professormudd1

Whatever you find helps you get your calories in check.... In my opinion, prepating my own meals and weighing ingredients has proven helpful for me in determining proper portion sizes and calorie estimates for when I get to maintenance weight. Cooking low-cal is definitely a learning experience.

MFP should have calculated that out for you when you set up your goals.

Sorry, but this is a misconception of what starvation mode actually is. More likely is the new fitness program is causing an increase in water retention. Additionally, I would ensure your calorie counting is accurate via use of a good food scale, and weigh yourself under the same conditions each time. For instance, weigh…

I like Gnc Pro Performance - 100% Whey Protein. It is only 130 cal per serving and 24grams of protein. I get vanilla so I can add it to recipes like pancakes and stuff. Edited to add: I also like EAS Myoplex. It was pretty inexpensive from Target.

http://www.mollymcbutter.com/products/molly-mcbutter-natural-butter-flavor-sprinkles/

BAZINGA

I don't trust MFP's estimates of calories burned. I also have a hard time trusting the calories burned readings on the gym machines as well. A lot of people around here have pretty good results using a fitbit or other heart monitor to estimate their calorie burns. I do not eat back most of my burned calories. I just make…

Not accurate at all for me. I have no idea how it assumes its calculations...... When I do the math of where I "should be" in x amount of weeks, I am way more accurate (taking my weekly calorie deficit, assuming 3500cal/lb).

Strength training on a deficit (provided you are consuming ample protein) helps trigger your body to use calories to repair muscle, preventing excess muscle loss. To a small degree, you can gain SOME muscle on a deficit, but not much.

I weigh in every morning as part of my morning routine. I log my weight when I see a new low.

2 tips for you that worked for me: 1. Drink water - Sometimes a big glass of water makes the food craving (not real hunger) go away. 2. Learn to say no to yourself - It gets easier after a couple of weeks. They say it takes 3 weeks to break a habit and 3 weeks to start a new habit. So self discipline gets easier over time.

"Do or do not. There is no try" -Yoda ;) Good luck to you. You can do this.

I agree with the above in that you should just try to go without for a couple of weeks. As far as substitution, I like rice cakes. They also have the little chip-type rice cakes which are handy for dipping. If that is too bland for you, just have some chips but count the calories.

Chicken breast and broccoli.... The chicken breast (boneless/skinless) is about 25-30 cal per oz, and broccoli (raw) is about 10 cal per oz. That is my go-to quick/easy low calorie meal.

I also have a love for nut butters. Thank god I found out about PB2. I also really love guacamole. For that I get 100 calorie snack packs. The rest of the foods I love are pretty much off of the table for me any more (fried foods).

Those scales test your body impedence (resistance to electrical conductivity), and they can vary pretty widely depending on the amount of water in your system, how dry/moist your skin is, and a several other variables. Honestly, I think you would be better off with a measuring tape and a good digital scale. If you are set…

My favorite breakfast is 1/4 cup egg white (30cal), 2 Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Patties (100cal), in a Pita Pocket (90cal), and a medium banana (105cal). It only takes about 5 minutes to cook. Sometimes I substitute the banana with a little guacamole (100 cal Wholly Guacamole snack packs).

^^^This^^^ Steak is a great source of protein, though not the leanest. Maybe avoid the fattier cuts like ribeye. I would personally avoid any baked/mashed/french-fried potatoes and just stick with meat and veggies.

Belly fat comes off with overall fat loss. For a lot of people it is the last to go, but the first to grow back. The "spare tire" can be very stubborn, but stick with your calories and general fitness. It will happen eventually. For some of us that just takes a bit more effort than others.

depends on what you perceive as flabby.

People with very little muscle mass who appear skinny, but have subcutaneous fat. So, they may look slim in their clothes, they look flabby without.

I really like bodybuilding.com for video demonstrations of exercises and information on which exercises work which muscles. EDIT: Also, no one is truly semetrical. I notice on myself that my right side has more pudge than the other. That doesn't really matter though, because it will all be gone soon any way. ;)

I guess I shouldn't be trying to treat my analog body like a digital device.

Thanks for that information I only plan(ned) to follow this calorie deficit for about 8 weeks before I begin to bring it back up to maintenance. By diving in as deep as I have, my intention was to change my habits and acclimate to less food. And there are several reasons I eat "clean" (supposed metabolic and endocrine…

My only expectation is for the math to make sense.

Best advice I got was when I decided to quit smoking and I was complaining about the cravings. My coworker told me "You gotta be able to say 'no' to yourself.". It make self discipline seem so much simpler.