Kathybird's Transformation Challenge Thread

[Kathybird]

Pics to be submitted tonight, I need a paper.

Current stats:

5 feet
180 lbs
No idea what BF is (don't think I wanna know)

Workout plan, got this off a site somewhere:

5x5
M, W, F
how much weight TBD, I think 40 lbs. Was doing 30 lbs with about half of these exercises twice a week while I was running, 3x12.

* Monday: Bench press, bent-over rows, squat and deadlift

* Wednesday: Weighted dips, weighted chin-ups, deadlift and hanging leg raises (just 2 sets of 5 reps for the leg raises)

* Friday: incline bench press, front squat, glute/hamstring raise; renegade row (with dumbbells or kettlebells), and saxon sidebends

* interspersed: running HITT format - not 5 or 10 K, more short sprints (starting out at .5 miles walking, .25 running hard, .25 walking faster, .25 running hard, etc. Did 2 miles that way yesterday) Frequency TBD.


I have made a nutritionist friend. He suggested laying off the weights unless it's fast bursts of lighter weights (i.e. HITT) if I'm looking to shed (a.k.a. can't bulk and cut at the same time idea). I may switch over to that if I find I'm over-hungry or stiffening up after workouts or the day after workouts.

Food: Starting out 30/50/20. Will work it to lower the carbs along the way. Currently eating more than 2000 cals, but that's what I'll start at and work it down to 1800.

Yesterday's workout: 40 minutes TM, alternating quarter miles between hard running (at this point "hard running" for me is 4.5 to 5 mph) and moderate walking (3.2 mph). (I'm 5 feet. My legs are short.) 15 minutes moderate elliptical. 5 mins cooldown on TM.

[Flathead]

Alright girl, get after it. Will be checking in.

[Kathybird]

Oh, other people posted goals. Do I have a goal? Losing weight. Well... the whole bulking/cutting thing. I have to figure that one out. Biggest one is being healthier.

My new nutritionist friend took one look at the belly and said lose the carbs. Especially sugar. Sugar? Not so hard, except for the coffee. He gave me several speeches about what I should be doing, which echoed a lot of what I've been reading except for the exercise regimen. And pointed out several things I have issues with just by looking at me. He does triathalons and marathon biking. Was a former bodybuilder in his 30s and 40s but apparently blew something out and his joints ain't what they used to be. Wasn't too gung ho on the weight lifting for me. But I like it. I just have to find a happy medium... cutting while not losing strength is the BB angle.

Oh... BTW. He's 68.

[Kathybird]

6:30. So far, 27/43/30. Have to get the fat down. Who knew eggs were so fatty?

[carmineb]

looking forward to watching your transformation I am going to sign up too, just dont have the ballz yet, I think they either shrunk or wife took em and is saving them for some special occassion, unbenounced to me. lol she is always taking my shit.

good luck Kathy..

[Kathybird]

Workout:
warmup 5 mins on elliptical

5x5
40 lbs all around except where noted:

bench press
bent rows
stiff legged deadlifts
squats

crunches - about 100 (lost count, friggin ipod button locked up)
side bends - 5x5 with 10 lb dumbbells in each hand
calf raises - 5x 18 and 20

Food: only at 1000 cals today, but I'm really full. 25P/43C/33F
... thats' the right order, right? P/C/F??? Keep forgetting.
Carbs are below 50 which is good, have to get the protein up.

Whoops. Did Monday's workout.

[Kathybird]

Damn I keep forgetting a newspaper.

[Built]

kathybird, your male, endurance-training, nutritionist friend, the one who said to lay off the weights - has he ever been fat?

[Kathybird]

kathybird, your male, endurance-training, nutritionist friend, the one who said to lay off the weights - has he ever been fat?

Hehe. Nope. He's got a little belly he purposely puts on for his ultras. It disappears by the end of two of them.

[Kathybird]

Ooooo Zone bars. Carbs, but with protein. Score!

[Built]

6:30. So far, 27/43/30. Have to get the fat down. Who knew eggs were so fatty?

Why do you need to get the fat down, Kathy? Are these percentages? What total calories are you trying to run, and who set up your diet for you?

[Curt James]

Will be following along!

[theCaptn']

subbed in for my CT bearch!

[Kathybird]

Why do you need to get the fat down, Kathy? Are these percentages? What total calories are you trying to run, and who set up your diet for you?

Nah, I'm going off of "decent average healthy intake" for the percentages. According to a bunch of places, books, websites, fatsecret.com, etc etc. I've been tracking off and on with that site (fat secret - has a phone app ) and when I don't watch it at all I'm heavy on the carbs. The fat I want to get down to at least below 30 percent because of the post-gallbladder issues. Indigestion, gas, bloating. My mom had hers out and she exists on grilled chicken and broccoli, luna bars and carrot sticks. Swear to god. She's OCD about it. But she beat the no-gallbladder problems she had.

Nobody set up my diet. I'm still following your original suggestion of higher protein (I do feel better, more energy) and some semblance of the south beach diet. After trying various stuff over time, I'm trying to put together the elements that work for me.

[Built]

Do you no longer have a gallbladder, Kathy?

Regardless, please ditch the notion of percentages - they fall apart when you reduce caloric intake. Get used to the notion of lbm-targeted macronutrient dosing.

In your case, if we are to assume you're carrying 100-120 lbs of lean mass (120 lbs is more lean mass than I carry at 5'7" so it's really a high-end limit for you), a target for fat intake would be 50-60g daily. Protein targets would be 100-240g (quite a range, hey?) and for carbs, there is no target other than "don't exceed your target calories".

Avoid the fuck out of anything containing more than traces of fructose. This means no juice, no pop, nothing sweetened with sucrose or honey and limit your fruit consumption to berries and other low-sugar fruits. I say this because it will make you hungry and promote the lipogenesis that got you into this mess. Let's get you out of it, okay?

• Do you happen to know what your maintenance calories are?
• What time of day do you train? How often and what type?
• When are you at your hungriest - AM, mid-day or PM?
• What foods do you crave - sweets, or fatty savories?
• Are you on any medications?

[Hubauer]

Avoid the fuck out of anything containing more than traces of fructose.

This is why we love you Built, such an honest straight-forward woman!

[Little Wing]

i just figured out how to subscribe to a thread. .

[Kathybird]

Do you no longer have a gallbladder, Kathy?

Nope. Gone. Buh-bye.

Regardless, please ditch the notion of percentages - they fall apart when you reduce caloric intake. Get used to the notion of lbm-targeted macronutrient dosing.

In your case, if we are to assume you're carrying 100-120 lbs of lean mass (120 lbs is more lean mass than I carry at 5'7" so it's really a high-end limit for you), a target for fat intake would be 50-60g daily. Protein targets would be 100-240g (quite a range, hey?) and for carbs, there is no target other than "don't exceed your target calories".

Uh... huh?

Avoid the fuck out of anything containing more than traces of fructose. This means no juice, no pop, nothing sweetened with sucrose or honey and limit your fruit consumption to berries and other low-sugar fruits. I say this because it will make you hungry and promote the lipogenesis that got you into this mess. Let's get you out of it, okay?

Gotcha. Almost there. WTF is lipogenesis? And oh. I like berries And godDAMN sugar is addicting. Two days of OH MY GOD I WANT A F&*KING COOKIE. Sucked. ... did I just do a somewhat Atkins type break in?

• Do you happen to know what your maintenance calories are? Hm. Something like 2300 to 2500. I'm trying to really stick to the 2000 a day to see what happens.
• What time of day do you train? How often and what type? Generally in the evening. Kid is done dinner and homework, plopped in front of the tube, with instructions not to bug mommy until the show is done (an hour. More if she thinks she's playing me for more TV time). What kind varies - I alternate between running (the heavy chick version of running), elliptical, and weights. For the past few months it's been heavy running and not so much else. I've recently switched to elliptical with weights. Honestly I've usually done what my body seemed to want that night. I think one of my issues is that I've not stuck to a hard and fast routine, do this this day and that that day. I have, on occasion, hit the treadmill for longer runs during the early afternoon.

• When are you at your hungriest - AM, mid-day or PM? Oh definitely afternoon into evening.
• What foods do you crave - sweets, or fatty savories? Carbs. It used to be a certain level of sugar, but I believe I have finally licked that. ANY kind of carbs. Actually, I have a lot of problems falling asleep if I do not eat carbs before bed. It's pretty bad. I've not slept well the past few days with the low level of carbs. If you want a type of carb, I guess I'd say more sugar. If there is cheesecake anywhere near me it's in danger.
• Are you on any medications? Acebutolol, a BP med. It lowers the heart rate so as to reduce tension on the blood vessels. I actually really try to take it before a workout as a. I can do more and b. those "lifting headaches" kind of worry me with my BP.

i just figured out how to subscribe to a thread. .

he he.

[Built]

If your maintenance is 2300 a day, you will drop half a pound a week on 2000. But let's leave it there for now.

Cardio will not do much to help you get the weight off; it tends to overstimulate appetite in women and usually isn't worth the bother for this reason. I'm not saying don't do any, nor that it won't contribute to the effort, but it's not something to depend upon. I basically imagine that exercise burns nothing - that way I know to focus on my diet if I want to drop anything.

Not so hungry in the AM, train in the evening, don't sleep well without some carbs. That's easy: how about you go very low carb through the day, then have your last meal closer to bedtime, with something like a steak, broccoli with butter and a potato or a sweet potato - eat this after your workout. Could this work for you?

Also, for a cheesecake sub, try this: puree cottage cheese with splenda and some cocoa, drop of vanilla. Top it with thawed frozen raspberries that have been sweetened with splenda to taste. It's a huge hit of protein, but it tastes like a dessert and if you end your dinner with that, you'll feel really, really FULL - and fed.

Raspberries are loaded with fibre, antioxidants and flavour - and have very little fructose.

You will have had some nice carb from the starchy potato or sweet potato (you could have rice, bread, polenta or noodles too but potatoes are way more satiating than any other starch you could eat), a nice, big, FILLING meal and now, a dessert that tastes like cheesecake but doesn't mess you up.

Try that.

What time could you postpone eating until if you didn't eat breakfast right away? Could you wait a while, or are you starving in the AM?

And could you try only eating three times a day instead of multiple meals and snacks? Same calories, but fewer, and larger, meals.

And those shakes - no more shakes by themselves, but I'd like you to try having a low-carb shake mixed with water before each of your three meals. You might be amazed at how well this controls your appetite.

You taking any fish oil? If not, please take three or four with each of your three meals - I'd like you to get in 10g of fish oil daily.

With your evening meal, I'd like you to take 5g of creatine monohydrate with your shake; it'll help you process the carbs.

Re your workouts: do you have a place to lift heavy weights - squats, deadlifts, stuff like that?

[Kathybird]

If your maintenance is 2300 a day, you will drop half a pound a week on 2000. But let's leave it there for now.

Cardio will not do much to help you get the weight off; it tends to overstimulate appetite in women and usually isn't worth the bother for this reason. I'm not saying don't do any, nor that it won't contribute to the effort, but it's not something to depend upon. I basically imagine that exercise burns nothing - that way I know to focus on my diet if I want to drop anything.

I've been thinking that myself for a while now, about the exercise not meaning much AFA weight (like with dogs) but it takes me time to adjust action to thought. What I love, and have always, is the runners high. I get it more from cardio than weights. I feel good with the weight lifting, yeah, but that drug-like high is just cool.

Not so hungry in the AM, train in the evening, don't sleep well without some carbs. That's easy: how about you go very low carb through the day, then have your last meal closer to bedtime, with something like a steak, broccoli with butter and a potato or a sweet potato - eat this after your workout. Could this work for you?

Also, for a cheesecake sub, try this: puree cottage cheese with splenda and some cocoa, drop of vanilla. Top it with thawed frozen raspberries that have been sweetened with splenda to taste. It's a huge hit of protein, but it tastes like a dessert and if you end your dinner with that, you'll feel really, really FULL - and fed.

Those are great!

Raspberries are loaded with fibre, antioxidants and flavour - and have very little fructose.

You will have had some nice carb from the starchy potato or sweet potato (you could have rice, bread, polenta or noodles too but potatoes are way more satiating than any other starch you could eat), a nice, big, FILLING meal and now, a dessert that tastes like cheesecake but doesn't mess you up.

Try that.

What time could you postpone eating until if you didn't eat breakfast right away? Could you wait a while, or are you starving in the AM?

And could you try only eating three times a day instead of multiple meals and snacks? Same calories, but fewer, and larger, meals.

And those shakes - no more shakes by themselves, but I'd like you to try having a low-carb shake mixed with water before each of your three meals. You might be amazed at how well this controls your appetite.

Now can I fiddle with this? I don't like the feeling of filling up and emptying out - that's what was going on with the gall bladder crap, while it was still in me and after the surgery. I can do "largish" meals but when I'm truly hungry for them. I seem to do better when I eat sort of before i"m hungry. If I graze, don't let myself get too hungry then I won't eff up. If I'm starving (add a pissy child, being late for an appointment and a pissy husband) I don't give a shit what goes in my mouth so long as it gives me the energy shot I"m looking for. And sugar is the optimal fast-energy drug there.

The breakfast question? I can possibly postpone until 2 p.m. on weekdays. (Weekends are a bitch, that's another story....) I get up at 7, get child out door, come back and have some breakfast, like cereal, or 2 hardboiled eggs, then pass out until anywhere from 11:30 until 2. But I"m up until 2 a.m., actually lately more like 4 or 5 because of the carb thing. What I can do is take the hubby's colonix. (Gee, thought my status comment was BS? ) We both like it, I'll mix a scoop into juice of some kind and that's breakfast, say, once a month for the fiber. I could start doing it everyday, fills me up, I'd just have to swap juice for something else, milk... maybe with a protein scoop? Hm. Whaddya think?


You taking any fish oil? If not, please take three or four with each of your three meals - I'd like you to get in 10g of fish oil daily.

With your evening meal, I'd like you to take 5g of creatine monohydrate with your shake; it'll help you process the carbs.

Check, can do that. Got both. Been intermittant with the fish oil.

Re your workouts: do you have a place to lift heavy weights - squats, deadlifts, stuff like that?

Yup. Back porch. Don't have a rack or anything though. Me and the floor. Occasionally with a canine audience. But they just refuse to spot me. Oh i do have a bench with a place to put the bar for bench presses.

...

[Kathybird]

Not so hungry in the AM, train in the evening, don't sleep well without some carbs. That's easy: how about you go very low carb through the day, then have your last meal closer to bedtime, with something like a steak, broccoli with butter and a potato or a sweet potato - eat this after your workout. Could this work for you?

OK NOW I can plug in numbers. Um... should I still go for a ratio with those gram amts you suggested?

eggs eggs eggs... zone bars... chicken... cottage cheese with fruit n jello MMMM.... more like that, gotta remember veggies... then workout... then that meal.

Yup. Doable.

[Kathybird]

How do we feel about diet caffeine free soda?

[Built]

Okay good. What time do you intend to eat your three meals?

Hmmm. Maybe this will help you. I'll describe a typical day for myself.

7AM: wake up, caffeine, no food.
10AM: protein shake (30g protein) in water, 5 fish oil caps and my fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E). One half a tin of tuna, 3/4 cup of cottage cheese and a small avocado (or a half a large one; basically about 3-4 ounces of avocado flesh).

3:PM Protein shake, the rest of my fish oil caps, and the same meal I had at ten. Possibly some meat if I'm still hungry (leftover from whatever I ate last night).


7PM Training days: if I'm hungry, I'll have a small shake and some caffeine and ephedrine if I'm taking it, then go work out.

9PM Training or not: protein shake and the rest of my vitamins/supplements while I make dinner, which could be a nice big steak panfried in butter or bacon grease, green beans with butter, a sweet or a regular potato (also with butter and or sour cream), a cup or so of lowfat Greek (OR very high fat , 10% yogurt depending on my mood and calorie-allowance) yogurt with berries and splenda for dessert, along with some walnuts for extra fat if I had the lowfat yogurt (the lowfat yogurt has more protein and I use that one if I'm struggling with appetite).

11:30 Bedtime: Lindt chocolate, a few squares of the good dark stuff.

[Built]

How do we feel about diet caffeine free soda?

Okay, I guess. With caffeine would be better, unless you can't handle caffeine very well. I'm a big fan of caffeine, myself.

[Kathybird]

Hm. That's not horrible for me. (Except for tuna at 10 a.m. Bleh.) How bout I shift some of that 7 p.m. big meal to the 10 and 3 meals?

Wait lemme think about this.

Time ... 2... uh... then 5 or 6... workout time is 7:30... then meal... wait. I need a fourth meal. Can I hang onto some of the third meal (let's say it's 8:30 or 9-ish) and eat it later (as I sit here at 2 a.m. at the computer eating fiber crackers and yogurt so I'll sleep)?

It's all about arranging one's day isn't it?

Okay good. What time do you intend to eat your three meals?

Hmmm. Maybe this will help you. I'll describe a typical day for myself.

7AM: wake up, caffeine, no food.
10AM: protein shake (30g protein) in water, 5 fish oil caps and my fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E). One half a tin of tuna, 3/4 cup of cottage cheese and a small avocado (or a half a large one; basically about 3-4 ounces of avocado flesh).

3:PM Protein shake, the rest of my fish oil caps, and the same meal I had at ten. Possibly some meat if I'm still hungry (leftover from whatever I ate last night).


7PM Training days: if I'm hungry, I'll have a small shake and some caffeine and ephedrine if I'm taking it, then go work out.

9PM Training or not: protein shake and the rest of my vitamins/supplements while I make dinner, which could be a nice big steak panfried in butter or bacon grease, green beans with butter, a sweet or a regular potato (also with butter and or sour cream), a cup or so of lowfat Greek (OR very high fat , 10% yogurt depending on my mood and calorie-allowance) yogurt with berries and splenda for dessert, along with some walnuts for extra fat if I had the lowfat yogurt (the lowfat yogurt has more protein and I use that one if I'm struggling with appetite).

11:30 Bedtime: Lindt chocolate, a few squares of the good dark stuff.

[Kathybird]

Oh I like caffeine, but it's a vasoconstrictor and my doc wants me to cut it out completely. That just ain't gonna happen. But I can limit it to one cup in the morning and the diet caffeine free is an occasional alternative to water.

[Built]

Hm. That's not horrible for me. (Except for tuna at 10 a.m. Bleh.) How bout I shift some of that 7 p.m. big meal to the 10 and 3 meals?

You could totally do that. You like to eat later on though; this arrangement lets you eat a big feast in the evening. But it's entirely up to you.

What would you prefer to eat for breakfast - eggs? Hubby does that, five eggs scrambled in butter, with cheese. Fills him up. You could try a shake and three or four eggs if you like. Or a shake and some chicken or fish; perhaps with some avocado - avocados are very filling.

Wait lemme think about this.

Time ... 2... uh... then 5 or 6... workout time is 7:30... then meal... wait. I need a fourth meal.

why do you need a fourth meal? Why not just have a shake, then train - and have another shake before your supper? That way you get a bigger supper. But again, it's entirely up to you. Most folks find fewer, larger meals more filling and satisfying than multiple small meals so I was trying to make this more comfortable for you.

Can I hang onto some of the third meal (let's say it's 8:30 or 9-ish) and eat it later (as I sit here at 2 a.m. at the computer eating fiber crackers and yogurt so I'll sleep)?

You might find you don't need it if you've eaten a nice big supper late enough in the evening. I was shocked when I switched over.

It's all about arranging one's day isn't it?

Yes.

Oh I like caffeine, but it's a vasoconstrictor and my doc wants me to cut it out completely. That just ain't gonna happen. But I can limit it to one cup in the morning and the diet caffeine free is an occasional alternative to water.

I don't care what you drink; as long as there's no sugar in it. I mean, why would anyone think it mattered?

[Built]

BTW don't wait too long between the shake and the solid meal; the shake is a "preload", and it normalizes insulin while setting you up to feel fuller earlier and stay fuller longer from your meal. It's not a substitute for a meal, and it's not a snack.

[Kathybird]

BTW don't wait too long between the shake and the solid meal; the shake is a "preload", and it normalizes insulin while setting you up to feel fuller earlier and stay fuller longer from your meal. It's not a substitute for a meal, and it's not a snack.

OK I gotcha. Just the powder in water. Kinda like the Sensa deal. Alrighty let's try this.

[Built]

Not quite; this is a preload. It works kinda like how the French have a soup before their meals, only cheaper, lower in calories, and not as delicious. Other than that, it's exactly the same.

I have found that even if I only get half of it down first, and sip the rest as I begin my meal it still seems to work.