Why you should pick up heavy things:

OP: i love your progress! I am excited that I've started lifting, and i'm stronger than I thought in many cases.. I hope someday I can post progress pics like you.

Now, I have a question. Based on the fitnessfrog website, i selected light exercise, weight:205, height:5'1" and i'm 25. It says my TDEE is 2353, and a 20% reduction would be 1880... should i be eating this everyday, or go a little lower since i only lift 3 days a week? any help would be appreciated. TIA.. and again, great progress!

Thank you! If you eat 1880, just remember that your exercise is already included in this number, so you're already eating back exercise calories ... don't add in what MFP tells you that you burned. I lift 3 days a week and just recently lowered my flat calories to 1700 for a cut. I think 1880 for 3 days a week is a fine place to start. Just track your progress and if you don't see results (in the mirror, with the measuring tape and/or on the scale), then adjust.

How often do you lift? Are you still doing cardio? you look great!

3 days a week, and I do still do some cardio. I box twice a week (sometimes the same days that I lift) and I also do one or two days a week of my own concoction -- basically, a lot of sprints and jumping exercises and maybe a little high rep powerlifting (as I think of it, "cardio lifting"). Personally, I don't recommend that anybody go to the gym that much if they don't enjoy it -- I go because I love it. I will say that my strength would progress more if I took more rest days.

Can you get the same results using a Bowflex..which I have but haven't really used? I'm never sure how much weight I should use.

I have no idea about the Bowflex. But for what weight to use, start low and progress until it gets difficult. When I started StrongLifts, I reset all of my lifts to 45 lbs (except deadlifts [95 lbs] and pendlay rows [65 lbs]) because I previously had been doing NROLFW with improper equipment and I wanted to retrain all of my lifts with the right stuff. There's no shame in starting light when you don't know what weight you can lift and you're still learning. I was squatting just the bar back in late April, and I just finished up a 185 lbs set last night. Progress will happen.

Congrats OP! Such an amazing transformation. I, too, am a runner, and while I KNOW that lifting needs to be added, I am loath to give up my runs.

Do you still run? And, if so, what is your weekly schedule for lifting/running combined?

I ran 5k, 5 days a week at the beginning of my NROLFW training. Eventually, this feel by the wayside because of the weather (winter in Chicago is not the ideal running season). I still run occasionally, but nowadays I mostly box for cardio. I am going to begin training for a half marathon this week, though.

A lot of cardio will take a toll on your strength gains --- as will a calorie deficit. But there's no reason that you can do both. If you enjoy running, then keep it in. Just know that your lifts may not progress as quickly.

My current lifting/cardio schedule is:
Sunday - Rest
Monday - Box and Lift
Tuesday - Cardio Lifting and Jumping
Wednesday - Lift
Thursday - Sprint training and Jumping
Friday - Lift
Saturday - Box

However, with my half marathon training, it will look more like:
Sunday - Long Run
Monday - Box and Lift
Tuesday - Easy Run
Wednesday - Lift
Thursday - Tempo Run
Friday - Lift
Saturday - Box and Sprint Training

I will and would recommend swapping out a lifting day at least every other week for a rest day with this kind of schedule.