I agree that 1200 calories is too low for you Maggie. For Jen it's fine she's just a little over 100lbs. I find that if I eat 1600 calories a day and around 30 carbs I will lose. (I dont really count the carbs anymore I know what I should eat and not eat) I do cardio 2-3 times a week and weights 4-5 times a week. This is my 4th week of a steady schedule so I'm expecting to lose a few lbs anyday now. I know that I am toning up and gaining some muscle because I can feel it. Also, remember the more lean muscle your body has the more calories it burns so you can eat more. Not that you get to pig out but remember your body will be burning the calories faster and you will need them just to function normally. I know that if I wasn't working out I would have to lower my calorie to 1300 to 1400 a day to lose.

BFL suggests also that you should do your cardio in the AM before eating anything. That way you continue to burn calories throughout the day. Contrary to what GQed76 said, on BFL you are only required to do 20 minutes of cardio as fast as you can in a pyramid type affect rather than just do 30 to 40 minutes of standard cardio. I don't really do this I just do my best for 20 to 30 on the treadmill and sometimes go for 45 minute walks at lunch. I personally do not notice the difference and if I had to stress on what time I worked out I wouldn't do it. I stress enough over what I eat so I'm not going to add something else into the mix.

I think food wise we just need to find out what works best for us. I try to eat some carbs before my workout but that is about it.

Wee