Exercise - Crossfit and other intense Stuff

**Cybercere** · May 22nd, 2012, 02:55 PM

So, I started 5/16/2012 (Load Day, first VLCD was 5/18). Lost 5.2 pounds so far (not counting the load weight). I am an avid crossfitter but have been concerned I won't have enough energy or will stall progress. I also hike/walk and do yoga (sometimes power, sometimes more restorative) and have continued those without issue. I don't really want to take a month off from Crossfit but >...

I only want to lose about another 15-17 pounds but would prefer not to lose much muscle. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

VLCD #162.8
VLCD#5 157.2
Goal: 140-142 (sustained)

**Southern** · May 22nd, 2012, 03:43 PM

if you have the energy for it, keep doing it

**ExNavyInHouston** · May 23rd, 2012, 07:36 AM

Today is my first Loading Day. I'm also a CrossFit'ter.

I'm going to try and continue while I do this, everyone there knows what I am doing and hopefully won't mind if I lag behind.

I'll check in as this goes on, and comment on my experience.

**niecy** · July 1st, 2012, 07:58 AM

Any updates here. I have doing crossfit for a month and interested to see how it may affect my workout when going back on this diet.

***Michelle*** · July 2nd, 2012, 01:27 PM

Same here. I am a week into the INSANITY program and would like to continue, but would also like to couple it with this diet. I can imagine not having the energy unless I have a meal an hour or so before exercising, but have also read that intense exercise will cause the body to not burn fat for its energy, but muscle instead. I don't know what to believe, so I was looking for real life experience.

Let us know how it is going!

**caressa** · July 4th, 2012, 02:02 PM

I ran and walked a lot throughout p2 and was just fine. I also started INSANITY the last 2 weeks of p2 and was totally fine then as well.
If I got hungry I did add in an extra "meal" of Jay Robb whey protein.

I will say that you might need to not take the number on the scale as seriously when combining intense exercise and p2. You will lose inches
really well and the scale might show you otherwise...slower losses, stalls...etc. BUT just know it's water retention and SOME muscle building.

I ended my last p2 round 5 lbs heavier than my previous round due to the exercising and what not BUT I was smaller than my last round!

I strongly believe exercising during p2 restores and helps to keep muscle rather than lose it. I don't believe for a second that muscle isn't
compromised just a little in p2 due to the diet itself.

If I were to do any more rounds I will FOR SURE exercise throughout it. Exercise is healthy. Also, I am to the point that yes, I'd rather weigh
5-10 lbs heavier but wear a size smaller and look toned, rather than weigh less and just look "skinny".

This is my take. I know others completely disagree with me and I am A-OK with that.

Edited to say: I also continued running and INSANITY thru p3 and still continue it to this day (I'm in p4 now). I feel it's complete bologna
that one shouldn't exercise in p3 due to risk of not stabilizing and "resetting your metabolism". My weight was completely fine and I was stabilizing
BEAUTIFULLY until I got stupid during a vacation recently. lol. FOOD choices bumped my weight up a few lbs...NOT exercising.

**Johnny Rock Starr** · September 23rd, 2012, 05:46 AM

Just a suggestion as far as energy is concerned:

The hcg diet does include tea. You could try sipping green tea or yerba mate tea before/during/after your WOD. Those two teas boost energy and has other great benefits without stifling your weight loss progress. I'm at the start of my 3rd day of P2(round1) and I'm down 9lbs.

**GypsyDancer** · September 23rd, 2012, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by caressa

I ran and walked a lot throughout p2 and was just fine. I also started INSANITY the last 2 weeks of p2 and was totally fine then as well.
If I got hungry I did add in an extra "meal" of Jay Robb whey protein.

I will say that you might need to not take the number on the scale as seriously when combining intense exercise and p2. You will lose inches
really well and the scale might show you otherwise...slower losses, stalls...etc. BUT just know it's water retention and SOME muscle building.

I ended my last p2 round 5 lbs heavier than my previous round due to the exercising and what not BUT I was smaller than my last round!

I strongly believe exercising during p2 restores and helps to keep muscle rather than lose it. I don't believe for a second that muscle isn't
compromised just a little in p2 due to the diet itself.

If I were to do any more rounds I will FOR SURE exercise throughout it. Exercise is healthy. Also, I am to the point that yes, I'd rather weigh
5-10 lbs heavier but wear a size smaller and look toned, rather than weigh less and just look "skinny".

This is my take. I know others completely disagree with me and I am A-OK with that.

Edited to say: I also continued running and INSANITY thru p3 and still continue it to this day (I'm in p4 now). I feel it's complete bologna
that one shouldn't exercise in p3 due to risk of not stabilizing and "resetting your metabolism". My weight was completely fine and I was stabilizing
BEAUTIFULLY until I got stupid during a vacation recently. lol. FOOD choices bumped my weight up a few lbs...NOT exercising.

Agreed. I am a dancer and have no choice but to continue my regimen. I do upper body 3 times a week, cardio 3 times a week and take multiple dance classes and perform. I didn't cut back on any of it during P2 except I slowed down the cardio a little. If you're building new muscle, that may lead to increased weight because muscle is heavier than fat, but so what? The number on a scale hardly matters if you can get back in your skinny jeans.

**FJL** · October 7th, 2012, 04:21 AM

I'm so glad I found this thread. I am a crossfitter, have been doing it for 14 months now and really did not want to give it up. I'm going to wait until i've done 2 full days in P2 as i've read these are the hardest days in terms of feeling hungry and if I feel good and feel energetic enough then I will go. I normally do 4 days a week as well as 1 cardio and 1 heavy lifting a week, so maybe if I just CF every 2nd day...hmmmmm, will just play it by ear. Will not CF on load days as today was first load day and I am so full there is no way I could do a pull up, swing a kettle bell or get myself up on a box LOL!!

**Mountainfever** · October 30th, 2012, 03:18 PM

I'm an avid crossfitter too- in fact in 9 months of crossfit I've gained 12 lbs of muscle! I had a hydro bodyfat test done.
I agree with everything Caressa said- excellent post
That said, if you have any health issues, you may find yourself unable to exercise. That is the case for me. I tried to continue crossfit in Round 4 and it made me too tired and made me crave too much and made the diet very hard for me. Also, I didn't lose much fat at all for the length of time I was on the protocol- I think for me (I have multiple autoimmune conditions) it was a little too much to ask of my body- p2 is still a trial to the body, losing so much fat so quickly, using fat stores for food, etc., so for some like me, it might be best to focus on one thing at a time. I do experience some muscle loss on p2, but I find that I regain that muscle in p3 when I go back to crossfit like lightning fast. So if I cycle the crossfit and hcg now.

but I'm so glad to hear that many you can handle the crossfit or what not while in p2- I wish i could!

**Mountainfever** · October 30th, 2012, 03:20 PM

Also I totally agree that it's not necessary to avoid exercise in p3- I have gone to crossfit the last two p3's and gained muscle right away and felt great, and out of the 12 lbs of muscle I gained in my last 2 p3 and p4's i only gained back 1 lb of fat. Pretty good ratio I think. Also I could eat A LOT of food and still either maintain or "gain" weight in the form of almost 100% muscle- pretty cool.

**Simjam** · March 11th, 2013, 09:24 AM

This is why I love this forum so much, never had a question or crazy thought in my mind that wasnt already discussed lol

since my last round in july 2012 Ive really got to loving weight training and now more recently running and was wondering if I could continue this level of exertion while on hCG. Now that I know I can Im a happy camper.

also training for another 5k in 2 weeks time

also after not exercising at all in my first round of P2 and then doing light cardio and weights during my other rounds, Ive noticed a huge improvement in muscle retention. Plus I notice gains much quicker since all that pesky fat wasnt hiding it !!!

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