Exercise & 30 Day Challenge

[karamelart]

A friend of mine did the 30 day challenge, during the course her body went from being pretty firm to extremely flabby. I am pretty firm, and although I am overweight I have pretty good muscle tone. I plan to begin my 30 day challenge tomorrow and am concerned about getting flabby. I definitely do not want to lose any of my muscle tone while the weight comes off. Any suggestions? Should I focus more on specific foods or do particular exercises?

[misslinda]

Hello there!

Welcome to the raw world! I can hear what you are saying about concerned with flabiness...........

I believe what you may have seen happen to your friend, is the toxins,some excess fat,excess water etc ridden from the body. As this progresses, the body is ridding the old tissue and reconstructing the new. The more healty and more efficient body.

At one time, I was hwat people would consider a toned thin muscular body and running 10 miles a day and I really thought I was clean inside and out...

Well here I am, finished a 40 day fast and have eaten solid raw for 10 days or so and my muscles and tissue respond so much differently than when I was eating vegetarian and at times SAD.

You've got to break down the old to get to NEWER and better! :)


Flabby doesn't neccessrily mean fat--is that what you are worried about? that flabby means you will not burn fat or be efficient?

Who's your friend? Here?

:)

[rawfigure]

I did not lose muscle or gain fat during the 30 day challenge. It is not about what you eat as much as it is energy in energy out. If you keep up with your training and keep you food intake about the same you should be OK.

Right now my bodyfat is about 5 % (ie 5 pds) higher than i am in the warmer weather, but that is nothing to do with being raw, simply the fact this winter I cut my cardio in half, mostly to give my body a break..and a bit of a test to see if I needed as much cardio to stay as lean and tight. We test told me YES I cannot cut back on cardio...year round for me !!

So maybe your friend gained because she changed something not because she went raw ????

So in closing I would emphasize Greens, sea veggies, hemp protein, the less sweet fruits over sweet fruit, and be careful on the pre packaged foods, other than that eat raw and you will be fine !!

Best wishes.

[misslinda]

Rawfigure,

Since you are an experienced body builder etc, would it be correct to say that it is possible to build muscle over fat? Especially when on SAD?

This so called muscle or tightness can be other things than actual muscle?

:)

[karamelart]

Thanks for your responses. I am going with the focus on greens and not so sweet fruit. I was sick as all get-out today but am hoping it's just part of the 'detox' process I keep hearing about.

[rawfigure]

Actually from what I know muscle is muscle, either slow twitch or fast, and it depends on genetics. The muscle you build IMO Raw or SAD or SBBD (standard BB diet) is just that muscle. Muscle does not turn to fat and vice a versa, but you know that.
So I think what is different is the rest of the body, due to the diet/nutrition lack of, amount of macro nutrients you will have different visual effects from the diet. That being said, my muscle is the same quality muscle and I have same amount (genetic, though some say SAD muscle is different, I disagree, muscle is muscle) ...I notice that high protein may be very dehydrating and make one look leaner while on that diet, i.e dehydrated state daily...high sugar diet and high starch carb diet will make a bodybuilder look softer due to fact they hold more water in the muscle, under the skin (i.e the difference in look between the on and off season).
If I went of Raw today and went back to a High Protein diet (180 grams a day) in a week I would drop 2-3 pds of water right away. So I may LOOK leaner but really I am simply dehydrated.
In addition to losing body fat in the On season, the one thing BB's do to get ready for a show (get that LOOK for the stage) is minimal carbs, no fruit or dairy, and virtually no fruit. They deplete water then right before the stage carb up to fill the muscles. By the next day most BB spill over and refill with water from the carbs and get smooth.
That is why the Muscle Mags bother me. The look the girls have is short term and minipulated by an un heathy diet. I have a freind in a few Supplement Commercials and many Ad's in muscle Mags...they airbrush here to look more cut. Sad, we then try to get that look. The media. grrrrrrrrrrrr

In closing as you stated in the 6 months raw my body has changed so many times.
I think it is my body detoxing, re balancing, getting used to the totally new diet. As time goes on I am finding my "look" is becoming more consistently leaner.
Oddly the last few days my legs started to get a very soft watery look, holding more water...and I even started running more ! I may look again in a few days and be back to normal.

[tglasco4]

Wow....Rawfigure. That was a great post. It makes so much sense. I have found that the massive amounts of protein BB's (and others on low carb diets) take in also cause severe stress on the internal organs (like the kidneys). Over time this causes a breakdown of those organs. The whole system of getting big in the offseason only to dehydrate for shows for the shredded look is very unhealthy both in the short and long term. Ironic that Bodybuilding originated to exhibit health and vitality and it has now come to this. But what really helps me from what you posted was that how our muscles hold water and then at times lets go of some. Sometimes I look really cut and other times smoother. I knew it was the water I was holding but now I understand a little better.....Thanks:)

Peace.

Todd

[rawfigure]

glad to help, when I can will be glad to add to this section. there is so much to learn in this area. I am not the foremost in knowledge but have gleaned alot from my years in the gym, on the stage, and being certified trainer at one point in time. Most learned in the competition years.

I agree Todd. The Fitness world is held up to a standard, as HEALTHY, but in reality is so NOT !! Perception, not fact. I think that is one big reason I , and a few others here have opted for health and balance over the Bodybuilding.