wendy
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I work at home too and do some light yoga, pilates or stretching for one break, then a dog walk for another, and about 1.5 hours of yard work/gardening on my rest days. So my body moves naturally and I feel good mentally and physically, but my body also recovers well. Recovery time is an important part of getting results! 🙂
Ladies!! If you are feeling stuff like that go see your doctor and discuss it with them, like Andrea did (above)! Please don’t risk your health and rely on advice online. It’s great to ask the questions and talk about it, but please don’t take chances with your health if you have any concerns at all. It doesn’t mean you have to stop anything on this program, but don’t mess with your health! 🙂
Ladies!! If you are feeling stuff like that go see your doctor and discuss it with them! Please don’t risk your health and rely on advice online. It’s great to ask the questions and talk about it, but please don’t take chances with your health if you have any concerns at all. It doesn’t mean you have to stop anything on this program, but don’t mess with your health! 🙂
I also want to add: keep doing the challenges! It’s good to change things up with the workouts and get support from others! The people who tend to get the most dramatic results with challenges like these are the ones who maybe had not so good workout and nutrition habits before, or those who have fallen off the wagon and are getting back on. As you do more and more of them and if you have been really consistent for many years, you will find you do need to tweak things more to get results. That’s why even pros and coaches have coaches – in any sport! So, like Vicki above who isn’t doing the cardio for her own reasons, and me who doesn’t do the nutrition part for my own reasons, we still DO get results doing these challenges – they’re still great even if we make tweaks that work for our individual situations! I think the key is to not be afraid to learn about what works for your body. Sometimes that takes a little experimentation. Don’t be afraid to do that for yourself and you’ll land on something that works – until it doesn’t and you can tweak again lol! You can still keep doing the challenges! 🙂
Hey Julie! Not sure if any of this will help, but I’ve shared your frustrations before. To me, it sounds like your body has hit a plateau (perhaps also with peri-menopausal stuff happening behind the scenes where you are moving into a stage where making body composition changes will be just that little bit more stubborn and difficult). For me, it was as a result of doing what it sounds like you’ve been doing for a period of many years. Being too regimented for too long a period without a break and not really changing things up once in a while. Particularly calorie and macro counting. I believe I damaged my metabolism somewhat. It was easily fixable though. I started working with a coach for a while and even though it was difficult at first (just mentally lol) they had me gradually started eating more calories. Of course I found this difficult, but I just realized that I needed to trust them as #1 I paid for it and #2 obviously the reason I was there in the first place was because whatever I was doing hadn’t been working so why stick the same old, same old. It was very freeing actually, and I got great results! I also stopped counting macros (I generally had an idea and actually it’s pretty much impossible not to get enough protein….even people in areas of the world where they are almost starving, they get enough protein). Once in a while I track food and go back to counting macros out of curiousity for short periods. I think for people who follow rigid plans for a long period of time, yes you could very well be plateauing. That said, if you want to stick with calorie-counting and macro-counting, maybe you could consider working with one-to-one coaching with Nicole/Naomi as the calorie ranges in this challenge are generalized to height ranges (not your specific body, lifestyle etc.) and may not be exactly what your individual body particularly needs to shake things up and get you through plateaus. Or figure out things on your own that work for your body calorie and macro-wise (like I did, over time) by experimenting! I do these challenges because I love doing them and I have done 3 or 4 now. But I don’t follow the nutrition part, as it doesn’t fit with my eating style, and I don’t need to in order to improve and reach my goals. But I DO follow the workout plans and I love them and they work for me. So, sometimes, you just have to experiment and find what works for you! For some people (me!) being overly regimented did damage that I had to reverse, and wasn’t sustainable. But shaking up nutrition/calories worked wonders and got me through menopause and plateaus. I think the bottom line is that everyone is different and it’s great to use the guidelines but sometimes for maximum results over time you may have to tweak things a bit. Even the pros do! DON’T GIVE UP!!! 🙂
That’s awesome that you’re loving the challenge, but why are you weighing yourself twice a day???!!! Just go by your measurements, how your clothes fit, how you feel and look etc. If you are really concerned about losing too much weight and you actually know that you are by your measurements and how your clothes fit, then just eat a bit more! Weight (as measured by the scale) fluctuates a LOT over the course of a day and depends on so many little factors. You’ll drive yourself nuts weighing twice and day if you actually worry about what you see on the scale twice a day! 🙂 Advice: STAY OFF THE SCALE! Maybe once a week but not twice a day! ?❤️
What about trying just eating 1/2 your tuna/meal 2 before your cardio then eat the other half after your cardio, then push back your meal 4 to some time after 6:30 that works for you?
Renee go to the supplements section for this challenge. Maybe the link above didn’t work but I’m sure if you go to the home page for the challenge where all the information is organized, you’ll get to it! Keep in mind the supplements recommended for this particular challenge might be different from whatever ones Nicole uses for whatever her own current personal program is at the moment. Is that what you are trying to ask or are you looking for the supplements recommended for this challenge you are doing? If the latter, all the info is right there in the program info! ?
Thanks for your kind words! I am happy you appreciate the inspiration from the story. I find it inspiring too! So nice to know there’s another vegan doing this challenge! 🙂
Some protein powders can cause uncomfortableness and digestive issues in some people. I know a lot of people who aren’t vegan but do change their protein powders from whey-based to plant-based (even though the rest of their diet isn’t vegan/doesn’t change) and the problems disappear. And all the “non-real-food” things in supplements can also affect people. Or it may be that you’re not used to eating more veggies/fiber and your body just needs to adjust!
I agree with Alicia’s comments! Seems the scale and some of your past habits weren’t really working for you. So we all know it can be really hard (easy to say, but hard to let go of old habits and beliefs) but you have lots of support here! Go for it and trust the process! Change takes time but by doing this you ARE making great changes! You got this!
Penzey’s spices make some awesome spice blends (many salt-free if you’re concerned about that) as well as just regular spices. I order form them online and LOVE LOVE LOVE their spices!
I’m glad you felt safe to share that story here! It’s a good place to get some support! Wow sounds like you’ve been through a lot! 8% body fat, for women, is what is needed just to survive! It’s too low an amount to maintain without having negative effects on your health.It’s a little different for men but it should not be your goal as a woman, at least not on an ongoing basis. You will do damage. I’m glad you are not still maintaining that and not surprised to hear that you ended up with some issues. But, it sounds like you are past that now and looking forward. I would encourage you to do this challenge in a way that yes, you work hard, but that you are kind to yourself and your body. If you are “torturing” yourself (for lack of a better word, but you know what I mean) or if it’s causing you mental stress, it’s not good. The trick for all of us (and it’s not always easy due to society’s pressures and people comparing themselves to others) is to find a real balance in our physical fitness where we can push ourselves, see progress, achieve goals, and set new ones, but not beat ourselves up, compare ourselves to others in a way that makes us feel bad rather than inspired, and do it in a way where we maintain health. There is a growing movement of former competitors out there who have kinda gone into “rehab” mode now….recognizing how hard it was on their bodies and health and trying now to find a balance. Reading their stories on their experiences and their path is very interesting, how they have healed. From what I have seen with people I work with as well as online stuff, there are some people who can mentally and emotionally handle the stuff needed to be done for a “competition body” without developing body issues/fears about gaining weight etc. and others who develop real issues – health ones and emotional ones. Pushing ourselves to find strength (mental and physical) that we never thought we had in us, achieving goals, meeting challenges that we never could have imagined, feeling like a badass for doing so…all that stuff is the positive story for bodybuilders and can and should be celebrated. But the darker (and very common, actually) side is those who develop serious body issues. Be kinder to yourself! 🙂 As for phase 2 results…..what I hear you are saying is that if you don’t see the results you expect, results from expectations that just may be too high, you will quit. Maybe you are just venting a bit and don’t mean that, but if you do, ask yourself why you workout in the first place. If it is to improve your body, fitness, health etc. then quitting won’t work. So setting expectations that might be not possible, then beating yourself up if you don’t reach them, then quitting, in the long run stops you from reaching any goals and it doesn’t sound like that is what you want in the end. I don’t mean to sound harsh at all so I hope you take these words in the most supportive way (it’s sometimes hard to NOT come across as harsh in an online post like this lol). Do some work to BE KIND to yourself, be proud of what you have accomplished and what you can and will accomplish still, but do it in a healthy way (both physically and emotionally healthy). Life is too short to #1 not enjoy it as we go and #2 not to honor ourselves and make healthy decisions that will help us be around for many years to come! Yes there’s some days where fitness and working out doesn’t feel like fun, but as I always say…if it’s causing you so much stress and unhappiness…change something up or why do it? 🙂 You have my full support and positiveness even if it isn’t coming across in this post I mean it. And I’m sure you have the support and positiveness of others in this group too. Bodybuilding, competition etc. is a great thing to aspire to, but not at the cost of mental or physical health. 🙂
You can freeze it or just leave the other half of it in the skin and put it in the fridge. That’s what I do and it might get a little bit brown overnight at the semi-exposed end but that doesn’t matter at all, esp if you’re throwing it in a smoothie! ?
Is Nicole’s protein powder plant-based protein? I thought it was whey protein from “grass fed cows”?
I don’t even look like you Nicole lol, but my friends do the same thing “yeah that’s just Wendy, whatever” and life goes on and no-one cares what I’m eating or not eating. Avoiding social situations can lead to not sticking with it and the changes we are making here not be sustainable if we can’t find a way to incorporate them into our rich, full lives! 🙂
Some people and studies think so. Some people use whey during the day and casein just before bed for the reasons you suggest. Other studies name dairy and casein in particular as causing promotion of cancer. It can make your head explode. One day one thing is “good” and useful for something and another day (or years later) it’s said to be “bad”. When I look at research I try to find the source of the study (for example, did the dairy industry fund the study saying dairy is awesome for you etc.). You can drive yourself nuts. With regards to casein at night, try it for yourself and see what happens! Every body is different! 🙂
Sorry for this long response lol, but here goes…….I’m 100% plant-based and also very whole foods/healthy plant-based (not a “junk food vegan”) so I’ve been dealing with social situations and food for years. And I also drink socially and have no intention of not hanging around my good buddies who aren’t quite as into fitness and nutrition as I am. A couple of things help: 1. we do active things and fun activities and sports together too (not just eating out and drinking) 2. I have found over the years that really no-one cares or notices what or how much you are eating in social situations. Yes they may make a few comments in the beginning as you start new changes or they may be disappointed or whatever when you don’t share in the big plate of nachos they are ordering. But I found they quickly get over it. My friends now just know that I order what I want and they order what they want. 3. yes I know that in some cases some people have a hard time when you start changing as it can make them feel bad or inadequate or whatever since they are not doing the same things. And sometimes people who say they care about you may try to “sabotage” you because they are not so healthy themselves and know it so your making changes is a bit threatening and maybe deep down they judge themselves for not doing what you’re doing. But this doesn’t last if they are true friends and also what I have found is that I just ignore it. Everyone moves on quickly. I think if we are quietly confident about our own choices we just don’t even have to think about them. Just have fun and don’t talk about what you’re doing if it causes issues with your social life or friendships! I don’t go on and on about what I’m doing so that probably helps. I am okay with my choices but don’t impose them on others so everyone is comfortable. Maybe I’m lucky, but I haven’t lost any friends or any aspect of my social life as I just keep things easy. I never “preach” either so that probably helps. 4. one of the biggest things is just to have your own self-discipline. If you are disciplined and just quiet about it (not making a big deal to your friends like “I don’t eat that…it’s not healthy” etc. etc.) I find no-one notices or cares.So the part WE have to play in not feeling like avoiding social situations and also not losing friends, is to be disciplined. If we are disciplined and know in ourselves it’s non-negotiable, then there’s no reason to avoid social situations. I don’t really don’t avoid social situations at all where’s there’s foods that I don’t want to eat or drinking going on. I try to eat before or after and not eat at the “social event” so I don’t even have to bring my own meal. In my experience, no-one really notices (maybe for just a moment but that’s all) if I’m not eating or drinking. For times when I DO bring my own food, I just do it and no-one cares as they are too busy enjoying their own food choices and having fun. Another thing I do (which I’m sure you do too) is to bring something I know I can eat, when it comes to potlucks and stuff like that. Then if needed that is all I will eat, and in the right portion.
Obviously I indulge once in a while as that’s the only way to have healthy habits last for a lifetime and not obsess or stress. But not if I’m doing some kind of challenge for a limited time. Once you find some kind of balance where you learn things from the challenge, stick with it 100%, you can learn to find a healthy balance where you can indulge sometimes. I find that is another way I don’t have to avoid social situations and my friends know I’m “normal” lol.
And finally, 6: a good way to avoid the drinking part is to be designated driver for your friends. Then no-one cares you’re not drinking. 🙂
I hope that helps someone even a tiny bit. I don’t think we need to make new friends or avoid social situations. The work WE have to do, is to have our own self-discipline! What others do is not about US, it’s about THEM, and it doesn’t matter. In the rare cases where people really DO try to sabotage you, remember it’s about THEM not you. That has rarely happened to me but on occasions when it did, I just ignored it. It’s hard but you just gotta go what you gotta do and not “get into it” or “preach” or argue with anyone.
I agree with Rebecca! The only way to TRULY measure body fat % versus lean body mass (muscle) is to get a test with fancy machines that are expensive and not common (you won’t find them in the gym). In most cases, that kind of accuracy is just not necessary. But, anything else will never be 100% accurate and is subject to “human error” and other stuff. The inaccuracy of other ways to measure body fat are fine unless we obsess on it (heart monitors are the same…..they are not perfectly accurate but are accurate enough for our purposes). I agree that if you’ve lost 9 pounds in three weeks (which is a lot) and also lost significant inches (yay, you!) then you are likely losing body fat too. 🙂
Hey Jessica, you mentioned in another post about not losing pounds. I responded there that if you are following the program and working hard, I’ll bet you are making progress! 🙂 But, in case you didn’t know, creatine makes your muscles hold a bit a water. Often people gain a couple pounds using it (no big deal) and bodybuilders who use it will cut it out in the weeks very close to their competition as they are shedding as much water weight as they can. It’s not a reason to not take it if you want to, but just so you know that COULD be one (of the many) reasons you are not showing a weight loss on the scale as much as you want to. Just another reason to avoid the scale as you can see SOOO many (little) things impact weight on a daily basis! They don’t mean you aren’t making awesome progress as long as you are putting the work in! 🙂
Ladies! THROW AWAY THE SCALE! Follow the plan, work hard but measure your progress by your progress pics and taking measurements! There are a ton of articles about this but here’s just one. Worrying about weight lost (or not) can really bring you down during this challenge and un-motivate you. Keep following the program as laid out, work hard, and trust the process and don’t obsess on a daily basis about weight. As long as you are working hard and following the program, measure your progress through taking selfies and taking your measurements, weekly or bi-weekly. Do the things that will keep your motivation HIGH and not discourage you. You probably ARE making good progress! Keep going and stay positive! 🙂 🙂 🙂
P.S. also…..if you’re not already, google or follow some fitness pros on instagram….many of them post pics of their weight before and after and they make a point of showing how their weight is the same in both (or very close to) but the body composition/look is WAY different…..like WOW!
