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I cannot emphasize how much this body genuinely needed last Saturday's surplus day. I actually ended that evening consuming around 4800 plus.
Mom and I had pushed that surplus day out a week this past month so we might celebrate her birthday. Usually, by the time a surplus day rolls around this body is ready for it. I'm usually tipping the scale around 110-111 lbs., my workouts are less stellar, and even if there is no muscle loss, there seems less of a pump and minimal to no gain in strength.
And, even with an average consumption of 1965 cals/day - I start to feel a desire to eat more even after a full meal.
Post surplus day is a whole other story. Beyond the proverbial glycogen pump, a feeling of grounded, solid steadiness returns, the workouts are stellar, and I smash through previous personal records. This has been especially true since incorporating new approaches to adapting workouts based on recovery.
I've since modified my current categories even further based loosely on "whoops" recovery breakdown. AND, added an additional category of my own because...well, life is full of variation as is our body's ability to recover.
The categories I've created are as follows (these are still based on deep sleep scores taken from fitbit):
Blue - 50%-65%
Full exercise load at moderate capacity. Do all reps, sets, and lower range of RPM on bike at highest resistance.
Green - 66% and above
Full exercise load at maximum capacity. Shoot for new records with reps, sets, and highest range on bike at highest resistance.
Yellow - 26%-48%
Half exercise load at low capacity. Cut all reps and sets in half and focus on TUT. Take it easy. Only do lower part of RPM range on bike at highest resistance.
Red - 25% and below
Take the day off, focus on recovery and rest, and light cardio through walking and NEAT exercise.
Dialing it back on certain days is still weird to this brain and yet, the results are phenomenal. Last Monday, I hit an all time high PR on the recumbent bike, pedaling 16.2 miles in 45 minutes at level 18 resistance in 4 intervals for a record breaking burn of 617 cals!
It was only a "blue" recovery day!
I wasn't even trying to pursue a PR and only pedaling at about 51-52 rpms at the highest resistance. In fact, I didn't allow myself to go above those RPMs even if these legs tried to. I let myself pedal as fast as they wanted at lower resistance, but dialed back if I started to feel the lactic acid build up.
I'm now officially ready to increase weights to the 30 lb kettlebell for rows.
One day I managed to do all 60 pushups in 3 split sets of 17 & 3 with the 20 lb. weighted vest. To date the closest to a full 3X20 I've achieved.
The 3X15 ab busters with the 8 lb leg weights now feel comfortable enough to increase reps to 48.
Even my little 23 minute bike rides are busting new PR's with this new approach. How can I not buy in, LOL?!
And, though there are days when the total cal burn might be less than it usually is and the total weekly burn has been less than before, the irony is it's not actually impacting my weight. In fact, todays weigh-in at 113.0 lbs is exactly the same weigh-in I had LAST THURSDAY. And, that's before I consumed 4800 plus calories?!
But, what I'm appreciating the most out of this new approach is I *feel* so much less exhausted. There's a definite distinction between feeling fit, healthy, and tired and feeling fit, healthy, and ALIVE! LOL
And, I confess it's kinda cool to open up the fitbit, wait for the sleep score to download and wonder what the days activities are going to look like. Will I be doing it all but taking it slow and easy? Is it going to be a "balls to the walls" and a "new PR" kind of day? Or, will it just be laundry, a short walk, and changing the kitty litter. It gives my day variation, and more importantly trains this mind to adapt to a change of priorities and expectations quickly.
It also emphasizes the importance of making "recovery" just as much a priority as working out. It's very clear to me just how far I can progress in a short period of time with the proper sleep and effective approaches to cool down, warm up, and muscle/joint care. If I want that next PR, which who doesn't?! Then I best make sure I do the work so the energy and strength is there to reach it. It actually makes working out a genuine privilege, not just a chore or a habit.
And, though it can be said this girl likes her habits - I don't mind enjoying some bliss along the way. Anyhow, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday! Three cheers to adding a little variation into our lives!
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113.0 lb
Lost so far: 97.0 lb.
Still to go: 0 lb.
Diet followed reasonably well.
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losing 2.8 lb a week
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