Better late than never
Last weekend I didn’t update because I was caught up in trying to fix the itunes issues that I didn’t get a chance to write out my “All Play and No Work” post. Hopefully this will be one of the few interruptions to these updates.
“Know when to hold em…”
I feel like each week in my life has a theme. I am not sure if this is merely my ability to group events into a pattern or if I am living in a television writers mind via wall hole. Regardless it makes it easy to come up with blog information. For that I am thankful.
This week has been all about knowing when to say when. Knowing when to play your hand and when to fold it. I hate to degrade my fruitful knowledge down to a poker cliche, but so be it.
When it comes to dieting down I have stated before that I am a wuss. I don’t like it and I am not good at it. If I believed in liposuction and had an endless resource of money I would probably get in line. Sadly, it isn’t my cup of tea and I have this whole “lead by example” running around in my brain. Nobility and stupidity are separated by a fine line I think.
If you haven’t caught on this week has been tough physically. My trick of getting by is a very simple one.
Know when enough is enough
I set up my dieting strategy in a very simple manner. I give all I got to give until I can’t give anymore and then I recover and start all over again. This doesn’t work for everyone, or a lot of people really, but it is how I like to do things.
This week marked the beginning of my new diet program. The basis of it is very simple – take it as far and as extreme as I can take it and then pamper myself when I can’t take it anymore. There is a lot of reading between the lines of this so do not follow this advice if you aren’t me or if I am not guiding you to do so. Also what is extreme to me is not extreme to someone else or torture to another.
I won’t be giving specific calories simply because this is not something I am writing for other people and again don’t recommend unless you know how to control your macro and discipline your refeeds.
What do I consider extreme?
Dietary speaking we are not talking about me doing something stupid and eating a carrot all day long. This is not about a lemonade fast or anything like that. I want to preserve my muscle mass and I have to be able to function in a very demanding environment. So to me extreme is as far as I can take the deficit day by day. Extreme could be 1 pound a week for some or 4 pounds for another. Following?
Currently this is going to stack up as a 4-5 day on 2-3 day off program. For those of you that just read the hypothyroid fat loss program you might find this to be something you could take part in or people in general that are a little more sensitive to dieting down adjustments. I am one such person.
Sleep it off
My biggest nemesis in life is sleep. It doesn’t come easy in general but when I am dieting down it is the first thing to go. No supplement or pill does anything. It is my bodies way of being very efficient in trying to protect me from myself. I appreciate it in a functional sense, but I cuss it at 4′o clock in the morning when I am wide awake. Add this to the fact that I usually work very long hours, email, and driving then you have a recipe for disaster.
My hunger the next day will also directly correlate with the amount of sleep I got. If I got 2 hours of sleep, about to gnaw off my arm. If I got 8 hours I am still hungry, but it isn’t as intense. This is a studied and researched thing as well. I will be talking about more in the future. I have discussed it in the past on small levels.
There are many other things that pop up, especially body aches and general brain foggyness.
So what do I do to maintain my sanity and results?
I knock it the f**k off
Today I am eating a truck load of food, resting, and sticking to a more chill day. I will be doing the same tomorrow. Last night I slept maybe 3 hours, my body hurt to the touch, I felt a little loopy in the head, and my skin started drying out.
All that says, knock it the f**k off and eat. So I eat. Simple as that. By tomorrow night I will be fully rejuvenated and can go another 4-5 days. Soon I will only be able to got 3-4 days and then I know it is time for a full week break. Then the next time I will do two, and so on.
The funny thing
I will likely lose my weight faster than someone who is overly anal, restrictive, scared of a carb, and lives off the nobility of never cheating or having off days. Why? Here are some tips…
-The lows have to be extreme to balance out the highs and vice versa
-Everything counts. The diet, the training, the running around you do in your day, and the sleep. It is going to overload you and it all needs to be accounted for in down time. Meaning you have to have days you do nothing by sleep, days where you don’t train, days where you are quiet, etc.
-When it is hard it should be hard. When it is easy it should be easy.
-Sleep is a dieters best friend.
-Less is more.
-This isn’t for everyone
-I deal with less dramatic results in the short term and deal with dramatic water fluctuations.
-I have my entire life to live the body I am going to have. 4-5 months (if it is that) isn’t really that big of a deal to me.
Any questions?
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Song of the Post:
John Legend – She Don’t Have To Know
Me and Jon Fass (Dr.) were discussing this song in the off-off topic of Fitcast. For the record the truly best material is what you never hear. Shameful even. Anyway, we both were in agreement that this song is in fact instant sexyness in a jam. This song is so good that I want to live in the potential video of this song in my mind over and over again.
Just ignore that whole cheating on the person you are with slut thing.
I have a top 20 of the best songs to, well…
Let’s just say this song broke through that list and keeps climbing the charts.
Related posts:
I hate to see you suffer on your diet but it is reassuring to know that you have and do struggle with the same things that your loyal followers do. It makes it real that what you write about and tell us to do is something that you yourself have done. You know what we are going through and understand our struggles. Thanks for sharing.
Very welcome.
You know if you find yourself in the position where you didn’t stay thin and have to become it, it is a completely different battle. I will say that most leaders in the field have no understanding of being even moderately overweight. I don’t know what it is like to be extremely overweight, but even my pounds are going to take months and that sucks. At the end of the day it isn’t fun for anyone.
The only thing that makes me different than some is I don’t have fear and I know what to do. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to eat a truck at 4 in the afternoon after I have already killed off my food for the day. I really, really like eating and food.
I wish the last 30lbs came off as easily as the first 100+lbs. That would be freakin’ schweeet – drop 3lbs per week like clockwork and get bloody ripped in just 10 weeks? I’d take it!
Ditto on the no fear part too, although at Day 1 it was a different story. Didn’t really have fear but for the first 6 months, if it wasn’t fruit, lean meat, veggie, or oatmeal, I didn’t touch it. No pizza, fast food, pasta, junkfood, sugar, candy, etc. for 6 MONTHS – but my kickass progress reflected it – I just put the blinders on and went to town on the diet. Now, I’m much more relaxed about things, but it’s after 5 years of experience and learning what works, what doesn’t, which decisions have what affects.
It’s a double-edged sword though because while I know I don’t have to be so restrictive, it makes it easier to totally jump off the wagon in the opposite direction. However, on weeks like this one where I end up eating out at lunch every day for one reason or other, then spend Saturday pounding down fruit, corn on the cob, steaks, an entire batch of cupcakes, and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s… and it’s still only 8:30pm so no telling what else I’m going to eat before bedtime… to be able to do this with absolutely NO weight/fat gain whatsoever, and no fear of gaining anything, is really freeing.
I love hearing that you struggle, too, though I’m sorry that you struggle. I love that you’re real with us and that you struggle with a deficit, too. Enjoy your food.
Leigh could you at least talk about how low is low enough? Is 500 calories low enough?
Hi Leigh,
I love hearing that you are battling it out with us in diet land!
I’m doing a similar strategy with trying to be very strict/low cals on weekdays and doing lots of eating on the weekend. It seems to be working quite well which is pleasing!
Just curious when you talk about losing your pounds, how much are you trying to lose roughly??? Are you willing to share??
Love you work!!
Oh Leigh, I am so with you on the lack of sleep and it totally sabotaging the dieting efforts. I am overjoyed when my body “sleeps in” past 4:00am. I can’t seem to go more than 2-3 days before I end up giving in and just eating some freaking food. And I know my lows are not as low as you would recommend, which is why I can’t seem to budge these few last pounds. *hmph* But I have definitely connected it to my lack of sleep. On days I sleep well, dieting sucks but is very tolerable. It’s amazing what a difference a good night’s sleep has on your emotions, performance, satiety levels, and just overall sense of well being.
Thanks for sharing your struggles. Being a trainer myself, I can understand completely about being a role model. While I think that is a wonderful gift( to be able to influence people’s life in such a positive way), it’s nice to have people understand that “yeah, I’m human too”. I feel like people/clients often forget that little piece..I often hear how easy it is for me and that I must never make poor exercise/ dieting choices. But the truth is I do—I’m human. I sometimes forget to take my multivitamins or my important fatty acids, I sometimes choose to eat that dessert or just eat past fullness, and every once in a while I choose to skip a workout and don’t get enough sleep. Just because we know what to do does not necessarily make it easier.
Ok, that felt a little too much like therapy. I’m not sure where I’m going with all that, other than, it’s nice to know your “human” side!
i am going to write more later but this couldnt of came at a better time for me…..
I am curious as to why you wouldn’t just eat in a slight deficit? Is there a reason to drop to the more extreme? How much would you be averaging a week? Thanks for the information Leigh.
It was great seeign you this weekend Leigh and I wanted to say again how much I appreciated you taking the time to talk to me. For the record I think you still looked amazing and maybe you just carry it well cause I didn’t see a thing to change
I could never ever have this be my job, I think I would die from the pressure.
Thanks for the post Leigh. I am amazed how well you know your body’s needs and wants. I think one of the most challenging parts of dieting, training or weight loss is finding the balance between what your body is telling you and what your mind is telling you to do..or not do.
I’d be interested to hear about your training progress in future posts as well. Why have you choose that method of calorie cycling vs. a steady caloric deficit per day? Do you have a calorie deficit you are trying to achieve by the end of the week?
Thanks for the post and good luck!
Leigh-
I like the others loved hearing that you too struggle. Just to hear you be so raw and real is so refreshing. It is nice to hear that you are just like all of us and that it can suck for you too. It actually motivates me all over again in some weird sorta way, as I struggled this week on my deficit.
Shari
Leigh, I think each and everyone of us can say with 100% certainty: we can relate to these struggles. Hearing that even one such as yourself, who is a true pro at this, doesn’t find it easy, IS strangely comforting. There is just NO way that losing fat is easy, is it? And everyone once in a while, weirdly, it will feel “hey, this isn’t too bad,” and I think: “I must be doing something wrong. This feels tolerable.” And then something will happen to jar me from that brief moment of ease and I’ll remember just how awful it is to lose fat. For example: last night, out with friends, when the beer and nachos were flowing. Sigh, yes, I had a weak moment and caved. Not binge-levels, but certainly too much to just look the other way.
Here’s to getting it done.
Here’s another big thank-you for your really honest and frank posting Leigh!
I always feel like I’m a ‘failure’ if I can’t go flat out for 12weeks. Generally I last about 5 days being what I consider to be super-restrictive (40% deficit, NO unclean foods or starchy carbs) and then I completely cave and often end up demolishing my deficit in a 1-3 day binge-fest. It’s reassuring to hear that the deficit can make even the FLTS a little crazy
I hope this next week feels better for you!!
Leigh, Two questions:
> control your macro and discipline your refeeds.
What macros for a refeed day?
> 4-5 day on 2-3 day off program.
Does it matter which days are the higher calorie days? What do you do on days you are “off program?”
On OPT Remix you suggest eating more on the days you do resistance, which does make sense. However, I’d really like to eat low Sun-Thu and eat higher Fri and Sat, but I don’t want to do resistance training on Saturday. I would love Sat and Sun to be NEAT fun activities, no weight training. If my energy is up and my NEAT deficit stays large, does it matter what day I do the Resistance? I have done weights on an EatStopEat day and have felt fine. (Note, I am not lifting probably as heavy as many others; I mostly can finish my 12reps, and as I increase my weights I may want more food). I find that some days, out of the blue, I get hungry; those days I eat more protein.
thanks, Etana
Another person appreciative of your willingness to share! It emphasizes that fat loss is equal opportunity suckage.
I’m with Sarah in that I’m thrilled if I sleep past 4:00–I usually have a 3:30 am pee trip, and it’s at least a half-hour before I fall asleep again. Supplements may or may not help (usually not) and I don’t want to go the Rx route. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for the upcoming sleep/hunger stuff!
It’s great to hear that you struggle with the same issues as the rest of us. I am starting week 6 of OPT and I’ve noticed how much more tired I am. I’m not having insomnia issues, but sometimes I need a nap after work!
I have been messing around similarly for the past two weeks, M-F Chicken Breast, Broccolli and fish oil. Getting just enough to meet my protein requirements. Sat and sunday are similar in the way that in the morning and day time, its still mostly protein, but I eat whatever I want at family functions and with friends, and let beer and redvines (YUMMY) handle my carb loads
Sorry for the delay on answering, I got lost without the net almost all of yesterday and most of today.
I will make sure and get at this tomorrow for those that had questions.
For those that threw out support, I really appreciate it.
PS-People who claim it is all easy, no pain, etc can suck it
When you are on the re-feed days, how much will you eat? Will you eat just the amount that you burn that day or will you eat an excess of calories?
THANK GOD FOR ALL OF YOU!!! I read this post by Leigh and then all of your responses and felt like I am no longer staggering around by myself in a circle of Dante’s HELL…you know the one…the one where you can suck it up really good for a couple of days(providing nothing too horrible and stressful jumps in your path), then the food fantasies begin. I have been known to be insanely jealous of some cartoon food some freaking cartoon character is eating, and then need to seek out that food! (here in the somewhat real world, of course)
My friends think I am insane to put myself through this hell of hunger and NON-STOP food fantasy thinking, and I just feel like a failure when I’m even thinking about eating something, let alone committing the evil act itself! I know that the longer I can be “good”(always a relative term), the better chance I have at seeing more steady progress, but that can all wind up in the crapper when I feel so homicidal and finally cave and eat half the planet…
Then all that lovely self hatred and disgust comes raging back and pounds me back into submission until the whole horrible circuit starts again…I keep thinking about Leigh’s phrase “Get in and get out”, and wonder if I’ll ever be able to STAY IN long enough to GET OUT…for good…