One entire week eating 1600 calories a day and sitting on my bony arse and this is the result. My weight stayed the same. No blowing up like a giant marshmallow, no muscle wasting and fat gain, no ill effects at all.
I know, I can't believe it either. It doesn't make any sense. Does this mean that the calories I burn at the gym don't make any difference? Is fat loss 100% diet and 0% exercise? Have I been severely under eating all along and 1600 calories is my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) with no exercise?
If I can live on 1600 calories a day (which is perfectly adequate if I'm not starving hungry) I can train however I want without worrying about how much it is burning. I can do heavy weight lifting sets with long rest periods and not care that my heart rate doesn't break into the moderate or high range. I don't have push so hard that I feel like puking during my interval sprints.
The only reason I need to train is for strength, flexibility, and to keep my heart healthy and my body flooded with oxygen. I can choose yoga, or ballet, or a long walk along the harbour and only think of how it will keep me fit and strong, not as a fat loss/maintenance necessity.
From now on, the only goal of training will be to nurture my physical body, to focus my mind (one of the best ways to 'be in the moment' - a sort of moving meditation) and to awaken all my metabolic systems for the day. I will choose to expend only the right amount of energy to ensure that I don't sabotage my eating plan by tiring myself out and spiking my appetite. If I burn a significant amount of calories, I will see what happens if I add half? or all? of them to my eating calories, but I am not yet convinced that that what my HRM tells me is completely accurate.
The more I learn, the less I know ...
Can I see a cheesy grin please?
ReplyDeleteYou should be truly stoked and proud of yourself.
Luv ya and hope you're having a fantastic Saturday.
Love the post title - a bit of attitude - yeah baby!
Hi Katie, I am also in that frame of mind, I want to live in the moment while keeping fit at the gym and eating within my calorie range...balance?!?...damn I hate that word!!!!
ReplyDeleteKatie, I've been fascinated with what you've written lately about your weight. I'm having a little bit of a hard time following what is happening though - can you summarize what you were doing and what's happening now? You seem to be saying you are losing weight or maintaining your weight by eating more and not exercising? :) inquiring minds want to know.
ReplyDelete