IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN - My 35lb Cutting Journal

[Tennisgal33]

Honestly, what you are describing dating back to your weight gain in 2010 is a lot like so many women who overtrain/ undereat for a contest and then completely lose it and gain weight back and then go up and down trying to get it off with little to no success.

1700 is the minimum I'd have you eating if I was working with you BUT...I think you have to build up to that. When you said you were eating 1600-1800 religiously in January, how long? It will take your body at least 2-3 weeks to adjust and I would suggest that you haven't been consistent for the time it's going to take you to fix your problem and get your body going again. Even the going "off" the diet and eating at maintenance for a few days will mess you up because you've been under eating for so long. And if it's dirty calories, it'll just store itself as fat.

My best advice to you is to hit 1500 min for a period of at least 3-4 weeks. Those binge periods come because you aren't getting enough overall nourishment. If you can hit 1500 for a couple of weeks, I'd start up'ing your cals by even 100 a week and see what happens. I don't think any woman should be taking in under 80 gs carbs, unless you're hitting the stage. However, again...just my opinions.

I know eating more goes against anything and everything you believe but once you get your body working for you instead of against you, you'll be surprised what the proper nutrition will do. I have been where you are now and it's very challenging to fix things and takes time. It's hard to have patience when you just want results. I've said this before on here but my first prep I started at 2350 cals/ day and ate till I was heaving. I never got below 1400 cals and that was towards the end of the prep. I lost almost 50 lbs in 23 weeks. We seriously underestimate how much we can eat and still see results.

You can also check out Layne Norton[/url] and watch his latest blog on metabolic damage. Layne is one of my mentors and very well versed in this stuff.

PS most nutrition folks will say it's the overall intake in a 24 hour period vs the week that you should focus on.

Thanks Caligirl! I really appreciate this. Everything you say makes total sense. Pre-2010 I absolutely went through a period of overtrain under eat. Absolutely! So I'm probably still playing catch up.

Two questions: when you say add 100 calories a week slowly (after staying at 1500 cals for a few weeks) do you mean daily, or 100 cals in total for the week?

If my day looks like this: up at 11:00am Bed by 2am, I have often stopped eating by 9pm thinking night eating was bad. If I eat up to 11pm to meet calories is this OK? Or should I get them in earlier and still stop eating by 9/10? Just curious. (This work schedule changes in about 6 weeks back to a 7am-12am work day)

Not sure if there is a 'prettier' macro breakdown through the day you'd suggest - but I don't want you to spoon feed me the answers either. No pun intended. Thanks again

PS - have read Layne Norton which is why I was worried I've done perm. damage to my metabolism/thyroid and can't turn back...will re-read and also just as a back up have thyroid blood work results coming back next week.

 

[Tennisgal33]

This is a quick shout-out thanks in general to the ladies who have spoken up and helped out. Much appreciated. It's funny how I know at one time I was 'cut', toned and content with a number on a scale, quite athletic. But now thinking that near the end of my last race, I got there is a not so healthy way with the over training, under eating scenario.

I may be falling into that again and am working to correct it. Big difference is I was 122-126lbs then, around 14%BF and dropping weight like crazy verses now at 153 and finding what worked no longer seems to be. I read so much about 12-16 week transformations, and knew I was in for a lot of work having gained 35lbs over 2 years, losing a bit, then putting it on fast. 25lbs in 5 months like I said this past Aug-Dec. I had fallen, but thought 21 weeks was a good time frame to at least lose a good amount of fat before heading into some serious muscle gains. And now here I am falling into a very typical pattern of having an event 8 weeks away and panicking about the scale not moving. I am absolutely in this for the long run, injury free, back and better than the strength and endurance I had. BUT of course this event coming up is in my face as a goal I initially had set seems to be slipping away.

Not giving up. Still working out the kinks...weigh in, photos and updated measurements scheduled for May 13th. Stay tuned.

 

[Tennisgal33]

Friday, Day 5 - Scheduled Carb-up Day

11:00am
1 grapefruit

12:00am
1/2 cup greek yogurt, low sugar, low fat
1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 4 strawberries
1/4 cup nature path granola

2:00
3.5oz salmon
1.5 tbsp relish
1 cup homemade chicken soup with 1/4 cup barley in it (cooked), 1 oz chicken

6:00
1 oz lean ground beef, drained meatballs (with 1 egg in whole recipe)
4oz of catelli healthy whole grain spaghetti (MMMMmmmmm!!!)
3/4 cup classico tomato sauce
.5 tsp olive oil/balsamic mix
1 oz multigrain bread loaf
6oz white dry wine

9:00
1 oz whole grain loaf
14 realfruit gummies **

1811 cals *this is probably much closer to what I should be eating?? Eventually ??
33g F 242gC 212gNet Carbs 80g P


No Gym today. Was feeling fatigued and listened to my bod. Not sure if high carb and off gym day is a bad combo?
Ironically on this day vs a lower carb/cal day I was so hungry 30 minutes after every time I ate. Could have had a helluva lot more spaghetti and sauce, truth be told.

 

[Tennisgal33]

Sat. Day 6

11:45
2 tbsp steel cut oats
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup blueberries, 2 tsp agave *

12:30
LISS - walking - 38 min. brisk, outdoors - 2.25miles

1:30
whey shake

3:30
lg take out coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 and splenda *(habit that hasn't fully been kicked from KETO)

6:00
Beet soup (made from pork/beef broth, fat removed after cooling, very lean meat)
1 cup cooked beets, 1/2 cup cooked cabbage, 2 cups stock
3tbsp light sour cream
2oz beef/pork meat
2tbsp cooked navy beans
1 oz whole grain bread
1tsp butter

coffee - 2 tbsp 1/2 and1/2 before gym

7:45 -- TRAINING

Full Body Circuit
military press 10x15lbs 12x12lbs 12x12lbs
front row 10x15lbs 12x12lbs 12x12lbs
bosu kick/lunge 12xme 12xme 12xme
Curtsy lunge 12x20lbs 12x20lbs 12x20lbs (10lbsx2 dumbells)
donkey cablekick 20x20lbs 20x20lbs 20x25lbs
strgt arm push dwn 12x40lbs 12x40lbs 12x40lbs
Reverse lat 12x40lbs 12x40lbs 12x40lbs
lat (behind head) 12x30lbs 15x30lbs 15x30lbs
bent over row 12x12lbs 12x12lbs 12x12lbs (12lb dumbells, not singles)
tri pushdown 12x30lbs 12x30lbs 12x30lbs
tri reverse push d 12x30lbs 12x30lbs 12x30lbs
Bench press flat 12x12lbs 12x12lbs 12x12lbs
Leg press 30x25lbs 30x25lbs 30x25lbs
calf raises 20x20lbs 20x20lbs 20x20lbs

once through, rest 2min. go again. (2nd and 3rd round, had to do a :30 sec breather a few times between exercises)

side leaning lat raises 15x5lbs
front raises 15x5lbs
back extensions 10xme (2 sets)

*sipping on xtend through workout

9:30
whey and water

11:00
1/2 bag (130cals, 24gC) light popcorn

10-12 - 8oz glasses of water

1282 cals
42g F 122gC 104g Net C 104g P

Macros feel crazy strange trying to do the No/LOW/HIGH Carb cycle...

 

[caligirl85]

Thanks Caligirl! I really appreciate this. Everything you say makes total sense. Pre-2010 I absolutely went through a period of overtrain under eat. Absolutely! So I'm probably still playing catch up.

Two questions: when you say add 100 calories a week slowly (after staying at 1500 cals for a few weeks) do you mean daily, or 100 cals in total for the week?

If my day looks like this: up at 11:00am Bed by 2am, I have often stopped eating by 9pm thinking night eating was bad. If I eat up to 11pm to meet calories is this OK? Or should I get them in earlier and still stop eating by 9/10? Just curious. (This work schedule changes in about 6 weeks back to a 7am-12am work day)

Not sure if there is a 'prettier' macro breakdown through the day you'd suggest - but I don't want you to spoon feed me the answers either. No pun intended. Thanks again

PS - have read Layne Norton which is why I was worried I've done perm. damage to my metabolism/thyroid and can't turn back...will re-read and also just as a back up have thyroid blood work results coming back next week.

Just a quick note but I'll write more later and answer all the questions. Layne has a new blog from just the last couple of week on metabolic damage and it was pretty eye opening for me. Another one who writes a lot on metabolic damage is Scott Abel and I like most of his stuff but read him more with the "critical thinking". I've gone through exactly what you're struggling with and am still trying to fix it!!! It's sooo frustrating! I'm starting a new log later today so we can muddle through together!

 

[Tennisgal33]

Thanks girl! Man, what a horrible mess trying to fix it!

 

[Tennisgal33]

Day 7

10:45
2 cups coffee
1 tbsp half and half

12:00
2 cups coffee
1 tbsp half and half
3 pieces very crispy and drained bacon
2 small eggs, .33 cups egg white scramble
1/2 tsp butter
.5 oz (just a taste) of sweet potato
1/2 orange in slices

Workout

Cycling - 15.5 miles -- 1hr 15 min. -- mostly LISS (a few harder sprints and hills) outdoors

5:00
whey shake and water

Workout

Abs - 15 min planks, crunches, etc. stretching and 70 squats, no weight

6:30
whey
1/4 cup mangos
2 tbsp orange juice
1/2 small banana

8:00
2 taco shells (old el paso)
2 oz flank steak
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/2 cup pinto beans (homemade, mashed)
1/4 cup corn
homemade guacamole - (2 oz avocado with onion)
.5 oz cheddar
tomatoes, lettuce filler
3 tbsp light sour cream
6 oz wine (Cinco de Mayo...)

1523 cals
49g F 114g C 95g net C 118gP 24g F

 

[Tennisgal33]

Week 1 of 9 down! (of the new plan.)

I see a change, my reflection and shape looks different no doubt. Scale not moving, except up a few lbs UP!!!! actually. But there is a reason for that most likely, so I'm not going out of my mind over it...hence measurements and weight taken next Monday not tomorrow.

I feel good, I feel so much stronger. My bike ride was nothing and could have gone another 10m I think. So my strength and endurance have improved like crazy in the past 4 months. Maybe my scale is broken! lol I wish.

Plan for next week is probably pull back the weights and go cardio queen. Seriously. Is it possible I'm just putting on this much muscle???? I do gain fat/muscle quickly...

My food could be cleaner, twice I have had a glass of wine this week - however - I know many who train with this, I have in the past with more alcohol and had actual benefits from it.

Working on the upping cals to 1500 every day.

My cals mostly come in the later end of the day. I'm somewhat doing an IF I noticed, and I hear such amazing results of people who do this, yet me, not so much.

And so those are the thoughts inside my mind at this time. Keep pushing forward.

 

[psizzle_8]

Always put more into measurements & the mirror than the scale girl.

And...check your emails lol

 

[Tennisgal33]

So...was sick the past few days, starting to turn it around, but obviously a bit off my game. Shall post tomorrow my log tomorrow.