I really only notice water retention when I go crazy on the salt in the winter. I really don't notice in summer because I tend to sweat a bit more. Water retention is probably a good thing this time of year.

Question: What happens to your body when you cut back workouts tremendously? I've been thinking of cutting back from an hour or 2, 7 days a week to just 3 workouts a week. Do I just need to adjust my diet? What happens to your body when you cut back on workouts? And how should your diet be adjusted to ensure your body fat percentage doesn't increase?

7/20/2011 10:19:07 AM

Quote :

"do you guys retain water during your period (or maybe in the middle of the cycle) ? if so when?"

i actually don't since i switched birth control pills (instead of 21 pills of fun, i get 24 pills and then just 4 days without pills and then back on again). my weight seems to stay about the same now (which is good because on the old stuff, i would lose 5 pounds when i went off the pills )

Lucy, i noticed that since i cut back on my workout time (still working out 5-6 days a week but down from an hour to 25-30 minutes of HIIT) i'm getting into much better shape faster.

7/20/2011 10:25:49 AM

Perhaps your body needed more time to recover? I'm having challenges getting to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because of my job. I have to choose between gym and sleep ... and lately, I've been choosing the gym.

I think I might be better off to get more sleep.

7/20/2011 10:31:10 AM

Quote :

"i noticed that since i cut back on my workout time (still working out 5-6 days a week but down from an hour to 25-30 minutes of HIIT) i'm getting into much better shape faster."

ME TOO.

well im down to about 4-5x a week

7/20/2011 10:34:41 AM

Quote :

"Does anyone else follow the Slow Carb Lifestyle/Diet?"

my bf and I tried this for a while.

pros: weight loss like whoa, cheat days were fun

cons: didn't like eating a lot of small meals; lack of food variety; and the deal breaker... it made us soooooooo gassy

7/20/2011 10:50:21 AM

^ What is that diet? What makes you gassy?

7/20/2011 10:54:11 AM

Quote :

"Perhaps your body needed more time to recover? I'm having challenges getting to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because of my job. I have to choose between gym and sleep ... and lately, I've been choosing the gym."

i'm actually starting to be more aware of active rest days and noticing that i have more energy and my weightloss and workouts aren't as much of a struggle.

sleep is wicked important

7/20/2011 11:07:54 AM

Is it difficult to maintain muscle mass when you cut back significantly on workouts? Also, did y'all have to adjust your diet when you cut back on workouts?

7/20/2011 11:21:20 AM

slow carb diet is basically no white carbs, no fruit, the same meals over and over, and one day off per week

I think I was gassy because my body wasn't used to eating that much meat and beans

7/20/2011 11:29:36 AM

LOL. Then not as bad as the cabbage soup diet. That's the worst for gas.

7/20/2011 11:33:46 AM

I eat beans...but I don't eat them quite as much as recommended...it cut the gas down.

when I mean down I mean
like the need in my vien it went down down down
like the dog that went insane it went down down down!

7/20/2011 12:11:04 PM

7/20/2011 2:33:20 PM

Down to 270.4

Total lost: 18lb in 1.5mo

7/20/2011 2:43:31 PM

Finally broke 150lb for the first time in about 2 years. Pretty happy about it. Not even killing myself in the gym or starving myself. Just watching my portions, cutting out most of my sweets, and running more. Having some great runs recently. Trying to get back to my 5K/20min pace and making big gains.

If I can keep things consistent, should be down to 145ish by the end of the summer.

7/20/2011 3:14:23 PM

Christ, whats your end game? I'd shrivel up if I got under 165

7/20/2011 3:35:32 PM

Quote :

"Perhaps your body needed more time to recover? I'm having challenges getting to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because of my job. I have to choose between gym and sleep ... and lately, I've been choosing the gym. I think I might be better off to get more sleep."

Anything is possible although I've been an athlete my whole life and never noticed much of a difference if I had a rest day or not.

I would choose sleep although I notice I beat myself up if I miss a workout (I'm working out about 6 times a week with running incorporated 4-5 times a week on top of HIIT) and I need to stop doing that. Also work is kind of stressful right now and I keep sneaking M&M's from my coworker's candy jar. Bad Cassie! I know it's okay every once and a while but I'm not even supposed to be eating chocolate let alone something with artificial coloring. FML. So then I come home and am like MUST WORK OUT but today I didn't run because I ran 3 days in a row and it's like 100 outside and I'm still all depressed like I'm going to wake up at 157 pounds again tomorrow.

[Edited on July 20, 2011 at 4:17 PM. Reason : Her = coworker]

7/20/2011 4:16:09 PM

^^

I've got a small waist...like 28". So I'm still pretty filled out at 150. I just want to be lean and defined while keeping a decent amount of strength. I think there's a picture in my gallery where I'm at 145-150ish and I don't think I look to small (short, yes...small, no).

7/20/2011 4:39:09 PM

..

[Edited on July 20, 2011 at 5:07 PM. Reason : ..]

7/20/2011 5:04:52 PM

^^^ I know what you mean, Cass. I was probably 155 about 9 years ago and it still haunts me. Like, I think I'll gain 30 lbs overnight if I skip a workout. But lately I've started to realize that, although I've been an athlete my entire life, my body may just need more recovery time in general. Our bodies change a bit as we get older. And I'm starting to think that I may need more rest time/less gym time.

My challenge, though, is that I'm happy at my current weight. Don't want to gain and don't want to lose. So ... maintenance is key. I'm anywhere between 122 and 124 lbs most days. Gaining a couple of pounds wouldn't be a bad thing. Just not 30.

I guess I need to change my macros around? More healthy fats? Fewer carbs? Not quite sure how that works, as I haven't really considered cutting back on exercise until very recently.

[Edited on July 20, 2011 at 5:05 PM. Reason : s]

7/20/2011 5:05:43 PM

gg mdozer

7/20/2011 9:33:11 PM

i've become more aware of my carbs. i never really ate a lot of carbs but i try to eat my carbs within 2 hours of my work out (minus having my cup of oatmeal first thing in the morning) but i also found i need to watch my diary intake because it makes me feel bloated

i've been so stressed out at work that tonight i went out on a stress binge. 2 slices of cheese, 3 little squares of a hershey bar, some small green olives, and a couple of teaspoons of nonfat sugarfree frozen yogurt.

mind you i worked from 6:50am until 9:30pm today. blah.

7/20/2011 9:40:47 PM

Dangit! Reading cass' post just made me hungry. Mmm cheese and olives.

7/20/2011 10:37:53 PM

you know what's a great workout? doing laundry by hand.

just washed my daughter's car seat cover by hand, and by the time i was done rubbing and scrubbing it with a brush, my arms were pumped, from the wrists all the way to the biceps!

7/21/2011 8:36:41 PM

Down 3 pounds in the 2 weeks.

7/22/2011 11:55:51 AM

Down 3 pounds in 1 bathroom visit

7/24/2011 2:49:04 PM

Weighed in at 195 today.

So that's a loss of 32 pounds since mid-April.

Although playing a softball doubleheader in the 101-degree heat yesterday MAY have contributed to that. I'll still take it!

7/24/2011 2:59:34 PM

Quote :

"i've been so stressed out at work that tonight i went out on a stress binge. 2 slices of cheese, 3 little squares of a hershey bar, some small green olives, and a couple of teaspoons of nonfat sugarfree frozen yogurt."

You are the worst binge eater of all time.

7/24/2011 3:24:39 PM

Lol I am! Although I'm more of a sporadic eater. But I'll eat it in like 5 minutes and then feel

7/24/2011 3:59:18 PM

One of these days, I will teach you how to binge.

Or if we ever go to a brazillian steakhouse or frozen yogurt.

Screw it. Both. One after the other.

7/24/2011 4:13:08 PM

Game.on.

You pick the date.

7/24/2011 5:57:45 PM

I need a nutrition coach

Actually not really a coach, but really a strict disciplinarian who will tell me to shut the fuck up and not eat what I want to.

7/24/2011 8:16:54 PM

a conscience?

7/24/2011 8:18:14 PM

a rubber band around your wrist?

7/24/2011 8:31:49 PM

Quote :

"Actually not really a coach, but really a strict disciplinarian who will tell me to shut the fuck up and not eat what I want to."

If you find someone to do this, can we share?

7/24/2011 8:40:05 PM

Quote :

"I need a nutrition coach Actually not really a coach, but really a strict disciplinarian who will tell me to shut the fuck up and not eat what I want to."

I can definitely do that. Especially since we talk almost every day at work.

7/24/2011 9:00:51 PM

While we're at it, I want a shrink like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijLxj8bOgQ4

7/24/2011 9:17:14 PM

I bought a jump rope today. Hope to use that at home so I don't have to do that in the gym.

Also, how do I help my dominant side from trying to compensate for my weaker side while lifting weights?

7/24/2011 11:01:15 PM

use isolation weights, dont use ones both hands hold, use dumbells and such, do lunges, stuff like that


ive been maintaining my weight which has been my goal lately, ive been working 12hr days 6-7 days a week so fuck working out right now but i did want to keep my weight, in three weeks ill be back at it again sigh

7/24/2011 11:18:29 PM

dumbells is what i use. :-/

[Edited on July 24, 2011 at 11:21 PM. Reason : ...]

7/24/2011 11:21:30 PM

^^ Lift more weights. You'll get used to it. It's partially a coordination thing, and then a lot of it is also neurological in the sense that your brain has to learn how to "activate" your non-dominant muscles equally.

Even barbells will develop these things. Dumbells will, too. Many machines will not.



P.S.
The jumprope is one of the most savagely cruel pieces of exercises equipment ever devised. Go do multiple sets of 50 double-unders and see if you don't agree.

7/24/2011 11:22:43 PM

I don't even do that many sets and I kind of hate the thing already BUT I also love it.

7/25/2011 9:57:59 AM

are you doing double-unders with it? If not, try it.

7/25/2011 5:30:16 PM

I'm looking those up because I don't know what they are but in the meantime, I found this.



OK, I will try to do those but I can't do them very well right now.

7/25/2011 6:27:13 PM

I posted this in the crossfit thread, but I need some advice. I still have a month in Raleigh before heading back to g-boro. Should I do the cross fit (only have a month, plus $$$)? or just join Gold's for a month. Or any other options, like a boot camp or something. I need to do something cause my weight is getting a little too high.

7/25/2011 7:26:59 PM

http://www.bodyrock.tv

Has kicked my ass into shape AND I can do it from home. I pair it with a 2.5 mile run about 4-5 days a week

7/25/2011 7:42:12 PM

Definitely going to attempt Muay Thai kickboxing and is it weird that I'm excited to go gluten free?

I'm especially excited after my friend mentioned almond flour



Say whaaaaat


But for real, I am very excited about what I will be starting once I get back to Bham. I have a 5 class yoga coupon and I'm going to try an hour of body conditioning + an hour of the kickboxing

7/25/2011 11:27:03 PM

there's a TON of different gluten free flours you can use. Red Mills makes a bunch and some of their flours are specific (there's one for just plain cooking, one for pancakes/waffles, one for cookies, etc).

i also have a gluten free cookbook at my house. let me know next time youre in town and you are welcome to stop by and flip through it

PS - i am STRUGGLING with this damn sweet tooth issue. why have i become so freaking addicted to sugar? i spent like 2 hours last night flipping through cake, cookie, and cupcake recipes on Pinterest. i used to never be into sweets.

[Edited on July 26, 2011 at 7:53 AM. Reason : serious addiction ]

7/26/2011 7:52:22 AM

at punchmonk's video

7/26/2011 9:05:38 AM

I hate sugar. I get in cycles where I start out eating just a little bit of something and that turns into craving it every day. I am a big advocate of moderation, which is why I eat the little bits in the first place, but I hate when that sets off super cravings. I'm starting to realize I'd be better off just entirely avoiding it. I'm kind of in craving right now. At least until I polish off the tub of ice cream in my freezer.

7/26/2011 9:39:02 AM

^ that's EXACTLY how i am. i can't just have "a little bit" of something. it doesn't fix my craving. it makes me want it more. i'm better off when i just avoid it completely but i have noticed that my craving for sweets has become out of control since i quit smoking. even my boyfriend made mention that i crave sweets way more than i used to.

i don't drink soda, i eat super healthy. i just wonder where it all comes from.

[Edited on July 26, 2011 at 9:41 AM. Reason : sugarrrrrr]

7/26/2011 9:40:59 AM