I did it!!!!!!!!

So ladies and gentlemen! As previously mentioned in my blogs, I was attempting to get down to my racing weight, otherwise known as my optimal performance weight to improve my speed. Well let me tell you the body does crazy things!

The experiment is officially over, why you say? Because I’ve reached my target body fat percentage. EH?

Starting Stats: (when we made the faux pax, so I’ve just put my starting weight and BMI)

Weight: 62.2 KG / 9 Stone 11.2 lbs

BMI: 22.1

Starting Stats: (correct ones done a few days after the start of the experiment)

Gender: Female

Age: 21

Height: 5ft 6 inches

Weight:  61.69 KG / 9 stone 10 lbs

Total Body Fat Percentage: 19.9%

Fat Mass: 1 stone 13 lbs

Muscle Mass: 7 stone 5.6 lbs

Hydration: 59.8 %

Bone Mass: 5.4 lbs

Metabolic Age: 12

Visceral Fat Rating: 1

BMI: 21.9

End Stats:

Gender: Female

Age: 21

Height: 5ft 6 inches

Weight:  60.87 KG / 9 stone 8.2 lbs  
Total Body Fat Percentage: 17%

Fat Mass: 1 stone 7.6 lbs

Muscle Mass: 7 stone 8.8 lbs

Hydration: 61.7 %

Bone Mass: 5.8 lbs

Metabolic Age: 12

Visceral Fat Rating: 1

BMI: 21.64

How the hell did that happen?

Well I’m not entirely sure myself! The first idea is that I’m a machine, which I’m not going to disagree with. The second idea is based partially around the no sugar experiment as I think the clean eating that I have carried on has affected my body in ways I never anticipated. The final idea, protein shakes.

When you should consume Protein Shakes

I’ve been against protein shakes for many years, partially due to an initial bad experience with them in which I actually gained weight and fat over muscle. Reason, because I wasn’t training right and my nutrition at the time was poor, but based on a bad experience I have avoided them like the plague for as long as possible. Here is where the problem lies as I am a vegetarian and I have to say I found getting adequate amounts of protein in my diet quite a struggle. When I analyzed my food diary it became clear that I was trying to get my protein mainly from nuts and seeds and sadly my fat intake was through the roof! Although in the short term this won’t have affected my health I’m glad this issue was addressed earlier rather than later. So I started consuming to protein shakes a day (just one scoop) and the difference has been phenomenal. I was quite clever with how I went about deciding on my brand and type of shake, as I’m still trying to consume as little refined sugar as possible and protein shakes are notorious for being pumped with about 15 different types of sugar and the content per 100g makes me feel queasy! I found a brand called Phd Diet Whey which was perfect for me. It gave me high levels of protein with no fat or sugar and I could consume my carbohydrate from more natural forms of sugar like fruit. Yes they do have some sweeteners in, but beggars can’t be choosers and how clean my diet is currently, the sweeteners in the protein shakes will be having little effect upon my body. 

So not only has my recovery improved, my muscle mass has gone up and my fat down. Marveloos!

But you didn’t reach your target weight how are you at your optimal performance weight?

Good question! The problem with estimating your optimal performance weight, based on your starting lean muscle mass, is that it calculates your optimal weight assuming that your lean mass is to stay the exact same and all you are to do is loose fat. This is why I have reached my optimal body fat without having to lose as much weight! Basically what has happened is that being a lucky girl I have gained quite a bit of muscle with the help of improving my protein intake, and this has helped to improve my muscle to fat ratio, hence my body fat percentage now being fabulous!

Results:

 So since starting the experiment I have lost a total of 3 pounds and dropped almost 1 point off my BMI. The main point is that I have dropped my body fat percentage from 19.9% to 17% so lost a total of 2.9%. WOWAWEEWA! It happened fast and I didn’t expect it, but it makes sense when I think how my running speed has improved, as has my strength and endurance. Not to mention that I’m now in the 80^th percentile of body fat for females my weight, meaning that my body fat is lower than 80% of women my age.

What you going to do now then?

Simple, have a curry (I’m not kidding). I’m going to treat myself after almost a month and a half of experiments, and a nice big margin of body fat to play with.

On a more serious note, I will be upping my calorie intake to 2600 calories a day. This will allow me to keep my training the same (the most important thing) but stabilize my weight. Going any lower than 17% for someone that doesn’t compete in athletics is pretty pointless, as a female it messes with my hormones and is far too much pressure than I need, so now I’m going to kick back and relax! But of course still be nutritious and eat clean!

An afterthought: For all those thinking I’m crazy for eating clean and not having sweets etc. Watch Jamie’s Food Revolution Goes to Hollywood, episode 3. His homemade ice cream sundae made up of the real ingredients that go into those Sundaes will make you think twice before putting sweets in your mouth!