fitphoenix22

YES! I just said this exact thing to my husband last night! I was bundled up under 3 blankets on the couch thinking "why can I never warm up unless I'm working out?!"

First explain why you can't eat more than 600 calories a day... And if you're "thin" and wanting to change your body composition (aka gain muscle, lose fat), then why aren't you weight training? Restricting calories (to a dangerously low amount, I might add) and doing nothing but cardio isn't going to build lean muscle…

WOW. Who let the hot guy out?! Way to go! You are an inspiration! Congratulations on your life changing transformation (inside and out!)

Bump!

There are so many factors that go into the weight you see on the scale - water retention (which is common with muscle soreness), constipation, hormones, etc. If you don't have a significant amount to lose, I would suggest that you take your measurements and write them down. Each week/month, remeasure and see if you're…

A male teenager should be eating more than 1700 calories. Can anyone else weigh in on the minimum for an 18 yr old male? As far as your question goes, try drinking a glass of water when you feel hungry. If you're still hungry 20 or 30 minutes later, eat a protein-packed nutritious snack, like 1/2 an apple with 1T of peanut…

Cheese is delicious and packed with protein... and, yes, it has fat. So does chicken. And steak. And avacados. And fish. And nuts. Bottom line... don't be afraid of eating some fat. It's an essential part of a diet. Fat doesn't cause you to be fat, eating too many calories does. So, like anything else, cheese is fine if…

I can appreciate this advice, but I have plenty of financial investments... I didn't expect to win this contest, so I want to reward myself (and invest in my health) this time.

I have a busy schedule (kids, career, etc) and a husband that travels a lot, so I was thinking about getting some videos for workouts on days that I can't make it to the gym. I would prefer something shorter (30 min or so) that I can do before work or after the kids go to bed. I did 30 day shred when I was trying to lose…

Oh, tell me more about it!

That's what works best for me. Monday - LIFT (biceps & back) Tuesday - Cardio, video, bootcamp class, etc Wednesday - LIFT (arms and shoulders) Thursday - Cardio, video, bootcamp class, etc Friday - LIFT (legs) Saturday - LIFT (core) + 20 min run Sunday - REST (or make up day for a missed workout earlier in the week)

This is my (more than) 4 month plan Stay within a calorie deficit Lift heavy 3+ days per week Mix in high intensity interval training or some good cardio on "non-lift days" Get a good night's sleep every night Drink lots of water Be patient and stick with it Congrats on the upcoming nuptuals!

This. Don't waste your money on magical creams and oils. They will fade somewhat, but they will always be there unless you have the skin removed. LOTS of people have stretch marks. It's ok.

I agree with the others, you need to find an outlet that's healthier and try it instead. Running is my other outlet, but I'm not always in a position to drop what I'm doing and go run... so in times like that, I pop in a piece of my favorite gum and 9 times out of 10, it helps with the craving.

This is something that a lot of mothers/wives struggle with. I'm a working mom, too. My office hours are 7am-5pm, so I have some of the same issues you have with our schedule. I'm fortunate enough to have a maid that comes every 2 weeks to help with the "heavy" cleaning that takes hours of scrubbing, but I still have to…

I'm close to your stats. I'm 5'4", 163 lbs. I started at 170... my highest (non-pregnant) weight. My UGW is also 125. I'm trying to lose 1.5 lbs per week with a calorie deficit and 5-6 workouts per week. So far, I'm on track and doing great! I sent you a friend request.

He sounds insecure... it seems like he tears you down so that when someone comes along that is more ((insert his insecurity here)) than he is, you won't think you're worthy of a man like that. For what it's worth, I think you look awesome and 19.5% BF is amazing! Congrats on hitting your goal!

Every morning when I wake up. After I pee. Naked. I think it helps to see the fluctuations on the scale... I've learned that my body will fluctuate up to 1 or 2 pounds in either direction depending on water retention. As long as the number is trending downwards over the course of the month (and it is), I don't let it…

I can guarantee you didn't lose 6 pounds of fat in one week... you're losing water weight (most likely from cutting out processed foods and carbs). Once your body levels out after the first few weeks, you shouldn't expect losses like that. It's not a race. There will be days the scale goes down and other days the scale…

Whoa, slow down. First of all, a slip is not a failure. If you're in that mindset, then you'll always be quitting and recommitting. The best thing you can do when you see that you've binged is to figure out what caused it... were you emotional? Were you bored? Why did you make the choices you've made? Evaluating your…

I was explaining what the author encouraged. I eat carbs with all meals.

I'm not a newbie, so save me the self-proclaimed expert "advice". Do you really believe that eating less than 1200 calories is healthy? You're preaching for her to buy a book on weight lifting... how will she build muscle mass on less than 1200 calories? Brilliant.

I joined in with my girlfriends earlier this year and we did the "Shred" diet (not the same as Jillian Michael's 30 day shred). It was very effective for all of us... but you don't have to buy his book to do what he teaches you. He has you eating roughly 1200 calories and getting in 30-45 minutes of exercise each day. He…

Losing 10 pounds per month is a pretty lofty goal. Let's do the math... 1 month = (roughly) 4 weeks 10 pounds/4 weeks = 2.5 pounds weight loss per week 1 pound of fat = 3,500 calories. 3,500 x 2.5 pound goal = 8,750 calorie deficit requirement per week 8,750 calorie deficit / 7 days in the week = 1,250 calorie deficit per…

You're not eating enough calories. The minimum amount of calories an average woman should eat is 1200... and at your weight, you should be much higher than that. You could eat 1600 calories and still lose weight. Personally, I've found that 30 minutes of HIGH intensity interval training on the treadmill is enough... but if…

These are my favorite breakfasts that I can make in less than 5 min: Option 1: Banana sliced up and topped with 1 tbsp peanut butter Option 2: Quickly scramble 1/2 cup egg whites (just pour in to the pan from the carton) while 1 piece of whole wheat bread is toasting. Top the toast with the eggs and some salsa, slam it on…

Everyone has different theories on this... Personally, I can't stick to a "diet" that completely deprives me of something for the rest of my life. It's just not realistic for me. Eating in moderation is important. So, I allow myself a dessert once a week. If you can't go all day without something sweet, try substituting…

I don't really care for coke zero either, but I've found that if I mix coke zero with regular coke or regular cherry coke, it tastes great and I only drink 1/2 the calories of reg coke. Over the past few months I've been slowly adjusting the mix to 2/3 coke zero + 1/3 reg coke and I still like it. I only do this when I…

My friend competes and she eats chicken, egg whites, protein shakes, green veggies and 1/2 sweet potato (first half of the day) and lots of water. She doesn't eat any complex carbs after 2pm (grains, potatoes, etc). She also weighs and measures everything before she eats it. I hope this helps.

The best new years resolution a newbie can have is to get a workout buddy... someone holding you accountable and depending on you is the best way to stick with it. There have been days that I've wanted to just veg out on the couch, but I know that my friend will be at the gym waiting on me, so I make myself go for her. And…