Got My Gain Back Off

I got a little squirrelly last week and thanks to a couple kicks from Frisco and Elina and some of the rest of you I refocused on when I raise my hand to my mouth. I have really put a conscious effort to pay attention when I am eating and/or drinking. I have also been very dilligent about getting my water down which had started to slip.

During the last 2 weeks my weight popped up a bit, basically gained back my losses for the last couple weeks. I didn't freak out, I didn't panic, I just used that as a signal that I was getting complacent and a bit ****y.

This morning I was treated to a nice 4lb loss. Still have a bout 2 more to go to get to my all time low (although I may have been dehydrated on that scale visit).

The one big thing I noticed yesterday and today is that 800 calories really makes my workouts more difficult. Not an excuse just an observation. I will find out this weekend if any of that weight that came off was muscle when I measure my body composition again. I don't think so but we'll see. For the past couple of months my target was 1000 calories and just at the end of my workouts I was spent. Yesterday and again this morning I found that I was spent with one or two more exercises to go. I dealt with this by just resting a bit longer. I will have to think about what to do going forward. I do not want to sacrafice muscle growth but that is a personal decision, not a WLS decision. I still want to burn the fat off. Before I talk to a plastic surgeon my goal is to be 12% body fat or less. So time to re-strategize a bit. I have seen some real gains in my arms and chest and some moderate gains in my legs. My butt has seen some nice gains as well (smaller but much firmer and not as flabby - thank you squats). 

So for the next couple of weeks my plan is to really watch the carbs, even more than usual. Not focus so much on calories but focus on keeping the carbs 30g or less which will mean less yogurt, more meat, less veg or at least the veg I have been eating and more on veg like broccoli. I have been eating brown rice or oatmeal a couple times a week (1/4 cup) because its good for muscle growth, I am going to cut that for the next 3 weeks and see if I can see the fat drop off and still gain muscle.

I will report back then if I make it. I am great at the grandiose ideas and not so great on follow through. I am much better with small changes. We shall see.

I knew you could do it.  Congrats!!

Fantastic news about reversing the regain!  Your situation is tricky because of the workout regimen you sustain.  It's great that you do see it as an evolving situation and that you seek the best way to go about things for this current version of Keith.

What method or device do you use to measure your body comp?

I am still in major awe over the wealth of knowledge you have displayed about exercise and nutrition.  

I use an Omron Body Composition Scale. It is not as accurate as static testing but it gives me an idea about where I am at. Here is a link to the one I use:

http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-514C-Composition-Sensing-Mon itor/dp/B0020MMCDE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381941357&sr=8-2& keywords=omron+body+composition

Congrats on the loss! Just goes too show following your tried & true program & listening to your sleeve will get you back on track. I know you can do this Keith you are so motivated, cheers to you for noticing your resolve was slipping. You got this!

I haven't been around lately and your post reminds me why I need to.

You look great, by the way!

As I said elsewhere I'm about to take a trip. There will be much walking and exercise, something I never do at home, so that's good. But when I get back I need to start paying attention to my food, too. A few pounds slipped on and I want to ditch them.

So congratulations on kicking those pounds to the curb again, and thank you for inspiriing me--again!

I knew you would/could do it.  Once again, I am going to pick you apart a little tiny bit.  I only do it because I know you can handle it.  :)  Do count the calories along with the protein and the carbs.  You have a way of using exercise as a crutch for calories.  Don't do that.  You might very well need more calories, and 1000 does not sound out of the ballpark at all (with all the weight lifting that you are doing, you might even need more).  Just make sure the calories are mostly lean protein and veggies.  I am not at all opposed to you increasing your calories, just do it with forethought and control.  I can't wait to read your GOAL post and have a great little wine just ready to go.  :)

Thanks! Now even more incentive to hit my goal. I actually do not plan to increase my calories, I am actually not sure where they will net out after I do some planning. I guess what I was saying is that I am going to have specific protein/fat/carb goals and I just don't know where the calories will come out. I expect they will be somewhere around 1000 I just have to do the planning/analysis and figure out what foods will help me get there. But if it comes out to 1200 I am not going to sweat it was really my point. I am burning between 600 and 1000 calories a day with exercise now except on rest days. The quick math I just did comes out to a little over 1000 calories. My goals will be 140g of protein, 45g of fats, and 30g of carbs. Now I just need to find the foods in the amounts I can eat that will get me there. That protein number scares me a bit because I have tried pretty hard to hit it before and could not eat enough dense protein to hit it. I am also considering a more keto approach and something like 80g of protein, 70g of fat (which would give me plenty of fuel for workouts), which would be easier to hit but not much protein for muscle growth. 

Suffice it to say I am in the very early planning stages. Hope to kick this off on Monday of next week.

I was using exercise as a crutch for a significant increase in carbs. 

Edit:

Keith,

In reference to my last statement..... here is a more refined approach......

I know you have good intentions..... but you really make this seem a lot harder than it really is.....

Very few are going to exercise as much as you do..... that said I really think you motivate more people exercise and that is a good thing.

I would question your caloric intake for the last few months...... with your exercise regime...... the math just does not work out.

"Some" people may think this WLS thing is harder than it really is........

You have done well....... but I think you make it much harder than it really is or needs to be......

frisco