Looking gaunt!

[vit90]

It's a great form of exercise, I often do this when it's pouring down outside and the dog won't go out for a walk, it gets the heart racing and increases muscle strength in the legs

Yep - no problem with muscle wastage or tone in my legs!

 

[vit90]

If you're doing this on 800 calories a day, you're burning muscle.

Can't do both at the same time unfortunately, goes against the laws of thermodynamics.

Check the link I posted and look at a beginner programme when you've finished your diet.

Good luck.

Wasn't meaning to sound rude, just see so many people doing themselves a disservice and wasting effort by trying to obtain mutually exclusive things e.g anybody who joins a gym will go "I want to tone up (doesn't mean anything), turn this fat into muscle (you can't build a steak out of butter), run a half marathon"

All completely different aims which require completely different strategies to achieve.

No offence taken I will politely let anyone know if necessary!

I understand what you are saying. It's a dilemma but I feel the need to improve my cardio fitness. I believe I am achieving this but yes the cost will be some muscle. After I relax the diet (no shock-stopping) I will be upping my protein and look at the nutritional balance for optimising testosterone which is necessary for muscle. I'm not aiming to be a body-builder, just want to get some normal shape back without putting on the fat.

EDIT: The stairs exercise probably doesn't burn that many calories but gets the heart and lungs going, which is the primary objective.

 

[vit90]

I guess that's why the bodybuilders go LCHF ketogenic
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/cyclical_ketogenic_diet.htm

Whatever, I can't see that my conscience will allow me to return to the high carb norm that I was used to. It wasn't that I was eating the so-called bad carbs all the time, I was eating wholegrain unsweetened muesli with nuts and dried fruit, wholemeal bread, ryvitas, pasta, and puddings were only for special occasions - as were sweeties. It's just that I consistently ate a lot of these carbs - big portions! I also drank tea and sometimes coffee with one or two sugars and a reasonable amount of fruit juices, as well as fresh fruits (lots). I was I suppose a victim of the low fat high carb generation.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

I have been doing my version of the Newcastle diet for just over three weeks and I have successfully brought my BMI down from an overweight 26.1 to a healthy zone 24.3. Although I have also been actively been working on my fitness I did look at myself in the mirror this morning before getting in the shower and my chest and shoulders looked like skin and bone and people are telling me my face looks gaunt and suspect I am unwell. I feel absolutely fine, incidentally.

<snip>

No - you look just fine!
Still a little chubby, perhaps, but when you get down to the mid point of normal BMI you will realise that you look just perfect.
People who have known you when you were heavier have a mental image of you and it can be uncomfortable when that changes.

I've been down to 11 stone 10 pounds (six foot tall) and people were worrying a bit then but I was fine, cycling long distances, walking long distances, buying new clothes because the old ones didn't fit.

I've drifted up to 12 stone seven pounds but I intend to dig in (next week) and get down below 12 stone with a target of 11 stone seven.
So IMHO you will be surprised how low you can take your weight and still feel and be absolutely fine.

I agree with others that rapid weight loss on a drastic low calorie diet and building muscle mass are not easy bed mates.
However improving muscle efficiency and retaining muscle should be easier if you keep exercising.
Once you hit your target weight you can increase the calories (and avoid the carbohydrates if you can) and make sure that any weight gain is muscle not fat.

Go, go, go!

LGC

 

[buckley8219]

Whatever, I can't see that my conscience will allow me to return to the high carb norm that I was used to. It wasn't that I was eating the so-called bad carbs all the time, I was eating wholegrain unsweetened muesli with nuts and dried fruit, wholemeal bread, ryvitas, pasta, and puddings were only for special occasions - as were sweeties. It's just that I consistently ate a lot of these carbs - big portions! I also drank tea and sometimes coffee with one or two sugars and a reasonable amount of fruit juices, as well as fresh fruits (lots). I was I suppose a victim of the low fat high carb generation.

I have several friends who are IBFF carded professionals who compete in America.

Anybody you see in any magazine or website with a decent amount of muscle takes steroids, growth hormone.

Even those competing in natural competitions often built their muscle with steroids, came off them, then compete in natural tournaments.

It's all a con.

 

[vit90]

I have several friends who are IBFF carded professionals who compete in America.

Anybody you see in any magazine or website with a decent amount of muscle takes steroids, growth hormone.

Even those competing in natural competitions often built their muscle with steroids, came off them, then compete in natural tournaments.

It's all a con.

Haha, I think we're veering off track here - no intention to do competition body building, just to get back in to decent shape for a 53 year old

 

[Pipp]

Yes, I think that's it. There is a saying that fat can make you look younger. When I first reduced from 16 stone to 14 stone people said much the same - "I thought you looked ill" - in fact people I don't see often but know me well still comment on this years since my initial weight loss. Dropping another couple of stone is generating a sense of de ja vu!

Yes, I find it annoying and intrusive that people seem to think they have a right to comment on one's appearance. Maybe it is because they have their own perception of how they want you to look. Some comments people make are downright rude and insensitive. I mean, who would be happy to be told they look gaunt? Not exactly the sort of comment to send someone on their way feeling good. Ignore them, as long as you feel well and are happy with how you look it is nobody else's business.

 

[douglas99]

I did low GI/GL before the Newcastle diet, so I'm used to restraining my eating.
The newcastle diet was a step further, so it's wasn't a problem stepping back onto the same diet.
I didn't low carb particularly, before, I specifically avoided fat.
I do the same now, and still have the same gym routine.
Treadmill, rowing machine, resistance, and some sit ups, followed by a session in the pool.
I also scuba dive, which is quite an intensive work out.
The muscle tone is at a level I'm happy with, but I also find the exercise is very good for insulin resistance, and tolerance of good carbs.

I was at a BMI of 25 before I started the Newcastle diet, I wanted to target internal fat, if I had any, and also just to see what happened.
I really can'r see any issue with the weight going back on, it hasn't from the diet before, I portion controlled then and now, so it'll stay off.

 

[vit90]

Yes, I find it annoying and intrusive that people seem to think they have a right to comment on one's appearance. Maybe it is because they have their own perception of how they want you to look. Some comments people make are downright rude and insensitive. I mean, who would be happy to be told they look gaunt? Not exactly the sort of comment to send someone on their way feeling good. Ignore them, as long as you feel well and are happy with how you look it is nobody else's business.

The one person who has permission to call me what she likes is the wife The others merely expressed some concern (not using the word 'gaunt') that I might not be well and was completely based on the fact that I had lost a lot of facial blubber so it wasn't surprising and in a way it was rather satisfying as it was evidence that the diet had actually worked. I can see myself that having taken it to a new level that my look has changed even more, combined with getting older too. But I did say to my wife that maybe after all these years of being overweight maybe she was seeing the real me now! LOL

 

[vit90]

I did low GI/GL before the Newcastle diet, so I'm used to restraining my eating.
The newcastle diet was a step further, so it's wasn't a problem stepping back onto the same diet.
I didn't low carb particularly, before, I specifically avoided fat.
I do the same now, and still have the same gym routine.
Treadmill, rowing machine, resistance, and some sit ups, followed by a session in the pool.
I also scuba dive, which is quite an intensive work out.
The muscle tone is at a level I'm happy with, but I also find the exercise is very good for insulin resistance, and tolerance of good carbs.

I was at a BMI of 25 before I started the Newcastle diet, I wanted to target internal fat, if I had any, and also just to see what happened.
I really can'r see any issue with the weight going back on, it hasn't from the diet before, I portion controlled then and now, so it'll stay off.

Your sig says you are currently on a BMI of 25 or is that out of date? That's an impressive exercise mix! Have done some limited scuba but not recently. Got my PADI open water almost 20 years ago!

 

[douglas99]

Your sig says you are currently on a BMI of 25 or is that out of date? That's an impressive exercise mix! Have done some limited scuba but not recently. Got my PADI open water almost 20 years ago!

Ha, well spotted, BMI is currently 23.5, I forgot to change it.

I started the exercise courtesy of the NHS referral, then bought membership of a gym.

I do expect my BMI to increase again though, as I put muscle back on, but if I balance the exercise, and the calories, and the protein, I should hopefully build muscle, rather than the fat.
I lost both on the diet, but expected that.

I previously lost a lot of weight over the preceding 12 months, and I thought I looked gaunt, but I think that was the noticeable difference in my features, as I got used to it, I stopped thinking it. I didn't seem to lose as much as I thought I would off my features on the Newcastle diet, it definitely went from around my gut, as I had to make another notch on my belt.
That's probably my best guide, if the jeans get tight, the fat is back.
(My wrists also lost it, as I had to tighten my watch strap. I never take it off, so it was noticeable)