ottermotorcycle Member

You do look great, and congratulations on your progress! Is this your first time bulking? If it's not, I'm sure you have a history that might help. If it is, I second the recommendation to go to maintenance and watch your macros. You might be able to do a bit of a recomp that way. In general, a quick calorie jump from…

YES meal planning is helpful. How rigidly and how far in advance are more personal and based on your goals. When I'm busy, it helps to have everything planned, so I know when I have to cook and prep things and how much time I have. I usually don't plan more than 2 days out, unless it's something like "Oh I've been meaning…

The good thing about fast food is they typically list the calories for everything right on the menu, so I don't think you'll have an issue deciding what to eat on the fly. I agree that you'll need water (not coffee or diet soda!) to balance out that sodium intake, and you'll want to get salads often.

Whatever keeps you wngaged in the workout and allows you to do the most. I think this is personal and you'll have to test it out.

While the serving size thing is a lesson in reading comprehension... there are situations where you really expect something to be ONE serving, and it isn't, like one can of a beverage or a three-pack of cookies (where the serving size is two. what am I supposed to do with the third one?!) So I feel you there. I also find…

I drink a bunch of coffee with Sweet n Low or Swerve. If I'm fasting, no milk, otherwise a splash of 2%. It's also pumpkin spice season so I picked up some of that~

I get most of my recipes from budget bytes, because in addition to trying to lose weight, I'm broke. lol. My fiance and I particularly like the Oven Roasted Ratatouille and Smoky White Bean Shakshuka. Pretty much any cooking can be made healthy, though - bake instead of fry, bulk up vegetables instead of starches, etc.

Check out You Are Your Own Gym for body weight workouts. Also - anything heavy counts as lifting. You can lift paint cans, furniture, etc. Yoga/pilates can also be an option!

Your workout program is, I think, perfect as long as you find it sustainable. Upping your carbs on cardio days may help you feel less like dying without sacrificing your goals. Thing is - you might need to focus on just losing fat right now, which your plan will give you, as I imagine 1500 is a caloric deficit for you. You…

I followed New Rules of Lifting for Women and found it doable and gave me real success, but it required access to a full gym which I no longer have...

Squats are essentially a full-body exercise, with focus on the quads, glutes, and core. Squats are one of the most efficient exercises you can do! However, you will not build muscle on a caloric deficit. Still, strength training is effective and recommended.

I use half a tbsp of mayo, a whole tbsp of greek yogurt, and as much mustard as i need to get the right consistency. Cottage cheese works too!

I also eat little meat, and always aim for high protein! Powders help, also choosing higher-protein grains and veggies. Nutritional yeast + romano cheese has been a killer protein/flavor combination for me on just about anything (cabbage, broccoli, pasta, potatoes, etc.)

where on earth did you get pecan pie protein powder????

You generally want weight loss to slow down as you get closer to your goal weight. Once you have it in your sights, it might be a good idea to simply eat at whatever your goal maintenance will be, and it'll fall right into place.

It depends on what you're looking for. Cleanses or detoxes won't literally clean your body, nor is there anything special about them that causes weight loss. However, some people feel that eating a restricted diet of healthy foods puts them in a better weight loss "mindset" and helps them make better choices after the…

No harm in eating at night - just make room for it. The idea that meal timing prevents weight loss is a myth.

I think you burn a tiny bit more during TOM, but I don't have studies to back it up. Eating at maintenance is fine, eating volume helps. Tea helps with bloat!

that's essentially 16:8 intermittent fasting, eating from 11am to 7pm... it works well for lots of people. ive been doing it for a few weeks and i still get hungry, but the hunger passes after a little while and i've gotten more comfortable with it.

Peanuts and sunflower seeds are the cheapest!

I'll be honest and say I solve this problem in an unhealthy - but sustainable - way. I don't have the occasional drink "just because." I only drink if I am going to get drunk, which I enjoy doing. I also fast intermittently, so my usual eating window is 2pm-10pm. On days I plan to binge drink, I push it to 4pm-12am and…

I don't have experience with that specifically, but water and fiber are going to be your best friends.

Another 16:8 faster here! I eat 2pm-10pm, but allow for flexibility (I've had nights where I ate until midnight and had a shorter eating window the next day) Drink lots of water, especially during your fast! Black coffee and plain tea are good too. It's great for giving structure without giving restrictions - I'd go nuts…

Me too! A big struggle is counting on days where I "let loose" - but I have to try.

I'm not sure that is extreme, because 1200 calories is absurdly low for someone 5'5" and over 200lbs. Like, starving the body, in danger of losing lots of lean muscle mass low. You very well may be burning 2200+ calories per day.

I'm getting married September 2018! I'm so excited and just want to look my absolute best on the day. I added a few of you but I could always use more bride (or groom!) friends.

I have concerns about any diet that aims to "regain control." Usually this means you're doing something very restrictive and difficult, and can lead to obsessive behavior, binge eating, and a host of problems much worse than being overweight. The language of "addiction" to food and any foods being "wrong" furthers this…

Do the exercises you like and will stick with! I don't like cardio, so I rarely do it. If I told myself I needed to do cardio to lose weight, I'd fall off the wagon.

For more detail on what you seem to be implying, look up Intermittent Fasting - maybe Leangains would appeal to you.

For me, I know I will eat my entire calorie allowance in carbs if I don't keep track. As a person who enjoys lifting weights as my primary form of exercise and wants to retain as much lean mass as possible on a calorie deficit, it's important that I aim for my protein goal. Depending on your goals, you should have a focus.…