AyaKara

You go girl! I deal with depression too. I haven't had any episodes in over a year. I understand how you're feeling -- especially with cutie animals to keep you company. Keep it up! :flowerforyou:

Strength train to shape your body (you'll get to your desired shape & size without losing much weight) & use the elliptical for cardio since it's very soft on the knees!

A lifelong career will never be open for him. Employers for careers hate job-hoppers. I really hope that he gets his act together for the sake of your relationship, but I hope that you find your own happiness & aren't stuck taking care of someone whom isn't your parent, sibling, or child for the rest of your life.

They shouldn't be. I'm the only girl in the weight section at both of my gyms (three total since I started lifting), & I was never treated differently by a man. One time I squatted too heavily & I asked a guy to help me & he was very kind about it. Another time, a guy spotted me on my chest press. There's no reason to be…

Good for you, honey! So happy for you. Be sure that you're eating enough calories (net 1500 or 1600), & doing strength training in addition to cardio. You'll be amazed at your progress. Keep working hard, you're doing wonderful :smile:

I would personally view my maintenance range as inches rather than pounds; if I look the same (or stronger) & I gained, or I lost some weight but I still look okay, I'd just make it my aim to eat more/ eat less & find my TDEE again to eat at that.

Strength train to help tighten up your skin as you get smaller, it's the best way to prevent & slowly decrease the amount of skin that you have. There are a lot of people who end up with saggy skin because they only did cardio. Have a balanced workout of lifting & cardio & you'll be okay. :smile:

Absolutely! My school required us to go to a fitness center that was built on the roof for P.E. when I was in 11th grade. After myself & a few others really began to endorse it, they required it for all students from 9th grade on. I think teenagers should be taught to embrace healthy living as soon as possible. When I…

Don't forget about Dan, Lorina, Yoovie, & a few others! :happy:

Looks like I've found a friend in this thread! :laugh:

Maybe you should eat more than TDEE - 500? Since you're doing Insanity, I'm thinking that you should eat at TDEE since it burns so many calories. Try it for a week & see how you feel! I'm eating TDEE + 100. Good luck! :smile:

Like a user mentioned earlier, eating at a modest surplus seems to be a good idea. I ate at 2100 yesterday & am eating 2100 today from now on. Thank you everyone!

Buy a big case of oatmeal, eating 1/2 cup a day will make the case last for weeks. Then, buy a pound of apples and a bunch of bananas, & something else that lasts a bit. Use your meal plan to buy your dinners. How large are the meals that you can buy at the cafeteria? You can make it work :smile:

Thank you everyone! I appreciate it greatly. :heart:

I understand that, but because I'm already such a low weight I'm wondering if it's even possible. I think I'm just going to waver between slight deficit & maintenance & see how things go by March. Thanks!

Bump!

Protein bars taste so good that you wouldn't know the difference. Try them out! Try a chocolate one from each brand, I was so surprised that I don't eat chocolate bars anymore. It's a great replacement!

You're supposed to eat net above your BMR! Anything less can cause major health problems, & well, hunger too of course. What's your BMR? Do you happen to know your TDEE? Also, are you eating small meals divided throughout the day?

I belly dance! :heart: currently of oriental (traditional Egyptian) style since September. I plan on starting tribal style concurrently in 2014. It's so beautiful & natural for your body, I think any woman (& man) should do it!

Thanks heybales! I respect your opinion on this forum, it's an honor to talk to you! :smile: Since I should eat at TDEE & eventually a surplus -- should I eat at surplus on a lifting day or non-lifting? I have a female friend whom is a bodybuilder & she suggested >TDEE on lifting days & TDEE on non-lifting. Is there…

I'm in college & I spend $50 a week on groceries. My typical grocery week is this: A case of oatmeal (this lasts 2-3 weeks), 7 yogurts, 7 protein bars, 7 cans of tuna, a carton of eggs (lasts 2 weeks), a bunch of bananas, 1lb of apples (lasts 2 weeks), a gallon of milk (lasts 2 weeks), a box of raisins (lasts 2-3 weeks), a…

I don't know, if I were you I'd continue eating at the 1700-1800 if you feel full; as it is, 1700-1800 is a good number to be eating at for weight loss, so I'd stay that way for month & mix up cardio & strength training evenly every week (3x strength, 3x cardio). At the end of the month, then see how you look & feel!

I eat 2-3 tablespoons a day! I always make sure there's enough room in my fat requirements to eat some peanut butter in a day. There's nothing wrong with it. I hope you're not caught in the 1200 calorie trap. Move up to TDEE with small deficit & embrace the peanut butter!

You are amazing.

Don't worry about it, we all do. Just start again. Eat enough calories (~1500+ a day) & make sure you strength train. A lot of people make the mistake of not lifting heavy. It's what shapes your body. You'll be okay. :heart:

Eat something full of calories! A spoonful of peanut butter or a handful of nuts will do the trick. Or, just eat more servings of what you're eating. :smile:

Believing that you need to eat only 1200 calories a day to look good. A lot of us learned our lessons, began eating 1600-2000, started lifting weights, & now we're at or are reaching our goals so quickly that we can't believe our eyes. You're new to MFP, so take this as your first lesson & use it to guide you in your…

Are you eating enough calories? Are you strength training? Are you losing inches?

Are you sure that it's a 10% deficit if you're gaining weight? Make it a 15% deficit. Also, do you eat mostly clean? Lots of sodium may bloat you, as can wheat.

Wonderful! Start strength training & your body will transform in ways unimaginable. Good luck, & share your newfound knowledge with everyone on MFP! :heart: