Hi everyone!

I have a few questions for you exercise gurus out there, so I have been limiting my caloric intake to around 1200-1400/day and exercising at the gym for 1.5 hrs everyday doing cardio and then 15 min of weights.

When I'm on the elliptical my HR is usually around 164 for a good portion of the 1.5 hrs and my calories burned are usually around 600 cals, is the actual number a lot lower than this? Should I be exercising longer maybe?

Also, I'm a little confused about weight training or toning. I've seen photos people put up of before and after toning and they are the same weight but their bodies look much slimmer, so I started doing weights but I usually do some arm/leg lifts for 10 mins, should I be doing something else too? Maybe it's because I'm not seeing any results yet, I'm not sure, but it doesn't feel like it does anything.

If I keep up at this, is it a realistic weight loss strategy? This is the first time I'm really exercising along with cutting portions but I feel like my body isn't responding as it did before to just cutting portions.

And, my last question (This might be a very stupid question but bare with me) , I know it's in my best interest to eat a healthy 1200 calories, but if I splurge some days (candy, fast food) but still keep it at 1200 and still exercise, will I still lose weight?

I just want to make it work this time!! I kept telling myself I would diet when my BMI was first in the overweight section but now it's become a serious health risk for me, so if anyone has any advice, I'm all ears!

Thank you!

Ummm ok so to try to answer a few of your questions...I don't see anything wrong w/ a splurge of candy here and there as long as you eat well most of the time and keep a steady workout routine. Also, if you do splurge - try to plan it so you can eat healthy before and after i.e. if you know you are going to have birthday cake at a party, make sure you eat smart that day so you have a few extra calories to spare. Most people on this site all talk about their cheat days or meals [I can't survive without going out to a fabulous Italian/Mexican/German dinner most Sat. nights w/ wine personally - it's something I look forward to during my workouts every week]...so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Re: Toning - everyone is different. Some people use heavy weights and do low rep sets, and some people do light weights with more reps. I do lighter weights [about 5 - 8 lbs] for 30-60 minutes 3-4 times a week. I also use my body weight for a lot of it [lunges, squats, pushups, planks etc]. I definitely, definitely find toning to be one of the BEST things you can do for your body - having a toned, slightly muscled physique is MUCH smarter than a lower weight but flabby body.

Some options when starting would be to maybe sign up for one personal training session at your gym - your trainer could devise a toning workout w/ you during that session that you could continue to use after that session.

Also, most gyms have toning classes that are about 45 min. long - they say toning or you know, like butts&guts or what not. You can definitely inquire at the front desk about which classes are specifically geared towards body toning.

If at home, I use Jillian Michaels No More Troube Zones dvd which is AWESOME - it's 50 min and targets all the muscle groups [legs, butt, arms, abs]. Brooke Burke just put out two pretty good toning workout dvd's I recommend as well.

If none of these are feasible or appealing I would do a google search for toning workouts - most women's fitness magazines have a million options on their websites and I'm sure there are a bunch youtube videos.

Also, www.collagevideo.com has a toning section if you are looking for at home tapes. I think you will see better results if you devote more than 10 min. to it. Good luck!!

Hi! An occasional 'splurge' is OK as long as you're eating clean most of the time & you've been eating clean for a couple of weeks before you decide to splurge. The reason I say this is that you don't want those 'splurge' foods to be in the usual rotation. After eating clean for a while those things lose their appeal and that's OK. Resistance training is really important to build muscle to be strong and have a healthy metabolism. Healthy women have muscle. Check out Oxygen magazine - they are pretty hard core weight magazine, but have great instruction and exercise programs as well as clean eating guidelines. Cardio is important, but don't over-do it. Mix in easier days with more challenging ones and give yourself at least one day off. Have fun !