I shared this with my friends list yesterday, but wanted to put it here to help keep everyone motivated! I've been EM2WL since early June, and lifting since June 28. On June 23 I had my pre-training fitness assessment with my trainer (before our first real session) and my stats were 134 lb, 26% BF. That BF% was no joke.

After almost 3 months of heavy lifting I decided maybe it was time to check in again. I weighed in at 135.4 (+1.4 lbs) and a BF% of 23.4! Whaaaaat?

I have four things to say about this:

1. Everyone you've ever read saying "The scale is a liar" is absolutely right! I'm SO glad I got rid of mine, or I might have freaked out for no reason, as there would have been seemingly no progress on it. DO NOT focus on your weight, it can be super misleading!

2. Heavy lifting is KEY. I can feel and see a difference in my body composition, but it wasn't until yesterday that I understood just how much had changed.

3. EM2WL works. It just does. Even though, technically, I guess I don't actually "weigh less"... but I am smaller, leaner and feeling way better than ever before.

4. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my friends and EM2WL support network! I may not be the most active member of the group, but know that I'm on every single day and reading what you're all writing and what you all have to say keeps me motivated and excited to be on this awesome journey with you all!! Each one of you is an inspiration, and I'm so glad to be part of this group!



I would post pictures.. but I don't have any yet! I have before photos I took in June, but I'm not ready to post until I have some "now" ones. Perhaps soon.

Since i started my cut the first week of july, i have lost 10 pounds so far.

After reading that I might gain some weight packing in the extra TDEE calories I expected to at least go back to the weight I started at. But, I didn't! I only gained back a couple of pounds. The best part is, it only lasted a couple of days and now that my scale is going down again I'm at the lowest weight I've been at since starting MFP!!

WA-HOO AND HORRAY!

SW: 169.8
CW: 163.4
Starting waist: 30.5
Current waist: 29.2 (as of 10/8)

I joined this group a few months ago and a few of the members are on my friends list..I never really practiced any of the teachings I was just an observer and did alot of watching and listening...I didnt think eating more was for me because I was always full off 1300-1500/cal a day but now I can say I'm a BELIEVER...I incorporated weight lifting into my workout program back in January but didnt have a structured program to follow so I just did what I saw others do...I teach 4 based cardio classes a week plus I did "my own" extra cardio after lol smh (definitely a cardio-junkie)..I was always losing weight but still wasnt getting the "look" I wanted...so in August I saw someone mention Jaime Eason live fit program on bodybuilding.com (which is free) in the forums so I was like yeah I can do that..so in Sept I started her 12 wk weight lifting program..the first 4 weeks I was still eating 1400-1500/cal and was fine but once we went into phase 2 for week 5-8 I realized my body was starving and wanting more food...I thought it was pms but wth pms for 3 weeks..so now that TOM is over I know its not pms because I'm still eating 1700-2000/cal a day...now I just trying to make sure I log the food and keep my macros in check..I dont fully understand the whole BMR, TDEE thing yet but hell I understand to listen to my body and eat more...so thanks

Btw I gained 5lbs before I started this program and last time I weight myself (about 2 weeks ago) I hadnt loss the 5lbs (stayed the same) but look smaller now and clothes fitting looser since i started eating more and lifting heavier..I'll update my weight and measurements in 6 weeks after I finish this program

Wow awesome nsvs. And Heidimom you just keep shrinking...wtg!

I must say that the members in this group are mucho inspirational. I can't wait to share some success stories as well.

Wow, you look wonderful!

I'm currently on Level 2, Day 6 and I am completely AMAZED by the difference in my body, my energy and my strength.

This was the first day of Level 1, on November 28, 2012



This was the second last workout day of Level 1 (day 9), on December 6, 2012



This is today, Level 2, day 6 (workout day 15 (consecutively), December 13, 2012



I look forward to my workouts everyday, and I am 1 week into following the Eat More 2 Weigh Less notion and it is fantastic. I feel like an improved me already!

I can't wait to see what the end result will be after 30 days if this is only the half way point!

I'm currently on Level 2, Day 6 and I am completely AMAZED by the difference in my body, my energy and my strength.

This was the first day of Level 1, on November 28, 2012

[img]http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s541/Linli_Anne/Weightloss and Toning/30DS-day1side.jpg[/img]

This was the second last workout day of Level 1 (day 9), on December 6, 2012

[img]http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s541/Linli_Anne/Weightloss and Toning/30DS-day9side.jpg[/img]

This is today, Level 2, day 6 (workout day 15 (consecutively), December 13, 2012

[img]http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s541/Linli_Anne/Weightloss and Toning/20121213_085414.jpg[/img]

I look forward to my workouts everyday, and I am 1 week into following the Eat More 2 Weigh Less notion, so basically eating at my TDEE with a 15% calorie deficit.

I can't wait to see what the end result will be after 30 days if this is only the half way point!

**Fixed my pictures***

I am down 38.5 lbs in all now and 25 of that is since I started EM2WL.

Before Christmas I was losing about a pound a week. Gained just a bit back during the holidays and today lost it and a little bit more.
12/13: 223.6
12/22: 222.4
1/9/13: 222.2
Now to continue to lose eating above my BMR.

Funny NSV -- the trainer in the gym today told me I looked like I could eat whatever I want and not gain an ounce -- AND he called me an "ectomorph" body type!!! Ha! (He also told me I looked great for 47, but I am sure they are paid to say that!)

I've been lifting regularly for about four months now and am just .5 lbs up over where I was when I started reset in October...so slowly getting it into my head that weight doesn't mean squat after a certain point!

***Update on my stats:

December 6th: (I think that's when I started EM2WL) February 1st: (Starting NROLW Tonight)

W: 200 W: 191.2 (as of this AM)

BMR: 1711 BMR: 1672
TDEE: 2352 TDEE: 2300
15% reduction = 1999 10% Cut: 2070

BUST: 42" BUST: 39.75"
NATURAL WAIST: 34" NAT. WAIST: 31"
ABDOMEN (BELLYBUTTON): 37" ABDOMEN (BELLYBUTTON): 34"
HIPS: 42" HIPS: 40"

I feel amazing. I have completed both the 30 day shred and Ripped in 30. I am just coming off of an exercise break week, was hoping to eat at my maintenance/full TDEE but ended up still being at a cut level due to some unforseen circumstances.

I am very excited to start NROLW today, and will post an update after Stage 1 is done...about 6 weeks.

Thanks so much for this thread. After trying so many crazy and supposedly sane eating plans, I have started this plan. I lost 86 pounds in 2011 by eating well below my BMR. During 2012 I slowly gained 20 of that back(most days eating 1500 with spikes of much more), I had in laws move in, had a knee injury that kept me from the gym for 4 months, went on a fantastic road trip eating out all the way, and stopped logging into my tracker regularly.... there are the excuses. Starting November 2012 I started eating 1200 a day, with a few holiday glitches. I stayed the same weight, actually gaining a pound on 1200 a day! How is that possible!? I had been going to rehab, and was about ready to get back to the gym. .. Well... on new year 2013 I got back on track, changed trackers to MFP (hurray! Soooo much better than my last one) then followed its advice, 1200 calls a day +exercise. Well I have never eaten back exercise before... I then found this TDEE(???) thing mentioned, checked it out, and decided I was just plane crazy to follow any plan that says to eat 1200 a day, well below my BMR... and gain weight. I have really trained my body to live on nothing! So I started upping my calories. Within 2 weeks I added between 3-800 cals a day depending on exercise. I gained two pounds at first, and 2 weeks later, my weight is SLOWLY going lower. Perhaps I need to add more calories? I need to measure again. I am maintaining/losing weight on average 600 cals a day more. I eat over my BMR, have started lifting twice a week, and am back to my dancing and walking. I am going to be 60 in 4 months. I do not feel starved anymore, and actually have problems eating enough at times... now that is a new one! I will check in later with further results, but being able to eat more and stay the same/lose slowly... now that is amazing to me! I am looking to lose about 20 more pounds... but as you say here, changing body comp is where its at!:happy:

Began *officially* eating more on Dec. 9, but this picture is actually from a couple weeks earlier when I finished phase 1 of NROLW. Can't remember my exact weight, but it was somewhere around 165. Was doing NROLW as well as half marathon training (15-20 miles/week), and trying to stay under 2000 cals per day.



This one is from last Thursday, Jan. 25. Still weighing approx 165 and on phase 3 of NROLW. Running is down to 2 days/week, (maybe 10-12 miles) and eating on average 2200-2400.



The running will pick up again, but this time I know better...MORE FOOD + WEIGHTS = AMAZEBALLS.

Edited to apologize for that giant photo!

You look great. I love your bathing suit too!