ctinawilson Member

Worth mentioning that the calorie count on any fitness machine, including a HRM, is just an estimate. If you have a HRM that is programmed with your height, weight, gender etc, then it should be closer to accurate than an elliptical (unless the elliptical takes these stats before you workout as well?), but even so, it is…

Must also share Brian's amazing story, just more proof you CAN do it. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1196867-how-i-lost-360lbs-in-15-months

I expect you'll be reading these responses for a while... haha. Surround yourself with us, let us be the support you need on those bad days, and the ones you shout to loud and proud on the good. Be vocal and we will be there. Tell us when you achieve the tiniest goal, tell us when you feel like giving up. That's what we're…

Can I just say that no one who reads your post fully will be offended by it - you are so level headed and you have clearly thought this through carefully. I applaud you for having the presence and intelligence to put together such a post. As someone said above, you have to WANT it, not just 'want' it, and I think that is…

Wow, i wish I'd found this thread a year ago, then I'd be a year further into my Crossfit life! I completely agree with those who say you need NO specific fitness experience. For me, I find that if a coach knows what they're doing, they will very quickly understand your individual fitness level and needs from a cleverly…

Really sorry to burst the HRM bubble, but a HRM calorie burn is based on a very similar 'guestimate' to that of a calorie calculator on the net, or MFP. They take your age, height, weight etc and find an average burn. Having said that, I believe if you go for a very advanced, top of the range HRM, then they take into…

Hey! I work in Covent Garden and there's a Five Guys across the road - it always has a queue of tourists outside, so i guess its doing well! I haven't been, but they have Nutritional info on the website, and if I went with a 'Little' burger and a 'Little' fries, I could fit this into my macros - with a very very light…

Hi! I agree with terbusha - you need to be eating a lot more - even if your goal is to lose weight. Under-eating can really affect your metabolism. Try working out your TDEE calories - you can find a number of calculators using Google. The number you get will be just an estimate, but having a better idea of what the…

Just saw you already had Freddo's… your list is pretty thorough I think :P Thanks for putting it on here!

Freddo Bars - 95 cal. What I'd like is a UK shop that sells individual 15g Nutella portions… asking too much? Maybe :P Wish I could order them online, but you get them in a multipack, and multi packs don't work for me!

Hello! You can't spot reduce fat (unfortunately!), so you need to pick exercises that burn lots of calories. Then once you've reduced fat, if you still want more definition, you can start building muscle - this is effectively what 'toning' is, for girls ('toning' is a term the media have coined as women don't seem to like…

Sweet potatoes and Quark! Match made in heaven, high protein, low cal and TASTY!

Thank you very much OP for posting this, and thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences and advice. This is just the post I would've posted if you hadn't beaten me to it :flowerforyou:

I am so glad you posted this OP, this is exactly the post I was looking for when I logged on :) Defecit vs. surplus has been a confusion of mine since I started lifting heavy and I'm not happy 'winging' it anymore. So, BUMP! :glasses:

Me too!

Hello! Both the calorie counter on MFP and the machine at the gym have estimated your burn - neither will be spot on. Even a HRM (unless you invest in a VERY advanced one) estimates your calorie burn to a certain extent based on the info you give it - height, weight, gender. But this game is all about guesswork - the…

I agree with everyone above, the only concern maybe is sodium if you're monitoring your intake, but apart from that Greek Yoghurt is bloody brilliant :)

Bump for when my Iphone 5s arrives ;) Also thank you for mentioning Argus I will give it a try.

Hello! Protein powder (whey / egg white etc) is a great way to increase your protein intake if you naturally cannot eat enough protein through lean meats / nuts / dairy. Protein is an important macronutrient, equally important as fat and carbohydrate, but people often struggle to eat enough. The reason body builders and…

Hello! The caloric rates for exercise on MFP are high, I agree, I always assume they are the very upper end of the scale and I'm pretty sure I'm at the lower end of the scale so I dont pay much attention to them. I don't know if people lie... weight can vary so much and if a person weighs every day they may take a…

Thanks Dean! Was getting bored of my tuna salads! :drinker:

Hahaha! I love this! That's exactly what goes on in my brain! The feeling of achievement is like nothing else in the world.

^^^^^ Yup! :wink:

I love lifting because it really shows me what my body is capable of. The feeling of lifting a weight that 2 weeks ago you could barely move, is like nothing else. Seeing the body fat go and reveal your stronger muscles is something i never got with cardio. I love the fact that it makes me better at jumping / running /…

You cannot get rid of cellulite by scrubbing or brushing your body. The reason these methods have a temporary positive effects is that they swell the tissue under the skin and therefore the cellulite is less visible. Body brushing is great for exfoliation, that's all. Cellulite is a layer of fat, covered by strings of…

Up the weights! Everyone seems in agreement that this is the way to reduce body fat and you wont necessarily lose weight in the process, but you'll lose inches. I use 8 & 12kg kettlebells currently 3 times a week, as well as one cardio session and lots of walking (i'm 5'3 and 118lbs) - my bodyfat is reducing but the scale…

Ps. I'm 5'3 - 120lbs, so not too far from you stats wise, feel free to add me! Christina

I agree about going to a gym for a while to get some advice / training in weight lifting - i am by no means an expert now, but I know enough having had advice on form from professionals to get by on my own - however even now, there are lifts i wont do at home without speaking to an expert first. Having said that, once you…

^^^^ This!

At my 'fitness test' for my new gym last August, my instructor measured my body fat % - something I had no awareness of. At 135lbs, I had 37% body fat. That was what got me moving!