Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum. It looks like all of you have some great advice, experience and success and I'd love your feedback/suggestions, please. My story: I've been vegan or vegetarian for about half my life, vegan for the last few years. I've been committed to fitness for many years now, but I can't seem to get the results I want. I'm getting married in 6 months and I'd like to look great then, and afterwards, with a sustainable fitness/bodybuilding plan. I'm coming to all of you for help, please. Me: Female, 25 years old, 5'6", 140 lbs., ~20% body fat. I have some good muscle tone in many places. I had a "less invasive" heart surgery a few months ago but I've been cleared to do all exercises except pushing motions (e.g. bench press) or lifting heavy weights (nothing that would implicate my chest muscles/area much). I can start doing all exercises without restriction in about 6 more weeks if all goes well. I try to drink a minimum of 64 oz. of water per day. I sleep 7.5 hours per night (a lot for a law student). After surgery, I couldn't work out for a while, and gained some weight that I haven't been able to lose. Exercise now: I usually do cardio 2-3x a week and weight lift 15 lbs. for about an hour or so twice a week. Meals now: I usually eat 5-6 small meals a day (~300 cals. each, ~1800 cals. total). I usually eat oatmeal with soymilk in the morning, then a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter for a snack, then something like a vegan burrito and vegetable juice for lunch, a protein bar for a snack, then stir fry rice/veggies/tofu for lunch or lentil soup/carb/veggies for dinner and soymilk as my last snack. I'm committed to doing whatever it takes to reach my fitness goals, I'm just not sure what I'm doing wrong and how that compares to what I should be doing. Any advice, suggestions or experience stories would be very much appreciated. Thank you!