01-19-22 06:58 PM - Post#916234    

Trends have always fascinated me. Be it trends/patterns on the stock market, property prices or even weather patterns, you would be unwise to ignore historical evidence in most circumstances.

So then, when Dan wrote in his latest edition of Wondering weights about his experiences with the 10k swing challenge and to 'follow the trend', it got me thinking about my own weightlifting journey. To recap, in January 2021, Dan completed his gruelling 10k swing challenge. Interestingly, the scales did not budge for him one iota. However, over the next few weeks and months, he lost an incredible 19 pounds or about 8kg's.

Similarly, as of the 20/01/22, Dan is 3\4 of the way through his latest 10k swing challenge for this year. As noted by him, the scales to date have not moved. This is despite him doing a 14-day weight loss diet to add to the already difficult predicament.

Dan surmised that by following the trend of history, he will lose weight in the coming weeks and months. I agree with him 100%. I am estimating 8 to 9kg's again.

From my own personal experience and as an avid weightlifter of almost 30 years, nothing has given me greater compliments from family members, workmates and total strangers on my physical appearance after its completion than the '40-day programme.'….the original version. (I haven't tried the weight loss edition as I do not need to lose much weight.)

I am currently 3 weeks into my yearly, January,'40 Day programme.' Due to the relative easiness of this programme, my internal voice, as always, is ringing in my ear and demanding me to quit this simple challenge for a more difficult pursuit.

However, I know that by 'following the trend' and historical evidence from past years, the magic will happen for me once the programme has been completed. Hence, I hang in there, thank my internal voice for its opinion, but ignore it and punch on by lifting lightish weights for the first 4 to 5 weeks and then leaving the gym without a single sweat, nor any noticeable change to my appearance.

But the good times are a coming. The trend tells me so.

P.s I am not a vain man. I am approaching 50 in a couple of weeks and my days of vanity, like my hairline, are well and truly behind me. I don’t do this programme for 'the physical looks' but to increase my strength. The body changing after effect is an added bonus.

01-20-22 06:22 AM - Post#916245    

Posted on the side plank thread changes in body comp are stepped, not linear. Failing to understand this messes people right up when focusing on fat loss, as they expect to see that gradual loss as a perfect line on a graph. No.

For me (suspect the steps are wider as we get older) the whoosh happens every two weeks or so as long as calories are consistent.

This is largely why weight gain creeps up on people also I think.

01-20-22 09:10 AM - Post#916252    

I know for me, consistently, there's a two week lag whenever I am losing weight.

First two weeks, nothing, then weightloss starts moving, and then if I start eating more, I've got about two weeks where I keep losing weights despite pouring in calories.

That's good knowledge to have.

Re: Follow the trend.
01-20-22 10:38 AM - Post#916262    

• Gunny72 Said:

This is exactly my experience as well.

Re: Follow the trend.
01-20-22 04:47 PM - Post#916273    

I've just started to lose a bit of weight in the last few days, after two weeks of no loss, despite consistently good habits since end of December. I'm also trying to train more consistently - and thus more.

I think there is an element of what we used to call "training to train": after 3 weeks or so of hard graft, I'm now running 30-40 miles per week rather then 20 previously, and doing my 50 pushups and stuff, so am actually able to burn more calories in a day than I could at Christmas. Also, that early-stage feeling of "I just worked out, I need loads of fuel" is abating.

Fingers crossed it continues.