Good Morning!

@Nancy- Way to go! Keep up the good work!

Had a great LBWO yesterday. Jello legs for sure and feeling it this morning. Made the wife laugh as I kept flexing my legs at her.

Noticed there are quite a few folks that started with us but haven't posted in awhile. If you are still going, give a shout out!

Have a great day everyone!

hey all! bill--thanks for that last post with the link. sure hoping for a "week 8 miracle". keeping my faith in the program and following the plan. Got to the gym at 5am for HIIT today as I have class tonight. Yesterday and today, I tracked my calories (before factoring in exercise) and I'm think I might not be getting enough. Yesterday's total was 1127 and today is 1143. Both are well under 1000 after exercising. I haven't gotten my 4 week BF% tested yet, but if I actually was loosing BF and gaining muscle with that few calories, don't you think it would show on the scale?

Hope everyone's having a great Tuesday--can't believe we're almost 5 1/2 weeks in!

A

A- you may actually be not eating enough and forcing your body into slowing down your metabolism. What were your beginning stats re: weight/height etc.

That's what I was thinking...but I'd expect to be losing muscle if the calorie deprivation was there.

I started at 154lbs at 5'8". I'm around 151-152 at 5 weeks in.

Today's meal plan:

M1: protein "yamcakes" (small sweet potato, one scoop vanilla whey protein, 1/4c liquid egg whites, cinnamon, non-stick cooking spray Pam)

M2: 3 Wasa rye crispbreads (crackers), 1c spinach, 1/4c red peppers, 1/4c grape tomatoes, mustard, 3oz grilled skinless chicken

M3: 3.5oz broiled Atlantic salmon, 2c steamed broccoli, 1tsp EVOO

M4: large salad 3c spinach, 1/2c cucumbers, 1/4c red onion, 1/4c red peppers, 1/4c mushrooms, 1/2c. grape tomatoes, 1/4c fat free feta cheese, 3 hard boiled egg whites, 2 Tbsp Newman's Own lighten up balsamic dressing

M5: strawberry protein shake: 3/4c frozen strawberries, one scoop vanilla whey protein, water, ice

my protein is Whole Foods 365 vanilla whey: 80cal, 16g protein, 1g fat, 2g carb

Any thoughts?

A - actually your meals look great in and of themselves.  But you need to make sure that you are getting a total of 120 - 150 g of protein per day.  Same with carbs.  If you can't get that with 5 meals - add a meal #6.  This will also help increase the calories.  Try Myoplex Lite meal replacement.  To add meal # 6, depending on your schedule, you may need to eat every 2 hours instead of every 3 hours.  Good luck!

Actually, after a closer look - you are missing carbs in meals 3 and 4???  Veggies don't count.  You can eliminate complex carbs during your last week.  I wouldn't recommend it during week 5.

The meals look pretty good. As Nancy mentioned you may be light in the carb department. I like to stay away from starchy carbs in the evening so I add a serving of fruit to my 5th and 6th meal for my carbs, some cantaloupe or strawberries but any low glycemic carb will do.

It may come down to adding a 6th meal at around 200 calories. It doesn't have to be anything heavy. For example my 6th meal every night is 1c 1% cottage cheese with strawberries or yogurt around 1hr before bed.  Works out to about 225calories. Slightly smaller than my other meals which are in the 300-350 calorie range, but gets my daily protein intake to where I want it. Also Cottage cheese has a high casein protein content. Casein is a slow release protein and is great for sustained release of amino acids over night.

www.mens-total-fitness.com/casein-protein.html

I know being male things are different, but to give you an idea. I'm 6ft and started my first challenge at 246lbs 34.6% Body Fat. I average 10lbs per month of scale weight lost during a challenge cycle consuming around 1600-1800 calories a day. Even now that I am under 210lbs and around 20% BF, I eat the same as I did then and still losing fat steadily while putting on muscle mass.  During my first challenge I was under eating, around 1300-1400cal per day and hit a plateau after ridding myself of the initial water weight. It wasn't until I upped my protein and calories to the 1600-1800 range that the weight started coming of again.

Thanks for the input guys! For a 5'8" F, 151 lbs, 20% BF I should be getting 150g protein, 150g carbs and how much fat? I don't want to get obsessed with the numbers, but if I'm way off track that could be the reason...

I typically do have CC and fruit before bedtime but I've had that the past 4 nights so I decided to switch it up tonight. I'll add some more complex carbs in (whole wheat tortillas, muffins, crackers and brown rice are what I have been eating). I'm going to stick to the 5 meals a day though because I can barely handle 5, let alone 6.

I've been noticing that on Free day I eat less "meals" but bigger portions (mostly of the same foods with some cheats like chocolate). Maybe I should cut out wine on Free day? Regardless, I definitely need to up the water consumption. I've barely been getting in 100oz a day.

Hi A!  To reach the 40/40/20 ratio and taking in 150 g of protein and carb, you would need approx. 30-33 g fat per day.  I know it sounds like a lot.  But it could easily be reached with just 2 tbsp of olive oil.  I am 5'5" and 155 lbs.  I shoot for between 120 - 150 g protein/carbs per day.  Some days are better than others.  My meal #6 is only 1 -2 hours after meal 5 and immediately before bed for me.  (Usually Myoplex or protein shake with fruit)  But so far that works for me.  Everyone is different.  If you can't fit in that last meal, then just up the amount you take in at each of your other meals to make up the difference.  I read the entire blog by Emily Alvers over the weekend "Chronicles of a Chickpea".  If you read it, you will see, she doesn't shy away from fats.  It just needs to be the "healthy" kind.  healthy fats are important for proper body function.  

Congratulations that you are analyzing your program and making changes where you see fit.  That's what champions do!!!!

Good morning!  How is everyone doing?

I made a very healthy dinner last night, but it tasted so good that I ate 2 servings!!  :)  Rather than beating myself up for all the extra (healthy) calories I am just going to shoot for lower calories today.  I think it's all about balance.  Balance in a day, in a week, in a month.

Anyway, no one really answered Bill's roll call - are you guys still going strong???  I know we still have A, STB MrsJ, Unicycle, Bill and myself.  Farmgirl, are you still going strong?  DJBEth, how are you?  There is a vegetarian thread now that you may be interested in.

Have a great day all!!!

hey crew! just checking in quickly--meals are on point today, on my 3rd kanteen of water and had a ridiculous WO this morning. tonight is the dreaded 4 week pictures ahhh! hope everyone is having a great day! A

Hi!

Had a small victory tonight. I was tired after work and felt like blowing off my cardio, but I sucked it up, put in my Insanity DVD, and had a great workout! Felt great to accomplish that. And my legs are sore from yesterday's LBWO! Switching up my moves were good.

Honestly, I'm not holding my breath for the 8-week miracle, but I'm also not giving up. I think I'm really starting to feel the pressure to lose the weight now that my wedding date is 3 months away, but I have to just stay on this path and know that's long-term habits that are more important than how I look on that one day.

Sounds like everyone else is doing good but yes, where are the quiet ones? Tell us how you've been doing!

Way to go STBMJ!  I bet that 8 week miracle is coming your way!  keep going strong!  :)

I AM HOLDING MY BREATH FOR MY MIRACLE!  :)  I feel like I am really doing well with my eating this week.  I am starting to lose my cravings for "bad" foods.  My downfall so far has been my workouts.  I go to the gym and I push hard.  I even think I hit my 10's sometimes.  But I am not feeling the pain the next day.  So maybe I could really push harder.  That will be my goal for next week.  Really push hard in the gym!  I am finally starting to feel more comfortable there too.  

Have a great day all!!!

It's a rainy, cold Friday afternoon and my office is VERY quiet.  I was getting bored and having cravings.  I needed something crunchy!   I really felt like, if I got something now while I still felt in control, I could save myself from binging later.  So I went and got two string cheese, some Wheat Thins (a serving size according to the box) and I allowed myseld a Nantucket Nector half and half.  It was all so yummy and I feel so much better.  I really felt like I would have gone off the deep end tonight if I didn't do something to satisfy my craving now.  And I think I made okay choices.  I can live with it.  By giving in to these small moments (I have them rarely - maybe once a week) I actually feel like I don't even need a free day.

Just some background about me....I was drinking at least a gallon of homemade sweetened iced tea per day before the challenge.  Plus sodas and Dunkin donuts iced mocha coffees.  I RARELY drank water.  I am proud to say that I have kicked my caffeine and sugar habits!  And BONUS - my teeth are getting whiter everyday that I stick to my new water habit.  YAY!!!

Hope everyone else is having a fabulous Friday!  :)

Okay all, I am feeling discouraged today.  I have been, lets say "stable" in my efforts so far.  But I see the results others are having and I think I am not being disciplined enough.  UGH!  I am feeling like I won't reach my goal.  I am by no means having a "terrible" challenge.  I just don't think I have really given it my all.  Not 150% ya know?!?  Really down on myself today about it.  Sorry to bum everyone out - but it is what I am feeling.  I wonder if I have it in me to really push as hard as everyone else and reach the goals I have set for myself.  Someone needs to give me a swift kick in @!!!!  HELP!!!  :(