Excellent points.. great thread.
I've been using my BMF Link for about 2 weeks. Over the past 2 weeks I seem to be gaining/losing the same pound. Today I went into the BMF program and out of curiousity let it suggest goals for calories consumed and burned based on moderate activity and 2lb/week loss goal. It suggested I eat roughly 2300 cal and burn 3300 a day for my 1000cal deficit... I can barely make 2400 cals burned a day! My goal is a 2500 cal burn each day, and I only hit that twice!

I've come to the clear realization that I need to workout more. I've been averaging 2-3 times a week. I really want/need to workout 5-6 times a week.... I just thought if I didn't get my workout in I would just eat less and I've been averaging a 750cal deficit, but clearly that's not cutting it. I too am toning up and my clothes are def fitting loser and I'm looking better... muscle does weigh more than fat, so that needs to be taken into consideration. Sodium and make you bloated which is def not good for the scale. One person mentioned eating too much protein... most ppl don't eat enough. Veggies are low cal and filling so perhaps I need to add more.

Let us know how it goes and what changes work for you!
~j

I encourage you to consider small adjustments to your daily routine that would increase your calories burned. You said you were working 2-3 times a week. Can you set a goal of exercising 5 days a week for a few weeks? Your additional days don't have to be huge workouts. Just discipline yourself to do something. For example, I started with walking my dog. I bet the increase in exercise volume will show up quickly on the scale.

I seem to be anticipating the converse of your problem. Because I workout 2-3 hours a day I build these huge calorie deficits: 1600-1900 per day. I'm losing weight no problem. But the issue for me is this: Once I'm done losing weight, how the heck am I going to eat 4 to 5k calories a day to support my workouts? I don't have any idea of how to eat like that in a balanced way.

Inspired by your weight loss. What exactly do you do for 2-3 hours for exercise. I find myself getting tired after an hour of cardio. Do you break up your cardio sessions and do them at different times of the day?

Yes, I do a lot of exercise at the moment but well, there's an athletic event coming up for me in late July that I'm determined to be in shape for.

In general I'm trying to practice periodization in my workouts, both on a weekly micro cycle as well as a yearly macro cycle. My weekly schedule alternates between short intense workouts and slow & easy workouts. Suffice it to say that periodization functions in such a way as to bring rest and recovery into the foreground of your training, not just an afterthought. Now, where it gets complicated to explain is that I'm doing simultaneous periodization each of on three different physical sub-systems: 1) aerobic endurance, 2) anaerobic endurance and 3) strength. So, that's the theory, but in practice life usually mixes it up for me anyways.

In the morning I usually I go with my wife and 2 labradoodles for an easy recovery jog. Even if it gave me no physicial benefit, it's wonderful companionship.

At lunch I do an hour of strength training: 2 days of pulling, 2 days of pushing and 2 days of kettlebell.

In the evenings I try to head out with my wife and dogs for a walk & talk. I also throw in a couple of evening workouts of martial arts (boxing fits into my schedule currently) and maybe one evening doing intervals at the track. I have twin 12-year old boys that are running 6 minute miles that REALLY give me a run for the money in the 100, 400 and 800 meter runs. (They earn cash if they beat me, which they invariably do...by just a little.)

On weekends I try to get out on my bike for a hill climb on Saturday and a recovery ride on Sunday. I love riding my bike. It clears out all the cobwebs in my head. Sunday is the only day in which I would do 3 hours consecutive cardio, and then only as a recovery kind of ride where I'm going at ~70% of my max heart rate.

Overall that makes for a large calorie expenditure, ~3800 - 4500 calories most days. I can't do that unless I eat healthy and sleep well. Weight loss isn't really an issue--eating enough calories is.

Maybe all that sounds like a lot, but you know what? I feel great. I've got more energy than I've had in 15 years.

AND I read this article a couple weeks ago on bodybuilding.com too! It's a great site...
~j

I decided to quote this post instead of the one above because I can't figure out how to edit the quotes and the length is getting out of hand! LOL I was feeling pretty toned when I did BFL. Maybe you and I are gaining tons of muscle from the muscle memory we retained during the BFL phase.

There are things about each program that I have done that I think are important. I know what I am supposed to do but being on a program like BFL, Weight Watchers, etc. seems to force me to do it right from the get go. The problem though is that I get all excited about and I go all out but then burn out fast! This time around I told myself no gimmicks or programs. I am going to make this a lifestyle, do all the things I know I am supposed to do, figure out what works for me, set new goals and make a permanent change. When I did BFL it was so extreme. I had a trainer who was a fitness model for the EAS ads. He had me working out twice a day for the last few weeks of the challenge and I never had a cheat day, just a cheat meal. I was so over it! Once I finished I went to Krispy Kreme and 6 donuts, took a "one week break" from the gym and that was that. Never got back.

I printed out that report from the BM site of my last 28 days and I can see some changes that I think I need to make. Drinking more water is one. I know the benefits, it's just hard to make myself do it. I have been quick adding calories too much because I am lazy but I will try to be better about that because I want to at least see a true account of my macro nutrients. I also think my calorie distribution is out of whack. I eat most of my calories after 5pm and I need to flip it. That may jump start my metabloism. I am also going to try to burn 2700 calories instead of 2500 and eat 1700 calories instead of 1500. I will still have the deficit but maybe I will see some changes on the scale with that adjustment?

I am going to have to look up that Tracy Anderson workout. Isn't that the woman Gwyneth Paltrow uses?

Yes, it's the one Gwyneth Paltrow uses. It's focused on the smaller muscle groups and targets a more long and lean physique. I've contemplated going back to a heavier weight program - I've seen good results from Tracy Anderson Meta (but lifted more toned, more definition)... her abs are killer... but I'm generally used to higher weights. I ordered Shaun T's Rockin Body for some varied cardio. I have Turbo Jam and Chalene Extreme which I like too - Chalene Extreme reminds me more of the BFL days. I've thought about going back to Chalene Extreme...

An EAS model?! Brutal... I don't think the program is sustainable without the cheat day... It's good for the metabolism and psyche to be bad every once in awhile. I would right down foods I was craving and pick something from the list on my cheat day. Often though I kept the "cheats" minimum since I was feeling so good and seeing results, so my cheat days were either mild or I limited myself to a cheat meal instead, but I felt great knowing I could go all out if I really wanted to.

Yes, calories earlier in the day should help perhaps. Kudos to you for reaching 2700 cal burn... I struggle to make 2500... I often wonder if I should be eating more or less calories since I usually have about a 750 cal deficit but the scale really isn't budging, even though I log my food and my burn seems fairly accurate. There are some basic rules for losing weight/getting healthy, but we are all so different and there are so many variables some of it is trial/error and seeing what works and what doesn't for you. Keep me posted!
~j