Calantorntain Member

My goal is to be more social. When I started losing weight, I became a bit shut in, both because I was using a lot of time exercising, and because a lot of socializing centers around high calorie food. But no more! I've been going out and doing lots of things. Interesting shows with friends, spontaneous weekend trips to…

That's what NLR4W is all about.

The same author has a couple of other books that were published recently. I'm still doing NLR4W, but when I finish, I plan to check them out. If you are older, try: The New Rules of Lifting for Life: An All-New Muscle-Building, Fat-Blasting Plan for Men and Women Who Want to Ace Their Midlife Exams Otherwise The New Rules…

I'm in a long distance relationship, and so we only see each other once a month. This means he doesn't get to be around for the day-to-day nitty gritty, and it also means that less healthy eating habits don't tempt me. But he's certainly there for me; I complain to him sometimes about being tired, or hungry, and he's there…

I aim for around 1500 calories. Some days it is less, some days it is more. 1500 is on the lower end of what I should eat daily, and that's because I know it will be evened out once a week or so by late night guacamole binges with my roommate, or brunch out with friends. I don't "eat back" my exercise calories because I…

Hopefully! Luckily February is coming up, and I'm going to have a three day break then :)

Until this weekend I had always thought it was maroon. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE ANY MORE.

Haha, yeah, I'm pretty happy about the reduced double chin thing. Here's a few more pictures of where my chin and neck are coming from:

Oh my god, I wish my gym had a hot tub. That sounds amazing right now (partially since it is 4 degrees outside!)

Love it! It reminds me of when people comment on how the bike commuting I do can be dangerous. I now sometimes reply, "yeah, but cycling deaths are far less common than heart disease."

Groupon often has discounts for online Certified Professional Trainer Certifications. Here is one that is current right now: http://www.groupon.com/deals/national-council-personal-trainers-january-los-angeles?pt=aUPcjZTAAAAB-2XQgPPqSSbpOLvwmcUw3 Normally it is $500, it's on sale for $150. I only know this because my…

There is a NROL4W MFP Group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/102-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w And you got close, but not quite. You don't "run through" the whole program twice. You do a set (example, 15 squats), rest for the set amount of time (60 seconds, for this workout) then do another set (15 squats).…

Make exercise part of your daily life. Join a recreational sports team. Do a volunteer activity that is very physical. Pick a hobby that involves at least some movement, like gardening. Pick up an exhausting side job, like being a mover on the weekend. Start getting to work by bike. It's easy to say, "ugh, I don't feel…

Check out Budget Bytes! http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/ There's also lots of other blogs out there about eating on a budget. Eat meat less frequently, and use it as a flavoring, rather than the main feature. Get your complete protein from rice + beans. Make large pots of soup/stew. Pick up a vegetarian cookbook from the…

I find the label of "clean" eating to be a bit silly, but some people are happier when they can label their habits. I suppose that I eat "clean." I mostly eat veggies, I prepare almost all of my food from scratch, and I rarely buy processed food (cereals, snack foods, frozen dinners, etc). I haven't bought fast food in…

Made this the other day for some dinner guests, it went over well! I used: - Onion - Orange bell pepper - Sweet potato - Turnip - Butternut squash I think that is it? I also bought a regular potato and a parsnip, but there wasn't room in my pan. I'm a big fan of seasoning, so I also used minced garlic, red pepper flakes,…

- Sliced tomato with balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and pepper - Light string cheese - Fruit (small oranges, grapefruit, apples, banana). Sometimes dip apple slices in a tablespoon of peanut butter - Celery/carrots/snow peas dipped in hummus - One through four "whole grain braided pretzel twists" (free in a tub at work) -…

That sounds so good!

Ok, I wanted to make sure you actually had some fat available to lose :) I think that MFP waaaay over estimates the calories burned during exercise. Perhaps, instead of eating back all of them, only eat back 25% or 50%? Also, if you can afford it, I highly recommend taking kettlebell classes (don't get one of those 5lb…

What about turning fruits into smoothies?

What is your body fat percentage?

I don't do extra cardio. I bike 5 miles to work, and it's pretty flat. I've been doing it for about three and a half months, and I've lost about 35lbs. I also use biking as my primary mode of transportation, so that's generally an extra 5 or 15 miles a week. Keep up the weight lifting, but you definitely don't need more…

Calorie dense foods like pasta often aren't very filling over time. Here are details about the awesome lunches I make for myself. Super easy, super delicious, and super cheap. The only caveat is that there's a fridge at work where I can keep a couple bottles of salad dressing.…

Are you taking steriods? Do you hae a hormone inbalance that produces a ton of extra testosterone? Your bum won't get massive. Grab a heavy bar. Start squatting. Grab a heavy kettlebell. Start doing kettlebell swings. BAM. Awesome *kitten*.

I haven't done at home kettlebell stuff, but I took a 5 week kettlebell class a month or so ago. I started off with 15lbs, and by the end I was mostly using 35lbs, and 45lbs for some exercises! Don't be afraid of the heavier weights. A lot of the exercises use your WHOLE body. Moving 8lbs with just your triceps might be a…

Check out the book, "New Lifting Rules for Women." I just got it in the mail, haven't started the program yet (I want to finish reading it first) but it seems pretty awesome. It explains all the reasons lifting heavy is superior, and then goes on to tell you how to actually do it without injuring yourself. Book:…

I'm on lower carb. I started my weight loss efforts at the end of September because I started bike commuting, and started eating a better diet early October. Down about 30lbs, so I'm not complaining! But for me it's a combination low cal, low carb, moderate+ exercise (biking is my main form of transportation, so I bike 60+…

Then what on earth do you eat?!

My starting weight was a bit smaller (5'11" and 260+) but let's be friends anyway! Definitely start monitor what you eat. My mom was a stay at home mom, so most of my meals were made from scratch daily, and low in fat/salt/etc. But I ate such huge portions, I've always been overweight! The real world was no different. I…

Do you cook? You also aren't getting enough vitamins that way. If you like carrots, you might like this: - 3 large carrots - A bit less than 1/2 cup of split red lentils - 4 cups of chicken or veggie broth - 1 Onion - Assorted herbs and spices (I used dashes of salt, pepper, coriander, sage, parsley, and a bay leaf) - A…