In December I lost slightly less (9 pounds), so what did I do to improve my number this month? Read on.

Ironically, the more weight I lose, the harder it is to lose weight.  My heart is getting more efficient, and it has less body to move with each passing week.  Additionally, it was getting used to the same exercise every day. I was also concerned that as the pounds were dropping off, some of the loss might be muscle.

Solution: more intense routines, more variety of routines, and more protein.

I’m now alternating between cardio and weights every other day, and doing more types of weightlifting. From week to week I’ll switch between heavy weight days (80-90% 1RM) with fewer reps and mid-weight days (65% 1RM) with high reps. I’m doing barbell, EZ curl, dumbbells and machine exercises. I’m using the solid bench some days and the balance ball on others. My speed of lifts can be varied from day to day: fast lifts with slow lowers, or slow lifts up and down. Anything to prevent my muscles from becoming complacent. I’ve even started carrying weight while walking the treadmill (35 pounds at the moment, which is equivalent to what I’ve lost in weight since starting this program).

I’m seeing results; much more so than last month. My strength has been creeping up again, exceeding the amount I was able to lift 10 and 20 pounds ago, and in some cases, 35 pounds ago. My upper body is getting noticeable definition, and my arms are bigger with visible triceps.

My protein intake has been slowly increasing, from 100g+ a day to over 150 g a day, with a desired target of 1 g per pound of body weight.  It’s hard to get that much some days, but I try.

I’ve received some criticism from well intentioned people that the only way to get big is to lift ultra-heavy weights with few reps.  I think I’ve read more than enough evidence on both sides to understand that this isn’t completely true, and that the risk can seriously outweigh the potential benefit. There is a sweet spot of moderately high weight which stimulates the muscle fibres and encourages growth with protein that is well below the point of risk from injury. I intend to stay in that zone, in the interest of keeping my back and shoulders intact.

Building size and seeing steady gains doesn’t take relentless heavy weights.

Some links of interest:

Bust Out of Your Rut – Men’s Health

Are low reps (1-6) better than high reps (8-12) for muscle growth? – Exercise Biology

Break Through Your Fitness Plateau – Men’s Fitness

I don’t recall such a sustained period of high functioning without periods of stress, depression or exhaustion… well, not since before parenthood, anyway. It’s not that my circumstances have changed significantly. If anything, life has gotten more challenging recently… but somehow the daily physical exertion of exercise has relieved the effects that normally stem from the uncontrollable aspects of my life.

I look at myself differently. In fact, I’m starting to look at myself, period. I’ve had difficulties in accepting my appearance for much of the last 20 years, and particularly in the last 10 as I watched myself worsen year by year while I’ve balanced my professional development and my family responsibilities.

Now, I wake up and I’m not ashamed to catch sight of myself in the mirror. I’m interested to see if there’s any visible change: new definitions of muscle which used to be obscured by excess padding.  I’m no longer immediately anxious to throw on something  loose that will cover my shape. If anything, I’m starting to intensely dislike clothes that make me look like I’m drowning in them.

And I’m starting to notice other people… people that I realize would be really attractive—much more than me!—if they could lose 25 or 50 pounds.  Am I becoming a fitness snob?

I don’t think so.  I don’t feel superior to anyone.  I’m more comfortable with myself, knowing that I’m transforming into the best incarnation of me.  As far as other people: It’s more like I’ve discovered a life-changing secret, and wish I could bring more people along with me to experience it for themselves.

So far I’ve only shared what I’ve done with people who were curious enough to know how it was possible. But no-one’s been sufficiently inspired to want to try the lifestyle for themselves.

I think the soft sell is best.  Nothing that anyone else said or did compelled me to change. It was only when I decided for myself that I had to change that every day after was different.

Regarding the first possibility, a recent article in the New York Times described the body’s response to extreme weight loss in terms of a coordinated defence mechanism, similar to our immune response to disease.  As I’ve now lost over 10% of my previous body weight, it’s safe to say I may have undergone sufficient change to evoke a defensive response.

If it’s the second possibility, this may be simple water retention.  My weight has continued to go down every day since the spike, and I’m currently at 197.4 as of today.

I took more chances this month.  I started drinking less unsweetened green tea, and branched into more Splenda–flavoured coffees and teas.  I returned to eating favourites like pita bread and hummus.  I even completely gorged myself at a buffet luncheon on Boxing Day, eating over 2300 calories in a sitting and over 3000 for the day (though I did exercise 1500 worth that night).  The net result is that I felt happier, making it easier to continue to engage in what still amounts to controlled starvation. It doesn’t feel like starvation most days, though.  I eat what I want to eat, provided I’m willing to engage in sufficient exercise that evening to work my net calories back down into balance.

I also revised  my goals.  My target of 150 pounds represented my high school weight, which I now feel is an unrealistic goal given that I had very little muscle as a 17 year old.  My new target is 162, which I hope will give me sufficient room to retain the muscle I’ve built under this fat over the last 20-odd years.