Lingwo's WL Log

[Lingwo]

Congrats on scaling back on caffeine, did you have any headaches when first dialing it back? I quit caffeine cold turkey in January and head headaches for about a week. Now I'll have the occasional cup of tea, but I notice one glass now makes me feel hot and raises my resting heart rate a bpm or two for 2-3 days.

Yesterday was the first day of scaling back. I didn't have a headache, but my energy levels in the afternoon and evening just fell off of a cliff. Good to know you got through cutting back caffeine too.. I've tried in the past and always fail on day 5 or 6. Hopefully I can push through to the end this time! Anything that you did to help cut back?

 

[Lingwo]

Oct 29/20 Weight: 198.0lbs (+0.2lbs /-5.6bs)

Yesterday's Macros: 166g Protein / 168g Carbs / 56g Fats = 1840 cals
Yesterday's Training: Workout A.. increased my pendlay row, face pull, and calf raises
Supplementation: 5000 IU Vitamin D + Multi Vitamin + BCAA's + Nitric Oxide + Creatine

Current Non-Scale Goal: Limit caffeine consumption to 1 coffee per day (1/14)

Notes:

Day 1 of only one coffee went well. I definitely wanted a coffee in the afternoon, but I held strong. If I can survive these next couple of business days, the weekend should be easier to just forget about caffeine a little.

Training last night went okay, but the building I live in is starting to get busier and I'm sharing the gym more now. There was a guy last night who insisted on not using headphones and just playing his music through his phone which was kind of annoying. But maybe that's just the lack of caffeine talking.

I started this on a 16:8 fast, but that's kind of fallen apart. I tend to have my first meal closer to 11:30 now vs 12:30, and I haven't been as stringent on no late night eating. I'm going to try and think about it less. The less I have to think about it and plan, the more sustainable this will be. I know how to get my protein in day over day now, and it's easy to fill my carbs/fats up once the protein goal is achieved.

 

[Lingwo]

Oct 30/20 Weight: 197.8lbs (-0.2lbs /-5.8bs)

Yesterday's Macros: 164g Protein / 163g Carbs / 50g Fats = 1758 cals
Yesterday's Training: Rest
Supplementation: 5000 IU Vitamin D + Multi Vitamin + BCAA's + Creatine

Current Non-Scale Goal: Limit caffeine consumption to 1 coffee per day (2/14)

Notes:

Had an early coffee with my old manager yesterday morning. But, that meant no more coffee for the rest of the day, that was tough.

Not much more to add today. I've been purposefully going under my calories for a lot of this week so I can have a larger meal today or tomorrow.

 

[Err2]

Enjoy your bigger meal!

Anything that you did to help cut back?

Not really, I've never been good with moderation so I went cold turkey for ~6 months and have only started adding 1 drink a day in the last couple of months. I was never a big coffee drinker, but would have a ton of soda & energy drinks...

 

[Emilyrose]

Scales looking good Lingwo. Change is coming.

 

[Lingwo]

Not really, I've never been good with moderation so I went cold turkey for ~6 months and have only started adding 1 drink a day in the last couple of months. I was never a big coffee drinker, but would have a ton of soda & energy drinks...

You're a stronger man than me. I've tried to stop cold turkey but the headaches were too intense. I also drank energy drinks, I'm more worried about those by coffee. So I've got those out completely now and using the one coffee to help avoid severe withdrawls.

Scales looking good Lingwo. Change is coming.

Thanks Em. I stole the idea of having daily goals from you by the way

 

[Cate]

There is no way known I would give up coffee. I have 2 cups in the morning & herbal for the rest of the day these days though & never instant. Instant coffee is not coffee.

 

[Lingwo]

There is no way known I would give up coffee. I have 2 cups in the morning & herbal for the rest of the day these days though & never instant. Instant coffee is not coffee.

My bigger issue has been energy drinks more so than coffee. Being the good Canadian I am, my go to is Tim Hortons coffee - there's one attached to the building I live, and another connected to my office tower, so it's way too easy to grab a coffee

 

[Llama]

Not a coffee drinker but my Pepsi (Max) habit gets wayyy out of hand at times when I'm tired or stressed.

 

[Lingwo]

Oct 31/20 Weight: 198.0lbs (+0.2lbs /-5.6bs)

Yesterday's Macros: 150g Protein / 79g Carbs / 71g Fats = 1551 cals
Yesterday's Training: Workout B
Supplementation: 5000 IU Vitamin D + Multi Vitamin + BCAA's + Creatine + Nitric Oxide

Current Non-Scale Goal: Limit caffeine consumption to 1 coffee per day (3/14)

Notes:

Went lower on my calorie intake again yesterday. So I'll be able to eat around 2300 calories for today.

We are into a second wave of COVID here, and are now at a new peak for cases, so I won't be going out anywhere for Halloween, but having another couple come over to hang out.

I've successfully completed 3 days of lowering my caffeine consumption, day 4 today

 

[Lingwo]

Nov 1/20 Weight: 201.0lbs (+3.0lbs /-2.6bs)

Yesterday's Macros: 167g Protein / 258g Carbs / 91g Fats = 2522 cals
Yesterday's Training: Rest
Supplementation: 5000 IU Vitamin D + Multi Vitamin + BCAA's

Current Non-Scale Goal: Limit caffeine consumption to 1 coffee per day (4/14)

Notes:

*Siigh* yesterday I went high on calories, and I'm a lot heavier today. I am expecting a lot of this to be water, but my average weekly weight was trending to 198.1, but due to this morning's weigh in ended the week at 198.5lbs for a total average weekly weight loss of just 0.5lbs.

Oct 5 (Initial Weigh-in): 203.6
Oct 11 (Avg weekly weight): 201.1 (-2.5lbs)
Oct 18 (Avg weekly weight): 199.8 (-1.3lbs)
Oct 25 (Avg weekly weight): 199.0 (-0.8lbs)
Nov 1 (Avg weekly weight): 198.5 (-0.5lbs)

Hopefully tomorrow the weight will get back down to 198~ and we can start moving in the right direction again.

 

[Llama]

Hang on: you planned for 2300 kcal for yesterday, right? So you only went over by 222 kcal. That's 1/15th of a pound or so, not enough to be visible on a normal scale. So either your scale was looking super nice because you were undereating in preparation of this day or you're retaining water. Realistically both.

 

[Cate]

You must be retaining water. Did you eat salty food with your visitors there?

 

[Lingwo]

Hang on: you planned for 2300 kcal for yesterday, right? So you only went over by 222 kcal. That's 1/15th of a pound or so, not enough to be visible on a normal scale. So either your scale was looking super nice because you were undereating in preparation of this day or you're retaining water. Realistically both.

You must be retaining water. Did you eat salty food with your visitors there?

Yeah I do think there's some water retention involved. The only fresh foods I ate yesterday were some peppers, lettuce, and beef.. everything else would have had some added sodium. Today will be better!

 

[Lingwo]

Nov 2/20 Weight: 198.8 (-2.2lbs /-4.8bs)

Yesterday's Macros: 144g Protein / 83g Carbs / 48g Fats = 1340 cals
Yesterday's Training: Rest
Supplementation: 5000 IU Vitamin D + Multi Vitamin + BCAA's

Current Non-Scale Goal: Limit caffeine consumption to 1 coffee per day (5/14)

Notes:

- Most of the 3lb weight gain of yesterday is gone today, which is good.

- I've gone 5 days in a row with zero energy drinks, and a maximum of one coffee per day. I did not have any coffee on Saturday or Sunday, but may need one today.

- Already looking forward to what habit I'll form next once I make it to 14 consecutive days of cutting caffeine consumption back.

 

[Llama]

Well done ditching the energy drinks! Are you noticing an effect on your sleep quality?

 

[Err2]

Nice job! I know you mentioned budgeting elsewhere - any plans to save up for something fun with the energy drink money?

 

[Cate]

Giving up energy drinks is such a good thing. Well done.

 

[Lingwo]

Well done ditching the energy drinks! Are you noticing an effect on your sleep quality?

Giving up energy drinks is such a good thing. Well done.

Thanks! I've known they weren't good for me, but kept drinking them. I think it's a good additional step in being healthier. I've been sleeping really good. I think partially because my energy levels are lower right now, I'm hoping after 10 days or so my energy levels will rebound.

Nice job! I know you mentioned budgeting elsewhere - any plans to save up for something fun with the energy drink money?

To be honest with you, I probably spent $1500/year or so on energy drinks, but a lot of that's going to be chewed up on increased cost of buying more protein rich food.

If there's any money left over, I'm trying to pay my car off ahead of schedule. I financed a bimmer earlier this year after being debt free for a few years and now I remember why I hate having debt.

 

[Llama]

To be honest with you, I probably spent $1500/year or so on energy drinks,

Oh wow, that's a LOT! Definitely a nice bit of money to invest in better food.