questionfear Member

I'm wandering back after a long break, but I'm in!

You definitely need to eat more. I have been doing 16/8, and I end up with 700+ calories at lunch/snack, and another 700-800 at dinner/around dinnertime. Basically I wind up breaking my window down with about an hour of eating from 12-1, then light snacks and/or just water until around 630ish where I eat dinner and stop…

Agreed. I think if you have a variety of gyms and your budget is >$20, Retro, WoW, and some other choices are better...but PF is better than nothing.

Just bear in mind that if you go the adjustable route, look for one thats a normal kettlebell shape. Otherwise it will be awkward or potentially painful for snatches etc.

I promise I am not trying to bash PF, but are you tied to them for sure? And is there a Retro Fitness near you? Retro is $20/month, but they have a full complement of every weight/exercise gear you might need, from TRX to free weights. Just a thought. I know PF is slightly cheaper, but in terms of cheap chain gyms I think…

I vote dumbbells. Also, does your PF have kettlebells? A solid kettlebell swing is excellent hip hinge work even if you can't really deadlift.

I would just suggest if you have knee issues, be very aware of your body if you use the smith machine. I have a deep distrust of the smith machine because anything that alters/locks in my position while squatting is generally bad for my knee (acl and meniscus tears in the past). On the other hand, I can barbell squat…

You know, out of the context of a gym floor, that thing looks like a torture device.

I love 5/3/1. I did Stronglifts a few years ago but felt like I got bored quickly and then I stalled a few times and got frustrated. So when I decided to lift again I did an educated guess on my max lifts, read 5/3/1 and Beyond 5/3/1, and did 3 rounds of 5/3/1 BBB. I'm now doing 5/3/1 Triumvirate with joker sets and first…

Yes, there are some differences in which leg muscles are worked-some work your quads more, others your hamstrings and glutes. And the Smith machine will work different muscles depending on what you're using it for. Personally I only use leg machines as accessory work, so I do leg press for extra quad and hamstring curls…

I love the gym. Every time I want to smash my alarm at 440, I remember that once I get up I can to go the gym and that gets me moving. Are you doing all your lifts on a Smith machine?

I had ACL surgery 9 years ago. Since the surgery, I've run 4 half marathons, and more 5ks than I can count. Personally, I think the treadmill is the worst possible tool for someone with a bad knee-it forces you to go at a very steady and specific pace and cadence, and it isn't always comfortable. When you're running…

Most of the time I'm thinking along the lines of "don't drop the plate on your foot, don't drop the plate on your foot..."

Go where there's room. I know my gym has an open area for people who need space, where there's a bunch of kettlebells, dumbbells, a TRX, some balance balls, etc. But I've used it for deadlifts when the free weights area is crowded, and I've seen people use it all the time for lunges/deadlifts/pushups etc. And if there's no…

That's a shame. So she had three surgeries as though they were magic bullets, and she's surprised that it still comes down to putting in the work? :(

ON is super tasty. I've found Naked Pea to not be too bad if you want a blank canvas, but you definitely need to add something to it for flavor or it's not a great experience.

I would call your doctor. I've had exertion headaches before, but usually during the workout, not the next day. Are you drinking enough water/eating enough? And if your spine is sore, it might mean you're doing the workouts incorrectly...maybe try filming yourself and see how it looks?

I do it all the time-I get up and work out at 5am and my usual eating window is 11-7 or 12-8. The only thing I sometimes do is toss a NUUN electrolyte tablet into my water; at most that's about 10 calories, so not enough to really break the fast, but it does provide caffeine, electrolytes, and frankly some tasty water to…

I would recommend starting small and then go from there...aim for 12 hours of fasting (so from 9pm-9am) and then maybe increase it by an hour every day/every few days. I started at 13/11, and am now following 16/8 and it works well for me, but that's because I also eat in a deficit in those 8 hours. Basically if I'm only…

Greek yogurt+cocoa powder+your choice of toppings. Easy, and if you want to make it feel fluffier you can chuck it into a food processor. Also if you want it more cheesecake-y you can sub in cottage cheese instead (definitely blend it then, the texture is way better)

Seconded. Pavel is an expert: https://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Simple-Sinister-Pavel-Tsatsouline-ebook/dp/B00GF2HP9G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509986478&sr=8-1&keywords=simple+and+sinister Simple and Sinister is an amazing foundation for any kettlebell training. It's three warmups and two main exercises, and that's it. Warm…

Most of my workouts are weights and I don't record them in MFP. I've found that it matters more that I concentrate on what I eat those days (ie, filling and proteiny food), rather than attempt to boost my calories for the day.

You don't have to increase every workout-there's nothing wrong with increasing weekly, or even monthly, if that's what works best for you. You could also pick up a copy of Beyond 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler and try some of his programs-I did Stronglifts a while ago but when I started lifting again I switched to 5/3/1 and love it.…

Yup! My kid is obsessed with cheetahs so I am as close to an expert as you can get from reading every kid-appropriate science book on the subject. Basically, cheetahs are all muscle and flexible spines, but it takes a ton of calories to maintain. Plus they aren't good fighters, so they can sometimes catch a gazelle only to…

I am a huge fan of minimal shoes. I don't believe they'll cure cancer and create world peace, but I do think they're better for me personally. However, I know people who run in very cushiony shoes (like your Kayanos) and are very happy, who would be writhing in pain if they ran in my flimsy Merrells. On the other hand, I…

I second stronglifts, or starting strength. Your 5x5 routine seems like a lot of volume for each day. Most routines split those into two days, so you might do squat/bench/row, then squat/overhead press/deadlift, rotating each workout. Bench and OHP are usually slower than deads and squats, that's normal. But you're…

Yikes. With those kinds of restrictions, I think I would suggest seeing a qualified physical therapist, because I'm having a hard time imagining what you could do that wouldn't engage your abs.

I love early morning workouts. I work out at home now, but when I went to the gym I would motivate myself by remembering that at 5am the weight room was empty, but by 6am it would be crowded-wanting to get ahead of the crowd propelled me out of bed. It also helps to plan out your morning and determine what time you need to…

THAT'S what the AZ tastes like! I had a box of their chocolate covered ice cream on a stick, and I couldn't figure out why it tasted like nostalgia. My grandma used to give us ice milk pops...

Agreed. Machines are better than nothing, but in my personal experience free weights of all kinds have produced better results for me. @tarothelp you could also try bodyweight workouts and suspension straps, things that require your core to be engaged and might help strengthen your back. You would also benefit from using…