Have you found what works for your body??

[Blondell]

Seeing that there are different approaches to dropping bodyfat (ex. low carb, low fat, etc), have you found what you feels works for your body? And if so, how long did it take you to figure it out?

[Sportsgirl]

Seeing that there are different approaches to dropping bodyfat (ex. low carb, low fat, etc), have you found what you feels works for your body?

Yes :yippee:



And if so, how long did it take you to figure it out?

Well, if you count from the time I started going to the gym and trying to lose fat - 10 years :lol3:

[vtchick]

Yes...Erik has worked for my body. :P And it took me just two weeks to figure out that I need to do whatever he tells me :treadmill: , eat when and what he tells me :eggos: , and the body will do what I want it to. :happy05:

I wish I had learned this 7 years ago!!

[Mols]

Yes to some extent, still learning though. I have learned what NOT to eat more than a couple times a week :) But then again, sometimes I think I know whats making me feel like crap, and then the next day I have it and im just fine. BAN?! Its takin me a couple years to figure out that I seriously wasnt eating enough to gain weight, but since starting with E I learned I had NO clue. Thank goodness my eyes opened up and even after the first month with Erik, and not being on plan 100%, I have learned. So far this plan, im ON ON ON and seeing/feeling results, its awesome.

[Blondell]

Yes...Erik has worked for my body. :P And it took me just two weeks to figure out that I need to do whatever he tells me :treadmill: , eat when and what he tells me :eggos: , and the body will do what I want it to. :happy05:

I wish I had learned this 7 years ago!!
But, have you learned your body for yourself through Erik??

If you didn't have him, would you know how to set it up for yourself to get results?

[Blondell]

Yes to some extent, still learning though. I have learned what NOT to eat more than a couple times a week :) But then again, sometimes I think I know whats making me feel like crap, and then the next day I have it and im just fine. BAN?! Its takin me a couple years to figure out that I seriously wasnt eating enough to gain weight, but since starting with E I learned I had NO clue. Thank goodness my eyes opened up and even after the first month with Erik, and not being on plan 100%, I have learned. So far this plan, im ON ON ON and seeing/feeling results, its awesome.
same question as post above...

[TillyT]

Nope.

[Cass]

Yes.

:lifter: Hard. :cardio: More. :cheat: Less.

[strongchick]

Yes.

It took awhile but I got a groove.

[vtchick]

But, have you learned your body for yourself through Erik??

If you didn't have him, would you know how to set it up for yourself to get results?

I've learned a lot about what works for me and my body through him, and through committing to the work involved. I think as far as setting it up for myself, I still have quite a bit to learn, but I will get there. ;)

[synergyb3]

I learned what works and then my body changed and my level of exercise changed and what worked previously no longer worked. Then I had to learn new things that would work. And then my body changed and nothing seemed to work and I am doing my best to learn again...

[Blondell]

I learned what works and then my body changed and my level of exercise changed and what worked previously no longer worked. Then I had to learn new things that would work. And then my body changed and nothing seemed to work and I am doing my best to learn again...
I've noticed that this is the case w. many people. Is it a drastic change in what works, or is it that things don't work as well as they used to BUT still are rather effective?

[Espi]

What worked was: do less in the gym and let the diet do most of the cutting instead of the other way round.
While I enjoyed working out very much, it also made me feel overtrained more often for which eating more was the best self-medication.

Also: not to get too hung up on "have to stick to eating less than xx g of carbs". I still limit my carbs, but never go lower than 50g anymore. Going too low gives cravings, going too high doesn't result in fat loss. Targeted carb intake (carb cycling if that's how you like to call it) is what works best.
And blasphemy of blasphemies: have dropped protein intake to barely 2g/kg BW and feel just as fine as on 3g/kg BW (including dairy and PP).

More radical stuff:
- abstaining from all grains & most legumes as well as dairy coz' of allergy tissues helps with fat loss (an allergy seems to have an effect on thyroid levels)
- reducing meal frequency to 2 meals plus 2 pcs of fruit on rest days,viz a revised IF-approach.. me likey very much to not think about food constantly on a low kcal day

[jackieleigh]

I have learned what works for me...

I need carbs, and I need them all day long. I do high carb, low fat, moderate protein.

I am satisfied, I'm not hungry, I'm losing weight, and I have more energy than I have had in a while

[Blondell]

I have learned what works for me...

I need carbs, and I need them all day long. I do high carb, low fat, moderate protein.

I am satisfied, I'm not hungry, I'm losing weight, and I have more energy than I have had in a while
I'm the complete opposite. :lol: While I LOVE carbs, they don't keep me satisfied for long. 1 cup cc and 1oz of walnuts keep me fuller than the same amount of cals in oats/egg whites. Proteins w/ fats are miracle workers for me......that is, once I get past the carb cravings. :oops: :lol3:

[dolce]

still trying to find out exavtly what works best for me
to me its getting it set "mentally" with diet
stress makes me want to eat..i want "comfort food"
i dont do well with refeeds at all..
i do well with carbs.
hitting the gym hasnt been too much of a problem.

[Sportsgirl]

I'm the complete opposite. :lol: While I LOVE carbs, they don't keep me satisfied for long. 1 cup cc and 1oz of walnuts keep me fuller than the same amount of cals in oats/egg whites. Proteins w/ fats are miracle workers for me......that is, once I get past the carb cravings. :oops: :lol3:

I've only started to crave carbs the leaner I got. Before I used to love love fats. Now it's carbs carbs carbs! :drool:
Having said that, I have some great smoked almonds sitting in my cupboard :cheat:

[Blondell]

I've only started to crave carbs the leaner I got. Before I used to love love fats. Now it's carbs carbs carbs! :drool:
Having said that, I have some great smoked almonds sitting in my cupboard :cheat:
I had this happen during my prep. DO NOT EAT 3 BAGELS! :oops: :lol3:

[Sportsgirl]

I had this happen during my prep. DO NOT EAT 3 BAGELS! :oops: :lol3:

Thanks for the tip :lol:

[ladybug]

What worked was: do less in the gym and let the diet do most of the cutting instead of the other way round.
While I enjoyed working out very much, it also made me feel overtrained more often for which eating more was the best self-medication.



This was/is very true for me as well. Also, Blondell, like you I feel better on more protein/fat (keeps me fuller longer) I love carbs, but they just don't satiate like fats do.

I also had to learn to let go of eating on a schedule...made my life much more enjoyable

[jackieleigh]

I think because I am small and only get so much food that carbs work better. When I did LC I could only eat very little because fat has so many more calories than carbs. With high carb/low fat I get to eat more food, hence being more satisfied

I too do better without a set eating schedule. I plan my meals when I am ready to eat, and I eat when I am hungry now

[Espi]

And for the women here that aren't on any BCP and still ovulate: save some calories for the really wicked days of your cycle. I've been puzzled about the huge fluctuations in appetite for a long time.
Apart from the fact that overtraining nearly always would generate a binge a few days down 'the road', there's a very consistent eating pattern that follows the cycle.
After tracking about 40 cycles (yep, been tracking calories for 3 years nearly non stop, I've pinpointed day 22 of the cycle as being the most dangerous day. I've adapted my training schedule so that max efforts are coinciding with that day and I get to binge guilt-free after that.
Surprisingly, since I've allowed myself to do so, calorie intake has dropped :D
May also have to do with the fact that it's much harder to binge when you're avoiding all grains and right now (nearly) all legumes.. just too hard to give up peanutbutter.

In the past 3 months I've fine-tuned it by measuring body temp and I can make very exact predictions of how appetite will affect me just based on that morning body temp. Fun stuff! I'm now not really having a huge overfeeding day on day 22 but let my feelings decide for me what will happen.

[Birdie]

I have learned from working with Erik, and now not working with Erik, that in order to get where I need to be, I need to have some discomfort like hunger, fatique etc. I am a work in progress, so I expect that is the way it will be until I reach my goal. I can live with it without too much problem.

[BSNJunkie]

I have learned what works for me...

I need carbs, and I need them all day long. I do high carb, low fat, moderate protein.

I am satisfied, I'm not hungry, I'm losing weight, and I have more energy than I have had in a while

I am like this too. Fats do not keep me from being hungry. I want to eat again with in 30 min of P&F meals. P&C meals things like PP and oatmeal I am fine for 4-5 hours.

[MaiCarInMtl]

I think I have somewhat figured out what works for me, but I have my douts on some days (I say this because I've lost 45 lbs in about 1.5 years). Unfortunately, the closer I get to my goal (or the more I push) the more I wonder if I did things the right way (most of my weight was lost in the last year).

I've noted that lowering my carb intake helped a lot, but I still often get huge cravings for sugar or junk (mainly cookies... especially macadamia or chocolate chip). I try to eat more regularly, but the whole "planned feeding times" doesn't work (some days I am just not hungry).

Espi - your monitoring of cycles, could one do it while on the BCP? I often feel as thought I am often in a snackish mood (maybe 3 days before ovulation) even though I am not hungry. Come to think of it, only of my biggest obstacles is this damn snackish feeling!

[Espi]

MaiCarInMtl : of coure you can still track body temperature while on BCP. Body temperature variation is just probably not as pronounced as you won't ovulate with BCP? (I'm so out of the loop here :D ). I'm using the temperature tracking along with other observations as a natural method for anticonception, plus it's really fun to see how appetite goes right along with temp increases/drops.

Right before menstruation temperature will drop due to a drop in progesterone that causes the rise in temperature. How far in advance the temperature will drop, seems to depend from cycle to cycle. Sometimes it only drops 1-2 days before other times it's a bit longer.
Binges will usually happen 3 or 7 days out from TOM, but it's hard to backtrack that day in advance when cycles vary so much.

In any case there are a few interesting claims:
- when temp is highest you're supposedly having a maintenance that's up to 500kcal higher than normal
- also, this is supposedly the time when carbloads work the most effectively , again to prepare for 'delivery'
- supposedly you're more prone to injury right before & after TOM due to relaxin.

Enough interesting stuff to make you think about strategies that take the cycle into account.

But each woman probably will have her own peculiarities.

[gymgurl]

I'm the complete opposite. :lol: While I LOVE carbs, they don't keep me satisfied for long. 1 cup cc and 1oz of walnuts keep me fuller than the same amount of cals in oats/egg whites. Proteins w/ fats are miracle workers for me......that is, once I get past the carb cravings. :oops: :lol3:

I'm the same way, as I'm learning more and more. I also am finding after playing around with various things that oatmeal bloats me up really bad. Like buddha belly. It's not pretty. Which really sucks because I love oatmeal.

[MaiCarInMtl]

I'm the same way, as I'm learning more and more. I also am finding after playing around with various things that oatmeal bloats me up really bad. Like buddha belly. It's not pretty. Which really sucks because I love oatmeal.
Oh crap! I never even thought about the whole oatmeal thing. I guess I might now know why I turned into a giant windbag when I was often eating oatmeal for breakfast at one point... I just had it this mronignf or the firs titme in a long time. :(

[Espi]

You don't want to know what happened when I ate mueslibars (mostly oats) on a long trip. I was looking preggers for crying out loud!

[gymgurl]

Oh crap! I never even thought about the whole oatmeal thing. I guess I might now know why I turned into a giant windbag when I was often eating oatmeal for breakfast at one point... I just had it this mronignf or the firs titme in a long time. :(

Yah, I never would have thought it either until I started reducing my oatmeal intake to try and lower carbs. I was eating for a while about 60 grams of carbs from oatmeal right before bed and I swear, I looked about 8 months pregnant after that. I literally woddled into bed. :p

[MaiCarInMtl]

Well, it definetly had an effect! I am now bloated (took my belt down 1 notch) and my tummy is not too happy!

I guess my carbs will just have to come from Fibre 1 and weetabix. :( But I like the taste of oatmeal! Would a different kind perhaps have a different effect? (I'm using Bob's Red Mill right now, maybe I can switch back to the slow cooking Quaker oats?).

PS Please excuse the horrible spelling at the end of my last post... Shameful, just shameful!

[kelster]

Well, it definetly had an effect! I am now bloated (took my belt down 1 notch) and my tummy is not too happy!

I guess my carbs will just have to come from Fibre 1 and weetabix. :( But I like the taste of oatmeal! Would a different kind perhaps have a different effect? (I'm using Bob's Red Mill right now, maybe I can switch back to the slow cooking Quaker oats?).

PS Please excuse the horrible spelling at the end of my last post... Shameful, just shameful!
i know it isn't the same but what about flaxmeal hot cereal or oatbran hot cereal :shrug:

[MaiCarInMtl]

i know it isn't the same but what about flaxmeal hot cereal or oatbran hot cereal :shrug:
I'm more than willing to give it a try! I'll see if I can pick some up in the next few days and try it out.

PS I am checking out your journal right now. :) But I'm starting wayyy from the beginning.

[kelster]

I'm more than willing to give it a try! I'll see if I can pick some up in the next few days and try it out.

PS I am checking out your journal right now. :) But I'm starting wayyy from the beginning.

good luck - let us know if you get some relief!! personally i :love: flaxmeal hot cereal. i get it from netrition.com it is :yum: comes in various flavors too!!

oh, thanks for visiting the journal!! feel free to stop by as often as you like :girly: :lol3:

[Espi]

I'm just eating a lot more fruit and simple carbs nowadays. Also, (sweet) potatoes don't affect me at all. So, when I want to eat a lot of carbs, I have more potatoes both for carb ups (low-fat) and free meals (crisps, fries). Oh, cassave crisps are very nice too (alas, not available as a low-fat version).
I'm not digging ovenbaked crisps too much but I could learn to like it more I guess.

[Q45]

yes....when it comes to dieting low carbs, low fat, depletion workouts, cardio, and refeeds...
when it comes to bulking im not sure yet but im about to find out :D

[Blondell]

yes....when it comes to dieting low carbs, low fat, depletion workouts, cardio, and refeeds...
when it comes to bulking im not sure yet but im about to find out :D
this is you. :shakeithappy: :lol: Love you babe.

AND, you don't need much cardio :ban: One session a week does NOT count. :nonono:

[Erik]

I have no idea what works for me. :bawling:

[Mols]

I have no idea what works for me. :bawling:
I beg to differ

[Erik]

:bump:

[Laksmi]

After tracking about 40 cycles (yep, been tracking calories for 3 years nearly non stop, I've pinpointed day 22 of the cycle as being the most dangerous day.


This is so right on!!! Over the last year + I have really recognized that around day 22 of my cycle is when I have to be totally aware of my eating otherwise that day can be a disaster.
I have found the most results from allowing 1 maybe 2 days of higher carbs. I never will eat pizza or pasta or potatoes and really haven't for over 20 years but I'm discovering my craving for more intense excercise (even when I am tired) and carbs those 3-7 days prior to TOM have to be honored.

[pegavi]

I have no idea what works for me. :bawling:

:yeahthat:

[Espi]

This is so right on!!! Over the last year + I have really recognized that around day 22 of my cycle is when I have to be totally aware of my eating otherwise that day can be a disaster.
I have found the most results from allowing 1 maybe 2 days of higher carbs. I never will eat pizza or pasta or potatoes and really haven't for over 20 years but I'm discovering my craving for more intense excercise (even when I am tired) and carbs those 3-7 days prior to TOM have to be honored.

Indeed. Or else TOM will arrive earlier as the high body temperature won't stay up for long. When temp goes down, that's an indication of progesterone going down.. and that's the easiest predictor of TOM being only 1 day away from your doorstep.

I've recently learned that it's not as much progesterone that increases appetite, but a drop in estrogen! Estrogen is high in the first phase but will drop down just before ovulation.
Guess what I've been observing in the last few months when I've also seen more profound ovulatory symptoms (higher libido for one thing): HUGE appetite right before the temp jumps up and you're about to ovulate!
Actually for the last few months the increase in appetite has even been larger than it used to be pre-TOM. Probably because it surges so suddenly from non-existant appetite (could go w/o food for 24hrs and feel no hunger) to being very present and wanting to eat NOW!

I've adapted my diet plan accordingly.

What agony when presenting a new training plan and get nothing but flak about how 'nobody ever trains according to the cycle'. :angry::sad: . You must be crazy. What about 90% of the women being on BCP?

[Laksmi]

Indeed. Or else TOM will arrive earlier as the high body temperature won't stay up for long. When temp goes down, that's an indication of progesterone going down.. and that's the easiest predictor of TOM being only 1 day away from your doorstep.

This must be why for the longest time my cycles have been very short. 23-25 days.
Also I notice extreme tiredness the day before it starts, this must be the drop in temperature. At the ripe age of 47 they only last 2-3 days, I also figure in the lack of body fat I have had since my early 30's (pro athlete)

What agony when presenting a new training plan and get nothing but flak about how 'nobody ever trains according to the cycle'. :angry::sad: . You must be crazy. What about 90% of the women being on BCP?[/QUOTE]

Sorry I'm a tard @ the quote thing

Those 5 days prior when I start to feel a little fluffy I usually work-out harder and more diligently, allow more carbs and cals w/ out beating myself up mentally, and sail nicely through it.

[Donna]

I'm still trying to figure this out. I just started a carb cycling program so we'll see. I had some issues with too few carbs the first couple of days and am taking in about 50g on low carb days right now. I'm still in week 1. The trainer I have right now insists on high, high protein for the first part of this program (6 weeks). I'm trying to get it all in but it is tough. I haven't had many cravings, though.

[GraceGirl]

For fatloss, low carb is what works best for me. I can lose while dieting other ways, but low carb makes me feel better mentally, and fat is lost much quicker when I use this method.

I tend to go with high protein/moderate fat (all healthy)/low carb while dieting.

[pegavi]

For fatloss, low carb is what works best for me. I can lose while dieting other ways, but low carb makes me feel better mentally, and fat is lost much quicker when I use this method.

I tend to go with high protein/moderate fat (all healthy)/low carb while dieting.

Yes, that it is the same for me. I reach my goals much quicker with less carbs. I feel better too. Less bloated. However, I must have my oats in the morning, other than that, veggies for carbs the rest of the day is fine by me.