Dr. Hussman sent me (and probably about a kajillion other folks) a very interesting email...it's long but I think you'll find it interesting - especially those of you who are in the first few weeks of this journey!
Quote:
FAT COMES OFF EVENLY
As you may know, you can get fairly good estimates of your bodyfat composition simply from a single skinfold, or by passing a tiny electrical current through your foot, ankle or hands. What this really means is that fat is distributed fairly precisely on the body. And while it's true that some people have larger fat deposits on some parts of their body than others, it's also true that percentage-wise, the fat on your body comes off fairly evenly.
That's important to remember when you measure your progress. See, one of the first places you're probably looking for fat loss is on those areas of your body that you think are "too fat." But in fact, that's the last place you should look, because I can guarantee that those areas are still going to look "too fat" for a little while.
Think of it this way. If you have a roll of paper towels (or a cassette tape), and you start to unravel it, you can get a good amount off of the roll before you really see a visible change. But as you get further down that roll, even taking off a little more is very apparent.
The same is true with your body. The first place you're going to see greater definition is at those areas where the fat deposits are relatively thin already. For most people, this is around the shoulders and clavicles (the two long bones that run just under your neck, connecting your two shoulders to the breast plate).
Another reason why this is important is that advertisers often prey on the belief that fat can be "spot-reduced." All the twisty ab-crunchers on the market are perfect examples. Basically, these companies get a fitness model that has followed months or years of weight training, aerobics, and proper nutrition, and have them roll back and forth in one of these things, as if they actually got in shape that way.
Or look at all the books promising to help you lose fat "for your type" - pear shaped, apple shaped, dodecahedron shaped - you name it. It's true, for example, that people who are insulin resistant tend to store more fat in the midsection, and that women tend to store more fat in the thigh area. But so what? If you lose the fat, it comes off EVERYWHERE. If a problem area looks "too fat", training that area with exercise may very well improve the definition of the underlying muscles and the overall form of that area. But it will not accelerate fat loss relative to other parts of your body.
If the body didn't lose fat uniformly, we'd all wobble around like Weebles because our relatively fixed bone and muscle structure wouldn't be able to tolerate the variation. The best way to change the size of your body is through caloric deficits. The best way to change the shape is through resistance training. The one thing you need to achieve a total physique and fitness transformation is to do EVERYTHING - aerobics, intervals, resistance training, cross-training, small frequent meals, high-quality protein and carbohydrates, low-glycemic nutrition, proper supplementation, water, and rest. As Shawn Phillips says, "the one thing, is everything."
So again, if you're looking for results in the mirror, look for the first signs of improved definition at those areas where muscle is relatively close to the surface. For most people, this is the upper chest and shoulder area. After two weeks, you probably won't see enormous visible changes elsewhere. But those changes are happening anyway.
You should definitely be keeping track of how your clothes feel. Go to the closet and pick out an outfit that's just a little too tight. Put it aside. You'll want to try it on occasionally. Waist measurements can also capture fat loss that isn't necessarily evident in the mirror.
PEAK-TO-PEAK, TROUGH-TO-TROUGH
As for the scale, remember that just on the basis of things like water retention (especially after free days), digestive contents, and other factors, your scale weight will typically fluctuate about 4% from peak to trough in any given week. So if you weighed 130 pounds last week, and you weigh 135 today, it's not any sort of evidence that you've gained or lost fat. What you really want to know is what's happening from peak-to-peak or trough-to-trough across a number of weeks.
I always get a little concerned when people start reporting their 2-week progress. Invariably, people who had been eating high carbohydrate diets prior to starting their program will report huge weight losses of 8 pounds or more (mostly water), which just depresses the heck out of people who aren't seeing those numbers. And it eventually depresses the people who report the huge weight losses because they typically slow down to a more normal pace after a few weeks.
You should be neither elated nor discouraged by your two-week progress. Just keep tracking your results from peak-to-peak, trough-to-trough. If fat loss has been difficult in the past, there's nothing quite like the feeling of breaking to a new trough. You'll get used to the fact that your weight will pop higher for a few days, but if you're sticking to your plan, it won't be long before you hit an even lower trough.
If you're seeing no results at all of any kind, do what Bill Phillips (author of "Body for Life") suggests. Fail fast. That doesn't mean changing your whole program. But it does mean being brutally honest with yourself about whether you're actually doing everything it takes. Look carefully at the caloric deficit you've actually been creating. Be sure you're not seriously underestimating your intake. Be sure you're not seriously overestimating your activity. If you've been sedentary outside of your workouts, add a walk in the evening, or walk around the house if you have to. But fail fast, fix what's wrong, and keep going.
I'm not sure where to go with this. I'm very short torso'd- basically no space between ribs and hips so have always had a thick waist, even in my anorexic, marathon running days. Could that be skewing the tape measure method? I sure hope so! I'd like to have a good idea of where I am so I know in 11 weeks what my progress was.
