My Dry January Fitness Experiment (UPDATE)

[gordiehowe]

@dawn16 Thank you!!

 

[jannsis]

@dawn16 Thank you so much! I'm just shy of 5'6". I calculated my TDEE to be around 2300 so I figure I'll give 1800 a try and see how it goes. That is so interesting that you had that experience, because I've read about that happening but it's cool to talk to someone first hand who broke out of the calorie restriction and found better results. This month was an awesome lesson for me that I could eat ~2000 calories a day (I tracked for science, but didn't restrict) and still lose weight, it definitely shifted my paradigm and I think helps me have a better relationship with the food - like I can have a cupcake and it's not gonna offset my progress, I just prob shouldn't eat cupcakes every day. lol.

 

[dawn16]

@jannsis Exactly! It’s all about moderation. What people forget is that when you workout, especially weight training like I do, your body continues to burn calories throughout the next 24 hours. When you aren’t eating enough calories your body tries to save all it can and when it does start actually using reserves for fuel it will use muscle, not fat. So it’s really important to have proper calorie intake and proper protein intake.

 

[hosannah]

@jannsis I have a very similar body type to you and I get bloated after drinking too many days. I’m inspired to go dry for February! You look awesome!

 

[classytam]

@hosannah I’ll join you!

 

[exu]

@hosannah I am doing dry feb too - you got this! Got invited to the bar tonight already planned to just order a club soda with a splash of grenadine or cranberry

 

[hosannah]

@exu I bartend and LOVE mock-tails. My favorite is club soda with angostura bitters with lemon and lime. The bitters have a small amount of alcohol and it tastes like a cocktail. Props to you for doing dry February and still going out to the bar!

 

[jannsis]

@hosannah oh yum i'll have to try this!! my friend brought over some kombucha and we put it in rocks glasses and it hit the spot though it's not something you'd find in a bar, lol

 

[jannsis]

@hosannah Thank you February is the shortest month ayyyy

 

[hosannah]

@jannsis Haha! I didn’t even think of that! 28 days is nothin’!

 

[dacoata]

@jannsis Honestly, my weight fluctuates from 145-139lbs throughout the day. This doesn’t seem like much progress. I could do the same thing comparing morning and night me.

 

[jannsis]

@dacoata I hear what you're saying, which is why I try to weigh myself around the same time of day. There are so many variables that it's challenging to make a science out of it without becoming obsessive. That being said, 4.5 lbs in 4.5 weeks is consistent with a 500 calorie per day deficit, which is a healthy, sustainable, and recommended pace. I'm stoked about my progress, I think the small wins are something to celebrate especially when they come hand in hand with healthy habit formation, and I hope that anyone else reading this feels permission to celebrate small victories as well

 

[garymiah]

@jannsis Besides the weight loss, how do you feel? I was one of the people tempering expectations on the last post, ha. I just completed my dry January as well. I lost 2.5 lbs (but I think my weight on 1/1 was artificially high because I’ve only lost 0.2 lbs since 12/30). Body fat dropped by 0.25%. I also look less bloated, think I can see abs. The most interesting thing though was watching my resting heart rate drop from mid 50s to low 50s. Second most interesting was I ran my fastest 5k ever. I don’t feel any different though lol. Good job completing it!!

 

[jannsis]

@garymiah I am feeling really good. It’s been kind of fun and emotionally really good for me to eat the food I want, because it’s really given me confidence that I will be able to successfully cut without going lower than 1500 calories a day. My yoga teaching has really improved and my core strength is feeling great! I was in a bad drinking habit so I definitely notice the difference, especially in my yoga teaching! I have Sunday morning classes and I kept drinking on Saturday nights

 

[kreg21]

@jannsis Great job! You look less bloated in the after picture. I'm doing dry February, since I failed 4 days into January (darn birthdays). But even with that, I think I only drank a few days in January. I hate going out in the cold, so I'm much more social in the warm months anyway.

 

[atgeki]

@kreg21 Yay! I started dry feb today too

 

[princess_nerd]

@kreg21 I'm thinking of doing dry feb too. I went on a cruise. My birthday is this month, but my gift to myself this year is losing some fat.

 

[j1a1h]

@kreg21 Don’t lie. You’re doing dry Feb cause it’s the shortest month

 

[jannsis]

@kreg21 I do look less bloated. I stayed up drinking and had a falafel sandwich at 2 am in the before pic - but, I definitely ate 2,500 calories yesterday hahahhaa

Edit: i want to add that even though I did these unhealthy habits, I don't think my weight in the before pic is falsely inflated because I weighed myself a few times between christmas and new years and all were in the 157's.

 

[sumac]

@jannsis Good improvement, well done .