So you're saying I should go just under 3000 cals to lose weight? (That would be -500 from my MT line) compared to the below 2000 to lose weight?

From a rough guess, I'd say 2,500 cals would put you in a nice, but still safe deficit. Combine that with heavy lifting, as much HIIT, running, biking, whatever...and you should be golden.

Keep up the good work Aim. I'm staying on track and taking things slowly. Diet hasn't been perfect, but I'm gradually losing without going crazy. Cardio is sporadic but it is present, lol.

I should start to work a month from today. That is really great because they have a really nice employee gym. I don't always do the best working out by myself at home. There is a certain "social" aspect to my training that I miss when I'm not around others with similar goals. I never stood around an yacked at the gym but just being around others that are fitness minded seemed to do the trick for me. I also like getting out of the house and doing my own thing and the gym is where I've always gone for this.

Thanks Mreik. The quads are pretty much natural. I used to squat fairly heavy, 365x5 strict, good form reps or so. If I continue to train and gradually lose weight, they will have nice seperation and striations before long.

Take care all. We'll be weighing in a couple of weeks from now. Good luck Aim!

That's awesome GT, keep it up!

OK, I'm officially confused. I just weighed myself, I'm at 211 lbs., about the same as when I started? Now, I keep telling myself its due to muscle gains, which I really hope it is. I don't think it can be anything else because I feel great and I definitely haven't been eating as much as I should, according to the previous posts. I have been lifting a lot of weights also, so that is why I think that. Danger Dave, do you think I already am at a halt in weight loss due to lower calories? Its only been 2 weeks, and I don't know how long until my body starts reacting?

i reacted noticably within the first week.

How could you possibly have gotten muscle gains when your daily caloric intake (you assume anyway) was about half of your maintenance needed?

either way, 2 weeks isn't really long enough a time, though i would expect to have seen 2-4 lbs gone if u weighed urself under ssame conditions as first time.

there won't be muscle gains while you are cutting, the only way it could even be feasible is if you are a total beginner to weights a.k.a. never have done them before. even though, at such a deficit as you supposedly have, it would be impossible, i suggest you recalculate everything, and post your weights routine up here for us to see.

BB Squat 2 x 10
Incline Bench BB Press 2 x 10 <- Sometimes just BB Bench
BB Deadlift 2 x 10
Machine Shoulder Press 2 x 10
Machine Curls 2 x 10
EZ Skullcrushers 2 x 10
Lat Pulldown 2 x 10
Standing Calf Raises 2 x 10
Ab Crunches 1 x 50

That's my basic full body weight routine, its not much, but it targets each muscle group. I also do-I don't know what its called, but its when you basically suspend yourself(your legs are the only thing holding you) and you hold a weight and basically move your upper body (abs to shoulders) up and down. I do that 2 x 10 also. All of this would be followed by just 15 minutes of cardio. I do this at least every other day, sometimes consecutive days also. So 3-5 times a week.

there is no room for isolation, especially arm isolation in fat loss FBWs. also i'd get rid of the machines.

Make 2 separate days, one for squats and a group of pushes and pulls, and another for deads and another group

something nice, and something effective that I used when i ran out of someone elses programs was

squat
bench
BO Row

Deadlift
military press
pullups

3x5
heavy weight

simple, easy, effective, and i got results

OK Dave, I owe you! You pointed out something that would have held me back for quite some time. I ate A LOT less than I needed, and according to mreik's post(Nutrition 101), "If you’re trying to lose fat and eat too little, your body will hold on to the fat you have for dear life." I can't believe I had to read that over for it to get to me...Anyway, I calculated everything all over again using the formula there, and I noticed how I was starving my body So here are the new numbers: My MT Line is 3466 cals (My BMR(2166) x 1.6). Now -500 cals is 2966 cals to lose fat. I can't believe I was eating almost half of what I supposed to I guess this would explain my stall at 210 lbs. lately. I'm about to fix my diet to meet those needs. Thanx again Dave for pointing that out. I feel like a

no problem. check out those weight routines two, the routine is #2 in importance i think. #1 is diet.

btw, i'd find multiple calculatiosn of your MT line, and average them, if this calculation is a little high u might not be cutting enough etc.

Yeah, I'm planning on eating about 2500 cals a day. Thanx again dude, really.

again, you're welcome! that's what the forum is for. besides, where would we be as a species if we didn't help eachother out?

OK, I'm losing motivation. Its been about 2 weeks since this challenge started, and I've been doing great! A day hasn't passed where I didn't do any exercise. I feel awesome! I went to the gym everyday, had cardio sessions frequently, ate clean, but there's some backfire. MY CHEST?! Why is it getting bigger? I just spent about an hour reading around on issues of man boobs and people's experience with them. I'm reading a lot about how people lost a lot of weight after exercising and eating right, but their chest stayed the same. Now I don't know how to make sure I got it, but there's a condition with hormones called Gynecomastia. The thing is, if I DO have it, I shouldn't expect to lose these things only through diet and exercise. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm still going to go to the gym everyday and eat right (And the amount I need), no doubt about that. But the thing is, the reason I started to want to lose weight is because of my man boobs...Now I learned that its possible I can have these for the rest of my life, no matter what(unless I get surgery which I'm not considering in the near future). Also, no offense, but none of you can imagine what its like having these things, at least from what I know about you guys. So this is where I'm at, I'm going to get down to my goal weight, about 180 lbs., and see what will happen from there. There may be a possibility I'm overreacting and this could all be avoided by weight loss, I don't know. I just want to share my concern Anyway, the challenge is still ON! Don't think this will stop me one bit GT, you better be on your game!

I've had man boobs I assure you.

2 weeks is nothing. Your chest cannot possibly be noticably bigger unless you have been shoving sticks of butter down your throat (even though, ur stomach would prob be so grossed out u'd puke it out anyway).

Keep at it. Read those links, find a REAL PRORGAM. I cannot stress the importance of the proper lifting program to go with diet!

Chances of you gave gynecomastia are pretty low I tihnk (though I'm not qualified in the slightest to give my opinion on that) you're just paranoid.

Suck it up and stick it out through the program

Remember, follow your diet, have a good deficit. and do a good program that is ON THE PAGE I LINKED YOU.

good luck buddy, but then, luck has nothing to do with it.