Beeps - I think that's true. Part of my rationale when cutting down again was that perhaps I was consistently undercounting, which would make a real gain make more sense. I go back and forth on whether I should be upping my cals a bit...I imagine you would be in favor of this. Hmm. So confusing! Like I said, I felt real gain at 1700 but freely admit that first it could have had to do with noncompliance and second that 1400 might be a bit low (picked it because its a conservative deficit). Last week my deficit was around 2500 calories or so. Hmmm Hmmm HMMMM.

Over today anyways

I am still new to this group and don't know many people here yet. I hope to learn more about everyone.

My goals this week:

Lift weights two times
Spinning four times
Extra one hour class on Saturday.

Becky

Chloe- Enjoy! I envy you! We are still trying to convince ourselves to just go with it and plan a vacation. It's been years and seeing all you lovely ladies enjoying a good get away makes me want to make it a priority!!

Amy- I think the fruits/veggies is a good start. Sometimes we just have to focus on making a couple changes at a time. I know I am not a spinach solo fan but I've really come to enjoy them in my smoothies. They don't look pretty but they taste essentially the same. I don't even notice it now unless of course the blender doesn't get it chopped up enough!! :laugh:

Kate- Jen's right, it's a guessing game. Beeps gave some excellent resources from Martin. It's still hard to know where to set it for yourself since we are all so unique! I find it shocking when I lose and when I gain. Like the opposite always seems to happen! This weekend was a CRAP filled eating weekend and yet my pants fit better this week than last. WTH!? Keep plugging away. Your on the right track with your exercise and the diet will come along with experimenting!

Jen- I hope your tummy is feeling better! I can relate, after the crap filled weekend, my tummy has been all over the place yesterday and apparently still today!! Happy one year on MFP though! That's awesome!!

Swiss- We love having a good group of ladies so I'm glad you are here! Your goals look great- a nice mix of weights and cardio.

Ris- I think that one of the things I love most about this board is our honesty. There are some of us who are 100% clean and find this to be a comfortable way of life while there are others of us who have our 'vices' (for lack of a better term) that we are comfortable with keeping because this is our way at a well rounded life for ourselves!! I'm not an alcohol fan but I have my own vices that I'm still not sure whether giving up for good is feasible. But it's great to be able to come on here, and say those honest things knowing that we all can relate!!

For me my main challenge is to keep upping my miles. I did the two again this morning, still a bit of a struggle but between an sensitive chest (thank you TOM!!) and banged up knees (thank you no knee pad volleyball tournament!) I did as well as I expected. I'm sure once these battle wounds heal I'll feel a little better about pushing up that distance. My goal is to stick with the 2 for the rest of this week (another hopefully 2 runs) and then work next week to slowly take it up. I remember now why I wasn't a fan of track season but even back in high school I knew it was an excellent way to push myself so I just keep that in the back of my mind!! :grumble:

Eating wise- I just need to get on track. I went off course this weekend, semi-planned. I wanted to let loose a little since I've been at a deficit for a while just to shake things up a bit. It was nice but I definitely am glad to be back on course. I made some stir fry for lunch (a new recipe that I'm hoping turns out!) and have a steak salad planned for dinner. Getting back on course is much easier when off course = tummy trouble!! :sick:

Hello everyone!! Things here are still crazy with work, so I have been checking in on everyone but just haven't been posting!

Glad to see everyone is challenging themselves with their 2 week challenges!

As for me I am just trying to stay a float! Work is stupid right now, and the time change has totally kicked my butt and I am exhausted!! My goal really needs to be to focus on getting in all my workouts this week and next, not miss one!

If I can do that I will have hit the halfway mark! I will also take pictures again at this point and share them with you, although I don't know if the changes will be a big this time around.

To think of being halway is exciting/scary because its coming up fast! Went and met wtih the swimsuit designer Sunday so that was fun!! Starting to look a little more forward to the actual competition part, and am enjoying the changes I am seeing in the mirror, my hamstrings are starting to look pretty killer if I do say so myself

shander, I'll get you the NROL4W formula....the book is in my car and I can run out and get it at lunch.

arwen - I'm sending you a "friend" request. Feel better - being back-on-track is exactly all you need for today!

Shannon - from NROL4W:

1. Step 1 - weight in kg
2. resting metabolic rate - run this equation: 795 + (7.18 x body weight in kilograms) = resting metabolic rate
3. Step 3 - body mass index - there's a table in the book, so if you don't know your BMI, give me your height (imperial measurements) and your weight (in pounds).
4. Daily activities multipliers - If your BMI is under 25, your multipliers are: a) no workout = 1.6, b) active workout day = 1,8, c) strenuous work and active workout day = 2.0. HERE IS WHAT YOU EAT: on a non workout day, multiply your Step 2 number by 1.6 and on a workout day, multiply your Step 2 number by 1.8. Those are your calories (for non-workout and workout days, respectively).
5. Eat like that for ONE MONTH. Then, you can add in a small deficit, perhaps 300 calories per day.

I think if you are upping your proteins sufficiently, for weight-training, it's fairly easy to get to 1,800 - 2,000 calories a day (even clean-eating proteins!).

When I started weight-training, I couldn't figure out HOW to get all my proteins in...which is where protein bars/shakes took over my life. Now that I've figured out how to add a hard-boiled egg to my salads (or grilled chicken), have an extra piece of fish with supper, etc., I have easily ditched my protein bars/shakes. And, for me, THIS is "clean-eating".

I actually re-did my calculations from NROL4W, today, because I've lost some pounds since I began the program. And, I'm supposed to eat 1,824 on non-workout days and 2,084 on workout days. I've just basically been aiming for 1,800 everyday (regardless of work-out), because I do much better if I just plan my meals out, in advance, and they are roughly the SAME everyday. It just makes it easier for me. And, it means I'm eating at a slight calorie deficit....which explains the v*e*r*y slow weight loss.

Hello everyone, just catching up on people's posts as I have been MIA. It has been a rough past couple of months, but I am back into an excercise regimen and starting to eat healthier and get back into logging. It is time consuming, but it always helps keep me on track. Unfortunately I have not gotten in as much lifting as I would like. I have been nervous about my back and shoulders now that I don't go to the chiropractor anymore.

Anyways, I was looking to get into a yoga class. I am so not flexibile and I think it would really help with my modern and ballet classes. Have any of you taken it - thoughts?

Love the new pic, chui!!! And, LOVE THE GUNS!!

Welcome back, abigail....I have had lower back issues for YEARS - so moving back into heavy lifting was *worrisome* for me, too. Because I've FORCED myself to focus on form, form, form, rather than adding 10 lbs every time (or whatever), I am getting MUCH more comfortable that my back will be able to handle the load. My weaker back muscles have been working out, terribly hard, to try and catch up to the back muscles that are already in good shape. And, that's all good!

Re: giving up alcohol isn't a hardship for me. I actually don't drink very much. BUT, on holidays, I was indulging in ALL SORTS of cocktails. Cocktails with ice cream in them (kind of like milkshakes, actually!). Cocktails with fruity bits in them. Cocktails with tasty flavours from exotic locales. Soooooooooo, I kind of feel liquored-out. That's why it's easy for me to give it up, actually, lol.

Kate- Great new pics!! Thanks for the advice on running. I think that'll be a good start, I'll hit the mile, catch a break, and then hit another one and so on..so forth for the next few runs. Appreciate it. I'm sure the progress pictures show results! I finally can look back on my Insanity before and afters and recognize the gains. It's hard when your there in that moment to see it, but you've been working out hard. And your making some great adjustments to your diet!!

Abigail- I always want to love yoga...but can't ever get into it. We live in a small suburb and none of the two gyms that we have offer those types of classes. Maybe with the right class I could learn to love it, I definitely think it's a great addition to a program.

Being back on good eats has gotten my tummy back to normal- thank goodness. And upping my water just plain feels better!! The weather was so beautiful yesterday that even though I had my morning run, I took the kids for a walk and got some more moving in. I can't wait until the weather stays like this for good...it makes just being more active so much easier!! :happy:

Thanks everyone! I still have a lot of work to do but I have noticed a lot more muscularity compared to last year so I am happy with that! Also, my strength is so much better, when I started MFP I struggled with push ups, now I can do 15 in a row. Woo hoo. Pull up, I'm coming for you!

Abigail - I meant to respond earlier. I like yoga but the sort makes a huge difference. Most hatha types tend to be low key and I would consider them more of a rest day/easy day activity. Similar to Beeps, I loooove bikram or hot yoga but haven't done it much over the last year since I started focusing on strength training (I really want to get back into it but 90 minutes is a big commitment).

Amy - its possible that muscles are doing it. I think I just need to wait it out and be patient. Also, you can check my diary for the 40/30/30 macros. While my cals are lower than that you can get an idea and before the last 2.5 weeks I was at 1700. and you CAN custom set cals on the same page you custom set macros.

Reese - thanks! That's probably true. Like I said, I know diet is hugely important and I am finally making that part a bigger priority - consistently! Keep up with the runs. Remember, a lot of it is actually mental. Sure, there are days when you feel like you can run forever and others where you hit the pavement feeling tired but most are somewhere in between. Your body is capable of doing this - you need train it so that it's used to it and train your mind so you know what to expect. You're on the right track

Hi Solar! Welcome to posting! It's really hard to get fitter when you are already relatively fit but its also rewarding HIIT can do you wonders but are you also doing any strength training? If not, then I think most everyone would recommend starting. I was also a competitive runner when I younger and even at the height of my training I was not as toned as I am now from lifting heavy. I also find, even though I don't run often or train for running, that I am fit enough through mostly lifting to run pretty decent times. It's been a while but my last times races were 28 minutes for 5k and 16.30 for a 2 miler. Just some food for thought

For me, bikram yoga was a 3-HOUR COMMITMENT. 3 hours!! I had to drive 20 mins to the studio and be there 1/2 an hour early to get a spot. That's 50 minutes right there. The class is 90 minutes. And you are soaking wet afterward, so I'd drive home (20 minutes) and quickly do a blow-dry (10 minutes) and then drive back to work (20 minutes). So, that's 190 minutes....it just became TOO much to justify in an average day.

Plus, the "soaking wet" thing became a drag, too. If I had nowhere to be or noplace to go (mostly stay-at-home moms in my class - who did it while their kids were in school), bikram yoga would be a totally awesome choice.

Anyway, that's enough said about that.

One of the reasons I'm focusing on strength-training is because it is *supposed* to be shorter work-outs, overall. As a cardio-gym-rat/bikram yogi, I was spending about 15-16 hours, a week, doing work-outs. I actually do *not* have that kind of time to devote - and 7-8 hours is more realistic for my lifestyle.

Hot yoga definitely makes you a sweaty mess! I only did it once, and I did enjoy it, but I agree with Beeps that it's quite a committment. All of the classes are the same, so they're ALL 90 minutes.

Amy--I'm so jealous of your borrowed dog! I used to borrow my friends' dogs some weekends to go runnng or to take to the dog park (even when they weren't traveling ), but both of my friends with dogs have moved away.

I spend much less time working out these days, mostly because work gets in the way. It used to be about an hour a day 5-7 days a week, so 5-7 hours, now I do a lot more 30 or 45 minute workouts, so I'd say it's probably around 3-4 hours a week. But every once in a while I get in a 2-3 hour weekend session which brings the whole week up.