1200 is a fast weight loss diet. If you want to lose more weight, I'd go for 1500ish minimum if you'll be lifting.

Ok, the book came from Amazon and I went through it all the way - very quickly. And I don't understand the nutrition section at all. Forgive me if past posts have covered this, but in a nutshell, what is the philosophy? How do you figure your calories? I saw how to figure out your resting and maintenance levels, but didn't understand how much to cut back from that. Overall, the program seemed overly complicated. Maybe it is just that the author rambles and chats a lot. I will have to spend more time with it. I have also looked at Tom Venuto's Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, which feels more straightforward. Maybe the important thing is just to start something!

I don't think the nutrition section of the book has been very successful. The important thing is that you eat enough to fuel your workouts and that you get plenty of protein (shoot for 1 gram per pound of lean body mass--for you, probably somewhere between 100 and 130 a day). That's what it boils down to. You could probably do something like 1500 on non-workout days and 1800 on workout days. You want to build muscle (which takes calories) and lose fat (which takes calorie restriction and metabolic workouts). You'll have to find your own sweet spot. The workouts will help you to do both.

One word of warning: don't freak out when the scale goes up once you start lifting. Your muscles will start holding water like crazy as they recover from all the brutality you will be inflicting upon them! You might find it best to rely on measurements, at least for the first month or so.

Thank you, DietVet. i am kind of reassured to hear the nutrition part hasn't been so well received. My BodPod test put my lean at 94.5. I feel like that isn't enough protein. I have also heard 1 gram for every pound of ideal weight, which would be 140 or so.

At any rate, I guess it will take some experimenting. Thanks again.

You're welcome. And enjoy it. Weight lifting is FUN! (And so is eating tons of protein :) )

Hey guys :)

I'm doing New Rules of Lifting again, I had done it before and combined with eating right I got down to 146 lbs and felt great.

Well last year I got pregnant, after gaining about 20 lbs back already due to a move and not having a gym close by (and being too broke to afford anything more than Mr. Noodle). I gained an additional 60 lbs while pregnant, managed to lose 51 but started bouncing back again as I'm at 178.0 today.

I really liked weight lifting (how it made me feel, look), so since my daughter is now 7 months old and we are in a better place financially I have a gym set up downstairs and I'm ready to do this! I think this will really help with the fact that pregnancy changed my body. My hips are wider and I have a stubborn gut.

I don't feel comfortable with the 2000 resting and 2300 for work out day calculation, so I'm going to start off at around 1600 and see how I feel.

1600 for weightlifting and breastfeeding? This is why I'm not loosing weight, I guess. I've been eating 1800-1900. I don't know what nursing a 14 month old is worth, calorie-wise.

Unfortunately I couldn't breastfeed due to medication I'm on (tried for 3 weeks without the medication but had to go back on it), so I'm not sure how the calories work out.

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume. I recognized you from the Atkins thread and thought I remembered that you were the other nursing mama.

Ahh, that's where I recognize you from!

I'm not doing Atkins anymore, but I am watching my carbs. I've decided calorie counting and exercise is the best way to go for me right now, but still keeping carbs on the lower side and I have still cut out sugar.

So I've done two of each work out in Stage 1 so far, feeling good! Really sore after the first work out. I underestimated how much strength I lost during these last two years.

Weight was fluctuating around 178-180 but dropped to 176.6 today which is nice :) Took measurements as well so I can see the true results.

Try goblet squats. Hold one dumb bell with both hands in front of you.

Finished Phase 1, and started Phase 2 yesterday. Totally kicked my butt! Had NO idea planks were so hard! Best I did was 35 seconds, and I spent 20 of those shaking. Super sore this morning. But glad to be challenging my body even more than before!

I just got the book yesterday and am in love with it already. I'm about halfway done.

I can see this isn't a super active thread but hoping for some convo! I was SHOCKED at how many calories it suggests to eat (happily shocked). I'm a little hesitant to eat so many calories, but I'm willing to try for sure. Anyway, I'm currently doing a lifting program I committed to for 6 weeks (5 weeks of it left), so it gives me a lot of time to thoroughly read the book and watch tons of vids on proper form of exercises I've never done (like deadlifts).

I'm to the point where I need to cut the crap with excuses and commit to weight training. My body is looking flabby and saggy with all of the weight loss (and I'm sure muscle loss). I don't want to simply get to my goal weight but look like I'm made of melted wax and still have a high body fat %. I want to look like I WORKED and TRAINED for the body that I have indeed worked and trained for.

Feedback? Tips? Encouragement?

Stephanie! So good to see you on this thread! Like you said, it's not very active, so I don't check it very often. Looks like you got the feedback you wanted on the Weight Loss support thread. But just wanted to say welcome here. And I totally agree with you about wanting the sculpted look that comes from weight training. I can feel strong muscle under all the fat in my arms and my upper thighs. Can't wait to unearth it as I lose more fat. =) And I love NROLFW. The full-body movements make it so much more sustainable than when I was lifting six days a week, alternating between upper and lower body days. (And I admit I've become kind of a free weight snob!)