Tracy D.
Going hardcore
May 13, 2014
The last time I wrote a blog it was right after starting a 10-week exercise program. Well, last Thursday was the half-way mark and they took our measurements, weighed us and checked our body fat, as well as re-tested us on sit-ups, push-ups and the mile run. Have to admit that I was bummed to see the scale go up 2 lbs. but even more bummed to see the body fat monitor go UP 2% - WTF?!? It put me in a huge funk for the rest of the day. The whole point of doing this damn class was to lose body fat and the cheap-ass monitor is saying I'm going the other way? Fortunately, I had a surgery f/u appointment that next day and the doctor convinced me that: 1) those monitors are crap and I should go by the previous underwater testing I've done, and 2) it's impossible for me to have lost muscle and gained fat in those 5 weeks with what I've been eating and doing.
However, I did take a really hard look at what I've been eating since I hit "goal" at the end of December and you know what? I've been messing around....for the most part I've stayed within my goal "range" of 135-139 lbs. but I always wanted to really get to 130 lbs and I haven't come close to that. Why? Because I'm eating a lot of calories...and a lot more carbs and variety of carbs...and more protein than I probably need. Excess of anything is going to get stored as fat, even protein. And I've been doing this by deluding myself that it's "OK" because I'm working out so hard and trying to build muscle. Time to hold myself accountable...
I finally had to call "bullshit" on myself and face the fact that I'm only working out 45 minutes a day! Sure, it's a tough workout but it doesn't come close to the athletic, high-intensity training that a lot of OHers do. And I had to face the fact that if I want to lose weight then I have to go back to the proven plan that I used before, regardless of what my coaches at the gym would like to see me do. My body has been metabolically and physiologically changed for life and I will always have to do food plans my way regardless of what the muscle-heads at the gym tell me.
So I told my coaches last Friday that I would not be turning in my food logs anymore because the small amount I am eating will completely freak them out. They were cool with it because they know about the surgery. And then I went all "hard-core-Tracy". I changed my breakfast back to a protein shake; before I was doing an egg, a little fruit and then a protein shake on the way to work. No need for that since I'm not working out in the morning anymore. I'm doing my level-best to keep total carbs between 40-50 a day and my protein around 90 per day. Total calories is falling between 900-1100 depending on the choices. And it's working!!
Since last Thursday I have dropped 4 lbs. and I'm at my all-time low weight of 134 lbs. I looked at my husband the other day and said, "Shit, it really is all about the carbs!" The other benefit is that my restriction and satiety have increased and the carb monster has been kicked to the curb. Yeah, it's only been 4 days going "hard-core" but it's been a great 4 days and I'm finally headed in the right direction.
I've set another appointment for myself to have underwater body fat testing done in mid-June. That will be right about when this exercise program ends and I'll use that number to determine how successful I've been with getting to a healthier body fat percentage. And whether or not I'll sign up for another session of this or do something else.
And by the way: at the 5-week mark I doubled the amount of sit-ups and push-ups I could do in 1 minute and shaved 2.5 minutes off my mile run. Proving that you can't measure success by the scale or a stupid-ass body fat monitor! 
