Shaking my head in disappointment

[white wine]

Hi guys,
First of all, I haven't posted in a while and when I tried logging in the other day my account would not work (I couldn't login). there was no record of my email address and the only password I ever use was not working.

So although it looks like I'm a n00b, I've been lurking and very rarely posting. But I was compelled to post because I needed advice and or encouragement.

For the last several months, I've been attending regularly a local "boot camp". Although I have to wake up most weekdays at 5 AM for the 530 class I've enjoyed it and tried to work hard. We run every morning and I'm typically in the top three finishers of our runs. Again, I try to leave it all out there. I feel really good after. Ive been doing this for about 3 months.

Here's the discouraging part. I noticed very very subtle changes. Pants slightly loose...very light increase in muscle definition. Nothing to brag about. But I know these changes can take time so I keep at it.

Then Tuesday came...

I had applied previously for life insurance. I gave the underwriter my information including the fact that I have no health issues whatsoever.
Standard M.O. is to send a nurse out for urine and blood samples. No problem. But then the nurse places a scale down and ask me to stand on it.

I remove my shoes and empty my pockets (i'm only wearing sweats and a t-shirt). I step on the scale...249lbs.

Motherfucker!

2-4-9 lbs!!!

Since then, I haven't gone to bootcamp. The rationale has been that if I'm going to wake up at the crack of dawn and bust my ass, I expect more results. Now maybe I should be happy about the subtle changes I mentioned above but I'm pretty sure I did not weigh more than 250 lbs 3 months ago.

I just don't understand and its very disappointing and frustrating. I'm not a quitter but I feel like surrendering and throwing my hands up.

I don't think I'm going to go back to bootcamp. Although I enjoy the feeling after each workout, the cost I incur relative to the results is very disappointing. I think their workouts are effective (think insanity) but perhaps I need a new plan. I'm frustrated. so much so that I'm making this post. These bootcamp workouts are not easy but I do them as hard as I can and I try not to bitch and complain about them like the other participants. Its just disappointing to see that I weight 250lbs and based on my height BMI I could be denied insurance. Even if I'm not denied insurance, 250 lbs after all this work is infuriating.

Diet - nearly every morning I stop at whole foods and grab a banana, medium size bowl of fruit and bottle of carrot juice.
Lunch - pretty regular is rice, grilled chicken and mixed veggies
Dinner - pretty regularly a foot long subway - lots of veggies, no cheese.

I eat a fair amount of fruits and veggies. I guess I need to turn this up.

Anyhow...has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do you rebound? How do you overcome?

[BJ]

Originally Posted by white wine

Hi guys,
First of all, I haven't posted in a while and when I tried logging in the other day my account would not work (I couldn't login). there was no record of my email address and the only password I ever use was not working.

So although it looks like I'm a n00b, I've been lurking and very rarely posting. But I was compelled to post because I needed advice and or encouragement.

For the last several months, I've been attending regularly a local "boot camp". Although I have to wake up most weekdays at 5 AM for the 530 class I've enjoyed it and tried to work hard. We run every morning and I'm typically in the top three finishers of our runs. Again, I try to leave it all out there. I feel really good after. Ive been doing this for about 3 months.

Here's the discouraging part. I noticed very very subtle changes. Pants slightly loose...very light increase in muscle definition. Nothing to brag about. But I know these changes can take time so I keep at it.

Then Tuesday came...

I had applied previously for life insurance. I gave the underwriter my information including the fact that I have no health issues whatsoever.
Standard M.O. is to send a nurse out for urine and blood samples. No problem. But then the nurse places a scale down and ask me to stand on it.

I remove my shoes and empty my pockets (i'm only wearing sweats and a t-shirt). I step on the scale...249lbs.

Motherfucker!

2-4-9 lbs!!!

Since then, I haven't gone to bootcamp. The rationale has been that if I'm going to wake up at the crack of dawn and bust my ass, I expect more results. Now maybe I should be happy about the subtle changes I mentioned above but I'm pretty sure I did not weigh more than 250 lbs 3 months ago.

I just don't understand and its very disappointing and frustrating. I'm not a quitter but I feel like surrendering and throwing my hands up.

I don't think I'm going to go back to bootcamp. Although I enjoy the feeling after each workout, the cost I incur relative to the results is very disappointing. I think their workouts are effective (think insanity) but perhaps I need a new plan. I'm frustrated. so much so that I'm making this post. These bootcamp workouts are not easy but I do them as hard as I can and I try not to bitch and complain about them like the other participants. Its just disappointing to see that I weight 250lbs and based on my height BMI I could be denied insurance. Even if I'm not denied insurance, 250 lbs after all this work is infuriating.

Diet - nearly every morning I stop at whole foods and grab a banana, medium size bowl of fruit and bottle of carrot juice.
Lunch - pretty regular is rice, grilled chicken and mixed veggies
Dinner - pretty regularly a foot long subway - lots of veggies, no cheese.

I eat a fair amount of fruits and veggies. I guess I need to turn this up.

Anyhow...has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do you rebound? How do you overcome?

Diet is key. Try being super strict with logging your food (weigh it and everything) for a few weeks so you can understand exactly how "healthy" you are eating. You may be surprised.

Don't quit working out either... if not the bootcamp at least do something. Make sure it involves weight training - not just cardio

[Telecide]

Originally Posted by white wine

Hi guys,
First of all, I haven't posted in a while and when I tried logging in the other day my account would not work (I couldn't login). there was no record of my email address and the only password I ever use was not working.

So although it looks like I'm a n00b, I've been lurking and very rarely posting. But I was compelled to post because I needed advice and or encouragement.

For the last several months, I've been attending regularly a local "boot camp". Although I have to wake up most weekdays at 5 AM for the 530 class I've enjoyed it and tried to work hard. We run every morning and I'm typically in the top three finishers of our runs. Again, I try to leave it all out there. I feel really good after. Ive been doing this for about 3 months.

Here's the discouraging part. I noticed very very subtle changes. Pants slightly loose...very light increase in muscle definition. Nothing to brag about. But I know these changes can take time so I keep at it.

Then Tuesday came...

I had applied previously for life insurance. I gave the underwriter my information including the fact that I have no health issues whatsoever.
Standard M.O. is to send a nurse out for urine and blood samples. No problem. But then the nurse places a scale down and ask me to stand on it.

I remove my shoes and empty my pockets (i'm only wearing sweats and a t-shirt). I step on the scale...249lbs.

Motherfucker!

2-4-9 lbs!!!

Since then, I haven't gone to bootcamp. The rationale has been that if I'm going to wake up at the crack of dawn and bust my ass, I expect more results. Now maybe I should be happy about the subtle changes I mentioned above but I'm pretty sure I did not weigh more than 250 lbs 3 months ago.

I just don't understand and its very disappointing and frustrating. I'm not a quitter but I feel like surrendering and throwing my hands up.

I don't think I'm going to go back to bootcamp. Although I enjoy the feeling after each workout, the cost I incur relative to the results is very disappointing. I think their workouts are effective (think insanity) but perhaps I need a new plan. I'm frustrated. so much so that I'm making this post. These bootcamp workouts are not easy but I do them as hard as I can and I try not to bitch and complain about them like the other participants. Its just disappointing to see that I weight 250lbs and based on my height BMI I could be denied insurance. Even if I'm not denied insurance, 250 lbs after all this work is infuriating.

Diet - nearly every morning I stop at whole foods and grab a banana, medium size bowl of fruit and bottle of carrot juice.
Lunch - pretty regular is rice, grilled chicken and mixed veggies
Dinner - pretty regularly a foot long subway - lots of veggies, no cheese.

I eat a fair amount of fruits and veggies. I guess I need to turn this up.

Anyhow...has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do you rebound? How do you overcome?

Dude!... Ok, I totally get where you are coming from. I have told my scale to fuck off many times when it read an inexplicably high number, and speculated that my body holds the key to create matter from nothing. I've given the treadmill readout the finger in the gym when it told me my heart was cranked running at a modest pace.

My girlfriend, who has a harder time losing weight, has been in tears several times when she hasn't seen her hard work reflected in the scale readout.

I don't really know what to say except that it's just part of it, part of the process of dialing in what works. You get angry and frustrated, maybe punch something, but then instead of cutting off your nose to spite your face you sit down and think... reevaluate.

In your case, it doesn't really sound like you were actively tracking your weight so that number is essentially meaningless, since you can't see it on a continuum of weight loss or gain. Also, you said your pants were getting a little looser. This is a MUCH better indication of fat loss than your scale weight. If your pants are looser and you've gained weight, that's actually the ideal situation since that weight must have been muscle.

And if you're finishing top three in your runs, you really should keep it up. Cardio, in my experience at least, is hard to get up and degrades quickly when you stop. To be walking around with that high performance engine in you, and be capable of knocking out 1000 cals in a cardio session if your really want to is a huge asset.

I also agree with the weighing food idea. It's unlikely there is something mystical going on, so if you take a quantitative scientific approach the problem has to reveal itself eventually.

And one last thing. If you do give up, disgusted and frustrated with your current state, you will end up looking back at that same condition with nostalgia after months or years of neglecting your fitness.

Good luck! Don't give up!!

ps a whole subway sub is kind of a lot

[madamert]

Originally Posted by white wine

Hi guys,
First of all, I haven't posted in a while and when I tried logging in the other day my account would not work (I couldn't login). there was no record of my email address and the only password I ever use was not working.

So although it looks like I'm a n00b, I've been lurking and very rarely posting. But I was compelled to post because I needed advice and or encouragement.

For the last several months, I've been attending regularly a local "boot camp". Although I have to wake up most weekdays at 5 AM for the 530 class I've enjoyed it and tried to work hard. We run every morning and I'm typically in the top three finishers of our runs. Again, I try to leave it all out there. I feel really good after. Ive been doing this for about 3 months.

Here's the discouraging part. I noticed very very subtle changes. Pants slightly loose...very light increase in muscle definition. Nothing to brag about. But I know these changes can take time so I keep at it.

Then Tuesday came...

I had applied previously for life insurance. I gave the underwriter my information including the fact that I have no health issues whatsoever.
Standard M.O. is to send a nurse out for urine and blood samples. No problem. But then the nurse places a scale down and ask me to stand on it.

I remove my shoes and empty my pockets (i'm only wearing sweats and a t-shirt). I step on the scale...249lbs.

Motherfucker!

2-4-9 lbs!!!

Since then, I haven't gone to bootcamp. The rationale has been that if I'm going to wake up at the crack of dawn and bust my ass, I expect more results. Now maybe I should be happy about the subtle changes I mentioned above but I'm pretty sure I did not weigh more than 250 lbs 3 months ago.

I just don't understand and its very disappointing and frustrating. I'm not a quitter but I feel like surrendering and throwing my hands up.

I don't think I'm going to go back to bootcamp. Although I enjoy the feeling after each workout, the cost I incur relative to the results is very disappointing. I think their workouts are effective (think insanity) but perhaps I need a new plan. I'm frustrated. so much so that I'm making this post. These bootcamp workouts are not easy but I do them as hard as I can and I try not to bitch and complain about them like the other participants. Its just disappointing to see that I weight 250lbs and based on my height BMI I could be denied insurance. Even if I'm not denied insurance, 250 lbs after all this work is infuriating.

Diet - nearly every morning I stop at whole foods and grab a banana, medium size bowl of fruit and bottle of carrot juice.
Lunch - pretty regular is rice, grilled chicken and mixed veggies
Dinner - pretty regularly a foot long subway - lots of veggies, no cheese.

I eat a fair amount of fruits and veggies. I guess I need to turn this up.

Anyhow...has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do you rebound? How do you overcome?

The best advice that I was ever given was that you can't out work a bad diet. It all starts in the kitchen. You're either over eating or under-eating massively and have stalled out your metabolism.

The easiest solution would be to sign up with Mastover for a nutrition plan for a few months. Follow it religiously and be incredibly honest with yourself. You would be amazed at how many people think they are eating well and are in fact not.

The more challenging solution would be to read up in the beginner forums on nutrition here and then begin the slow process of learning how to tweak your nutrition to meet your goals. It's a long and sometime frustrating process, which I think you understand intimately.

[HevyMetal]

Don't forget that the more cardio you do, the better you get at it and your body becomes more efficient at doing cardio with less energy expended.

So the two-mile run for a noob (for example) is not the same as a two-mile run for a seasoned pro.

You can reach a point where you just get too damn good at cardio.

So you either have to keep increasing the volume of cardio ...or....increase the intensity.

But even if you increase the intensity you will at some point reach a "cardio plateau".

[jbivens]

Originally Posted by white wine

Diet - nearly every morning I stop at whole foods and grab a banana, medium size bowl of fruit and bottle of carrot juice.
Lunch - pretty regular is rice, grilled chicken and mixed veggies
Dinner - pretty regularly a foot long subway - lots of veggies, no cheese.

I eat a fair amount of fruits and veggies. I guess I need to turn this up.

Anyhow...has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do you rebound? How do you overcome?

There's your problem my friend. Your diet, while it appears to consist of healthy foods, is not effective for your goals. If you are looking to shed fat, you need to eat properly. Your entire AM meal is carbs. There are no healthy fats in your diet. There is nowhere near enough calories to support a man weighing 249 lbs. your body will not let go of fat when it isn't being fed properly. Like madamert said, it all starts in the kitchen.

Check out the stickies on nutrition. Google the Harris Benedict Formula to figure out how many calories you need to be eating to sustain fat loss. Alot of folks start with that number and work back to a 40-40-20 Protein-Carb-Fat ratio. Relentlessly track everything you eat. Try that for a few weeks and see how it goes. You can always adjust, but that is a good place to start.

Good luck.
JB

[FatLenny]

Originally Posted by jbivens

Relentlessly track everything you eat. Try that for a few weeks and see how it goes.

My exact strategy... and it got me almost 140 pounds lighter.

..oh yeah, it doesn't just start in the kitchen. It ends there, too. In fact, the most effective fat loss programs belong in the kitchen with some fun exercise stuff thrown in there to facilitate the well planned nutrition.

Go read the stickies. You'll be glad you did.

[crazy banana]

Originally Posted by white wine

Hi guys,
First of all, I haven't posted in a while and when I tried logging in the other day my account would not work (I couldn't login). there was no record of my email address and the only password I ever use was not working.

So although it looks like I'm a n00b, I've been lurking and very rarely posting. But I was compelled to post because I needed advice and or encouragement.

For the last several months, I've been attending regularly a local "boot camp". Although I have to wake up most weekdays at 5 AM for the 530 class I've enjoyed it and tried to work hard. We run every morning and I'm typically in the top three finishers of our runs. Again, I try to leave it all out there. I feel really good after. Ive been doing this for about 3 months.

Here's the discouraging part. I noticed very very subtle changes. Pants slightly loose...very light increase in muscle definition. Nothing to brag about. But I know these changes can take time so I keep at it.

Then Tuesday came...

I had applied previously for life insurance. I gave the underwriter my information including the fact that I have no health issues whatsoever.
Standard M.O. is to send a nurse out for urine and blood samples. No problem. But then the nurse places a scale down and ask me to stand on it.

I remove my shoes and empty my pockets (i'm only wearing sweats and a t-shirt). I step on the scale...249lbs.

Motherfucker!

2-4-9 lbs!!!

Since then, I haven't gone to bootcamp. The rationale has been that if I'm going to wake up at the crack of dawn and bust my ass, I expect more results. Now maybe I should be happy about the subtle changes I mentioned above but I'm pretty sure I did not weigh more than 250 lbs 3 months ago.

I just don't understand and its very disappointing and frustrating. I'm not a quitter but I feel like surrendering and throwing my hands up.

I don't think I'm going to go back to bootcamp. Although I enjoy the feeling after each workout, the cost I incur relative to the results is very disappointing. I think their workouts are effective (think insanity) but perhaps I need a new plan. I'm frustrated. so much so that I'm making this post. These bootcamp workouts are not easy but I do them as hard as I can and I try not to bitch and complain about them like the other participants. Its just disappointing to see that I weight 250lbs and based on my height BMI I could be denied insurance. Even if I'm not denied insurance, 250 lbs after all this work is infuriating.

Diet - nearly every morning I stop at whole foods and grab a banana, medium size bowl of fruit and bottle of carrot juice.
Lunch - pretty regular is rice, grilled chicken and mixed veggies
Dinner - pretty regularly a foot long subway - lots of veggies, no cheese.

I eat a fair amount of fruits and veggies. I guess I need to turn this up.

Anyhow...has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do you rebound? How do you overcome?

Hey white wine. I kind of disagree with your diet. Fruit is good for you, but there is still a lot of sugar in it. Sugar spikes insulen (I don't know if that's spelt correctly, I suck at spelling). Doing this causes the body to hold on to fat. You're basically starting your day off with all sugar...You need to start the day off with fats and protein. If you're trying to lose weight, I would lose the rice. As far as dinner, again, bread is loaded with carbs, carbs convert to sugar, sugar spikes insulen. Also, there are better options than cold cuts, since most cold cuts are heavily processed. I would keep your fruit servings to two a day.

IME a low carb, no grain, low dairy diet is the best way to go, especially for fat loss. Do some strength training, followed by cardio for about 20 minutes. When you're lifting, pick the weight up. No machines. Once you burn through the carbs from lifting, when you are doing cardio your body will be burning fat for energy instead of carbs.

You will see results. Good luck. Take numbers before you start what ever you decide.

[white wine]

I apologize for having not replied but thank you for the information. I see it's been nearly a month since I first posted. I haven't worked out in that time. My diet hasn't been great. But I'm okay with that. It has been better for me to not workout and eat poorly than to workout, try to eat well and still end up a fat fuck.

In the past month I renovated my house (new carpet/HW flooring/kitchen cabinents and appliances.) Knowing that I had these projects in front of me, I contacted Avram and ordered up a nutrition and workout plan. I've spent the last few weeks going over it and practicing the meal plan a few times throughout the week. Today has been a successful day one of officially being on the plan. In fact I'm getting ready for the workout in an hour. I don't know how often I'd update this post but I appreciate the information. I feel revitalied and am ready to go. That's never been a problem though. Sustaining it is where I fail. We'll see though...

[raptor]

Aram's program works great, stick with it and you'll see some amazing results.

I'm currently restarting a nutrition plan he did for me back in January and already am feeling better.

[Azure]

If you don't want to follow a strict program, as some people hate counting calories, it is possible to lose weight by simply just eating healthy. Lots of lean meats, fruits and vegetables....and you're good to go. Its not complicated.

But, there are programs that can also help you. Mastover is a great person to talk to. Fellow member on here.

[RManjura]

You haven't been lurking like I have been lurking.

[mastover]

Originally Posted by crazy banana

Hey white wine. I kind of disagree with your diet. Fruit is good for you, but there is still a lot of sugar in it. Sugar spikes insulen (I don't know if that's spelt correctly, I suck at spelling). Doing this causes the body to hold on to fat. You're basically starting your day off with all sugar...You need to start the day off with fats and protein. If you're trying to lose weight, I would lose the rice. As far as dinner, again, bread is loaded with carbs, carbs convert to sugar, sugar spikes insulen. Also, there are better options than cold cuts, since most cold cuts are heavily processed. I would keep your fruit servings to two a day.

IME a low carb, no grain, low dairy diet is the best way to go, especially for fat loss. Do some strength training, followed by cardio for about 20 minutes. When you're lifting, pick the weight up. No machines. Once you burn through the carbs from lifting, when you are doing cardio your body will be burning fat for energy instead of carbs.

You will see results. Good luck. Take numbers before you start what ever you decide.

I disagree with all your nutritional suggestions. JMHO.

With the extensive research out there today, not to mention what I have experienced personally... along with hundreds of clients over 25+ years, I am amazed people actually believe in all the fallacies with fruit, starchy carbs, insulin secretion, carb and meal timing, and carbs as a lethal enemy for fat loss.

[RaycaII]

Originally Posted by mastover

I disagree with all your nutritional suggestions. JMHO.

With the extensive research out there today, not to mention what I have experienced personally... along with hundreds of clients over 25+ years, I am amazed people actually believe in all the fallacies with fruit, starchy carbs, insulin secretion, carb and meal timing, and carbs as a lethal enemy for fat loss.

I'm sure glad you said that. I don't get the fascination with the current trend and not eating carbs or very few or rice, potatoes are bad for you. I don't see how anyone can lift weights or do any kind of HIIT program w/out much carbs. I'll admit, I did try it and I'm still suffering 8 months later trying to get my endurance back on track. It really wiped me out.