| Jason - where are your VEGGIES!!!?!?!?!?! | Week 5 of 12, Day 32 of 84
Jason,
I've been following your meals and I was just wondering, where's the veggies? Those are such as CRITICAL part of any bodybuilding program, whether to gain mass or drop weight. When dropping weight, they are so nutrient-dense and loaded with vitamins and minerals that are more readily accessible to your body than those in shakes or bars. They fill you up (ever try to eat a pound of broccoli) without adding many calories, provide fiber which has been shown to aid in fat loss and enhance absorbtion of nutrients, are loaded with cancer-fighting agents, etc. You'd be amazed at how just adding several servings of vegetables each day can actually kick your fat burning into high gear!
Everyone - eat those veggies!
posted by Jeremy on 5/1/2003 12:58:30 PM | | Still keeping it green! | Week 5 of 12, Day 32 of 84 cont...
Last night I came home to some sad news. There was a letter sitting on my place mat, from my grandmother who lives in Britton, South Dakota. My real father, Steve Likness, separated from my mother when I was between 2 and 3 years old. I had visits for awhile, but I'm told I would cry when I had to leave my real father, but then I'd cry when I had to leave my mother to visit with him, etc. He decided it would be best for me to have a more stable environment with a father who was permanent, so he gave up custody (at least, that's how I remember it ... it's been awhile since I've discussed this, so I may have some blinders on). I haven't seen him since I was probably 3 or 4. No, it's not my real father that the sad news is about.
When I went to college in South Dakota, I made a trip across the state to visit with my grandparents on my real father's side. They live on a 240 acre farm near Aberdeen, South Dakota in a small town called Britton. I vaguely remember the visit - at that age, I was going through a lot of issues, such as severe depression, rebellion, drug use, etc, so I must admit that my memories aren't as clear because in the past I purposefully tried to block all those memories (THANK GOD FOR CHRIST in my life ... HE gives me the strength to no longer fear my past!). It was a great week and I left with lots of love.
A few years ago, my wife was working for GTE when she received a phone call. It turns out that my real father works in information technology for GTE and was updating the directories when he came across the name "Likness." Liknes is a town in Norway on an island, and many of the inhabitants migrated to the states (specifically, South Dakota) in the 1800's. When they arrived at Ellis Island, they took the name Liknes as their last name in memory of the town, and of course the customs officials promptly added an "s". Basically, I have never in my life encountered any Likness who is not related to me ... we all come from that same migration. So my father knew it was probably his daughter-in-law. She confirmed this, and they spoke several times.
It was very awkward for me, and I have yet to even speak with him on the phone. We exchanged a few e-mails but emotions were very heavy and confusing for us. He had a rock solid foundation in Christ, but I had not yet come to know the Father through the Son (ironic, isn't it, that part of rebuilding my relationship with my birth father has required me to know my Heavenly Father first). We e-mailed a bit and then drifted. I always wanted to return to South Dakota to visit my grandparents again. I told my wife that we HAD to visit this year, because they were ailing and sick and they really wanted to see their great grandchildren.
Early this month, my grandfather passed away. The letter I received included the papers for the memorial service and the obituraries. I read the eulogy. My grandfather was born in 1917. He fought in World War II. Since 1979 he has managed 240 acres of farm land in South Dakota. He was married to my grandmother in 1948. He has 9 great grand children. From a simple man who liked to lead a private life on a little farm in a town in South Dakota that has a population of only a few hundred, his offspring have included engineers, computer technicians, teachers, artists, even a race car driver. It was amazing. The most poignant part of the letter that my grandmother wrote was when she simply mentioned, "Arnie always spoke of you." I can't tell you how that wrung my heart ... it really grabbed me, because I felt so ashamed that due to my wreckless youth, I did not fully cherish the experience I had to spend with my real grandparents, and now, I've missed that opportunity. I won't know my grandfather until I meet him in Heaven.
Our family is actually making the trip in early June. We made the decision late last year that we would make that trip and reconnect. While I mourn the lost opportunity to spend time with my grandfather, I know he led a full and faithful life in Christ. I'm concerned for my grandmother - she lost her mate of 55 years and is alone out there on a huge farm. I'm not sure what she's going to do, but I'm assuming she'll be staying or at least live near family out there. At any rate, I do cherish this opportunity to get to know her, and I do hope and pray that she will meet her great grand children before she joins her husband in eternity.
Okay, now onto more "light" topics ...
Man, there is a lot of work for this certification!!! Good grief. I thought I was starting it well ahead of time, but the May 31st, 2003 (when I have to renew my Fitness Trainer certification) is rapidly approaching! I've got all of the main questions answered, I'm still analyzing the information I've collected from various people and writing short essays, estimating caloric requirements, etc. As I touch YOUR statistics, I'll provide you with any information I create for this project. I also have a 1500 word article to write, but, hey, I like to write, don't I?
Yesterday's cardio was a blazing success. My back and abs were still sore from Tuesday's workout, so it made it rough, but I finished it - 2.35 miles in 20 minutes. Not to shabby for a chubby bald guy, eh?
Yesterday's meals looked like this - because it was a cardio day, I had more carbs spread throughout the day:
Early morning drink: Tangerine juice
Breakfast: blood orange, apple, pear
Early lunch: steak and broccoli
Late lunch: big bowl of lentil soup (lentils, onion, cumin, tumeric, and lemon juice)
Dinner: organic whole wheat pasta with garlic chives and olive oil tossed with fresh spinach leaves, served with diced raw bell peppers with a soy garlic onion dip (homemade by my wife)
Late night: one sprouted grain bagel
Tonight is shoulders, I can't wait, and tomorrow, the exciting day: Friday, when I have my one day to drink coffee for the week!
Our daughter goes to a program called "Tiny Tots" where she is immersed in Spanish, does plays, learns art, is taught how to read and write, etc. It is right behind our house ... literally (I could cut through my backyard, across a creek, and climb a huge embankment and then arrive at the back of the building). Right next to this building is a personal training center. My wife was talking to a friend of ours with church and somehow became engaged in a conversation with the owner. To make a short story boring, he was very intrigued with my experience and asked if I could get in touch with him for some "opportunities". My wife explained that I work full time, so my time is limited, but this is a very exciting chance for me to do some more hands on training. I LOVE to train - it's in my blood - and he offered some interesting alternatives. Honestly, I think I'm going to do my services on a voluntary basis, and in return simply ask use of the facilities and access to their message therapy - a few massages would more than pay for the training sessions! I am stopping by there today to work out the details, so it should be interesting!
Kristi - WOWOWOWOW you're looking terrific - amazing progress!!!! Thanks for sharing that!
Teri - you GO diva! Enjoy that nap!
Joe - sounds like a rock solid workout. Remember every once in awhile to put hamstrings before quads, and to do seated calf raises in addition to standing. This is not every workout or even every challenge, just a suggestion for weeks down the road when you're ready to change your exercises.
Val - way to stay green!
Jeff - it's a shame that personal trainers tarnish the entire industry by making such unhealthy statements. 20 pounds in 2.5 weeks? Sure, it can happen, but how much water and muscle? Yeah, and under the knife, too. I watched one of those shows where the woman said she was doing it for her husband, and that one of the benefits would be to improve their marriage. HOW SHALLOW! I'm sorry, but if their marriage is based on how good the wife looks, then it's not the same marriage of united two into one that I learned from the bible. So much focus these days on what's material ... so much piling up of treasures that only get left behind once someone passes away.
Michael - you're in a great place for support and motivation. Congratulations for taking the first steps ... I wish you the best in success with your program!
Sue - heh. It's good and bad. I'm glad you enjoy the posts with a cup of coffee! Some people just reply and say, "Look, all you had to tell me was that HIIT burns more calories. I could have done without the other 5 pages." It's just in my nature - when I was struggling to learn all of the right "factors" for success, I was frustrated because you would hear conflicting information, but never the WHY behind the HOW ... and I needed the "why" so that I could understand if the "how" was the right one for me ... so that's why I always try to elaborate on my opinions, so people can understand why I think that's HOW to do it, and make a better decision on their own.
SSG. Bjorklund - I KNOW that program, I have the book, a few videos, and corresponded a bit with Labrada ... so I KNOW it's going to work wonders with you. You have the intensity and the framework to, as your sweetie so aptly posted, become a MONSTER!!! I look forward to watching your progress, but I bet you are going to pack on some meat these next several weeks!
Erin - sorry about Rico, hopefully there's a chameleon heaven where he can run across a field of polka dots and change colors to his heart's content.
Shane - way to stay clean and green!
Emma - I look forward to your diet analysis.
Chuck - good to hear you're back and hitting it hard.
Computer Geeks - anyone know if Microsoft Indexing Service can provide accent-insensitive searching?
Everyone else - KEEEP IT GREEEEEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by Jeremy on 5/1/2003 7:30:45 AM | | Response to Ed and Alex | Week 5 of 12, Day 31 of 84
Sarah - thanks for the kind words
Ed I factored in her activity level. Typically, training every other day is going to require about 0.8 x lean body weight in protein grams. When the goal is fat loss, I add a little for muscle sparing and set carbs to the same. So 100 pounds of lean = 100 grams of protein/100 grams of carbs. Now, let's say I knew she trained like Zach, so intensely that the plates start rolling to the back of the gym and the barbells sag when he steps in. I'd go more for 1.2 or higher protein, and at 100 pounds LBM it'd be more like 120 grams of protein. When dropping fat, I like to keep carbs either even with protein or slightly less ... 100 pro / 80 carb or for someone my size 170 pro / 150 carb etc ... and then I concentrate most of the carb spost-workout (I think I get 150+ grams of carbs in most post workout shake alone, which is why I get away with eating protein and veggies without starches all day). If the goal was to gain weight, I'd actually increase the carbs to at least 2 times LBM, so for Sarah it would mean 80 grams of protein (.8 x 100, where .8 is the activity factor) and 200 grams of carbs (2 x 100). If Sarah were an endurance athlete, it'd be more like 4x LBM carbs or higher (i.e. 400 grams or higher). If Sarah only trained 3 times per week, I'd take protein at 0.7 times LBM (70 grams) and set carbs at about 1.5 (150 grams) ... see, there are a lot of starting points to factor this. But, as I mentioned, this is just a starting point and it's really saying "I'm going to land on the right city block" rather than arriving at the doorstep. Once this baseline is established, it requires consistent sizes and monitoring, and then things tweak around. I've had clients who are 200 pounds respond to 5,000 calories and only gain 1 pound per week, and I've had other clients who consumed 800 - 1000 calories per day but were in top health and gaining strength ... it's just so wide.
Here's your trivia for today:
(1) what is the only known and scientifically validated method for extending lifespan?
(2) what is one of the main, scientifically validated methods for improving brain function (memory, alterness, etc)
Answer to both 1 & 2 is to reduce calories. It has been tested ad nauseum on animals and observed in humans - the lower the daily caloric intake, the longer life and fuller memory. Now, this doesn't mean you can get by on two shakes per day. When you really delve into it, it means eating concentrated, nutrient rich foods - i.e. heaps of broccoli versus white bread, fruit instead of Twinkies, etc. So many people are scared of going to lower calories, like 1000 is some magic limit, because there have been so many crash diet programs that recommend fasting or liquid diets, etc. These are NOT healthy. However, for someone who is consuming whole foods ... do the math and figure out how much broccoli it takes to get 1000 calories - you'll find they get protein, fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and tons of other health benefits. At 214 pounds I can maintain my weight at under 2000 calories per day ... so why are so many people scared to death of a woman who weighs 100 pounds eating less than 1200 calories?
In relation to today's trivia, I'd HYPOTHESIZE that for the general population, lower calories means fewer free radicals which are one leading cause of aging, and higher antioxidants to fight those free radicals. I'd wager a guess that active, healthy individuals could gain the same benefits eating substantially more calories, provided they increase antioxidant intake as well - this is why a diet based on whole, unprocessed foods and then supplemented with key vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C is so crucial for long term health.
Alex - sometimes it takes having a trainer over you shouting and helping you push it to really realize the results. My wife is similar in that she is so strict with adhering to form that she'll terminate a set before breaking a sweat rather than break form. I'm not saying to be intense you have to break form ... again, it's tough to teach without being there, but if you sit down and think, I could have done one more rep, then you're right, you are NOT training intensely. If you have to think about a 10, you didn't achieve it. For me, reaching ultimate intensity means that last rep is like life or death. Now, it is interesting, because it works differently for different muscles. For example, on my chest, a "10" set means the last two reps might take 20 seconds because I'm pushing it so slow, but I've still got steam and I strain through to completion. My back, on the other, appears to be satisfied with just quitting. There's no partial reps there .. when I hit failure, I just can't move, no matter how much I strain and push. My version of failure is different than most, however. I won't do a rep if I know I can't complete it. So failure means being optimistic about completing the rep - even if I don't, I know I could, and then it becomes something in the mind. This doesn't mean I never reach failure. If I'm doing 195 on chest and I hit my 6 reps, I stop there and raise it to 205. Next week, I might hit 6 again, so I stop there and go to 215. At 215, I might fail at 4 or 5 reps .. then I know to stay at that weight and just push harder for progress (my current routine has me in the 4-6 rep range).
Hope that helps ... although I may have only made it more vague!
Jeremy
posted by Jeremy on 4/30/2003 11:15:27 AM | | Gooooood morning bloggers! | Week 5 of 12, Day 31 of 84 cont...
I'm gonna do the shout-outs first this go round:
Sue - relax, and hope your leg gets better quickly!
Chuck - I find that the generic recommendation for Gatorade when you're sick and can't take food is great. At least it provides calories, so if you can drink a few gallon containers, you'll be better off than fasting and starving! Plus, the electrolyte balance will help rehydrate you more quickly than plain water. I find taking bacteria pills (acidophilius and bifidum) can help kick this type of sickness, too, by keeping your intestinal fauna strong when under attack. I'd go for something 500 million cells per serving or higher.
Teri - long overdue, but you just look incredible. It's nice to see a bodybuilding diva here in our community!!! Your body shows the result of true, honest, hard work .... you look great!
X - better you than me. I'm nowhere near ketosis and I feel carbohydrate deprived already! My meals yesterday looked like this:
Morning: cup of tangerine juice
Breakfast: blood orange, bunch of grapes, apple
Early lunch: sesame-crusted salmon with mixed vegetables
Late lunch: New York strip with mixed vegetables
Dinner: sprouted grain bagel with hummus
Post-workout shake: 1/2 Florida avocado, 1 banana, 1/2 cup raw sugar (Sucanat)
So you can see I was not "carb-depleted" but considering I'm used to consuming 400 carbs a day, this was definitely a shock to the system! But I'm keeping it green and getting it lean!
Erin - detoxification can definitely do that. Or, you may be coming down with something ... it's hard to tell. Maybe just all the fat cells decided to revolt because they know you're doing a great job of vanquishing them!
Joe - you've got it, buddy! Body-for-LIFE, not Body-for-12 weeks. I started my first "challenge" in August of 1999 and while I don't officially enter the competition, it's been Body-for-LIFE ever since! Congratulations and best of success to you.
Shane - great job on that PB!
Emma - darned supplement industry strikes again! It's an important lesson for people to learn. What's worse is that this was vitamins, something I would consider a staple supplement rather than a fringe supplement - by fringe I mean things like liquid creatine, etc. I love the way manufacturers love to put ephedra and caffeine in creatine products so people feel a buzz and think the creatine is working. It's a shame the industry has taken that route, but that's what happens when money comes in the game. How are pharmaceuticals managed in Australia? In America, it's a huge farce - the pharmaceutical companies have the largest lobbying interests with the government, so all physicians pretty much go out of their way to prescribe medication for everything rather than target root causes such as nutrition and exercise. Not only that, any products of any mean worth always end up getting regulated so they can move off the shelves where the pharmacy racket can't gain profits and into the "controlled substances" list. Couple that with billions on advertising and we've got so many people in this country who feel like they don't need to exercise or eat healthy and when problems pop up, it's time to pop in (a pill, that is).
Leann - you're a strong girl and I know you'll make it there, I just know it'll happen when "it was meant to be" and not when anyone forces it to be. God bless you ... I will pray for you to be lifted because you deserve a dose of high spirits!
Everyone else - keep it GREEN!
Yesterday was great for me. Because all of my meals on Monday were protein-protein-protein, by the time I got home today after protein-protein I was ready for a carb. I'm not going into ketosis and I'm not doing low carb, I just know when my protein ratio is higher, I burn fat more easily. So the goal is to focus most of my carbohydrate intake around my training, when it makes sense either to fuel cardio or to recover from resistance training. I had a sprouted grain bagel with some hummus spread, and then it was downstairs to blast a personal record. I hammer curled 50 pounds for the first time in my life. It's interesting because my chest and back are nowhere near the top strength they've been in the past, and my triceps are weaker than they were (for example, I struggle to do 6 full body dips when I used to be able to do 10 with a 611 tempo and a 45 pound plate hanging from my waist) but larger - my biceps are about the same size but stronger than ever. Interesting how our bodies change and respond over time!
Today is another mega run ... not a "Tim" level of HIIT but enough for me, for now. It will be cycles starting at 5.9 and going to 8.9 with a high point at 9.9 miles per hour on the treadmill.
For those of you who are very focused on fat loss and the physical changes, here is an article that relates some of the things that might happen on the inside:
A TALE OF THE HEART © 2001 - 2007 Golden Summit Inc..
Physique transformation is a process that takes place on the inside as well as the outside. When we refer to inner transformation, we are usually referring to the mental and spiritual process of change and empowerment that makes the external transformation unfold. Sometimes the internal transformation can be physical as well. Instead of becoming frustrated because you have not lost a certain amount of fat or gained a specific amount of muscle, it may help to stop and consider what is going on inside.
The challenge that I am currently undertaking is a prime example.
I set some very specific goals for this challenge. I wanted to reach ultra low body fat, which is still a work in progress. I wanted to maintain muscle mass and show a net increase over my last photo shoot. I had some family and career-oriented goals as well. I focused on these goals and have gauged my progress based on these important milestones, but I just recently found out that I have been selling myself short. There have been other indicators of success, other signs of progress that until now I have ignored!
I really stumbled on this by accident. We purchased a stationary (recumbent) bicycle for the basement gym. We wanted something non-impact with lumbar support, and this was the perfect solution. The bicycle came with a heart rate monitor, so while I was "checking it out" I strapped on the monitor and flipped on the bike. There was a slight pause, then the display flickered on and I was caught by surprise. I was so surprised, in fact, that I took the strap off, found my pulse with my fingertips, and manually measured it for a minute. Then I checked again, just to be certain.
When I realized that my resting heart rate was only around 43 beats per minute, I became alarmed. I knew that it had always been fairly low - even when I was out of shape, my resting heart rate was below 60 beats per minute. It had lowered to 48 which I was fine with, but 43 - that seemed slow. In fact, as the night wore on, I realized that my true resting heart rate was even slower. The 43 beats per minute were measured after toying with the bike. After relaxing for a bit, the actual reading was more like 38 - 39 beats per minute.
My first reaction was to jump on the Internet to find out what tolerable ranges actually were. To my surprise, I found that elite athletes could have heart rates in the low 30's, which are perfectly normal. I knew that heart rate would slow down as the result of training (blood flows more efficiently, so the heart does not have to work as hard). I did not realize the impact could be so significant. The condition of a slow heart rate is known as bradycardia, and the lowest heart rate measured on a Spanish cyclist was 28 beats per minute. Some Olympic athletes have heart rates in the low 30's and marathon runners are typically in the low 40's. Unless the slow heart rate is accompanied by other factors such as dizziness, lack of energy, lack of sleep, high blood pressure, and other symptoms, it's generally a sign of an extremely healthy heart.
To make certain, I phoned my primary care physician and shared the news with them. It is always "better safe than sorry". Fortunately, your heart rate is always recorded when you visit the doctor, so they have a fairly detailed record of my progress. As I pursued this fit lifestyle, my heart rate steadily declined over the past 2 years from the low 60's to mid-fifties down finally to the current value in the high 30's/low 40's. My heart has increasingly become healthier!
I had been so focused on external changes - body fat, muscle size, etc - that I failed to monitor or recognize one of the most amazing transformations. My heart now beats 20 times less per minute. Over the next 40 years of my life, I have saved my heart over 420 million beats! Your heart literally explodes with each beat, and it is the collision with the inside of your chest cavity that triggers the recoil action. Think about having to bang your head against a wall all day long, and what it would be like if someone said, "Hey, guess what? You get to go on vacation - I want you to skip the next 420 million times that you were going to bang your head!"
My wife's heart rate has also slowed considerably. While most people balk at the effort it takes to eat healthy and exercise, we have found that it only creates time for us. We become masters of our own schedule, and ultimately create the time needed to get things done. I find that I have more time now that I am active, but most importantly, I am in control. Not just of my life, but of my health as well.
When you become frustrated because you're focused on inches or pounds, keep in mind the other changes that are taking place as well. We know that someone can drop weight by eating nothing but candy bars, yet will they be healthier? I don't think so. Many people focus on the weight loss only, and even sacrifice good health in their quest to fit in smaller jeans or weigh less. A lifelong approach to fitness involves setting realistic and healthy goals, then following through.
As you exercise and eat healthy meals, consider this:
- You are reducing the risk of dying prematurely.
- You are reducing your risk of developing heart disease.
- You may be reducing your blood pressure.
- You can reduce your levels of unhealthy cholesterol.
- You are reducing your risk of acquiring colon cancer and breast cancer.
- You are reducing your risk of developing diabetes, or diminishing the impact of a current condition.
- You are reducing depression and stress.
- You are increasing your strength and endurance, as well as your range of motion.
- You are increasing your energy levels.
- You are improving your quality of sleep.
- You are increasing your metabolism, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight.
- You are reducing body fat and increasing lean mass, thereby sculpting your peak physique.
- You are improving digestion.
- You are strengthening your immune system.
- You are lowering your resting heart rate, allowing your heart to perform less work to achieve the same goals.
- You are reducing the levels of circulating triglycerides (fats) in your bloodstream.
- You are reducing your risk of suffering from a stroke.
- You are protecting yourself from injury.
- You are increasing hemoglobin in your blood, which makes your blood more effective at transporting oxygen to parts of your body.
- You are decreasing the tendency of your blood to clot in your blood vessels.
- You are increasing the strength of your bones.
These are just a few benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, and more are being discovered every year.
Right now, I am steadily approaching a low body fat goal that I set for a March 30th photo shoot. My calories are low and exercise levels are high, but I'm motivated and focused. My biggest motivation is the "thrill time" that I have: feeling healthy. I know I worked hard to reach this state of health, but I also realize that no food will ever taste as good as being this healthy feels. It is easy to become frustrated when the path seems long, but by focusing on the specific changes taking place, both inside and outside, you can create your own "thrill time." Savor the improvements to your health and use that enjoyment to fuel your excitement to continue this lifestyle.
Remember that the big picture takes into account all of you, including what's on the inside. Physique transformation is about mind, body, and spirit, and the body is affected inside and out. While it is great to have external goals in mind, don't forget about what's going on in the inside as well. You may be surprised that even though you have several more pounds of fat to lose or muscle to gain, beneath your skin, you are already building your peak physique!
posted by Jeremy on 4/30/2003 7:42:49 AM | | Sarah, Leann, and other shout-outs ... | Week 5 of 12, Day 30 of 84
Zach - you da MAN, great post, thanks for sharing THAT!
Shane - I understand completely what you're saying. For me, getting down to single digits body fat was more than just the pictures, it was the process, the accomplishment, etc. What I'm trying to say is bodybuilding is a great goal, but there are so MANY goals and accomplishments you can strive for. After my pictures, one goal was to hold a lifting charity event ... another goal was to start my own business ... these are all things I accomplished and that took priority over me doing my first "show". So rock on and find what works for YOU!
Sarah - you asked this: if you weigh 155, and body fat is around 34%, and you are 29 years old, how many calories should you be eating? The answer is .. WHO KNOWS?! I know that sounds smart-assed, but it is the truth. A recent study surveyed hundreds of women who were the same height, had the same level of activity, weighed the same, had the same body fat, etc. And guess what - their metabolic rates varied by up to 900 calories a DAY!!! That's right - 900 calories variance for the same weight, age, and body fat (even the same height!).
When you are shooting for a particular calorie range, too, people can become way too obsessed. For example, how many calories is an apple? Can you honestly and truly tell me the apples you grab from the supermarket are the same height, weight, radius, etc? Apple to apple can vary by several dozen calories.
When you pick up a tub of cottage cheese ... whew, at least those have nutrition information on the side, right? So you KNOW what you're eating there. Unfortunately, those labels are allowed by law to have a 20% variance. This means that if it reports 100 calories, you're talking as low as 80 or as high as 120. If it says 30 grams of protein, you're really getting between 24 and 36 ... and that's IF the vendor was compliant (the FDA has a hard time checking). Furthermore, are you SURE you measured out that EXACT 1 cup portion?
My point is that too much emphasis is often placed on calories. If I have you taking 5 tablespoons of flaxseed oil every day, you'll probably drop fat on a diet 600 calories higher than if you weren't. If you are drinking a lot of shakes and eating a lot of bars instead of eating whole foods, you probably need to eat a lot less calories. If you're eating more protein then you probably get some more calories and if you're eating mainly carbs then the calories should go down. Crazy, isn't it?
The true key is going to be to learn your own body. Tim Barby said it in his post ... how he has to take a few weeks to "dial in". The key is not that you are counting calories, but that you are being consistent with your portion sizes. So when you have oatmeal, shoot for a cup of oatmeal. Understand that this won't always be exactly 25 grams of carbs, etc, but it is a convenient measure for you called a cup that you use. All your foods should use consistent portion sizes. Then, if you find you are not losing fat quickly enough, simply trim the portion size - a LITTLE bit, not a lot. If you simply switch from 1 cup of oatmeal to 3/4 or even 7/8, and take your cut of meat back from 4oz to 3.5oz, then you are making small changes that you'll barely notice with each meal, but which will make a major difference throughout the day.
A rule of thumb would be to take your lean mass and then use an equation to figure protein and then work out fats, etc. I don't like that but it's a starting point. At 155 and 34% body fat (and who really knows what your body fat is? Anything over 30% is highly prone to error) but let's just assume 34% is right, then you'll have 102 pounds of lean mass. Let's make this simple and call it 100. To drop fat, I'd set protein at least equal to this, so 100 grams or about 15 grams per meal, if you eat 6 meals. I'd keep carbs around the same. Fat? I usually don't count fat calories. If you make sure you are eating lean, low fat proteins and not adding extra fat elsewhere, then the fat content is probably fine. I'd add some flaxseed oil - maybe 1 tbsp - just for health benefit (it can kick you metabolism up a notch as well).
Okay, so there was an equation and if you guessed at it, it would probably come out to around 1200 calories. But who knows if this is right? You've seen my pictures and I can maintain my weight at 1200 calories if I'm not eating much protein!! I eat around 1900 now to lean down, and I can bulk on 2400 ... but that's just because of the way I've manipulated my metabolism and actually slowed it down. If you have a fast metabolism, you might need as much as 2200 calories to drop weight!
I'd make sure all of your portions are consistent and then, as Tim is doing, dial in. Monitor your weight. If you are dropping, great. If you are dropping too fast, increase portions slightly. If you are not dropping or dropping too slowly, decrease portions slightly. That's all there is to it! Consistency and persistence!
Leann - What can I add that Tim didn't already cover? It is about priorities, pure and simple. Sometimes our family takes priority over our own health, sometimes watching TV does, sometimes we even choose feeling sorry for ourselves as a higher priority than other things in our lives. I've done my fair share of that and it's all part of being human. The trap that I don't want to see you getting into is that doing this is going to help lift your spirits ... while physique transformation can be very uplifting and motivating, the key is to be motivated and uplifted to CREATE your success ... rather than focusing on pounds and nutrition to create your mood. In other words, while you might get excited to see the scale drop a notch, it's not going to create happiness or confidence. But, if you focus on HAPPINESS and CONFIDENCE, you can USE that to help budge that scale. I thought I had to lean down to feel secure in myself, but I had to become secure first, even when I was overweight, in order to gain the confidence to finally reach my dreams. So focus on the inside ... after all, you live in your house so you want it to be in order, right? If it's between the bed and the lawn, which gets cleaned first? Please focus on moving forward and don't connect your stumbles or lack of enthusiasm with failure - they are just part of what you are going through right now, part of the process. When you gain control of the process, you'll gain control of the fitness aspect, too.
Everyone else Happy TUESDAY!
Jeremy
posted by Jeremy on 4/29/2003 4:37:24 PM |
|
|
Question of the Day
Articles
Fitness Experts
Weight Loss Products
Exercise Guide
Weight Loss Vault
Action, Word!
Summertime Shoutouts
Wrapping Up Arms
Contact
Affiliate Program
Terms and Conditions
Help! (Getting Started)
Cardio and Aerobics — How to run, sweat, and improve cardio fitness.