Well. Well. WELL!
Despite my efforts at eating great this week (I even gave up dairy), not missing a workout, and my usual running around (which included sorting cows in 9 degrees the other morning), I’m up .2 lbs since last week. I’m consuming about 60oz of ice water daily, in case you were wondering. On a typical morning I’m consuming about 30 grams of protein (three eggs and black beans with rotel- yum!), which leaves me feeling very full until about 1pm, at which time I will eat some soup of some sort- be it chili or chicken tortilla (hold the tortillas). Supper has been more protein (steak or chicken with lentils- but we go to Vegas next week so I’m hoping to add some seafood to that while I’m there!), and roasted asparagus, butternut squash or salad.
This week was tough. I wanted to quit and say “screw it” more than once. I even had my thyroid tested.
I added weights to my workout – and before anyone spouts off about muscle weighing more than fat, to put on muscle you have to lift a heavier weight. To tone muscle you do lots of reps at a lower weight- which is what I did this week (This theory still remains in my head from my weight training class I took in college! Eek!). As I understand it, more muscle means your metabolism speeds up, and I view this as a good thing. I wasn’t sore after my workouts, so I am confident I can up the weight today and through next week. Further, I’m not concerned about becoming muscle bound, because I’ve been able to bench press my body weight and squat up to 150lbs before, and I looked amazing, felt amazing, and could go purchase whatever I wanted off the size 2 shelf and have it fit. THAT is where I want to be again. Can I get there at 35?
As I discussed my woes with Zach, who as always, was level headed, he suggested I use the built in capabilities of our fancy scale to track more than just my weight. BRILLIANCE! 
Weight on 1/6 = 144.6
Weight on 1/18 = 142.2
Weight on 1/25 = 142.6
But now let’s add on the new data we’ll be tracking:
Fat = 40.7%
Visceral Fat (or the fat around your mid-section) = 7% (anything under 9 is healthy/safe)
BMI (Body Mass Index) = 26.5
Muscle = 25.1%
According to the CDC, my BMI should be between 18.5 – 25.0 to be considered “normal”.
I struggled to find a chart that would give me further information about the data our scale provided. but eventually I settled on this one. According to the data it provides, I’m in a normal range for skeletal muscle for a woman my age.
The weather hasn’t been conducive to using my XC Skis (because it’s been brutally cold), and I haven’t been doing much cardio, other than what I get through the x-box kinect and the UFC program I’m using- which will leave me out of breath every workout and that fact that I run everywhere when I’m outside because it’s cold!
I should be in good shape this coming week to do some skiing- as the bitter cold looks like it’s leaving for a while!
How are you doing on your journey? Are you following along with us on Twitter as we use the #strongisthenewsexy hashtag? Don’t be scared to check in here, and if you’re a healthy/weightloss expert, I’m all ears, but do realize, me joining a gym is a bit out of the question because my location in the middle of nowhere doesn’t make that economically feasible from a monetary or time standpoint.
Happy Trails and Happy Friday!
I’m with you – not a good week + a pound – but I can name each {{scone,rueben sandwiches}} ounce that aided in that– don’t give up!
Other than my cheat day I was SO good all week! I have zero explanation.
Working muscle with low weights and high reps will still cause an increase in muscle mass, but women won’t get bulky like men to regardless of how you lift because we don’t have the high levels of testosterone that they do. So you still might be seeing an increase in your weight because of the lifting… but it will all even out in a few weeks once that increase in muscle mass starts burning more fat! Also, sore muscles hold water – sometimes up to several pounds! So even though you said your workouts weren’t leaving you sore, it’s a good thing to keep in mind. I never weigh when I’m sore anymore… I know I’ll be frustrated!
The other measurements your forgetting are INCHES! Measure your hips, bust, waist, and also thighs and arms… you’ll be glad you did! There are times when the scale isn’t budging, but the inches are coming off… it helps to keep you motivated.
I don’t have a tape with which to measure, but I will say this- my clothes aren’t fitting any differently- if anything I can’t even get into my fat jeans 🙁 . Also, I didn’t add weights until Wednesday and there’s 0 way that is responsible for the gain in weight. Sorry to disagree with you.
Jen
You need to follow the latest research on this. Long slow cardio is NOT a great way to loose weight (sorry running folks, been there tried that didn’t work). Neither is just weight training. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it…try combining resistance training (heavy lifting) with metabolically challenging workouts (more challenging than high intensity interval training but for shorter periods of time). It’s known as metabolic resistance training and it can be done at home using mostly your own body weight as resistance, sometimes in as little as 12 min. I do 6 days a week, every other day is around 30-35 min with shorter workouts on the off days (shorter but still very intense…I’m dripping in sweat). This type of training develops major muscle groups, which burn more fat and remain in that mode AFTER you complete your workout…sometimes for up to 18 hours. The new research shows that it also increases your cardio capabilities at the same time. I do TONS of burpees, pushups, assisted pull-ups, skipping, bulgarian split squats, squat jumps, wall sits…so many great exercises that really work multiple groups of muscles at once, and they are combined in supersets and circuits in an order that allows some recovery, but not too much (each additional superset taxes your system even more than the previous because of the timed “rest” period).
For food, I eat 5-6 times a day, 2-300 calorie meals, about 12-1300 calories total (I am in fat loss mode and I’ll up that when I hit maintenance). Eating more regularly ensures blood sugar levels stay steady. Spikes in blood serum glucose are what lays down fat, not eating fat. I don’t eat refined sugar or starches. I consume a LOT of dairy as each meal I eat MUST contain a high quality protein. I aim to eat a minimum of 75g of protein a day. Eggs (tons of egg whites-not because I’m avoiding the fat in the yolk but more as a calorie conservation method) and skim milk help me out A LOT here. I have a cheat MEAL not DAY every now and again (I don’t schedule it for once a week but for when I really feel I need it…usually about every 8-10 days it hits me…but I still don’t go crazy). For the most part, I’m NEVER hungry. I choose foods that are nutritious but filling (lots of veggies in my egg whites etc.). I keep track of everything I put in my mouth and count the calories, but I also ensure I eat at least 2 servings of healthy fats each day (peanut butter, olive oil, avocado, coconut oil). I’m not a huge fan of chicken breasts so lean cuts of beef (4-5 ounce portions) are more often on my menu. I keep my carb consumption to the morning before my workout so that I can fuel my workout and really go for the highest intensity I can give it. Currently we are trying a wheat free diet for the hubs so oats are my go-to morning carb.
In 11 weeks I’ve lost 22lb and over 24 inches using this measurement set (bust, smallest part of waist, waist 1″ below belly button, hip at greatest width, R/L thigh at largest section, R/L bicep at largest section). I agree with Ferreh that you need to track more than just the scale. But the scale is also a good indicator that something needs fine tuning.
Last, there have been stretches of 2-3 weeks where I don’t consume any alcohol at all. If I do, white wine is my choice. Berry wines have a lot of extra sugars so I would cut those (sorry, I saw the Prairie Berry pics…lol).
Ok. And you know I love ya, right? (For those of you that think I’m being harsh, this is just advice I had promised Jen the other day).
~Suzie
#strongisthenewsexy
P.S. Don’t play the age card…if I can do it then you don’t get to use that one 😉
I’m not interested in long, slow, boring cardio for weight loss as much as I crave it for the high and additional strength/stamina it gives me. I haven’t ever been that girl to run 7 miles just because. I’d much rather do three miles of interval training, where I bust my tail for short bursts, with a little recovery time in between.
I eat a LOT of beef, so I’m covered there- and I try to eat an avocado/peanut butter daily too. It helps that I love them both.
The doctor in the family has instructed me to consume my sugary carbs (if I must eat an orange or something) first thing in the morning so I have all day to burn them off.
From what you describe as your workouts the UFC workouts are much the same- and they tell you what percentage (at the end of the workout) was cardio, abs, upper-body, legs, etc. Different types of squats/lunges with and without holds, mountain climbers, jumping rope, jumping jacks, too many kinds of crunches/ab work to count, pushups, lots of pushups and then they rotate back through the exercises for that day’s plan. Kickboxing is also thrown in for good measure and they measure your intensity. The workouts are 10-25 minutes depending on the day (5 days a week) and they expect you to keep at your previous fastest pace or be chastised by the trainer. And you can fail an exercise too. They can all be done with the resistance band or weight, and for some I use the band, others dumbbells.
I’ve worked out with a few personal trainers so I understand the point in having the larger muscle groups worked and realize that when done right, you do keep your metabolism up well after you’re done working out.
BTW- the wine is regular grape wine from all different kinds of grapes. I don’t think grapes are berries, right? 🙂
I don’t disagree with Ferrah about measuring- it’s just not something I have had the tools to do until today (b/c I ordered a tape), but I can tell you my pants aren’t fitting any different yet. Last time I ate this way, I lost 10 lbs and went four weeks with no dairy and then added it back. Zach says as long as I keep working out it will eventually come off, dairy or no dairy. And why do we not eat like this all the time you may ask? Because when it’s not winter we’re so darn busy and we have picky kids at our home all summer and I don’t have time and won’t make time to cook 18 different things for people. So we cook what the kids will eat to save time and my sanity.
The age thing was kind of a joke really. I’ve never NOT accomplished something I set my mind to do. Is my 35 year old body different than it was at 21, certainly but that doesn’t mean I can’t love my 35 year old self as much as I loved my 21 year old self. 🙂
Thank you all for the support and encouragement. It means the world to me!
When I did the Insanity program (high intensity interval training), I didn’t lose much weight but I did get incredibly toned and lost a few inches. It took a bit to get there though. I haven’t been following this journey, but it’s going to take awhile for real change to kick in. Keep truckin’!
Thanks, Erica!
Don’t give up like I have.. I am older so I have an excuse..hehe