cmeiron Member

Why so few carbs? I'd die. And why the cycling? For most people it's really not necessary. Maybe you should try aiming for g/body mass of macros (protein, fat) rather than %s. Like 0.8-1.2 g protein/lb and 0.35g fat/lb. To get the abs to pop you need to reduce bf. Also, the extent to which they pop is going to depend a lot…

Actually, this smacks of a really unhealthy relationship with food. OP, it's your birthday. On this day and other days of celebration there is going to be food - lots of really delicious food. Occasional indulgences - even going waaaay over your daily intake goal - are absolutely NOT going to stop, damage or undo your…

This perfectly describes what I've experienced: from being starving to having crazy carb/sweet cravings to having little appetite. It IS weird. As much as this not-hungry-but-will-cram-food-in stage kind of blows, if it lasts until the cut it'll be a relief to reduce calories, not a chore as I feared early on in this…

LMAOOOOOOOO

OK gals I need some new food options. I am seriously starting to feel like I'm force-feeding to keep my cals on target. I eat fairly nutritiously, but am no clean eater and like my treats. BUT I don't think I want to eat, like, straight-up candy or anything (at least not all the time. Does anybody have suggestions for…

Right now, zero (bulking). I lift 3x/week. When I start cutting again I'll go back to about 30 minutes 2-3x/week. 2 hours a day seems excessive imo.

Great stats! You're going to kick Phase Two's *kitten* :drinker:

Decided today to up my calories just a smidge to 2650. We'll see if that gets the gains going up a little faster. Suddenly the end of January is pretty close and I've still got 4ish lbs I want to put on! It's weird - I never thought I'd say this, but 2600+/day is a lot of freaking food. I'm pretty much never hungry anymore…

When I was learning how to better manage my macros I found it helpful to pre-plan my food for the day. I could tinker and add and remove things until I got the balance I wanted; it helped speed up the learning curve and now I have a "go-to" list of different foods I know I can count on if I'm short of a particular macro.…

Nice work :) Fats are important for hormone regulation and help keep you full. Carbs are an important energy source and a lot of carb-heavy foods have lots of good micronutrients as well. Enjoy!

Avocados are more a source of fat than anything, not carbs or protein. Protein: chicken, pork, beef, eggs, milk, greek yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, whey powder, whole grains, lentils, Carbs: rice, bread, potatoes (sweet or white), fruit, cereal, oats, lentils, milk can even be pretty carby

Yep. I mean, if you're hitting your calorie goal for the day and going over on protein (so being a bit under on fat or carbs), that's not a huge deal because MFP settings are pretty low for protein. But generally, yes: the goal is there for you to HIT, not undershoot. Your calorie deficit is already built in - you don't…

If you're asking if you should be trying to eat low fat or low carb, the answer is "probably not unless you have a medical condition that dictates otherwise". Fat and carbs are not the enemy when it comes to weight loss.

Ok, now THAT is crossing the line. I used to use that exact same excuse for myself ALL. THE. TIME. "THOSE people are skinny because they're NATURALLY skinny. I can't lose weight because my body naturally wants to be heavy...I'm not slim...I have a large frame..." Blah blah freaking blah. What garbage. I wasn't fat because…

Wait...wut?

Srs. :angry: What I wouldn't give for a little testosterone :grumble:

Glad you're feeling good about things again. And those DLs were badass :drinker:

I'm all for a brief "hey here's my new kid"-type visit, especially if it's a co-worker I'm close with. Newborns are pretty squidgy and cute and quiet. I can even handle having a child hanging out in with his/her parent at the office, as long as that child has been taught how to entertain themselves quietly. What I don't…

in.

Fantastic! Proud of you for jumping in with both feet, and with such confidence! You got this!!!

Sugar and cream in my coffee are the ONLY thing I've given up since I started tracking my calories. I decided I'd rather eat, than drink, my cals. Now it's black or a dash of splenda. Definitely NOT as good as my old double-doubles. But still caffeinated, which is the main thing :P

Voila: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets Generally, if you're aiming to build or retain muscle, you should definitely not skimp on the protein. Otherwise some tweaking might be done according to personal preference (i.e. eating more fat helps with satiety, etc.) But these…

This summer I gained like 11 lbs after one week of camping and totally stuffing my face with whatever I could get my hands on. All but 1 lb was gone after a week of eating at my usual deficit. Magic. Or fat fairies. Or Santa. Take your pick.

This gives me hope. 'Cause right now I am SUPER grumpy about my lack of progress on squats, which I'm still doing with dbs. They are bloody hard.

No. Well, ok, only if you exceed your calorie goal and it keeps you from hitting your macro targets. But even then, every now and then, it wouldn't kill you.

Candy is not "bad". The ice cream I eat every day is not "bad". There is no such thing as "bad" food. Cut that out. If you have a sweet tooth, enjoy treats, as long as they fit your caloric and macronutrient goals for the day.

You can't gain appreciable muscle mass while you're losing weight (i.e., eating at a deficit). New or untrained lifters might gain a small amount of "newbie" muscle mass, but only a lb or two. It is very possible to gain strength while at a deficit - it's basically neurological adaptation. The main reason you want to lift…

I don't know of any foods, but a vitamin D deficiency (which is super-common in the northern hemisphere) can affect mood, especially during the fall and winter. Try 4-5000 UI/day (it's a cheap supplement too, which is nice). Don't be afraid to get some bloodwork done and talk to your doc about it. Also, there's no shame in…

A barbell is awesome but not necessary. You can modify almost any barbell-based lifting program to suit dumbbells. I've done all my training with dumbbells, at home (so far).