound weird, but it'll help get you back on track and stop you from sabotaging your diet by moments of unplanned eating, at least until you find it easier to eat at your target macros without counting everything. One other option worth considering is (if you notice you "cheat" every day), move all your cheat's to 1 day. This wouldn't be a binge day, just a "it doesn't matter if you don't hit your macros" day. You may find your cal overages for the week are actually less by cheating for one full day rather than once or twice every day.

You have a great starting point by knowing what your macros should be. With a few tweaks here and there, I think you could hit those pretty easily and consistenly.

A couple items that could be switched up to help you get there is to adjust your carb choices in general, particularly the cereal choices by removing items such as instant oatmeal, particularly the pre-sweetened kind, and the Chex; 63 grams of carbs is really quite a bit at one serving given what you're aiming for per day. If you're really keen on having cereal, check out something like Special K Protein Plus (14gC, 5g fiber, 10gP and 3gF), or a Fiber One type cereal (original kind, not sweetened). That'll put you way closer to your carb target and get some more fiber in your diet, which may make you feel a bit better.

And since you're trying to get your carbs down and your protein up, you may want to consider something other than a risotto, or change the recipe so that it has more beans/meat/veggies/tofu etc. and a lower ratio of rice to all other ingredients. Try to look for have a more equal carb to protein ratio so you don't have to try to supplement with extra protein at odd times.

Along those lines, I would ditch the Odwalla protein bar... this is my own pet peeve, but I think that kind of product would be more accurately marketed as a carb bar, since there's 3x as much carbs as protein. Protein bars are also very calorically dense and tend to be quite intensly sweet, so I find I usually do better without them and replacing those calories with bulkier foods that are not so intense in flavor (sometimes I think super sweet stuff like that just makes me crave more sweets). Each to their own in that regard, but if you like protein bars in your diet, check out one that's closer to 1:1 carbs/protein ratio, some of the Zone and GNC pro crunch lite ones are that way, I'm sure there are others as well.

Since you eat eggs, maybe try adding a few extra egg whites to your eggs, that'll up your protein quite easily. Cottage cheese is also another easy protein addition... this time of year I really like cottage cheese topped sweet potatoes. Sounds weird but it's really good.

And finally (sorry this was long), try to increase those veggies! That'll help fill you up and fiberous ones should keep you full longer. I would agree with you that the mental sanity you get from an occasional square of dark chocolate is not a problem at all, and that really isn't something that looks like it's having much of an impact on your macros anyway, and it's so yummy :)

Hope you're able to get your health issues sorted out asap and start feeling better!

[birdiefu]

Personally, I would go back to NROLFW rather than the trainer, and work on diet. It's not the training that is keeping you from losing weight.

I agree with the above poster, try tweaking your meal spacing and see if that makes you feel better. Also, try to get in more foods that have more "bang for their buck" - those that are more filling and have more volume per calories. Where are your veggies, girl?! You can have a huge serving a veggies for an equal carb/cal amount of a small serving of rice. I would also dump as much pre-packaged food as possible (protein bars, instant oatmeal). You need more protein, fit it in and plan ahead if you need to. A lot of people who get intense carb cravings find that after a week or so of cutting out a lot of it (especially the sugary or high-fat carbs) find that those cravings or jittery feelings subside.

Read the recipe/meals threads to get some more ideas, too. And while it's okay to have that square of chocolate once in a while, you may want to think of a different preparation for it other than just mowing down the square by itself, which can be sorta unsatisfying. For example, I would often crumble up a square of chocolate in some cottage cheese, I could get that chocolaty goodness in more more bites. :)

If you are eating that close to maintenance as it is, plus added cheats once in a while, it is no surprise that with those added in you are not really losing. You need to tighten that diet down. Yes, you will feel hungry from time to time on a cut, everyone does. You need to find the best ways for you to deal with this, whether with meal spacing, food choices (like add some fats to breakfast for more satiety), etc.

[kdiamond55]

I agree with the above - ditch the processed stuff. I also recommend NROLFW, but you might want a few sessions with the trainer to see what they recommend. They can also help motivate. You might want to look into Paleo, which would cut out the grains and gluten and replace them with fresh fruits and veggies. I have gotten great results cycling this diet.

Good luck! You're certainly organized, which is a GREAT start.

[klm83]

Thanks for the responses so far, you guys are awesome!

Wanted to respond to a couple points made...

Times eating per day
Right now I eat about 5 times a day, sometimes 6 if I have calories left after dinner. I've found from trial and error that I have to eat about every 2 hours in order to not get the shakies. Sometimes this is hard, though... I mean every 2 hours... you feel like you barely get started on something and next thing you know you have to eat again.

Cereal
I know I only posted one day (and not one of my best days, either) but I actually only have cereal about once or twice a week- usually I have some steel cut oats, prepared in fat free milk, and mixed with a TB of natty peanut butter. But sounds like if I am going to have some cereal once or twice a week, I should eat something else. Thanks for the protein cereal recommendation. Also, how are bran flakes? Are those cool to have? (Mmm... bran cereal).

The risotto recipe and veggies
Although it wasn't a meat dish recipe, it included zucchini, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and white kidney beans. So there was definitely some veggies in there. I also had some romaine lettuce with dinner that night. But should I be getting even more veggies than this, though?

I'm not gonna lie... I'm not a huge fan of vegetables- love fruit though- is that a fair trade? How do you guys do your vegetables? I don't mind a salad once in a while, and I don't mind some veggies mixed in with recipes- but I really don't like them cooked on their own (well, unless they are covered in cheese!). Also, I don't mind some veggies raw- but I can't just eat them raw with nothing on them. I usually dip them in low-fat ranch veggie dip. I've heard people recommend hummus as a dip, but tried that once and BLECH! I like hummus- but not on my veggies. Is it okay to eat raw veggies with a low-fat dip? Or would I be better off substituting more fruits? How many servings/cups of veggies should I be aiming for in a day?

Eggs
I almost always eat my eggs hardboiled (not a huge fan of them cooked- although I will eat them if they are over easy, with the yolk). I guess, though, I could probably eat a few hard boiled eggs with the yolk, and then the rest just the whites, tossing the yolks? Doesn't really matter that they are hardboiled I'm assuming. Too bad chickens haven't invented yolkless eggs yet, hahah.

Protein Bar/Whey
Duly noted on scrapping the bar. I can live without the Odwalla, not a big deal. I just thought it was helpful- easy and quick, and it actually had pretty low fat in comparison to other bars. Is it okay, instead then, to supplement with some whey mixed with some fat free milk?

Workout
As long as you guys think the workout looks okay, prolly stick with the trainer for now (I bought my sessions in a package deal, so they are already paid for). The other reason I work with a trainer is for the motivation and accountability. I tend to slack off when I rely only on myself- I wish it wasn't that way, but I recognize that my motivation and commitment is a weak point for me. That was my thought process behind the trainer- I figured if you just paid $800 for 18 sessions- kind of makes you not want to skip out on the gym. It's worked. I haven't missed a session yet. And when your trainer is constantly checking up on you- makes you not want to cheat as much 'cause you know you will catch hell for it (which I did after splurging over a 4-day Thanksgiving weekend). I know it's probably sad to think that you have to pay someone to keep you accountable- but if that's what it takes- I'll do it, lol.

Hunger
What are some solutions for hunger? I've tried drinking green tea in the past, but I feel like it will only delay my hunger for maybe 15-30 minutes after finishing the cup of tea. I've debated appetite suppressing supps in the past- but I've always been afraid to try any kind of supplements because I'm never sure if they are safe or even worth the money. Any tips on dealing with hunger?

Mentality
This wasn't really addressed, but I wanted to bring it up. What should my mental thought process be with cutting? I mean, I've been trying to tell myself that eating healthy foods needs to be my new life now- and that I can't go back to eating whatever I want whenever I want (I wasn't absolutely terrible before, but just sort of lackadaisical healthy eater- eating healthy probably 70-80% of the time, but not counting cals or macros). Now I feel like I'm being much more proactive with my nutrition- really trying to track, count grams, etc. I'm just wondering about the future....

Will I always need to be this strict? Or is it only this strict for cutting? When you hit the BF % you want, does it get any easier? Do you have different macros when you are maintaining? Or will this high-protein, watching all my macros, counting grams thing be a forever habit? I just feel like I need to know so I can set my expectations accordingly. I don't know anyone else -friends or family- that tracks calories or macros or works out on a regular basis- so I really don't have a clue what to expect, or what is normal behavior for someone who's goal is to reach a respectable level of ripped-ness.

[MeMightyMouse]

Thanks for the responses so far, you guys are awesome!
Hunger
What are some solutions for hunger? I've tried drinking green tea in the past, but I feel like it will only delay my hunger for maybe 15-30 minutes after finishing the cup of tea. I've debated appetite suppressing supps in the past- but I've always been afraid to try any kind of supplements because I'm never sure if they are safe or even worth the money. Any tips on dealing with hunger?


You're on the right track by avoiding the appetite suppressants. Eating bulkier, less processed foods with more protein should greatly help with hunger. Try that out for a while before making any other diet related changes (supplements, etc). Make it your goal to get at least your weight in lbs in grams of protein per day, and you noted earlier that your fat content was a bit low also, so raising that up to your goal number too will help a lot. If you're eating 5 times a day, aim for 35g protein per meal to get there. Whey would be one way to do that, but that gets digested fairly quickly and wont keep you full as long as a whole food. It's hard to eat that much protein at first without pre-planning, so you could start this weekend and make a meal plan for the week, cook it and package it up so you've got lunches and snacks ready for the week so you stay on track. You may also want to set a more attainable calorie goal to start with and then taper down once you've gotten used to eating the correct macros and are feeling better. I always figure if planning in an extra 100 calories into my diet keeps me from eating a bag of cookies after dinner, that was 100 calories well spent.

The journals on this site can be a great source of motivation, as well as some of the before and after threads. Reading about someone who's had a great transformation and how they did it can be really helpful.

[klm83]

MeMightyMouse,

Thanks for the suggestions. Do you have a particular journal or two that you particularly like or find helpful? Could you link to your favorites?

[eglionz]

Most of my advice is the same... drop the processed bars. Cut back on the cereal.

I'd also recommend increasing your fat intake. It might help you feel a little more satisfied. I never felt satisfied or full on a higher carb diet.

[AirChair]

A bit of a bump, but am I the only one who sees potential margin of error in that snapshot? Are those just estimates, or actual measures? Things like 0.25 cups milk for 1.25 cups cereal, or 1 tbsp dressing for what I'm assuming is a Red Lobster caesar salad seem rather...low....to me. I also find the value for 1lb of Red Lobster snowcrab legs is 100 kcal higher than that log shows.

Margin of error could be sabotaging your attempts...

[MafiaPrincess]

I'm eating around 1700 calories, 160g protein, 64g fat, 120g carbs. In past I've cut t 1700 and kept going down when I couldn't loose weight. This time around I know what macros are with the posters here help. If I stick to my macros I'm not hungry. In past I was always hungry.

Scrolling through your diary many days have no food entry and the days that do are so light in protein they aren't just below your macros.. they are so low I can see why you are hungry. 30-50g doesn't help make you full.

In my changes to my new diet I have to plan my food better. I have a scale. I weigh everything as I make it. I consciously make carb decisions. They add up too fast. I have to plan what carb heavy choice I'll make and then not have other carb heavy things.

After a workout I have a protein shake I've made in my gym bag. Helps to up the protein too.