_bellator_ Member

Pre: C4 or EVP Intra: Scivation Xtend BCAAs Post: Glycoject

Ew. Girl muscles. So gross

I like normal food better, but they're okay to stash in the car for "emergencies." I used to be obsessed with them, but I'm over it. They are pretty tasty though :)

No, your diet will make you skinny. Lifting will just make you a badass.

I dice up apple and put in mine, with lots of cinnamon. It's delicious and gives it a little crunch.

BMI is an outdated and not-very-useful tool, particularly for those of us who lift weights. Bodyfat scales are not very inaccurate. You'll be better off not getting too freaked out by either ot these numbers, and instead gauging your progress with a) progress photos and b) how your clothes fit.

I think you should lift more often, longer sessions, do less cardio, and eat more. 1100 calories is not going to yield you a strong, fit body. Also, you do have an incredibly feminine hourglass shape that a lot of women would love to have. Try to start loving and appreciating your body NOW, not just for how it looks, but…

I lift all the things :)

Everyone is different, but that does seem like a LOT of exercise to maintain. Rest and recuperation is important too. Listen to your body...if you feel overly exhausted or start having minor injuries, definitely add in 1-2 days of rest. You can also have "active rest" days, where you stay busy, but don't go to the gym. :)

The online calculators are pretty inaccurate, that's why you're getting such different numbers. Having a professional measure you with calipers or a DEXA scan will give you more accurate numbers. HOWEVER, if you're at a healthy range of bodyfat, the actual hard number doesn't really matter. It's all aesthetics at that…

That's not normal. Hopefully it's nothing serious, but... Call your doctor.

No, no, it's not anywhere close to as effective. Sorry.

Flex your calf muscle...anything you can pinch outside that muscle is skin and fat. Your calves look fine, just focus on being fit, strong and healthy, and try not to get too focused on the little stuff :)

Deadlifts, lat pulldowns, barbell rows, Seated Cable rows, T-bar rows, 1-arm dumbbell rows

Google "cotton lifting straps"...they're cheap and readily available. I hope they help you as much as they've helped me. It takes a few workouts to get used to using them, but it gets very easy with practice :)

I use simple heavy-duty cotton lifting straps. I was getting pre-arthritis from heavy lifting before I started using straps. My grip would give out far before my legs/back. It was very frustrating. I know lots of people hate on the use of gloves and straps and belts, but I really don't care. I used to lay awake at night…

^^This. You'll know your goal weight when you see it. And just FYI, my hormones work just fine at 13% bf and even quite a bit lower than that. It depends on the person. There's a range of healthy for each person. Getting too lean doesn't generally happen on accident, and it's a pretty easy problem to fix...really almost…

38 year old mom of 2, feel better in a bikini now than I did as a teenager :)

OP, you made the right decision mid-thread to take it back and save your money. Having a C-section is very hard on a woman's mid-section, but a waist trainer won't help you. Stick with a good lifting program and solid nutrition plan, and your body will improve. You will never have the same body you had pre-baby, but that…

You've worked in a lot of volume for a relatively small amount of available equipment. I'm sore just THINKING about doing 10 sets each of Squats, deads, and lunges in the same day...maybe I'll try it though. I'd structure it differently, but I also likely have different goals. Looks solid for someone who has been lifting a…

In your undoubtedly expert opinion, what is the "correct" answer to that question? Perhaps sharing your vast scientific knowledge on this subject with the MFP community would be more helpful than just posting an article you think is useless and claiming that most trainers "suck".

Walking barbell lunge, reverse barbell lunge, Barbell step-ups, Single-leg leg press. Add some of that to your squats, presses, and deads, your inner thighs will get plenty of work. Most women's issue with their thighs is excess fat. You can fix that with your diet.

Please stop worrying about putting on too much muscle. Until you actually attempt to put on actual muscle mass, you can't fathom how INCREDIBLY difficult it is to do for a female. It will NEVER happen on accident. It's actually hard just to maintain your current lean body mass when you're losing weight. Lift heavy and eat…

Good for you! I didn't start back at the gym until my youngest was 3 1/2. I never intended to take 4 years off, but it happened and I don't regret giving my kiddos all my time when they were young. But at some point you have to get back to taking care of YOU too. Best wishes!! :)

Ok. Have fun :)

Monday: chest/shoulders Tuesday: Legs Wed: Shoulders and calves Thursday: Back Friday: bis and tris Sat: Legs Sunday: off Minimal to no cardio ever since I found out I get much better results from lifting and a good diet.

Nothing wrong with 5 sets. It won't make much difference with your cutting though, I'm sure you know.

Thank you :)

I feel your pain, the meal prepping is brutal, but I promise it gets easier with time and practice. You can definitely do it, it's just a matter of getting your mindset strong enough to grind through the whole prep. :)

:p lol!! Thanks!