ExcelWithMel Member

There are so many different studies, it's hard to know which is right, but I think it varies by person. I workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, but mostly because I workout first thing, out of necessity, because if I don't do it first thing, it won't get done. My workouts are either: 3-mile run, 60 minute…

I'm in! I am doing so many different workouts this month, videos, spin class, yoga, AND running so my goal is 26.2 miles this month. May not seem like a lot, but I already got in 3 this morning. Will check out and update the tracker later. Thanks for having me!

Kale! You don't even taste it.

I'm in. I weigh myself most days anyway, but I record any gains/losses on Fridays. This the the day I truly call my weigh in day.

Hey you look GREAT! So nice to see such a great success story. I am also 5'8" and my ultimate goal weight is between 159-164. I've been in the mid-160s before so I know I can get there again. Major kudos to you!

I think it helps. I wake up, go to the bathroom, drink my energy drink, change and workout. I do that 5X a week and have my breakfast after. I couldn't workout after just having eaten.

Great job! I just started P90X3 (On Demand) and am LOVING the variety and challenge of the workouts. Tony is a hoot to boot!

Looking for more friends. I don't currently track calories, but I do workout 5-6 days per week, post my workouts, and encourage my friends.

Weighted Squats and Lunges. Lot of them, and increase your weights. Your protein is fine.

Captain Crunch Cereal. And Pringles. Oh, and Combos.

I don't have any tips on the floaty thing, but my local pool is open mid-June through Labor Day and I always purchase an adult lap swim pass and aim to go 3 times a week. I was also a competitive swimmer growing up. Our pool is Olympic size and they have adult lap swim three times a day where they kick the kids out, put in…

I second that!

I weighed @145 in H.S. at my current height of 5'8". But I was stick figure skinny with large shoulders because I was a swimmer and always on the go. For comparison At age 21 I was 163# and felt I was huge. Now as a more educated adult I actually was really happy with my figure at 165, but have a vanity weight of 159. I am…

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I think it is a great idea to switch it up like that. I alternate running and weight lifting during spring and fall months, but it's too hot here to run during the summer, so I swim on my cardio days. As long as you're pushing yourself and not just doing a leisurely stroke, swimming is a great low-impact workout. Enjoy! I…

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. You only have 10.6# to go. Allow the loss to be slow. It's also slowing because you are closer to your goal. Don't go back to smoking, but don't overeat to compensate. I quit after 19 years and didn't try to lose weight, but didn't gain any either.…

When I was in H.S. I was @145 at 5'8" with a very slender, athletic swimmers build. At 21 I was 163 and remember feeling huge. But over 30 the lowest weight I achieved was 164 and I felt with another 5# gone, I would be happy with that. I fit easily into size 8 everything and was nicely toned and in it's place. For me, I…

The Fitbit Force was recalled: http://excelwithmel.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/force-recall/ Update: Nevermind. Your post is a month old.

I really liked No More Trouble Zones. You could pick a series of body parts and create a custom workout. I did Level 1 of 30 DS and got bored before I even got to the 2nd level.

I take mine off. Pay too much for a cleaning service to track in mud/dirt/grime. All my friends/visitors take theirs off when they come over too. Unless we have a small upscale party and the ladies are all wearing heels, and they're not tracking mud around. But we're all pretty casual people. I do wear house shoes though…

Have you brought this up to your coach? Have they provided any guidance?

I'm 5'8" and at 164 I was fitting into all my clothes and very close to loving all parts of my body. I would love to get to 159 to see what that looks like. But I'm more concentrating on how my clothes fit, than the number on the scale.

I forgot to mention I have the Garmin Forerunner 305CX for tracking the distance and pace of my spring and fall runs. But it died in the off season and I don't have the money right now to get it fixed. I run the same routes when I do run regularly so I know how far and how fast based on the roads and my HRM, but yes - i am…

I have both. Bought the F6 for workouts several years ago. Bought a FitBit to track my BMR/TDEE. I wear that all day and night. I put my HRM monitor on when I workout. Synch my FitBit with MFP and enter in the time I started to workout, the calories burned, and the duration. It overrides the FitBit #s. After typing that, I…

You're already doing well when you are only concerned about staying below your calorie goal. DO THIS. yes, you doctor suggested you consider other variables, but don't get too hung up on them. Remember things that are natural are going to align closer with your goals. Vegetables was a GREAT answer. Consider making your own…

This one is the Bomb! http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/01/spaghetti-squash-with-meat-sauce-46-pts.html Even my husband eats it and he doesn't eat much of what I make that's "healthy".

You can always try that for 3-4 weeks and see how it goes. I think 1,400 on non-active days is right on (to lose a pound a week) and 1,600-1,800 on active days seems about right (not sure how far you run). If 1,900 TDEE is consistent on non-workout days, then yes- I would set MFP to 1,400 and ignore it when it does the…

WalkingAlong: you may have been one of the lovelies that simplified it for me. And I THANK YOU because it's so much simpler that way!

I also got a FitBit about a month ago and linked it to MFP. No, I don't think those burns are high. We are similar. I am 41, 5'8", and @185. If I use 39, 5'5" and @175 your TDEE is 1839. If you are active, that makes sense. I was a little confused by my MFP target going up and down all day, but someone spelled it out for…