Yeah, I think on some machines, I underestimated my abilities significantly and so started at a weight that was way too low. Every week I would be at 6 reps and increase the weight the next time, only to hit 6 reps again. I think I am only now, after almost 3 months, finding the correct weights on a couple of those leg machines.

For me, it really is a mind game. I have to force myself to always try one more rep after I want to stop. Otherwise I might settle for just doing one more rep than last week or just holding a little longer than last week, when in fact my body is able to advance more rapidly if I set my mind to it. My natural tendency is to want to skip true failure, but that seems to be the key to progress. So I have to really make it my mission for each and every machine. In some cases that has involved boosting a weight by 20 pounds from one week to the next, because I notice that I am not exerting myself much at the current weight.

I think the key for me seems to be not always waiting until I can do a perfect 6 reps before upping the weight. Sometimes I am surprised that I can do 4 reps after increasing the weight by 5 or 10 pounds, even if I was only doing 5 reps at the previous weight. I think that may be better--continually raising the bar so your body has to keep up, and not waiting for max reps before progressing.

How long did it take you before you went to 1x per week? I am thinking that I will probably hit that point in the next month or so, especially once I get find my true failure level on those last couple leg machines.

--Melissa

This is so typical of the way most of us start out, me included. I started off by picking a weight, finding out I could do it, and subconsciously thinking "whew, I'll make it to the end." Failure sure didn't come easy then, if at all. These days I do it in reverse. If I'm going to up a weight, I up it a LOT. If I can still move it while keeping my form right - no cheats or leaning - I continue on until I can't. If I can't even make it through one rep, I lower the weight a little, and try again.

I recently did the same thing with a friend of mine. Seventy now, she began LC at my urging nearly a year go, as a diabetic. She lost weight, her diabetes began to ebb, and then she stalled. I suggested that in order to get her tissue more insulin sensitive, she needed to build muscle - so that the insulin, low though it was on LC, would have someplace to go. With two artificial hips, she felt she couldn't do it. I brought her to her gym, and showed her that she could. There she ran into a misogynist male trainer who put her on Little Old Lady 2-pound barbells, etc. so nothing much happened after several months. No surprise since she was still using the same weights.

I told her about SB, but she was afraid to try it - "Oh, all that heavy weight; I can't do it." I promised her my secret LC cheesecake recipe if she came to my gym and let me show her SB, so she agreed.

Long story short/er: she discovered she COULD do it (not for 10 reps of course, but definitely for 3), could embrace failure and handle much heavier weights, could build real muscle (at 70!), could lose more inches -- and now her diabetes is all but gone. I'm so proud of her, and think of her as my inspiration.


Absolutely!


This is exactly the process of my own thinking about it, and yep, it works. Mind you, the looks I get from the typical male gym rat is hilarious -- what is this crazy old lady doing, staying on a machine for only 3 minutes before moving on? -- but before I quit for the winter I also caught the sideline looks at the weights I was moving (oh so slowly) and the size and hardness of my biceps, triceps, etc.


About six months from when I began - but only a month after I realized I needed to embrace failure and up my weights. Don't know if it would have happened at that time anyway, even if I hadn't changed my attitude, but I like to think it might have sped the timeframe up a little.

Lisa

You're an inspiration, Lisa!

I'll certainly be pushing myself harder tomorrow when I go to the gym thanks to your recent posts.

Just a few musings and observations ...

I've been low-carbing for about eight years, and the last six months or so have been coupling that with intermittent fasting. I'm not a hard-core IFer - it works best for me if I'm not too strict with myself. Most days I can wait until about 2:00 pm for my first meal, and I aim to stop eating by around 9:00 if not earlier. Now I'm adding SB into the mix, and even though I'm probably not doing it perfectly (I must get the book back out of the library!), it's still having clear benefits.

Since the beginning of January, when I reinstituted IF and SB after my usual December meltdown (always lowcarb, but too many treats and not enough exercise), I've lost the four pounds I put on over the holidays and my tummy is visibly thinner. But my thighs and arms seem to be growing, no doubt from the exercise, which means my clothes fit about the same or are even a bit tighter - drat! There are definitely muscles under the fluff, but the fluff, alas, is still there.

Any brilliant ideas on how to shift it? I'm asking as a longtime LCer, not as someone who needs to be told to read labels for hidden carbs, etc.

Rachel

Rachel, this probably isn't what you want to hear, but there is no way to 'shift' it. You are losing weight. You are gaining muscle. You are losing stored body fat. This is all terrific! But the body takes that stored body fat from wherever it wants, and no diet or exercise can change that.

I've read that it's last on, first gone. With me, for instance, I've lost a stunning amount of fat and inches on my thighs, calves, hips and tush. But my belly, while receding, is still the largest part of me. Clearly that's what got 'put on first' so it will be last off. On you it's the opposite. The good news is that if you continue on with LC and SB, it will ALL eventually come off! Patience, Grasshoppper.

Lisa

Thanks, Lisa. I suppose you're right .... I'm still looking for the magic solution, after being stuck 10 pounds or so above my goal weight for the last five or six years! It's just vanity, I know. I'm 53, menopausal, and within my healthy weight range, but I'm a perfectionist, and HATE not meeting goals I've set for myself. I'll take your advice and continue what I'm doing, adding a bit more patience into the mix!

Rachel

Boy, did I need to hear this today - especially about your belly. It seems like no matter what I do, my stomach/waist does not want to release the fat. Actually, in comparison to the losses on my hips/thighs, my waist seems larger. I'm sure age (I turn 50 this year) doesn't work in my favor either as I've read you 'gain' in that area as you age. I have trouble with pants fitting because of my hip/waist ratio (I'm within inches between the two areas).

Guess that's our reward for being the superior gender that gets to undergo a gazillion hours of excruciating labor in order to bring forth the next generation. We're doubly blessed. =cackle=

Captain L

I'm not sure how I found myself over here reading about slow burn...I started out searching for answers as to why the scale wasn't moving and reading awriters responses=Lisa, all so very informative and now I am totally intrigued with learning more about the Slow Burn program. I figure if a 70 year old friend can do this, I might just be able to give it a shot too at 56!!! Lisa, I can totally relate to the long awful winter and working at home and not being very motivated as I'm from New England too (Maine), but it sounds like Slow Burn might be the answer I've been looking for as I'd like to start seeing some firming/muscle results....Thanks for sharing your knowledge about SB, I'm feeling pretty motivated today and hope to read more later on.....

SB will definitely help move inches - but not necessarily scale weight. One reason is that as you replace body fat with lean muscle mass, you will get smaller and more dense - and muscle weighs more than fat. Also, at least for the first few months, your new muscles will need lots of water and will often retain it for a while. Drink more water than usual once you start working out, and don't panic if you see a few pounds more on the scale. Eventually your muscles will be getting so much they won't need to retain it and will let it go. And don't forget to take all your measurements when you begin, and then maybe once a month thereafter.


We got clobbered last night (about a foot here in Providence, and more points north) - but you must really be getting socked with the snow up there!


You'll like it. Holler if you have any questions...

Lisa

I've been doing SB at home with weights for a few months now and I really can see results. I do two SB sessions a week, but I also walk or jog (or bike in the summer) at least an hour almost every day too. Not for weight loss though. I just get very antsy when I'm not moving around outside.

The two sessions of SB might be enough for my body, but they're not enough for my brain.

Hi Cathos. Come join us in the Slow Burn Accountability thread in the Buddies and Challenges area and keep us updated on your progress.

--Melissa

Nevermind, I will post in the support thread.

Just tagging this bc of the great testimonials.

I'm trying to get a friend to start the slowburn journey with me.