www.calorieking.com is a good one too, to figure out your macros and portion sizes, etc. :)

cool thanks for calorieking -- I am headed to the carribean in a few weeks and NEED to lose weight

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts with sweet potato or yam is good for that. :)

I started working out last Oct with 30 min. a day of cardio. Now I make sure I do an hour a day almost every day. If I skip a day I try 90 min the next day. I try to make better food choices, but don't deprive myself. I've lost 15 pounds and will definitely look better for my Cancun trip on March 14. All those calculations etc. just flew over my head...wow a lot to think about! So if anyone wants to just do all that for me, make my food and be my personal trainer I'll lose the final 20-25 pounds without a problem!! Any takers?? ;)

Your ideal weight X 14 = calories you can't go over

subtract 500 calories a day for 1 pound of fat a week loss.

subtract 1000 calories a day for 2 pounds per week.

Make sure you get 1 gram protein per pound of ideal weight to prevent lean body loss. Those count towards your daily calories.

For example: If you are 150.

150 X 14 = 2100 calories. . don't go over that number.

1600 calories a day for 1 pound of fat loss a week.

1100 calories per day for 2 pounds of fat loss per week.

150 grams of protein a day = 600 calories which is part of your total daily calories.

www.fitday.com

ETA: Thats about as specific as I can get without your actual height and weight.

I only just read your post now, but yes, it sounds like after Christmas, you might have been retaining some water (which, considering the foods we tend to eat at Christmas time is quite plausible).

Were you weighing yourself on the same scale, or do you have access to more than one scale (more than one at home, one at the gym, etc.). That can vary the reading also.

I don't know how lithium works in the body but a quick google of lithium and "water retention" brought up a bunch of medical articles about sodium levels and lithium in the body. Is water retention a side effect to taking lithium?

I would say yes that it's possible to retain 15 lbs of water. Right before a show, I shed 4lbs of water in about 2 days (thank you PVL Watertight).

I can't make your food for you, but I could suggest an eating plan if you wanted. PM me if you'd like.

Anyone want to PM me a twice a week lifting plan? I really don't like to lift and I slack like crazy if I do my own plans. Something challenging would be nice - I'm in good shape and am experienced with exercise (used to teach group fitness classes and I do triathlons). I have access to most equipment.

Or post such a plan here :D Cause I'm interested too though not quite a fitness instructor/triathlete

If you could upload docs here, I would post it and then you could see my lifting plan. However, you pretty much need 4 days to hit all the body groups. There are way more groups to work in upper body compared to lower body. Each day should take about an hour. Any longer and you have depleted the glycogen stores in your muscles, you will be fatigued and risk injury, strain, etc.

Lift first, cardio second: ALWAYS

Day 1: Shoulder and triceps
Day 2: Back
Rest
Day 3: Legs, butt and calves
Day 4: Chest and biceps

Throw some abs in wherever.

How many days should you do cardio exercises then?

I never do weights and cardio on the same day, ever. I tried it for about a month and didn't like it. I don't even wear the same clothes/shoes/etc. FWIW, I do cardio three or four days a week and weights twice. Of course, I am just a gym rat and not an expert on any of this.

This site is kind of cool, although I've only skimmed it.

Also, RU OX, do you ever do intervals? I would recommend that (although again, I'm not an expert -- it just makes sense to me).

You can do cardio 4-6x a week, depending on what your goals are.

What kind of healthy meals can you suggest for a college student with limited options such as the school cafeteria?

How important is breakfast to a diet?

What is the best way to get started with an exercise routine? I need the very basics...cardio, weights, etc.!

ALSO, has anybody here done a half marathon? I'm thinking about it, but is that insane?