GypsySoul_74 Member

i am part of the camp of women who have eaten far too few calories for far too many years. Now that I've been lifting heavy for over a year, I've realized that to gain any ground toward my physique goals, I need to get my body to the point where it can accept more calories in order to have the flexibility to manipulate…

lots of times i just eat real ice cream. but i do keep a couple pints of arctic zero (only the vanilla maple flavor; the peanut butter & chocolate peanut butter i can't stomach) in the freezer for times when i'm extra hungry for sweets & need to limit sugar. i put a TBSP of PB2, 2 TBSP of cocoa powder and a tsp of maple…

i'm getting one, but it was on backorder and hasn't come in yet! expecting it this week--excited! :) this is me--i'll pair my Force when it arrives! http://www.fitbit.com/user/29HXP8

seconding everything this guy said--he's spot on for #1 and #2. as for pilates--it can absolutely be a killer workout and certainly requires muscle work. (I've sweated through many a challenging pilates class; i know!) here's the thing: like running, or cycling, or dance, or other specific sports/activities, pilates will…

i love this thread <3

5'4", 116 lb. bust 32" / waist 23.5" / hips 34". belly button 26.5". wearing a 0 most of the time, sometimes a 00 or 2. the really interesting part: a few years ago when I was underweight, I was 95 lb. / 31" bust / 22.5" waist / 32.5" hips... 20 pounds lighter than now, but only 1-1.5" smaller at each measurement site.…

ask a thousand people to define "clean eating" and you'll get a thousand different responses :-P that being said, i really appreciate the concept of consuming food that comes straight from nature (or is only a few simple steps removed from that). and while i've been making some terrible food choices lately, when i do focus…

this is the absolute best shake recipe--always end up coming back to it :)

just wanted to say, reading through this forum, learning about the experience you've been having and checking out some of the articles, videos and resources others have posted to help has been great! i've been struggling with some very similar form issues on squats (at a lower work weight than you, though) and it's nice to…

i have fibro--diagnosed seven years ago at age 20--and have spent the past year & a half establishing a pharmaceutical-free, holistic regimen for treatment/maintenance. exercise, nutrition, massage therapy & vitamin/mineral supplementation have made the difference between barely being able to get out of bed (as i was two…

i'll usually have one can a day. some days i don't have any. once in awhile, maybe i'll have two (i find it helps me feel full when all i want to do is snack). certainly i don't consider it a health food, but it is one of my favorite treats! i drink tons of water & unsweetened green & black tea as my primary hydration…

THRILLED for you!! life is so much better this way. if ever you start to look back at where you came from, just remember how you got here--one day, one hour, one minute at a time :) this will always be the best decision you ever made.

OHP for me, too--stubborn progress!

totally agree! a whole-body approach is the way to go. sounds like you've got your nutrition plan under control, which is an excellent first step :) strength training is the only thing that works to lend a more defined look to my arms (and abs, and glutes). my arms are always thinner when i weigh less and larger when i…

thanks, you guys!! this is a big help :)

please listen to this guy. this guy is right :) you and i are the same height and had the same starting weight--i am 115 now and still wanting to lose a few pounds of fat to reach my old "happy size" and fit into all my clothes, but doing it with cardio wasn't giving me the look i wanted. while the scale doesn't move…

hi! a friend recommended i ask you two for a visual body fat analysis, as i am currently taking the average from an omron handheld device and a scale with body fat capabilities and am unsure about their accuracy. hope these pics are what you need! back relaxed: back flexed (these two look really similar--sorry): front…

glad you guys are enjoying this recipe!! not even joking, i've now tried these cupcakes on almost fifty people (took them to a picnic over the weekend) and NO ONE can tell they're healthy!! people keep raving about how moist and rich they are!! also discovered that the unfrosted cupcakes freeze super-well, too! (note:…

i am a great fan of seeing my friends' faces as well--it not only helps me feel more connected to them, but allows me to compliment and encourage them :) totally don't require photos of the actual person, though--some people are just uncomfortable with photos or concerned about privacy for reasons relevant to their…

crock pot: beef or pork roast (spread the top with horseradish), several halved potatoes, halved onions, bag of baby carrots. add enough water that the roast won't dry out, season to taste crock pot chili: 1 lb ground beef / 1 medium onion / 3 15.5 oz. cans of beans (any type; i use garbanzo, black & kidney beans) / 2 16…

this is what works for me, too--putting one portion in a bowl or on a plate and telling myself if i'm still hungry after i eat that (and i have to eat it slowly, not shovel it--when i get super hungry i want to eat as fast as possible!) then i can have another half-serving. i try to make sure i'm drinking enough water and…

delicious!! i like to make something similar to this with the southwestern-style egg beaters (they have pepper, onion & spices mixed right in!)

brown rice + grilled chicken + sautéed peppers, zucchini and onions. (okay, admittedly, i top this off with a little garlic powder and soy sauce... but i'll cook a pot of rice and grill some chicken and chop some vegetables on the weekend so i can have healthy dinners all week to carry in my lunch/dinner bag or reheat at…

omg, i am loving this!! so fab :) you look amazing. one more thread for me to post up for members of my family to look at so they can understand why i lift. haha

i mix jello sugar free pudding powder into my regular protein shake recipe using a bullet-style blender (must be done with dairy milk; jello pudding won't set with water or soy milk), then refrigerate it. here's what's worked for me: 1 cup skim milk (you could use a higher fat content if you wanted) 1 scoop (42g) protein…

i would bet you could sub canned peaches or pears. even mandarin oranges maybe? I'd just crush/mash the fruit with a fork or potato masher before adding it to the cake mix.

how about this: i have NEVER seen anyone, no matter how overweight or out of shape, at the gym and wondered why they were there or thought anything negative about them at all. my first thought when i see someone overweight at the gym is to mentally high-five them for taking the initiative to get out there and do something…

now you listen :) NO ONE at the gym thinks of you as the "chubby girl looking like she is trying". they think of you as the badass girl who is getting it done. that's what i would think if i saw you. i would be giving you a mental high-five :) almost everyone i know who lifts carries their program with them either on a…

highlights!! (i love them!)