Melzicious

I find that if I've been on low calories for several weeks, this can happen. So, I will eat at maintenance for a couple days, then I find it easier to go back to the lower calories. It also helps to keep you protein really high.

I'm confused... have you already gone through a bulking period? Even if you have, 90 minutes of cardio and a small amount of weights is going to cause you to lose muscle mass. If you want definition, you have to diet, eat high protein to minimize lean mass losses, and continue to lift.

I asked because the I assume your goal is to get smaller. If you could verify that you're getting smaller via measurements you can assume that you are losing fat/gaining muscle (since muscle is more dense than fat).

You are more likely to give up if you starve yourself (unnecessarily I might add) by eating below your BMR.

If you can do more than 12 reps with it, increase your weight. 3 sets of 10-12 reps should be about right for starting out.

Diet to lose fat, squats, lunges, deadlift to gain muscle.

Congratulations on your weight loss! Have you been keeping track of your measurements?

15% body fat is low for a female, if you were fit you'd be characterized as an athlete. But since you are recovering from an eating disorder, I'm guessing that your low body fat percent is just due to being under weight, not fitness. I definitely congratulate you on trying to become more healthy, are you working with a…

Obviously you have to be lifting but getting cut is about diet! If you've been following a strength training plan you will get the aesthetics when you get to a low enough bf%.

First think about getting in to a full body beginners exercise plan like Stronglifts or Starting Strength. SS is particularly good at explaining the fundamentals. Second, improve your diet. If you put crap in you get crap out. ;-) You need to eat 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. If you don't know your…

Definitely start now! I recommend you pick up a copy of The New Rules of Lifting for Women and You Are Your Own Gym.

This is a great post, you make some excellent points!

17% is really awesome, congrats!

I would focus more on body fat percent than scale weight. I'm 5'6" and my goal is around 145 lbs. That sounds heavy but I run, lift, and I have a 34DD chest. I'm roughly 148 lbs now and about 23% body fat which puts me in the "fit zone". But 148 lbs and 30% body fat would look totally different. So it's going to vary based…

Go to a specialty bra shop and get fitted for a proper bra! What you describe is pretty much the hallmark of an ill fitting bra. But since you're still losing weight, just get one good fitting one that you can wear pretty much every day. Because you will lose it in the chest. I have everything from 34G-34DD. haha

I'm doing the Carolina TM in October, can't wait!

Nope, it suggested a value below my BMR.

You and I are very close in height and weight. I'm 5'6" and 149lbs, about 23% body fat. MFP also suggested I eat 1200 some calories which is totally ridiculous. I see there is a lot of debate on how this should be done, but I'll give you the method I'm going with. I'm setting my calorie level at 1500, which is slightly…

I'm not new to weight loss (lost 25 lbs in 2008), but I'm new to this site. Just to give you some background, I'm 5'6" 149lbs and about 23% body fat. I'm shooting for maybe 145lbs I'm guessing but really the goal is to get under 20% body fat. I lol'd when the calculator here told me I should eat like 1200 calories. But I…