The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[JeepGirl]

Hiya Robin!! First of all, I had to laugh when you posted in Reginia's journal that you get tired just reading about her weekend adventures, 'cause just reading about your exercise routine wipes me out completely!

[Sojourner]

But I LOVE getting on there and just killing myself, and coming off all drenched in sweat. How weird is that??

Not weird at all, if you ask me. I used to absolutely LOVE that! I really miss it, too. So I guess I'm just as weird as you!

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[DogMa]

Ha. Well, no, just weird for ME. I've never enjoyed that kind of thing in my life. Even when I got to like weightlifting, I never, EVER liked cardio.

[kendra_m]

I'll join up with the weird club, when I did BFL previously, I used to feel the need to see the sweat to a certain level on my tshirt before I felt like I'd done a good cardio session. It was a bit obsessive!

[DogMa]

I can't do that since I don't WEAR a T-shirt. Ha! Since it's just me and the dogs, I wear the sports bra and some running shorts and that's it. And then I have the treadmill fans pointed right at me, so I don't notice the sweat so much till I stop. But I definitely notice the pounding heart and the breathlessness. Wow.

So anyway, 129.0 today. Maybe I'll actually hit a new low tomorrow morning, before I bounce up from my strength-training session tomorrow. It's lower body, which means mega-soreness ahead.

Food:
Egg Beaters, peppers/onions, tortillas
Medifast chili
Soy crisps
Salad with chicken, feta
BFL bar
Pudding

955 cals, 20% fat, 34% carb, 46% protein

[Serendipity]

Robin

I just got the BFL Eating for life book. I was a little surprised that the recipes don't list the nutritional value, but the recipes look good and there are lots of ideas for healthy snacks.

[DogMa]

Yeah, I got both books but I like the regular BFL book better. I haven't used any of the recipes yet. I'm still keeping things really, really simple. And my calories are still really low. I'm going to stay at 950 for a little while longer and see if I lose any more. Then when I see the trainer, I can see whether I've gained much in the way of muscle. If I have, I'll stay where I am for a bit. If not, I'll try adding some calories and protein.

[THINKnTHIN]

Hey! Allthough I am new to this forum, and a return dieter, you are transitioning the way I did in 2002 and 2003. I'd be willing to bet, you are not getting enough calories to support your training efforts. That's what my trainer made me do and BOY DID I FIGHT HIM ON IT (not way was I going to go off of program and get fat), but he sure was correct. Food is just FUEL.

I'd add the calories in the form of lean protein. You can't build much muscle on what you are giving your body right now and I strongly feel muscle was the key to my maintenance it is what keeps the metabolisim on fire.

Weird thing, I had maintained my goal for about a year and a half with BFL workouts and was doing great. Then we had a major storm where we live that knocked out our road and I could not get to the gym or even formally exercise because of the disaster. I was eating as correctly as I could, BFL bars and lean meats and salad, but lost 15 lbs in 6 weeks....my metabolisim was that fired up it was still burning all the food without the exercise. The thing is, when I lost the 15 lbs, I was still wearing the clothes that I was when I was really working out, size 4 ..... my body softened and I didn't look as lean as I had 15lbs heavier.

You have the right ideas and will do great with maintaining!....just remember now you are an ATHLETE and your body is now a MACHINE that needs FUEL for top performance. That was what helped me change my mindset....becoming an athlete. Sorry so long a reply!

[DogMa]

No, I appreciate the info. I really do want to increase calories, but the last time I did this when I was lifting, I did it too quickly and started gaining like crazy. So I'm trying to go veeeeeery slowly right now. Especially with my metabolism from hell.

You're younger than I am, I think, and probably not quite so damaged ... but how many calories were you taking in at the time? And if it's not too personal, what made you stop? Did you resume everything after the storm? Or since you said it was six weeks, was it Katrina or something so it was a really long-term problem?

[DogMa]

Also, 128.8. I hope the weights workout doesn't make me shoot up TOO high and that it comes off again more quickly. I would really like to see that number drop some more.

Food today, same as usual. Workout, as I said, is weights. Lower body, abs and I think shoulders.

[THINKnTHIN]

Oh Lord Robin! Why did I stop....a question I have been asking myself for years

But first, the extra calories....I was right at 1,500 calories on light days, 1,700 on heavy lifting days. According to my notes we added 100 extra calories every 3 weeks of lean protein until I felt I was holding my own. Again, the mind shift from "dieter" to "athlete" was key to me understanding and even justifying my lifestyle to myself to others around me. My body is simply a tool and a machine to live. Not a be all and end all in itself.

I turn 40 in about 3 weeks if that helps with the age On the plus side, I have maintained much of my muscle mass because I have not dieted since then. I actually can still see my abs under my "covering". I am active (softball, biking, gardening) though, but have only lifted sporatically since then.

Why did I stop? Probably in short, put my self last again. We had a storm "isabel" which while not a "katrina" for most areas, in our small town was. We have a population of around 600 and we lost 63 buildings (thankfully no lives). We were boat accessible only for about 2 months and by the time I could get away, working out was not a priority, rebuilding was. Thankfully we did not lose our home, but it was flooded. Our home flooded again in an storm 10 months later. I was also charged with assisting in bringing about 70 condemned buildings back on line.

I thank God that I had lost the weight and was in great shape before that storm, or I don't beleive I would have made it through the physical part, let alone the mental part (Medifast and BFL make you VERY strong mentally). When all was said and done, in 2005, I really just think I was worn out mentally and did not have the will or focus to get it together. In hindsight, I was probably depressed but I hate to admit it, seems like a weakness.

So here I am, energized, wiser, and dedicated. I know it works, I have to take the time to just do it. I am thanking God yet again since I have found this forum of wise and insightful people to help. Last time, it was pretty much on my own and lonely. Guess I wrote a book again

[DogMa]

Wow. Hearing your story, "weak" is not a word I'd associate with you. And the important thing is you're back and ready to do the work and reclaim your body. Thank you so much for the inspiration!!!

As for the calories, that sounds close to what I was shooting for. Maybe a bit higher, only because I'm short and still not all THAT active. But the guideline of adding calories every three weeks is really, really helpful. I may go a bit slower and add maybe 50 calories every two weeks just to really ease into it.

So did you add only protein and not maintain the BFL 40-40-20 ratio, or did adding protein actually bring you to that ratio? I stay pretty close to it, although I tend to keep my protein a little higher and my carbs a little lower. Like 45-35-20.

I swear, I'm going to buy stock in soy crisps. I now have four different kinds to keep on hand in my pantry. Five if you count the Medifast ones I still have. High protein, low fat, reasonable on carbs. And so portable.

[THINKnTHIN]

Me again! I just looked back through your journal and I think we are fairly close in age, height (I am 5'3"), weight last time starting was 178 this time 10lbs short of that. My best weight was 130-135. Below that and I lost my shape (I do have curves), stamina, and couldn't hold in the 120's for love or money, no matter how hard I worked. Just thought I'd add that food for thought. I also had to laugh at your first entry, I think we tried the same diets at the same time! including that phen-phen thing. Oh what we do to ourselves.

[DogMa]

Twins! I definitely have curves, but I could still stand to lose a few more pounds. I'm hoping for 120, to be totally honest. Although I still don't care too much as long as my body fat percentage drops. I want to get to 20%, which I suspect is a little unrealistic but at least it's something to shoot for.

I'm off to the gym. I can't believe I used to love lifting so much and now I really just almost dread it. Instead I look forward to the cardio and miss it when I don't do it. Even though I used to HATE it. Maybe it's just going to the gym that I don't like, though. I wish I could have a complete gym at home instead. Ah, well.

[THINKnTHIN]

OOPs, we were posting at the same time! Just added the protein. I am not one that can handle much in the way of carbs....they really make me lose it, my achilles heel so to speak (I can't stop). My carbs are usually complex ones just because it helps me. If you are doing the BFL exercise program, trust me you are considered very active, don't sell yourself short. I really want to jump right back into that but I am trying to be patient and not lift only light walking. The "40" thing is making me want to lose all my weight in 3 weeks...should have thought of that 3 months ago!