Weight loss and exercise progress

This is going to be an interesting month. I've still got a
few pounds of fat to lose but have decided that, with the
amount of weight I have lost so far, I have lost more muscle
mass than I am comfortable with, and I want it back. It
became clear that in order to do more physical exercise and
put back on some muscle I was going to have to bump up my
calorie intake a bit. Not much so far, just a 200-300
calories per day (mostly protein but also and a bit of fat)
but this still is about 20% more calories than I have been
eating. I'm still working on the fine points of this (there
is much I don't know) and I do still need to pick up another
book (Lyle McDonald's book most likely) to understand with a
bit more thoroughness what I have in front of me but, with
the resources I have used so far on the web, I have been
able to make some progress in my understanding.

Though I walked a lot for exercise while I was in my heavy
weight loss phase, and it did help me improve greatly in
terms of my overall stamina and feeling of well being, it
became clear that I needed more. I started a weight program
(at this point the heavily recommended deadlifts, squats,
bench press, rows and pushups--3 1 hour sessions per week
with a couple days of cardio interspersed) that has allowed
me to show a lot of improvement. Not lifting too heavy yet
but, still, I have increased my weight loads significantly
from when I started. I still have to be careful with my
left elbow but the strength is returning as I hoped it would
(Note for Roger: Good form helps greatly with avoiding
pain.) I don't know how much it may be a measure of strength
but, as a measure of progress, when I started this about 6
weeks ago I could barely do 2 pushups on my knees.
Yesterday, I was able to do 30 on my hands and toes without
stopping, then took a 60 second break and did 15 more.

I'm still eating at my CCLL (45-50g/day) but, as stated
above, have bumped up my protein a bit. I have no idea
where I will go weight wise at this point, though I have
already lost a pound this month. I do expect to see a
change in my physique but I don't really know how quickly
this will become a reality. I'm actually starting to have a
bit of fun with this, by which I mean the whole weight
loss/fitness improvement thing.

As always, thank you for the support you have all given and
have a great weekend.

--
JJ.
275/182/175, BMI 26.1 - as of May 4, 2004
Atkins since Sep 1, 2003
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jjsmythe/my_photos
66.2% of the man I used to be.

Great, JJ......

Progress is funny.....you'll see none....and then before you realize
it.....it will be there. You'll be thrilled.
Work smart.

JJ wrote:
:: This is going to be an interesting month. I've still got a
:: few pounds of fat to lose but have decided that, with the
:: amount of weight I have lost so far, I have lost more muscle
:: mass than I am comfortable with, and I want it back. It

snipped

JJ,

I'm eagerly watching you as someone who started out roughly at my weight
(first LC started at 280), has the same build, and has gotten down to where
I want to be lbs wise. I'm still listing 200 as "feel good goal" but 180ish
is more realistic. Congrats on your continued success, and I'm especially
interested in your progress as the weight training changes your body (how
clothes fit differently, etc).

Richard
247/209/200 first goal

"JJ" wrote in message news:jsXmc.1571$xw3.131584@attbi_s04...
This is going to be an interesting month. I've still got a
few pounds of fat to lose but have decided that, with the
amount of weight I have lost so far, I have lost more muscle
mass than I am comfortable with, and I want it back. It
became clear that in order to do more physical exercise and
put back on some muscle I was going to have to bump up my
calorie intake a bit. Not much so far, just a 200-300
calories per day (mostly protein but also and a bit of fat)
but this still is about 20% more calories than I have been
eating. I'm still working on the fine points of this (there
is much I don't know) and I do still need to pick up another
book (Lyle McDonald's book most likely) to understand with a
bit more thoroughness what I have in front of me but, with
the resources I have used so far on the web, I have been
able to make some progress in my understanding.

Though I walked a lot for exercise while I was in my heavy
weight loss phase, and it did help me improve greatly in
terms of my overall stamina and feeling of well being, it
became clear that I needed more. I started a weight program
(at this point the heavily recommended deadlifts, squats,
bench press, rows and pushups--3 1 hour sessions per week
with a couple days of cardio interspersed) that has allowed
me to show a lot of improvement. Not lifting too heavy yet
but, still, I have increased my weight loads significantly
from when I started. I still have to be careful with my
left elbow but the strength is returning as I hoped it would
(Note for Roger: Good form helps greatly with avoiding
pain.) I don't know how much it may be a measure of strength
but, as a measure of progress, when I started this about 6
weeks ago I could barely do 2 pushups on my knees.
Yesterday, I was able to do 30 on my hands and toes without
stopping, then took a 60 second break and did 15 more.

I'm still eating at my CCLL (45-50g/day) but, as stated
above, have bumped up my protein a bit. I have no idea
where I will go weight wise at this point, though I have
already lost a pound this month. I do expect to see a
change in my physique but I don't really know how quickly
this will become a reality. I'm actually starting to have a
bit of fun with this, by which I mean the whole weight
loss/fitness improvement thing.

As always, thank you for the support you have all given and
have a great weekend.

--
JJ.
275/182/175, BMI 26.1 - as of May 4, 2004
Atkins since Sep 1, 2003
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jjsmythe/my_photos
66.2% of the man I used to be.

JJ wrote:

Though I walked a lot for exercise while I was in my heavy
weight loss phase, and it did help me improve greatly in
terms of my overall stamina and feeling of well being, it
became clear that I needed more. I started a weight program
(at this point the heavily recommended deadlifts, squats,
bench press, rows and pushups--3 1 hour sessions per week
with a couple days of cardio interspersed) that has allowed
me to show a lot of improvement. Not lifting too heavy yet
but, still, I have increased my weight loads significantly
from when I started.

I just want to add... this stuff works even if you *don't* lose most of
the weight first.

I am not Ms. Macho yet, but have seen definite improvements in my
strength training week-to-week, which is encouraging as heck. I don't
improve on everything every time, but see *some* improvement almost
every workout, which feels really good.

Further, even though I treat cardio as sort of a warm-up and have *not*
focused on it at all (my experience being that cardio improvement is too
slow and takes too long while overweight and is unpleasant) I've
improved a *lot* in cardio too. I'm doing way more than I'd have
expected to be able to - and at a lower heart rate than just a few
months ago. Apparently the weight lifting has a synergystic effect with
the cardio, being stronger just helps *everything*.

It's made a *huge* difference in my day-to-day life versus just
low-carbing... I have more energy, find simple chores easier to do, find
pleasure in a lot of work that used to feel like drudgery, etc. I
procrastinate a lot less because I know grinding grain or mowing the
lawn doesn't *hurt* anymore.

Strength training rocks - even if you're still fat. I haven't felt this
good in years, even though my bs is still not well-controlled.

--
As you accelerate your food, it takes exponentially more and more energy
to increase its velocity, until you hit a limit at C. This energy has
to come from somewhere; in this case, from the food's nutritional value.
Thus, the faster the food is, the worse it gets.
-- Mark Hughes, comprehending the taste of fast food

Jackie Patti wrote:
JJ wrote:

Though I walked a lot for exercise while I was in my
heavy
weight loss phase, and it did help me improve greatly in
terms of my overall stamina and feeling of well being, it
became clear that I needed more. I started a weight
program
(at this point the heavily recommended deadlifts, squats,
bench press, rows and pushups--3 1 hour sessions per week
with a couple days of cardio interspersed) that has
allowed
me to show a lot of improvement. Not lifting too heavy
yet
but, still, I have increased my weight loads
significantly
from when I started.

I just want to add... this stuff works even if you *don't*
lose most
of the weight first.

Jackie, thanks for making this point. I try to make it
clear that what I have been doing is what has worked for me.
I don't come forth with the position that I am doing
everything right, it's just taking time to figure out what
is most effective. A big part of being effective is not
just one can do but what one will do. Anything I might put
here as to why I added the weight training late in this
program would just be an excuse. I just didn't do it early
and only added it later when I realized how much it would
help me. I was exercising, quite a lot actually, but
primarily all aerobic which helped with the weight but
didn't do squat (no pun intended) for strength. Realization
is a wonderful thing.


I am not Ms. Macho yet, but have seen definite
improvements in my
strength training week-to-week, which is encouraging as
heck. I don't
improve on everything every time, but see *some*
improvement almost
every workout, which feels really good.

Feels real good, yes.

--
JJ.
275/182/175, BMI 26.1 - as of May 4, 2004
Atkins since Sep 1, 2003
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jjsmythe/my_photos
66.2% of the man I used to be.

Jackie Patti wrote:
:: I just want to add... this stuff works even if you *don't* lose most
:: of the weight first.
::
:: I am not Ms. Macho yet, but have seen definite improvements in my
:: strength training week-to-week, which is encouraging as heck. I
:: don't improve on everything every time, but see *some* improvement
:: almost every workout, which feels really good.
::
:: Further, even though I treat cardio as sort of a warm-up and have
:: *not* focused on it at all (my experience being that cardio
:: improvement is too slow and takes too long while overweight and is
:: unpleasant) I've improved a *lot* in cardio too. I'm doing way more
:: than I'd have expected to be able to - and at a lower heart rate
:: than just a few months ago. Apparently the weight lifting has a
:: synergystic effect with the cardio, being stronger just helps
:: *everything*.
::
:: It's made a *huge* difference in my day-to-day life versus just
:: low-carbing... I have more energy, find simple chores easier to do,
:: find pleasure in a lot of work that used to feel like drudgery, etc.
:: I procrastinate a lot less because I know grinding grain or mowing
:: the lawn doesn't *hurt* anymore.
::
:: Strength training rocks - even if you're still fat. I haven't felt
:: this good in years, even though my bs is still not well-controlled.

Good report!