em9371 Member

It takes a while to get your head round the scale not being the most important thing! I only lost 10lbs in the last year, but went down from a 12 to an 8-10. It gets easier to ignore the scale once you start seeing changes :-) You have to think...would rather be 150lbs and a size 10, or 130lbs and a size 12?

Bodybuilding.com website has a good section for women, has a lot of info on proper bulk / cut cycles. This has females who have actually done long and short bulking periods, well worth a read! http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=158082973

I'd say it's just down to preference. Some people prefer to do say 2 months bulk, 2 months cut. Others do summer / winter. I've just been losing slowly at a moderate calorie deficit. I've now got to the point where I am pretty happy with the size I am, but want to reduce body fat %, so I'm having the same sort of thing at…

Inches matter more than pounds any day, I'd say keep doing what you are doing it's obviously working. Cals sound good too, I started at 256lbs on 1600 total / 1200 net. Had much better results on 2000 total / 1600 net. You need the fuel if you exercise, and losing slowly with sensible eating and exercise rather than losing…

There is no set time, but it is easier to maintain existing muscle rather than losing and having to regain muscle. Eating alone won't make this happen, weight training is essential, if you don't do this already i'd start ASAP. If you actually want to gain muscle you will need to eat above maintenance cals and do heavy…

My thighs still touch slightly, they did used to rub at top so there is definite improvement. I'm 5'5, 145lbs and around 25% body fat. If I lost any more weight my top half would be too skinny! I just got back off holiday, put on 8lbs and thighs are very slightly rubbing again, so even 10lbs could make a big difference,…

the thigh gap is genetic, down to width of pelvis and angles of your thigh bones. some people (including me) will never have it and thats the end of it. no amount of leg exercises will make you have this if your body is not designed that way. Its good to see proper lifts like clean & press and squats in your program, Id…

I went from being able to do no pullups at all to now being able to do 5, or one plus 14kg. I stand on a aerobic step so my arms are only just bent, I'm too short to reach the bars from standing on the floor :/ I found the assisted pullup machine / bands / inverted rows no help at all, after doing them for months I still…

Hi first of all fat doesnt turn to muscle, and its pretty much impossible to gain muscle while in a calorie deficit but with the correct training and diet you can reduce your fat mass and maintain your muscle mass,which will eventually give you the 'toned' look you are after. I used this calculator to work out my…

protein shakes can help with muscle repair when taken after a workout but they will not make you put on muscle, if only it was so easy!! Guys who take them for this purpose are eating at a calorie surplus, high protein diet with a lot of weight training, it doesnt happen by accident from drinking a few shakes. Gaining or…

totally agree, real food cooked from scratch is the way to go. I have semi skimmed milk and 0% greek yogurt just because thats what I like, but otherwise don't buy anything 'diet'!!! Have the full fat cheese / whole eggs etc, just balance it out with plently of veggies and healthy stuff. low fat usually means high sugar,…

^^^^ this! Its important to find a trainer that understands what you want to achieve and doesnt just give you the 'one size fits all' standard program, I don't understand people that pay a PT to stand and chat to them on the treadmill / bike!!!! Training style makes a big difference, I've been a member of gyms on and off…

size every time, especially if your goal is a wedding dress. Nobody will know what you weigh but everyone will see what size you are, and if you are nicely toned or flabby!!! Just becuase you have a low weight doesnt make you healthy. My friend is a size 8 but is pretty flabby and cant run to the end of the street. Im down…

^^^^ this. Strengthening the muscles you already have is totally different to gaining new muscle mass. It takes a hell of a lot of weight training and eating high protein diet at a calorie surplus to gain muscle, and its is even harder for females to do, if you are losing weight it is VERY unlikely you have gained muscle.…

I see a personal trainer once a week and it is the best thing I have ever done, totally love our sessions and the extra weight training has made a big difference to my body shape. Its VERY important to find the right trainer for you, after going to the gym on and off for 10 years I've never really been bothered and thought…

love this post. A lot of people think going gf is as simple as avoiding wheat based products like bread / pasta / cereal, if only it was so easy....

^^^^ this. I am coeliac, and no way in hell would i be gluten free if i didnt have to be. If eating gluten makes people feel ill and cutting it out makes them feel better, they probably have an intolerance of some degree and going gf may help. Its important to see your Dr and get checked for coeliac BEFORE going gf, as…

I do this a lot, I look at my cals over the week rather than daily. As long as the extra 'saved up' cals aren't eaten in the 2 days before weigh in I still lose just fine :-)

^^^^ this. 3 hours of exercise occasionally is perfectly fine, i do it maybe twice a week - that is made up of a mix of weights / boxing / swimming / running / spinning (not all at once!!1). I do it because I like what I do, I couldn't care less what it burns, yours sounds like you force yourself to do it to burn XX amount…

I've got a few english ones........... It is illegal to be drunk on Licensed Premises (in a pub or bar). In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless in public except as a clerk in a tropical fish store. In York, excluding Sundays, it is perfectly legal to shoot a Scotsman with a bow and arrow - not entirely sure…

on the good side, at least the chicken has high protein! You can get salads with grilled chicken, or grilled chicken burger / wrap, or if you want proper fried chicken the mini fillets are only about 350 cals for a portion of 3. If you choose a meal you can get corn or beans instead of the fries to reduce cals and get a…

love this post! that is what I was trying to say but you did it better. I have nothing against people eating whatever the hell they like, but when it actually affects other people who have an actual condition then thats not on :-)

^^^^ This!!!!! My sister is coeliac and I have recently been diagnosed, I don't see why anyone would go GF unless its medically necessary, its an absolute pain in the *kitten*!!!!!!!!. Going GF does NOT make you lose weight, it may make you make healthier choices by eating less bread / pasta / processed foods, but the…

Wendy, not sure where you are but if you are in England join coeliac uk, they send you loads of info on going gf and companies will send you sample packs to try the foods. If you're not in England I'd still check out their website, it's very helpful :-) Caribougal, luckily I don't get the symptoms most coeliacs do, but…

I injured my knee back in january.I continued to eat the same (1650 / 1100net) 2 weeks total rest, first week I gained 0.8lbs, second week I lost 2. Turns out my cals were too low and I actually lost more afterwards, I would have never known this if i hadnt got injured, now I NET 1600 ish! There is a surprising amount you…

are you fully gluten free or just not eating bread / pasta etc? Gluten is in a LOT of things you wouldn't expect, and eating out is a nightmare! I've just been diagnosed coeliac and have to go gf in the next few weeks, I don't get why people would go gf if its not medically necessary, its an absolute pain in the *kitten*…

its just because its different to other exercise and although it might use the same muscles, they are not being worked in the same way, it DOES get easier don't give up! When I first started running @ 240lbs, i thought I was actually going to die after 30 seconds, but the next time I managed 1 minute, then 2, and soon…

what about a small local charity that would really benefit from the money like a hospice, animal shelter, etc rather than a large charity where it would just go on admin, general expenses etc? If it's a registered charity, make sure the charity name, registration number and address are included in your Will, i work for a…

I was just about to post something to this effect! People don't seem to get that by eating too little, BMR slows, you have to eat less, BMR slows more, you have to eat less, then they get fat eating practically nothing and wonder why....... I'm all for maintaining my muscle and keeping my BMR / metabolism high so i don't…

You don't want to order TOO many sizes down in case it doesnt fit, but then again having it taken from a 12 to a 6 might ruin the dress? Maybe order a 8 or 10 and then it could easily be altered to a 6 or 8. I ordered a 14 when i was a size 16/18, but the dress was laceup at the back with aline skirt so had more…