Weight loss Fail

Hi All,

I am Female, 29 yrs, 5'5 current weight 165lbs. I have been trying to lose weight, get lean/toned but I have hit a wall for the past year. I started the weight loss process in June 2016 (175lbs) and by January 2017, I went to 163lbs. I continued the process but no more weight loss occurred.My problem isnt measuring food. I measure my food with a scale and document in MFP. My problem is never feeling full. I never get full on my current calories and need to eat more to get through the day. This causes me to go over my caloric deficit and not lose weight. TDEE calculators said my maintenance cals are 2000 so to lose 1lb a week I need to be on 1500cals. I have been trying to consume 1500 for the past year and a half but I can never do it. I always go over my limit because I am never full. Therefore all I have been doing is maintaining my weight, not losing. This leads me to believe that I am really consuming 1800-2000 cals a day not 1500. Otherwise I would lose weight right?

Another issue is hypoglycemic headaches. These have occured continuously thru the year. I want these to go away. I workout 3-5 days a week. On some good weeks I get 5 days in and on others 3-4. I do 30 mins of cardio and 30 mins of strength training with a split routine. Maybe I need to do like 7 days of 60min cardio no fun LoL.

Yesterday was made of:

10AM: Breakfast sandwich: 2 eggs on 2 slices wheat bread with tomatoes, cheese and cucumbers with Coffee and Milk 2 splendas.

12PM: snack: 5 Multigrain crackers and 3 oz. Turkey.

2:30PM: Lunch: Mixed veggies of asparagus, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower and carrots sauteed in avocado oil. I measured all of these. I didnt have any protein so I bought some Teriyaki chicken from the cafateria it must of been 3oz. Also bought a small serving of mashed potatoes, tiny serving of kale salad, one potato wedge, few green beans. I ate this and was hungry again in the next 2 hours.

4:30: Snack - 2 boiled eggs, string cheese and half a protein bar.

At 6:30-7:30 I worked out did 30 mins cardio and tackled chest and triceps.

10:15PM: Made a bowl of mixed items: red and green cabbage with mayo (type of coleslaw), cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cauliflower with some sauteed chicken tenders.

At 1AM i was hungry I had oatmeal with half cup of milk. Luckily in the morning I didnt have a headache maybe cuz of the oatmeal. I usually get headache in the morning since I go 8 hrs at night without eating while I sleep.

My fitness pal says I ate 1844Cals, 132 P, 178C, 69F.

Questions:
1. How can I feel full on 1500cal?

2. Is 1500cals really what I need to eat to lose weight?

2. How can I plan my meals in the day better? Should I just eat 3 big meals a day instead of 5-6 small meals? Cuz these 5-6 small meals are so small and dont do anything for my stomach LoL. By the time I finish the small meal I am hungry in the next 2 hours waiting for my next meal which is small also lol... i can send a photo of body in Private message.

by Dalida89 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Gallstones

I was recently diagnosed with gallstones after experiencing intense stomach pains during my vacation where I had no control over the meals we ate, which led to over consuming fats that causes the pains. Coming back the pain only reoccured a few times but not nearly to the extend it was during that trip. Whole eggs and butter has so far been the main trigger. From what I've read, most symptomatic gallstone patients get their gallbladder removed!!

I'm not only terrified of the prospect of surgery, but I feel like I made so much progress during my first bulk that the recovery would take it all away. I've began to love lifting after being a cardio girl for so many years, I don't want to quit training for months and lose the few pounds of muscle I worked so hard to build.

What surprises me is that I don't even fit the criteria for gallbladder issues. I haven't been overweight since I was 12 and I'm only 22 right now. Other than being female, I shouldn't have had much of a risk. I can't help but feel so "unhealthy" because of this. I have cheat meals every now and then (once or twice a month), but I don't go as overboard as most people do.

Im curious if anyone else has dealt with this kind of issue, and how long did it take to start lifting again?? How bad was the recovery? I've heard anywhere between 6 weeks to 6 months, and my sanity can't really handle even 6 days without working out.

I see my doctor tomorrow to discuss what I need to do, and what the possibilities are.

by danaflava via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

weighted vest questions

Greeting you guys and gals

I have been walking at least a mile everyday the whole month of January 2019 gradually increasing the weight in my weighted vest.
The first week I did no weight and starting at 201.6 lbs and at the end of the week Jan 8th I weighed 198.4 lbs
The second week I increased my weighted vest to 8 lbs. I started at 198.4 at the end of the week I weighed 196 .4
The Third week I increased my weighted vest to 16 lbs. I started at 196.4 at the end of the week I weighed 198
The Fourth week I increased my weighted vest to 20 lbs. I started at 198 at the end of the week I weighed 199

Body measurements:

Jan 15

Neck 14
Waist 33
Chest 38.5
Biceps 13
Hips 43
calf 15.75


Jan 28

Neck 13.5
Waist 32.5
Chest 38
Biceps 12.5
Hips 42.25
calf 15


QUESTION : Is it fine that I gained weight ?
Is this the result of wearing the weighted vest ?
Is it be excess water weight because of monthly cycle that happened concurrently to weight gain? Why did i gain 2lbs and lost 3.5 inches is this because of the weighted vest?
Should I stop wearing the weighted vest?

THanks you in advance lol

SUbscribe to my youtube (La'vish Life La'Renzia) I document my weightloss journey there

by Larenzia via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Should I focus on losing body fat or gaining muscle first?

Hi, I'm probably up at around 17-19% body fat. Should I do more cardio and maintain my muscle mass to lean out before I gain more muscle?
I feel like a blob lol. Any advice would be great!

Thanks bbs.

by BbyGainz via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

An interview with Mariela Bekyarska, a rising female bodybuilder.

This is a short interview with Mariela Bekyarska, a bodybuilder who has won several international rewards, and several national ones in the UK. She tells a brief story of how she started and why she fell in love with the whole lifestyle. Thought that some of you might find inspiration or simply enjoy reading it.

Since I am a few posts short of being allowed to post any links, you can find the article in the Mygrams/Blog.

by Pethrys via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Help me get rid of my banana rolls

I am wondering if anyone else has had success getting rid if thier banana rolls, or under butt fat. I have always held all of my weight in my butt and thighs. (See photo on my profile)
I've been working hard for years to try and have decent looking legs so I can wear shorts in the summer but I can't seem to get rid of the fat on the backs of my legs. I have been working out one hour every day, Les Mills weight training 2 times a week and cardio or yoga type classes on the other days. I have also been counting my macros which has helped a lot. Does anyone have any advice for me?

by jkillen via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Are these good bulking macros?

19yr old female.

Height: 5’8
Weight: 119
• 2400 calories
• 360g carbs
• 120-150g protein
•40-50g fat

by yana99 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Overtraining?

Hey guys, I'm not sure if I'm working out too much heres a sample and i would do something like this alternating different excersises 2-3 times a week and home hiit workouts 2-3 times a week, along with short fasted cardio in the morning, please critique and give me feed back:

Workout:
Circuit 1: x3 10 reps each (rest as needed)
- Back squat
- Romanian split squat
- Outer thigh machine
- Inner thigh machine

Circuit 2:rest as needed)
- single leg deadlift x10 1 set
- deadlift 10x 2 sets
- Bench press x 10 1 set
- Barbell row x10 1 set
- Barbell skull crusher x 10 1 set
- Glute bridges with barbell x10 3 set
- Tricep extension cable pull x10 1 set
- Ab cable side pull x10 2 sets

HIIT cardio after strength: 40s on/20s rest x2 rounds
- rowing machine
- dumbell overhead press with squat
- Renegade row
- plank

thanks guys!

by linaV123 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Feeling towards bulk

Im going through a lot of mixed feelings about bulking. Some days I LOVE it, and other days I just hate constantly eating and now its getting to the point where I feel very fluffy since my weight spiked a few days ago and hasn't gone down (though it may be hormonal, but I can't tell since I don't get periods with my IUD).
About a week ago I calculated my fat and muscle gain using my BF% scale, and I put on about 1.75 pounds of muscle, and 2.2 pounds of fat (before my sudden 2 pound increase this week). I was hoping for a more even distribution but oh well. However a few days later I just don't wake up feeling the same, I feel fluffier than I have in weeks, so its making me eager to end this bulk soon lol Im up to about 140lb and 5'7 (started at 131 before the first week back at the end of October, 134 after due to glycogen). so 6 pounds of real weight gain in three months isn't too bad, its just the spikes that are getting to me. I'm loving the strength I'm getting though, my boyfriend took me through a lat workout (want to do a pull up one day!), and my 1RM for the lat pull down was 115! And the next day i was bicep curling 15 and 17.5 dumbbells. My upper body strength is almost outweighing my doubts about gaining, as I used to have super skinny "runners" arms with no muscle.



How do you deal with swinging feelings towards bulking? How can I get myself to put on my big girl pants (literally) and keep pushing. Im so tempted to drop my calories down a bit but I don't want to hinder my gains. My coach said I would be bulking till mid or late February, and my goal is to get down to 16 or 17% body fat by August (Im about 22 or so right now). Maybe when I drop all this water and fat weight I WILL get to my goal of doing a strict pull up.



Surprisingly my size 2 jeans still fit, barely, but still fit. I'm hoping I won't have to cave and buy new ones because I honestly just can't afford it LOL

by danaflava via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

How much time in the gym is too much?

Ive started to notice that everytime i am in the gym people that walk in at the same time as me always leave a lot earlier haha. I started to think that maybe my gym sessions are too long. Is two hours too long? I usually also streach and activate muscles.

by Sara444 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Should I really throw out my scale?

Hi,

I am 5’7”, 143 lbs. and have been working out since December. I do cardio (35-45 minutes) and weights (30-40 minutes, split into legs/upper body on opposite days, usually a moderate amount of weight 3 sets of 12 or until fatigue) 4-6 times a week. I eat 1,300-1,650 a day all week and 1,600-1,800 one day, on the weekend. I watch my macros and do 50% carbs, 20% fat and 30% protein on the weekdays. I have a food scale and am relatively meticulous on MyFitnessPal unless it’s something like lettuce. My water intake could definitely be better but I have a bladder disease so it can be difficult to drink a lot on weekdays. I check my weight every day and it doesn’t move at all, aside from fluctuating depending on sodium, water intake, etc. and then settling back around 143.

Should I just focus on measurements and strength gains and stop looking at the scale? I did want to lose more weight, but I’ve read that when you begin working out after a period of inactivity, you can gain weight or plateau due to various factors. I just wanted to see if anyone could personally back that up here and give me advice on my routine or diet. My goal is to put on lean muscle, lose fat and improve my strength and endurance.

Should I stop worrying about the scale entirely and focus on strength and how things fit, or just check in once a week/month or so? Please let me know what you think. I don’t mind any criticisms of my routine or diet, as I’m new to this after a long period of inactivity in the gym.

by gardens via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Girlfriend getting into fitness, help needed

Hey guys,

I am helping my gf (22) getting into fitness. She broke her leg 1year ago and is pretty much recovered since few months now. However she still has a metal bar inside her whole upper-leg. And she has s****osis.

Anyways her brother has a little gym setup in their garage (dumbell, rack, barbell, bench) and I tried to setup a plan for her.



3x10-12 Romanian DL (forearms and triceps(?) get tired, almost no feeling in glutes/hams)

3x10-12 Goblet Squat (still having trouble with depth, mobility/stretching needed after her broken leg)

3x10-12 Dumbell Rows (looks solid so far)

3x10-12 Dumbell Flys (planned to swapped to a Press Variation at some point)



Takes her around 30-40min to complete this workout. However for her she doesnt feel her legs/glutes exhausted enough

and she doesnt care so much about Chest/back. (My Plan for her was just to get muscles spread over all the body, not only in particular areas)



What should I adjust for her?

Maybe its even better for her to do some booty/leg routine where you just do as many reps as possible per exercises for like 60secs or so.



Any advice/links for routines appreciated. Thanks alot!

by Norlian via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

meal plans

Looking for some advice please. I have been training for about 6 months and i am looking to try and find some muscle building meal plans. Everything i seem to find is aimed at men. I am 53kg and looking to bulk up sensibly. If anyone could point me to some sites that would help or any advice i would be very grateful. Thanks in advance.

by TJfrance16 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Getting Back Into Bodybuilding After Eating Disorder Recovery Advice

Good morning lovelies!

So quick back story: bodybuilder (lifestyle at least) with the cut and bulk back to back from the ages of 17-22. I obviously stopped bulking without realizing it and before I knew it, I had an eating disorder (obviously more to it than that but y'all know the typical story). Anyway, I was in recovery for 2 years and now I'm 155 pounds and 5'3, still rather muscular (22% body fat) for recovery purposes. I never stopped lifting but I cut it a whole lot. I've made a huge amount of progress from my starting point of 80 pounds and 3% body fat.

Anyway, I wanna get back into the lifestyle (healthy version) but every time I've tried I get nervous it'll hurt my recovery. I wanna stay in a healthy range and I don't intend to ever drop back to 80 pounds but my doctor gave me the okay to do cardio/lift/be normal. I miss the schedule and having that stress reliever! I'm now in law school so I need everything little stress help I can get.

Is there any other people out there who can give me advice about how to slowly and healthily get back into it?

Thanks xox

by runliftandlove via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Is it better to stick with full body workouts or change to splits?

I've been doing a full body workout for two years now. In the beginning my main goal was weight loss and some muscle gain.

My goal is to lose more weight but I want to focus on sculpting while I do so. The reason I want to switch is because I would like to go the gym more often and want to gain faster. I also feel like the only gains I have made is my biceps and triceps.

Usually I use isolation exercises such as a curl or rope pull. I'm looking to get a more defined look. There is so much information out there but I would like to hear about others experiences.

I am a female, 23, 5'2 129lbs.
Goal: Sculpt more and lose weight

by Chikiwi via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

"Beginner" advice

Hi!

My whole life I was an athlete, a gymnast actually, so I have been conditioning and getting stronger basically my whole life. Although most of that came from gymnastics itself and the repetition of those moves, and any conditioning we did was unconventional as we had very different equipment, a gymnastics gym rather than free weights. In high school I did some weightlifting through my other sports.

Anyway, now I am in college and while I still look fit, I am not in shape the way I used to be. I am taking a spring break trip in about 8 weeks and that is my current main motivation to get back in the gym. I go to the gym sometimes but I typically just do the same exercises every time.

I need help because I am not a "beginner" in the sense that I am very strong from all my years of sports but I need a plan to be put together for me. Any plan recommendations and/or advice would be appreciated.

(This is already long so I'll post a response with some more specific questions and maybe some info about what I typically do at the gym)

by natpf via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Notion Marketing: Alors pourquoi faut-il être présent et investir su...

Notion Marketing: Alors pourquoi faut-il être présent et investir su...: YouTube a aujourd’hui une renommée considérable qui ne cesse de croître de jour en jour. Le succès de YouTube est dû au fait que c’est à la...

Starting to Build a Core While Overweight

Hello everyone,

I have been working hard at progressing in my horseback riding but something that is really holding me back is my lack of core. My coach told me I need to really up my core to help with my body control and my stamina. I am also not in denial, I need to lose weight and she is trying to help me get on track with eating.

A lot of the exercises I have looked up I cannot do (or not well/long) and I am guessing it is a core thing but my weight doesn't help.

Plank (I can only hold it 20 seconds on my elbows)....
Side Plank (nope)
Side Plank with hip dips (nope)
Crunchs (I can do these)
Leg Bicycle (very hard)
Leg Lifts (very hard)
Bed/Dead bug? (very hard)

I would love suggestions on beginning exercises that I can use to build my way up. Should I just keep trying to extend my plank and do crunches? Any tips or advice are welcome.

TL;DR' Is it possible to build a strong core while overweight? What are some beginner core exercises or variations that I can use to build up to the harder stuff?

Thank you so much!

by Jeshi via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

New Female member looking for workout suggestions

Hello! My name is Tavin[Tay-vin], I am 21 years old and looking to get more toned. The difficult part about this is that I have a rare genetic disorder that I struggle with sharing about because I feel self conscious about my body. I have Familial Partial Lipodystrophy Dunnigan's disease. I have copied and pasted a brief explanation for anyone not familiar with this disease below. I am here to see if anyone has any suggestions as to how I can maintain the fat accumulation in my face,neck,upper shoulder/back,pubic area, and abdominal area. As mentioned in the summary below these specific areas are were the only fat is in my body. Once my fat cells die in the other areas i.e. my legs and arms the cells are not recreated and I am left with no more fat. I was a part of a clinical Study for 1.5 years for further research and to try placebo medications but never got the outcome I was hoping for. I did get informed that if I work out, I would need to work 3x as much as the average person to receive any results I wanted to accomplish. I really hope that someone is able to help me out and get me to where I feel better in my body and can feel comfortable in wearing shirts that are my size instead of oversized to cover my "buffalo hump". I recently got enganged and want to feel beautiful for my wedding day(in 2021, this will give me plenty of time to figure out my issues). I can post body pictures of myself if that would help!! THANK YOU!


**Below is from "Rarediseases.org"**
{FPL Type 2, Dunnigan Variety (FPL2)
This is the most common form of FPL. Affected individuals usually have normal fat distribution during early childhood. However, around the time of puberty, fat in the arms and legs and trunk is gradually lost. In women, the loss of fat may be most striking in the buttocks and hips. At this time, fat may accumulate in other areas of the body including the face, causing a double chin, and the neck and upper back between the shoulder blades, causing a hump. Affected individuals may have a round face similar to individuals with Cushing’s syndrome. This characteristic distribution of fat and the overall muscular appearance makes the disorder more easily recognizable in women than men.
Insulin resistance is common and may be associated with a condition called acanthosis nigricans, a skin condition characterized by abnormally increased coloration (hyperpigmentation) and “velvety” thickening (hyperkeratosis) of the skin, particularly of skin fold regions, such as of the neck and groin and under the arms (axillae). An enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) is also common. Hepatomegaly is caused by the accumulation of fat in the liver (fatty liver or steatosis). Progressive accumulation of fat in the liver can cause scarring and damage to the liver (cirrhosis) and, eventually, liver dysfunction.
Other complications of insulin resistance may occur including glucose intolerance, hypertriglyceridemia, and diabetes. These symptoms are often very difficult to control and diabetes is often severe. Affected women are at a greater risk of developing diabetes than affected men and often experience more severe metabolic complications. Some individuals may experience extreme hypertriglyceridemia, resulting in episodes of acute inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). Pancreatitis can be associated with abdominal pain, chills, jaundice, weakness, sweating, vomiting, and weight loss.
After puberty, some women with FPL may develop polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a complex of symptoms that are not always present in every case. PCOS is often characterized by an imbalance of sex hormones as affected women may have too much androgen, a male hormone, in the body. PCOS can result in irregular menstrual periods or a lack of menstruation, oily skin that is prone to acne, cysts on the ovaries, failure of the ovary to release eggs, and mild hirsutism (a male pattern of hair growth). Hair may develop on the upper lip, chin and other parts of the body.
Individuals with FPL, Dunnigan variety are predisposed to coronary artery disease and other types of atherosclerotic vascular disease. In rare cases, in which individuals have a specific mutation of the lamin A/C (LMNA) gene, they are at an increased risk of developing disease of the heart muscles (cardiomyopathy), which can result in congestive heart failure and irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias) such as heart block or atrial fibrillation. Some individuals also develop muscular dystrophies (diseases of muscles causing loss of strength and joint contractures).}

by TavinODell via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Weight loss and 'toning'

This is the current workout scheme I have arranged for a friend of mine. She's starting out at the gym next week. A lot of people had different views on the type of routine. Many stated that full body workouts are always the best, other claimed that circuits are better and then many people preferred splitting the routine into upper/lower or muscle groups. Here is what I've got so far, please criticise and alter the program to suit the weight loss and toning goal. Thanks in advance

Monday:
10min warm up
Barbell squat 3 sets 12 reps
Stiff leg deadlift 3 sets 12 reps
Dumbbell bench press 4 sets 10 reps
Dumbbell shoulder press 3 sets 12 reps
Lat pull down 3 sets 10 reps

Tuesday:
Barbell circuit
50 rep back sqaut
25 rep supinated barbell row
15 push ups
10 overhead press
Repeat 4 times

Wednesday:
10min warm up
Dumbbell lunges 4 sets 10 reps
Leg curls 3 sets 10 reps
Standing calf raise 3 sets 12 reps
Incline barbell bench press 3 sets 10 reps
Bent over row 4 sets 8 reps
Lateral raises 3 sets 10 reps

Thursday:
10min warm up
10 push ups
10 leg raises
20 Russian twist
Choose any cardio machine (alternate weekly)
5min warm up
10sec max intensity
30sec moderate
Repeat over 20min period
10min cool down

Friday:
10min warm up
Goblet squat 4 sets 12 reps
Leg extension 3 set 12 reps
Barbell deadlift 3 sets 12 reps
Dumbbell bench press 3 sets 10 reps
Seated cable row 4 sets 8 reps
Upright row 3 sets 12 reps
Chin up 3 sets 8 reps

Saturday & Sunday: rest

by ChrisG555 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Rachel has such a nice body I am so jealous!

bit.ly/2QuVhET

She is gorgeous I want to touch her

by 120119120547 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

I eat more calories than most men I know

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to share with you my current "problem" (which is more psychological in nature).

Currently, I am on a bulk because I want to grow my glutes. It's not an aggressive bulk at all, I am gaining very very slowly, which is perfectly fine for me.

I am eating 2500 kcal daily since I was losing when I was on ~2300-2400 kcal. However, I seem to be eating so much more than all of my friends and also than more men I know. This causes a kind of barrier... I somehow feel embarrassed for eating so much :(

That is why I wanted to know if there are some other women out there eating so many calories as I am. It would be really helpful that I am not alone with my calorie amount :)

by hepokrivka via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Should she even have taken the stage?

So a few years back my wife and I both competed in a local bodybuilding show. We both ended up being disappointed in how we placed but my wife's placing was even more bothersome. A young girl 20 years old or so who competed in her class, mind you this was women's physique and this girl had zero muscle, finished ahead of her and we both can not to this day understand why. The pic below is of the girl who beat out my wife, and she looks like she didn't even train for this show! My wife and I take the sport of bodybuilding very seriously and put a ton of work into prepping for our contests and to see a young girl who looks like she just threw on a bikini she wears to go to the beach with her friends without any training, no muscle, and no chest was just so frustrating. Seems just because she was fit and pretty that she thought she belonged up there with many deserving ladies. Am I crazy for thinking this way??

Attached Images

• LT.jpg‎ (77.4 KB)

by mrbonilla25 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

So jealous of this girl's body... just wow.

bit.ly/2QuVhET

One random person who visits this link will receive $5 million

by 100119052554 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

How to tone vmo

Hi, I’m Valerie, 27 years old. So I have been struggling with this a long time and nobody can seem to help. Above my knee/vmo area I can’t seem to tone and get that tear drop shape. It looks like I have a small roll of fat above my knee but when I flex or pinch the area when I’m not standing I have no fat there. I have been lifting for about 2 years and have been pretty good with diet along with intermittent fasting. I even started doing hiit with a stationary bike to try and Tone that area along with the rest of my legs and nothing is working. I’m to the point where I won’t show my legs because I hate the way it looks so much! Is there any advice on what I can do for this? I wish I could post pictures on here but I can’t seem to figure that out haha. Thanks, Val.

by valerielaurenn via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Rachel is so beautiful I miss her

bit.ly/2QuVhET

Our photo together brings me so much good memories

by 090119072217 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

My advice to you all after making the biggest mistake of my life

bit.ly/2TmwjcE

Hope you girls dont make the same mistake I did

by 060119054912 via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding

Lost almost 100 pounds by eating better - want to tone up/get strong - need guidance!

Hey there! I'm new here but I've been lurking for quite some time to learn about fitness and body building and read your experiences.

I appologize in advance for the long post! I'm gonna share a bit about me and my journey so you can have as much info as possible and maybe guide me/give me pointers!
Attached you will find pictures of my progress.

So first of all, I'm a 28 year old woman, 5'8", currently 150 pounds.
I was always around 140 pounds between 16 and 24 years old. Then I started gaining weight and I eventually became pregnant. I gave birth at a whopping 245 pounds in November 2015.

Around April 2016, I decided to take matters in my own hands and start eating healthier. Little by little I made permanent changes to my diet and I lost most of my weight just by eating better, without exercise. Now I drink only water, or matcha w/ soy milk in the morning. I did keto for one month in june 2017. I started at 1500 cal/day back in april 2016 and I've been at about 1800 cal/day allowance since approx summer 2017. I've had periods when I didn't pay attention though, but it hasnt affected my weight loss too much, just had me maintain or gain+lose the same 1-2 pounds... I also quit drinking a year ago. I try to eat a varied diet with plenty of veggies, fruits, meats, seafoods. No junk, no premade stuff. Almost all homecooked.

Now I'm trying to add more nutrients to my diet and do time restricted eating (10 hour eating window). So I have 3 meals + a nutritive smoothie with some flaxmeal, chia seeds, protein powder n stuff.
My current TDEE is 2168 calories/day. As mentionned earlier, I restrict at 1800 cal/day approx.

So that's it for the food.

Now for exercise :

A few months ago I decided to add exercise because I want to tone up, build muscle mass, get definition but keep losing fat as my % is high (according to my measurements, this app called Body Measurement Tracker says I have a 31.62 body fat percentage as of today). When I started exercising back in August, I was at about 155-160 pounds (fluctuating). Don't have my measurements from back then though (I started tracking those too late).

I did David Costa's Strong is the new Sexy 12 week program in august. Took a break after. Started Strong Curves Bootyful Beginnings in November. I try to do 1 or 2 cardio days with 3-4 days of the strong curves workouts. Gotta say I got a bit lazy for the holidays lol
I have a bunch of equipment and workout at home (single mom with a fulltime job so it's kinda hard for me to find time to go to the gym, so I do it at home) like a bench, barbell, plates, pilates ball, dumbbells, resistance bands, pull up bar... I can get a good workout in with those.

So, with all this being said; ''what do you need help with?''

Well, I got this far on my own right? But I wanna do things right and as efficiently as possible. I'm not looking at the scale so much anymore. I want to lose fat, build muscle, get definition (thankfully I don't have much loose skin since I lost the weight kinda slowly, but I'm still pretty ''soft''), kinda focus on glutes for DEM BOOTY GAINZ loll

I've read about cutting, bulking, recomp... and I'm clueless as to what's best for my situation considering the weight lost so far. I want to keep eating healthy and try to get plenty of nutrients daily.

Please share with me any advice or pointers or suggestions you'd have that I should apply to my plan in order to optimize it all!

Here are my measurements :

Chest - 37"
Waist - 31"
Hips - 41"
Left thigh - 22.5"
Right thigh - 23"
Left & right calf - 14"
Left bicep - 10.5"
Right bicep - 11"
Left forearm - 9"
Right forearm - 9.5"
Neck - 13"

Recap : Height - 5'8", weight 150 pounds, daily cal allowance 1800, Strong Curves 3-4x a week + 1-2 days low impact cardio

Attached Images

• 28378144_10155621161469261_8623130850431433504_n.jpg‎ (84.8 KB)
• 49239309_10156300159169261_8193432819075121152_n.jpg‎ (58.0 KB)
• 38624530_10155982895454261_7110466809777618944_n.jpg‎ (112.8 KB)
• 15995126_10154503081409261_1539359355597304620_o.jpg‎ (68.1 KB)
• 42327060_10156082198744261_7483588584629338112_n.jpg‎ (78.6 KB)

by ginakirsch via Bodybuilding.com Forums - Female Bodybuilding