Looks like we have similar goals and have started at a similar place. I actually started low carbing because I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, sleeping extra, and having episodes of hypoglycemia down as low as 50 mg/dl
. After reading Atkins, I decided that I could also drop my body fat percentage and get strong. I use the body fat calculator at The Zone site. Seems that every BF-calculating method will give a different result so just pick your favorite and stick with it so that you can track changes over time. I liked the Zone calculator because 21% seemed to match what the mirror said. Prior to low carbing, I had exercised off and on since 1985 and had been consistently exercising (running, The Firm videos, kickbox videos, step bench videos) for two years. When I first started Atkins, I didn't pay attention to anything but carbs. I dropped from around 21% to just below 20% while having a great time eating bacon and cheese and mayo, stuff I hadn't eaten for years, and while being overwhelmed at the increase in energy and the ability to feel well instead of sleepy and mildly depressed
. I stalled at just below 20% and stayed there for awhile until many of the wonderful people using this forum
lead me to fitday.com. Once I started tracking my calories and making sure calories in were always slightly less than calories out, I dropped to 19.2% body fat fairly quickly. The calorie deficit wasn't much, ranging from -7 to -200, and I exercised once or twice daily for 30 to 45 minutes each session. When I moved my primary weight training from home video training to intense training in the gym, I dropped from 19.2% to 18.9% very quickly. Carb control, calorie counting on fitday, formal exercise, increased energy and thus increased normal activity through the day, and heavy weight training have already done wonders for me. I think I probably need to cut back on some of my cardio but that bothers me emotionally. I have been doing Exercise Streaks: my first was a 30-day Streak, my second was a 50-day Streak, and now I'm going for a 100-day Streak. I plan to do a 1000-day Streak someday. I keep telling myself to include Yoga and Stretching in the Streak so that I get rest days but then I blow that advice off and go running (pig headed me
).
People in your life will get on your case about two things: low carbing and trying to drop some body fat. Tell them what I do: "I can't eat that, it will make me feel bad. Also, I am at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes so I want to avoid that." People in your life will tell you that you are already too thin so you shouldn't be exercising (DUH
). Tell them that you need to do cardio for your overall health and you need to do weight training to strengthen your bones, to be able to carry the groceries without hating it, etc. This truth steers them away from their thoughts that you are too thin. Don't bother to tell them anything like "I don't have the DNA to look great at 20 something percent body fat or else I'd make the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue." or "I just don't want my legs to squash out into a blob when I sit down." In other words, don't give these people any fuel by refering to any motivation related to your looks.
Don't expect for your results to come as quickly as results have come for many of the people on this forum. You are at a healthy weight for your height so dropping that body fat percentage will probably be slower than you'd like. I suggest you consider a pound of fat a month a good rate for you; this is what I do. Increase in strength can come a lot faster than visible fat loss and you can even start to see definition in your upper body fairly quickly - - this is highly motivating.
If you haven't read any of the journals or gym logs yet, check them out. The people here are fantastic at figuring out what works for them and at sticking to their plans and achieving their goals. They are also very supportive and can provide you with a lot of motivation. The bad news is that there are too many journals and gym logs for you to read them all in your available time so you just have to pick a few and follow the stories in them. Who knows - - - you may decide to start one yourself.
The biggest motivation I have to low carb is how well it makes me feel compared to how bad I feel when I eat too many carbs. The biggest motivation I get from this forum and its members is to stick to my eating and exercise plan because that is what the members here do. Their good attitudes give me something to model myself after.