Completed Stage 2! - YouLookFab Forum

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Completed Stage 2!

Thistle

Veteran

I finished Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women. I have lost no weight (gained, actually - still working through appetite control and changing my diet for this. Still trying to find a quality protein source I like as I dislike eggs), but I am feeling a whole lot stronger!

It's hard to explain as I have never really weight lifted like this before, so even though I am squatting way less than most, it was a huge achievement for me when I was able to squat the olympic bar. And again, when I was able to add weights to it.

I am taking this week off. Partially for the holiday and partially because I really feel like my body could use some recuperation time. I will still go for our nightly walks, and we have a lot of activities planned, so I won;t be inactive.

And, I have earned my NAS reward!! I have $250 to spend on something fun! I can't wait for Angie's picks

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28 replies

Latest reply was from texstyle

Sarah A

Veteran

Congrats! I really like periodizing my fitness with 3 or 4 building weeks and then an easy week or week off. Well deserved reward of week downtime and NAs spending!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

More congrats from me, beautiful lady! Rest up and stay strong. xo

Anonymous

Congratulations! What an accomplishment!

Anonymous

Awesome!! You should be proud!

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Fab Thistle! You are inspiring. Who cares about weight loss - do things for the sake of feeling good and being healthy, that's the real reward.

What is your sugar intake? I found that limiting sugar alone had huge effect on my cravings.

I am coeliec btw, but regardless of that and all stuff that's hidden in I never ate processed food - I prefer to know what's in my food. I also have to be a bit more creative with sources of carbs from gains in my diet, and I love quinoa, amaranth, millet and teff.

So, my porridge-like breakfasts are made of celiac-friendly grain, with some non-dairly milky stuff, some cinnamon, chia seeds, maybe banana and/or honey. It keeps me full and does not play havoc with my blood sugar.

Another option is cottage cheese, some tomatoes, with rice or corn crackers. I am adding avocado recently.

I found that good, healthy, quality breakfast is an absolute must if I want my day to be good - eating bad just doesn't help, I feel sluggish, constantly hungry, can't wait until the next meal.

I'll keep an eye on this thread as I too need good source of protein

Sarah A

Veteran

Ornella, if you can do soy I like tempeh for protein. As well as greek yogurt if you can eat dairy.

Brown rice with sunflower seeds, fruit (fresh or dried), and sliced almonds and sometimes flaked coconut is my usual breakfast. The protein and fats are more slowely digested and so you get many hours of energy from this. The coconut adds sweetness and medium chain fatty acids.

rachylou

Veteran

Good work!

cinnamon fern

Veteran

Yay Thistle! Don't you love feeling strong? I find it totally empowering, even though my job does not require lifting anything heavier than a piece of chalk.

Thistle

Veteran

I do find it empowering! And while I don't lift much heavier than a mouse at work, I love being able to grab the pack and play and toss it in the back of the van. Or pluck DD out of whatever mischief she has gotten and into without any trouble.

It just feels good!

Diet wise, I have been less successful.

For breakfast, I have been eating one of the following (Mornings aren't my strong suit, especially with a toddler. I need fast and easy):
-1 cup Organic Vanilla yogurt, scoop of protien Powder, 1/4 cup of walnuts
-1 cup of Cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds
-1 cup of milk, 1 cup of berries, 1 scoop protien powder, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter - blended

I am usually hungry by 10am when I have an apple or an organic Greek Yogurt.

Lunch is leftovers of dinner.

Dinner is usually a reciepe out of a healthy cookbook. I also let myself have a square of dark chocolate every night to keep my chocolate cravings at bay.

I am hungry again by bedtime some nights, and I have learned if I don't eat, I either get a screaming headache (which I will have until morning, and then I need migraine meds) or I toss and turn. Either way, I am up all night long. So, I usually have a slice of bread with peanut butter and a glass of milk.

I had an hour session with a nutrionist and was terribly disappointed. Only advice she could give on our current diet was: 1. No frozen custard anymore 2. Eat an extra veggie at each meal.

Not really earth shattering or terribly helpful. And DH is never going to go for giving up our weekly frozen custard. And I feel like he is right on this. A scoop of frozen custard a week can't be the root cause. Or, I am wornd.

Anonymous

Congrats, Thistle!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

*HIGH FIVE*

Kristin L

Veteran

Great job Thistle! I can't wait to see what you'll find at NAS.

Anonymous

I would say take some veggies and hummus instead of your apple and greek yogout snack. I think tweaking your breakfasts would be in order too. Can you blend in tofu too or something? Stir in some oats or quinoa porridge?

Too bad you don't care for eggs.

Can you make up some healthy soups and freeze them in 1c servings? That is what I do for a snack/lunches at work. It's super easy to toss one or two in my bag in the morning. I make the soups on the weekend, clearing out the fridge of veggies etc.

Anonymous

Congratulations! This is not a small feat.

bj1111

Veteran

Thistle, if I may comment...you look thinner and more toned in your wiws. So even if the needle does not move, the effect is perceptible.

Go super that you feel stronger.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Mmmm, frozen custard!

I agree, treats in moderation are okay, it's not like you have frozen custard every night.

I am sorry that the dietitian was not more helpful

Diana

Veteran

Congrats! That's a big accomplishment. I'm willing to bet that while you may not have lost pounds, you have lost body fat (and replaced it with muscle).

And don't cut out the custard! Once a week is not going to kill you.

How much (healthy) fat are you eating? I find that fat is the biggest determinant of how long I stay full. Much more so than protein. (Seriously, had a piece of bacon on my egg sandwich this morning and was not hungry for hours. I buy 2% fat greek yogurt because I think that little bit of fat helps a lot (plus it tastes sooo much better). I'd say replace the sweetened nonfat yogurt with plain lowfat yogurt (you can sweeten it yourself with honey or jam, it's still way less sugar than the presweetened kind) and it's probably still less calories anyway.

Do you like lentils, chickpeas, beans? I find that a good additional protein source is to make a bean salad (I like lentils and they cook fast, but you can use whatever, canned if you want to do it fast) or beans and rice, and serve that as the side dish (instead of straight rice or other carbs). Also, I put beans and nuts on top of my green salads.

Anonymous

Thistle, I just read your comment on your current diet. I am trying an app called my fitness pal. It allows you to track your daily intake and it breaks it down by component: Fats, carbs, protein etc. I think it brings a lot of awareness to what is that we are really eating. I just wanted to let you know about it.
ETA: One scoop of frozen custard has 308 calories. I think it would be okay in moderation.

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Eliza

Veteran

Thistle- I am so happy for you. How great to hit such a big marker of progress. I loved reading that you are feeling empowered. Way to go!

pil

Veteran

Congrats, Thistle! Remind me not to get in an arm wrestling contest with you

Anonymous

Congratulations, Thistle. You have been working hard.

Echo

Veteran

Congratulations! That is a great accomplishment, and it's even better to be feeling stronger. Good for you!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Congratulations, Thistle! That's a fantastic achievement.

deb

Veteran

Congratulations!

Anonymous

That is wonderful news! I need to work on strength training again...got out of the habit.

Dietitians have never helped me either. I used to eat a very "healthy" low fat diet. A lot of whole grains. Probably too much sugar.

I had to eat every two hours or I would be sick - hypoglycemic. My hands would shake, I would turn into a bear and I was physically nauseous.

I started eating a primal/paleo diet and I am no longer hypoglycemic at all. In fact I can eat early in the morning and not eat again until 2PM most days.

I would keep eating your nightly dark chocolate and your weekly treat! Any chance you could eat more meat and healthy fats and less sugar in the AM especially? A lot of people react poorly to the sugars in milk.

Here is a website that I occasionally read...I just grabbed a success story:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com.....z2W7fNedd7

Remember...the most important thing is to focus on your health and how you feel...not a number! Again, congrats on your success.

MsMary

Veteran

Yay! Being strong is awesome!

Debbie

Veteran

You should be very proud of yourself.
I hear you on eggs. I do not like them unless they are scrambled with LOTS of cheese. Have you tried a smoothie for breakfast? I don't do it very often because like you my mornings are hectic.
You look great!

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Yay Thistle! You are doing great. Muscle weighs more so the loss of actual weight will take longer vs. the firming and strengthening of your body . Try taking more magnesium - at *least* as much as the calcium (unless your doc says no for some reason). If you crave chocolate, you might be deficient in it. I haven't craved chocolate in years and I used to *require* dark chocolate almost daily. I take 400 - 600 mgs. of Magnesium Glycinate every day and I feel much better for it. More relaxed, less "nervy".