Alicia
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I’ve decided that I will be okay with whatever direction my weight decides to deviate. With only three weeks to go, this is about TRANSFORMATION: transforming how I look at my body and my mental self image. I know I am working hard and following the program – something is happening that I can not measure. My husband is doing this with me and I can see his body morphing while I look and weigh basically the same. (Yes, it is annoying because it is right in my face), but I know EVENTUALLY I will see results. I am sore and getting stronger!
How has being a slave to the scale served you? We are all progressing and will continue even after the 60 days. These are new habits and routines reprograming us to help us get where we want to go… this is just the beginning, a new chapter of our lives.Hey Rebecca, sorry to hear you have had some major stressors. You know, life still happens and we have to keep moving forward. Let the tears fall, your heart feel, the crackers burn off and soon the fluid will be puddles of sweat on the floor. Hurdles, hiccups and roadblocks will not stop you from reaching what you are truly aiming for. Stay the course, stay focused – you are doing GREAT!!!!!
Way to go Karen!!! I just read:
It takes 4 weeks for you to notice a difference,
8 weeks for your friends to notice,
and 12 for the rest of the world!At 4 weeks I look EXACTLY the same per my pics and weigh EXACTLY the same as I did when we started. BUT today, I lost a half pound and I am starting to see my abs!!! Yeah!!!! Although, I am a hungry hungry hippo. 😀
I have awful bloating and gas issues with most protein powders and was hesitant to try another, but I have to say I have had ZERO problems with Nicole Npower. I just ordered a few more jugs and I love the cupcake! Worth it!!!
Sorry to hear you had a migraine, Jolanda. Now I feel bad that I told you to get your butt to the gym. As a yoga teacher, we are always telling our students to listen to their bodies. Yet as an endurance cyclist, we are always telling ourselves: dig deep, I’ve got more to give. Only you know what you have in you. Hope you feel better.
My husband and I have this new routine in the morning where I ask him how, “How much do you weigh?” He tells me how much he lost and I say, “I hate you.” Then we laugh! We do weigh ourselves everyday. He has lost 10 pounds so far and my weight has stayed exactly the same as when I started. I have stuck with the program and believe my body is changing regardless of my weight. This has been good for me – I am overcoming THE SCALE!!! The scale has wreaked havoc on me my whole life and I’ve let it alter my moods and my days countless times. I am getting stronger so I have to believe my body is transforming.
GET YOUR GRIT ON!Hey Nicole and j.atwood,
Yes, I’ve also been obsessed with researching everything I could about gaining muscle and changing my physique. For the last six months I’ve been on a mission. I’ve been lifting, tracking everything I ate and I couldn’t wait to join Nicole’s next challenge. I can see where my diet was off by my portions and frequency; the pyramiding has increased my strength and I am pushing myself much harder than before; the cardio (HIIT) is not much different than what I’ve been doing for the past few months… yet, I was not drinking enough WATER. That seems to be something I have been slacking on during this challenge. I realized that yesterday and upped my intake. Let’s see what happens now… and yes Nicole – I will continue to lift!!!Wow, I am 56 and wondered if there were any other women around my age in the challenge. This is great!!!! I’ve never been in any figure competitions, but I did set a world record last year for the highest annual mileage in cycling for a female age group 50-59 (second in the world for women overall). I only mention this because like you it is PROOF – We Are Not Limited By Our Age! It would be amazing if I could get to the point and actually enter a figure competition, but right now I have my doubts. Although, as rigid as I am sticking to the program, I am finding I am not seeing any visual results and my weight is exactly the same. Although, I am getting measurably stronger… so, that is something.
I would like to ask Patty and J.Atwood: From your experience, do you have any advice on gaining muscle and losing fat at our age? What issues have you struggled with? I have found that my body is not responding like it use to. I have 10 pounds (a fat even layer all over my body) that will not budge and I am thicker around the waist even with all the cycling I did last year!
Maybe Nicole or Maureen have some advice on this subject??? My hormones are normal and my gut biome is in check too. My hope is I will shed this stubborn fat in Phase II.Jolanda,
We all have days like that and you will undoubtedly have more, but this is also a mental challenge. Psychological strength building. You have worked so hard so far and stayed on track with awesome results! I am sticking to the program in every detail, yet I have seen no change in my weight, measurements or appearance. Although, I am getting measurably stronger even if it is only in small increments… so that is something. To get what you want takes very strong focus and a determination to keep moving forward – don’t look back! You know what you want, get your butt to the gym and keep moving in the direction you want to go. Showing up is the hardest part, do what you can… and I bet you already know you will surprise yourself.Agreed! I told my husband to just to push me out of bed because I can’t move, hahahaha! Yes, loving it! I think I could eat plain greek yogurt + Npower and granola for every meal – YUM!
I’ve been sticking to the meal plan, workouts and off days religiously. I’m trusting in the program Nicole and her team have set up for us. I too have not lost any weight and am very sore, yet I know this is the gaining muscle phase. My husband who is also doing this challenge too has lost weight (he adds in more cardio by cycling and yoga). So, we will see by the end of this challenge who has the greater transformation. No, we aren’t competitive with each other – NOT, lol! One week down and we are having fun with this whole experience. Being 56, I wonder how responsive my body will be?
I also have tendonitis in both of my elbows. I don’t take anything for it because it just masks how I feel and then I might overwork it. Recognize if it’s good pain or bad pain. I can still workout, but I lighten up if it gets to that ‘bad pain’ zone. Listen to your body and you can heal it if you work with it patiently.
I had wrecked my body from a year of ultra-cycling and a not so healthy diet. Sugar was a major culprit. I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which is similar to a lot of other autoimmune dysfunctions. Anyways, I had to clean up my physical house and went on a Paleo diet which rolled over to a very clean Ketogenic diet. I can honestly say I have zero sugar cravings, no symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and finding that it has prepared me for this challenge. Nicole’s diet nutrition part of the program has been very easy to follow. If needed, ‘Sweet and Spicy’ tea by Good Earth is a good one if your battling that sweet tooth.
I can’t remember where I read this (The Complete Guide to Fasting, I think), but our bodies have a hunger cycle around normal feeding times or meals. Hormones peak and tell us its time to eat. If you can drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes is usually goes away, thus the cravings diminish. I’ve been practicing this for a long time now and it has helped me a lot. Sticking to Nicole’s meal plans have been very easy so far getting through the waves when I think I’m hungry and I know I’m not. Sometimes we need a reminder of why we are doing this and that is why I write out my ‘why’ and post it in obvious places to reiterate and keep me on track. We are also building mental strength and stamina too.
All I can say is my whole body is sore! Good pain. My weight has stayed exactly the same everyday and from what I understand this first phase is about gaining muscle.
It does mix up dry and doesn’t stick together in the mixing bowl, but don’t let that discourage you. I divided the mixture and placed it in a lined 6 cup cupcake tin. After freezing for an hour they were fine. I take one out after lunch to thaw for my late afternoon meal. Works great!
Six portions fit into a lined cupcake tin perfectly! I take one out of the freezer after lunch for my late afternoon meal and it’s just right.
Thank you Rachel for the link, it was helpful.
Hi Maureen,
Ok, I understand. I weight train four days a week normally, yet not as intensely as just the first two days of this challenge and I am really feeling it! I think I’m going to really need those off days. Some restorative yoga may be all I need. Thanks!My husband and I are doing the challenge together and he insists on still doing his cycle workout on off days. I know off days are for total recovery, but what is the science behind a rest day? Can you still have an active rest day or will it delay results? I think the mental block here is that doing ‘something’ everyday will get you further along faster.
Great to to read about everyone in the challenge! For my 56th birthday I asked my husband for the entry to this challenge. He did better than that, he joined too!!! Although, I wasn’t surprised, we both love physical challenges. We are ultra-cyclists Alicia and Kurt Searvogel. I wouldn’t say cardio is an issue for us, yet cycling hasn’t done much for our physique, in fact, my body fat percentage has gone way up, ugh. I’ve always wanted to get serious about strength training and if possible compete if my body cooperates. I’ve learned from long distance cycling that committed focus and mental strength building is just as important if not key to reaching a goal. Having strong support, someone or others who believe in you are also huge to success. The adventure has begun, good luck everyone… live in denial of your limitations!!!!!!!!!
