gmallan Member

I'm happy to do weights fasted but find I don't have enough energy if I don't eat a little bit before doing cardio. I usually just have a very small meal with protein and carbs so I have something to draw on for energy. My understanding is that when you train fasted you're in a glycogen-depleted state so your body uses fat…

There are some differences between females and males lifting weights but for the purposes of someone starting out they aren't really relevant. I second some of the suggestions about finding a good beginner program - I would say look for one that is full body, three times a week and includes mostly compound lifts (squats,…

Can't really be bothered, the information is well established. Where's the citation for the statement that TEF has been shown to be minimal huh?

I can't see your gif so I'll assume you were making fun of me. The TEF of protein is up to 25% higher than that of fat and carbs meaning that the higher protein content in the chicken breast would result in more energy being wasted through the production of heat when it is digested thus less energy available to be utilised…

Minimal but definitely not negligible. I believe protein is up to 30% and fat and carbs are 5-10%. That's a pretty significant difference and would result in a different deficit in your analysis above. Over the course of one day maybe not so important but added up over a longer period of time it could be. Yes the example…

This is a really interesting article on why the calorie isn't a very good unit of measurement. A calorie is still a calorie but the way our body uses energy from different sources varies greatly which is why 1000 calories of Oreos won't have the same weight loss effect as 1000 calories of chicken breast.…

With 50-60lbs to lose you need to focus on getting the basics right not worrying about whether you'll burn more fat with fasted cardio vs non-fasted cardio. You don't gain 50-60lbs because you weren't fasting before you went for a run - you gain that type of weight because you eat too much for your activity level. A…

What is considered clean food is a pretty murky area. I don't special k would fit any of the standard definitions of clean food though. Having said that, if you enjoy special k, if you're hitting your calorie, macro and micro goals and it keeps you full then there's no reason not to eat it. Foods need to be viewed in the…

What are you doing for exercise? To some extent your body shape will be determined by genetics and unfortunately you can't control where fat comes off your body when you lose weight. Females in general tend to hold onto it in our lower abs, hips and thighs for baby making reasons. So if you want to lose fat in a specific…

Check out some of the stuff from Bret Contreras. They don't call him "The Glute Guy" for no reason. I highly recommend his workout program Strong Curves. It has a beginner, advanced, lower only and body weight only programs so there should be something there for you. Squats alone aren't likely to be enough for you. If…

Even if you don't end up weighing everything 100% of the time even doing it for a week or two can be a massive eye-opener.

Agree that your calories sound a bit too low for your stats. Just keep in mind that you might be able to stick to that goal short term but it's likely that if you keep going you're going to end up getting hungry (with potentially other issues that come with long-term under eating). Keep in mind that trainers aren't…

A little bit of dark chocolate (70% or higher) goes a long way

1. Do you think you can healthily lose 50lbs in 4.5 months (from a starting point of 179lbs and 5ft 8 inches)? No, it seems a bit too aggressive. Trying to lose too fast can be bad for a number of physiological and psychological reasons IMHO. 2. How do you feel about dairy? Should it or should it not be consumed? Yes, in…

100 calories isn't really enough difference to throw anything out of whack. Are you eating differently in terms of the foods you're actually eating? Some foods are just better at keeping you feeling full and satisfied than others and on a low calorie diet you're going to have to make sure you're eating mostly those types…

First workout, first time doing a new exercise or first time back after a break will always give you soreness. Some people seem to get it worse than others. I am one of those people. I've just been on holidays for a month and getting back into working out. Can barely walk from my workout on Sunday. As your body adjusts it…

I also drink only tea with milk until lunch time which is usually about 1pm. My first meal during the week tends to be left overs of whatever I ate for dinner the night before. Today chicken breast, veggies, mashed sweet potato and corn on the cob. I rarely eat 'breakfast food' during the week unless it's brinner, love me…

What do you mean by tone? Usually people either mean they want to add muscle and lose fat or maintain the muscle they have while losing fat thus revealing said muscle.

I usually do my chicken breast in a George Foreman grill with a spray of olive oil and some salt and pepper or spice rub. I like sweet potato pretty much anyway but often do it as mash with salt, pepper, herbs and a little bit of milk or some butter if I want more fat that day. Add some steamed veggies and you have a…

What will work varies from person to person but I find if I keep active, eat fairly strictly mon-fri and indulge a little on the weekend or special occasions I tend to maintain pretty easily. I don't always log and weigh when I'm maintaining but know when certain clothes start to get tight I need to get a bit stricter with…

Do you have any equipment available to you or are you planning on using body weight entirely? I think there is a site called "you are your own gym" that could help. You can do a fair bit with just body weight (there's some pretty advanced gymnastics stuff) but depending on what your goals are you might need some equiptment

What about losing 42 lbs and starting to lift weight is not a success story? The longer you do this the more you realise that there isn't a before and after. There's then, now and tomorrow. Every time you make a choice that gets you closer to your goal you are a success

One roll cut into four pieces. Otherwise it would say four rolls. Make sure the ballpark calories seem right

Welcome to the dark side of the gym. Trust me when I say it's waaaayyy more fun over here.

OMG me too! I don't know why it bothers me so much but it does

What kind of facilities do you have access to? Fridge, microwave, prep tools etc.? I usually just take leftovers from the night before or a salad.

Really depends what you're after. I go to Zap, another 24 hour gym. I like having somewhere I can go near work and home as well as if I travel to other parts of the State. They have free weights and cardio stuff and I can use it any time. I don't really go much on classes anymore so I don't miss those. They're slowly…

Also lots of non-cross fit videos haha. You tube videos are a good idea for tips on form and pointers though. As some of the others have said, you're new to lifting so pick an established plan for beginners (why would you make your own when there are so many decent free ones out there that are written by people with a lot…

0-2, 1 scoop most days. I usually just add them in when I'm not looking like hitting my protein goal for the day. Most nights I'll have a scoop made into microwave protein brownie instead of dessert

Did you log a weight loss in those seven days? As you lose weight your calorie goal will go down. The same amount of calories at a lower weight would result in a smaller deficit and thus a smaller theoretical weight loss. That plus rounding could account for the difference