RebelDiamond Member

Yeah, knee and ankle injuries are a bummer. As said above, upper body and core exercises will keep you active (and in routine) while your knee recovers. Get some professional advice on how to start back with lower body training/recovery.

Personally, I have been eating a low-calorie diet (for my height/weight) and eating 1-2 cheat meals a week. For me it has worked. However, now that I'm almost at my goal weight the cheats put me in maintenance. I'm happy with that for now, and I know that when I'm ready to kick it up a notch I'll just have to cut back on…

Sometimes when I work a particular muscle group (like back or chest) that for me personally is a bit weak, I don't quite "feel pain" but it feels weak, and I struggle to move the weight/continue with the exercise. If I continue to push through I usually feel pain the next day. I'm not sure if this is what you're…

A super easy "formula" I use for quick home work outs is this; 1. Pick 5-7 exercises 2. do as many reps of each for a minute each 3. repeat 3-4 times Easy exercises to do at home - lunges/jumping lunges - squats/jumping squats/ wide squats - mountain climbers - push-ups - burpees - tricep dips - skipping - sit ups/ leg…

It took you 5 months to gain and it's going to take you just as long (if not longer) to lose. Don't be discouraged! Time and persistence will get you there in the end!

Do your best for this summer, let it be your goal. Once this summer passes make next summer your goal! It can be a long journey but every summer will be better than the last if you keep at it (and also winter, don't forget about jeans :) )

Without knowing exactly what you eat, there's a bunch of ways to up your protein intake (not just chicken and fish). Just a couple of suggestions; - protein powder and have it as a shake, in pancakes, in waffles, in smoothies etc - buy protein bars (like quest bars, or others low in carbs if you're worried about carbs) -…

OP, just to respond simply to your question (there's a lot of politics on these forums) is that staying on/just under your calorie goal is going to make you lose weight. Try not to get bogged down into macros right now, start by focusing on your overall calorie count. Personally, I could eat my whole daily intake in one…

I find it's better to have a plan before you get in there, that way you don't feel lost. The music idea is good too. Another option (if crowds/people freak you out a bit) is to do some solo training, like - downloading a couch to 5k jogging app and jog/walk outdoors - getting some equipment at home (skipping…

I'd say you're lightly active. I have a sedentary job, I sit at a desk for most of the day. Try not to stress so much, this whole process is a game of trial and error. See how you go and if its not working bump it up a notch (ie incorporating different exercises).

Just a note on the abs question, ever heard the saying "abs are made in the kitchen"? It's true, the more fat you lose the more visible your abs will become. Abs are muscles that we use everyday, they sit under your tummy fat. Imagine a brick wall with a layer of foam sheeting laying over it, the thinner the foam layer…

"You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it" Margaret Thatcher

Neither, people assume I eat low carb because I don't eat much bread/pasta/grains. I do this because I tend to over indulge on those foods and they are calorie dense. I get my carbs mainly from fruit and veg, and I try to eat more "good" fats like avocado, raw olive oil and coconut oil, nuts and yogurt. In the end, low…

The wonderful/annoying thing about weight loss is the learning experience! (I'll bet you'll think twice before getting a frappe now considering how much work it takes to burn off) Eventually you'll work out what you're wiling to spend a few more calories on and what's not worth it. You'll get there, just keep working at it…

The lesson to be learnt from all of the above is that some people enjoy the encouragement/comments and some people don't. I try to take any comments I receive as positively as possible because in the end, we can't control our surroundings but we can control our reactions.

Sometimes when I feel my motivation waning I just think about how easily I could slip into my old habits and then into my old dress size again. I never want to be "that girl who was heavy and lost a bunch of weight but got heavy again because that's the way life is and weight loss isn't sustainable". I've been that girl…

Putting on muscle isn't easy for women (and requires maintenance) so if you feel you're getting "too bulky" for your taste you'll have plenty of time to change your routine. My advice would be to see a Personal Trainer and have them write up a program for you, express your concerns/goals and hopefully they can tailor a…

@TrailBlazerMN At some stage I started believing my PT (who is also my sister). She would give me an exercise and I would do it, I figured she knows what I'm capable of because it's her job and she knows me better than anyone else. Instead of fighting her advice (and wishing for an easy option) I began accepting it.…

I tend to not have things like ice-cream, chocolate and lollies in the house for this reason. I find that I have a pringles mentality toward those types of "craving" foods (once you pop you can't stop). But's that's me, a lot of people (see posts above) are able to limit themselves and stop when they need to. Sometimes I…

"Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going" Jim Ryun When you struggle, remember that what you're doing is creating new habits that will be with you for your life. Eventually it will become second nature.

When I was heavier I felt "uncomfortable" with exercise. I would use excuses like, "I hate sweating", "this is hurting", "I feel like I can't breathe" or "I just can't do it". I didn't realise they were excuses at the time, but I do now. I think the reason people struggle is because we create mental boundaries for…

I have a protein smoothie for breakfast every day, half of one frozen banana, almond milk (substitute with coconut water, water, yogurt, skinny milk etc), flax seeds, and one scoop of protein powder. I alternate between vanilla and chocolate protein, sometimes add frozen berries, cinnamon or coffee... quite versatile

"I am not a product of my circumstances, I am a product of my decisions" Make your decision :)

this ^^^ plus download some music that gets you going and it'll amp up your motivation. And don't forget squats!

I think there's a few ways to look at this, I'm guessing from logic and experience, not an expert, don't claim to be... haha 1. The losing fat/gaining muscle v calorie deficit/increase is for major weight loss/major muscle increase. I do think it's possible to increase muscle a bit while losing fat for instance, but the…

3lbs is a great loss! Remember this... "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great" Keep going!

I personally like Micellar Casein (vanilla or chocolate) by Bulk Nutrients. But it depends what you're looking for :)

To answer your question simply, you do not need to exercise to lose fat. For me, exercise makes me feel like eating better. If I've just worked up a sweat at the gym I don't want to "waste" the effort by going overboard with my eating. You said you can't eat more than 1,600, you're burning 800 5-6 times a week which gives…

Good on you for getting motivated! That's the most important part! I think the only reason people on here are harsh on liquid diets/vegan for weight loss is that it's not a long term solution. As someone who does a juice cleanse every January, I understand the point of what you're doing. The tricky part will be resuming…

I'm not a fan of group fitness classes for two different reasons; 1. when i was overweight I would slack off without the birdseye monitoring of a PT. 2. now that i'm fitter I don't find them overly challenging. I do attend group sessions with a PT (4-5 ladies) and find the workout to be more varied, challenging, specific…