Weigh-in Wednesday and "Big and Bulky?"

Starting weight: 176.4
Last week weight: 140.2

Current weight:139.0

Current loss: -1.2
TOTAL LOSS: -37.4

Feeling good... feeling great!  Especially considering this weekend there was a bit of a binge (my super-cheat meal of the week) at an all-you-can-eat Korean food buffet.  So yummy!!

So how did I do it?  I made sure to stay really strict with my trainings and  nutrition the other days of the week.  I'm also pretty convinced that my cheat meals actually help my body.  I've been lifting pretty heavy 3-4 days a week now and I swear, for the last two months, I've actually seen positive effects (strength gains and fat loss) of my cheat meals.  Several months ago, a cheat meal just half the size of this weekend - 3000+ calories on Saturday! - would stall my weight-loss but for the last couple of months it hasn't.  Of course there are many other factors that can contribute to this consistency but gotta look for the silver lining with cheat meals, right?

Speaking of muscles and lifting heavy, I came across "20 Fitness Myths" on Livestrong.com and had to share one of the myths:

If I Lift Weights I'll Get Bulky  (http://www.livestrong.com)

If you were to look at 1 pound of fat, and 1 pound of muscle side by side, you would notice how much smaller the muscle is even though it’s the same weight. Meaning, the more muscle you have on your body, the less space you will take up. Many people -- both men and women -- think that lifting weights will make you look like a bodybuilder. That’s like saying studying physics will turn you into Einstein. The amount of time, food and discipline it takes to get huge from weights is almost a full-time job -- and sometimes influenced by illegal substances. So embrace weight training. You’ll feel and look leaner and rev up your metabolism.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/550678-20-fitness-myths/#ixzz1dv92gF95

I love the comparison of looking like a bodybuilder by lifting heavy and turning into Einstein by studying physics... both won't happen unless you put in A LOT of work (and I still doubt you'll turn into Einstein)!

 (source)

Like the quote says, it's almost a full-time job to be bodybuilder.  Getting big and bulky is most definitely a type of "formula" and if you're missing even one component of it - time to workout (sometimes several sessions a day), calorie amount, type of food, discipline, etc. - it ain't gonna happen.

So pick up those weights and lift H.E.A.V.Y!