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Good morning!
Fact: Today, I am heavier than I would normally be on a Wednesday.
Fact: My weight seem to be consistingly climbing.
Fact: Since August, my bodyfat percentage has gone from approx. 8 to 13.
Fact: Since August, I have gained approx. 4 kilos.
Fact: Since August, I have gained (on average) little to no muscle (though I lift heavier than I did in August).
Fact: 4 kilos of fat pretty much equals 5% of my body weight.
I think it's only fair to say that I have gained 4 kilos of fat.
This morning, I remembered to weigh myself on my old scale, to compare the bodyfat readings to my new scale. They vary within 1%. Nothing that would matter.
So, in short, I am gaining weight, the bad kind. I can't have that happening. As much as I feel that I am significantly stronger than I was in August even, I don't see a gain in muscle mass on either the scales at home or at the gym.
So, I decided to investigate what I am doing differently.
Well, there are several factors.
The first one is that I am - on average - consuming about 400 calories more per day now than I did a few months ago. This is clearly an indication that I eat TOO MUCH.
The other is that I at that point just started doing Intermittent Fasting after the 8 hour window principle instead of the 5:2 principle.
I think this latter thing has gotten me to lose a little bit of my focus on calories, along with me upping my activity level settings in my calorie counter.
So, if I want to copy what I did then, in hopes to knock off those extra kilos of fat, it's pretty clear:
- Lower calorie intake.
- 5:2
Now, I don't think that the 5:2 makes a huge difference on this issue OTHER than that it forces me to lower my calorie intake. This is the kicker for me in the 5:2 for right now.
I think I will take a couple of days per week and go LOW again. I remember those days as being surprisingly easy, and giving me a remarkable feeling of well-being.
I think there is a fair chance that this could solve my issues.
The key in it is simply that I get to lower my general calorie intake for a while. I see the numbers in my statistics and back then I was at a daily average of 2100 calories. I know there will be days where I go significantly higher, so I can't just put my RDI to 2100. Unless I do two Low Cal days per week to compensate. Then it would work. I think this is why it worked before.
...and, of course, also to lower my general intake on the Normal days. If I'm not hungry, then don't eat. Simple as that.
I know, the other thing that could be is that I am simply NOT eating enough. On one hand, this could very well be. I do have a pretty high acitivty level. But, on the other hand I wouldn't GAIN FAT if I didn't eat enough. I would simply not lose a whole lot. This is what triggers me to think that I am overeating.
Of course, there is also the whole sugar issue that I've been battling. Obviously, the sugar needs to go - and I am WELL on my way on that.
It's been several weeks with no sugar now. This is getting easier every day.
What I've been doing is compensating for the sugar by eating proper food. I've been close to my RDI daily, and this is where I think the error has been sitting.
So, the NEW plan (again) is this:
Try to go LOW twice every week. It doesn't really matter which day, it just matters that it happens twice per week. This week, it will be today and probably Friday. Friday will be harder, it's a day where I leave work early, and often just hang at home. It doesn't mean that it's not possible though. I just have to man up.
And, duh, lower my RDI in general. I'm gonna set it at 2000, and leave it there for a week. I will do two days of max 600 calories, 4 days of 2000 and one Indulgence Day that WILL BE SUGAR FREE, and where the focus is on "real" food.
On all days I will eat within my 8 hour window. This still goes, and this still makes life a whole lot easier for me. The earlier I eat, the more I think about food all day. I say no thanks to breakfast. :)
This is a plan that is VERY doable, if I play my cards right.
An obvious thing that glares at me in this is PROTEIN. Back in August, I wasn't all that focused on my protein intake. I wasn't doing as I'm supposed to at that point, in regards to my muscle building project.
I know, we're "supposed" to consume large amounts of protein in regards to training, and that many claim that we need to do this soon after the workout.
I do think that the mighty Mike O'donnell, whose systems I follow closely, is right about this - it's not all about what you eat RIGHT NOW, but much more about what you generally eat. As long as you are in a protein surplus when you work out, then it's all good.
Think of it as when you eat your protein, you basically put it on a "protein shelf" for when it is needed. Then, when you go work out, your body will pick as much protein from that shelf as it needs here and now, and keep doing it for the following day or two. As long as you have enough protein in that account, it's all good.
I have TONS sitting in that account. LOL. I'm not sure if there is an upper limit to how much the shelf can carry, but I am sure it's quite a bit. Our bodies are amazing machines and I am sure we are set up to do this. It makes sense.
I need an average of 100g per day. If I consider the Low Cal Days to be "No Protein" days too, as I can't really count on getting much protein in, then I'd have to consume 140+ grams on the other five weekdays. I can do this - I already do this most days. It's no biggie. I just think it's important to adress this little thing too. I don't want my workouts to suffer.
So, low cal days are not a big issue if they collide with lifting days. I did this before, with good results, and I will do it again - simply because it fits my schedules.
My workouts fit me best for Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This way I have a day between each session, and I don't have to go hit the gym on weekends.
My Low Cal Days fits me best on Mondays and Wednesdays, as I have busy evenings where I focus less on food. I have other things to do.
So the schedule will be:
Monday: Low Cal Day and Workout.
Tuesday: Normal Cal Day.
Wednesday: Low Cal Day and Workout.
Thursday: Normal Cal Day.
Friday: Normal Cal Day and Workout.
Saturday: Indulgence Day (up to 3500 calories, to ensure that I eat more than I burn).
Sunday: Normal Cal Day.
It's pretty simple. And I am confident that it'll work.
Let's go! :)
I know I have changed things around A LOT lately. I have tried a bunch of things to get my grip, but this makes more sense to me than anything else.
If what I'm doing now isn't fully working, then why not simply do what I did when it WAS working? Right? :)
...
So, how about yesterday? How did the day go?
I had the munchies BAD. I managed to get through the day without going over my RDI, so I was satisfied. The food choices weren't the best, but they remained sugar free, and they remained under RDI.
The BAD choice was excessive amounts of sugar free ice cream. I had WAY too much, but it killed the sweet tooth. I guess it's okay.
This can, now that I think about it, of course also be a reason for no weight loss TODAY (but not in general). I had large meals through the day, and this will of course weigh me down.
(TMI warning)
I feel congested and constipated today. My stomach hurts. It's been a couple of days since last "#2", and of course this also makes me heavier. It's not that I'm not generally regular these days, it's just one of those times, I think. It'll fix itself in a day or two.
This obviously plays a part. But not a part big enough to justify 4 kilos of fat gain. Duh.
...
I feel pretty confident that I can pull though this "new and improved" way of eating. I will give it a week or two, and see what happens. I really want to knock those kilos off. They are not welcome, especially not this close to surgery.
...
Today, I feel REALLY good.
I slept great, and I feel that I somewhat has caught up on sleep.
I konked out at 7 PM yesterday. I just gave up and went to bed. First of all, I would have probably wanted to keep snacking after 7, which is a no-no, and I was so tired that I kept nodding off by the TV.
I went to bed, and woke up at 4 AM, feeling great. I got up, had time to shower and get ready, then went for my walk and the gym.
My 10,000 step goal was reached before I left the gym.
The workout was HARD again. So much heavy lifting. I like it though, even if it almost kills me every time. The feeling afterwards is worth it all. My body loves me for it, and the feeling of accomplishments is a high that I can ride on all day, and the next!
It's amazing how much I have pushed myself since I started this journey. My first developed diet was based entirely on food choices and low calories, and not at all on exercise. :)
...
Today, I'm thankful for:
- Sleep.
- Workouts.
- Wife!
- Morning coffee (salute!)
Happy Hump Day! Life is good!
EDIT:
I feel that I need to clarify that this change in RDI is NOT me going into any kind of starvation diet again. Been there, don't that, didn't want the t-shirt. :)
This is much more about finding the RIGHT RDI for me, and finding out WHAT WORKS for me.
I simply want to see what happens when I on average consume fewer calories. I am hoping to reach an average of about 2000-2100 per day, in stead of 2400-2500. It's really a minor adjustment. :)
END OF EDIT.
2nd EDIT:
It's now 5:30 PM and I'm essentially done eating for the day. I can still eat for another 90 minutes if I wanted to, but I am full, satisfied and at 630 calories. I see no reason to do more. I will say "Mission Accomplished" to today. I will try another Low Cal day tomorrow, possibly, depending what Wife cooked for her and Daughter for dinner - this will be my lunch tomorrow. If I can, I'd like to have a 2nd Low Cal Day before the weekend - We have an International Food Festival to attend on Friday, and a Halloween party on Saturday, and those aren't very likely to be Low Cal Days, to say the least.
END OF EDIT.
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187.0 lb
Lost so far: 154.8 lb.
Still to go: 0 lb.
Diet followed 100%.
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gaining 6.2 lb a week
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