Hi everyone! I guess I'm you standard calorie-counting cardio-a-holic. I started with MFP about a year ago with a goal at 1300 a day and doing a pretty consistent 6 days of cardio each week, usually running. I lost 5 lbs in the first month and basically nothing since then. For some reason a few weeks ago (and a year later!) something clicked about the eat more, strength train, fat loss relationship and I upped my calories and found a strength program. The two weeks I've been following this have been great! My energy levels are way up and I'm not starving all the time and I have not gained weight. I'm so glad to see so many others doing this!

I'm following a Jamie Eason program from the bodybuilding.com website (not Live Fit, the 12 Week Fat Loss). Its basically 3 days of strength training, 2 days of cardio, and 2 rest days each week with a higher protein diet and I'm currently aiming to eat 1800-2000 calories. I've also ordered New Rules of Lifting for Women as I hear that is also a great place to start. I'm a total noob when it comes to weights, up until I started this I had actually never picked up a barbell in my life! I actually had to to watch all the videos about how to do the exercises before I went to the gym. My ultimate goal is to lose around 20 lbs and I'm toying with the idea of setting a goal to do a fitness competition...we'll see on that one, though! I don't think I would look good with a tan

Hi my name is Kathy and I am 55 years old. Since I was a teenager I have counted calories to lose weight and have always ate less calories than I should have. I have been trying lately to get into the mindset of eating more and not less. I am 145 and want to lose at least 20 pounds and I have started lifting weights and doing spinning. I would appreciate all the advice I can get about upping my calories and not feeling guilty for eating more.

Hi Jean,

A safe cut is 15% off your TDEE. You areprobably still under BMR. I ate 1200 then 1350, then 15t00 and didn't loose. Not until I hit 1800 did the fa start coming off. I have plateaued again so up I go to 1950.

Hi my name is Debbie I am 55 years young too and am suffering with the same "fat girl" thinking. I'm petrified of gaining weight (I'm 114) but I really want to build muscle and loose body fat (I'm @ 18.2%) all at the same time!! Lifting weights is the answer and I lift as heavy as I can without risking injury but I need to take in more calories!! I've been doing approx 1200 but MFP says I should be at 2000!! Yikes! Some how I think this may be the ticket but boy it's a hard pill to swallow!! Speaking of lifting heavy weights does the book have anything on lifting heavier and heavier for older girls such as moi?? I've had so many injuries that I don't want to go there again but need to keep progressing???

Hi my name is Debbie I am 55 years young too and am suffering with the same "fat girl" thinking. I'm petrified of gaining weight (I'm 114) but I really want to build muscle and loose body fat (I'm @ 18.2%) all at the same time!! Lifting weights is the answer and I lift as heavy as I can without risking injury but I need to take in more calories!! I've been doing approx 1200 but MFP says I should be at 2000!! Yikes! Some how I think this may be the ticket but boy it's a hard pill to swallow!! Speaking of lifting heavy weights does the book have anything on lifting heavier and heavier for older girls such as moi?? I've had so many injuries that I don't want to go there again but need to keep progressing???

;'m still perusing the book, but I don't beieve there is anything regarding age...or being older. Maybe someone else can respond to that.

But, key in lifting is to always maintain proper form. Strengthening weak areas willhelp especially when there are back issues. Due to a car accident and I have alidght herniations in lower neck n back. The stronger my core is the less pain I have.

Hi I'm Joan and I am 47. I have been on mfp for exactly 280 days today!! I am at maintenance weight now which is 128(down now to 126 want those 2 lbs back). While on mfp I lost 15 pounds(2 I havent logged yet, hoping to gain them back!!) Mostly eating about 1200 calories base and eating back about 80% of my exercise calories, which took me up to about 1550-1650. I think the fact that I did eat back my calories burned is why I was able to lose. I did know enough that when I subtract my workout calories not to be under 1200 calories, but I was still deprived, "Diary of a Hungry black women"!! LOL!
Now that I am lifting weights and trying to become stronger and more muscular I realize the importance of eating more and upping my protein. I am now eating 1700 calories on non workout days and about 2000 to 2100 on workout days. I just picked that 1700 calories out of the blue, I would like to figure out how much I should be eating, but the tables and formulas seem so complicated!!
So my QUESTION, what is the easiest website to go to, to figure out my TDEE and BMR?

Thanks Lucia for inviting me this group!!

Hi Jae, go check out the TDEE discussion board. I put all needed links right there for ya.

Hi im Quita. I started mfp about 5 months ago eating 1200 cals even with burns of 1500 or more. I just finished reading New Rules Of Lifting For Women and am trying to figure out where to put my calories. I was eating 1500 thn went back to 1360. I've decided I want to get stronger and lose fat but not muscle so I am oka with th weight comingoffslowly. I have started lifting but will be getting into the books routine startng tomorrow. Currently my weight is between 236 and 232 but haven't weighed in a while and will not weigh again till easter for a challenge I am in.

Hi,

I was refered to your group today afer I posted my note on Protein.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/516195-protein

I am training for several events this summer and want to compete at a lower weight. I say competing, but I'm no athelete. I am 57 and just started exercising 3 years ago. It has been so much fun. We have a Corporate Challenge in my city and because of my age, there are not many women who want to bike, run, swim and do track.

I DO!

What a gift it is to be healthy and to exercise. Maybe I appreciate is so much because I thought those days were behind me.

This summer I hope this 5'5" gal will be below 130 and will successfully complete 3 triathalons and several corporate challenge events including 100m 400m, 800m track, 3 mile bike race, triathalon, 50m free swim, 200m free swim, 50 m back stroke and 50m fly (still need to learn that stroke!).

Life is good.

Friend me if you have similar interests.

Thanks for adding me!
I'm a mama who always tried to lose weight by severely restricting what I ate and sometimes adding lots of exercise. It never worked. Ironically, I've only been able to get down to a healthy weight since I've quit trying to lose weight. My focus has changed instead into taking care of myself and doing the things that fill me with energy and improve my mood. I had a theory that if I would just give my body the nutrients it needs in the correct amounts, along with proper rest, work, and play, then my body would eventually settle at a weight that is healthy for *me*. And I decided that I was going to accept whatever that weight happens to be. (145 lbs was an old goal of mine, which I abandoned when I started working more on self-acceptance. But I reached that weight!)

In addition, I am passionate about martial arts. I've been studying a mixed style for about 10 years, and hubby has always encouraged this because of the way it helps me, not only physically, but mentally. It's the one exercise that I love and look forward to doing...and one of the very few things I do just for *me*. I realized one night, watching some of the guys trying to "one up" each other with pushups, that I have never been able to do pushups. I realized that I always shied away from them because they were hard, and I decided that I was going to start doing them *because they are hard*. After seeing the way pushups increased my upper body strength and added power to my techniques, I began looking more at strength training. I've only been lifting weights for about 8 months, but I can't believe the way my body has changed just by doing what little I'm doing! And my sensei has been very impressed with the improvement in my power and form. :-)

Since I've joined MFP, my eyes have really been opened, not only to the amount of calories I'm expending and taking in, but also to how I'm doing on my other nutritents. Yeah, I still look at calories and pounds, but those are just a small part of the evaluation tools I use to assess how well I'm taking care of my health. There are other things that I'm more concerned about, like protein and iron and calcium!

You can read my success story with pictures here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/515073-my-hubby-was-right-pics

ANewLucia -- I know . .. must be something psychological. Like intellectually I know I really should up it to 1600 to start off at; and quit messing around. I don't consistently even get the 1400. That's one of the reasons I joined this group -- for the inspiration,learning, and support. I enjoy lifting weights so much and I see you and many of the other posters do too.

Yes heavy lifting truly transforms the body. I have made great strides since eating more. Shoot for the 1600 and ease on up as you feel ready...we are all here rooting each other on where each individual is at.

Hello! Another MFP user told me about the group. After joining and checking it out, I looked up my TDEE, BMR, and RMR. I am still kind of confused. I don't know what they each do and what I need to do to lose the weight. I have 30-50 lbs to lose. If more, ok. I need help please!?!?!

Hey lad, a safe cut from your maintenance calories is 15%. So subtract 15% and eat that number on nonworkout days. When you do workout and if you lift weights add 200 to that number. On cardio days I try to at least net my BMR.

So let's say burn is 1000
Bmr is 1400
Daily gaol 1800
Then 1800-1000=800 net cals
So to at least Net BMR I would need to eat an additional 600 and the 1800 so total os 2400 on that cardio day.

There are a few great psots on the main page of group that discusses eationg more, plateauing, eating too few cals and a discussion on TDEE. Another good resource that help me was New Rules of lifting weight for omen. Thenutrition part helped it all click for me...

And this applies regardless of amount of weight...regrdless of size al of our bodies need fuel.

Not qordy at all...it is great to learn about each other.

I had a car accident 2007 and suffered herniated disks in my lower neck and lower baxk. I strength train and keep my core strong to avoid the back pain that is exacerbated when my tummy muscles are weak. Glad you are finding ways to strngth train bec the strong core makes such a difference.

Oh and I eased up myself..at first unknowingly...1200, 1350, 1500 little loss then nothing...I then read some forum and blogs then excerpt from NROLWFW and it was like a bulb went off....upped to 1800 and gosh I lift so much heavier, feel so much stronger and lost 7.2lbs in the 13wks....may not seem like a lot but I have leaned out a lot and lost the fatty look that I had. I have a few pounds to go but I am soooo much happier now.

I started taking glucosamine a few months ago, and that helped tremendously. I was having back and hip pain. Since working out, I do feel so much stronger, especially in my core. It's great!

I started taking glucosamine a few months ago, and that helped tremendously. I was having back and hip pain. Since working out, I do feel so much stronger, especially in my core. It's great!

I also am helped by glucosamine--I have back and knee trouble. I also believe that planks have done much good for my back!

Hi,

My name is Cindy. I've been on MFP for one year. I dropped 112 pounds by my one year anniversary but I am now fully stalled out for the past 3 months. I workout a LOT and I keep calories around 1600. Thinking it's time to eat more and hope to kick these last 15 pounds to the curb once and for all.

Hi,

My name is Cindy. I've been on MFP for one year. I dropped 112 pounds by my one year anniversary but I am now fully stalled out for the past 3 months. I workout a LOT and I keep calories around 1600. Thinking it's time to eat more and hope to kick these last 15 pounds to the curb once and for all.

HI CIndy!!! Maybe you can share some of those yummy protien shakes reciepies!! Its great to see you.