PermanentChange's Journal

[PermanentChange]

Some of you may know me, most of you probably don't. My name is PermanentChange and I've been a member here since July of this year, even though my results don't show it.

The reason I'm starting this journal is two-fold:

1. To keep a log of my workout and the progress from it, thereby indentifying any mistakes I'm making and being able to correct them before they get out of hand, and
2. To use this thread as an area to vent my frustrations and fears before THEY get out of hand.

As I said, you wouldn't be able to tell that I've been coming here since late July by looking at my signature. I have, though, and it's been anything but easy. I've had so many ups and downs, I should be a one-man roller coaster. It's all in my other thread, but that started to become more of a journal than a 'Losing Fat' thread, so I decided to branch off to this one. I'll maintain both; it's just that this one will be more personal.

Here's some basic info:
-35 years old
-6'0", 256 lbs.
-currently at 29% body fat
-no noteable health problems or liabilities
-been exercising on and off (mostly off) since January, 2005
-have lost 21 lbs. of fat since January, 2005

My goals:
---------
Short-term (3 months):
-lose 25 lbs. of fat by Christmas
Mid-term (6 months):
-lose a total of 70 lbs. of fat by April 1, 2006
Long-term (1 year+):
-get down to 11% BF
-get toned and sculpted
-go swimming, for the first time in 17 years
-shake Tom Venuto's hand and say, "Thanks!"

My exercise plan:
----------------
M-W-F: cardio (treadmill)
-start up with 10 minutes at a time
-increase time by 5 minutes every two weeks
-incorporate HIIT
T-TH-S: Pilates / weights
-use Pilates for toning, flexibility, and a warm-up for lifting weights
-full-body workout with weights, until initial fat is lost
-after initial fat, then split into routines for specific parts
SUNDAY: Rest

This is just a very basic program. I am currently reading BFFM and I'm sure I'll change it as time goes on, especially when I begin to plateau or discover something more beneficial.

My diet is still being refined. Yeah, I know the basics: fruits, lots of green vegetables, a gallon a day of water, low fats, etc., etc. However, breaking it down will be a little bit more difficult, due to our current budget. THAT will change within the next five months, though, so, when it does, I'll be able to spend more on stuff I need for myself, instead of the whole family. I'll also review that budget and keep track of 'extra' spending; I'm sure I can come up with SOME of the money...

And before anyone asks, no supplements. I mean NONE. Read my other thread for my feelings on those. Suffice it to say that I will only take a multi-vitamin, that's it. I don't believe in the need for man-made supplements to get where I want to be.

Also, I don't plan to bulk up. I've never been drawn to the Haney/Shwarzenegger types of bodies. I'm more drawn to the Tom Venuto types of bodies: lean, toned, and muscular, with minimal bulk. I respect the guys who bulk and the committment they put into it, but it's just not for me.

Well, here we go. I'll be (re)starting my program today. Wish me luck.

Later-----PC

[Be-Be]

So this is the bitch journal? Goody, here goes. Losing 21 pounds since January is not something to put yourself down for - especially if you are building muscle and creating good habits that will last a lifetime while you are doing it. Personally, I feel your goal to lose 25 pounds by Xmas is ludicrous and that you are setting yourself up for failure which will bring on more of the problems we have discussed in your other thread. I'm not saying it can't be done but that is only 8 weeks away which means you will be losing muscle along with the fat. I know you hate the fat but you should love the muscle more and do everything you can to keep it - even if it means losing only .5 - 1 pound a week. The muscles will make your body shape more attractive and put you in a smaller size quicker than trying to lose an excessive amount of weight quickly. You know I know what I'm talking about - you've seen my picture and I know you didn't think "Wow, she must weight 200 pounds!" That's all due to muscles. Since you can (and should) grow bigger muscles than me, you will have even more impressive results.

I'm sure I've told you this before but don't base you goals on arbritrary numbers. It will be extremely hard to hold motivation that way. Find life goals and health goals that involve getting fit, eating right, and losing fat but aren't based on them. For example one of my current goals is to be the person putting the most effort out in spin class. (Another one of my goals is to wrap a 45# plate around the neck of the idiot kid that never racks his weights but that one might take a little longer.) These types of goals make losing fat almost a bonus because you aren't concentrating on the scale every second of every day and letting it's lack of movement (or movement the wrong way) determine your destiny.

Okay, lecture over. I hope, even if you don't make a lot of what you think is progress, that you will post regularly. You are one of the five people that I've been keeping an eye on. 3 of the 5 have disappeared, please don't make it 4 out of 5.

[PermanentChange]

You know, Be-Be, it never ceases to amaze me. Every single time I check in, hoping to get in and out with just a short and simple post, YOU come along and blow it all to hell! lol!

WAY too much here to try a response from work, so I'll do it when I get home. But don't worry, ma'am: I will NOT be your #4. I give you my word.

Later-----PC

[Be-Be]

Yeah, I'm kind of scary sometimes.

[PermanentChange]

Personally, I feel your goal to lose 25 pounds by Xmas is ludicrous and that you are setting yourself up for failure which will bring on more of the problems we have discussed in your other thread.

I disagree. For the most part, you're right: excessive weight loss is an excellent indication of losing both fat AND muscle. However, anyone who's overweight and starts up a program will almost always start that program off with more than just .5-1 lbs. being lost, especially if that person is very overweight or even medically obese. In those situations, it's not uncommon (or even necessarily unhealthy), to lose 4-5 lbs. of fat, without a loss in muscle, during the first two to three weeks of a new exercise program.

I totally agree that fat loss needs to be a slow and steady process. I may not agree with the notion that it can only be .5-1 lbs. per week to be healthy and permanent, though. Everything I've researched indicates that a person can go to 1-2 lbs. of fat loss per week without risking anything, but that's only with proper nutrition and a good exercise plan.

I came up with the entire "25 lbs. by Christmas" plan based upon the initial loss of 3-5 lbs. during the first couple of weeks, then 1-2 lbs. each week afterwards. It'll probably be closer to 20 lbs. of fat being lost, instead of 25 lbs., but I definitely believe that the latter is more than possible.

You know I know what I'm talking about - you've seen my picture and I know you didn't think "Wow, she must weight 200 pounds!" That's all due to muscles.

Actually, no, I never saw your picture before, but I checked it out after your post. You have made some AMAZING progress! I mean, oh my God! And you think that it was awkward of you to wear a bikini? I don't see why. You just don't give yourself enough credit sometimes, Be-Be. Not everyone thinks Kate Moss is hot, you know...

Regardless, your plan has, obviously, worked for you. I can't wait until I start seeing MY results from the weightlifting!

I'm sure I've told you this before but don't base your goals on arbritrary numbers. It will be extremely hard to hold motivation that way. Find life goals and health goals that involve getting fit, eating right, and losing fat but aren't based on them.

I know, believe me. Too many times I've set goals that were unrealistic, only to have them crash down on me. You're right: life goals and health goals, not simply number goals.

Okay, lecture over. I hope, even if you don't make a lot of what you think is progress, that you will post regularly. You are one of the five people that I've been keeping an eye on. 3 of the 5 have disappeared, please don't make it 4 out of 5.

Like I've said in the other thread: good or bad, I'm here to stay. Just keep up the input, okay?

Well, good progress. Yesterday was cardio, today was Pilates and weights. Pilates busted my ass, though. It was good, but I know that I'm going to be hurting come tomorrow...

Lord, I'm tired now. Spent most of my energy replying to Be-Be! LOL

I'm going to bed. Time to rest.

Later-----PC

[Be-Be]

Actually, I look better than the picture now because I concentrated on my lifting all summer. Lost another clothing size but only lost about 10 pounds. What's really cool is how much I can physically do now. Three years ago a mile walk seemed pretty much the end all of exercise. (And my knees and back hurt after that walk.) Last weekend I cycled 55 miles and then went hiking. Very amazing.

Back to you... (BTW, this is what happens when I post in people's journals. I ramble all over. I started the blog to try to control that.)

I am eager for you to prove me wrong. Of course, you know what works best for you. However, I was obese with about 40% body fat and have spent three years becoming an expert on this so you will find me hesistant to endorse your plan. But I'm still supportive. 20 pounds by Xmas is possible. You'll just have to spend some time afterwards letting your body adjust to the weight loss and don't expect a lot of muscle gains.

[PermanentChange]

Actually, I look better than the picture now because I concentrated on my lifting all summer. Lost another clothing size but only lost about 10 pounds. What's really cool is how much I can physically do now. Three years ago a mile walk seemed pretty much the end all of exercise. (And my knees and back hurt after that walk.) Last weekend I cycled 55 miles and then went hiking. Very amazing.

Back to you... (BTW, this is what happens when I post in people's journals. I ramble all over. I started the blog to try to control that.)

I am eager for you to prove me wrong. Of course, you know what works best for you. However, I was obese with about 40% body fat and have spent three years becoming an expert on this so you will find me hesistant to endorse your plan. But I'm still supportive. 20 pounds by Xmas is possible. You'll just have to spend some time afterwards letting your body adjust to the weight loss and don't expect a lot of muscle gains.

And I need to nail down the entire formula for figuring out whether my loss is due to fat or muscle. I mean, I have a caliper to measure my fat and I'm fairly confident that I'm doing it correctly, but figuring out whether a reduction in weight is due to fat loss or muscle loss is where I get tripped up. Regardless, it'll be interesting to see how well, and correctly, I do the loss.

There's a section in BFFM covering the measurement of fat, so I'm going to have to go back and read over it again. The last thing I want to do is start off with incorrect measurements, then find out later that I was way off. Talk about your letdowns...

Probably the main thing I miss from my weight gain is all of the activity. I used to swim, bike, and run every summer, especially bicycling---long rides in the country with no one to bother me for hours. Haven't done that in awhile and when I hear of someone talking about how nice it's been getting back to "the glory days", it just motivates me even more. Plus, I'll be able to actually do things with the kids, instead of being cooped up all day in the house. Pretty sad when I know the words to the "Spongbob Squarepants" theme!

I noticed something yesterday and it shocked me: I've been holding in my stomach for the last 15+ years. I kid you not. I can't believe it! I noticed it when I was stretching and realized that I was more relaxed and comfortable when I "let my gut out" than when I was standing in a normal stance. The sad thing is, by being natural and not sucking it in, I now look like I've GAINED 20 lbs., instead of having lost 20 lbs.!!! It is so depressing to see myself in the mirror in my true state. But, you know what? I have to do it, even if it looks like I've gained weight. Sucking in my gut is a lie, both to myself and others, so I guess it's time to face it straight on. I'm just amazed that I've had that habit for all of these years. It'll take me awhile to break, but I'll do it.

Can't wait to get home and hit the treadmill today! Unlike a lot of people, I really enjoy using a treadmill and find it a fantastic way of losing myself. All I have to do is turn on the radio (anything, really---NPR, classical, modern alternative, my 80's rock---whatever) and I'm gone. Guess that's kind of cool...

And don't worry about hijacking my thread, Be-Be. Makes for a fun read.

Later-----PC

P.S: Think I'm kidding? Here you go...

"Are ya ready kids?

Aye, Aye, Captain!

I can't heeeeeear youuuuuuuu!

AYE, AYE, CAPTAIN!

OHHHHHHHHHHHH.........

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
SpongeBob SquarePants!
Absorbent and yellow and porous is he,
SpongeBob SquarePants!
If nautical nonsense be somethin' ya wish,
SpongeBob SquarePants!
Then drop on the deck and flop like a fish,
SpongeBob SquarePants!

Ready?
SpongeBob SquarePants!
SpongeBob SquarePants!
SpongeBob SquarePants!
SpongeBob SquarePaaaaaaaaaants!"

[Be-Be]

Re fat loss versus muscle loss: If you don't lose much weight but you are getting smaller - you are trading fat for muscle or just losing fat. I've done a lot of that. You'll also be able to tell if you are keeping your muscles when losing weight by how your clothes fit. Also, if you aren't able to increase the weight you're lifting, you may be losing muscle or you're dieting too much to grow muscles. I've found these to be the most reliable measures.

Re holding in your stomach: If you've been doing it for 15 years, you have some muscles under there. Continously holding in your stomach is an isometric exercise that is frequently recommended. So suck that gut back in.

Re working out in the gym: I prefer it because of the energy of having other people working out around me. It also helps to have variety and choices. However, it can be distracting so you may want to try a trial membership to see if it fits your personality. Or you may want to do the treadmill at home and the gym for lifting.

Re my blog: I wasn't joking. Guys really do that. The older guys aren't too bad or maybe they are more discrete but the younger ones are ridiculously obvious. Guess I need to buy tighter shorts.

[PermanentChange]

Also, if you aren't able to increase the weight you're lifting, you may be losing muscle or you're dieting too much to grow muscles. I've found these to be the most reliable measures.

I'll keep that in mind. That will definitely be interesting to see within the next month or so.

If you've been doing it for 15 years, you have some muscles under there. Continously holding in your stomach is an isometric exercise that is frequently recommended. So suck that gut back in.

But I feel like a freaking idiot now. I mean, my posture is more comfortable and I don't feel tense, so is not holding in my gut that bad?

And muscles underneath? Riiiight. I think my ab muscles are more like little clumps of raisins bunched together. Still, I did feel them with Pilates and that went better than what I anticipated, so maybe there are some there, after all.

However, it can be distracting so you may want to try a trial membership to see if it fits your personality. Or you may want to do the treadmill at home and the gym for lifting.

Yes to both. I called around today for prices (thank you MsDominatus and POrtergolf for the shove!) and it looks like I'll be going to my local YMCA.

I know, I know, it's not hardcore. But, they have a pool, large free-weight room, large Nautilus/heavy machine room, cardio machines, exercise classes, racquetball, and free child care. Plus, it's cheaper than my local Powerhouse AND the hours are similar. I just can't beat it.

I wanted to go today and take a tour, but it'll have to wait until Friday. God, it's killing me, too, because I want the gym NOW, dammit, NOW, NOW, NOW!

They do have all of the normal treadmills and stuff at the Y, too, but I believe I will just do the treadmill here and weights there. My treadmill is all setup at home (inspiration corner and all), but room for the weights has been the main problem. We'll see.

Re my blog: I wasn't joking. Guys really do that. The older guys aren't too bad or maybe they are more discrete but the younger ones are ridiculously obvious. Guess I need to buy tighter shorts.

Um...I'm thinking tighter shorts will just bring about MORE problems, okay? lol

I can understand being attracted to a pretty woman, but, c'mon! How hard up do you have to be to openly ogle her when she's working out right in front of you?! Have a LITTLE bit of decency, guys! Don't be so damn rude! Jesus...

Anyways, good night tonight. Did cardio on the treadmill for ten minutes (yes, only ten minutes---ease into it, kiddies), with a quick one minute jog in there. Could've done more, but, again, that's one of my old downfalls: trying to do too much, too fast. People wanna bitch, that's fine, but I'm going nice and slow, thank you very much.

Ate very well. Main thing I need to concentrate on is not eating after 6 p.m., something I believe in VERY strongly. Had some baby carrots and veggie dip around 8:30 p.m., but that's not bad for starting out. Would rather binge on that than the quart of ice cream that's currently whispering my name from the freezer. Willpower, little devil ice cream, willpower...

Also, I read where there was this study (supposedly) of people dealing with late night cravings and (supposedly) "they"---whoever "they" are---discovered that nearly 100% of the participants killed the cravings by drinking one 8 oz. glass of water. Anyone else heard of that? Don't know if it's legit, but I'll tell you what: I've tried it for the last three nights and it's worked. Think I may have found a new weapon for my arsenal!

All in all, I'm pleased with today. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Later-----PC

[Be-Be]

First off - Good job so far. Good attitude.

Second - Get used to not getting everything right now. No way around that if you want to succeed.

Other stuff:
You'll find most people here disagree about the eating after 6 or some other arbritrary time. It isn't healthy for dieting and muscles shouldn't go that long without fuel. Most people have their final (typically 6th) meal later in the evening to hold them over. A protien shake or cottage cheese seems to be popular and are only about 100 calories. It also keeps you from waking up in the middle of the night and eating the icecream. If you are eating properly, you only ever get hungry when its time to eat.

Posture is good. Shoulders back and relaxed, stomach in. Watch yourself in mirrors to make sure you aren't letting your shoulders slump forward.

Pilates are good too. I hate them and don't do them though I know I should.

Are you going to start listing your daily diet (complete with quantities)? I would love to argue with you on that. Seriously though, you need to figure out what works for you but if something isn't working, don't try to force it - figure out a way to fix it so its works again.

Try for a minimum of 20 minutes on the treadmill. You can increase the incline for part of it and jog for a little of it if you want more of a challenge but for now just try to get 20 minutes no matter how slow you end up walking. FYI - you may want to use a 1-2% incline as that will help you to avoid shin splints.

[PermanentChange]

Yeah, the only way to do this is by being patient. It sucks, though. Even now, I keep on looking in the mirror, thinking, "Okay, it's been three days. Any results yet? Huh? Huh? Any results? Dammit, WHERE ARE THE RESULTS???" Again, another one of those "downfall" areas I spoke about.

I may have misled everyone about the entire 'no eating after 6 p.m.' bit. The reason I say 6 p.m. is because I go to bed at either 8 or 9 p.m. each night, except for weekends. I get up at 3 a.m. during the week, so when I have nothing to eat after 6 p.m., I'm only going two or three hours before I go to bed and I think everyone can agree that eating before bed is NOT a good thing. I think I could've been more specific by stating that I don't want to eat two or three hours before bed, instead of making it sound like I'm setting that arbitrary time of 6 p.m., regardless if I go to bed at 8 p.m. or 11 p.m. My bad.

Don't have a problem with posture. I've always been pretty good about it. And the Pilates thing is DEFINITELY a must. Have you ever seen the pictures of Joseph Pilates? That man looked like he was 50 when he was actually 80! I've noticed that most people who follow the program reap unbelievable results and are far more healthy than the vast majority.

Personally, I've decided to do Pilates (from the original creator, not these infomercial knock-offs) after researching it for nearly two years. I primarily want it for the flexibility aspect, but there's some definite benefits to toning and muscle growth. Even though I've only just actually started physically doing it, I would not hesitate, based upon my research, recommending it to someone else. It IS hard when you're first starting out, especially if you're a 35 year old man (the entire macho thing with people, I guess), but, just like anything, you just have to stick with it. That's the way I'm approaching it, anyways.

I've already decided to increase my treadmill to 20 minutes by the end of next week. I just wanted to start out at 10 minutes, not because of some illusion that it's truly beneficial for me, but as a way to help my body ease into it. After all, I'm 35 and overweight, having lived a mostly sedentary lifestyle for the last 15 years. I'm at risk for injuries and strains right now, so I'm going to have to play it safe. Trust me, though, I know that I'll have to increase my cardio to at least 20 minutes to get the results I want. And, yes, I always do an incline. Sometimes I love to crank that incline up to 4% while doing my jog at 6 MPH or so. REALLY gets the heart pumping!

As for the diet posting...hmmm. Well...um...hmmm. Okay, I guess I can TRY it, but I'm hesitant. Part of my diet (actually, the majority of my diet) is derived from my budget. Yeah, I'd love to go to the local health store and by all-natural, no-preservatives, grown-by-monks-in-the-Himalayan-mountains food, but that's just not an option. What IS an option is doing the best I can with my finances and buying the healthiest stuff I can currently afford. That's why I'm hesitant: because I know that I'm going to get a bunch of people out there telling me that I'm doing it all wrong and that I'm wasting my time.

Truthfully, I pretty much know the basics and now I need to move on to more details with protein, carbs, and whatnot. And, like I said before, I'm sure I can scrounge up the cash to start making SOME of those purchases. However, it all takes time and I have to juggle my needs with the needs of the family, so I hope people will take that into consideration when they give me their critiques. I'm always open for suggestions and criticism, just as long as it doesn't turn into a flame-fest.

I'll try to post my current diet later on tonight.

Later-----PC

[JaeBeam]

A lot of 411 above. I skimmed.

Budget issues regarding food? My diet isn't the greatest. I have taken facets and done small changes. I cut out a lot of pasta, and replaced it with servings of wild rice.

Upping protien intake via canned salmon/tuna. You don't do suppliments, but I'm going to add that whey/soy/<etc> protien concentrates are cheap methods of supplimenting your protien intake.

You want to be Toned? If you aren't going to hammer out strict diet, thats what will happen, even if you start a power lifting routine. Lift heavy. I'd love to see what your "full body workout" consists of.

Myself, I do a ton of cardio, get about 150grams of Protien a day, and have been lifting heavy (5x5) full body workouts for just over 3 months. My results... I'm a bit more 'toned'. My point is, don't do 20 rep curls at a light weight, instead of 5 reps with a heavy weight, because you are afraid you will be come HUGE. It will not happen, unless you are taking in enough food to grow, which you are not doing.

Good luck bro. I've been lucky enough to enjoy aerobic exercise since I was in highschool, so weight loss hasn't been an issue with me. Hopefully you can take some nugget of advice from the dialogue I entered above, and it will help you out.

If it doesn't help ya, well, take this as a vote of encouragement!

[PermanentChange]

Budget issues regarding food? My diet isn't the greatest. I have taken facets and done small changes. I cut out a lot of pasta, and replaced it with servings of wild rice.

Why wild rice?

Upping protien intake via canned salmon/tuna. You don't do suppliments, but I'm going to add that whey/soy/<etc> protien concentrates are cheap methods of supplimenting your protien intake.

Very, very hesitant with the entire supplement issue. I think I'd go with a heavy dosage of tuna rather than supplements. Who knows, though? Maybe I'll change my mind down the road...

You want to be Toned? If you aren't going to hammer out strict diet, thats what will happen, even if you start a power lifting routine. Lift heavy. I'd love to see what your "full body workout" consists of.

Myself, I do a ton of cardio, get about 150grams of Protien a day, and have been lifting heavy (5x5) full body workouts for just over 3 months. My results... I'm a bit more 'toned'. My point is, don't do 20 rep curls at a light weight, instead of 5 reps with a heavy weight, because you are afraid you will be come HUGE. It will not happen, unless you are taking in enough food to grow, which you are not doing.

So, you're saying it's better to do 5x5 than 3x10? Will that give better results?

Hopefully you can take some nugget of advice from the dialogue I entered above, and it will help you out.

If it doesn't help ya, well, take this as a vote of encouragement!

It always helps, man. Thank you!

[Be-Be]

I know you've been attacked pretty good but don't worry about having your diet attacked in your journal because it isn't health store food. Most everybody around here tries to eat cheaply. You'll see lots of posts about that. Since you've been reading my blog (no, she wasn't kidding), you know that I don't eat anything fancy. Plus I eat tons of crap half the time. (My weight loss actually averages 1 pound a week or better when I follow my diet - problem is that I only follow my diet half the time so that brings my average down to 1/2 pound a week.)

Also, listen to Jae. So far he knows what he is talking about.

Basic, cheap healthy meal plan:
(I buy a lot of this in bulk from Sams - also very common around here.)
Breakfast: Oats, whey, & Pb
Snack: cottage cheese, apple
Lunch:Chicken breast (or lean meat/fish that was on sale), cheap vege (non starchy), rice (preferably brown)
Snack: more cottage cheese, small amount of nuts, maybe nonstarchy vege or fruit
Dinner: See lunch
Snack: Whey smoothie

I found using fitday.com annoying but it really did help me get my macros down. Right now I'm at about 50% carbs/25% protein/25% fat so I'm still doing high protien but that helps keep me from feeling hungry.

If your joints, particularly your knees start aching, let me know because there is a good suppliment for that. There really are some suppliments that everyday people like us can benefit from.

[JaeBeam]

Why wild rice?

Brown rice or Wild rice is better for you than white rice. Why? I forget the details, but it has to do with white rice losing some of its health benefits as it gets refined. A forum search will net you a more satisfying response.

So, you're saying it's better to do 5x5 than 3x10? Will that give better results?

Thats what I'm saying. However... we all are different, right? So you may get better results with 3X10, than with 5X5. Don't take my word for it, I'm just some guy with a computer. The following article does a good job of talking about the pro's and con's of 3X10 workouts.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa74.htm

Really, its better to have a plan that you can stick too, than to have the best plan, but not stick to it. If that made sense? So whatever workout plan will keep you coming back to the gym, go for it bro!

Feel free to check out my journal for a sample of a full body 5X5 program:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=545912

I generally get thru my workout in about 45-60 minutes, depending on how long I stretch. My back is damaged goods, so I need to warm it up before I lift. Any feedback would be appreciated!

Be-Be, thanks for the props!

[Be-Be]

Before you're done, you'll have tried every combination ever written about. Since your pilates will build muscle endurance, I would suggest 5x5 to build muscle mass. But remember, it you build mass, you don't lose weight as quickly even though you may be losing fat just as fast. So whichever method you choose should be dependent on your goals. But you need to settle on one and do it for about 6 - 8 weeks before you'll know if its helping you reach your goals or not.

The less refined the food is, the better it is. You lose nutrients and fiber plus its easier for the body to digest the more refined foods so you get hungy faster and my have insulin spikes.

[wirebender]

I'm gonna keep my eye on this thread too.

I won't critique your diet,because I've learned that everyone has to figure out what works for them.

But I will disagree with this:

"...and I think everyone can agree that eating before bed is NOT a good thing."

I began adding cottage cheese and ground flaxseed before bed everynight and I think it IS a good thing.
I sleep better,I recover faster from my workouts,and I just feel better overall compared to when I was not eating at night.

But,if it you get good results without eating at night,that's the true test.
Results are the bottom line,I've known guys who have unorthodox methods,but get great results.Ya' cant argue with good progress.

Good luck to you PC!

[Be-Be]

I thought about you today during at the gym, PC. A guy was telling me where grits were on sale and how they are a cheap, good breakfast. Then he embarrasedly admitted that he puts salt or sugar on them.

[PermanentChange]

Wow! Gone for a couple of hours and everyone comes out of the woodwork to post! lol!

Was another good night. Did Pilates and weights. Nothing major with the weights, because I am trying to take it easy, plus I'm still trying to figure out which direction to go (5x5, 3x10, 126x6590...you know).

And, once again, Pilates KICKED MY ASS. Not complaining, mind you. It's not like it's Pilates fault I'm so out of shape.

Good posts and I'll be sure to respond, but it's late, so adios, amigos!

-----PC

P.S.: Check this out!
http://www.adiosbarbie.com/

[PermanentChange]

Now, I KNEW about the brown rice being better than white, and, you're right, it's because of the bleaching process. I think what threw me off was calling it 'wild rice'. Thanks for the info, though!

I really, really can't wait until I'm able to get to the gym. I have my weights at home, but I am SO very limited, due to space constraints. It's aggravating, you know? Kind of like getting a pass to Cedar Point and only being able to ride the kiddie coasters,,,

I'm thinking about dropping pop all the way around. As I talked about in the other thread, I stopped caffeine cold-turkey after trying to wean myself off of it since January, with no major progress. Right now, I drink Fresca as a caffeine-free substitute and I really like it. However, I'm beginning to wonder if drinking any type of pop is wise.

Sure, I know all about the raging arguments over Aspartame and all, but I'm more interested in how much pop can affect your chemistry in general. I kicked the caffeine habit and that's all good, but am I actually still doing harm to my system by sucking down a 2-liter of Fresca every day? I might just try no carbonated drinks, period, for awhile and see how it goes. Any input?

Love to drink water and I'm not afraid to admit it. Some people hate it, but I actually look forward to it. Of course, my body is still trying to get used to all the fluids and I AM spending waaaaaaay too much in the little cowboy's room, but it's all for a good thing.

Water is probably one of my best tools in this fat war I have going on and I'm always aware of when I don't get enough. I try to drink a gallon a day, so as to avoid any adverse effects from a lack of hydration, but I don't always hit it. One thing I do make a point of, though, is drinking a full glass whenever I have a meal. I've noticed that it helps to fill me up and makes the food go down more easily. Plus, it does help quell those cravings I get towards the end of the night.

JaeBeam, thanks for all of the info and advice. Keep it coming.

Wirebender, welcome to the forums and this thread. Glad to have your input, too.

Be-Be, nice little menu you have set up. Might try it myself. I especially like the chicken part! Mmmm. But, just out of curiosity, exactly WHY did that guy remind you of me? You kind of lost me...

Well, this weekend I'll be posting my diet. Nothing fancy, but it's something I'll be working on. Plus, I plan on keeping at it for the next seven weeks, just so I can see if there's any real progress. I know that the Pilates will benefit me with the toning and endurance, but I want to see how much before I start changing things. I have high hopes with it, because I do want to get lean and toned and I consider it one of the best ways to do so (in conjunction with the treadmill and weights, of course). I do not want to bulk up, nor do I expect to from lifting heavy weights. LIFTING HEAVY WEIGHTS, BY ITSELF, WILL NOT TURN YOU INTO LEE HANEY! Doing that, along with heavy eating and an extremely dedicated and detailed plan, is the only way you can get big and bulked. Everyone, especially women, need to understand that and then go and incorporate heavy weights into their program. Do I hear an 'Amen' or a 'Hell No'?

God, my writing sucks today...

LAter-----PC

[JaeBeam]

Wild rice is different than Brown rice. Both are good for you, but I like wild rice heads and shoulders above Brown rice. Flavor and texture reasons.

I live in Minnesota, we grow it here. Odds are, its going to be more expensive than brown rice, but take a look around. I'm sure if you like the flavor/consistency, you can get it in bulk online for a good price.

Keep it up.

[PermanentChange]

Really? Wildrice is different than brown rice? Okay, guess I'll have to go check that out. Thank you, sensei...

[Be-Be]

I use the brown rice in casseroles and the wild rice as a side dish. Much different flavors but both are good. Do you have the list of foods to eat/not to eat that came with BFFM? I can post the list if you need it. His newsletter this month was also very excellent.

That was a basic, inexpensive meal plan. I have more flexibility in my personal one. (It's on the blog.)

The conversation is why I thought about you. In the forum, we were discussing inexpensive food and then here's this guy bringing up grits out of the blue. Don't think I've ever had a discussion about grits before.

Yes, Amen. You won't have significant bulk unless you plan on it and work at it. Men and women.

I checked the schedule at my gym and they don't have pilates at a time that I can take the class. Darn.

All liquids that you drink contribute to your hydration. The only problem with the carbonation is that the hydration isn't quite as effective as straight water. (Don't you love the new Fresca flavors? Black Cherry, yum.) I don't avoid diet pop but I don't go out of my way to drink it either. It's more like a treat than a staple. My normal liquids are white & green tea (for the antioxidents), V8, milk, Crystal Light, and water when I'm working out. I sometimes drink a diet, caffinated pop on my way to the gym to make me feel more full and give a little energy boost. On day's I work out, I drink about 90 - 115 oz of liquids and on nonworkout days about 55 oz - 91 oz. I'm a little shocked at that. No wonder I'm in the bathroom so much.

[PermanentChange]

Oh, my. Where did the weekend go?

Good day yesterday. Did Pilates, but stayed away from the weights. Shoulder was sore, so I played it safe.

Checked out the Y on Friday. I LOVE what they have going on there! They also have Pilates, both in the morning and in the afternoon. Cool!

Sunday was a bit wacked. I had some of the kids' Halloween candy while we played cards, but it wasn't too drastic. Not like I pigged out on it all day long. Figured I'll have a cheat meal once a week, so I counted it as such.

And no cheat day, like Body for Life advocates. Can't afford to do that, given my situation and weight, so I'll just stick to one cheat meal a week. Of course, once I get where I want, I'll switch it all over, to keep my body guessing: maybe one week there'll be two cheat meals, one week none. We'll see.

All in all, with the candy exception from today, I've been pleased with this past week. Good way to start it off. Room for improvement, but not bad.

More tomorrow-----PC

[wirebender]

I got into some of the kids' Halloween candy myself.ARRRRRG!
But I've been eating pretty clean,so no real damage.
I did some xtra cardio and bought Mario Mix DDR(Dance Dance Revolution) for the kids' Gamecube.
That game is great.You put in your vitals and it keeps a running total of calories burned.I ended up playing it more than the kids.


Also,I agree on the cheat meal.I think an entire cheat day is too much for me.
I saw you post your numbers on the other thread.Sounds like you are making progress.

troy

[ljfong]

Don't feel bad having cheat meal once a week as long as you are eating clean, doing cardio, and lifting for the other six days. I just had a cheat meal of a medium size domino's pizza in one sitting (that is 1750 calorie in one gulp), in 15 minutes. BTW, I'm 5' 7" 132 lbs male.

I really like Tom Venuto's body myself and it is the rough ballpark of the type of body I want to end up with eventually.

[PermanentChange]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Yeah, I wasn't too pleased with the entire candy scenario, but, like I said, it's not like I gorged myself on it all day. Doesn't matter, either: I made a mistake, learned from it, took the necessary steps to correct it, and have moved on. End of story.

Got a slight problem and I'm hoping the thread readers can help me. Last week, I weighed 256 lbs. with a BF of 29%. Last night, one week later, my measurements showed me at 251 lbs. and 28% BF. Now, when I figure it out, I get a breakdown of 2.5 lbs. lost in fat and 2.5 lbs. LOST IN MUSCLE!

Am I wrong??? Did I screwup some how??? If I did, then I'm not sure how. I've been following a pretty straight forward plan and haven't deviated from it. I haven't starved myself, so, as far as I'm concerned, I haven't entered starvation mode. I just can't see how I would lose equal amounts of fat and muscle. Like I said, I haven't been starving myself, so why the major discrepancy?!?!

It HAS to be my math. I'm terrible at math, so will someone PLEASE help me here and give me your calculations? Also, tell me how you came up with YOUR numbers, even if they're the same as mine. I would really, really appreciate it...

More later-----PC

[ljfong]

I believe that's where supplements like creatine and L-glutamine come in when it comes to retaining muscles. You always lose both muscle and fat when you are losing weight. The supplements will help you such that you lose less muscle, but losing muscle is just part of losing weight, sucks, but that's the way the human body works. I remember reading Kerry Dulin (one of bb.com writers) article saying that on average, for every 3 lbs of bodyfat you lose, you lose 1 lb of lean muscle. Same thing when you try to bulk up, you gain muscle, but you also gain fat in the process, another unavoidable thing. That's why bodybuilding is such a difficult sport that only a few make it through and attain the body they want, and all of them are very very proud of their accomplishments. It takes time, everything takes time.

I'm no expert, but I would suggest just focusing on losing weight for now, being a fat guy alone sucks as you already know very well. Start by being not fat, then become muscular in the end. There are many fat people out there who are extremely unhappy, but there are many not fat but not muscular either people who lead a happy and healthy life. Consider yourself lucky that you already realize how sucky it is being a fat guy, there are many many others out there who are still oblivious to the fact. Keep up the cardio, weight lifting, clean eating, and enough rest, eventually you'll get what you want.

[Be-Be]

What about water weight? You always lose water weight the first few weeks and someone your size could lose up to 10 pounds of water weight the first 3 weeks or so.

Also, BF % is nearly impossible to measure accurately unless you are using immersion. Use it as a guide but don't get caught up in the numbers. In fact, you shouldn't be taking BF % every week. Once every 4 - 6 weeks is more than enough. Some people do it even less because its just one more thing that tends to be more demotivating than motivating.

[PermanentChange]

What about water weight? You always lose water weight the first few weeks and someone your size could lose up to 10 pounds of water weight the first 3 weeks or so.

Also, BF % is nearly impossible to measure accurately unless you are using immersion. Use it as a guide but don't get caught up in the numbers. In fact, you shouldn't be taking BF % every week. Once every 4 - 6 weeks is more than enough. Some people do it even less because its just one more thing that tends to be more demotivating than motivating.

I completely understand the idea of water weight and how it can affect your numbers. I also understand the importance of not getting hung up on those numbers and to look at the big picture, instead of a few, small areas. However, gauging your fat loss once a week or every two weeks is not a bad thing. I would NOT do it more than once a week, but, at the same time, I definitely would not let it go for five or six weeks. That's too much time gone by to detect a possible problem with a person's plan. I believe weekly or bi-weekly measurements (fat loss measurements, with a caliper, using multiple body parts) is a legitimate and necessary requirement for any fat loss program.

Now, I know the drawbacks with calipers and you're right: immersion is the only true gold standard. However, 99% of us will never do it or have that opportunity presented to us, so the use of calipers to gauge fat loss is the next best thing. Yeah, the range of error increases when going from immersion to calipers, especially when inexperience comes into play, but, with practice and training, it can become a valuable and fairly accurate tool.

All in all, though, I think you may have been missing my point. I'm not asking for help to fix my routine because I'm "suddenly" losing 50% muscle with my loss of 50% fat. I'm asking for help in ACCURATELY calculating that loss, that's all. I need to make sure I'm doing the math correctly. Trust me, folks, I spent the first half of 2005 keeping a daily log of my weight FROM THE SCALE! lol! I know how obsession with numbers can be extremely depressing and counter-productive, so, believe me when I say, this is not the same.

Anyways, yesterday was good. Did the treadmill for 10 minutes. Little bit different from the norm, though. Usually, I keep a steady pace of 3 MPH, with one or two bursts of 6 MPH for a minute each instance. However, this time, I didn't keep the same routine. Went like this:

0-2 minutes: 2 MPH, 0% incline (warmup)
2-4 minutes: 3 MPH, 2%
4-5 minutes: 3 MPH, 3%
5-6 minutes: 4 MPH, 3%
6-7 minutes: 5 MPH, 3%
7-8 minutes: 6 MPH, 3%
8-10 minutes: 2 MPH, 0% (cool down)

It may not look like much, but, believe me: when you're 35 yrs. old, overweight, and used to a mostly sedentary lifestyle, this feels like the freakin' New York City Marathon. I give yesterday an 8 out of 10.

Also, I took some pictures on Sunday. *shudders* Man, I'm glad I'm getting back into shape. I had some original pix from when I truly started, back in January, but they were accidentally erased from my computer. Wish I had them, although I'm not sure if 20 lbs. difference would've showed up so well. Still, I'm taking pictures now, so that I can maybe, some day, somewhere, in some alternate reality, post them when I've gotten to where I want to be and don't have to worry about revealing to the world my current fatness. Revealing my 'past' fatness is cool, just not when it happens to be my 'current' fatness...

Later-----PC