sparrow said:
yes, I know these carb questions get old, and forgive me if this has been asked. I have read a lot of posts of people cutting for the summer. I feel like I have always had a "cutting"-type diet compared to the examples I read about on these posts. If my diet has always been pretty clean and lower carb etc then why do I not get the results that cutting usually promotes? Sure, by observation one can tell I'm fit and have a fair amount of muscle but I still feel like I have that layer of fat over the muscle. My skin still feels "thick" on top..if that makes sense. I still have problem areas of my lower abs and inner thighs. I pretty much feel like the average "joe" as far as looks go at the gym and I work really hard...and have for a really long time. My carb question has to do with manipulation. I tend to be very low carb. I just feel better that way. I probably average 50-80 at the most carbs a day, 130-150 g of protein and 25-30g fat. something like that. My cals are low (and I know that, I work on it) at 1200ish. My carbs are complex and hardly ever starchy. I feel like I cannot go more low carb without being unhealthy. I actually would have no issue being practically carb-free. I operate just fine, but I know its not healthy. What do I do at this point? I really feel like no matter my routine, hard work or clean eating I don't change much. if anything i gain weight and feel disgusting. what should i do?
Okay we got some stuff to work out here, first your fear of carbs and 2nd your way to low calories intake. You are a very active woman, not just with exercise but also you have kids. So allow me to break down a few things and I will try not to get to scientific about things.
Now I went and looked through your journal and there are indeed some problems or reasons for your stalling. For one with your stats you have a BMR of 1403 roughly. That means most days you are eating under what you need for mere bed rest. Add to the fact that you are pumping iron and doing hardcore cardio, sweetie you are burning your body out plan and simple. It is going to do nothing but store what you have and not let go. If you increase your calories quickly or have a "bad day" anything extra leftover is going to be stored. You have to eat at least your resting but with activity should go beyond that. Most people when they do this to themelves get such a decrease of appetite and find eating any food to be a challange. You in short have more than likely hurt your metabolism and need to do some repair.
This is not meant to scare and its certainly is fixable but I do think you should understand the degree of the issue as to make it a little more important to yourself.
When you are as small as you are for one losing that last bit is just beyond a pain is the a**. It takes months even years sometimes for some people to knock that last couple of % off of there bodies. That is something I have to remind myself day in and out when i get frustrated with working so hard and things moving so slow. However its the price we pay for being lucky enough to be as close as we are and we have to remind ourselves of that. You obviously are scared of eating higher calories and I assume this is because when you do you gain weight. You gain weight because you are in starvation mode all the time and anything extra your body will keep, its smart, we can't trick it. So lets look at your stats. We got roughly 1400 resting rate. With daily activitys and tey way you work out we are getting about 2100-2300 calories burned in a day
if not more. So where is the magic number for you? Well its nots 1200,1300,1400..Its anything above that sweetie. If you are eating 1200 calories a day that is at the lowest a 900 calories deficit. Way to high, you shouldn't and your body want let you lose 2 pounds of fat a week. At that level (the level I am at by the way) we in a healthy way shouldn't lose more than 1 pound a week if even that. You want to try and stay at a 400-500 pound deficit and somedays even just 200-300. If you do this your muscle will be happy, your fat cells will stop being greedy and let go a little and your metabolism will start pumping and working more because it knows its going to get constant fuel. Now because you have been doing this for so long get back into slowly. Start with the 1400 and work your way up. Then do some calories bouncing. Not from 1500 to 1200, but from 1500 to 1800 even 2000.
Now the carbs. When you get a chance read this article, its just a good starter on really understanding what carbs are, how they work for you and why you need them.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/planet30.htm
Now let me share a few things from my own personal experiance. Carbs, good carbs have done wonders for me. From helping my skin to making me regular. It took me a while to get it down yeah but for me high fiber daily, cycling my carb intake, and getting good post workout carb intake is my bag so to speak and alot of others. Now carb cycling is open for changes to each person, I myself don't have a no carb day (only veggies no starch) but I have a low carb day, moderate day and then a higher carb day. Days I lift I have Higer carbs, days I do just cardio moderate carbs and rest days low carbs. Notice the pattern...need more energy, need more carbs. Simple as that. I don't eat anything processed, all whole grains, brown rice, rolled oats, sweet potatos so on.
So what if you went out on a limb and just tried this, what can it hurt really? Seriously I ask you what is the worst that can happen with you trying this plan? Give it 2 months, 2 months of bouncing between 1500 and 1800 calories, cycling your carbs and eating a solid 5 meals a day. Have your complex carbs early in the day (also after whatever time your post lifting is)
Gage your fiber intake and try to get 30 grams a day of it. Get at least 25% fats in your diet, good fats. I say give it a shot, whats two months, got nothing to lose and so much for your health to gain. I say 2 months because you need at least 1-2 weeks to get your calories up some but slowy as to not shock your system to store. Then about 2 weeks of bouncing for your system to get used to it, I would bet at the end of week 5 you will be seeing some great results and feeling so much better mentally. I hope this helps and I hope you think about giving it a shot.
