This is my confession

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SharonKY

Member

Ok....I am on week 4 of my very first ever cycle.  Var 10mg......I started at 145 pounds....as of this morning...I'm 158 pounds.  Ummmmmmm yeah....not sure if its muscle, fat, combination of both. 


I thought I was eating a clean, cutting diet.  Then did some more research because I saw the scale numbers creeping up, but Im not seeing any more muscle under this layer of chubbiness I got going on.  My diet is AGAIN all wrong..I just feel it in my gut (which is bloated off and on)! The bloat I figured is my pouch that cant take frequent meals.  I went from eating something every two hours to every 3 1/2 hours...I might push that to every 4 hours. *sigh* One day, I will get this right.........


SO according to my research we need to first determine our body type. I am an endomorph..even though I dont look like it because of all the skin removal surgery, inside, genetically, I am an endomorph.  I am sure we all know, but just quickly.....if I aint moving and I smell bread I'm going to gain weight.


Best eating for my type....ketogenic diet, HIIT cardio 4 times per week for 45mins to an hour, weight training (lower weight/higher reps/more sets). Currently I am eating clean with complex carbs, cardio 3 times a week for about 20 mins (it gets so damn boring...), and then HEAVY weight training.


On the 17th I am going to the local university to have hydrostatic testing done to get the most accurate measurement of my BF%.  It's $40 for the test...so nothing to really lose.  I am going to do another one in 6 months to see if there is a change. 


I would appreciate suggestions, thoughts, tough love, anything from my MG family.  I have cried a little this morning because I thought I was eating the right stuff, doing the right moves in the gym.  Live and learn.  I will do this...I will make this work...I WILL MAKE IT THE STAGE...it may not be next year...it might be two years.  At least I know Kentucky has a 45+ age group for figure and physique that I am more than welcome to join.  I offered to volunteer for some of the upcoming shows just so I could learn by observation. 

With that being said, I have a TON of white/brown/wild rice, sweet potatotes, coconut sugar, date sugar, almond flour, and whole grain bread if anyone is interested. LOL


 

 
Dolf

Dolf

Moderator

Sharon we are all different and respond to different diets differently. The trick is finding what your body responds to best. I've seen the many delicious looking meals you've posted up. My main worry is the sodium content in some of these dishes. You might need to bore down your diet. Are you tracking daily all your macros? What's your sodium intake daily? Carbs are also guilty of bloat. Trying something like lowering carbs or the keto diet might fit you better. Don't get discouraged because it takes time to learn your body. It's a marathon and not a race. : )

 
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SharonKY

Member

I keep sodium as low as I can.  I have never been heavy with salt as I season as I cook. 

Please feel free to voice your concerns sooner....I have learned so much from everyone here.  I am willing to be as open as possible. 

I will be detoxing from carbs for the next 48 hours.....I apologize for my grouchiness ahead of time. :)

 
J

JARHEAD2

Member

The sodium would be my first suspicion. What might be considered low for some can bloat another. Well said brother! 

You've got this sister.... You've made it this far & that says you have the dedication & desire!!

 
Dolf

Dolf

Moderator

Yea but what about the sodium content in some of the sauces. If it's not sodium then it's the carbs or if you eat dairy you could be lactose intolerant or lactose sensitive. 

Do you track your macros with an app like my fitness pal?

 
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SharonKY

Member

Truthfully, I am horrible at writing stuff down, entering stuff, etc. I need to make a more of a commitment to doing this,my doctor mentioned the same thing this morning.

Not as an excuse, but I have been suffering from post operative depression that has been worse over the last three months, which I think is a contributing factor as well.  My doc she said it would not be unusual for post op depression to be playing a large part in what's going on as well as high levels of cortisol as I continue to recover from the extreme amount of trauma I have endured over the last 6 months.  She mentioned that it could take up to a year to get out of the post op "funk"...so I started lexapro today, low dose, to see if it helps. 

So note to self:
1) start writing shit down...make the commitment damn it
2) Take your pills...all of them (including those awful vitamins)

3) Get your ass to the gym and do your cardio!

4) Work with what you have and make it the best you can instead of trying to make it something it can not be

Thank you for the tough love and support!

 
Dolf

Dolf

Moderator

Depression and cortisol go hand in hand, so that's one factor.

Do me a solid and download the My fitness pal app on your phone. You can scan bar codes or type in the foods you eat and it'll track all your macros for you. No writing anything down. It's very simple and will track everything for you. Unless you're tracking you don't really know for sure. Most people are very surprised at what they thought versus what's really being consumed.

 
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swolesam

Member

Sharon - Endomorphs body has a tendency to go into "Storage Mode" very frequently, and consistently. Its a battle you need to stay on top of. Your food is your fuel. It will be trial & error ofcourse, and i dont know if you have any food allergies. Heres some pointers i question/recommend to people i coach:

1) try to stick to high quality proteins from clean sources and stay away from soy protein.

2) Stay away from ALL simple sugars including sweet stuff, ALL of it.

3) Consume alot of more lean protein shakes. This adds in the grams of protein you need easily without having to force feed, i know this can be hard at times. Throw in plant proteins, Whey protein, Egg protein powders at different times. Keeps it more tolerable and that way you get diff protein types in your body.

4) Add fiber in your diet from Flax seeds,..etc.
5) Add in the thermogenics supplements - your green coffee bean extract, ECGC,...etc.

6) Throw in the Vit B complex and the vit B12, and take a blood test in a couple of weeks. if your B in your blood is not high, try getting Vit B injections, they WILL absord and they def increase your energy levels and your metabolism in a significant manner.

7) minimize complex carbs in your diet. Not because its brown or complex carb means you can take as much as you want from it. Its a misconception amongst many.

8) add in the healthy fats - avocados, olive oil, fish oil, almonds,...etc

9) Timing of nutrients is KEY for Endomorphs. Structure your carbs around your workout windows (NOT CARDIO, weight sessions), and no carbs past 6-7 pm or so depending on what time you sleep. I would say no carbs 4 hours before bedtime. Plenty of clean proteins & light veggies.

10) Get Thyroid Panel blood test. TSH, and T3 , T4 free & total of each. If your thyroid is low (signs of hypothyroidism) you're fighting an uphill battle, nothings going to yeild results in the fat loss department until thats addressed.

11) BCAAs are great to keep the protein synthesis going at all times. I sip them at all different times of the day with water.

Are you Pre-diabetic? Whats yout ha1c ? whats your blood glucose levels upon waking up on empty stomach?

 
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SharonKY

Member

I see my oncologist/hemetologist a few times a month for blood transfusions and iron transfusions.  My last fasting glucose was 83 according to my records.  Last a1c was 6.4....pretty darn good there.  Thyroid was just tested before my last surgery and was completely normal.  Crit and Hemglobin run low but I get exrta blood to help with that.
Because of my weight loss surgery I have malabsorption issues.  My last thyroid panels were normal as well.

 
S

SharonKY

Member

I went ahead and downloaded the app MyPlate.  Scanned what I ate for breakfast and lunch so far......and um......yeah...I have been screwing myself.

Thanks for the amazing advice! I'm going to the gym......and do some damage!

 
Dolf

Dolf

Moderator

: ) I see it all the time sharon. If you don't track you don't really know for sure. Most cases are guys looking to bulk, and claiming they're eating 4000 calories per day, but can't gain weight. Once they start tracking they find they were only eating 2000 per day. 

This app will help you know exactly how many carbs, protein, and fats your eating as well as sodium. Now you'll be able to manipulate carbs and protein to find your sweet spot. Sam gave you some excellent info above about timing your macros. The trick is finding what you respond to best. In the words of GI Joe...now you know, and knowing is half the battle. 

 
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swolesam

Member

sharon - Fasting glucose of 83 is good. But, ha1c of 6.4 is NOT pretty damn good. Just so you know, ha1c 5.4-6.4 reading are pre-diabetic. So you're reading is on the high end of pre-diabetic. Thats something to look out for with sugar metabolism. So 1st suggestion is to look into sugar metabolism supplements & completely avoid sugars completely in your diet, not even fruits. Bare minimum to function, thats it.

Now, when your doctor says to you "thyroid is normal", feel free to bodyslam his ass! I can show you many cases of mild hypothyroidism where the lab numbers are within "normal" range YET it doesnt mean its "normal" especially when you are looking to "finessing" your physique and not just to be normal. Shit, i know guys who go to the doctor and get a Total Testosterone reading of "300" (granted their ages range from 22-35), and the doc says its perfectly normal. Please! They say that because its above the normal baseline (Example 240-1100). But the normal baseline (low end = 240) means you are suffering from EVERY low testosterone symptom under the sun yet the doc will send you home saying its normal even if its 241. Ridiculous & true!

If you are comfortable sharing the TSH, free & Total T4, and free & Total T3, these numbers can tell me ALOT about the thyroid activity and whether you need to optimize it or just leave it alone.

 
calmb4dastorm

calmb4dastorm

Moderator

Are so fucking awesome! Women in general tend to store fat. Our bodies are designed and equipment to carry life inside of it which accounts for the fact that we naturally have more bofyfat as opposed to muscle because during pregnancy the fetus utilizes those stores of fat and nutrients taken in by the mother do that it thrives. In my experience for a woman beginning this type of journey, the process of changing lifestyle diet needs to be done slowly do the body can adapt to the difference in the changes of nutrient intake. To completely deprive that body of carbs all at once is not a good thing. Slow and steady wins the race. Sharon, in our talks, I find that you want overnight results and it simply does not work that way. The anabolic you are on is a tool designed to give you an advantage in burning fat. The proceses have to be tweaked until you get yourself dialed in. Patience is a virtue that you must learn to possess on this journey. It is trial and error. We support you in this. Tweak the diet, but don't cold turkey anything as you are still a woman who menses. Your estrogen levels are fluctuating since you have begun your cycle. It sounds like you may have an increase in estrogen....my battery is dying so I will continue this tomorrow...

 
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swolesam

Member

oh, 4.6 LOL yes, that makes the diff. In this case, you are g2g as far as sugar metabolism goes.

Most docs ask for TSH to be done without T3, T4 which is retarded. Without seeing your free & Total T3 , T4, you cant tell anything. its like getting LH hormone number without getting total & free Testosterone, makes no sense.

You might want to go for a thyroid panel blood draw, prob 1 vial draw, no biggie.

 
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swolesam

Member

+1 Dolf. Priceless advice my brother. I just downloaded the My fitness pal app and used the barcode feature to scan in most of my food intake for the day. AWESOME shit. But, it seems to only give me the calories unless i pay for premium, FUCK paid apps. I searched some more, and came across Live Strong Tracker. I punched in all my foods again using barcode scanner (they support the same barcode reader feature), and this one for free gives me 1) total (with breakdown) of Fats, Carbs, Proteins 2) % in a pie chart of the 3. AWESOME!!!!!!

 
B

Burrr

Guest

myfitnesspal.com is anothe great macro/ kcal tracker

As suggested by Dolf above^^^^

 

 
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