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Hi all 🙂I've been stalking this forum for the past month and have been hesitating to post and ask for help because quite frankly I feel a bit stupid for being stuck with this diet considering all the information i should need is either in the book, on the forum or in a podcast somewhere...Will try to keep this as a short & informative as possible but it's probably going to end up being a novel ::)I am a 20yr old female, 5ft 6" & have been obese for most of my life. My heaviest weight was 250lbs and over the last 14months i've got down to 180lbs-185lbs (back and forth) playing football (soccer), using P90X & insanity programs and experimenting with different ways of conventional "healthy eating" (low fat, having dry grilled chicken breast everyday, moderate LOW GI carbs, loads of veg, high protein etc)Inevitably, I hit a brick wall when I reached 185lbs & kept cutting calories whilst weighing EVERYTHING so meticulously until eating at all became pretty miserable & sometimes i'd barely make 1000cals for the day even though i'd done an insanity workout & probably played soccer also...THEN I FOUND CNS!! I read the book & got started right away...After the reorientation phase, my God i was buzzing, i lost a whole 10lbs just like that. Soon after, i found this forum, started reading more into CNS and realised it wasnt as simple as I thought. There are NEW things to optimise the diet, and several other factors to consider.. not really a big deal, but the whole thing of counting calories left me feeling a bit disheartened. So stubbornly I decided i was just going to eat to satiety, not count anything and see what happens. FAILOn the morning of my first CN i weighed 179lbs, the morning after i'd gained 4lbs.. pretty normal for this diet Next CN i'd only lost 2lb of that weight and was 181lbs... i thought ok.. i guess all that water i lost during prep will play with me a bit.. morning of my last CN which was 3 days ago i weighed in at 183lbs...which i was very disappointed with. This morning i'm 185 :'( A huge part of me is reluctant to start counting calories because I feel like i might as well go back to a normal diet if i'm going to be counting calories/measuring food again. I havent taken any measurements or calculated my BF in months, i've just been using my clothes/mirror in terms of body changes. Since i started CNS, my jeans are much looser, i also fit into jeans that were tight before, i can see veins in my forearms sometimes which i've never seen in my life, and also bones in my hands which i've NEVER seen in my life. A part of me just wants to see the scale move for confirmation that i'm not kidding myself.Typical day looks like this*Black coffee if under 12hrs OR coffee with 1tbsp HWC and 3 packs of purevia sweetener on the 12th hour*1-2 hour s later; 3-4 pieces of bacon & 2 eggs fried in kerrygold butter & about a handful of spinach which i chop up and fry in the left over fat (always 12hours after my last meal, usually a bit longer like 13/14hours) *Probably workout 2 hours later and have my PWO shake (1 scoop whey isolate and 5g Leucine) with water.*An hour after PWO; 1 salmon fillet fried in coconut oil or butter with about 5 stalks of asparagus also fried in coconut oil or butter*Before bed i have a handful of almonds which i roast myself due to strange allergies & a cup of ULC hot chocolate with 2 packs purevia as Ive been having problems sleeping since starting CNS and find this helps.*SNACKS* vary day to day, most days i'll have one of two of thesePork rindssuger free jelloTbsp All natural Peanut butterI lift 3/4 days a week and play a 90minute soccer game every sunday which falls the day after my carb nite. Monday is back, wednesday is LEGS, friday or thursday is SHOULDERS & TRICEPS, saturday is Chest & biceps before i start my carb nite...Thank you for reading!! lol Any help & direction would be much appreciated.
Hot chocolate stops me from sleeping. Can't have it after midday.
Welcome!Now the weight gain Post-CN is completely normal, the days after can result in water gain and possibly what the ULC meals ultimately look like. I won't hit you with numbers or anything because 1) could make things a bit complicated, and 2) eating to how you feel is probably best here.Since your clothes are fitting better, 9/10 that is a BETTER indicator that your body is actually losing body fat and getting better. The scale is a devious trickster and is always there to play mind-games, just be aware of that.For the coffee, I'm not sure what this sweetener you're using has in it, but you could opt for Splenda packets, just use sparingly. Contains .25g of Carbs, which can add up. Pure Stevia is probably better. HWC isn't a bad idea either, do you tolerate dairy well? I ask because cow dairy can cause a bloat..which leads to weight gain. Just a thought incase you want to try to remove dairy or use it moderately.The meals look good, just make sure you stick to the basics, red meats, chicken, butter, coconut oil, green veggies, etc. Some meal plans can be seen on the Member's Logs if you're interested. The ULC cocoa before bed might affect sleep, might not entirely sure. The almonds, again use moderately, plant fats (sans coconut oil) used a lot can cause inflammation and bloat. You can use them, I wouldn't make them a staple.
I agree with BigTex as well and congrates on all that you have accomplished so far.. BigTex and/or those more in the know.. Would this spike insulin a bit "*Probably workout 2 hours later and have my PWO shake (1 scoop whey isolate and 5g Leucine) with water." Sorry for sounding like a dolt, since I've been a reader here for over a month now and should know the answer already.. It all looks great and the clothes fitting better with you able to see the bones and veins is way more telling than that scale.. Way to go..
Thank you Big Tex 😀I think i have been getting a bit carried away with my carb nites and will definitely tone it down on my next CN. So far i've eaten kids cereal, donuts, cake, PIZZA (caused horrible bloating), french baguettes.. The problem is i cram all my food into a the first 2/3 hours out of excitement and then end up feeling horribly bloated and boiling hot for the rest of the night :-The sweetners main ingredient is Reb A, i'll be changing to splenda though.I was using almond milk for the first two weeks then switched to HWC (for no real reason) and i havent noticed much difference. As for dairy in general, i was eating a lot of cheese during prep, i felt quite bloated and wasnt very regular either. since then ive cut down the cheese and only sprinkle a bit on a meal probably once a week.As for the almonds 🙁 Im addicted to nuts!!! Will cut down on them and see if that changes anything too.
Thanks BodynsoilSometimes i get a bit worried because surely 6LBS heavier is never a good thing! Its crazy to think all of that could potentially be water :-
I was 136 at the end of my prep, then stayed under 140 for weeks ~ between 138 and 139.. However, I measure my bf using a cheap set of calipers, I've notice a huge change in my thigh within the last week or two. Post CN this week my weight was up to 141, with the caliper measurement I know that is lean body mass and not bodyfat..
Thanks BodynsoilSometimes i get a bit worried because surely 6LBS heavier is never a good thing! Its crazy to think all of that could potentially be water :-
It could be water weight but also you have to consider a couple of things:1. You came from a very low calorie (calorie deficit) background and your body simply wasn't used to metabolising fat so it may take you longer to 'equalise' - I did exactly the same and didn't see any movement the first month.2. You haven't taken into account gains from weight lifting - were you lifting before? If not, and your clothes fit better, it is much more likely you are putting on muscle than fat. 6 lbs of fat you would notice but 6 lbs of muscle is relatively small in volume. I purposefully don't weigh myself after a carb nite - route 1 to scaring the holy bejeebies out of yourself! You may want to try taking it back to basics for a couple of weeks to see if it helps - people recommend the detox diet (which basically consists of eating nothing but Beef, Eggs, Bacon and Butter) for a few weeks to ensure your body becomes fully adapted. Personally I would advocate that as well until you are happier.Also, as a reality check remember that even if you are now 185 you haven't gained any fat compared to where you were at the start, and it is important to eliminate stress.Also, you talk about calorie counting but having some limits does help. Don't count the calories, just try to have a rough outline of what you want to eat for the day and stick to it. I know I need to eat about 180g of protein, which is about 800g of beef etc. Pretty easy and I can tinker the fat levels accordingly. HELLO BUTTER! 🙂People are here to help - don't be afraid to ask questions.
Artemis, never be hesitant.."he who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who doesn't remains a fool forever"I currently weigh 260 lbs. When I started carb nite I was 250 lbs. Here's the difference, I once wore pants that didn't need a belt. Now I can wear that same pants.. with a belt down to the 5th notch.Before carb nite, I could dead lift 180 lbs. Now, I'm dead lifting 275 lbs.Think about it this way.. you can lose weight really quick if you want.. but you'd be compromising muscle and body fat. It's good that you're eating the way you are because now you have the ability to get lean, kill fat cells thereby decrease that body fat %
Artemis, never be hesitant.."he who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who doesn't remains a fool forever"
So true. Sometimes people will get pissed at you for asking questions 😉 My MO is to smile, and keep asking.
It could be water weight but also you have to consider a couple of things:1. You came from a very low calorie (calorie deficit) background and your body simply wasn't used to metabolising fat so it may take you longer to 'equalise' - I did exactly the same and didn't see any movement the first month.2. You haven't taken into account gains from weight lifting - were you lifting before? If not, and your clothes fit better, it is much more likely you are putting on muscle than fat. 6 lbs of fat you would notice but 6 lbs of muscle is relatively small in volume. I purposefully don't weigh myself after a carb nite - route 1 to scaring the holy bejeebies out of yourself! You may want to try taking it back to basics for a couple of weeks to see if it helps - people recommend the detox diet (which basically consists of eating nothing but Beef, Eggs, Bacon and Butter) for a few weeks to ensure your body becomes fully adapted. Personally I would advocate that as well until you are happier.Also, as a reality check remember that even if you are now 185 you haven't gained any fat compared to where you were at the start, and it is important to eliminate stress.Also, you talk about calorie counting but having some limits does help. Don't count the calories, just try to have a rough outline of what you want to eat for the day and stick to it. I know I need to eat about 180g of protein, which is about 800g of beef etc. Pretty easy and I can tinker the fat levels accordingly. HELLO BUTTER! 🙂People are here to help - don't be afraid to ask questions.
All these are very very good points, i only started lifting properly in the gym in january so im lifting much heavier than i was before with a set of dumbbells at home. So yeah i guess my body will see that as a big change. As for stress, im literally obssessing over this diet, sometimes i weigh myself 3 times a day :-Im not sure im eating enough protein, does protein always have to be eaten with a fat source?
All these are very very good points, i only started lifting properly in the gym in january so im lifting much heavier than i was before with a set of dumbbells at home. So yeah i guess my body will see that as a big change. As for stress, im literally obssessing over this diet, sometimes i weigh myself 3 times a day :-Im not sure im eating enough protein, does protein always have to be eaten with a fat source?
Massive difference if you have never properly been resistance training before - you are using muscles your body has never used before, and you will be reinforcing those with denser skeletal tissue and probably bone density as well.I'm sure I can speak for pretty much everyone on the forum when I say you NEED to get rid of the scales. One of the biggest obstacles to your success is overcoming your anxiety regarding the diet - that is why the targets are there: to help, not to hinder.Re: Protein - it depends on the type of protein. 'Fatty' meats like ribeye and bacon don't need fat with them. Leaner sources of protein like tinned tuna and chicken definitely need some fat to curb any resulting insulin spike from the high protein. Always try and eat fat with protein, even if it is only a case of cooking your eggs in butter.Can you let us know what your target body weight is (how much do you want to weigh in pounds) and how much protein you think you eat at the moment?
Massive difference if you have never properly been resistance training before - you are using muscles your body has never used before, and you will be reinforcing those with denser skeletal tissue and probably bone density as well.I'm sure I can speak for pretty much everyone on the forum when I say you NEED to get rid of the scales. One of the biggest obstacles to your success is overcoming your anxiety regarding the diet - that is why the targets are there: to help, not to hinder.Re: Protein - it depends on the type of protein. 'Fatty' meats like ribeye and bacon don't need fat with them. Leaner sources of protein like tinned tuna and chicken definitely need some fat to curb any resulting insulin spike from the high protein. Always try and eat fat with protein, even if it is only a case of cooking your eggs in butter.Can you let us know what your target body weight is (how much do you want to weigh in pounds) and how much protein you think you eat at the moment?
140lbs but honestly thats just a random number. I'd love to see my abs one day, even if it was just the top two, even it takes me another 2 years i need to see my abs!From my food measuring days i'd say i eat no more than 100-120gg protein a day ive never really succeeded at hitting my protein targets in the past
Okay. You need to stop weighing yourself every day. That is not a way to live. Ditch the scale. You have a long way to go with 40 lbs. Accept that you're in this for the long haul. Focus on adhering to this way of eating and let go of the results for now. Focus on enjoying eating this way and making it a part of your life. The results will follow as a side effect. Weighing yourself isn't going to help you lose weight. You're already doing the best you can with the diet. Keep doing that and the results will happen by them self.
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