Re: in major need of encouragement

February 1, 2003

--- Hi Corina

I hear you and I am also there right now. I've hit a plateau. If you

read some of the posts from yesterday, Lynda and Kimmah wrote me back

some great responses. Don't quit, keep going This has happened to

others. Have you read Hussman? He talks about losing the fat from

different places, in the muscles first before losing under the skin.

How could your body not be improving.

I admire those women who measure day one and then not again until the

very end. They wouldn't have to go through the ups and downs.

Keep going and you will see results.

In , " Corinna

<yoryocorina@y...> " <yoryocorina@y...> wrote:

> first, ingrateful as I am, i have written a few questions on the

> board and have always been helped by the answers given--and yet have

> never responded with a thank you reply. THANK YOU! I am still in

> awe of how a group of strangers can become such a part of my daily

> life -- especially when they have only seen my name maybe five or

six

> times. But you all are so encouraging to each other and to

> me...going through this challenge together.

>

> Anyway, I just finished week six. I have been working HARD. The

> entire week, I've been limping around the house feeling like I've

> been hit by a semi, yet proud because I'm sure to be getting

> somewhere! I've been eating great (maybe a little less carbs than I

> should) and so when I show up at the gym to retake my measurements,

I

> was confident. OK-- so I've gone UP everywhere. Call it muscle

> mass, call it bloating since I'm going to start my monthly soon,

call

> it whatever, but I started crying. I had to hide out in the

bathroom

> for 5 minutes to try to get my sobbing under control. Maybe it's

> hormones...sigh....but I was totally upset. I still did my UBW, and

> fought between the feeling of utter depression and the thought: I

> will show HER--referring to the innocent girl with the tape measure.

> She wanted me to talk with one of the fitness instructors...but I

> know what they'll say-- tone down on the weights, and do more

aerobic

> activity for 40 minutes 4 times a week. Which is fine, but they

> aren't doing BFL. ARG. Now I'm on an emotional eating frenzy that

I

> KNOW is NOT going to help. I'm just scared that I'm failing yet

> again, that I'll end up these twelve weeks a muscular woman with 20

> lbs of fat that she'll never loose. Maybe it's just pms....

February 1, 2003

It's alright. EVERYBODY goes through this type of doubt and frustration at some

point in their challenge. People are working so hard and their expectations are

so high, that if there isn't some type of fast and dramatic payoff, they

completely freak out.

Nearly everyone gains muscle before they start losing fat. Somebody just posted

yesterday that she was half an inch bigger all the way around. That's how it

works. If you're eating well and training hard. You gain muscle in the first 6

weeks, your metabolism increases, and the fat loss catches up later in the

challenge.

If you only have 10-20 pounds to lose, your weight and measurements aren't going

to plummet like someone who has 50-100 pounds to lose. It's slower going.

I have my challenge one stats in front of me again. At 4 weeks I had lost no

weight. Zip, zero, nada, none. I wrote down my weight every week in that

challenge and it went 137, 137, 138, 136, 137, 136, 137, 135, 136, 135, 134,

134. Six weeks in I still weighed the same as when I started. At week 3 I

weighed MORE than when I started. I was fully expecting to end up at around 125

pounds. So, I was more than a little befuddled at the scale thing.

At the end of that challenge I lost 3/4 inch off each arm, 2 inches off each

thigh,

1 3/4 inch off my hips, 2 inches off my waist, and 2 inches off my abdomen. My

body fat dropped from 20.3% to 15.1% even though I lost no real scale weight.

I post this link every time someone comes unhinged, but be sure you've read it.

You Really Do Change From the Inside Out

http://www.hussman.org/fitness/#inside

Why don't you post a typical day of your meals just to make sure you're on

track. Have you taken any pictures? Have you taken body fat measurements? Do you

have your own tape measure? I would freak out and die if I had to go to the gym

to have that done. It's entirely possible that they messed up. Was it the same

person who measured you last time? If you put the tape in a different place or

pull it a little differently you can change things by an inch or more. I would

never trust anyone else to do it. I have my own markers. I always put the tape

over the same freckle, or around the same scar, I use the same tension. A

stranger at the gym probably wouldn't be as careful about it.

Anyway, breathe! Think calm happy thoughts. You're ok. Nothing like hormones and

a tape measure to send one into a tearful downward spiral. Put the junk food

down and collect yourself. You're doing great! Don't throw away all your hard

work. :-)

in major need of encouragement

first, ingrateful as I am, i have written a few questions on the

board and have always been helped by the answers given--and yet have

never responded with a thank you reply. THANK YOU! I am still in

awe of how a group of strangers can become such a part of my daily

life -- especially when they have only seen my name maybe five or six

times. But you all are so encouraging to each other and to

me...going through this challenge together.

Anyway, I just finished week six. I have been working HARD. The

entire week, I've been limping around the house feeling like I've

been hit by a semi, yet proud because I'm sure to be getting

somewhere! I've been eating great (maybe a little less carbs than I

should) and so when I show up at the gym to retake my measurements, I

was confident. OK-- so I've gone UP everywhere. Call it muscle

mass, call it bloating since I'm going to start my monthly soon, call

it whatever, but I started crying. I had to hide out in the bathroom

for 5 minutes to try to get my sobbing under control. Maybe it's

hormones...sigh....but I was totally upset. I still did my UBW, and

fought between the feeling of utter depression and the thought: I

will show HER--referring to the innocent girl with the tape measure.

She wanted me to talk with one of the fitness instructors...but I

know what they'll say-- tone down on the weights, and do more aerobic

activity for 40 minutes 4 times a week. Which is fine, but they

aren't doing BFL. ARG. Now I'm on an emotional eating frenzy that I

KNOW is NOT going to help. I'm just scared that I'm failing yet

again, that I'll end up these twelve weeks a muscular woman with 20

lbs of fat that she'll never loose. Maybe it's just pms....

February 1, 2003

<<I admire those women who measure day one and then not again until the

very end. They wouldn't have to go through the ups and downs.

Keep going and you will see results.>>

The way I see it, if you are committing to this for the entire 12 weeks, why

measure in the interim? Sure, it can motivate you, and yes, maybe if you aren't

seeing the results, you'll kick it up a little, but ideally, we SHOULD be giving

it our all for the entire 12 weeks.

One thing I've read is that, depending on how much fat we are acarrying, we

eventually store fat around our internal organs, so we lose that, which won't

show on the outside, but it will, in time, trickle down and be visible in our

pictures and measurments.

The first time I attempted BFL, I took my 4-wk results and pix, and I was so

disturbed by my pix, it sent me in a tailspin (this doesn't work!), and I quit.

And now, 2.5 years and one baby later, I'm larger than I was then. (

So I'm just charging on through my 12 (and then another 12, and two more after

that, most likely), and I'll take my after pix and results on 03/29 (from

01/05). )

in So Cal

brillosa@...

February 1, 2003

, as always, has given you some great advice. I'd like to have

a Mini- to put on my shoulder those mornings when I wake up and

don't want to work out. " Hey you! Skwigg here. Get your lazy kiester

outta that bed or I'm gonna smack ya over the head with my lucky

Batman plate! "

Anyway. I digress.

Always remember, it took awhile to put on the weight and it's gonna

take hard work and dedication to take it off. But I think your

muscles are just screaming to pop out!! Eating a ton of junk will

just make you feel worse, not better.

And yes, as I had mentioned earlier, we ARE on the same cycle!!!! Go

find yourself a Detour bar and get rid of those ugly thoughts.

TAWANDA!!!!

February 1, 2003

Corinna:

You have gotten lots of great advice from people--and I encourage

you to keep visiting this board and taking advantage of the

wonderful support that is available here!

I have a few suggestions/insights of my own to add. First, it is

helpful to think of this as a lifestyle change--a marathon, if you

will, rather than a short term diet. I find it very helpful to

envision how I want to look and feel in 12 weeks, in 6 months, in 1

year, etc. I have been following this plan for about 7 months and

have lost about 43 pounds, more than 12% body fat %, and am down to

a comfortable size 6 from a tight 12. I started in June 2002, and I

swear to you, that even in Sugust, 8 weeks later, I was barely

fitting into 10's. But I kept the faith and stuck to the plan and

now that I am very close to my goal weight (I haven't weighed this

little since college--15 years ago!), I am soooo thankful that I

never gave up. I remember that in the early stages of the first few

weeks, I kept reading on this board about all the people who had

success following this plan but they encouraged me (and others) to

be patient--so that's what I hope you can do.

The other suggestion I have to you is to post your typical day of

food. I know that I made some tweaks to my eating plan and that

helped me break through a plateau at about 4 months into this (and

25 pounds down and holding for a few weeks)--in my case, I cut down

on the fruit and other high glycemic carbs and replaced them with

oatmeal, brown rice, high fiber cereal and sweet potatoes. I also

switched bars/shakes from Myoplex Lite to Myoplex Carb Sense bars

and Met-Rx meal replacement shakes (once again, cutting the amount

of sugar carbs significantly and increasing the protein).

Lastly, while many people who follow BFL live for that free day and

could not make it through without it, I think that it is also a

major cause of stagnation/set backs for people when they lose

control and overindulge (this is just my humble opinion--I know how

much so many people enjoy them). Depending upon how much weight and

fat you have to lose, you might want to try to use some restraint

when taking your free days (or free meals as many people do)--

Hussman has a wonderful section devoted to this that is worth

reading. As Hussman points out repeatedly, in order to lose weight

and fat, you need to create a deficit between the calories burned

and the calories consumed--there's no magic to it--so if you eat an

extra 2000 calories on your free day every week, you will

undoubtedly take longer to lose the weight.

Best of luck,

Sherri

> first, ingrateful as I am, i have written a few questions on the

> board and have always been helped by the answers given--and yet

have

> never responded with a thank you reply. THANK YOU! I am still in

> awe of how a group of strangers can become such a part of my daily

> life -- especially when they have only seen my name maybe five or

six

> times. But you all are so encouraging to each other and to

> me...going through this challenge together.

>

> Anyway, I just finished week six. I have been working HARD. The

> entire week, I've been limping around the house feeling like I've

> been hit by a semi, yet proud because I'm sure to be getting

> somewhere! I've been eating great (maybe a little less carbs than

I

> should) and so when I show up at the gym to retake my

measurements, I

> was confident. OK-- so I've gone UP everywhere. Call it muscle

> mass, call it bloating since I'm going to start my monthly soon,

call

> it whatever, but I started crying. I had to hide out in the

bathroom

> for 5 minutes to try to get my sobbing under control. Maybe it's

> hormones...sigh....but I was totally upset. I still did my UBW,

and

> fought between the feeling of utter depression and the thought: I

> will show HER--referring to the innocent girl with the tape

measure.

> She wanted me to talk with one of the fitness instructors...but I

> know what they'll say-- tone down on the weights, and do more

aerobic

> activity for 40 minutes 4 times a week. Which is fine, but they

> aren't doing BFL. ARG. Now I'm on an emotional eating frenzy

that I

> KNOW is NOT going to help. I'm just scared that I'm failing yet

> again, that I'll end up these twelve weeks a muscular woman with

20

> lbs of fat that she'll never loose. Maybe it's just pms....

February 2, 2003

Sherri - YOU ROCK!!!! What awesome and encouraging words of WISDOM

from someone who has obviously " been there and done that " !! I am

just sitting down to " re-commit " and go over goals and such at the

end of 4 weeks. It is SO encouraging and enlightening to hear from

someone who's stuck through it despite a stupid scale not moving in a

favorable direction. THANK YOU for such a wonderful post!

My personal theory is that if I continue to feed my body correctly,

and exercise it intensely on a regular basis and focus on that

caloric deficit (in a healthy way), there is NO WAY I won't reach my

goal evenutally. NO WAY!!! Keep going strong, it WILL happen.

Really!

Regards,

:-)

> > first, ingrateful as I am, i have written a few questions on the

> > board and have always been helped by the answers given--and yet

> have

> > never responded with a thank you reply. THANK YOU! I am still

in

> > awe of how a group of strangers can become such a part of my

daily

> > life -- especially when they have only seen my name maybe five or

> six

> > times. But you all are so encouraging to each other and to

> > me...going through this challenge together.

> >

> > Anyway, I just finished week six. I have been working HARD. The

> > entire week, I've been limping around the house feeling like I've

> > been hit by a semi, yet proud because I'm sure to be getting

> > somewhere! I've been eating great (maybe a little less carbs

than

> I

> > should) and so when I show up at the gym to retake my

> measurements, I

> > was confident. OK-- so I've gone UP everywhere. Call it muscle

> > mass, call it bloating since I'm going to start my monthly soon,

> call

> > it whatever, but I started crying. I had to hide out in the

> bathroom

> > for 5 minutes to try to get my sobbing under control. Maybe

it's

> > hormones...sigh....but I was totally upset. I still did my UBW,

> and

> > fought between the feeling of utter depression and the thought:

I

> > will show HER--referring to the innocent girl with the tape

> measure.

> > She wanted me to talk with one of the fitness instructors...but I

> > know what they'll say-- tone down on the weights, and do more

> aerobic

> > activity for 40 minutes 4 times a week. Which is fine, but they

> > aren't doing BFL. ARG. Now I'm on an emotional eating frenzy

> that I

> > KNOW is NOT going to help. I'm just scared that I'm failing yet

> > again, that I'll end up these twelve weeks a muscular woman with

> 20

> > lbs of fat that she'll never loose. Maybe it's just pms....

February 2, 2003

>......... Call it muscle

> mass, call it bloating since I'm going to start my monthly soon,

call

> it whatever, but I started crying. I had to hide out in the

bathroom

> for 5 minutes to try to get my sobbing under control. Maybe it's

> hormones...sigh....but I was totally upset. ...........>

If you find this happens a lot, you may want to consider asking your

doctor about prozac. I sued to get like that too. I rememebr one

morning working with my trainer, I jsut totally lost it - for no

reason at all. I could not even lift the weight,s and I had no

desire to. (rememebnr that commercial where that woman gets all

pissed off at the shopping cart that is stuck? - then they pulled it

off the air becuase iot was " offensive? " offensive my shiny ass! It

is perhaps the msot true ad I have ever seen!

Seriously - prozac has been a majpor help with the pms. I could

not imagine going wihtout it again. and all the other drivers and

pedestraisn in NYC are thankful for it as well! }:-)

February 2, 2003

In a message dated 2/2/2003 3:57:43 AM Central Standard Time,

writes:

> One thing I've read is that, depending on how much fat we are acarrying, we

> eventually store fat around our internal organs,

We all store fat around our internal organs. That is why for women, we need a

certain percentage of body fat. One of it's main purposes is to protect our

internal organs.

Ana

February 2, 2003

> In a message dated 2/2/2003 3:57:43 AM Central Standard Time,

> writes:

>

> > One thing I've read is that, depending on how much fat we are

acarrying, we

> > eventually store fat around our internal organs,

>

> We all store fat around our internal organs. That is why for women,

we need a

> certain percentage of body fat. One of it's main purposes is to

protect our

> internal organs.

>

> Ana

Your body fat also helps to regulate your estrogen levels and stores

estrogen in the body. This is one reason why extremely heavy women

(men too but not to the extent women are affected) suffer so much

depression. It's the estrogen. Women who lose too much body fat

(talking down into the single digits here) will eventually stop

menstruating. Again, it's the relationship between the estrogen and

fat stores. There's a great article on it the Fitness Rx magazine

but I lived through that problem about 3 years ago. Was on meds for

the depression until I started working out and lost weight. Then

fool that I am, quite the meds, quite working out and gained 30

pounds back. I could feel myself falling again into the dark abyss

and decided this was definitely something I had to do until I die.

debra

in GA

February 3, 2003

Wow, guys, thank you thank you. You're all right and I think I'm

ready to suck it up and jump on the wagon again. Six weeks is just

that-- six weeks. And if I focus on the fact that I can now feel the

definition in my quads (you know--the two parts of the muscle) and

actually see my tricep muscle moving down there under the fat of my

arm, and the fact that I can now jog (slowly) for 35 minutes

straight... and focus on the fact that the muscle will do it's job in

terms of my metabolism. 12 weeks (smile) even if I only loose a

little by then, it's worth it and will set me up for even more

results the next 12 weeks...and the next and the next! (smile). You

guys are great, and I know your encouragement isn't just " fluff "

since you've been there (or are there with me!) OK, then, *deep

breath* let's lift our heads up and keep pushing forward: Get ready,

week seven!

February 3, 2003

and the fact that I can now jog (slowly) for 35 minutes

> straight...

You can jog???? You are living my dream. I want to be able to

jog/run so bad I can't stand it. I can't hardly get up a flight of

steps without taking a BIG breath at the top. I think my eight week

gift to myself is going to be a pair of good running shoes. Then

maybe I can walk/jog for cardio. That'll be the end of Feb so it

should be getting warm enough by then.

Whup butt in week 7!

Debra

in GA

February 3, 2003

Good for you! Keep it up!

~kimmah