day 14
[quote]Loose Tool wrote:
Did you use your total body weight, or your estimated lean mass?
[/quote]
Total body weight. I have been using less calories than I calculated originally since about Day 2, and still just have mediocre results thus far. I will cut back 200-300 additional calories per day for the next week.
Day 18:
I weighed myself this morning and I was below the 130 mark…129.5!
I happy to see steady (although slow) weight loss.
My energy levels have been great, and I completed another long training run yesterday. I have a 9 mile run this weekend. I think I will be just fine if I use a packet of power gel (or two) along the way.
From where I stand, 10 more days doesn’t seem too hard. I am really looking forward to having food, though! It is true what many have said that you start to crave the really good foods, and the other stuff doesn’t have near the appeal. (That said, I am looking forward to going to my favorite pizza place on day 1 post diet!)
Day 17: Frustrating day today. I weighed in at 184. I started 17 days ago at 187. That means for all the effort I have lost 3 pounds. That sucks.
I am eating TOTAL between 1100 to 1600 calories a day and am essentially maintaining my weight. (Calculated calories for the V-diet were between 1400 and 1700 Cal/day). Could my metabolism be so low???
If I am not seeing more of a difference by this weekend, that’s it, back to real food for me. I can maintain my weight, or lose 3 pounds in 17 days, while enjoying real meat and veggies.
Day 19:
I’m feeling frustrated, I have been following the diet closely and weighed in at 184 today (starting weight was 187!!!) I just don’t get it, my calories have been between 1200 and 1700 every day and I have been working out hard, and I’m not seeing any changes!!!
This sucks.
[quote]koots wrote:
Day 19:
I’m feeling frustrated, I have been following the diet closely and weighed in at 184 today (starting weight was 187!!!) I just don’t get it, my calories have been between 1200 and 1700 every day and I have been working out hard, and I’m not seeing any changes!!!
This sucks.
[/quote]
HEy Koots, easy bro, it looks to me like you have a more visible amount of definition overall, and particularly in your ab region. The obliques and your serratus anterior are visibly leaner, and it looks like your rectus abdominus or six pack, is pretty close to cutting in...
As far as the weight, you may be adding lbm, while dropping the fat…I don’t know how possible that really is with this regimen, but it’s certainly possible I would think…if you’re working out hard…
anyway, haven't looked in on ya in a while, and like I said, I can tell you look leaner, so keep after it...Oh and did I send you those ebooks on the Anabolic Diet? Can't remember if I did, cause that will definitely take you where you want to go when you're ready.
Best to you and the wife,
Tonebone
You initial loss was likely water and now you’re just putting water weight back on. In the end the weight loss will show. Also it’s likely you as regular on this diet, which can actually cause weight gain. As you transition off the diet you will continue to lose and maintain the new leanness.
Don’t give up. Give it the full 28 days. You’ll thank yourself that you were able to actually do it. The diet is much more than just “how much can I lose”, it will help prove to yourself how much this all means to you and hel make permanent positive changes. Trust me.
Thanks, fellas, I really appreciate the encouragement. I’ll stick with it, whatever the outcome. I am going to cut back the calories here for this last week to 1000-1400 Cal/day, since I seem to be maintaining with 1200-1700. Pictures to come next week of the final outcome.
I’ll probably look like this in the end…
You actually may lose more weight if you up the calories some. Chances are going as low as you have you’ve gone into starvation mode. Nobody loses weight in starvation mode, unless you’re lost on an island somewhere.
OK, so I have been going over my plan again, looking for the reason why the V-diet has not provided the kind of results I was expecting thus far (3 weeks in to it).
I also just finished reading Shugart’s article on the dangers of soy protein http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459516
I have been using two brands of protein powder: Metabolic Drive (thank you Biotest) and an EAS blend (whey, SOY, and caesin). I re-read the EAS label, and soy is listed second in the ingredients list.
Just as a round figure, I may be ingesting as much as 25-50% of my protein from soy sources for the last several weeks!! Soy can really jack up a person’s hormones, especially increase estrogen, leading to fat storage (and lots of other potential problems). Maybe this is the culprit in my slow progress thus far.
I will cut out the soy and stick with Metabolic Drive for the remainder of my time on the diet. If I see good results, I will continue the diet further (since this would mean I screwed up the first 3 weeks trying to save a buck!)
Thanks to all for their encouragement. Hopefully my wife and I can help someone else who is interested in this experiment. Progress pictures in a week.
Day 22
I am sorry that things seem to be at a bit of a standstill for my husband right now…but things seems to going really well for me. I was thrilled this morning at the gym when I weighed myself and I was 127!
That is 7 lbs lost in 3 weeks. Yesterday was the first day I noticed my jeans fitting a little looser, and I can definately see more muscle definition in my arms.
Only 6 days left…
Koots, you shouldn’t worry about your weight. It’s not how much you weigh, it’s how much fat you’re carrying. And as others have said, you look like you’re losing bodyfat. If you haven’t been getting enough protein in your diet, you might actually put on a little bit of muscle because all this diet is, is protein.
Also, go the 28 days and then taper off the diet. You have to otherwise you will spend more time building your metabolism up. I made the same mistake thinking “well I got down to here, how much farther can I go” but my weight loss was frustrating because I had gotten to 167 and didn’t go lower after the 28 days. Not that I’d have much to show even if I did get lower.
Thanks, Arc, I saw your results from the v-diet in your other postings, great job. I’ll stick it out, even though the scale is reading the same.
Today is Day 21, I weighed 183 (starting weight 187!) Whatever. One week left, and I get a real meal tonight.
Erika is doing awesome, not only has she dropped 7 pounds, she is running 9 miles on her long training runs! (She has a few extra carbs on those days!)
As in interesting note, I’m up two pounds from my last weigh in, but my measurements are down across the board (love handles, wasit…)
So there is proof right there that the scale aint everything. Are you measuring with more than just the scale?
Hey Bushy, it’s been a while. Hope school’s going well.
I checked my Fish Oil (GNC brand, Flameout is still sold out!) It is also 180 / 120. Good enough, I suppose.
Lonnie, I checked my waist circumference today, it is down about half an inch. I guess that’s something. You’re right, though, the scale isn’t everything.
Hey koots and easmith, nice work so far on the VD. Koots, I can definitely tell you have more definition and look leaner, especially in your midsection. Don’t worry about what the scale says, as long as you are making progress, it’s good. Both of you are doing well, keep rockin.
By the way, what is on the side of your shorts? Are those reflectors of some sort? They really show up bright in the pics.