Day 150 – Thoughts on nutrition and metabolism

Wow! look how far you have come!

Hi Lilla,

I remember 1 time I lost weight with obsessing about calories, it was the BFL challenge in 2000. I never counted a single calorie the whole 12 weeks (in fact I barely knew what a calorie was). I also ate a ton of starchy carbs during this Challenge.

Getting our nutrition right is hugely important of course but I have a strong belief that there are other factors that also play a major role in “physique transformation”.

I think under “pressure situations” there is a big temptation to cut calories to very low levels or try “experiments” which can backfire and “mess up” metabolism if cals are too low for too long. I think Tom Venuto said it best when he said “if you need to be in shape 12 weeks out, start “cutting” 16 weeks out and arrive at your goal ahead of schedule”.

Correction “without obsessing about calories”

Hi Lilla,
I am a regular reader of your blog, but this is the first time I have left a comment. Here is a link to an article written by Tom Venuto about calories, http://www.freedomfly.net/Articles/Nutrition/nutrition14.htm
at the bottom of the article there is a link to download a calorie calculator in Excel format, you can then add in your details and it will give you the number of calories you should be consuming. Hope this helps!

P.S. I think you are doing a fabulous job, I love the new layout of your blog, and I think your videos are awesome. Keep up the great work.

The link didn’t post correctly, here it is again- http:// http://www.freedomfly.net/Articles/ Nutrition/nutrition14.htm

without the spaces – you’ll have to type it in.

Hi Lilla, some may not believe this but I have yet to “count” a calorie my whole weight lose journey. when I was following Metabolic Surge program I tried to follow his meal plan for a woman at 160 lbs but not to the letter, but pretty close. I think that is the closest I have come to counting calories. I try to eat mostly healthy foods and for sure eat when I am hungry. I think most of the time for me was to make sure I stay away from “empty” caloried foods as I think that is when I have plateaued during this whole time.

Hi Lilla, i just spent the last 2weeks taking my calories up to around 2000 and did no cardio. This week I’ve dropped then, hit the cardio with my new program and training hard. I already feel so good. I haven’t weighed myself but I think it helps to prime the metabolism with good clean eating then hitting hard. i think your 1000 cals are too low. I know you do the TT and thats got to be quite challenging. As BFFM says its better to have the cals and use exercise to be in deficit. You need your energy. Having said that I don’t count calories exactly(too labour intensive!)but I have a fair idea of what I consume and how much it should be. They just don’t always go hand in hand. Now I don’t know where I’m going with this so I’ll leave it there.
P.s. you really do look like you know what your doing and maybe 1000cals sits well with you. Look strong and buff.
Bec

That was supposed to say you look strong and buff (and you can wear a bikini.)
Bec

First, I think that when people say they don’t count calories they aren’t being entirely truthful. Remember what Tom said during his interview with Adam? When we do our meal plan we are counting our calories. It just happens naturally. People might not know the actual number of calories they eat, but by watching their portion sizes and eating “right” they are counting calories.

With that said, I am now a big believer in eating the right things, but increasing your calories. I had the best results I’ve ever had the past 3 weeks and I was taking in 3000 calories or more each and every day. If you slowly up your calories to maintenance level and you continue to make smart nutritional choices, you won’t gain fat by hitting that maintenance level. At the same time, in order to get big you have to eat big. With those extra muscles comes an increase in metabolism. It just works to eat higher calories.

I’m not counting calories at the moment. I find getting obsessed with achieving a number, be it carbs, protein, fats or total calories makes it all too difficult. My nutrition at the moment is simple to work out, gives me adequate protein, fats and supplies carbs at the right time (when I’m training).

I agree with Adam that there are more important factors involved.

Wow – you have certainly come a long way. You look very different – the top of your head has grown back as well

I’ve never lost weight without putting some energy into it. But, I did lose my first 25 lbs from before the first group shred while just trying not to eat junk food and eat slowly. But I think that it was because I had a lot weight to lose. It’s kind of easier to do it that way. I thought a person isn’t supposed to eat under 1200 calories a day. I have no idea where I get that number, but it’s like ingrained in my head just like the planets in order from the sun.

Your time machine photo really shows your progress. I like the cute braids in your headless photo.

Hi Lilla. You have come a long way on your transformation. Look at how much larger you were in your stomach.

I don’t know the right answer on the calories. Tom V. does state that the energy deficit is what makes it all happen, whether it comes from nutrition or exercise, or both.

I got in on the tail end of this discussion, but wanted to say that I believe age has so much to do with things. All things in my life are equal more or less, but now I gain so easily. I did the same lots of exercise, have always eaten well, good health always, and now I gain, before I did not. Age is the difference. I will tell all you young chickens, to take advantage of age, as it´s the pits as time goes by. Just look at your mothers and aunts and some friends who are huge. Not easy to get older, and getting fat comes with the package if you don´t FIGHT and hard.
Lynda

Hi Lilla, I used to post comments on Adam’s blog, and I’ve been a follower from you all. Fist of all, you’re looking great, very thin and with a flat stomach. Deffenetly lower bf%. Personally I think that you can increase the weights you use (you’re using TT, and I think it uses the body weight which is hard enough) but now it’s time for you to gain some muscle mass.. you’re a very small person and you’re calories must be low, but I think that the plateau comes because they are really low right now.. you’re body feels it has no need to expend more energy.. perhaps you’ll feel you are gaining a little more fat at the beginning or more size, if you increase body mass and calorie intake but hey, after that, you’re gonna get a beautiful ripped body.. anyway, the most important part right now is that you’ve achieved great results and you’re looking great in those bikinis, so congratulations.
Celina

Wow! So many great comments and welcome Jodie and Celina! I’ll respond some more in today’s post.