View Full Version : Cut it out...(da fat, that is)
Hey folks. Tomorrow will mark the first day of a glorious 12 week cut. It will be rife with lots of carb depletion, ovary-busting weight-lifting sessions, and intense cardio. I can't wait to go to sleep just so I can wake up and enjoy each exciting minute of it!
On a less facetious note, I should provide a bit of background information in case someone stumbles upon these furtive ramblings and would actually like to comment.
I've been running seriously for a couple of years now. My latest athletic achievement was finishing the Honolulu marathon last December. Unfortunately, I suffered a rather nasty hip injury this past March and have not ran with any consistency since then. I thought I might as well do something to improve my body while the hip recovered, and so I started lifting heavy weights (mostly for the upper body, since the leg was totally out of commission) and eating vast amounts of food, especially protein. The result: I've gained 20lbs since the marathon, 10-12 of which is fat. I am currently at 150lbs and probably 25-27%bf. I feel confident that I can cut 14-16lbs over the next 12 weeks, but I've decided to set a conservative goal of 138lbs and 18%bf.
Concerning nutrition, I'm shooting for something like this for the first week:
Weeks 1
1775 calories------295/meal
168 protein--------28g/meal
36 fat----------------6/meal
200 carbs-----------33/meal
I'll be very pleased indeed when I stick to that plan like industrial strength glue. Notice there isn't much toying around with the calories and macros here. I want to start off with a simple and easy week so as to avoid an unduly painful shock to the body and the psyche, which would probably result in burnout. However, I plan on tinkering with the nutritional variables as the weeks progress.
Concerning cardio and weights, this is the plan for the first week:
Mon
HIIT 20min
Back * Biceps
Tue
HIIT 20min
Chest * Triceps
Wed
HIIT 20min
Thur
HIIT 20min
Delts * Abs
Fri
Hams * Quads
Sat
Rest
Sun
Rest
Goal wt: 148.5
I'll do 5 minutes of injury-preventing warming up and cooling down for the HIIT sessions. A bit of stretching will occur after the cardio and during the weight-lifting workouts. The weight-lifting sessions will last approximately one hour and will be moderately intense. I want to lift hard enough to keep my strength, but not so hard that the muscle cannot recover because of the calorie restriction. The first week's workouts are similar to the nutritional program in that they won't be so gut-busting and energy depleting that I'll want to quit before I even get started. Of course, like the nutritional plan, the workouts will become progressively more difficult and taxing. After all, this body of mine loves to hang on to its fat and will need a hard prod or two in order to break through the inevitable plateaus.
This foray into journaling the cut serves many purposes. One is to eradicate loopholes that allow for self-deception. In other words, I think documenting the cut will keep me honest and motivated. Another benefit will hopefully be you, dear knowledgable reader. I definitely appreciate the sound advice of those who frequent this forum. A third benefit--and one that comes with all accurate record-keeping of physical endeavors--is that I'll be able to monitor progress and see what leads to success or failure. This will definitely aid in avoiding the same mistakes on the next go 'round. Ah, but there are myriad other benefits as well, which I would like to chat at length about, but I'm sleepy and could do with a bit of rest. Until tomorrow....(when the joyous hell begins)
Ciao,
Hams
Yes, the first day of this stupendous cut is almost over. It has gone very well thus far. Since I have a very bad habit of overeating late at night, I'm going to go on to bed after this less than stellar, but informative entry.
During a cut, I think the focus should primarily be on one's diet. After that, weight-training; and after that, cardio. I'll follow that order.
Diet:
Meal#1--12:45pm
3/4 c oats
1/2 c buttermilk
4 egg whites
Meal#2--3:30pm
banana
1 scoop ON Whey
1 tbsp peanut butter
Meal#3--5:15pm
same as meal #2
Meal#4--7:45pm(PWO)
1 scoop ON Whey
1/2 scoop Endurox
Meal#5--8:30pm
4 oz baked salmon
big salad w/ 1/4 avocado
(my salads are always comprised of spinach, brocolli, carrot, red onion, cucumber, mushroom, tomato, balsamic vinegar, and some source of fat)
Meal#6--11:00pm
1 c cottage cheese
Calories: 1720
Notes: Well, I woke up late today--around 10 am--and didn't have my first meal until 12:45. I was still full from the "night-before-my-diet-begins" binge. I took in 2-3 cups of coffee, but drank a ton of water all day. I vaguely remember a craving or two for something other than what was on my diet plan, but resisted. The calories are a little lower today than I'd like, but yesterday's diet has averaged it out. Tomorrow I'll bump 'em up to 1775. Oh, and I WILL withstand my night-time cravings.
Weight-training:
Back:
Deadlifts--warm up set with the bar; 12x75lbs; 10x95lbs; 8x115lbs--whew! That last set took a lot out of me. Deadlifts feel soooo good, though, as the whole body has to be involved in the effort.
T-bar rows--12x45; 10x55; 10x55--the gym I go to doesn't have an actual T-bar, and so I just used the end of the bar I was using for deadlifts. I like how this lift works the muscles closest to the spine.
Wide & normal grip pullups (assisted machine)--warm up set with low poundage; 10x70 (normal); 8x85 (wide); 10x70 (normal)--at 150lbs, I was pulling up 80lbs of my weight. I will be so extremely happy when I can do a set of pullups unassisted. I think that when I can do 5 on my own, I'm going to go out and celebrate with a couple of beers and maybe a shot of Crown. Oh, but my back is slow to grow :(
Biceps:
Standing BB curl--12x30lbs; 10x30lbs; 8x40lbs superset with
Concentration curl--10x10lbs; 8x15lbs; 10x10lbs
I did these reps nice and slow, which resulted in one hellacious pump. I felt my arms were going to blow right off my body there was so much blood in them.
Just a note: I always stretch between sets and I flex 10-15 times after I'm finished with the exercise. This helps me make a better connection with the muscle, plus it adds to the pump. This was definitely a good workout. Oh, I almost forgot about the ******* who was trying to make fun of me when I told him he was standing in front of my mirror. He was a scrawny fella who had the momentum really flowing on his db bicep curls. After he attempted to mock me, I jumped up from my T-bar rowing and stood right between him and his mirror and said, "Kind of annoying when you can't see yourself working out, isn't it?" He then said something like, "Well, I hate hippies." I have no idea what the hell he was talking about, as I'm not a hippie. In general, I like hippies and would not be offended at being called one. He was probably embarrassed that I called him out on his unforgivable breach of gym etiquette. Yeah for me that I suppressed my urge to smash his face in! Okay, where was I? Ah yes.
Cardio:
I had planned on doing 20 minutes of HIIT on the elliptical trainer, but my right quad has been seriously sore since I did my leg workout Saturday. I decided to give the quad a break and forego the cardio today. Depending on the level of soreness tomorrow, I may do a HIIT session.
Just 27 more days to go before the first phase of the cut is over.
imperfectly_lou
07-19-2004, 08:38 PM
Welcome to the journal section! It looks like you are doing really well! Keep up the good work!
Emma-Leigh
07-20-2004, 03:45 PM
Welcome :)
Your journal looks like it is going to be a great one to read, hope you don't mind if I look in on your life from time to time! :D
Keep up the good work.
Mercy me, another day nearly done and gone! Emma-Leigh and imperfectly_lou, thank you both for welcoming me :) I very much appreciate your positive encouragement. Now, without further ado...the
Diet:
Meal#1--9:30am
1/2 c oats
1/2 c buttermilk
tsp flax oil
5 egg whites
Meal#2--12:00
scoop of ON Whey
banana
tbsp peanut butter
Meal#3--2:00
Protein sandwich
(scoop of ON whey and 2 slices of bread)
Meal#4--5:15pm(PWO)
scoop of ON Whey
scoop of Endurox
Meal#5--6:30pm
can o' tuna
1/2 c homemade pasta sauce (nuthin' fancy)
1/2 c quinoa
Meal#6
4oz salmon
salad w/ blue cheese [the best cheese ever (as of right now, I mean)]
Calories: 1765
Notes: I spent my entire breakfast on the phone with my mother. Should I even mention that it was the only meal today that gave me problems with digestion?? As we like to say in the South with a subtle hint of pseudo-sincerity, "Bless her heart." Too bad the accent doesn't quite come across. In any case, after that first meal, the diet felt like a day in a hammock. In fact, I'm wondering if I've gotten the calories right on, as I feel much fuller than usual this evening. Perhaps this has something to do with the wads of protein that have been consumed. Looking over the contents, I'm going to swap a protein powder meal for an egg white meal, much as I hate to do it. Egg whites are absolutely disgusting and nasty and I loathe every second they are on my plate, in my mouth, and passing through my digestive system. Oh I could really go off on this, but must implement my handy impulse control techniques. There, much better :)
Weight-training:
Chest:
Flat bench db press--warm up set with 25s followed by 12x30lbs, 8x35lbs, 6x40lbs. I really scorched 'em with this exercise. Luckily, I had a good spotter for the last set and he helped me to focus on the negative.
Incline db press--12x20lbs, 10x25lbs, 12x20lbs followed by a set of 10 pushups.
Cable crossovers--3 sets of 10 with 30lbs on each arm. This is the first time I've done this exercise. I did it 15-20 times with no weight first just to get the feel for the form. It seems to produce a nice stretch, but also isolates the inner chest when I focus on the squeeze.
Triceps:
Lying bb extensions--I'm not sure how much the triceps bar weighs, but I started out with 2 1/2 on each end for 12 reps, then 5lbs on each end for 10 reps, and then no weight for 15 reps.
Cable pushdowns--did a set to burnout with 45lbs and 22 reps.
A note: this workout took about 50 minutes to complete. I tend to move rather quickly from set to set and exercise to exercise, except when I'm doing heavy weight like in the flat bp. Once again, I stretched between sets and did hard flexing after finishing up with the body parts. I must say that I think I might have fried my chest. We'll see how much soreness sets in overnight. My back is noticeably sore from yesterday's workout, but tomorrow is a rest day, and so everything should recover by Thursday. Moving on to...
Cardio:
The right quad is much better today, but not ready for a HIIT session. Instead, I lightly jogged and walked to and from the gym in the blazing oh-my-god-you-could-poach-an-egg-in-the-air humid heat of the day. Because I'm not lifting tomorrow, I'll do my first cardio workout of this blasted cut.
Ciao for now,
Hams
imperfectly_lou
07-20-2004, 11:40 PM
Hey Hams... if you don't like egg whites, don't eat them! I hate cottage cheese on its own, so I stay well away! There are plenty of other protein sources you can choose from. If you want a sandwich, you could put on some grilled chicken and avocado, or a can of flavoured tuna... whatever tickles your fancy!
Guten abend. What a fabulously unproductive day this has been! It thrills my heart.
Diet:
Meal#1--7:30am
apple
tbsp pb
1/2 c oats
Meal#2--9:30am
1/2 c oats
scoop ON whey
1/2 c buttermilk
Meal#3--12:00pm
1 c cottage cheese
banana
1/2 c oats
Meal#4--2:30pm
can o' tuna
apple
banana
Meal#5--5:15pm
3/4 c oats
scoop ON whey
Meal#6--8:30pm
garden burger
4 egg whites
orange
Meal#7--10:30pm
tbsp pb
Calories: 1920
Notes: well, the body felt lacking on carbs today, and so I bumped them up with the only things that sounded good to me: fruit and oatmeal. Is this to be expected after two days of low calorie/sorta low carb? I jacked total calories up, too, as I think I came down too quickly from the 2200-2700 I've been averaging for the last 3 1/2 months. It's weird how the body's needs can determine the appetite. Ah, but now that I'm refueled, I'm going to go with another two days of low calorie/lowish carb and then use Saturday to refuel. I'm going to take Sunday off and maybe have a cheat meal if the rest of the week goes well.
Weight-training:
None today, but my chest and triceps have been sore all day from yesterday's workout. The back still feels a little tight, too. I'll resume tomorrow with shoulders and abs (and maybe a smidge of forearm work).
Cardio:
Finally did it! It was great, too. But I love running and cycling, especially during a hot and muggy evening in the South. The air is so thick around here, I break a sweat just walking to my mailbox. In any case, toward sunset I rode my mt. bike up the the trails were I've been running for quite a few years now. The ride is about 2 miles mostly uphill, and takes about 10 minutes. It produces a very nice quad burn. The trails are wooded and consist of a 2 mile figure eight with quite a few changes in elevation. The path is dirt covered with cedar chips and pine needles, and so it's nice and soft for the legs. I was suprised to see that they did a lot of bulldozing up there this past weekend. Looks like they're planning on building a fence and putting in a gate. It'll be interesting to see what the Uni has in mind for the place. Anyway, the jog was fun--no hip troubles to speak of, but a little tension in the left calf. I know exactly what's up with that, though. The hip injury has weakened the hip and glute muscles on that side, and so I'm not lifting the knee very high during my stride. The poor muscle that has to make up for it is the calf, and so I really focused on lifting the knee during the run and especially during the intervals. Speaking of the intervals, I did 4. The first one was sort of short and easy--just getting used to moving fast. The last three were longer and faster. I accelerated to 6-6:15 minute pace and held it for 60 seconds and then dropped down to 7:30 pace for the next 60 seconds. Whew! I am soooooo out of shape it isn't even close to being funny. And I can definitely tell where all my fat is now. The fat seems to hold on for dear life when the body is moving fast, but it doesn't contribute a damn thing. I'm anxious to burn up a big ole bunch of it, but I must be patient. Bodyfat reduction takes time. And besides I want to keep my hard-earned muscle in the process. So, I spent 25 minutes joggin, running fast, and walking for recovery. After that sweatfest, I rode my bike home...and it was all downhill except for the very end :) According to my watch, I spend 46 minutes riding and running. I'm glad I ate those extra carbs after all.
Thus ends the third day.
Hams
Has it only been 4 days? You mean I'm not all cut up and shredded yet? There really are no quick fix solutions? Damn, that sucks.
So, I'm feeling a little tired and worn down this beautiful Thursday, but that's probably to be expected. I think my body is tripping out from the lack of simple sugars and from the reduction of calories in general. I've noticed what feels like a sore throat coming on, which can probably be attributed to lack of sufficient rest. Ah, but what has been consumed today?
Diet:
Meal#1--8:00am
1/2 c oats
1/2 c buttermilk
tsp flax oil
4 egg whites
Meal#2--10:30am
apple
tbps pb
1 scoop ON whey
Meal#3--12:30pm
1 can o' tuna
1/2 c quinoa
Meal#4--3:15pm
2 slices of bread
1 scoop ON whey
tbsp pb
Meal#5--7:15pm
1 c cottage cheese
banana
tbsp pb
Calories: 1655
Notes: I know I should have eaten more today, and probably should have had more balance, but I'm shying away from attempts at perfection. Major improvements have been made this week. I just hope that I'm getting enough energy to maintain muscle mass. I'd like for the fat to come off fairly quickly, but in order to save precious muscle, it must be slow and steady. Tomorrow is leg day, and so I'll bump the energy intake to 1800 or so.
Weight-training:
I've decided to move the delt and ab workout to Saturday. The body feels a bit run down, and the chest and triceps have definitely not recovered from Tuesday's workout. Being a type A personality, I must constantly remind myself that rest is good...rest is good...rest is good.
Cardio:
I spent 20 minutes running in the gawd awful afternoon heat. I warmed up with a run down to the track. Once on the track, I threw in a couple of surges on the straights. The track was boring, and so I ran to a nice grassy and hilly area next to the high school by my house and did 5-10 minutes of fartlek. It will be very, very nice when I no longer have all this extra fat to haul around. Patience.
Hams
Emma-Leigh
07-23-2004, 02:21 AM
Originally posted by Hams
Has it only been 4 days? You mean I'm not all cut up and shredded yet? There really are no quick fix solutions? Damn, that sucks.
God damn it - reality is crap isn't it!! ;)
Your diet is looking spot on. Good to see... (although some vegetables might be a good addition to a few meals ;)). If you have drastically cut your cals and you are starting to feel it, pull back a little and increase them to a more responsive level - the idea is to fed yourself just enough to get the fat off without causing you to feel like chewing off your own limbs :D
I must constantly remind myself that rest is good...rest is good...rest is good. Rest is DEFINATELY good - esp if you are feeling like you are getting a cold!!
Keep it up! (ps: Do we get to see picks of your amazing transformation??!)
It's about that time again, oh yes! Get out your yoga mats and your Paula Abdul and let's squat into the oldies. Squeeze those cheeks and feel the burn! Whew...I gotta get out more...and not just to the gym. Thankfully, I slept a good 11 hours last night and feel soooooo much better. Lots of stuff healed during that time. Yeah for rest!
Diet:
Meal#1--9:00am
1/2 c oats
1/2 c buttermilk
tsp flax oil
4 egg whites
Meal#2--11:00am
scoop ON whey
orange
tbsp pb
Meal#3--1:15pm
1 can o'tuna
1/2 c quinoa
Meal#4--5:15pm(PWO)
scoop ON whey
scoop Endurox
banana
Meal#5--7:00pm
slab of chicken
salad
Meal#6--9:00pm
1 c cottage cheese
apple
orange
Calories: 1890
Notes: The diet is working today. Now if I could just repeat today for the next 85 days. So many factors go into it that it's amazing to me that we survive at all, let alone that there are people who can develop the most incredible, eye-popping physiques imaginable. Anyway, the diet feels less one-dimentional today, which has resulted in the body feeling complete. It's difficult to describe this, but when I'm lacking a nutrient or a handful of them, the body feels and runs kind of like a car with a little water in its gas tank. The key for me is to make sure I balance the diet so that the nutrient bases are covered, but a slew of calories aren't consumed in the process. Tough, very tough indeed.
Weight-training:
Quads:
Squats--warmed up with bar for 15 reps. Not only does the warm up heat the muscles, but it helps me get a feel for the correct form. Next I did 12x85lbs; 10x105lbs; 10x115lbs; 8x130lbs; 6x135lbs. I finished off with 20 reps with the bar. My god I love squats. I was sweating and dizzy and breathing like a cornered bull during this exercise. Nothing hits the whole body like the squat, although the deadlift comes mighty close.
Leg press--12x210; 10x260; 6x330. Ouch.
Hams:
Stiff-legged deads--again, I warmed up with the bar for 15 reps followed by 12x65lbs; 10x85lbs; 10x85lbs. I don't know if I was wiped out from the quad workout, but I felt my strength waning on this exercise. I thought it would be best to not push it on the last set.
Lying leg curls--12x40; 10x55; 8x70 nice and controlled.
Notes: I figure that if I can't be a glutton with my diet, I'll be a glutton with my weight-lifting. No, really I'm happy with this workout and the level of intensity I was able to reach. This is my third serious leg workout since the injury in March. I remember barely being able to press just 35lbs with my left leg. I can feel that the ligaments and muscle aren't quite 100% though, and so I've got to be very careful not to weaken an already weak link. I'm thinking that if I'm completely healthy and injury free during my next bulk, then the legs have the potential to get real big.
Cardio:
We'll have none of that today.
Emma, reality is a definitely a big wad of pooh! But at least I didn't want to chew my arm off. I took your advice and threw a bunch of veggies into one of my meals. I'm going to try to get veggies into two of my meals tomorrow (gasp!). With my goals, they're a necessity and must not be skimped on or avoided. Pics? Oh boy...if you can pry them off my cold, dead, harddrive. :)
Cheers!
Hams
Boy howdy if this cutting thing isn't kind of working a little bit. I felt curiousity nipping at my neurons this morning, and so I decided to weight myself. The digital scale read 150.5, which is 1.5lbs less than my weight of 152 last Saturday. I'm not sure if this is water, fat, lean tissue, or what. I'm not even sure what credence should be given to the scale, as it cannot measure how much of the poundage is fat weight. I believe it is better to put stock in the weekly photographs and the tightness of a choice piece of clothing. In any case, the official weigh-in and pic extravaganza is Monday.
Diet:
Meal#1--10:30am
1/2 c oats
1/2 c buttermilk
tsp flax
4 egg whites
Meal#2--12:30pm
banana
2 slices of bread
scoop ON whey
tbsp pb
Meal#3--4:30pm
apple
Meal#4--6:30pm
4 oz chicken/pork
salad
sweet potato
Meal#5--8:30pm
banana
1/4 c oats
scoop ON whey
1/4 c buttermilk
orange
Meal#6--10:30pm
apple
1/2 c cottage cheese
tbsp pb
scoop ON whey
Calories: 1900
Notes: This feels to be close to the right amount of energy, if not a tad over.
Weight-training:
I intended on hitting delts and abs today, but I'm wiped out from yesterday's leg workout and from getting only 5 or so hours of sleep last night. It was horrible, fitful, awful. If I'm going to seriously build my body, I've got to make sure insomnia doesn't screw up all my efforts. A plan is in the works.
Cardio: 4 miles
It was a happy rainy Saturday here in NWA. So what did I decide to do? Go for a hike! A good friend and I went to a gorgeous spot in the forrest called Glory Hole. It's basically a water source that has carved a sizeable hole in an overhanging cliff, creating a beautiful natural waterfall. It's been so dry here of late that not much water was falling, but luckily a scrumptous hard rain came while we were out. There is nothing comparable to the sound of hundreds of thousands of drops of rain pelting the roof of a forrest. We were sitting on a rock under the trees, but barely got damp even though it was pouring. It was lovely. Anyway, I'm not inclined to count this as cardio, but it is a valid energy expenditure, as we both estimated that we covered approximately 4 miles. After yesterday's leg workout, it was something of a challenge just to get out of bed and move this morning, let alone hike. So, I'm happy with the activity. I felt a heavy fatigue set into the legs and the body in general as I was driving back. Tomorrow should probably be a complete rest day, but I want to work on the shoulders. I'll see how I feel after a good night of rest. Since sleep has become a more important component in the bodybuilding equation, it will now have a spot of its own. The amount applies to the night before, which, in this case, would be Friday night.
Sleep: 5.5 hrs
Ah, I'm off to cuddle up with a warm blanket, a multivitamin, and Edward Scissorhands. Goodnight.
Hams
There is cause to celebrate: I have survived the first week! Damn if leaning out isn't a tough son of a bitch. I thought training for and running the marathon took discipline, but this is of a different ilk. If I can psychologically withstand this, it would seem there wouldn't be anything I couldn't do...within the bounds of physics, of course. To help solidify my committment, I bought a full-length mirror and a food scale. I'm probably obsessed at this point. Honestly, there's no "probably" about it.
I decided that I should develop a system of rewards for following my diet, doing my cardio, and having good workouts. Meeting a goal and not giving a reward seems like punishment. So, I think I'll do stuff like rent a movie, go out to the club, get a massage, hit golf balls, eat an Andes mint or a really tasty protein bar, multiply the number of fat pounds I lose by 15 and then buy something with that amount of money--jeez, there are lots of possible rewards! With all these wonderful rewards just waiting to be claimed, dieting might just be less bad.
Diet:
Meal#1--1:00am
banana
scoop ON whey
1/4 c rice
Meal#2--12:30pm-cheat meal
5 egg whites
1 whole egg
7 think slices of ham
2 slices of bread
tbsp of molasses
Meal#3--3:30pm--the perfect meal
sweet potato
green beans
scoop ON whey
Meal#4--6:00pm(PWO smoothie)
banana
scoop ON whey
tsp flax
Meal#5--7:30pm
4.5oz baked chicken breast
1/2 c rice
2 cups salad
Meal#6--9:30pm
1 c cottage cheese
apple
calories: 1890
Notes: so I had a hard time sleeping last night and got hungry at a late hour. I should have had cottage cheese and gone to bed, but I went for the carbs. It wasn't good, but it could have been worse. The key is to get to bed early. The cheat meal was good.
Weight-training:
Shoulders:
standing behind the neck military press--12x45lbs; 8x55; 6x65
upright rows--12x30lbs; 10x40; 8x50
standing side lat db raises--12x10lbs; 8x15; 6x10-held the top of the lift and really hit the negative...ouch.
bent over lat raises w/cable--5x25lbs; 7x15; 8x10--oh I really smoked these babies.
Calves & forearms:
standing calf raises--15xbody weight; 12xbw+25lbs; 12xbw+35lbs
wrist curls--3x15 with 20lbs
reverse wrist curls--3x10 with 20lbs
Abs:
4x25 crunches at varying tempos
Notes: workout lasted about 55 minutes. I superset all the shoulder work with the calf and forearm work so as to minimize time. Note to self: never superset an exercise that requires gripping with forearm work. Save the forearms for last. I wanted to throw shrugs in, but just didn't have the energy. I'll focus on the traps during the next back workout, which is usually on a Monday. I think I should take tomorrow off from weight-training, as my legs are still gunked up and I know my shoulders won't be feeling spiffy. If I'm feeling good tomorrow, I might spend 20-30 minutes in the pool.
Cardio:
Nada
Sleep: 9.5 hours. I badly need consistency here.
I'm looking forward to the pics and weigh-in tomorrow morning. Not because there will be noticeable changes, but because a routine will be established that is an important piece of the overall success of project Hams.
Tschus!
Hams
Emma-Leigh
07-26-2004, 02:16 AM
Originally posted by Hams
To help solidify my committment, I bought a full-length mirror and a food scale. I'm probably obsessed at this point. Honestly, there's no "probably" about it.Ahhh... Soon you too will be a slave to the little numbers on the scale - measuring to the gram, wondering how much more you can add before the little number increases... how much you can get away with... The thoughts will constantly be with you - "how much does this weigh.... Is it enough.... Is it too much.... Are the scales zero'd correctly...." Don't think you can escape it..... No one can escape the food-scale. :D
I decided that I should develop a system of rewards for following my diet, doing my cardio, and having good workouts. Sounds good! Rewards are needed to keep you motivated and besides, they make life that little bit more tolerable when you are hungry and miserable!! ;)
Diet looks great as always. Don't stress about the apple being a 'carb' at night - t'is crap about 'avoiding carbs at night' (infact, t'is crap about 'avoiding carbs full-stop), especially if it is a high-fibre, calorie-poor (is that even a term?), low GI/low GL food such as fruit... Sure, a huge bowl-o-pasta or sugary cereal at 9.30pm is not the way to go, but an apple is fine.
Workouts also look good - sounds like a real killer!! I'd just watch the exercises (up-right rows and behind the neck press can result in shoulder injury if you are not careful... maybe stick to more 'natural' movements such as your regular military press or incline press and your lateral raises rather than up-right rows...)
Good-luck with the official 'weigh-in' - and remember to look at the piccies and not just the scale! Those little numbers mean squat! :)
Emma-Leigh
07-26-2004, 02:22 AM
Ohhh... And just a suggestion (forgot to add this in my last post)... In this meal:
Meal#4--6:00pm(PWO smoothie)
banana
scoop ON whey
tsp flax
You would be better off dropping the flax (and increasing your carbs instead if you need more calories) - Fats are counter-productive in the immediate post-workout period as they decrease the rate of gastric emptying and therefore decrease the rate of nutrient uptake (read - they slow your recovery time and defeat the primary goals of your post-workout shake - which is to promote nutrient uptake into starving/injured muscles)...
You would be better off adding it to one of your other meals...
Ok... I really am done now... :)
Originally posted by Emma-Leigh
Ohhh... And just a suggestion (forgot to add this in my last post)... In this meal:
You would be better off dropping the flax (and increasing your carbs instead if you need more calories) - Fats are counter-productive in the immediate post-workout period as they decrease the rate of gastric emptying and therefore decrease the rate of nutrient uptake (read - they slow your recovery time and defeat the primary goals of your post-workout shake - which is to promote nutrient uptake into starving/injured muscles)...
You would be better off adding it to one of your other meals...
Ok... I really am done now... :)
Emma, you're the ****e. I'm glad you're reading my journal, because you're damn good at catching things that otherwise would slip through the cracks. I appreciate your help. I wonder how much your advice would weigh if I put it on my food scale??;)
So, why do you think the low carb craze is a load of crap? And do you mean to say that a calorie-poor (great term, by the way) food such as an apple won't promote fat storage? Would you be inclined to say that fruit in general is an important part of a healthy diet and should neither be neglected nor overconsumed? If so, what's with all the high protein/low carb hype in bodybuilding?
Thank you for inspecting the workouts, too. They are all usually pretty tough. If I feel like I can't work out hard on my workout day, most often I'll rest and wait until I feel I can give it a good effort. The shoulder exercises can be tricky, but I make sure I'm warmed up and I hardly ever sacrifice form for heavier weight. The press and the rows don't bother me as much as those damn bent over lats. I think it's because my rear deltoids are comparatively weaker than the rest of the shoulder. I remember when I first started working them back in April. It was like discovering a muscle I never knew I had. Anyway, I seem to work the shoulders harder and get better results with pyramiding the seated db press, but I like to throw something different at the muscles every now and then. Oh but what I really long for is a thick, wide back...
Hams
Woohoo! I came in at 149.5 this morning, which amounts to a 2.5lb loss. I'd like to know how much of that is fat, but can't tell by looking. The pics don't help at this point. Perhaps with another 5-7lbs gone, they'll do their job. I'm half a pound under my goal for week 1. It's refreshing to know that it didn't take assloads of cardio to do it. I'm confident that I can remove another 2lbs in week 2. I'm going to keep the cals at around 18-1900 a day and see what happens.
Diet:
Meal#1--7:45am
1/2 c oats
1/2 c skim milk
tsp flax
4 egg whites
Meal#2--10:45am
sweet potato
scoop ON whey
green beans
Meal#3--1:00pm
1/2 c chili beans
whole wheat tortilla
salsa
2 oz chicken breast (love my scales)
Meal#4--3:30pm (smoothie)
1/2 c skim milk
banana
scoop ON whey
1/4 c oats
Meal#5--6:30pm
can o' tuna
1/2 c tomato sauce
2 cups salad
1/2 c rice
Meal#6
8 oz prune juice (for intestinal probs)
orange
apple
Calories: 1915
Notes: ugh. intestines aren't working properly today. There's a nasty backup.
Weight-training: recouperating
The rear delts feel like I took a hammer to them, but other than that the muscles are feeling ok today.
Cardio: I went for a 10 minute jog this morning just to get the blood flowing through my body and to make the muscles warm enough to stretch out. It definitely wasn't strenuous. After dinner, I went for a leisurely 45 minute walk.
Sleep: 7.0 hrs. Much better.
Hams
Emma-Leigh
07-27-2004, 02:32 AM
Originally posted by Hams
I wonder how much your advice would weigh if I put it on my food scale??;)2.6oz exactly ;)
So, why do you think the low carb craze is a load of crap?
I believe that the majority of individuals trying to loose weight can do it with a well balanced diet (I am not talking about body-builders in there final month of cutting for a comp here.. they, for those few weeks, will fall into a seperate category due to the extreme hormonal and physiological concequences of very low BF%).
See, cutting carbs is not what is going to make someone loose weight - calorie restriction is what counts. The human body must obey the laws of thermodynamics, just like all other biological creatures on this earth and in that sense we can not 'loose or create energy spontaneously' but have to rely on the principles of 'energy in v's energy out' to modify our bodies composition (god damn it!!).
There are really only three important things that are responsible for out energy needs:
1. BMR - Or "the energy requirements of an individual, lying down at rest, in the post-absorptive phase, after sleeping" (so - first thing in the morning, at rest, after fasting over night and before you move a muscle). It is related to lean mass, sex, age, endogenous hormone levels and genetics. You can modify this level by increasing muscle mass and promoting 'energetically active' hormones such as thyroid hormone, leptin, orexin etc. but otherwise this is basically set.
2. Daily Activity Expenditure - this can be devided into energy expended through exercise (which in reality contributes very little to an individuals energy needs) and NEAT (non-exercise activities). Oddly enough, NEAT is also influenced by things like hormones/genetics (some people just move more....). Everything you do expends energy - chewing can increase your immediate energy needs by 10%, while standing up and walking around can almost double your immediate energy needs - so NEAT is REALLY IMPORTANT!!
3. TEF - the thermogenic effect of your food, which is a fancy way of saying the 'energy required to digest, absorb and store your food'. Some foods are more thermogenic, and these are high protein foods and high fibre foods. In the average diet it is usually about 10% of your energy needs, but in higher protein and high fibre diets it can add an extra 20-30% onto your calorie needs!
There is also a VERY SMALL contribution by things like drugs/medicines etc... but these are really minimal in the grand plan of energy requirements.
Anyway... I was going somewhere with that... give me a second.. Ah, yes... The fact of the matter is that, despite what people say, lowering carbohydrate will not result in any major increase in any of these things - it may slightly (all be it by accident only) increase the TEF as you are eating more protein in the face of carbohydrate restriction - but it may also (by accident again) decrease your fibre as well, which can decrease your TEF needs... It will not serve any other purpose - BUT I WILL put a 'capping statement' on that comment - this is provided the individual is following a primarily whole-food, low GI carbohydrate plan..
This is because carbs influence hormone levels - which can influence hunger and utilisation of body fuels. High GI carbs can result in high insulin spikes which can lead to decreased lipolysis (fat-degredation) and increased post-prandial hunger (that is, you get hungry after eating).... by concentrating on low GI, high fibre carbohydrates you decrease the rate of glucose absorption by the body, decrease the insulin 'spike/surge' that results from peaks in blood glucose and therefore have a happier and more stable blood glucose as a result. This, in turn, disrupts lipolysis to a lesser degree and will keep your body from releasing 'hungry hormones' as frequently - helping you stick to a diet.
Carbs are also important for maintaining 'energy hormones' such as thyroid hormone and leptin. These decrease (and sometimes drastically) in response to carbohydrate restriction - thyroid hormone can decrease as much as that seen in starvation when faced with very low carbohydrate diets, even if the overall calorie level is fine.. This will impact the bodies ability to loose weight substantially - as the result is a decreased metabolic rate and decreased energy expenditure. Same goes for leptin...
On the note of hormones - other hormones in the body (such as serotonin) are also effected by carbohydrate intake - Seretonin drops associated with low carb diets can effect MANY things such as mood, obsessive thoughts, anxiety... Not pretty side effects!!
Carbohydrates are your bodies prefered fuel source. Especially in relation to active individuals - you deplete your bodies carbohydrate sources and your training suffers due to the lack of available energy for your muscles. You basically loose strength, speed and co-ordination. You also do not recover from training as quickly - so you remain catabolic and this can significantly impact muscularity. Decreased training efficiency will also go on to decrease your post-exercise oxygen requirements which is one of the main metabolic benifits for weight training - so this will decrease your energy requirements and decrease your rate of weight loss...
The brains optimum fuel is also glucose, with ~ 400kcal - or 100g of carbs, usually suggested as a minimum to keep it happy (sure, it can use ketones if it is really pushed, but most individuals lack these enzymes in the required amount when they first go onto low carb diets - which is why you get 'brain fuzz' - it takes a few days for your body to manufacture the required enzymes and even then it still requires about 20-25% of its energy to be glucose)... So low-carb will also result in mental fatigue.
Anyway - the reason why a lot of 'low carb' diets work is:
1. People decrease their overall calorie intake
2. Protein is has a high satiety index - so it is responsible for keeping you full
3. People drop the 'high GI' foods that are making them hyperinsulinaemic (and, in response, insulin-resistant) and hungry - helping them drop fat and stick to the diet
And do you mean to say that a calorie-poor (great term, by the way) food such as an apple won't promote fat storage? Would you be inclined to say that fruit in general is an important part of a healthy diet and should neither be neglected nor overconsumed?
Apples, being a high fibre, low GI, low GL, higher fructose fruit has a lot of things going for it. The fibre increases it's TEF and both the fibre and fructose decreases the rate of digestion and utilisation of the energy - so it will not 'spike' insulin. There is also very little actual calorific value for the food eaten and it has very little utilisable carbohydrate (low GL). The fact that it is a high fibre carbohydrate also means that, in order for your body to convert this to fat, you have to first convert the carbohydrates into a fat - this requires energy in itself!!
So, all of these things decrese the likelihood that the energy from the apple will be used to supply 'fat' with energy... Plus, as you are in calorie deficiency anyway - you CAN NOT and WILL NOT increase your bodies energy stores... it is like putting a peice of wood in a fire and magically expecting it not to be burnt - it just doesn't happen...
I feel that fruit is a VITAL part of any healthy diet. I also feel it can be incorporated into cutting diets - I have cut to 9% BF with 2 servings of fruit a day (once again, maybe the last 4 weeks of a cut may be an exception, depending on the individual)
Low GI/low GL carbs (most fruits fall into one or the other of these) also add a lot of things to the diet. They are often high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and other things such as phytochemicals and anti-oxidants... all things that are essential for health and that, in some cases, are very hard to get without these food sources... Fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are all nutritious, healthsome foods that definately do not need to be cut out of a diet at all.
Sure - overconsumption of anything is a bad thing. Too much carbohydrate will decrease your ability to get adequate protein and essential fats, which will also alter the outcomes of diet and will impact on health.. But this means decreasing carbohydrates - not obliterating them. Moderation is the key here.
If so, what's with all the high protein/low carb hype in bodybuilding?A lot of the recent stuff is just 'another phase'. It is a side-set of the modern 'low carb craze' where people imagine that protein is all the body needs!! (pffttt...). To a body-builder, carbohydrates are essential for growth, muscle maintainence and training. Insulin is also one of the most anabolic hormones in the body and these diets almost stop this altogether... not a benificial situation.
In terms of strict 'bb cutting' in the last few weeks (3 or 4 weeks) of a cut, then thinking about things such as carbohydrate cycling... This principle has been around for ages and is just another way to 'shock' the body into reacting in the face of on-going severe calorie restriction and low bodyfat%.
Arggg... I hope I answered your questions somewhere in there...??
Emma, your collection of knowledge is awesomely impressive! Wow. Are you a nutritionist and/or do you have a degree in physiology/kinesiology? You cut to 9% bodyfat? How long did that take you? Was it hell? How long were you able to hover around that percentage? Just so you know, I very much appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. One more thing: would you mind looking over the supplements I'm taking and let me know if I should toss something out or put something in?
Supplements:
One A Day multivite
chromium
calcium, magnesium, zinc combo
vitamin c
b6
b12
aspirin
Prolab glutamine--5mg in the pwo shake
I took Creatine during my bulk and it blew up my muscles and strength. I'm not taking it now, because I want to lean out.
I've thought about 5-htp, as I might have some wacky seritonin levels. Also, I read it helps with weight-loss.
I've got a bottle of Vasopro Ephedra for a ways down the road when I need to kick up the metabolism. I'm thinking I'll start using it the last 3 weeks...a long, long ways away.
Thanks Emma
Diet:
Meal#1--9:30am(the usual)
1/2 c oats
1/2 c skim milk
tsp flax
4 egg whites
Meal#2--1:00pm
sweet potato
1 c cottage cheese
Meal#3--3:30pm
banana
slice of wheat bread
tsp flax
scoop ON whey
Meal#4--6:00pm
4 oz chicken breast
salad
tsp olive oil
Meal#5--8:30pm
8 oz pork loin
apple
andes mint
Calories: 1860
Notes: This is a good amount of food. I can lose fat with this amount for another week or so before I have to add more cardio. Oh my god, and the pork was delicious. Pork is it for me now. It's all I want all day long. I'd eat it for breakfast, but I'm stuck in my oatmeal rut.
Weight-training & Cardio: nada. I'm taking a drug test in the morning and thought it would be best not to move around too much today and mobilize fat. This throws my schedule off slightly, but I'm pretty sure I think it will help to have two rest days in a row. I was constipated and bloated yesterday. That coupled with the strain during the shoulder workout, and I've developed a nasty hemmorhoid. For the last two days there has blood on the toilet paper during the wipe, but not much. I also started the period today, which was damn near a week early. I've got to stay healthy and strong. The plan is to lift light this week and focus on quality cardio.
Sleep: 7 hrs and weird dreams
Gonna hit the sack and hopefully dream about pork.
Hams
So I messed up on the diet today, but I'm going to do awesome tomorrow.
Diet:
Meal#1--7:45am
1/2 c oats
1/2 banana
scoop ON whey
milk
Meal#2--9:45am
banana
slice of bread
scoop ON whey
Meal#3--1:20pm
3/4 tortilla
1/2 c chili beans
2 oz chicken
salsa and a jalepeno pepper
Meal#4--3:00pm
2 slices of bread
tsp butter
orange
Meal#5--6:45pm
can o' tuna
pasta sauce
medium salad
tsp sesame oil
Meal#6--8:00pm
apple
1 c cottage cheese
Note: so I should have stopped right here, because I think I'm at about 1900 calories at this point. But I didn't.
Meal#7--10:45pm
1 oz potato chips
8 oz prune juice
Meal#8--11:45pm
1/2 oats
scoop ON whey
8 tbsp fat free cream cheese
Calories: around 2400
Notes: So, I've had my 2nd diet relapse. Night before last I ate a bunch of andes mints. This makes two nights in a row. Arghh. I've noticed that my obsession with food, calories, fat, etc., is causing undue mental distress, which means it's time to relax and not obsess so much. Hmmm....sounds good, but is it possible? Well, regardless of how much I obsess, I'm sticking with the cut until I've reached my goals.
Weight-training:
Chest:
Flat Bench Press--warmup with the bar; 12x75lbs, 8x85, 7x95 followed by reps to failure with the bar.
Incline Bench Press--12xbar, 10x55lbs, 10x55lbs
DB flys--12x10lbs, 8x15lbs--really focused on the "squeeze".
DB pullovers--10x15lbs--did these super slow and concentrated on breathing deep. The rib cage felt stretched to the max.
Triceps:
Lying extensions--20xEZ bar, 12xEZ+10lbs, 8xEZ+15lbs
Overhead db press--3 sets of 25 reps with 15lbs.
Notes: I needed a light workout with moderate intensity, and this was definitely it. I did a lot of stretching and flexing between sets and especially after each exercise.
Cardio: HIIT for 20 minutes.
Yikes. I spent 5 minutes warming up with a slow jog. Then I went hard for 2 minutes on the hills next to the High School, followed by 2 minutes of easy jogging or walking. Repeated this until I hit 20 minutes. After that, I did a cool down walk for 5 minutes. I got a really good glute and thigh burn. The glutes felt "itchy". Because my ass and thighs are where I'm carrying most of my fat, I thought it would be good to give them an extra burn by doing 20 squats, deadlifts, and stiff legged deads with just my bodyweight. So, that's how I finished the workout.
Sleep: 4.25hrs. Sleep is the key to a successful diet and training regimen. This kind of sleep won't cut it.
Hams
Yes it is yet another glorious and wonderful day. It has rained and drizzled here non-stop. What happened to summer? But it is refreshing, and all the plants and people seem to be so happy to have a break from the heat and humidity.
I have been thinking a lot about my fat and my body and calories and food. A good 99 percent of these thoughts have been negative. A detrimental and debilitating obsession has been growing bigger than my muscles ever could. I met someone who pointed this out to me in a different language. She said I was not connected to my body nor was I connected to the earth. What I need is balance and groundedness. She is right. So I've been taking warm, soothing baths, massaging my muscles, looking in the mirror and smiling, learning to accept my fat, and trying to release this obsession. Today I stopped dieting. Wow. I had to take a deep breath just to type that. I feel better this day than I can remember. I have eaten according to when my body said to and not according to some prescribed 2-3 hour interval. I asked myself what I'm hungry for and I ate it. My body is in a kind of shock from getting what it needs and my mind is slowing reforming the connection to my gut so that I can actually feel what it's like to be hungry. The crazy thing about this is that my cravings haven't been for the typical things I crave. For instance, most of what I ate up until this evening was a mixture of protein and carbs. This evening when I felt hungry, I was hungry for olives, fat, and fiber. Very cool. I think I've had 3 bananas too. If I were to add up the total energy intake for today...and I'm not going to...I'd say I've eaten less and been more fulfilled today than any diet day prior. I feel I'm breaking free. I think my weight will lower as well, but I'm not going to step on the scale to find out. In fact, I'm going to sell my scale in my mom's garage sale this Saturday. It can do no good. It cannot tell me how I feel or how I look or how healthy I am. These are things that only I can determine. I realize it will take time for this revolution to become part of who I am. After all, I've got years of disordered thinking and eating under my belt. I expect there will be relapses back into the dieting mentality, but eventually it will no longer be part of me. I think I'll spend some time in therapy, which will help me sort out some of the **** that has fueled my obsessions and destructive behaviors.
So, what's my goal for this week now that it's not some stupid number that I was hoping would pop up on a scale? My goals for this week are to be healthy and strong and to have fun. Yep. That's it. I don't care if I squat 150lbs or get in 30 minutes of cardio 4 times or eat exactly 1900 calories each day with exactly 50 percent of them being carbs. Forget that. I want to enjoy my life. Does this mean I'm going to stop lifting weights? Absolutely not. I love lifting weights. I'm passionate about it. It feels good to be strong (oh, I guess I've already reached one of my goals for the week :). I went to the gym today and for the first time did "negative" pullups. Before long, I'll be doing pullups for reps. I did my favorite: deadlifts. I gave the back a good workout and then I had the biceps do a bit of work as well. I'm realizing that I cannot lift heavy every single time I'm in the gym. I've got to pay attention to my body and take it easy when it needs it. Yesterday I went too hard during my run and now I've got an old injury acting up on me. So what about cardio? Well, I've decided that I'm not going to move a whole lot just because I want to burn off a meal or burn up fat. Does this mean I won't be moving much anymore? Not at all. I love working up a sweat, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go out and get a job roofing houses. I don't think I'd like that very much. I'm not a big fan of sitting in a gym on an uncomfortable stationary bike for an hour either. What do I enjoy that gets my heart pumping? Running for sure. I've just got to ease into it and watch the weak points in the left leg. I love mountain biking, and when I get enough money to buy a road bike, I'm going to ride forever on it. I suck at swimming, but I still like to hop in the pool every now and then with an aquajogger on and race around like a drowned hamster. The elliptical trainer isn't too bad, but I'd rather be running stairs in the stadium. Too bad there's never enough snow here to do cross-country skiing, because I think I'd like that, too. Gosh, there's so much that I already enjoy and that I would like to try, like bouldering in New Mexico or kite sailing in the SF Bay. I ran in the rain today, which was divine. I want to run trails in Colorado. I think I can build a very strong, fast, and healthy body with this mentality and this approach to fitness and life in general. Most importantly, my mind won't end up being a ruthless and cruel torture chamber. Here's to health.
Cheers!
Hams
Emma-Leigh
07-31-2004, 01:46 AM
Originally posted by Hams
My goals for this week are to be healthy and strong and to have fun. Yep. That's it. I don't care if I squat 150lbs or get in 30 minutes of cardio 4 times or eat exactly 1900 calories each day with exactly 50 percent of them being carbs. Forget that. I want to enjoy my life..... I think I can build a very strong, fast, and healthy body with this mentality and this approach to fitness and life in general. Most importantly, my mind won't end up being a ruthless and cruel torture chamber. Here's to health.
This is what it is about. Building a better you. Faster, stronger, fitter, healthier and, most of all, happier.
Have fun.
Emma-Leigh
ps: I did write an answer to your questions re suppliments, but somehow I feel you are not so interested in this answer anymore. If you are let me know and I will re-write it...
Originally posted by Emma-Leigh
This is what it is about. Building a better you. Faster, stronger, fitter, healthier and, most of all, happier.
Have fun.
Emma-Leigh
ps: I did write an answer to your questions re suppliments, but somehow I feel you are not so interested in this answer anymore. If you are let me know and I will re-write it...
Emma,
I am most certainly interested in the answers to my questions about supplements. I haven't discarded my thirst for knowledge by any means; rather, I'm trying to temper my obsessive-compulsive approach to fitness and bodybuilding. So, please share the contents of your brain with me!
And thank you for your support :)
Hams
Tonight is our first blue moon since November 2001! How exciting.
I am happy to report that my legs have gotten stronger since last week! My hip injury is probably around 95% healed. Woohoo! Oh but my back and biceps are soooo sore. I didn't realize what doing negatives with wide grip chins would do to me. I'll be doing pullups for reps within 2 months.
Quads:
Squats--warm up with 65lbs; 12x95lbs; 12x105; 10x115; 8x125;7x135. This was challenging, but easier than last week.
Hack squat--I don't remember how much weight I used, but I did a set with both legs and then a set with each leg.
Leg Extensions--12x50lbs; 10x60; 8x70. I love how these burn.
Hams:
SL deads--warm up with the bar; 12x65; 10x85; 7x95
standing leg curls--3 sets of 10 with 22lbs each leg
Whew! Nice workout. Not too hard and not too easy. I just washed down a bunch of granola with protein powder in chocolate milk. I very much like not having strict dietary guidelines. And it's not that I've gone wild eating everything that was "forbidden". In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm eating less. I think the stress of trying to eat less contributed to eating more, or at least wanting to. This is great. Last night I broiled a juicy steak and ate it with a half a baked sweet potato and a big spinach salad. It was delicious and EXACTLY what I/the body wanted. I was hungry before bed, and so I had an orange. I've been having cravings for steamed little red potatos and green beans along with broiled salmon. I also want pancakes. I want them smeared with peanut butter and 100% real maple syrup. I feel...free. My body even looks different to me! Isn't that crazy? Anyway, I'm tired and full and I need to lay down and rest a bit before this evenings' festivities. A bunch of friends are going to be roasting an entire pig down at the lake tonight. Until next time,
Hams
hotgymchick
07-31-2004, 04:14 PM
So I don't get it...are you just going to eat whatever and still "cut"??
Originally posted by hotgymchick
So I don't get it...are you just going to eat whatever and still "cut"??
Hot,
Instead of obsessing over my diet and trying to enforce many unhealthy (mentally and physically) dietary restrictions, I've decided to put that energy into learning how listen to my body so that I can 1) recognize and satisfy my hunger with a moderate, well-balanced diet that provides my body with the nutrients it needs to perform the work it does, and 2) avoid injury and overtraining so that I can consistently build health, strength, and fitness. Although it is no longer a goal, I'm pretty sure I'll lose fat with this approach (once I've gotten the hang of it and have made it a habit), as it seems to be helping me with eating healthy foods to satiety, rather than binging on a bunch of "forbidden" junk. I'm finding that getting enough calories and carbs during the day makes a huge difference in whether or not I'm beset by nighttime cravings for fatty sweet things, which have sabotaged my dieting efforts in the past. Now that I have given myself permission to eat fatty sweet things, they're not nearly as appealing and I usually don't want to. Ah, but it is hard to get out of the diet mentality.
I've got a scenario and a question or two for you. Imagine a person who has been cloned. The person and her clone are both 50lbs overweight. They both start exercising 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. The exercises include weight-lifting and aqua aerobics. The person decides to go on a diet and daily eats 3 Hershey chocolate bars, which comes to about 1200 calories. The clone decides to lose weight as well. She, however, eats a cup of oatmeal a day along with 6 or 7 egg whites, a tuna sandwich, a big colorful salad, a banana, apple, glass of skim milk, yogurt, a tablespoon or two of peanut butter--all of which adds up to about 2000 calories a day. Who's going to lose weight? Who's going to be healthy? Which one will feel more deprived? Who will have more energy during her workouts? Which one is more likely to gain any weight back that she might lose?
I hope this has helped to answer your question. There's a good article by Nancy Clark, RD., at this site: http://www.runningnetwork.com/trainingtips/cookiesMay04.html
Perhaps what she has said will help fill in the gaps.
Hams
Emma-Leigh
08-03-2004, 01:21 AM
Originally posted by Hams
Emma,
I am most certainly interested in the answers to my questions about supplements. I haven't discarded my thirst for knowledge by any means; rather, I'm trying to temper my obsessive-compulsive approach to fitness and bodybuilding. So, please share the contents of your brain with me!
And thank you for your support :)
Hams
You are welcome :)
It is good to see you trying to 'de-obsess' - if you get too caught up in 'restriction' you basically stress yourself into binge activity and that is NEVER a healthy approach.
I understand completely your attempts to decondition yourself - I am a little (ok, maybe more than a little) obsessive myself - Ok, so I am downright anal - But I do not let 'my diet' control me - I maintain control over diet ;). You will get the hang of it, just trust your instincts.
Anyway - Here are my answers:
Originally posted by Hams
You cut to 9% bodyfat? How long did that take you? Was it hell? How long were you able to hover around that percentage?
Ummm... I dropped to 9% over about 12 weeks (started at about 13%). It was hell, but only because I was stressed off my brain from work - which is the reason why I dropped the weight in the first place (was not trying to drop at all, but it ended up being a side effect of increased stress and failure on my part to pull up my nutrition accordingly)... I probably stayed there for a few weeks and since then have added some more mass back on and BF is probably up to 12-13% again...
would you mind looking over the supplements I'm taking and let me know if I should toss something out or put something in?
Supplements:
One A Day multivite
chromium
calcium, magnesium, zinc combo
vitamin c
b6
b12
aspirin
Prolab glutamine--5mg in the pwo shake
Ok - most of these are not going to do you any harm - but they are probably not all that helpful either... esp. if your diet is healthy.
Multivitamin is good.
Chromium is... well... fine I s'pose. Most of the research suggests that adding chromium is of no benifit if you are healthy and do not have insulin resistance or glucose intolerence problems... (I assume you are taking it due to the effect it has on glucose metabolism and not the effect it has on blood cholesterol levels or the anabolic/muscle builing potential)? If you are taking it in the hope of increasing glucose metabolism/decreasing bodyfat you are better off timing it around your workouts (pre and post) or in high carb meals. Just be careful about to the amount you are taking - it is a heavy metal after all... and there is still limited information regarding the long term effects it can have.
In all honesty if you want something along these lines then ALA is much better for glucose disposal (and it is a potent anti-oxidant to boot)... But you have to be careful as it can be so potent to those not used to it's effects that it can result in hypoglycaemia...
About the Ca, Zn, Mg combo - Well, you don't want to take anything with Zn and Calcium at the same time - these two things compete for absorption and you are basically wasting your money if you take them together (same goes for Iron). Try to get a different suppliment for both and take them at different time of the day (which is hard as both are suggested as night time suppliments)...
In relation to calcium - Definately keep taking this. In addition to maintaining your bone mass Ca is excellent for fatloss and improving body composition. Take it in a combination with things such as Mg, Vit D, Vit A etc and you will get added benifits as well. Also, Calcium citrate is the way to go - highest rate of absorption and utilisation of Ca.
I would definately still take the Zn (and the Mg too) just seperate the Zn from your calcium.
The Vit C and B Vit are fine if you don't think you can hit your requirement via food and your multivit. You should be aiming for about 1-3g of Vit C/day, 40mg of Vit B6 and 500mcg of B12 (this is total - as in from food and suppliments).... Consider Vit E as well - great anti-oxidant.
I definately don't think you need the aspirin. I would take it out.
Glutamine is ok - I am not convinced of it's effectiveness unless you are at a marked calorie/carb deficiency and you have a diet that results in inadequate intake..... If you do need help in this regard then it can help with recovery and your immune system as well, but you might want to increase your dose (add 5mg pre-workout and 5mg pre-bed).
I've thought about 5-htp, as I might have some wacky seritonin levels. Also, I read it helps with weight-loss.I am not so sure about the effectiveness of this either. Some studies suggest it decreases hunger and carb cravings. It has been linked to improved mood, improved sleep and decreased anxiety/panic problems. Look into it if you think you need it.
I've got a bottle of Vasopro Ephedra for a ways down the road when I need to kick up the metabolism. I'm thinking I'll start using it the last 3 weeks...a long, long ways away. Throw it out. This is one thing I would not ever touch. But I am like that...
As for what I take/Would advocate. The staples in my intake are:
1/ A good diet (;) Just thought I would throw that in! Nothing can substitute this)
2/ A good multivitamin
3/ Calcium - mostly citrate (bones and body composition!!) - 1.2g/day in sups
4/ Magnesium acetate (I sweat too much ;))
5/ ALA (glucose disposal and anti-oxidant) - 300mg/day
6/ Glucosamine/chondroitin (Damn joints... **grumble**)
7/ Fishies (fish oil... I get a lot from my diet but these stay as well) - 4g/day
8/ CLA - 3g/day
Hey Emma, thank you for the run-down on the supps. I'm taking your advice, because you know your **** and you're awesome!
I'm happy to be able to note that my leg strength is consistently going up. I feel the hip injury is just about healed completely. I went for a nice long bike a few days ago and a run yesterday morning. I've really lost cardiovascular endurance. It's sad. I go from running a marathon to barely being able to cover 2 miles without stopping. I'm wondering how much I should get back into running now that the legs are back. How many miles can I run each week before I start to sacrifice muscle and strength gains? Will the new muscle that I build in my legs help to eat away the fat that has accumulated on my ass, hips, and thighs or will my legs just get BIGGER?
I've got a new job now and it requires using more energy than I used to. The nice thing about it is that eating times are scheduled--every three hours. I've been eating like a horse early in the day--at least 3/4 of my total daily calories I get before 5 pm. It really is true that if you eat enough early, you won't eat as much late. I'll be damned. I'm feeling so much better now that I'm not on a diet. I feel strong mentally and physically. Since I started lifting weights in April, I think I should try to put on mass for at least a year or maybe even two. I'd like to put on a pound a month of lean mass. Is this possible? I need a trainer or someone to work out with. Anyway, I'm tired and rambling. One good thing about my job is that it helps to tucker me out so that get in bed early and get good sleep. I've been sleeping at 1030 and waking around 6-630. It's good. I'm thinking it's a good idea to keep track of my workouts and poundages. So.
Quads:
Squats--warmed up with 65lbs; 12x95lbs; 10x115lbs; 8x135lbs, 6x155lbs. This wasn't all that hard. I think I'll be able to lift even more next week.
Leg extensions--12x70lbs; 10x80lbs; 8x90. Oh the burn! After each set I flex the quads 5-7 times.
BB lunges--I did three sets on each leg with 65lbs. I superset these with shrugs because my traps are lagging.
Leg press--2 sets of 8 with 300lbs. These I also sueprset with shrugs.
Traps:
Shrugs--6 sets of 12 with 85lbs
Not a bad workout. I'm getting stronger. I think the muscles might be getting bigger, too, but my clothes aren't fitting any tighter. Perhaps this means fat is being lost??? In any case, I'm having fun.
Hams
sailinship
01-20-2012, 09:38 PM
2.6oz exactly ;)
I believe that the majority of individuals trying to loose weight can do it with a well balanced diet (I am not talking about body-builders in there final month of cutting for a comp here.. they, for those few weeks, will fall into a seperate category due to the extreme hormonal and physiological concequences of very low BF%).
See, cutting carbs is not what is going to make someone loose weight - calorie restriction is what counts. The human body must obey the laws of thermodynamics, just like all other biological creatures on this earth and in that sense we can not 'loose or create energy spontaneously' but have to rely on the principles of 'energy in v's energy out' to modify our bodies composition (god damn it!!).
There are really only three important things that are responsible for out energy needs:
1. BMR - Or "the energy requirements of an individual, lying down at rest, in the post-absorptive phase, after sleeping" (so - first thing in the morning, at rest, after fasting over night and before you move a muscle). It is related to lean mass, sex, age, endogenous hormone levels and genetics. You can modify this level by increasing muscle mass and promoting 'energetically active' hormones such as thyroid hormone, leptin, orexin etc. but otherwise this is basically set.
2. Daily Activity Expenditure - this can be devided into energy expended through exercise (which in reality contributes very little to an individuals energy needs) and NEAT (non-exercise activities). Oddly enough, NEAT is also influenced by things like hormones/genetics (some people just move more....). Everything you do expends energy - chewing can increase your immediate energy needs by 10%, while standing up and walking around can almost double your immediate energy needs - so NEAT is REALLY IMPORTANT!!
3. TEF - the thermogenic effect of your food, which is a fancy way of saying the 'energy required to digest, absorb and store your food'. Some foods are more thermogenic, and these are high protein foods and high fibre foods. In the average diet it is usually about 10% of your energy needs, but in higher protein and high fibre diets it can add an extra 20-30% onto your calorie needs!
There is also a VERY SMALL contribution by things like drugs/medicines etc... but these are really minimal in the grand plan of energy requirements.
Anyway... I was going somewhere with that... give me a second.. Ah, yes... The fact of the matter is that, despite what people say, lowering carbohydrate will not result in any major increase in any of these things - it may slightly (all be it by accident only) increase the TEF as you are eating more protein in the face of carbohydrate restriction - but it may also (by accident again) decrease your fibre as well, which can decrease your TEF needs... It will not serve any other purpose - [b]BUT I WILL put a 'capping statement' on that comment - this is provided the individual is following a primarily whole-food, low GI carbohydrate plan..
This is because carbs influence hormone levels - which can influence hunger and utilisation of body fuels. High GI carbs can result in high insulin spikes which can lead to decreased lipolysis (fat-degredation) and increased post-prandial hunger (that is, you get hungry after eating).... by concentrating on low GI, high fibre carbohydrates you decrease the rate of glucose absorption by the body, decrease the insulin 'spike/surge' that results from peaks in blood glucose and therefore have a happier and more stable blood glucose as a result. This, in turn, disrupts lipolysis to a lesser degree and will keep your body from releasing 'hungry hormones' as frequently - helping you stick to a diet.
Carbs are also important for maintaining 'energy hormones' such as thyroid hormone and leptin. These decrease (and sometimes drastically) in response to carbohydrate restriction - thyroid hormone can decrease as much as that seen in starvation when faced with very low carbohydrate diets, even if the overall calorie level is fine.. This will impact the bodies ability to loose weight substantially - as the result is a decreased metabolic rate and decreased energy expenditure. Same goes for leptin...
On the note of hormones - other hormones in the body (such as serotonin) are also effected by carbohydrate intake - Seretonin drops associated with low carb diets can effect MANY things such as mood, obsessive thoughts, anxiety... Not pretty side effects!!
Carbohydrates are your bodies prefered fuel source. Especially in relation to active individuals - you deplete your bodies carbohydrate sources and your training suffers due to the lack of available energy for your muscles. You basically loose strength, speed and co-ordination. You also do not recover from training as quickly - so you remain catabolic and this can significantly impact muscularity. Decreased training efficiency will also go on to decrease your post-exercise oxygen requirements which is one of the main metabolic benifits for weight training - so this will decrease your energy requirements and decrease your rate of weight loss...
The brains optimum fuel is also glucose, with ~ 400kcal - or 100g of carbs, usually suggested as a minimum to keep it happy (sure, it can use ketones if it is really pushed, but most individuals lack these enzymes in the required amount when they first go onto low carb diets - which is why you get 'brain fuzz' - it takes a few days for your body to manufacture the required enzymes and even then it still requires about 20-25% of its energy to be glucose)... So low-carb will also result in mental fatigue.
Anyway - the reason why a lot of 'low carb' diets work is:
1. People decrease their overall calorie intake
2. Protein is has a high satiety index - so it is responsible for keeping you full
3. People drop the 'high GI' foods that are making them hyperinsulinaemic (and, in response, insulin-resistant) and hungry - helping them drop fat and stick to the diet
[b]
Apples, being a high fibre, low GI, low GL, higher fructose fruit has a lot of things going for it. The fibre increases it's TEF and both the fibre and fructose decreases the rate of digestion and utilisation of the energy - so it will not 'spike' insulin. There is also very little actual calorific value for the food eaten and it has very little utilisable carbohydrate (low GL). The fact that it is a high fibre carbohydrate also means that, in order for your body to convert this to fat, you have to first convert the carbohydrates into a fat - this requires energy in itself!!
So, all of these things decrese the likelihood that the energy from the apple will be used to supply 'fat' with energy... Plus, as you are in calorie deficiency anyway - you CAN NOT and WILL NOT increase your bodies energy stores... it is like putting a peice of wood in a fire and magically expecting it not to be burnt - it just doesn't happen...
I feel that fruit is a VITAL part of any healthy diet. I also feel it can be incorporated into cutting diets - I have cut to 9% BF with 2 servings of fruit a day (once again, maybe the last 4 weeks of a cut may be an exception, depending on the individual)
Low GI/low GL carbs (most fruits fall into one or the other of these) also add a lot of things to the diet. They are often high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and other things such as phytochemicals and anti-oxidants... all things that are essential for health and that, in some cases, are very hard to get without these food sources... Fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are all nutritious, healthsome foods that definately do not need to be cut out of a diet at all.
Sure - overconsumption of anything is a bad thing. Too much carbohydrate will decrease your ability to get adequate protein and essential fats, which will also alter the outcomes of diet and will impact on health.. But this means decreasing carbohydrates - not obliterating them. Moderation is the key here.
[b]A lot of the recent stuff is just 'another phase'. It is a side-set of the modern 'low carb craze' where people imagine that protein is all the body needs!! (pffttt...). To a body-builder, carbohydrates are essential for growth, muscle maintainence and training. Insulin is also one of the most anabolic hormones in the body and these diets almost stop this altogether... not a benificial situation.
In terms of strict 'bb cutting' in the last few weeks (3 or 4 weeks) of a cut, then thinking about things such as carbohydrate cycling... This principle has been around for ages and is just another way to 'shock' the body into reacting in the face of on-going severe calorie restriction and low bodyfat%.
Arggg... I hope I answered your questions somewhere in there...??
Great stuff here, thanks.