130/120 Club?

I'm looking for a 130/120 club, but I don't see any topics started.

If anyone knows of the proper topic, would you mind letting me know?

Thank you :)

Welcome Jittiegirl :)

I am a strong proponent of 5-6 meals a day.  this is the only way I have found to prevent the dinner binge.  Plus it has the added bonus of regulating your blood sugar and keeping your metabolism roaring all day.   I think you goal sounds very resonable and here is wishing you the best of luck, those last few pounds are always the hardest.  So do not get discouraged.

hbbroadbent-  sorry I had set one pic to "friends only" it is fixed now.  I really like the look of some muscle on a womena not Helga the Warrior Beast big but some definition.  There are also a lot you can do to maintain some muscles groups while building others by doing splits insteads of circuit trtaining.   And it really does take a lot of work (and proper diet) to build and be huge (though I would say some put it on easier than others, you are never past the point of no return)  If you feel you are getting too muscular reduce the protein in your diet to something around 30g and start some long slow cardio (increases cortisol) -- you will take off muscle quite readily. I would not say Bri's arms look bulky in any of her pictures.

congrats on you weight loss, sounds like you are eating really well.  Keep up the good work

here is my inspiration -- I want to look like her (similar heights, she is an inch taller though)

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/transf138.htm

notice she weighs 135# but is ripped,  I have along way to go but have only been at it a year.  So here is to the long haul.

since i messed up this post, i'll use it for another Super Bowl idea-

Turkey Chili!! Couple pounds of fat free turkey breast, couple cans of diced mexican spiced tomatoes, maybe some black beans, corn, red peppers, onion, garlic, jalepeno & spices, simmer- voila!

oh, the cutest thing i've brought to a game- guacamole spread in a shallow rectangle tray as the field, then (lowfat) sour cream piped as yard lines, with the team logo in the center! a big hit. add a couple toy footballs or posts and you're set!

congratulations heather! 127.4 !!!! That's amazing! My  you've come such a long way! You should be so proud of your self! You need to get new pics up of you to show off that new you! 

Dont worry, I know no one's trying to say I have bulky arms, except for me ---- because I think I do have bulky arms.  lol!  bleh. 

Jen - that is sure one ripped lady!  You can do it, I'm sure!  I think that's a bit too muscular for my tastes, but I think my body is prone to be muscly (if that's a word). I'd like to look more lean and thin, like Jennifer Aniston. I know manymagazine cover pictures are fake and airbrushed, so I wouldn't pretend to actually get lto look exactly ike that -- but that's the overall look I'm going for -- healthy althletic but very slim.  I think I can do it!   Weighed in at 130.0 this morning - although it's not a brand new low -- it's a new low since I got back onto CC from my 3 week break after my wedding! Yeah me!

I forgot about the bad eating at super bowl sunday! I've just been looking forward to the time with friends and the good commercials!  I will have to think up something healthy and yummy to keep myself/mouth occupied.  Generally, if I stay away from fried foods, I should be ok.  but then again, I do allow myself one cheat day, so perhaps it will be sunday....of course no binging on cheat day.  =)

super bowl snack ideas (besides the veggie and fruit trays):

get "La Tortilla Factory" Low carb tortilla (I find them at safeway) some of the burrito-sized ones are only 90 calories with 8 grams of protein.  Salt them and  bake 'em to get them all crispy, then break and use as a yummy protein filled chip for scooping salsa.  No need to feel bad about this cheat :)

Strain fat-free yogurt overnight with some cheese cloth then mix the thickened (sour-cream textured) yogurt with some powdered ranch mix. Surprisingly low cal and high protein.  Use with veggies or in burritos with the above low-carb tortillas (a favorite of mine)

enjoy!

Jen - thanks for the advice on 5-6 meals a day.  I think if I add another snack at end of work day then I won't eat so much when I get home.

Brianne - I like your suggestion of drinking more water in the evening.  I do drink less water when I get home than when at work. 

Thanks for the advice, I will try theses suggestion and check back in! :)

Congrats Heather and Bri on your weight loss this week!  That is awesome! 

And Jen--you do look awesome in the bridesmaid dress.  Very lean and thin.  I need to stop saying "I need to lift more weights" and actually do it.  Thanks again for sharing your work out schedule.

I have not weighed myself this week because I was fluctuating so much I decided to wait a week and see what the scale says.

So, what is you "plan" for Superbowl Sunday?  Make it a free day? Or stick to your normal calories for the day? 

Greta, Re: Superbowl- it may be one of those, i have a plan, but when i get there, decide to make it a free day ;)

but i've got a girl's night the night before, so i may not even feel like drinking Sunday...

Pilates kicked my abs last night! i noticed on cable OnDemand has pilates, so i was thinking of trying it a couple times this week, as i know once a week is not the idea.

I will probably have my cheat Sunday as we are going to some friend's house and he used to be a chef, so I will definately have to try some of the stuff he made.  Portion control will be the name of the game, that and filling up on the veggie tray.  I may also have a light beer, I will decide when I get there, whether it is "worth it."  I may not end up eating a deficit that day but I will NOT go over 1,800 calories for the day (my maintaince), so I may not lose but will not gain either.  I may throw in an early morning jog with my dog that day too.  (normally I do not do cardio on Sundays)  

But while all this sounds good now,  I will tell you what I actually do on Monday :)

On another note, I am going out to eat with my family (Mexican food) on thursday for my husbands birthday.  So I plan to order the fajitas, eat the meat and veggies without the tortilla, no chips and no margharitas, and very few beans.  I will check back in and tell you if I actually stuck to my plan.  Here is hoping for some will power.  (I LOVE Mexican food)

hbroadbent -- I am with you on the sore abs and I did them on Saturday.  And it is getting old now...   Hey tells us what you think about the On demand pilates.  i noticed it on there once but have never watched it.  OOOoooo  and I love turkey chili -- I have had that twice for lunch this week b/c it is so cold and bleh here.

Hello Lovelies,

I would love to join this club!! I've been addicted to this site for about 7 months but just joined. I'm 5'9'' and started at about 147 and now am 129-130 depending. I started dieting to lose fat in July and got down to 130 pretty quick but then stopped for awhile and went up to 135. I was happy that it stayed there during my "off" time until I started losing again recently.

I am thin, yes, but I have zero muscle so am really soft. While I personally don't like the ripped look on girls I do want to tone up and be in shape and healthy. I don't really have a goal weight since I know the scale will go up as I gain muscle and lose fat. I've started weight training a week ago and eat really healthy. My head tells me I want to be 120 but it doesn't really matter what the scale says if i am fit, healthy and like what I see. I just don't want to be more than 130. Anyway, also in college like a lot of these girls, I graduate in May! I love the support here and positive attitudes so would love to be part of the club :)

welcome! rennai

I know the frustration of being thin yet not happy with your body.  I was 5'7" 113# in high school yet still had a flabby butt because I had no muscle. 

I think you have great outlook on your diet, that it is about the healthy look not the numbers on the scale.  I am a strong proponent of weight lifting and i would not worry about gaining too much muscle because it is a gradual process and you will not wake up one day with too much.  (I have been really trying to gain muscle over the past year and have only recently come to apreciate how hard it is).  And you can always lift heavy to a point, then lift to maintain a certain level of muscle when you are happy.  See my above posts for an example of my workout (weight lifting) routine.

P.S.  I will come clean and say that I do like the looks of the fitness and figure models.  Here is Maggie Diubaldo she is your height (5.9) but weighs from 133-140.  http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wnso6ebig.jpg   I know you may not like to get anywhere that muscaly (to steal brianneo's word) and frankly it would take years.   But I think it helps keep the scale in perspective.

Can you tells us a little about your diet and what exactly your weight training looks like?  Best of luck to you and welcome.

 

ooo, you've all got me thinking about super bowl snack ideas.  I really like the suggestions you've all provided and will try to take it from that.  Super bowl plan -- make it a cheat day but stay away from fried foods.  I already know myself, it's tough to count calories when there is an abundance of food and drinking throughout the day.  Hopefully I will be able to get in an early morning workout.  speaking of working out, I had to skip my workout yesterday because I haad to work late.  I didn't even weigh myself this AM b/c I was in a rush to get back to work. yuck.

Welcome Rennai!  You have a great outlook on your weight!  Esp. at 5'9" i'm sure you are probably near to a desireable weight already - now to tone up.  It's great that you are now getting into the gym.  I think that is key to getting that slim toned body you desire.  I think this website has some workout routines and suggestions on the activity tab.  I've even tried their 12 week exercise program and saw results.  If you're looking for ideas, start there.  =)  Happy hump day all!

Count me in too.  I am 34 5'6..my current weight which i seem to be stuck at is 137.  Six months ago i was 127 and would like to get between there and my goal 115.  I work out almost every day doing at least 30 minutes of cardio a day plus weights 3 times a week working all areas combined!  I have been using the CC for 3 weeks now hoping it helps keeping track of what i am eating.  One of my biggest problems its hard for me to eat a lot of protein.   I have been doing 1200 calories per day.   I just seem to be stuck which is very frustrating!  Any suggestions?

welcome amyminer!

I am concerned that you are under-eating, if you are only eating 1200 calories and doing cardio.  As a rule you should not net below 1200 (calories eaten minus calories burned).  ANd really make an effort with the protein it will pay off in the long run.  Without it and eating a deficit you will burn muscle which will in turn slow your metabolism.  Plus it takes more energy to digest protein than the same amount of calories from carbs.  I would recomend eating maintaince for a week (to jump start your metabolism, which likely has slowed due to your very large calorie deficit)  then try again at the diet but eating 1 gram of protein for every lean pound of body mass [total weight - (body fat % * weight) = lean mass] and netting no less than 1200 calories a day.  i also recomend a cheat meal once a week.

You may also want to look into carb-cycling if you have been cutting for a while and need soem extra help.  http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par30.htm

best of luck and welcome to the club :)

Jen and Brianne- Thanks for the warm welcome! In regards to your questions, my best friend is a trainer so I have sort of put my fitness and work out regimen into her hands. Honestly I'm embarassed to say I don't really know what it includes, pretty much just whatever she tells me to do. Everything is low weight with a lot of reps though. I'm not doing too much cardio either, just enough to keep my heart and lungs healthy without burning too much (about 30 min 3-4 days a week medium intensity).

My diet isn't really set either. I eat when I'm hungry and try to eat only items I think are nutritious. My list more or less includes egg whites, turkey, steamed chicken, olive oil sauteed chicken, tofu, organic mixed veggies (costco), multi grain bread, organic raisin bran (costco), lots of raw and cooked veggies, oatmeal, blueberries, bananas, low fat swiss cheese, sprouts, cottage cheese, skim milk, pecans, water and green tea.

I used to be a vegetarian so now the only meat I eat is chicken or turkey and those i don't even eat every day. I have a hard time with getting enough protein but shakes (i've tried a ton including whey) make me so nauseus. I know I need to keep better track of my exercise and calorie intake which is why I'm here! I need to know I'm making healthy choices so I will be able to continue the habit the rest of my life.

Also, there is nothing wrong with the muscular look for girls, it just isn't my preference. The fact is the competition models you provided links to are smokin hot and worked really hard for what they've achieved. They are healthy and happy and should be super proud. You should be too! You're getting there and look great! Maybe i'll take some pictures so you can see what I look like and see if you have any advice??

Hope everyone is doing well and remember to look at your overall success, don't sweat the little stuff!

sound like you got a lot of stuff right -- you food choices sound great.

I understand the dislike of some protein shakes (I really have to choke them down sometimes).  I would maybe try some different versions like rice-protein shakes, soy-protein shakes, casein-protein shakes  and maybe use soy milk instead of cow milk.  (maybe it is the lactose that is making you nauseated).  But it may be that they are just nasty soemtimes  :)   If so do not bother, you do not HAVE to use shakes (they are just easy), I perfer chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, homemade protein bars, lots of fish, soy everything and Go Lean cereal.

My recomendation would be (sorry to your trainer and friend) to ditch the low weight/high rep routine.  *I know I know some are afraid of bulking but I have to give my honest advice*   Think about it logically.  You want to build some muscle right?  Not a lot maybe, but some.  Yes?  (Because tone = less fat and more muscle)  To do this you need to tear down your muscle, tell it "you are not sufficient to perform the work I demand of you, so make more of yourself"  The only way to do this is to lift heavy.  Lifting light and high rep is more akin to a cardio session than a strength building session.  You simply do not tear up the muscle, you exhaust it -- drain its energy stores but no tearing down, no pump, and no pain equals no/very minimal strength/size gain.   Oh yeah and be careful with the high rep/ low weight sessions as they often go long (an hour or more, same thing is true with circuit training) which increases your cortisol levels -- bad if you want to put on muscle.

eat protein .5 hr before a workout and .5 hr after the workout (weight training session).  It is critical to give your body the building blocks it needs to re-build that torn-down muscle.

P.S. If you have not done much weights before you will likely see some improvement from the low weight/high rep routine.  (You can improve the innervation of the muscle and make some stength gains). Just be aware that you will hit a plateau in a few months and unless you go higher weight-- there you will remain.

I think you have alot right and can really succeed and I would love to see pics.

Hi rennai!  Like you, I don't prefer to eat too much meat, so I had to find alternatives for adding protein to my diet (protein is very important in the diet when trying to build muscle and tone the body).  Here are a few suggestions of things I have tried and enjoy. 

Breakfast (protein is important in mornings to kick-start your metabolism) - veggie sausage patties, hard boiled eggs (yolks removed), go lean crunch and protein shakes (low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, 1/2 banana, frozen berries and protein powder).  I also hate the taste of already prepared protein shakes, so I got a smoothie machine and make my own with the ingredients above.  It is a tasty way to sneak protein in the diet. 

Lunch/Dinner/snacks - low-fat cottage chz, almonds or other nuts, lean lunch meats (turkey, chicken), natural peanut butter, beans, fish, tuna, turkey/chicken breast, ground turkey/chicken, veggies, tofu

It looks like you already eat a lot of these items.  I think it be good for you to also plan your meals out the day before.  Hope this info. is helpful!

Happy Wednesday Ladies!

Twice a week I go to the gym after work for spin class, every other day I workout before work.  I have missed both spin classes this week due to having to work late.  I was feeling really good about my progress in the gym, but just missing two days makes me feel like I am letting myself down or I am taking a step backward with achieving my goals. 

What do you ladies do to stay motivated after you have missed a workout or eat more than you planned? 

hello ladies!! im super glad i found this group!!! I was 127-132 right before xmas and now im up to 134-135 and want to go back!! im not sure what screwed me up, but xmastime was the first time in MONTHS i allowed myself to eat cookies and cookie dough and man did i go to town... i think thats what did it to me, and now im just trying to get back to where i was. Im trying not to crash diet and lose it all fast, but i just want it to be goooonnnneeeeeeee.

cant wait to get some motivation from u guys!!

welcome amy and itz, i'm so glad this forum is so active now! i know it's helping me stay on point.

amy- my two cents: definitely eat more! many of us have experienced the plateau after a time on 1200. maybe add an extra serving of your pecans, or some natural peanut butter on your bread, or some more fruit to get the extra.

as far as protein, if you don't like powder, that's fine, but if you wanted to try another, i'd recommend muscle milk (i've only had vanilla), i think it tastes yummy. i love beans for protein. (and easy canned tuna or sardines)

yeah i'd try to up the weight and lower the reps as jred suggested too. you can ease into it/ switch things up by doing your reg. routine one day, the up the weight so you can only do 10/12 reps per set another day, then a third day up the weight so you fatigue at 5/8 reps. keep the body guessing and bust through that plateau! another serious recommendation i have is doing intervals for your cadio. instead of a steady medium effort, do a burst of sprint effort, then recover, repeat. it seriously torches the fat, and shakes your body up (in a good way!)

greta- w/ the (temporary) no alcohol, bread, dairy, or sugar,  here's what i've been eating-(disclaimer, i have given myself a treat each of the 3 days so far, M:2 pigs in a blanket; T:piece of fudge; W:piece of fudge):

7am: protein shake; 10am:egg whites with spinach & mushrooms, or turkey, or peppers; 12pm:grilled chicken breast(or shrimp/tuna/sardines) w/ salad &veggies (today: geens +hearts of palm & red peppers); 3pm:grilled chicken w/ some hot veggie combo, maybe stewed tomatoes, spinach, & cauli, or roasted asparagus; 4:30: i snack on some raw veggies or have another potein shake; 6:30/7:protein shake for dinner

almost the weekend! p.s., i just saw Juno and LOVED it. thought it would be way overrated but i really enjoyed it. and neat surprise that the moldy peaches did a lot of the soundtrack, that song at the end, i loved it in h.s., so memories :)