jbnl1991

Congratulations on choosing to reset. You are doing something wonderful for your body. A 500 calorie per day deficit may be too much. EM2WL suggests a 15% deficit. You need to eat enough to fuel your workouts and not put too much stress on your body. I just finished Cathe's STS program and I don't think I could have…

You look great! Big difference in your face! Thank you so much for sharing. It reaffirms my belief in and commitment to this program. This is a slow process and we all need encouragement now and then. Keep the up the great work!

I have not used the Bow Flex, but I started with small weights and worked up from there. The most important thing is that you start. Use the exercise plan and toss the "diet" plan in the trash!

On the days I am low in protein, it is always because I missed my afternoon Greek yogurt. I like it with frozen strawberries or with pudding mix and a bit of whipped cream on top. I build my lunch and dinner around protein. I love all kinds of meat, so it is easy for me. I haven't found a protein bar or powder that tastes…

I have a Fitbit and it is not synced to MFP. I use the Fitbit to figure out my TDEE and it gives me a monthly average. Then I deduct my 10-15% from that number and plug it into MFP as my goal. I try to focus on the big picture and love the Fitbit for helping me with that. On the Fitbit, I manually log my weight lifting for…

There is a group on MFP called "New Rules of Lifting For Women (NROL4W)" that I joined when I was trying to figure out the program. They will do a better job than me trying to explain it. Don't worry - it only seems complicated at first. Once you get through the first workout, the numbers and letters make sense. It was the…

Goals for first quarter 2014: 1. Continue to weigh food (no more eyeballing) and log. 2. Complete first two cycles of Cathe Frederick's STS program while on a cut. 3. Stretch, stretch, stretch! Why is this so hard? 4. Focus on my body's positive attributes, not the negative. Looking forward to a great 2014!

I just finished stage three and was not crazy about it. I thought about trying another program, but looked ahead and found that stage four is a repeat of stage two. I loved stage two. So, I guess I am still in it! Starting stage four tomorrow!

You look amazing! You definitely replaced fat with muscle. I am starting stage 3 today and you are an inspiration!

"Eat more" IS a relative term, but "eat 15% less than your TDEE" is not. I am eating 1800 per day instead of 1200 per day. (That is 50% more than my previous diet roller coasters.) I am lifting weights so I am not losing as much muscle as when I just did cardio. I am losing weight so it must be fat. I took the time to…

I started with New Rules of Lifting for Women. It is a book that showed me step by step what to do, reps, pictures and even the reasoning behind it all. I am lucky enough to have a gym at home so all I have had to do is buy heavier weights as I progress. It is easily done at a commercial gym if you have access to one.

Wonderful news! You are giving your body what it needs. You are fueling your workouts. You are using your muscles. Your body is responding. Thanks for sharing and keep trusting in the process!

Awesome post, Sassie!! Love that you reconnected with the dancer within. My youngest two kids love rock. My 20 year old son has all the AC/DC albums and burned some on CDs so I can lift weights while singing "she was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean . . ." My 16 year old daughter and I rocked out to Pour Some Sugar…

I think we are all drawn to the "quick fix" because we want to see dramatic and immediate results. Your quick fix of low calories and crazy cardio did not work if you cannot maintain that for the long term. I tried to eat more earlier this year, but could not lose even though I was eating less than TDEE. I thought I was…

Welcome to the group! Read through all of the red stickies at the top of the discussion page. "TOPIC: TDEE & BMR: What they are and what to do with them" will help guide you through the process. The Eat More to Weigh Less website (http://eatmore2weighless.com/) also has great information that can help you. I am sure…

Congrats on not gaining on your week out of town! I know you have struggled with this. Great job! My daughter has a wheat allergy (but is not Celiac) and my household gave up wheat about 18 months ago. My daughter can now swim and exercise without her inhaler and she takes far fewer allergy meds. I cannot take any…

Welcome to the group! I rarely visit the open forums since I found this group. Everyone here is supportive and I have never seen any mauling!

I just finished the first week of my cut after an 8 week reset (gained 7.5 pounds). Our exercise routines are similar. I also have a fitbit, but it is not synced to MFP account. This past week I had calorie deficits as low as 200 one day and 500 the next day. It averaged out to a weekly deficit of 3846 calories. I am…

Ha! You have no idea how many times I have actually done this these past six weeks on reset!! Glad to know I am not alone!

Having friend who eat more can be helpful, too. It is hard to see 1200 calorie friends' food diaries and seeing those who consistently net below their BMR. I am more than halfway through with my reset and I think I am healing, because I am thinking about October and NOT wanting to cut! Read all of the stickies and the…

By incorporating strength training into your life, you preserve muscle while in a cut. You want to lose fat, not muscle, and you have to use it or you will lose it. Body weight exercises are a great way to work your muscles. Squats, push ups, planks - they will all help you until you can find a way to access heavier…

It is so great to hear that you are mentally, emotionally and physically in a great place!! I have enjoyed sharing your journey - the freaking out and all! It is one thing to hear "trust the process" and another thing entirely to believe that the process should be trusted. Awaiting your next chapter . . . :happy:

The difference between your 20% cut and BMR is just only 163 calories, so almost any exercise is going to put you below BMR. As you will discover by participating in this group, a bigger cut does NOT result in more weight lost. Since you haven't ever logged your food, why don't you just log for week and eat as you have…

If your TDEE includes your exercise and you want a 20% cut, set your calories at 1797 and do not eat back your exercise calories. Many people log their exercise but just burn 1 calorie so their macros and daily calorie goal aren't changed. Since your cut of 1797 isn't too far above your BMR of 1634, keep a close eye on…

I suggest you go back to where you were before the trip - no cut - just plenty of fresh veggies. I suspect several of those pounds are a result of the high sodium fast foods. There is no way you ate so far over your TDEE that you gained 6 pounds in 5 days. What you really need is a plan for your next trip out of town.…

Read all of the pinned topics at the top of the discussion page. "TOPIC: TDEE & BMR: What they are and what to do with them" will help you get your numbers. The Eat More 2 Weigh Less website has excellent information and a starter package. Once you go through both of these resources, come back and post your questions. I am…

AC/DC - Back in Black during lifting sessions this week. Any one of their other 25 CDs next week!

Stick with the 2000 calories and complete the reset! Five weeks is not long enough to repair the damage you have done with VLCD. I am also in week five of my reset and have gained five pounds (all of it in my belly, I think!). I am committed to doing this for five more weeks at least. I just don't want to stop part way…

This will get easier as you get used to eating more. I love nuts, so I add a handful of almonds with my morning snack. I say YES to avacado and guacamole now. I tossed those "light" salad dressings in the trash and make my own with olive oil. And I almost always have some peanut butter on my banana. I also regularly eat…