stephe1987 Member

I'm 5' 4". Lowest weight: 120, right after I graduated high school. Highest weight: 160+, late 2012. The highest number on the scale was 167 but I was also wearing heavy clothes that day (it was a digital scale at a relative's house). My official weigh in for January 1st (the day I cut out soda) was 160 lbs. Current…

Always stretch thoroughly. And remember to always choose correct form over speed. A lot of injuries could be avoided by doing those two things.

I like the 80/20 rule. This helps people get proper nutrition while still getting to eat what they like. 80% should fit into your macros (balanced diet) and the other 20% can be "bad" foods that are high in sugar or sodium. I also think that vitamins are a good idea for people who are worried about micro nutrients but…

I would worry more about body fat percentage than finding an ideal weight. Switch to maintenance when you reach your ideal body fat percentage. Then you can decide to stay there or if you want to build a little bit of muscle (eat at a slight surplus and lift weights to gain muscle).

Water weight/excessive salt intake? Maybe you're under more stress than normal (stress hormones)? Maybe you forgot to log something? Or maybe you've miscalculated your "maintenance" calories and are eating more than you need to? If you're sure you're doing everything right and this continues for more than a few weeks, it…

Some suggestions: Maybe go to bed earlier so you're not tempted to drink? If you don't drink until after the kids go to bed, maybe you should go to bed when they do. If that's not possible, I would suggest slowly cutting back. Limit yourself to 1 or 2 drinks per night. Maybe start off with water and then have a drink. Or…

I think it's a combination of body fat percentage and frame size. Too low of a body fat percentage can be unhealthy (especially if it's maintained for a long period of time). And persons with a medium or large frame are going to want to aim for a higher BMI compared to someone with a small frame.

I've never had a gym membership. The best way to lose weight is diet. Aim to lose 0.5 to 2 lbs per week: If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lb/week is ideal If you have 15-25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lb/week is ideal If you have…

Great loss! Keep up the good work!

Soda... although the first few weeks (especially the first few days) were not easy at all.

It depends on whether or not you're at a deficit. Some people use workouts to lower their net calories for the day. Other people want to eat back all their calories, which usually means eating back more than was actually burned because MFP and gyms usually overestimate how much was burned. Also, be careful when eliminating…

No. Honestly, I probably wouldn't even notice...

It is expensive especially because food prices are increasing. It's cheaper to eat frozen or canned foods than it is to plan a decent fresh meal. At fast food, it's cheaper to eat a value menu item ($1) than to get the salad ($5-7). I think there is also a difference in what people consider "expensive." A lot of families…

Eat what you normally eat, but in smaller portions. That is the only way to stay under your calorie goal and lose weight. If they get fast food, ask for a kid's meal instead of a regular meal. Ask for fewer items than you would normally get.

It sounds like you could be one of those people who weighs more than they look. My cousin is like that. I remember when she was a baby she looked normal but when you picked her up she was really heavy. Your measurements are the same as actresses and models so I don't think you need to lose more weight. If you want to you…

I would just weigh in first thing in the morning on the same day of the week, even if you had a "bad" week where you ate too much or missed an exercise day. The best way to track results is consistency. If your loss doesn't show up one week (and you're sure you were at a deficit), chances are you'll have a big loss the…

Congratulations! Keep up the good work!

1. You're probably eating more than you think. Be sure to weigh solids and measure liquids. Log everything because there is no such thing as a "free" or "negative" food. 2. You're probably not burning as much as you think. MFP and gyms usually overestimate how much was burned. So if you "eat back your exercise calories"…

It's most likely your form. And for people who think it's too fast... 8.2 km/h = 5.09524 mph... which is a 12 minute mile. ETA: If this continues and you're sure your form is correct, it might be good to see a doctor because there could be another issue.

You need to calculate your TDEE (not BMR) and should probably eat around 20% less than that number. So multiply your TDEE by 0.8. I'm not sure if the factor for sedentary is 1.2 from your BMR to TDEE (it may very well be correct) but there are calculators to help you find your TDEE. 20% is a small deficit so you can…

1. You're probably eating more than you think. Weigh solids and measure liquids. There are no "free" or "negative" foods, so log everything. Drinks, too. 2. Chances are you're not burning as much as you think when you exercise. MFP and gyms usually overestimate how much was burned, so be careful not to overeat when eating…

I don't think so... after a while you know how many calories is in each food item. Unless you start to gain weight back after reaching your goal. I think you can reasonably estimate how much you're eating. If you go slightly over one day, go under the next, etc. No binge eating, eat what you like but in small portions.

Walking is great! However, it doesn't burn as many calories as other forms of exercise, so be sure to eat at a calorie deficit as well. (Not that you weren't, I'm just saying that I've heard from people who only walked and didn't cut back on calories, maybe even ate back more than was burned, and they wondered why they…

Please make sure you're getting proper nutrition. It's not recommended to eat less than 800 calories per day (very low calorie diet) so be careful. MFP suggests 1200+. You should probably eat back at least some of those exercise calories, although burn estimates are usually a bit high, and if you don't use a food scale and…

Use smaller bowls for cereal and snacks, smaller plates for food. If you reduce your portion size and log what you eat (even if it's not 100% accurate every time) you should be fine. But if you get stuck then I'd recommend using a scale for sure because it usually means you're eating more than you think so the scale can…

Building muscle (unless you're morbidly obese and just started working out) requires that you eat at a surplus, which means you'll need to gain weight to gain muscle. Lift weights and exercise to maintain as much muscle as possible. Please do not try to build muscle until you get to your goal body fat percentage.

Food is a better way to create a deficit. Exercise is good too, but I wouldn't count on burning so many calories. MFP and gyms usually overestimate how much was actually burned. Studies show that an average person doing a typical form of cardio at a typical intensity will burn around 7-10 calories per minute. How many…

A lot of people say 1200 is too low, but if you're short, thin, and/or not very active MFP might put you on 1200 calories. Also, the number of calories you need decreases with age, so people will need less calories than they did when they were younger. My step-grandmother, when she eats fast food, will choose the kids'…

It depends on your body's fat distribution. You cannot spot reduce; your body will take fat off in whatever order it chooses. Unfortunately, sometimes the body removes fat from areas we want fat (e.g. breasts) before the areas we don't want fat (hips, thighs, stomach). I would just worry about getting to a healthy body fat…

Walking and jogging are always good. There are some YouTube channels that have exercise routines that are free that you could check out. If you must eat "unhealthy" food, takeout or whatever then I would suggest eating in smaller portions. Order a side dish version or a kids' meal. Log your calories so you know how much…