Weekly Updates (M - 32: Start: 240 lbs (27% BF)

[Northern_Blitz]

Wanted to put up my weekly updates here. I started March 5th. These updates were from Daily Burn.

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Mar. 8

I got 4HB last wednesday and started last Saturday.

Initial Data:
Weight: 240

Waist 43.5
Hips 44
LA 14
RA 13.75
LL 26.5
RL 26
Chest 45.5 (I don’t think this one is in the book, but more data can’t hurt, right?)

I’ll only be doing measurements on Saturday mornings (before DGW), but I’m checking (but not recording) weight everyday.

After 3 days, I’ve lost about between 2-2.5 lbs (analogue scale).

The three big changes I had to make for slow carb:

1. Cut out bread, dairy & fruit (I miss strawberries and goat cheese with my spinach) .

2. Eating beans. I thought I didn’t like beans. Basically, I think I just never ate them and assumed I didn’t like them. My favourite so far are low sodium black beans (rinsed) with tomatoes and blasamic vinigar (breakfast, lunch, & 4:00 snack).

3. Protein rich breakfast was the biggest change for me. I’ve been eating cereal for breakfast (eggs and toast on Saturday) my whole life.

I bought a 40 lb kettlebell (wanted a bigger one, but they didn’t have any) and started 3 sets of 25 on the 2 hand swing. I will try to increase the reps with fewer sets over the next month or so. I have a 1 year old daughter and I love that this exercise program takes so little time.

The other two things from the book I’m trying are (1) eating slower and (2) ice pack on the back of the kneck (started last night for 30 mins). These are both very easy to implement, so even if they don’t do anything it’s no real loss.

Looking forward to Saturday (first measurements, then my first DGW). I don’t think I’ll go too crazy, but I’m looking forward to some cheese.

[Northern_Blitz]

Mar 5
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Positive Ice Age Results (warning: small sample size)

I’ve only been slow carbing for 5 days. In that time, I’ve lost between 6-7 pounds (analogue scale). It sounds like big gains are somewhat typical for early weeks (water weight?), but what I find interesting is how ice packs are changing the rate of loss per day over my 5 days.

I’ve used an ice pack on the back of my kneck/shoulders on two days in the evening (30 minutes while watching TV). On the two days I used the ice pack, I’ve seen loss of between 4-5 lbs (total). It looks like I’m losing between 0-1 lb on days w/o ice and 2-3 lbs on days with ice. The sample size is small, and the resolution of my scale is bad*, but I find myself believing. *(I find the analogue scale more precise than my old digital, but the resolution is 0.5 lbs best case)

Moral of the story: For those that are dissapointed with their results, it looks like the ice pack might be a interesting test. I think it’s working very well for me. And the effort & cost are minimal.

Next week, I may purchase another large ice pack (my is a square gel pack with a side length between 12"-16") and cool the front of my upper chest as well. In the ice age part of the book, 4HB says that the BAT cells are mostly located in the upper chest and kneck in adults. I wonder if I’m already at the MED, or if there is more low hanging fruit.

[Northern_Blitz]

Mar 14
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Had my first cheat day (Saturday). Ate 4 Reese peanut butter easter eggs, and 2 Cream Eggs. Had a slow carb breakfast, crepes for lunch (missed them on Tuesday), then Keg for dinner (inc. steak with seafood and cream sauce topping and spinach salad with cranberries and goat cheese).

Was down 8 lbs. Gained 2.5 back on Saturday, and as of Monday morning, I was up 2.0 lbs (down 6 total).

I’m interested to see how the program works this week. Seems like it’s common for the first week to be better than the 2nd. hoping to get to a total loss of 12 – 15 lbs.

TI down 3 3/8"
Chest down 1.78"

BF% (calc by inches) down ~ 2%

[Northern_Blitz]

Mar 19
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Week 2 Results: [Weekly Loss (Total Loss)]

Weight: 4.5 lbs (11.5)
TI: 3 1/8" (6.5")
BF% (calc): 0.3% (2.6%)
Fat Loss:1.8 lbs (8.9)

Program: Slow Carb Diet, Ice upper back (5x / week), 2 hand swing Monday + Friday (40 lbs: 3 sets / 30 reps).

Was a bit discouraged early this week. I didin’t lose all my cheat day weight until Thursday’s weigh in. Then I dropped almost 5 lbs in 2 days (which felt awesome). I think this must be water that my body doesn’t completely purge for a few days.

I’m not sure I buy the BF calculation I’m using. It says that I lost 2.6 lbs of muscle this week and I find that hard to belive with all the protein in the SCD. I’m starting to think that I should spring for a real BF% measurement once a month.

Looking forward to cheat day #2.

[Northern_Blitz]

Mar 26
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Week 3 results [ weekly (total)]

Weight: 1.5 (13)
TI: 2.25 (8.75)
Chest:0.75 (4)
BF% (calc): 2% (4.6%)
Fat loss (calc): 5 (14)
Muscle gain (calc): 3.6 (1)

The results are a little funny this week. I lost significantly less weight this week (1.5 vs 8.5 & 4.5). But I had a good week at the measuring tape (loss at waist was 3x more than last week) and my calculated BF% droped 7x more than last week. I’m glad I’m tracking more than just weight (thanks Tim), or this week would have been dissapointing.

I’m not sure if the lack of weight loss is due to muscle gain (as implied by the BFP calcs) or a side effect of the antibiotics I’m on for a sinus infection (maybe keeping more water). But, the measurements (especially waist) show results I’m very happy with. My meds end Sunday, so we’ll see what happens next week. I’ve also increased my reps with the kettle bell (40 lbs). I was doing 3 sets of 25-30, but this week did 2 sets of 45. I think this is much better as I feel it in my glutes/quads alot more.

I’m going to try to have breakfast earlier. It’s hard for me to define when I “get up” because my 13 month old wakes us alot in the last 2 hours before I get out of bed. I usually start eating breakfast within 15 minutes of getting out of bed, but I may try to force myself out of bed earlier.

Off to binge (well after a good breakfast anyway).

[Northern_Blitz]

Apr 2
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Week 4 results [ weekly (total)]

Weight: 4 (17)
TI: 3 (11.75)
Chest: 0 (4)
BF% (calc): 1% (5.6%)
Fat loss (calc): 3 (17)
Muscle gain (calc): -1 (0)

I’ve now been on this diet for a month. I didn`t quite get to the 20 lbs in 30 days Tim talks about, but I’m actually amazed at the progress I’ve made with such little work (2-3 workouts a week, less than 5 minutes each).

I think that this week was more “normal” than last week with progress on the tape and the scale. I upped my water intake this week. Weeks 1-3 I wasn’t really monitoring water intake, but I’d estimate that I was between 3.5 – 4.5 L / day. This week, I was between 5-6 L / day. Trips to the bathroom were noticibly up.

My pattern of daily weight loss is that I tend to lose the cheat day weight in about 3 days. Then I stay at that weight for 2 days and experience weight loss on the last 2.

I had an amazing dinner yesterday! For the first time ever, I made pork tenderloin (gain fed). I used the pan roasting method instructions found here – http://www.how-to-cook-gourmet.com/cookingporkt… and served it over some spinach, black beans, tomatos, and peas. It was quick, easy, and tasted awesome. I have some “Salt Lick” garlic rub from when I visited my brother in Austin, and it kicked up the flavour. I’d definately recommend this.

Let the binge begin!

[Northern_Blitz]

Apr 9
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Week 5 results [ weekly (total)]

Weight: 3.5 (20.5)
TI: 1.25 (13)
Chest: 0 (4)
BF% (calc): 0.4% (5.9%)
Fat loss (calc): 1.8 (18.5)
Muscle gain (calc): -1.7 (-1.9)

Passed the 20 lb mark this week. Nice to hit that milestone. I think if I lose another 20, my BF% will be about 15%, which is my next target.

I stopped doing ice age entirely this week, and it didn’t seem to change my weight loss. Maybe doing it for a couple weeks is enough (MED).

Daily weight loss was a different pattern this week. I usually get to my pre binge weight in 2 days, hover there for 2 days, then drop about 2lb/day for the next 2 days. This week, I was 3.5 lbs down after 4 days, I thought I’d get to ~ 5 or 6 lbs lost. Instead, I hovered there for the last two days. I didn’t really change anything in my diet those days (only thing I can think of was I had a diet coke both of those last 2 days). I will try eliminating all diet softdrinks this week (except today) and see what happens.

Off to binge! It’s my B-day tomorrow, so I’ll try to get some cake in there. We’re also taking my daughter (14 months) to the zoo for the first time today. Should be fun!

[Northern_Blitz]

Apr 10
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This was a response to a poster about some quesitons about what I was doing. I also talked about my ice age experience and kettlebells.

Thanks for the Birthday wishes. It’s been a great weekend!

Glad to hear that you’ve lost weight and inches!

I’ll try to answer your questions as best I can. Feel free to ask more if you like.

1. I usually start eating breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up. It’s a bit tricky for me to define when I wake up though. We’ve got a 14 month old and in the morning she’s generally up and down in the morning. But, my alarm is set for 6:00, and I’m usually eating by ~ 6:15-6:20.

2. I was doing an ice pack on my lower kneck / upper back for 30-40 minutes 4-5 times a week for the first 3 weeks. Week 4 I was sick and only did it twice. Week 5 I didn’t do it at all. My weight loss has basically been 3.5 – 4.5 lbs per week on and off ice age (except for week 1 and I had one off week, where I still lost inches which still doing ice). Not sure if the ice stuff was ineffective, or if doing it for 3 weeks was enough to build up BAT cells and more time led to diminishing returns.

3. I don’t do the PAGG. Mostly because I’m cheap and I’m happy with my current progress. I may look into this more if I stall for more then 2-3 weeks on the scale and the tape measure at the same time before I hit my goal (~ 15% BF). I take a daily vitamin, vitamin D, and I just bought some calcium pills. I know 4HB said something about taking calcium, but I loaned my book to a friend and I want to see if the dose in my daily is enough or if I should add the extra calcium.

4. I do 75 reps of the 2 hand kettle bell swing on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday. I use 40 lbs. I started with 3 sets of 25, and tried to increase reps each time I did it. When I get to something like 100 or 125 reps comfortably, I will look into a heavier weight. At that time, I may move to a T-bar because I don’t think buying a new kettle bell each time would be cost effective.

I’m excited to be below 220. I don’t think I’ve been this light since my freshman year (13 years ago). And I don’t even feel like I’m doing anything. about two years ago, I got down to ~ 225, but I was running 5 km 3 or 4 times a week. I haven’t been able to devote that kind of time since we got pregnant, and the winter here (Toronto) means I can’t really run outside anyway. There is so little effort in this program that I feel like I should be gaining weight (especially with the binging).

If my lean body mass stays about the same, I think I’m about half way to my goal of 15% body fat. When I get there, I don’t know if I’ll try to switch to maintainance, or set a new goal.

[Northern_Blitz]

Apr. 16
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Week 6 results [ weekly (total)]

Weight: 0.5 (21)
TI: 1.25 (14.25)
Chest: 0.5 (4.5)
BF% (calc): 0.9% (6.8%)
Fat loss (calc): 2.0 (20.5)
Muscle gain (calc): 1.5 (-0.4)

Posted my worst weight loss to date, but still saw improvement on the tape and I’m almost at 20% BF. It seems like the weeks where I lose alot of weight, the calc says I don’t lose as much BF% as when I lose less weight. I’ve had two “bad” weight loss weeks (wk 3 & wk 6). Not sure if it’s predictive (small sample), but in the week before both weeks the body composition calculations I do said that I had lost more than 2 lbs muscle from my original number.

I don’t think I’ll change much for this week. I read on www.4hbtalk.com that some people have gotten off a plateau by increasing protein at breakfast or by cutting beans out of dinner for a week. I may try adding some chicken to breakfast this week, but don’t think I’d cut beans unless I didn’t see loss of weight or inches for 2 weeks.

Off to binge.

[Northern_Blitz]

Apr 22.
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Week 7 results [ weekly (total)]

Weight: 1.5 (22.5)
TI: 0.75 (15.5)
Chest: 0.5 (5)
BF% (calc): 0.8% (7.6%)
Fat loss (calc): 2.0 (22.5)
Muscle gain (calc): 0.9 (0.3)

Weighing in a day early because we’ll be at my in-laws for Easter.

Happy with the weight loss this week (especailly since I usually drop a pound or two on Friday). My BF% dropped to 19.9%, so I’ve hit the first BF% goal I had (below 20%). I’m targeting ~15%, which by my calcs means I have to lose another 13 pounds or so.

I added a protein drink this week. I’m using a water soluable hemp protein (it was 1/3 off at the grocery store). One serving is 4 tablespoons, has 21 g protein, and 2 g sugar. For week one, I’ve been adding 2-3 tbsp and it seems to be helping (but it tastes bad). I’ll up it to the recommended dose next week and see if it helps any more.

I’m a bit worried about how Easter will go. I usually put on a couple lbs when we see my in-laws (my MIL is a fantastic cook). But, I’m bringing some slow cooked SCD meals and I have a cheat day in there, so I’m hopeful.