Day 151 – Definition of "lila" is my life philosophy

Thank you everyone for all your wonderful input on yesterday’s post. And a special thanks to Jodie and Celina for “coming out” and posting their thoughtful comments. Welcome ladies!

The consensus seems to be that calorie counting to the fraction is not necessary and weight loss success can been achieved by watching portion size and eating healthier foods that promote lean mass retention/growth and a higher metabolism.

I do have a tendency to take things to extremes in short bursts – whether it’s intense training, intense dieting, all or nothing. Of course, extremes are never sustainable long-term and if anybody should know that by now it’s me after rebounding from 100% SAD (Standard American Diet) to 100% raw food veganism and back again. Not a pretty picture.

Of course, there is also the theory that the more you focus on something the greater the chance of it’s manifestation i.e. dreambody visualization. This works on negative focuses as well. If I keep obsessing on not losing any more weight then that is what ~~will~~ is happening – “I’m not losing any more weight.” Poof, wish granted!

And then sometimes, I think does it really matter? Am I just so caught up in shredding mania? Am I less of a person if my stomach isn’t washboard flat or if I’m not 95lbs? Crazy mind games. But the bottom line for me (a core belief that I’ve discussed previously) is that life is a series of things to strive for, goals to achieve whether it’s being super shredded, becoming an actor, a mother, an astronaut, a saddhu by the River Ganges. It can be ANYTHING. That is “god’s play” – the definition of “lila” in Sanskrit in which god is defined as everything. And attaining my dreambody is one of the “games” that I chose to “play” in the here and now.

I just wish I could stop my mind from holding on to the old paradigm of less calories = greater weight loss. I think Christy is right when she stated that the lowest advisable calorie level for an adult women is 1,200 calories but at my weight and height, 1,200 just doesn’t allow for a deficit. That IS my RMR. So my deficit must come from increased activity level which is what is keeping me from releasing the last 5-10lbs. I also think Celine is right – I need to lift heavier, work harder, eat adequately and even if do gain weight initially in the short run, know that it can not be fat but rather an adjustment due to proper calorie levels and metabolic resetting. Sigh – sounds good “on paper” but any weight gain is a scary proposition.

Anyway, to be continued. Library is closing down in 5.4.3.2.1. Geez, I wish I could manifest an internet connection from home already! Visualize Lilla, visualize harder!

Michael

Lilla, up the calories and up the training intensity. Go for muscle mass gain and I think you will find that Celina is right…you will gain a tiny bit of fat at first (gasp!) but in the end, you will burn off the fat you need to burn off. Bodybuilders have done this for a long time–they bulk by eating alot and training super hard and then, when they are close to a competition date they cut cut cut to bring out the definition. Like I said, you have to eat big to get big. In your case, eating big is going to take off those last few pounds you’re after. FYI, I don’t think I’d worry so much about the scale weight so much.
Buffedstuff

It takes time to find the balance,
I think you will eventually find what work for you each body is so different. I had just the opposite
problem and that was cutting calories I would rather workout heavy than to miss one calorie lol.
so 1600-1800 calories is starvation mode for me (sad but true)
I hope you find the balance
Mike Groom

mind games – aren’t they magnificent? I think you’re on the money with the negative visualisation. You need to keep your body thinking in fatloss mode – keep it safe! Jon Gabriel’s book “The Gabriel Method” talks of the body’s safety mechanisms and how if it feels unsafe it can only respond in a couple of ways. One of those ways is to maintain (or increase) levels of body fat. Our bodies are still programmed for fighting famine and beast.
Anonymous

Hi Again: great posts by the way… well, I just want to share comments with you and from a personal experience, I know that the body adapts really quickly to training.. asuming that you’re training resistance with your body weight… I’m not saying it’s not enough but, for example, maybe you can’t do a complete push up today and in 5 days you’re gonna be able to do 5(perhaps) that’s how fast your body adapts and oh, also, training like in circuits always have like a cardio-type of training which combined with your VERY LOW calorie intake, your eventual fasts, and your fasted cardio and cardio and cardio.. maybe that’s what is keeping you lean, but not allowing you to gain muscle mass. Remember the body composition from a marathon runner and the body of a 100 mts. runner… and you’ll kind of visualize the way you want to train.. anyway.. great discipline and great changes.. sorry for the english, not my main language.. but… girl keep it up.. you look great.. ok?
Celina
Your Grateful Cyber-friend, Christy

I love these posts. I dig on the Lilla philosophy. The group I meditate with is called “leela” which is essentially the same thing as your name. I always think of it when I go to your blog. You’re on the homestretch to your dream body so it’s getting rougher and darn exciting around here.

Regarding taking things to extremes. Boy do I know that one. But these days I’m playing the laid back game. I do miss the excitement sometimes, but then I just read your blog and live vicariously through the other shredders. lol
Marbella

Lilla, read what Mike Groom said about Jon Gabriel and have ordered his book and cannot wait to read it. I have sworn that will do exactly what he did as BOY did it work. Our bodies know what they need…we just need to listen and not poke in food for other reasons. You are doing well. Just tweak.
Lynda
Emily

hey lilla. i know exactly what you mean about the mind games, i tend to get really caught up with those as well. i would like to say though, that although you may feel like you’ve hit a plateau, i can see definite progress in your recent pics and you have to remember that the last bit will come off more slowly than the first and will require lots more patience. so keep chipping away, you’re doing great…look how far you’ve come!