rutkowsm Member

You look amazing! I hope to have progress pics like these one day. Congratulations!

I was only just now able to look at this. Wow! Thanks so much for posting! I'm super motivated!

Unfortunately, it's just one of those things where you can't know exactly how it's gonna turn out, but you can do things to minimize the likelihood of loose skin. I think what most people will tell you is that the best thing to do is to lose weight slowly (which is a good idea for numerous reasons). Resistance training…

Too much protein will not make you gain weight unless you're eating beyond a calorie deficit. MFP's protein settings are pretty low, in my opinion. I've heard 110g a day is safe for most people. I'm not a doctor, and I have no studies to quote, but you probably don't have to worry about protein unless you're chugging…

I lack self control when it comes to peanut m&m's.

I've not read the entire thread, but I just had say that I love this sentiment. There's so much "it worked for me!" on the forums, and I think it's totally legitimate to want to share what worked for you because, honestly, it might be helpful for someone else because they have a similar lifestyle, eating habit, medical…

Not to worry, your metabolism isn't ruined, but I do think you would benefit from eating more. Try to find out your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and your BMR. I've found that the Military Body Fat Calculator on fat2fit radio website is a great tool for this (take your body fat percentage to the BMR calculator on…

Your BMR is your body's Basal Metabolic Rate, meaning it's the number of calories you would burn in a coma. It's the bare minimum to maintain the healthy functioning. Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, or the number of calories you burn in a day when you're not in a coma. You're not in a coma! Your deficit…

Try to eat below your TDEE and above your BMR. If you need help figuring out how to calculate what your TDEE and BMR are, I'd use the Military Body Fat calculator on the Fat2Fit Radio website to determine your body fat percentage, and use that information to plug into their BMR calculator. It's working for me (and I'd…

Well, I'm off to join the badass category.

I'm so glad someone posted this. I've seen a ridiculous amount of shame being dished out for people who are both large and small, and it's so infuriating. Shame isn't healthy, and it's certainly not the way to motivate anyone to become healthy.

Watching now!

I know exactly how you feel, but I feel compelled to remind you that you're very pretty! I agree that kind and compassionate are definitely some of the best qualities you can have as a person, but you're pretty too.

What's your set up at your college? Living in a dorm or apartment? Have access to a kitchen? Meal plan/cafeteria food? I know it can be really hard in college to stay on track with healthy eating simply because it seems like there's no place to keep the healthy foods that you want to eat. But it can be done! Things that…

I'm so sorry you're having trouble with reaching your goals. I've definitely been there (actually, I'm still there). Sometimes a binge helps you get back on track, or so I've heard. Your body is basically freaking out that it's been in a deficit for so long and it's not letting go of any weight. The concept makes sense to…

This thread is exactly what I needed to read today. I've been stalled for a little while now and I've been getting really frustrated. Gonna plan a cheat day (I still think planning is important!) and be guilt free about it. And I'll check out that Fat to Fit Radio Tools thing too. We will see how it goes! I feel more…

All the facts have already been stated. I just wanted to add this: You shouldn't ignore the physical sensation of hunger just because it's 9:30 and you'll be going to bed in 30 minutes. There is a group of people who, like me, are grumpy when they're hungry. And if any diet/lifestyle/way of eating (or whatever!) requires…

I understand that you did not mean to offend anyone with your post, but instead wished to celebrate curves. So please let me take it a step further with the reminder all women are deserving of being celebrated. I have female friends who are extremely slim. They don't have boobs or hips to speak of, and they are just as…

I think the definition of curvy tends to be as subjective as the definition of beauty. I have friends who are overweight and in relationships with men who adore them. And I have friends who are underweight with small breasts and hips and also have partners who love them. There is no standard definition of what is or can be…

Amazing progress and an absolutely stunning tattoo! Congratulations! Just out of curiosity, how tall are you?

Congratulations! You look INCREDIBLE! I hope I have before and after pictures like this to post one day.

Wow! Thanks to everyone for their replies. It's so good to know that there are other people out there who have had the same issues and still resolved to continue to eat healthy. I know that every ounce of fat lost is a little victory, but when the scale doesn't move and you feel like you're doing everything right, it's…

You look amazing! Congratulations on your success! Also, HOT shoes!

Congratulations on your new baby! I've just sent a friend request. I've been here a few weeks too, and I'm looking for more support as well (as I've definitely had a few not so good days recently).

I'm looking to do both. I want to up my lean body mass while I reduce my body fat percentage (which I had calculated recently and it was both encouraging and discouraging).

Welcome! I tried WW several years ago (with some success), but I've found (in the short time that I've been a member) that MFP is much more flexible, not to mention cheaper. I'm looking for people to help me out with motivation too; feel free to add me if you'd like! Love the picture, killagb.

What you eat is going to depend entirely on you. Eat foods that taste good to you. Experiment with new recipes. I think that one of the reasons most diets fail is because they keep people from eating things that they enjoy. You can only go so long depriving yourself of foods that you like. I'm sure not everything you like…

That's amazing (and inspiring!). Congratulations and thank you for posting.

Thanks for the input, everyone! I should probably invest in a heart rate monitor to get a more accurate result. I've been convinced that eating back at least a few of these calories is a good idea.

You're doing great! My understanding is that if you factor in exercise, and you don't eat back those calories (there's a lot of debate about whether or not this is good though, as I can see from clicking around on the boards) you've increased your calorie deficit. Forgive me if my posts aren't making sense. My brain isn't…