[healthyinwyoming]

Hi.

Have you lost your weight and put on muscle? Tell me about it!

I have scoured the testimonials of Ideal Protein users and most of what I see are people who were successful at losing a significant amount of weight -- which is fantastic. What I don't see are any photos of people who look strong and fit, as well as having lost weight.

I ask because I come from a Crossfit back ground and am really looking forward to returning to that community. I loved being strong and while I want to lose the weight I've put on, I don't want to end up just squishy or "skinny fat."

Thank you!

[Ro22]

Originally Posted by healthyinwyoming

Hi.

Have you lost your weight and put on muscle? Tell me about it!

I have scoured the testimonials of Ideal Protein users and most of what I see are people who were successful at losing a significant amount of weight -- which is fantastic. What I don't see are any photos of people who look strong and fit, as well as having lost weight.

I ask because I come from a Crossfit back ground and am really looking forward to returning to that community. I loved being strong and while I want to lose the weight I've put on, I don't want to end up just squishy or "skinny fat."

Thank you!

I'm not sure scouring is the correct term to use if that is your conclusion.
I can share my story. I was a professional athlete and continue competitively, although not professionally at 47.
I am doing my 2nd round of IP in the past year (long story why that was necessary). Prior to doing IP, I worked out 6 days a week, 3 of which included free weight strength training. I did that for years so have a good amount of strength and tone. I have followed my coach's guidance and have not worked out routinely in 15 months. I had a typical workout for me at the start of month 2 of my reboot as I thought that would even produce better results. I only lost 1 pound that week - the lowest loss I ever had while doing IP so that taught me to wait until I am done with P1. What I did learn that week is I lifted same amount of weight (22.5# Dumbbells for curls, shoulder press, etc) and same number of push-ups (30) as I was doing in my workouts 1 year prior when I was working out for many months. So, this showed me that IP did exactly what it said it would do, which is retain lean muscle mass while losing fat. I was 2 sizes smaller than I had ever been in my life while being 5 pounds heavier than my previous low weight. I have never had trouble working out and having strength - my trouble has always been losing and retaining fat loss. So, I am ok with the protocol of waiting until after P1 as I am quite toned even doing P1. In fact, I had some dimpling start in my arms because of the excess fat and all of that is gone.
You can certainly workout if you choose - many here do - just wait 3 weeks to ensure you are fully adapted to ketosis.
But, I get compliments all the time by my shape and how toned I look and haven't worked out in 15 months but will start back in about 4-6 weeks when I am done with P1.

[HereIStand]

I don't know what percentage of IP users become toned and muscular, but given that the protocol discourages vigorous exercise while in phases 1-3, I doubt you'll find many users who achieve significant fitness until after they're in maintenance.

The other thing to remember is that many IP users are VERY overweight when they start this diet. Morbidly obese, or super-obese. Most of them have difficulty with just walking. I suspect that they don't know how to incorporate exercise into a healthy lifestyle, although some may go on to do that.

I have done some moderate running while on protocol, but I've been careful about it, due to the low caloric intake and ketosis. I don't think I could have done Crossfit while on this diet - too little protein and carbs.

[jennydoodle]

I don't know if I became toned and muscular, but I can certainly share my story.

I have been crossfitting for many, many years and I would say that I am an average crossfitter. I can do a majority of the movements, I am better at barbell movements than gymnastics and I can move a decent amount of weight.

My first round of IP was in 2011, I had already been doing CF for a couple of years and for sure put on some muscle. However, I never really lost body fat or got to a weight I felt comfortable with. Since starting CF, exercise became an important part of my life and it was a "habit". The doctors office that was offering IP also supported CF and I worked with them to be able to keep doing CF and IP.

I added an extra packet a day to take immediately following my WOD, but I also scaled everything WAY down. The main focus was to keep moving, work up a sweat and allow me to keep doing what I loved. I wasn't looking to set any PR's, I wasn't doing any max efforts but I was keeping my body moving.

I know that IP recommends not doing exercise while on this program, but I will tell you that the weeks I exercised, I lost better than weeks I didn't. I know every body is different, but for me, exercise enhanced my losses.

At the end of P1, I don't know if I was more "toned" or "muscular", but I can tell you that I looked fit. I looked healthy and active. Does that make sense? I also honestly believe that because I exercised throughout, the amount of inches I lost was off the charts. I lost just as many inches as I did pounds, and for someone my size, that is pretty incredible.

So, you're probably wondering what happened and why I am rebooting? Well, funnily enough, it is because of Crossfit.

After I got to my goal weight, I actually maintained for 15 months, but I was still eating relatively low carb. The problem with that is, I was tired of scaling everything at CF and wanted to get back to doing heavier weights. I started to increase my working weights, added a 5-3-1 program for both squats and deadlifts aaaaaannnnddddd... I got injured. A lot.

Finally I realized that if I was going to lift heavy and get stronger, I needed to eat more calories and I needed to eat more carbs. So I started doing just that. My performance was off the charts. And I was getting lots stronger, PR'ing all my lifts, it was truly awesome. I had immediately put on 5#, but that was to be expected with adding back carbs. Over the course of the next 2 years, my weight slowly crept back up. 5# here, 5# there. Nothing that alarmed me for quite a long time. I was riding high on my performance, I was doing comps and I felt so STRONG.

I put on at least 15# of muscle, but I also put on fat. Finally, this past summer, reached a point where all the sudden I was like "whoa, what the heck happened?!?!" Nothing fits any more, I am flabby and my weight had spiked to 165. I hit a breaking point and realized that I didn't like what I saw in the mirror anymore and the fat was overpowering all the muscle I put on.

So after a LOT of soul searching and thinking, I came to the conclusion that I would rather be a CF scaler and have a body that I feel comfortable in, that I like what I see in the mirror and know that my clothes fit and look good. I am never going to be an elite Crossfitter, never going to go to Regionals or the Games, so why not do it because I love it and have the body I want.

So, here I am, on my reboot 4 years later trying to get my body back and still continuing to do CF. I am scaling everything again and taking in extra protein. This time, I have a much better plan in place for maintenance and beyond and I know what I have to. I am hoping that the 15# of muscle I put on will show through once I have shed the fat and maybe this time, I will be more toned looking. But regardless, I am focused on getting my body back and this time, I am not going to let it get away from me.

[Jenny38]

My story is similar to Jennydoodle. I worked out at my heaviest 305lbs doing spinning, yoga, and weights and maintained heavy. I started IP at 282 and continued to workout 3-4 times a week. 6mths into the program I started running, increasing weight training and as I was phasing off did my first 1/2 marathon one month later.
My exercise slowed my weight loss but helped with inches and skin. I'm over a year in maintence and exercised a lot this summer, Tri Athlon training - up to 9 hours a week. I have put on 4-5 lbs of muscle and original my scream weight was 163 it is now 166-167 with my inches being as low as I was at 157. I see coach weeky and she weifhts and measures. I get a lot of positive feedback on my muscle tone.
I say go ahead and exercise, sure ease into it, but this is for life and I wanted to keep and develop more healthy habits that would help me be successful in maintence.

[Sunflower40]

Jenny38 that's a very inspiring story you have. Thanks for sharing. I'm also trying to maintain with exercise and lose more inches than I did on IP. In the end I would much rather have more muscle tone than weigh less.