[rebelrunner26]

I can't believe I just found this thread...it's like my two favorite things to do on the internet have combined. I've been into body building/general fitness as a lifestyle for the past 3 years. I ran cross/track all through middle and high school, took a year off, and decided to put on some mass. I went from 160 lbs. to 205 lbs. from July 2010 to February 2012, keeping my bf under 10% for essentially the whole time (minus one month when working out had to be put on standby due to school/work). I'm currently trying to get back to running, which means losing weight. Ideally I'll be about 185 at 5-6% bf in October/November for a couple of races I want to do.

I've worked in a gym for 2+ years, and I am fairly in-touch with the supplement industry if anybody has any questions about that sort of thing :P

For those of you trying to lose weight...never EVER stress about the numbers, especially those on the scale. Weigh yourself once every 7-10 days at roughly the same time, wearing the same clothes, eating similarly the night before, etc. Weighing yourself every day is always just an exercise in frustration, because the body is incredibly prone to fluctuation on a daily basis (I can vary as much as 8 pounds, just from water weight/timing of meals).

One of the big things that has helped me stay lean...Every night at supper, I only eat one plate. If I'm quite hungry, I put a big more on. If I'm not so hungry, I put a bit less on. Regardless of the amount, I only ever eat one plate of food. Going back for seconds can easily turn into far more calories than originally intended.

Also, drink water. Lots of water. I started drinking at least a gallon/day 3 years ago, and I never looked back. You feel absolutely incredible.

Just keep things simple until they become routine. If you go in focused on the numbers (at least 95% of people I've worked with), you will almost always get frustrated/overwhelmed. Tweak your breakfast for a week, then change a snack, then a lunch, etc. Just a change or two every 5-7 days will make the whole process much more bearable. You can't ever think of it as a diet...you have to adopt a new lifestyle.

And if you ever have an uncontrollable craving for a cheeseburger...go have one! Cravings = your body telling you that you need something in that food (whether it be more fat, protein, whatever). Just be reasonable about it and don't go for the 4-patty stacker lol.

/general fitness rant.