Post-wedding failure

[Gabe]

Wow, I really needed this. 

 

Ok so basically what happened is that before I got married I ate vegetarian, counted calories carefully and exercised diligently, this got me down to 132 lbs. The lowest I've been since I was a teenager. But after the wedding, I started eating like my husband, and being totally lazy which caused me to gain about 15 lbs! Since then I started exercising, and lost about 5 of those 15. But for the last month, I've been home bound and my progress has come to a complete stand still. 

 

So this is me respawning. I'm going to do the beginner body weight routine for the next month, and then get back to the gym. I know I can loose weight as a vegetarian so I'm going to do that too. 

 

The hard part is calorie counting. With birthdays and Christmas coming up, I need to find a way to still keep my calories down. I guess i just need to set a daily limit and not exceed it. Period. 

 

Thanks for listening, this time I hope for success. I want to be different. 

[Tzippi Longstockings]

Wow, I really needed this. 

 

Ok so basically what happened is that before I got married I ate vegetarian, counted calories carefully and exercised diligently, this got me down to 132 lbs. The lowest I've been since I was a teenager. But after the wedding, I started eating like my husband, and being totally lazy which caused me to gain about 15 lbs! Since then I started exercising, and lost about 5 of those 15. But for the last month, I've been home bound and my progress has come to a complete stand still. 

 

So this is me respawning. I'm going to do the beginner body weight routine for the next month, and then get back to the gym. I know I can loose weight as a vegetarian so I'm going to do that too. 

 

The hard part is calorie counting. With birthdays and Christmas coming up, I need to find a way to still keep my calories down. I guess i just need to set a daily limit and not exceed it. Period. 

 

Thanks for listening, this time I hope for success. I want to be different. 

 

Hey! If you haven't yet, come by the Vegetarian boards and get/share some recipes! I don't like to calorie count, so I try to do a strange fusion of macro tracking and vegetarian clean eating (i.e. traditional but not "primal" per se), but I'm with you on trying to get cleaner and more efficient. 

 

Which bodyweight system are you thinking? Nerd Fitness has several good ones to start with!

[Gabe]

Hey, thanks.

 

I've been trying the beginner body weight routine, but I'm a little worried it isn't enough of a workout. I will take a look at the vegetarian forums, and maybe for this month I shouldn't worry about counting calories but just focus on eating better. Just curious, what ratio of macros do you use? I've been trying to figure out what the right numbers are. Thanks again,

 

P.s. this was a successful first day of eating right = didn't have the brownies sitting in the fridge. 

[Tzippi Longstockings]

Hey, thanks.

 

I've been trying the beginner body weight routine, but I'm a little worried it isn't enough of a workout. I will take a look at the vegetarian forums, and maybe for this month I shouldn't worry about counting calories but just focus on eating better. Just curious, what ratio of macros do you use? I've been trying to figure out what the right numbers are. Thanks again,

 

P.s. this was a successful first day of eating right = didn't have the brownies sitting in the fridge. 

 

If you're thinking the BBW might not be enough for where you are, spend a couple of workouts playing with this. It's cool, because you find what level you're at for each different move, then work up the progression from there. For example, I'm a much better squatter than pull-upper. So I do what Ic an with where I am, then move up when I can do 10-12 at that difficulty with relative ease.

 

I'm doing the beginner program there as well (top of page here), and am planning on bumping up to full basic the next six weeks. And I separate BW days from cardio days - I run on my days of "rest" from lifting. 

 

For the macros, I'm currently aiming for roughly 50 protein, 25 carb, 25 fat, but I'm also not making a big deal about staying below a calorie limit. I try to maintain that ratio, and have a majority of my fats and carbs come from acceptable (to me) sources like beans, dairy, eggs, nuts, etc. (I'm also pesce-, at least for while I live in Japan, so I eat some fish as well). I'm still a little high on fats and low on protein many days, but if those are "good" fats, I don't stress about it. I keep track on My Fitness Pal.

 

Well done on the brownies! For me, I find as long as they're in the fridge, my WP has a half-life of . .  not much. Maybe bring them to work and try to get rid of most of them?

 

I also use this hack for brownies, when I want to bake. They're still not "healthy", but at least the indulgence is mitigated by added protein and fiber. (Also, don't feel like you need to use all the sugar listed - I add some extra vanilla and cut the sugar by 1/3).

[Gabe]

Wow, thanks so much for the information.

 

I knew the brownies couldn't stay so I made my husband eat them... yes I sacrificed him for my own benefit :0. 

 

I'm going to check out that link, and then all I need is some exercise for the days when I'm not doing the body weight routine. Maybe yoga, or something. 

 

Thanks again, I think this time will be different even with Christmas around the corner. 

[Tzippi Longstockings]

Wow, thanks so much for the information.

 

I knew the brownies couldn't stay so I made my husband eat them... yes I sacrificed him for my own benefit :0. 

 

I'm going to check out that link, and then all I need is some exercise for the days when I'm not doing the body weight routine. Maybe yoga, or something. 

 

Thanks again, I think this time will be different even with Christmas around the corner. 

If you want to, hop in on this 6-week challenge. It's the midpoint, so doing a "run up to the end of the year" thing would be great. Either way, stick around the forums. I have done so much better these past few months than I ever have with fitness before, and it's easily 75% based on the feedback, relaity checks, and constant encouragement and inspiration I get on the boards.

 

I know how you mean about your husband. Mine is kind of the same way. I try to encourage, but the "encouragement without nagging" line is hard to balance. So I hope that my energy and happiness will rub off and he"ll want to make some changes too. At least he eats whatever I give him!

[Gabe]

That's a really good idea, I'm going to go join the challenge now. I know my weakest point is accountability. It's always been that way with everything for me, in order to succeed I need to check in with someone every week. I can have that here without hiring a consultant. Thanks again, I'm going to poke around these message boards more often, I'm really not doing this alone and that's nice. 

[TMedina]

What are your fitness goals?  Why do you think the body weight program isn't enough for you?

[Gabe]

You know, I have running goals (I'd like to some day do a 12 mile run)... but no weight goals. I used to box and do martial arts, so calisthenics have always been pretty easy for me, and I don't get much soreness the next day from the beginner body weight routine... so I figured it wasn't doing much for me. Now with that said, something is better than nothing until I can get back to the gym. 

 

I guess my only goal has been to get 'tight' again, like I used to be (the skin used to stick to my arms, now there is a layer of fat there), and I didn't think I'd get that from this body weight routine.

 

With that said I'm the worst for judging my own physical progress, so it may be there and I just don't notice. 

[TMedina]

Since you have prior experience with body weight drills, try mixing it up a bit:

 

1. Body weight squats for reps - do a set.  Stop, rest.  Catch your breath.  Do another set.  You're not trying to be winded, you're trying to exhaust your muscles.  Example: while watching tv, I'll do a set of ten reps.  Then another set.  I'm up to 100 in a 45 minute period (

 

2. Body weight squats for speed - do reps quickly.  Shorter breaks between sets.  Or open-ended sets (how many BW squats in 30 seconds?).  The idea being, you'll be out of breath and gasping for air long before your muscles actually burn and fail.

 

I picked squats as a personal favorite and a great overall exercise, but you could really take the same approach with anything - pushups, jumping jacks, hops, and so on.  You mentioned boxing and martial arts - shadow-boxing for cardio (or shadow-kicking, whatever).

[Gabe]

That's... a really good idea. So what if the current amount isn't exhausting me? I mean you're right I can just do more, and do them faster... do them until they do. I like it, I shall give it a try. Thanks.  

[Tzippi Longstockings]

If a particular move is getting too easy, there are lots of sites that provide bodyweight progressions, which get harder as you go. So if deep squats aren't getting to you the way they used to, try Bulgarian split squats

 

 

or pistol squats

 

 

You can test out some of them here.

[Gabe]

That's a really good idea. I don't know why but I'm always so hesitant to upgrade my exercises, I get comfortable at a level and then want to stay there. But I need to upgrade them if I'm going to get anywhere. Thanks, both of you... maybe I can actually get stronger over Christmas instead of fatter .

[Gabe]

Well so far so good. My calories have varied from day to day, but I have been able to eat a meatless diet, and I exercised three days this week. I'm considering it a win. I think for this next week, I will start posting my food diary on the log section, to help keep me on tract. 

[Gabe]

I've lost 2 lbs. I'm very happy, because for the last 3 months I've been trying to get my weight down (at the very least) to where it is now. Now to just not let my momentum falter, and keep going. 

[TMedina]

Yay!  One step after another - it's a path, not a race.

[BlackTezca]

I knew the brownies couldn't stay so I made my husband eat them... yes I sacrificed him for my own benefit :0. 

 

 

Sacrifices must be made...better him than you I say! 

 

If a particular move is getting too easy, there are lots of sites that provide bodyweight progressions, which get harder as you go. So if deep squats aren't getting to you the way they used to, try Bulgarian split squats

 

 

or pistol squats

 

 

You can test out some of them here.

 

Oh god those pistol squats and the one legged weighted squats look horrifyingly sadistic!  I've got to try them out too!

 

 

I've lost 2 lbs. I'm very happy, because for the last 3 months I've been trying to get my weight down (at the very least) to where it is now. Now to just not let my momentum falter, and keep going. 

 

Congratulations!  Small steps with determination will get you there!  Keep going and good luck

[TMedina]

That is the role of husbands, after all - to make the ultimate sacrifice by throwing themselves on brownies with a blatant disregard for their own safety to protect their wives.

[Gabe]

Lol, you guys are so funny. Thank you for the encouragement, I really feel like I'm going in the right direction, like I have some control again. It's a good feeling. I'll keep doing the updates.

 

Now I'm hoping he'll throw himself on some fudge for me too  

[WanderingLiz]

Sounds like you are making great progress, congrats and keep at it!

[starsapart]

Wow, I really needed this. 

 

Ok so basically what happened is that before I got married I ate vegetarian, counted calories carefully and exercised diligently, this got me down to 132 lbs. The lowest I've been since I was a teenager. But after the wedding, I started eating like my husband, and being totally lazy which caused me to gain about 15 lbs! Since then I started exercising, and lost about 5 of those 15. But for the last month, I've been home bound and my progress has come to a complete stand still. 

 

So this is me respawning. I'm going to do the beginner body weight routine for the next month, and then get back to the gym. I know I can loose weight as a vegetarian so I'm going to do that too. 

 

The hard part is calorie counting. With birthdays and Christmas coming up, I need to find a way to still keep my calories down. I guess i just need to set a daily limit and not exceed it. Period. 

 

Thanks for listening, this time I hope for success. I want to be different. 

 

This happened to me!!!!!!!!!

 

I used to be quite slim, then when I moved in with my now-wife, I started eating like her... then grad school compounded the issue... AND SUDDENLY I WAS 60 POUNDS HEAVIER.

 

It's hard to separate your eating from a spouse, but completely doable.  We basically keep separate kitchens at this point.  Annoying but worth it.

 

I'll second everyone else's statements about going on to more complex forms of exercises if the basics aren't doing much for you.  But looking at this, it seems you are already well on your way!!!

[Gabe]

Oh thanks, it's really good to know I'm not alone. I thought 'what's wrong with me?' Now I basically cook two meals, a healthy vegan option for me, and whatever he wants. It's more work, but totally worth it. I just can't believe how hard it was to stop myself and be like 'I know what he eats looks really good, but I'd rather feel good about myself.' Anyway, thanks again. It really is nice to know I'm not the only one who gained a significant amount of weight after the wedding. 

[starsapart]

Oh thanks, it's really good to know I'm not alone. I thought 'what's wrong with me?' Now I basically cook two meals, a healthy vegan option for me, and whatever he wants. It's more work, but totally worth it. I just can't believe how hard it was to stop myself and be like 'I know what he eats looks really good, but I'd rather feel good about myself.' Anyway, thanks again. It really is nice to know I'm not the only one who gained a significant amount of weight after the wedding. 

 

Ohhhhhhhhh yeah.  Except mostly, I make her cook her own food!

[Gabe]

Lol I do too, except when I feel like doing something nice... don't want him to take it for granted! 

 

Anyway so far so good, I lost another pound, which is great because it puts me at 139 lbs. I was afraid I would never see this side of 140 again. I just hope I don't screw the whole thing up with Christmas Eve, Christmas, and Boxing day .

 

Although I have to say, being able to say 'no' to tings is very empowering, I'm always so afraid of being rude that i don't want t turn an offer down... but doing just that has helped me to lose weight, so... I guess as long as it works.