12 week Transformation challenge for vets

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Everyone is doing great! Keep up the praise reports!

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Glad to hear you are interested in the transformation challenge! As for base camp' date=' you can probably skip it, but do keep in mind the importance of starting the transformation with the least amount of baggage as possible. You do not want that baggage to block you from achieving transformation goals. sleeping 7-8 hours a night is important to reduce the amount of stress induced cortisol in the body. If you do not need 7-8 hours of sleep, but can still minimize cortisol levels, then by all means just treat it as a guideline. Otherwise, it is a good rule in order to wake up each day feeling rested while giving your body the time and environment it needs to repair.[/quote']

Do you have any examples of "baggage" other than not getting enough sleep? Believe me, I'd like to get more. But I work 12 hour shifts with 2+ hours of commuting time, plus 1-2 hours exercise everyday plus the time spent bathing, eating not to mention saying high to the wife as we pass each other during our busy lives. You can see there just isn't enough hours in the day sometimes.

But I don't make excuses....I make it work. It's not ideal but I do the best I can with it. But I do need to make myself go to bed sooner but that cuts into my VST.com time. LOL

[Fiddleman 4,376]

The typical baggage would be like eating high sugar or high fat food. This is going to sabotage a person's efforts during the transformation. Also drinking too much alcohol or caffeine might also get in your way. Things like that. Try and eat as cleanly as possible, almost a paleo diet.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Well I could just chew through leather, I'm so ticked and jealous!! I continue my ecxercise, upping my weights, upping my cardio, and I'm UP on the GD MUTHAFU**ING SCALE!! I was *up* 3 pounds, am now up 5!! *sob*

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Well I could just chew through leather' date=' I'm so ticked and jealous!! I continue my ecxercise, upping my weights, upping my cardio, and I'm UP on the GD MUTHAFU**ING SCALE!! I was *up* 3 pounds, am now up 5!! *sob*[/quote']

You are probably gaining muscle and Water. More muscle requires more Water to sustain the repair process. Unfortunately, we have little control over when said water leaves the body, giving the illusion of weight gain on the scale.

Are you able to check your body fat percentage to determine if it is going down? Asking as I am not sure you have access to an electronic measurement tool, a smart scale or a set of calibres to do the measurements in your current deployed state.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I mailed myself my good digital scale before I left the states but I don't think it is fancy enough to measure body fat. I got in 1330 cals yesterday, with 117g Protein - a personal best. It also just so happens I was able to put in 2 hours at the gym and the only reason I stopped at 2 hours was because it was getting late and it was moonless and I'd forgotten my flashlight. 30 min non-stop max heart elliptical, 30 min HIIT treadmill, full upper body weights rotation, yoga stretching.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

I mailed myself my good digital scale before I left the states but I don't think it is fancy enough to measure body fat. I got in 1330 cals yesterday' date=' with 117g Protein - a personal best. It also just so happens I was able to put in 2 hours at the gym and the only reason I stopped at 2 hours was because it was getting late and it was moonless and I'd forgotten my flashlight. 30 min non-stop max heart elliptical, 30 min HIIT treadmill, full upper body weights rotation, yoga stretching.[/quote']

Another tool that might help you is the omron fat analyzer:

http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306C-Loss-Monitor-Black/dp/B000FYZMYK/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1369929944&sr=1-1&keywords=omron+fat+analyzer

Can you order this from Amazon and have it sent to your care package address? If not, perhaps someone can step up and buy one for you and send as a care package. It is not very much @ 30 dollars. My wife and I have already put together a package of WLS post op food goodies that should arrive to you in a few weeks.

[Nicolanz 1,484]

Hey everyone! Hope y'all are still going strong! I went to my mom's for memorial day so I took a couple days off. Last night I was able to do most of jillians no trouble zones which is a big challenge for me! My body is really hurting today lol. Today I did 10 minutes of yoga and 45 of zumba. I still haven't weighed or measured because I don't want to get discouraged. Plus my scale is broken lol.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

That is great to hear your progress Nicole, really pushing yourself. Even though your scale is broken, I bet you can start to notice differences in the mirror or feel stronger, more muscular. For me, my body feels "the best" when I wake up in the morning and I just know something is changing, getting stronger or a little tighter on the measurements. Perhaps you feel this way also?

We are nearing the end of phase 1 - " the lift off phase" ( see phase descriptions near the top of this thread). It is time to start thinking about the next phase, what you wish to accomplish at the end of phase 2 and how you will get here. Remember, you may not be feeling it yet! The next phase will probably be a breakthrough for all of us. We will really start to notice differences and our hard work will start to pay off. Keep on pushing everyone!! I know it is hard, but the results will be worth it.

[Nicolanz 1,484]

My new scale came in today! I'm 5 pounds less than what I thought! Woot woot!

[Fiddleman 4,376]

My new scale came in today! I'm 5 pounds less than what I thought! Woot woot!

What does your new scale do? Come on, spill the Beans...

[No game 14,436]

What does your new scale do? Come on' date=' spill the Beans...[/quote']

What ever it does I want one! I can use a five pound loss!

[Fiddleman 4,376]

What ever it does I want one! I can use a five pound loss!

It probably can make a mean Cappuccino for that time in the morning when you weigh, but not quite awake yet!

[Nicolanz 1,484]

Haha well it works for one. My old scale would give a different reading everytime I step on it.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

It has been 3 weeks since I changed both my diet (TDEE/IIFYM) and exercise (cardio and strength training), and except for *gaining* 5 pounds, nothing has happened. There are some positive gains but they are so meager as to be laughable; I can run 4 minutes instead of 2, I can lift 10 lbs heavier than before, I can do 30 minutes of cardio without feeling like I'm being punished. But, considering the effort and vigilance I've put in, whoop-de-frickin-do. All clothes are just as tight as before.