WATCH-ME'S Goal Seeking Journal

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

FRIDAY APR 11 08

WEIGH IN DAY

Down another .5 lbs. Wooooooooooooooooo! And I'm not even over TOM yet, and it usu takes me a full 7-10 days before I see the scale move after TOM.

I had held off weighing last Friday, it being 3 days before, and I knew I'd probably see the water retention gain.

I'm really fired up....this is great!

[btinc]

Originally Posted by WATCH-ME-SHRINK

FRIDAY APR 11 08

WEIGH IN DAY

Down another .5 lbs. Wooooooooooooooooo! And I'm not even over TOM yet, and it usu takes me a full 7-10 days before I see the scale move after TOM.

I had held off weighing last Friday, it being 3 days before, and I knew I'd probably see the water retention gain.

I'm really fired up....this is great!

[deacons98]

Hi Twyla!

Well I am one of those lurkers out there that btinc mentioned. First of all, congrats! you sound like you are really in a good zone lately!

I have been reading a lot of the threads regarding healing metabolism, more calories, cycling etc. with a lot of interest.

I wanted to ask a question and I hope that this is an ok place to post it.

My friend is on this program where she has gradually increased her calories over the past month, bringing her to around 2700 at the moment (she is 134lbs). You aren't supposed to necessarily lose weight at this stage, but you also have to give up dairy, alcohol and wheat - and doing that she has lost 10 pounds despite the high cals. And she has done only walking for exercise. During the next phase, she will start to cycle the calories (after I think she hits 3000 cals).

Its all pretty interesing and between that and what I am reading here I have been gradually increasing my cals. My friend wants me to do this program, but here is my hesitation - its a lot of carbs. I think her percentages are somewhere like 30P-45C-25F. The carbs are from mostly sweet potatoes, rice..complex carbs other then wheat. Now she used to eat low cals and low carb, but she is doing great on this progam. I think in the rotating stage these ratios don't change too too much - just calories rotate, but I could be wrong.

ok, so after this whole winded story, my question - is it possible to heal your metabolism without the 250g or so of carbs she has to eat. I just don't "like" eating that way. But I will if I have to. I have a lot of work to do raising my carbs, and I indeed have to start climbing the carb ladder. I just don't think I will feel very good on those percentages. She however feels great.

Anyways, I ask you because it looks like you have managed to raise you cals without necessarily changing your nutrient percentages to carb dominent.

Ok, gosh sorry this is long and sorry if I am thread-jacking your journal!

thanks so much for all the knowledge you share on the boards!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by deacons98

My friend is on this program where she has gradually increased her calories over the past month, bringing her to around 2700 at the moment (she is 134lbs). You aren't supposed to necessarily lose weight at this stage, but you also have to give up dairy, alcohol and wheat - and doing that she has lost 10 pounds despite the high cals. And she has done only walking for exercise. During the next phase, she will start to cycle the calories (after I think she hits 3000 cals).

Its all pretty interesing and between that and what I am reading here I have been gradually increasing my cals. My friend wants me to do this program, but here is my hesitation - its a lot of carbs. I think her percentages are somewhere like 30P-45C-25F. The carbs are from mostly sweet potatoes, rice..complex carbs other then wheat. Now she used to eat low cals and low carb, but she is doing great on this progam. I think in the rotating stage these ratios don't change too too much - just calories rotate, but I could be wrong.

ok, so after this whole winded story, my question - is it possible to heal your metabolism without the 250g or so of carbs she has to eat. I just don't "like" eating that way. But I will if I have to. I have a lot of work to do raising my carbs, and I indeed have to start climbing the carb ladder. I just don't think I will feel very good on those percentages. She however feels great.

Anyways, I ask you because it looks like you have managed to raise you cals without necessarily changing your nutrient percentages to carb dominent.

Deacon,

I'm glad you stopped by. I have a lot to say and not sure where to begin.

First, sounds like your friend has found a great way to manipulate her metab to her advantage. Good for her!

As for the Q of whether this can be done by raising only cals, not carbs, I'm not qualified to answer that.

For starters, there is carb cycling, and there is calorie cycling, and then there is Targeted Ketogenic Cycyling, and Cyclical Ketogenic, both having similarities but also different.

In the past, I began playing around with carb and calorie cycling, up a few days, down a few days, to help break stalls. I'm a notoriously slow loser, for one; secondly, I remained on induction level carbs forever, and kept reducing cals to try to overcome plateaus rather than climbing the carb ladder -- fear of carbs. Screwed me up badly, esp on top of being hypothyroid.

The cycling helped the times I'd try it. Then I'd fall back into stalls. Sometimes they were only SCALE WEIGHT stalls, because I was actually leaning out quite well, wearing smaller clothes, etc. Other times, it was true stalls -- no inches lost, no scale loss, for months at a time.

The one common thing throughout all of this time was that I struggled with calories, trying to stay under 1800, and it never worked very well for me. I'm now wondering if all of that time was wasted due to too much of a calorie deficit all along? But I had begun BFFM WOE, and everyone there was eating between 1500-1800 on their low days and seemed so content. Not me. I was hungry!!!!!! No matter how I tweaked the macronutrients.

Having gained some pounds slowly but surely over this past fall and early winter months -- had gotten sloppy and careless and lost focus -- I began once again trying to stay within that guideline of what I saw/heard others eating in terms of calories. Carbs? Well, I'd cycle those up, then down, but I wasn't losing well at all, inches nor scale weight, basically losing the same 2-3 pounds over and over and over, and I was going to bed hungry a lot at night. I just couldn't stay full on less than 1800 cals with my workouts, no matter how I rearranged the macronutrients.

When I stumbled on the Targeted/Cyclical Ketogenic Thread over in "Other Plans," after having read a very enlightening post written by Btinc re Leptin refeeds, I became interested in testing the waters.

Eating more calories? Could it be true?

So basically insofar as upping carbs, I did not really up carbs at all, in fact, I restrict them throughout the week, and then on Sunday is my refeed day where I eat very low fat (that's the plan anyway) and high carbs, mod-high lean protein. I thought SURE this would send me over the edge with sugar cravings and bingeing, but it didn't for some MYSTERIOUS reason I've yet to understand. (I consider myself, based on past experience, very carb sensitive.)

The changes during the week have been an extra 300-500 calories more than what I had been eating before, restricting carbs to around 30 net, and no eating carbs 3 hours before bed, all combined with very consistent 100%-effort workouts.

I also thought the extra weekly cals would cause me to gain. It did not.

So I'm a project. I'm in training, so to speak, with a new way of eating. I can't comment on it much because I'm still new at this.

All I can say is that so far, I'm so pleased with how I feel, look, my energy and satiety levels, and if I continue with this progress, I couldn't be happier. I could eat this way forever with no complaints. And it all started with Btinc's invaluable post on Leptin refeeds. I have him to thank for all of this. -- Huge understatement.

I would encourage you to read through (every post!) of that thread on the "Other Plans" boards, TKD thread. It will likely answer more Q's for you in more succinct terms and explanations than I could ever give you.

I'm flattered that you would ask me, however!

As time goes on, I hope to become more knowledgeable about this way of eating. It's fascinating to me, and I want to be able to advocate this with integrity should this prove to be the answer to my metabolism woes.

I don't know if this has helped you or not.

Let me know if I can help you out. And I wouldn't mind you stopping in now and then to keep me posted on your friend's progress and details -- it's all very fascinating to me.

My best to you.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

FRIDAY APR 11 2008

Great day. Took off work early, enjoyed some down time. Went ahead with the plan for 2 glasses of Pino Noir, but I restricted carbs quite a bit today, and I hope that mitigates the damage a little bit.

I'm feeling lean tonight. I'm so tempted to weigh tomorrow morning, but I'm going to try to resist. I had promised myself I'd only weight on Fridays. Why not just ride the high of my intuitions, the mirror, my clothes, and let this take its course.

CALS 2090

FAT 56%.............131 GR
CARBS 4%.......... 22 GR
FIBER................. 5 GR
PROTEIN 33%..... 162 GR
ALCOHOL 21%........7 GR

WORKOUTS: One hour of Super Callanetics 6:00-7:00 a.m.
Decided to take it easy today due to lower carbs.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

SATURDAY APR 12

Off to a C.E. seminar for the day. I'm packing food, just in case the lunch that's served is carby-junk-crap -- likely.

I'm missing my morning workout....!

[deacons98]

Hi Twyla!

I hope your seminar today went well and you are having a nice weekend.

I wanted to thank you so so much for your thorough response. I am so grateful that you took the time to write all that out for me, a stranger! I was so nervous after I posted, feeling that it wasn't my place, but I am glad that I did.

Your post was indeed very helpful. I have only been slowly upping cals week by week - nowhere where I need to be I would guess (only bwx9 right now). But it is progress from where I was. Upping my carbs will have to come soon enough too.

As for my friend's program, well I am not sure I am ready for that yet. Think I need to do this on my own terms for awhile, just as long as I do push myself to keep climbing. Funny enough, as I up my cals I become more and more hungry. My friend said that is her signal to up her calories more. Guess its the metabolism firing up. Makes sense.

I am so glad that this is working out for you! For one more question - any tips on how to raise the calories? I guess that is a dumb question, but I am finding it hard!

Thanks again Twyla for sharing! I will follow your advice and start reading that thread!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Deacons, raising cals for me is NOT a problem. Should I be ashamed to say that? I just eat until I'm full. Not stuffed, but full. And that just automatically raised them. Sounds too simplistic, I guess, for most people.

You could try adding more healthy fats, olive oil, coconut oil, salmon, almonds, walnuts, deviled eggs. Just a few suggestions.

I find it interesting what you said about raising your cals made you hungrier. I hadn't heard of that theory before, what your friend said, that that was a signal to up them. Hmmmm.

Do keep me posted on your progress.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Well, the seminar luncheon wasn't too bad, actually. I ended up eating lean roast beef, turkey, and swiss cheese on a few lettuce leaves, made wraps out of them; and a spoonful of chicken salad on the side. There were these huge, thick brownies, fruit, and assorted breads for sandwiches, all of which I passed on. Pastries and muffins were served in the a.m. That stuff doesn't even tempt me anymore. I see hips in the larvae stage, not pastries.

My eats were not my routine today, due to things I needed to get done, so I ate a quick Wendy's double, no bun or ketchup, and a bit of yogurt. By the time I got home from all I had to do, it was 9:20, too late to eat any carbs, even green/good ones. But I was hungry, so I ate a chicken breast. When I added it all up, too much protein for the day. But it is what it is. Refeed begins tomorrow. I'm both looking forward to it and scared at the same time.

TODAY'S TOTALS:

CALS: 2081

FAT 54%............126 GR
CARBS 4%...........21 GR
FIBER..................11 GR
PROTEIN 39%.....199 GR

WORKOUTS: 10 MINS OF CARDIO AT 6:30 A.M. (squeezed it in); 20 mins of HIIT on elliptical later in evening

[btinc]

Originally Posted by WATCH-ME-SHRINK

Well, the seminar luncheon wasn't too bad, actually. I ended up eating lean roast beef, turkey, and swiss cheese on a few lettuce leaves, made wraps out of them; and a spoonful of chicken salad on the side. There were these huge, thick brownies, fruit, and assorted breads for sandwiches, all of which I passed on. Pastries and muffins were served in the a.m. That stuff doesn't even tempt me anymore. I see hips in the larvae stage, not pastries.

My eats were not my routine today, due to things I needed to get done, so I ate a quick Wendy's double, no bun or ketchup, and a bit of yogurt. By the time I got home from all I had to do, it was 9:20, too late to eat any carbs, even green/good ones. But I was hungry, so I ate a chicken breast. When I added it all up, too much protein for the day. But it is what it is. Refeed begins tomorrow. I'm both looking forward to it and scared at the same time.

TODAY'S TOTALS:

CALS: 2081

FAT 54%............126 GR
CARBS 4%...........21 GR
FIBER..................11 GR
PROTEIN 39%.....199 GR

WORKOUTS: 10 MINS OF CARDIO AT 6:30 A.M. (squeezed it in); 20 mins of HIIT on elliptical later in evening

Protein levels are OK, you will eventually raise them, so where you are at today is great.

[btinc]

Hard work, the right approach does pay.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Amazing. You'd never know that was the same woman.

Gives me a vision. Helps me to focus on my mission.

Thanks for sharing that.

I've had breakfast, f/f cottage cheese with PP, 1 T flax, and a PP cookie made with 1 tsp C/O and an egg white, coffee w/ f-f creamer. I'll have my fruit "kick" after church and before my workout. Gonna do full body weights today.

Thanks for the assurances on the protein intake.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Starving to death when I got home from church. I ate 1/2 an apple, a little f/f cottage cheese with s/f maple syrup stirred in....OMG, good...and a mini raisin bagel. No fat at all. It was like sitting down to a feast.

Gonna let it digest for a few minutes, then begin my workout.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Okay. Thought it might be helpful for direction as I move forward into this if I meticulously document my refeed days.

After my carbs at lunch, I waited 1/2 hour, then did the depletion workout, which was about 1 hour and 10 minutes of total body weight training, practically no resting. I used 15 lbs only for biceps and for the bent-over back workout (one-arm rows). Everything else, 10 lb weights. Worked lower body first for about 40-45 mins, then finished up the remainder with upper body.

Following that, I had some GoLean Crunch mixed with Kashi Go Lean in skim milk -- I love those two cereals, figured it was a good choice of lean protein and good carbs. I have waited to see how my hunger levels are gonna be.

Finished my post-workout meal at 2:30 or so, and it's now 4:30 and I'm starting to get hungry. So far today, 1042 cals, 104 gr of protein, 13 gr of fat (11% -- yeah! I'm doing it by the book this time!), 155 gr of carbs, 30 gr of fiber. I think I'll go eat.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

The refeed is over. Went well. So liberating, to eat without guilt.

TODAY'S TOTALS:

CALS 2092

FAT 19%.................44 GR
CARBS 46%...........280 GR
FIBER......................45 GR
PROTEIN 34%........174 GR

There was a note regarding refeed days that I must have overlooked; not sure how crucial it is. That on refeed days, protein should be .25 to .50 grams per pounds of body weight. Uh, looks like I exceeded that just a bit. Should have eaten more carbs, less protein. Each refeed, I'll get better and better at my macronutrient targets.

I ended up having two small brownies, and that was basically my only "bad/junk" food. Everything else was just good wholesome carbs: grains, cereals, bagels, fruit, rice, beans.

I'm so torqued for the coming week!

[deacons98]

hi again!

I just wanted to thank you for those suggestions. Raisin the cals shouldn't be hard now that I have an appetite again.

Looks like your refeed went really well yesterday!

Have a nice day!

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Hey, Deacons!

Making some observations on the day following refeed.

Given that I consumed 235 net carbs yesterday, after spending a week on lower carbs, I fully expected to have cravings today. I fully expected to be hungrier today.

I'm neither.

I have slipped right back into a ketogenic state with no problems, and I'm THRILLED.

If my scientifcally challenged pea-brain could only fully comprehend all that has taken place metabolically within my body to allow this to happen, that would be wonderful. But a science/math person I'm not, nor EVER will be. So I just read, absorb what I can, follow the guidelines, give my workouts 100% effort, and look forward to more positive changes.

I'm reveling in the rather extensive DOMS today. Most noticeable in upper body, but lower too, mostly hips and hamstrings. How I love that feeling. Makes me want to stretch, release the tension.

[lildragonfly]

You are doing so great!! What an inspiration you are!

[btinc]

Originally Posted by WATCH-ME-SHRINK

Hey, Deacons!

Making some observations on the day following refeed.

Given that I consumed 235 net carbs yesterday, after spending a week on lower carbs, I fully expected to have cravings today. I fully expected to be hungrier today.

I'm neither.

I have slipped right back into a ketogenic state with no problems, and I'm THRILLED.

If my scientifcally challenged pea-brain could only fully comprehend all that has taken place metabolically within my body to allow this to happen, that would be wonderful. But a science/math person I'm not, nor EVER will be. So I just read, absorb what I can, follow the guidelines, give my workouts 100% effort, and look forward to more positive changes.

I'm reveling in the rather extensive DOMS today. Most noticeable in upper body, but lower too, mostly hips and hamstrings. How I love that feeling. Makes me want to stretch, release the tension.

Basically what we’re doing here is limiting carbs during the week. Then, all of a sudden, the
weekend hits and you’re stuffing yourself with them.
The first thing your body does in response to this exaggerated carb loading is stuff the muscles
with glycogen. At the
same time, amino acids are driven into the cell.

Once you hit that gym on Monday you have a lot of energy to put in maximum effort,
thanks to all that glycogen and water in the muscle cells. During Monday and Tuesday, your system
will be working, burning both all that increased glycogen and free fatty acids, and you’ll experience
the expected rise in fat burning and muscle growth. The lean tissue gain increases your resting metabolism, then, Wednesday-Friday, with glycogen limited
again, you’ll switch back to a near exclusive fat burning metabolism to maximize fat loss. All signals for the body to keep metabolism high and running smoothly. Based on monday-friday limited carbs and refeed on the weekend.

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

MONDAY APR 14 2008

End of day observations. Still amazed that I was not really hungry and/or craving today. If anything, I was less hungry today. That intrigues me!

I'm loving the DOMS, the constant reminders of my hard work yesterday. It's sick, but that's how I like it.

Remembered to take my fish oil this morning. Check. Planning to place an order for Na-RALA (300 mg?) to help decrease my insulin resistance.

TOTALS:

CALS 1963
FAT 62%.............138 GR
CARBS 7%........... 41 GR
FIBER.................. 14 GR
PROTEIN 29%......141 GR

As I was recording these here in my journal, I had a flashback to when I had first begun experimenting with carb cycling and BFFM principles in May of 2006, and how on the days my Fitday would read 1900+ cals, I would panick just a little inside, admitting to myself that, yes, it was a high day, probably too high, and try to justify why, rationalize my macros, etc., to mitigate the guilt I was feeling over a high calorie day, promising "to do better tomorrow."

Thank goodness I'm beyond that now.

Workouts: 28 mins of HHA Cardio Blast; 18 mins Ab Jam; Oblique sets and stretches from Callanetics

[GME]

Wow, what focus and determination! You're doing great!

I read the CAD book and followed it several years ago and the same thing happened with the cravings. It would seem like having the carbs every day wouldn't do anything to help stop the cravings, but it does. They explain that the short-term, controlled insulin release isn't the problem. Its the constant insulin flood that so many carb addicts live with all the time that causes cravings. Maybe the same is true for you, just on a different timeline.

Whatever it is I'm happy its working for you!

[btinc]

Originally Posted by WATCH-ME-SHRINK

MONDAY APR 14 2008

End of day observations. Still amazed that I was not really hungry and/or craving today. If anything, I was less hungry today. That intrigues me!

I'm loving the DOMS, the constant reminders of my hard work yesterday. It's sick, but that's how I like it.

Remembered to take my fish oil this morning. Check. Planning to place an order for Na-RALA (300 mg?) to help decrease my insulin resistance.

TOTALS:

CALS 1963
FAT 62%.............138 GR
CARBS 7%........... 41 GR
FIBER.................. 14 GR
PROTEIN 29%......141 GR

As I was recording these here in my journal, I had a flashback to when I had first begun experimenting with carb cycling and BFFM principles in May of 2006, and how on the days my Fitday would read 1900+ cals, I would panick just a little inside, admitting to myself that, yes, it was a high day, probably too high, and try to justify why, rationalize my macros, etc., to mitigate the guilt I was feeling over a high calorie day, promising "to do better tomorrow."

Thank goodness I'm beyond that now.

Workouts: 28 mins of HHA Cardio Blast; 18 mins Ab Jam; Oblique sets and stretches from Callanetics

The 300mg is fine, take 100mg for every 30 grams of carbs eaten.