A||N||18||blueyedcowgrl||new 2 this need some help|||||| Z||000000||blueyedcowgrl||06-15-2000||07:50 PM||msull69@pb.net||hi i'm a 24 year old mom of 2 i had my last kid 2 years ago and unfortunately let myself go. I've been working out religlously for 8 months. I went from 206lbs to 154lbs and 39%bf to 25.5%bf. but now i'm stuck! i weight train 3x's a week for about 45min-1hr cardio 30min 3x's a week and 45-60min 2x's a week i have a low carb, high protien diet with xenadrine 3x's a day. i have been unable to lose anything in about 4-5 weeks. any info you folks can supply me with would be so appreciated. diet, workouts etc...
thanks in advance ||204.183.112.39||reg|| Z||000001||MS||06-15-2000||08:36 PM||mad.scientist55@hushmail.com||Have you been dieting like this for the last 8 months? Can you be more specific about your diet, such as how many calories, how many meals, what's in each meal, other supplements you're taking. ||139.80.178.6||reg|| Z||000002||blueyedcowgrl||06-15-2000||08:59 PM||msull69@pb.net||yup, i've been dieting like this for 8 months
i also have been working with a personal trainer all this time, he has me eating 4 meals spaced 3-4 hrs apart the first meal is usually a metrix protein shake, 2nd is usually tuna,lettuce ( or sometimes rye bread),fat free mayo, meal 3 is turkey or chicken or fish with a veggie usually broccoli or some fibrous carb, meal 4 is usually a protein shake. thats usually all i can fit in. i take xenadrine 3x's a day , and vitamins thats about it. ||204.183.112.17||reg|| Z||000003||gymratgrl||06-15-2000||09:00 PM||pbenamati@aol.com||What kind of carbs are you eating? Dense carbs will keep you bloated and store as fat.
How often are you eating? You need to eat several times a day to keep the metabolism burning fat as fuel?
Do you put protien with every meal/snack? This is important for proper protien synthesis and to keep the carbs from converting to sugar and storing as fat.

At what level at you doing your cardio?
Your'e doing something right because you have a lot of weight. Are you doing your cardio intense enough to burn the maximun amount of fat? First thing in the morning on an empty stomach (and ECA if you choose) is great!||205.188.198.171||reg|| Z||000004||MS||06-15-2000||09:16 PM||mad.scientist55@hushmail.com||Wow. OKAY that gives us something to work with. If you've been eating like that for 8 months then I'm not surprised you've hit a plateau. With all due respect to your trainer you need more (complex) carbs than that to keep your metabolism revved-up. Not enough carbs equals not enough thyroid, especially on a calorie restricted diet.

There are several things to try.

First is to increase your weight training. Try to get in at least 4 hours per week, with reps in the 8-12 range (or heavier if you can handle it without injuring yourself).

Second is to add starchy carbs into your first 2 meals. Try to eat around 400-450 calories for each of your 4 meals. For the first two meals make half of those calories from carbs such as oats, brown rice, whole wheat or other grains (in other words 50 grams). For your last two meals eats LOTS of fibrous veggies along with your protien(more than just a little broccoli-I mean like 2-3 cups of mixed veggies).

Third, add some fat into your diet. Try mixing in 1 teaspoon flaxseed oil with each meal.

Fourth, have one cheat meal each week to really kick-start your metabolism.

How's that sound to you cowgirl?

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The Mad Scientist
||139.80.178.6||reg|| Z||000005||blueyedcowgrl||06-15-2000||09:20 PM||msull69@pb.net||i try to eat fibrous carbs (broccoli,spiniach,aspargus) limiting the amount of starchy carbs like bread, rice, stuff like that. I keep my cardio at my target heart rate 16-17 beats per 6 sec. i try to get to the gym for cardio at 5am so i can do it on an empty stomach. any suggestions on a good eca? thanks for the feedback this is a great board! ||204.183.112.17||reg|| Z||000006||blueyedcowgrl||06-15-2000||09:26 PM||msull69@pb.net||that sounds good to me MS! I would love to blow past this plateau! thank you so much! ||204.183.112.17||reg|| Z||000007||blueyedcowgrl||06-15-2000||09:39 PM||msull69@pb.net||hi again, you guys and gals seem quite knowlegable so maybe you can answer a few questions i have. My brother has mentioned clen to me and i've seen it on here. what are the side effects and is it actually effective? Is it worth trying? Or should i stay with an eca? I know that they are kinda similiar but is one more effective than the other? ||204.183.112.17||reg|| Z||000008||JayeLynn||06-15-2000||10:28 PM||greyvulf@hotmail.com||I'm with MS for the most part. If you see quick results but find yourself plateauing again quickly, I would suggest lowering the carbs and raising the fat proportionally until you get it kicking again. You will likely find that your cheat day involves large amounts of the macronutrients you're depriving yourself of during the rest of the week. That too will give your body a little jump start.

Regarding thermogenics, please beware that these agents do raise your blood pressure. If you have a family history of heart problems, you may want to check with your doctor. I would rather see you give the diet another 4 months or so. That would allow you to learn even more about nutrition and how your body responds under different circumstances. Otherwise, there is a lot of information about Clen and ECA all over this board.

Best of Luck!

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Feel Free to Underestimate me ;)||63.225.127.218||reg|| Z||000009||blueyedcowgrl||06-15-2000||11:38 PM||msull69@pb.net||thank you very much. It really is nice to find a board where everyone is so helpful. I appreciate all the info and tips. ||204.183.112.18||reg|| Z||000010||WarLobo||06-16-2000||12:26 AM||warlobo@operamail.com||Welcome BECG, as you see, we have a good collection of ladies who love to help out. Take a few minutes and read through the many post and in no time at all you will be addicted

You have had some great gains... or losses as the case may be. Hang in there as it only gets harder - but we'll be here.

Late

Lobo
||152.163.201.204||reg|| Z||000011||AZ Trainer||06-16-2000||01:47 AM||fiedor@hotmail.com||ok, my comments:
1) Metrx = bleech LOL its a decent protein, but man did my digestive system so not like it, but if it works for you, great
2) always nice when you hear conflicting tips, isnt it? MS suggesting more complex carbs, someone else saying reduce your carbs... I tend to go with MS on this, though... too few carbs can be unhealthy and ketosis is not a good way to lose weight... avoid the processed flour (white bread etc) but take in some quality grains and a little rice is ok (stay away from instants... ie instant oatmeal, rice, etc, as they have a higher glycemic index, and cause blood sugar spikes similar to simple carbs)
3) one simple suggestion, try to get a 5th meal in (in the form of a small snack for example).. the more meals, the more your metabolic rate will stay up... it isnt convenient, so you may have to plan to take stuff with you on your errands/job
hope this helps some

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A Hard Woman is Good to Find||209.180.135.131||reg|| Z||000012||Dlady27||06-16-2000||11:05 AM||giggyeyes@yahoo.com||BECG, I have recently taken the advice of those here and now that I am eating more complex carbs in the AM hours, I am beginning to see a change. Not to mention a week ago or so I was only eating 500 to 800 calories a day, I know now that restricting your calories so low isn't the way to go about it!
||208.205.113.135||reg|| Z||000013||MS||06-16-2000||03:09 PM||mad.scientist55@hushmail.com||I don't think JoeManly and I are conflicting that much. I consider the higher carb, higher calorie just a way to get the energy/metabolism revved up. I am not suggesting it as an indefinite diet. I think JoeManly is right in that ultimately CowGirl should aim for a more balanced diet. Since this is abviously a long-term diet (compared to the 10-12 weeks that a bodybuilder might diet) it's important that it's healthy above all else.

And I agree that more meals would be better, but cowgirl said she couldn't fit anymore in. Mother of 2 with one of them in the 'terrible twos' makes it extra hard to organize your own meals/priorities. So she just has to do the best she can.

Thermogenics.....read the back of ANY drug (even OTC) and heed those warnings. There's a long list of contraindications on the back of ephedrine products and they should not be taken likely. If you're not sure, then ask your doc. For instance some people don't know that they're on MAO inhibitors (found in many antidepressants). Also take notice of your own reaction to anything new you try. If it doesn't agree with you, DON'T TAKE IT.
This should be 'common' sense, but we all know uncommon it can be sometimes.

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The Mad Scientist
||139.80.178.6||reg|| Z||000014||George Spellwin||06-16-2000||07:09 PM||gspellwin@elitefitness.com||Interesting thread.

I agree with MS, I have worked with women who ate so little fat that they could not lose any more weight. I believe you should put some fat back into your diet. Low fat can only take you so far. Read this about Flax oil -- yes, this is my product
http://shop.massquantities.com/supplements/106.html

Secondly, it seems that you have lost quite a lot of weight. I have found that many people after losing so much weight have sub-optimal levels of T3. If your thyroid is not functioning properly, then no matter how much you diet, you will lose no more weight. Ask your doctor to do a Thyroid pannel. Make sure he gives you the results so you can share them with us.

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Yours in sport,

George

George Spellwin
Research Director


Elite Fitness: Online Bodybuilding Magazine:
http://www.elitefitness.com
 The Most Controversial Bodybuilding Site on the Internet.
217 West 18th Street, P.O. Box 1264, New York, NY 10113-1264
George Spellwin gspellwin@elitefitness.com
Research Director Phone: 212-823-1000 Fax: 212-208-2531
||199.105.128.14||reg|| Z||000015||MS||06-18-2000||03:35 PM||mad.scientist55@hushmail.com||Very good advice George. I'm sure that she would find her T3 pathologically low at this stage. If you have this test done also make sure they test reverse T3 levels too. But MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, taking a break from dieting, or at least increasing carbs and calories, will retore T3 levels if there's no other reason for the Thyroid problem. Supplemental T3 is really only indicated if you can't,or won't take a dieting break, or you have other underlying problems. This is definitely something to discuss with your doctor, maybe even have your T3 measured while dieting, then again a couple of weeks after easing back on the diet. If your T3 doesn't return to normal, then you would be an ideal candidate for T3 replacement therapy.

Have you started your revised diet and exercise plan yet cowgirl?


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The Mad Scientist
||139.80.178.6||reg|| Z||000016||blueyedcowgrl||06-23-2000||11:08 AM||msull69@pb.net||hi guys i appreciate everyones help and great vadvice. we were in the middle of moving this week so this monday I will be starting the new diet and exercise plan that you guys have suggested. I completly agree that i have been doing thios soooooo long that my body must be used to this by now and i knew it was time to change it but i wasn't sure how to begin! I will keep you posted with my results thanks ao much||204.183.112.12||reg|| Z||000017||blueyedcowgrl||06-26-2000||11:46 AM||msull69@pb.net||ms, i wanted to thank you for realizing how difficult it is with kids my girls are 2 and 3 so my meals and work outs sometimes have to suffer a little alot more than i would like them to. I just came home from the gym and increased my weight training to an hour so with all the suggestions you all gave me i hope to be reporting back to you with some good results! I also had my bodyfat tested today, in november of 1999 it was 39.4% today it was 24% so that means i'm ALOT closer to my goal now than i was 8 months ago.!!! ||204.183.112.15||reg|| Z||000018||BigPappa||06-26-2000||11:59 AM||||switch from Xenadrine to another brand. Your body may get used to it so try out Diet Fuel for a month or so...if you can, get Clen.||204.255.124.5||reg||