New To EM2WL? Introduce Yourself Here!
Replies
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Thanks for the welcomes x I'm not nursing and with three kids now I'm on my feet alot so not feeling the energy for workouts yet lol I'm going to wait til I'm 6 weeks post partum to start some light workouts. Tdee is around 1800call if I remember rightly and I'm trying to stick to it but usually come 100-200 under but it's going OK so far.1
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@ibtmas Getting more protein is definitely challenging to begin with. Trust me, I'm vegan so I found it extra challenging!
I do use natural protein powders to make sure I am hitting my numbers. I also have nuts, seeds, beans, nut butters, pulses, legumes, plant milks.
Here are 2 excellent links about protein
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/measuring-your-macros-a-visual-guide.html
and
http://cathe.com/can-you-build-muscle-on-a-plant-based-diet
Hope these help.
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator1 -
Hello every one. I'm Charles and I live in the STL. I've dieted on and off for years, looking for a long term solution. From the reading so far, I like what I see. Errbody have a safe and enjoyable 4th weekend.0
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Hello every one. I'm Charles and I live in the STL. I've dieted on and off for years, looking for a long term solution. From the reading so far, I like what I see. Errbody have a safe and enjoyable 4th weekend.
Hi Charles! Welcome to the group.
As you say you've come from an off and on diet background have you had a chance to read this?
http://eatmore2weighless.com/the-metabolism-reset-guide/
If you have any questions, just let us know!
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator2 -
Hi All,
I am here after much deliberation. Last year in June I joined MFP because I had lost a few pounds and wasn't seeing any more success and so I figured I would log what I was eating and stick to my morning walks and progress. My goal weight was ultimately 110, maybe 115. I started on MFP and weighed, logged and walked. Kept my calories within range and in January got down to 130(129 earlier before the final weigh-in). I was wearing a size I was comfortable in, and starting to feel comfortable in my own skin. Then in January I was pregnant. As soon as I was pregnant I packed on weight immediately. By the time February rolled around I was 7 pounds heavier and still eating just under maintenance because I was not feeling great and couldn't eat more. When I wasn't pregnant the husband and I had date nights every week and I enjoyed a drink or two and an indulgent dinner and dessert with him and would still lose. Flash forward to the beginning of March and I lost the baby. We were saddened and it was a long process of waiting to miscarry and ultimately ending up in a D&C. After the D&C I ate in maintenance mode of about 1800 calories some days, by my estimate. I had some nice folks drop dinners off and there was no way for me to count the calories accurately. I should mention that in December I had started the Strong Curves lifting by Bret Contreras. When I was pregnant I was still strolling around the neighborhood for a good 4 mile walk. I didn't understand why I gained. I allowed myself to heal and then hopped on the scale to see it tip at 142. I felt defeated and angry because it was as if I let myself go even though I never truly ate at maintenance for very long. Its been months of a thicker waist and still eating under the requirement and I am now in the 3rd phase of Strong Curves first program(miscarriage delayed progress). Still no moving on the scale. I am 5'1" (not quite 5'2") and would really just like to fit into some of my new "old" clothes and see the scale move and shred some body fat.
I am very hesitant to up my calories to even 1700. I see that I might need to but am worried I will gain even more than I have.
Is it advisable to go with a 10% cut right now according to the calculator on this site? Were MFP calculations for my weight loss that I followed accurate enough that I didn't ruin my metabolism? I love chocolate, a glass of wine and martini on the weekend. I make my food from scratch and weigh and log my food even my chocolate chip cookie recipe.0 -
Hello @jvezzsb01 !
First of all, I am really sorry to hear about your loss. No one should ever go through such pain (I personally went through such loss). My heart goes with you.
Second, I am glad you gave your body time to heal. You went through quite a fews changes in a short period of time, hormones all over the place.
Having a strength training routine is the best way to preserve and build your muscle mass, which is what will keep your metabolism high, helping you burn more calories and fat. If you haven't dieted since January and have actually been eating around 1800, I would say that a small reset before you go back to cutting would be a good idea. You want to remind your body of where maintenance should be.
What happened when you where working out and eating at 1800? Have you taken any measurements? You were doing Strong Curves, then stopped, them got back at it, right? It takes time for the body to go back where it was before, but it will go back if you continue fueling it and lifting.
How many calories were you eating when you first lost weight? Depending on how little you ate and for how long, it won't be an issue as long as you don't drop them low again. Mfp suggestion is quite low. If you haven't dieted before, you will probably see a loss in the scale, but that loss will definitely include lean mass and water. Also it won't be sustainable in the long run and eventually the weight will creep back up.
Start at our calculator (no frills, no complicated data, just straight up information) http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-loss-calculator/
Then check out our Metabolism Reset Guide http://eatmore2weighless.com/the-metabolism-reset-guide/
Our journey and stories are here: http://eatmore2weighless.com/blog/
Be patient and consistent, it takes time, but you can reach what you are looking for while still having your chocolate and you glass of wine.
Feel free to send me a friend request.
Tereza
Team EM2WL1 -
Thank you, Tereza for your encouragement and kind words.
In January and when I was pregnant I never ate at maintenance because I wasn't feeling well. I ate as well as I could but I still didn't hit maintenance calories and still gained the weight. After the miscarriage I gained 4 more pounds up until now, I was closer to what I think my maintenance was according to MFP calculator for lightly active. When I went up to calculators on scooby and the EM2WL site my maintenance was calculated much higher than MFP. Which I had no idea and logged myself as lightly active with MFP and then just ate some of my walking calories back, it might have been too low because I just assumed I was lightly active and would only eat the cardio calories back and didn't start strong curves until I had lost a good chunk of the weight. I was turning into a cardio lady and I didn't know how to account for strength training. I am a stay at home mom.
All in all I hovered between 1300-1600 while really losing weight. My husband thinks it was too low for my level and that when I was pregnant my body just started saving everything for the pregnancy. My doctor gave me the green light to modify the lifting from Strong Curves while pregnant so I continued with lighter weights and higher reps but still gained.
I have been trying to up my calories since April/May but have been up and down with it because I would pull out my jeans and then Want to go to 1200 calories or so just to shed the extra to have them fit properly again.
How long would you suggest a reset for?
I am so happy to have found this board.0 -
@jvezzsb01 thanks for the fr. Your husband is right for saying that it's too little for you. With every pregnancy, if we don't eat enough protein and during/after don't work on building/preserving muscle, you lean mass (muscle, bones, vital tissue, you name it) can suffer. The baby doesn't care if we are not eating enough and will lose bone density, for instance. It need what it needs. And it's hard enough to eat the little that we can at that period.
The games our mind plays, specially are a m/c are tough. We want our body back asap (I had a silent m/c at 19 weeks) and we just want the pain to go away and to be back to ourselves. But you need to take your time. You should reset for at least 8 to 12 weeks once you reach your TDEE. It may seem long right now, but it would give you excellent results for life. While doing it you can definitely focus on your lifting and reap all the positive side effects (more energy, nicer hair and skin, more strength, better sleep and mood). The part that our clothes don't fit the same for now does suck, I totally understand. In the beginning I went for the lots of cardio (it helped me to forget the pain), but ended up skinny fat and was always hungry, frustrated and unhappy that I couldn't eat.
I'm also a SAHM and I know that we don't sit in our butts all day. We are busy people and burn lots of calories, for sure. Take it slowly, increase 100cals a day, adding 100 more each week until you get to your TDEE. Just coast there for a little and then cut. The longer you stay at your TDEE (reseting) the better it is for you.
This post is about how much longer to reset http://eatmore2weighless.com/metabolism-reset-how-much-longer/
This article talks about how long to achieve results with lifting http://eatmore2weighless.com/how-long-to-see-results-from-lifting/
If you ever need to vent, shoot me a PM.
Tereza
Team EM2WL0 -
Hi! I did 8 weeks on beach body and plateau'd early on. Just switched to MFP this week and saw 2.4 pounds fly off! MFP has me eating way more carbs and a little more calories. Yay!0
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Hi @ericabalko
Welcome to the group.
Have you checked the EM2WL calculator to see how many calories it would have you eating for your activity level?
http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-loss-calculator/
Also, if you want to know more about the whole EM2WL you can check out the website at http://eatmore2weighless.com
Here you will find all sorts of resources, free workouts, blog posts and forums.
Any questions you have, just let us know!
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator1 -
Hi Everyone, my name is Tonya. I am new to this EM2WL group. I am trying so hard to lose weight especially my stomach looks bloated all the time and I get so frustrated that I usually go back to old habits. I do Cardio kickboxing 3 times a week and I just joined YMCA to weight lift. I walked 3 days a week also. My problems are I drink Mt. Dew about 3 a day. Yes I know that they are bad for me.I am trying really hard not to stop. I also, love to snack on nuts pistachio's are my favorite and fruit. I have learned portion control I just need some support. I usually do good during the week but then mess up on the weekends. Don't know how to break this cycle.
I hope to learn a lot from this group.0 -
Hello Tonya, welcome!
Instead of removing things from your diet, how about adding more of other things? Maybe if you add more water, carbonated water, with or without lemon, for instance, you would have less room for MD. You don't need to deprive yourself from it. Nuts are an excellent source of proteins, fats and energy.
What are your goals? Have you checked out your TDEE? I loved this post from Kiki (EM2WL co-founder and ceo) on Instagram from today:
Tereza
Team EM2WL0 -
Hi, I'm CSO. I'm 5'6", 222 lbs, middle aged, menopausal woman. My ultimate goal weight is 135, but more importantly my body fat goal is 15-18 percent. I've not been very kind to myself as far as a commitment to a food plan. I know what works for me, but I allow myself to be swayed off, mostly emotional reasons. I'm hoping to be accountable here. Also, I've been wanting to start a home circuit workout with bands and hand weights. I can't afford to go to the gym, so I need some ideas for home.0
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Welcome to the EM2WL Forum on MFP, @CSO50364 !
Emotional eatng and triggers can be hard to deal with, but once your body is using to you eating enough and not restricting calories, you will see huge improvement. Binges and cravings go away. It takes time, it's. Ot a quick fix, but it works for life. First thing is to check the quick start on the EM2WL site. It's free and will tellyou how this works in a nutshell: http://training.eatmore2weighless.com/get-your-quick-start-guide/?utm_source=mfp&utm_medium=DM&utm_campaign=quick start
For free workouts that can be done at home, go to www.em2wl.com/results and http://eatmore2weighless.com/category/workouts/
Tereza
Team EM2WL1 -
Hi Everyone, my name is Tonya. I am new to this EM2WL group. I am trying so hard to lose weight especially my stomach looks bloated all the time and I get so frustrated that I usually go back to old habits. I do Cardio kickboxing 3 times a week and I just joined YMCA to weight lift. I walked 3 days a week also. My problems are I drink Mt. Dew about 3 a day. Yes I know that they are bad for me.I am trying really hard not to stop. I also, love to snack on nuts pistachio's are my favorite and fruit. I have learned portion control I just need some support. I usually do good during the week but then mess up on the weekends. Don't know how to break this cycle.
I hope to learn a lot from this group.
Hi Tonya
Usually when we eat more on the weekend it's because we are restricting too much during the week. I used to do that. Then beat myself up about how 'bad' I'd been on the weekend and vow to be'good' all week.
This group is all about losing that diet mentality mindset. I eat the same things during the week as I do on the weekends now. Same things on holiday. There is no restrict/binge cycles anymore!
Have you checked you are eating enough with our calculator?
http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-loss-calculator/
It's often surprising how much we should be eating. If you are eating too few calories for a long period of time, that's often when the cravings/binges come in.
Also this lifestyle gives you plenty of room to enjoy the things you love. No need to cut out nuts. They are a great source of protein and fats as well as micro nutrients. Fruits are great too! Fibre, vitamins, antioxidants. I definitely wouldn't restrict those.
If you work out the calories you should be eating for your activity level and try to reach that every day with 40% carbs/30% protein/30% fat, you will find plenty of room for your favourite things and find that the weekends are just like the week days!
Here is a blog to leave you with about restriction/diet mentality, hope it helps.
http://eatmore2weighless.com/3-ways-to-tell-if-a-diet-will-work-for-you/
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator1 -
Hi, I'm CSO. I'm 5'6", 222 lbs, middle aged, menopausal woman. My ultimate goal weight is 135, but more importantly my body fat goal is 15-18 percent. I've not been very kind to myself as far as a commitment to a food plan. I know what works for me, but I allow myself to be swayed off, mostly emotional reasons. I'm hoping to be accountable here. Also, I've been wanting to start a home circuit workout with bands and hand weights. I can't afford to go to the gym, so I need some ideas for home.
Hi CSO. Welcome to the group.
I do all of my workouts from home. I've gradually added to my equipment as I have become stronger.
Apart from the workouts that Tereza mentioned I would also highly recommend Cathe Friederich DVD's.
http://eatmore2weighless.com/shop/
You are your own gym by Mark Lauren is great too.
If you head on over to www.eatmore2weighless.com you can find lots of resources, workouts, blogs that should be able to help.
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator2 -
TerezaToledo wrote: »Welcome to the EM2WL Forum on MFP, @CSO50364 !
Emotional eatng and triggers can be hard to deal with, but once your body is using to you eating enough and not restricting calories, you will see huge improvement. Binges and cravings go away. It takes time, it's. Ot a quick fix, but it works for life. First thing is to check the quick start on the EM2WL site. It's free and will tellyou how this works in a nutshell: http://training.eatmore2weighless.com/get-your-quick-start-guide/?utm_source=mfp&utm_medium=DM&utm_campaign=quick start
For free workouts that can be done at home, go to www.em2wl.com/results and http://eatmore2weighless.com/category/workouts/
Tereza
Team EM2WLempressichel wrote: »Hi Everyone, my name is Tonya. I am new to this EM2WL group. I am trying so hard to lose weight especially my stomach looks bloated all the time and I get so frustrated that I usually go back to old habits. I do Cardio kickboxing 3 times a week and I just joined YMCA to weight lift. I walked 3 days a week also. My problems are I drink Mt. Dew about 3 a day. Yes I know that they are bad for me.I am trying really hard not to stop. I also, love to snack on nuts pistachio's are my favorite and fruit. I have learned portion control I just need some support. I usually do good during the week but then mess up on the weekends. Don't know how to break this cycle.
I hope to learn a lot from this group.
Hi Tonya
Usually when we eat more on the weekend it's because we are restricting too much during the week. I used to do that. Then beat myself up about how 'bad' I'd been on the weekend and vow to be'good' all week.
This group is all about losing that diet mentality mindset. I eat the same things during the week as I do on the weekends now. Same things on holiday. There is no restrict/binge cycles anymore!
Have you checked you are eating enough with our calculator?
http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-loss-calculator/
It's often surprising how much we should be eating. If you are eating too few calories for a long period of time, that's often when the cravings/binges come in.
Also this lifestyle gives you plenty of room to enjoy the things you love. No need to cut out nuts. They are a great source of protein and fats as well as micro nutrients. Fruits are great too! Fibre, vitamins, antioxidants. I definitely wouldn't restrict those.
If you work out the calories you should be eating for your activity level and try to reach that every day with 40% carbs/30% protein/30% fat, you will find plenty of room for your favourite things and find that the weekends are just like the week days!
Here is a blog to leave you with about restriction/diet mentality, hope it helps.
http://eatmore2weighless.com/3-ways-to-tell-if-a-diet-will-work-for-you/
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and ModeratorTerezaToledo wrote: »Hello Tonya, welcome!
Instead of removing things from your diet, how about adding more of other things? Maybe if you add more water, carbonated water, with or without lemon, for instance, you would have less room for MD. You don't need to deprive yourself from it. Nuts are an excellent source of proteins, fats and energy.
What are your goals? Have you checked out your TDEE? I loved this post from Kiki (EM2WL co-founder and ceo) on Instagram from today:
Tereza
Team EM2WL
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Hi Tereza,
Thank you for the words of encouragement. My goals are to tone my entire body especially my stomach area. I drink lots of water all day. No I have not checked my TDEE but I will and thank you again.0 -
Hi Empressichel,
Thank you.1 -
Hi, I'm Paula and just found this group and joined yesterday. I'm 54, 5'6" tall, 136 lbs. My goals are to change my body composition, age well, feel good and have lots of energy. I've had some physical challenges (shoulder problem that went on too long, finally had surgery on it and after that my hip went!) but they are finally under control. I just stopped getting exercise for a long time and now I want to get back into shape, it's just harder than it was only a few years ago. I'm not happy with how I feel, how my clothes fit (they don't!) and I'm ready to change it. I tried a few weeks of low-calorie dieting and not only was I hungry a lot, I gained weight! This seems like a better approach. It's nice to be part of the group!
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Hi Paula @girlfighting50
Welcome to the group!
Great that you are already focused on your goals.
Best thing for body recomposition is to start lifting! Along with all the other health benefits of course.
We have free workouts on our website!
http://eatmore2weighless.com/category/workouts/
Have you done strength training before? There are so my programmes out there, so the em2wl.com website really simplifies it and has programmes for just starting out or if you have been lifting for a while.
Its also a great resource for how much you should eat http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-loss-calculator/ and how to get started http://eatmore2weighless.com/faqs/
If you need any other info or have any questions, please just ask!
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator0 -
Hi Everyone! I've been on MFP for 5 months have lost about 17 lbs since Oct of 2015. This group has always intrigued me and so now that I'm with in 5-8 lbs of my goal I decided to join and see what it's all about. I'm just here to absorb(initially) and then hopefully start applying and seeing results! I know it's kind of silly but I would like to see my abs for once in my life...Call it part of my bucket list. Even if it's not sustainable, I want it to happen for one brief shining moment!0
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Paula, @girlfighting50 , as if getting older isn't enough, we lose strength, bone mass, lean mass, you name it. All that changes our metabolism and it does get harder to lose weight. The good thing is that when we fuel our bodies and start giving it the workouts it needs, everything changes! We are stuck in the thought that we need to eat low calories and do more cardio when the opposite is true and works much better. Less cardio, more resistance training and eating the right amount of calories (which is most cases is more). This approach is sustainable, enjoyable and brings results that last. It may take longer to get to the desired weight or size, but it lets you stay there for life. Time will pass anyway, so we better let it pass right (like Kelly said in another thread).
@tinywonder25, I am glad you decided to check EM2WL out! Take your time and observe. You will definitely see concepts and ideas that are completely different than what is around and the biggest difference is that the results you will achieve will stick for life, not just for a summer or an event. Wanting to see your abs is not a silly goal, is totally doable, but maybe you need to keep in mind that you will need to build them first (alongs with other muscles). More muscle=higher metabolism=fat loss. Less fat+more muscles=abs showing.
Tereza
Team EM2WL1 -
@TerezaToledo Thanks for the encouragement. It's easy to succumb to the "quick fix" mentality. I know that it doesn't last, and that what I need is sustainable long term change to increase my strength and flexibility so that I can maintain my quality of life. Feeling better about how I look will be a nice bonus.
It's just hard to figure out how in a quick fix world with too many different points of view on how to get there. I'm not going to look any more, just focus on this and the long term goals. @tinywonder25 I'd like to see my abs again too! 0 -
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Here are some of my progress photos. I just need to get to the next level now!1
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tinywonder25 wrote: »Here are some of my progress photos. I just need to get to the next level now!
Welcome to the group! Glad you found us!
Im curious what you think the next level is? What are you hoping to achieve from here on out in your journey? Losing fat?, being a certain size? Strength related? Depending on what your next level is, will determine the path you need to take:)
Kelly
EM2WL Ambassador and moderator
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Next level is more an definition. So I guess fat loss but I also want to get to a point where I gain muscle. I read here a while back that it's a good idea to go 5lbs below your idea weight so that when you start to gain you get to your goal weight with muscle and maybe a tiny bit of fat gain. So my goal weight is set 5 lbs below my idea and as of today I am 2 lbs from my idea weight and 7 lbs from my goal.0
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tinywonder25 wrote: »Hi Everyone! I've been on MFP for 5 months have lost about 17 lbs since Oct of 2015. This group has always intrigued me and so now that I'm with in 5-8 lbs of my goal I decided to join and see what it's all about. I'm just here to absorb(initially) and then hopefully start applying and seeing results! I know it's kind of silly but I would like to see my abs for once in my life...Call it part of my bucket list. Even if it's not sustainable, I want it to happen for one brief shining moment!
Hey! No need to apologise for wanting to see your abs! It's your goal. It's what motivates you gives you that extra push.
Got to say you are already looking amazing! Totally see abs already, just look at those obliques!
If you want more definition than you need strength training if you don't include that already?
Have you had a chance to check out the website yet? www.em2wl.com
There are loads of free workouts on there, plus periodised ones http://eatmore2weighless.com/shop/
Strength training is also great for fat loss.
Glad you are here in the group and hope we can help you reach your goals.
I love this blog about stubborn fat loss;
http://eatmore2weighless.com/stubborn-fat-loss-tactics-the-ugly-truth/
Just ask if you need anything!
Ichel
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator0 -
tinywonder25 wrote: »Next level is more an definition. So I guess fat loss but I also want to get to a point where I gain muscle. I read here a while back that it's a good idea to go 5lbs below your idea weight so that when you start to gain you get to your goal weight with muscle and maybe a tiny bit of fat gain. So my goal weight is set 5 lbs below my idea and as of today I am 2 lbs from my idea weight and 7 lbs from my goal.
Fat loss and Muscle gain are two different goals. Unfortunately you cannot do them at the same time as they require two very different methods of eating and exercising.
First off, Muscle gain. To gain muscle, your body needs to eat in a surplus, which means eating ABOVE your TDEE. This is called a Bulk phase. By adding more calories to your diet, above your maintenance, and working the muscles in the right way to enhance muscle growth, the muscles can build slowly ans add more size. This however, is a very slow process and for women can be long and hard because your chemistry does not make for easy muscle gains.
Gaining muscle also means not relying on what a scale says. A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat, which means you can look a LOT leaner with more muscle, but the scale will be heavier. I dont recall seeing anything within our forum saying to go below a certain weight so you gain it back as muscle. We dont recommend that. EM2WL believes in not being a slave to a number on a scale and that for a lot of us, that number might be 5-10-30 pounds heavier than we thought it should be but still look fabulous.
there are some blog posts on our site talking about the benefits of bulking when it comes to muscle building
http://eatmore2weighless.com/the-benefits-of-bulking/
http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-gain-while-building-muscle/
Is there any particular reason you have a certain number pegged as your "goal"?
For fat loss, there is a big difference between losing fat, and losing WEIGHT. They are not the same thing. Weight is just a number and it does not mean when the scale drops 5 pounds, it means you lost 5 pounds of fat. More often than not, that weight loss is muscle, something you dont want to lose. So if you want to gain muscle or lose fat, I wouldnt wait to hit a magical "goal" number to begin doing that.
Here is a good blog post on weight loss vs fat loss
http://eatmore2weighless.com/weight-loss-vs-fat-loss/
Hope these help you a bit.
Kelly
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator1
