ShannonMpls Member

How often are you exercising? Are you lifting/doing cardio every day? Anyway, I find that whenever I return to lifting after a break or change my program, I'm ravenous for a few weeks. And I eat. Because I'm hungry. Then it gets better and I don't eat an entire bag of cinnamon almonds from Trader Joe's anymore. So I'd…

QFT. We go camping several times during the summer. There are also birthdays, holidays, weddings, family reunions, and pizza parties at work. Sometimes I said no, usually I exercised portion control, and sometimes I forgot that I don't still weigh 300+ pounds and I ate way too much. Yet I still managed to lose 133 pounds…

Polar - the Ft4 or Ft7 at the lower end, F40 or f60 for a few more bells and whistles.

Thank you!

I know that HRMs aren't always the most accurate, but for what it's worth, mine NEVER reports a higher calorie burn than the one it gives me for boot camp. I'd still eat exercise calories with caution, as always, but I think this will give you a ballpark.

Is it the typical boot camp where you're constantly moving with bursts of cardio mixed in with bodyweight strength training, leaving you a weak puddle of sweat at near death? I'd log it as circuit training :)

I used to use my HRM whenever I strength trained (I don't anymore, but I still log my workouts based on old HRM formulas I input into my custom exercises here). I used those numbers to calculate my TDEE. When I eat a cut from TDEE or TDEE, I lose or maintain predictably. My general thought is that while my HRM surely…

Congrats on your amazing weight loss so far!! I agree that if you want pizza, eat pizza. I've eaten pizza occasionally the whole time I lost 133 pounds and while maintaining that loss for the last 9 months. Pizza is not a "cheat" meal. It's a delicious meal that can be easily worked into your daily calories. I do question…

I agree with you on the HRM, but disagree that sweat is an indicator of the intensity of a workout. OP, strength training burns calories whether MFP says so or not. This issue here is COUNTING the calories burned. You can enter your time spent strength training as a cardio exercise, but know that the result is an…

It's not necessary by any means. However, it does help me reach my protein goal. I really like Gold Standard Double Rich Chocolate. Tastes fine mixed with water, great mixed with milk.

I'm not sure what your fitness level is, but have you considered adding interval training / HIIT to your cardio? I'll do this on a running track or treadmill, but you can even do it on the elliptical. You can shorten your time spend on the soul-crushing cardio machines if you do intervals, and it definitely makes the time…

I didn't do solely heavy lifting; cardio too, including running. But weights (free weights/barbells) have made up the core of my workout program since my first month on MFP, and I'm down 130+ pounds. I'd rather lift weights than any other type of exercise. I LOVE it and I love what it does to my body. two years ago and…

Abhishek, you look absolutely amazing. Congrats.

No. Nor did I count calories on Christmas, my husband's birthday, my son's birthday, while camping, Thanksgiving, on vacation, and sometimes "Saturday." And that's probably why yesterday was my 720th consecutive MFP log-on and I've lost more than 130 pounds, maintaining for 9 months so far. I give myself breaks, but 95% of…

of course. 1-2 days a week.

My problem using an Ft7 in the water was that it didn't work. It would only occasionally transmit my heart rate, and it lost the signal all the time. I stopped wearing it in the water altogether. It never lost the signal on land. As for accuracy, you should take the calorie count with a grain of salt regardless of whether…

For another perspective, I have often run using my HRM then input my speed into MFP for an estimate out of curiosity. they come very close. MFP is quite accurate for running - there are long-standing and validated equations for calculating calories burned for running based on distance, speed, and body weight. A good post…

Runkeeper, MFP (if you accurately input your speed), and my Polar Ft40 all come acceptably close to each other in reporting calorie burn. When it comes to running, the formula is fairly consistent ... though you're right, a particularly hilly run is harder to verify.

I lost 133 pounds on Mirena. I obviously don't know if it would have been easier without it, but it wasn't all that difficult as it was, so I'd guess it did not affect my ability to lose weight. Hormones affect everyone differently though. (edited to add: I did not gain the weight on Mirena though!)

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-12-week-trainer-at-home-workout-pull-day.html http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-12-week-trainer-at-home-workout-push-day.html

I think this is a question for your surgeon; we don't know what ankle condition you have, why you were advised to stop running, what surgery you had, or whether you are cleared to resume all activity. When your MD clears you to start running again, yes - in your place, I'd probably start with couch to 5k or any intervals…

Truthfully, you should be able to squat now and it will help build your core strength. What kind of squats were you doing? When I first started strength training (weighing 130 pounds more than I do now, very weak, couldn't hold a plank for 10 seconds) I did squats. They started off as physioball wall squats: [img]Then I…

Made a world of difference for me too.

I thought this was going to be more like: Caution, they will make your *kitten* look awesome. (just kidding, good form is obviously important and core strength stabilizes your back to help prevent injury)

Basically never. Your subject line confused me - eating healthy vs cooking for my family? Why are those at odds? If you're eating healthy, that's awesome, and a great way to set your family up for healthy habits too. My husband can eat bigger portions. He might have more pasta or add a slice of bread to dinner. He might…

Why? One could eat a diet of 90% "bad" fat (whatever that is) and still lose body fat if one were in a caloric deficit. I don't go by ratios. I aim to meet my minimums of 130g protein and 75g fat. I typically exceed fat and eat around 80-90g. The rest is carbs or p/f overage. If I look at the ratios, it's usually 30/30/40…

There is plenty of actual science to support higher protein intake among those losing weight (along with strength training, to maintain LBM) and those who are athletes or weightlifters. The average woman may only "need" 45g protein per day, but there is a difference between minimal needs and unsafe maximums. So, to answer…

I've lost 133 pounds. My diary is open. How I eat now (maintaining) is about the same as how I ate while I was losing. Currently, I eat at a slight deficit during the week and a surplus on weekends. It all evens out. I cook basically all my own food. I eat what I like. 130+ grams of protein, a lot of fat (usually 90+…

Find a new trainer. To be fair, after my first sessions with my trainer, I was sore for a long time. But there is a difference between soreness and pain. I'd find a trainer who I felt I could communicate better. I'd definitely not stick with someone who yells at me.

They are certainly heavy enough to get you started. Eventually you may decide you need heavier weights or would like to join a gym. For now you can do wall sits (without weight progressing to holding weights), bodyweight squats or goblet squats with a weight, single-leg stiff leg deadlift, bench press, pushups, one armed…