Advice for a Returner .....

[SteveM]

Hi guys;

After crimbo is out of the way (although I am watching myself already) I will be jumping back on the CD waggon to lose a bit of weight. I have been having some problems with pains in my knees (I have knackered cartileges) that have started since a gain of ~2st. Not all of the weight is body fat which is still only at 21% - some is muscle built from working out at the gym with weights, spinning, cardio machines, and kick-boxing. It was the latter that aggravated the problems ..... :sigh:

I went to see my Doc and he has advised backing off the muscle building work and concentrating purely on the fat-burning cardio workouts as my body/joints does not want to carry the extra weight be it fat or muscle. He has advised I work at getting back to circa 12st, with an aim of ending up at 11st 8lbs ..... which if I reach will be almost a 3st loss.

It seems wierd that I am still 5st lighter than when my Doc was last telling me to lose weight, and now he is telling me the same thing!!:cry:

Anyhoo - that is the background. In essence I need to lose fat and muscle!

Any advice for which level to jump back in at - should I sole source w/o exercise to shift most of the weight, and then come back up the levels and then start exercise when I am back at 1000 or 1200 .... or would someone else suggest a better course of action.

I know that SS is gonna be hell on earth this time round, but I have gotta do this to help my knees ....

Steve

 

[anje]

Don't loose your muscle, give it to me!

 

[MrsR2004]

Hi Steve,

oooh I am not sure what is best really being pretty new myself, you could try SS and see how it goes? You may find you do not have enough energy to exercise on SS and decide to go up the plans so you can still do you usual workout (or some of it) or decide to just get the weight off and then get back to exercise. I think it's your call.....

Maybe a bit of a break from 'so much' exercise will help your knees and I am sure it won't take you long to SS off that bit of weight and then you will hopefully have the knee strength to get going again?

Either way just wanted to wish you good luck x

 

[SteveM]

Hi guys. I have done a lot of reading on this forum over the past hours, and my conclusion is that the best course of action would be to come down the levels to reduce any carbohydrate intake over a week or so, and then SS to target. Once at (or very near) target, start to come back up the levels.....

Part of my problem was that I went from a lot of exercise to nothing when I injured myself w/ kick-boxing. Problem was that I fell into the usual trap - calorie output dropped off suddenly, but the calorie intake stayed where it was, resulting in a reasonably rapid weight gain. Stupid mistake, because I know all this but I still made the mistake. I feel such an idiot.

Anyway - what's done is done. I have backed off now, and have already come down a couple of pounds, so that is good.

I do not think I will ever go back to the level of exercise that I was doing. I was mad. I will do as the Doc says and concentrate on cardio/fat-burning exercise in the future, and maybe just 3 times a week instead of virtually every day, and sometimes twice a day. It's like they say though, exercise can easily become an addiction, just like food etc. I will just have to watch myself with that too!!

I certainly will not exercise during the lower levels because you're right, I will probably not have the energy. I will play it by ear though - I know that SS is going to be hard this time around. I will come down the levels until I get to 1000 plan, and will maybe stay there for a week and see how the losses go. I know some people in here still get great losses on 1000 plan, and if I can achieve what I want that way then there is no point in going SS.

I think you are right - at the end of the day my body will tell me what it is happy with, and I will just have to listen.

 

[Dieting Rambler]

I just wanted to say good luck!

 

[edibeedee]

Steve, this is my first journey so I have not experienced a restart. I do know however that your head HAS to be in this. If your head is in it that will help keep you focused. Sounds like you really really want this so forge ahead sir!
edi

 

[SteveM]

I have been here before - well, not here precisely, but at the start of the journey. Last time I lost 102 pounds (7st 4lbs) and stayed there or thereabouts for almost 3 years. I am just sooooooooo annoyed with myself that I made such a stupid mistake. I have read so many books and so many articles on this stuff - so I have no excuse. I suppose at the end of the day the food was comfort, and it was a replacement for "missing" the exercise ..... the same old reasons that we all have.

It just goes to show that you can have it all sorted, have made all the necessary life changes, and you can still come unstuck if you are not careful. I just took my eye off the ball for a few weeks and wham!

I'd best look on the positive side, only 42 pounds to lose this time, not 102!!

Steve

 

[Mini]

Hi Steve,

Instead of being annoyed... I think you should be proud of yourself as I think you deserve a pat on the back atback: for not letting the weight gain slide even more as it is so very easy when you are on the slippery slope to keep going and regain it all back all.


You have done well to maintain over the last three years and that is an achievement in itself.

Hi guys. I have done a lot of reading on this forum over the past hours, and my conclusion is that the best course of action would be to come down the levels to reduce any carbohydrate intake over a week or so, and then SS to target. Once at (or very near) target, start to come back up the levels.....

Your plan above is a good one and you might find that the new SSing + will suit you better with your exercise regime.

I have come off and back on the SSing a few times and cutting down on the carbs is the best way back into it again without having the extreme withdrawal of going cold turkey.

Love Mini xxx

 

[SteveM]

Thanks Mini. It was in fact your own thread in the stickies that made the most sense to me. I think it is going to be a case of mix-n-match to find the right level for me so that my calorie output is again higher than my calorie intake. I suppose the advantage I have this time is that I know that I can do it because I have. The biggest battle I have this time is with myself ....... I just have to stay focussed. I think coming down the steps will help me in that and will help me work out how much I want this. I just have to get into my head that I cannot workout the way I was as that is in a way self-defeating as, confirmed by the Doc, my joints (knees in particular) do not want to carry extra weight whether muscle or otherwise. One step at a time ......

Steve