KiyaK Member

December 2020 to November 2021. Just 10 lbs down. Yes, that's a long time for not a lot of weight loss, but I'm the mom of a preschoolers who is also in my first year of being a licensed preschool teacher, so it's been a bit of a crazy year. Weight loss has not been at the top of my priorities. Being healthy has been…

Referencing a previous comment on this thread... I have a set of adjustable dumbells & they were awesome until I built up strength & had enough time to get into a gym again. My set only goes to 12.5 lbs, but sounds like they make them much larger!

Definitely look into postpartum ab exercises. They are very gentle & often target the mid/lower abs. There is also usually a progression built into them, as they are designed to rehab your abs to a "normal" range after they've been stretched. I did them for a while after having my son. There are a million different ones…

Images are December 2020 (170lbs) to today, October 2021 (160lbs). Really, I stared losing weight after I finished my masters degree in April of this year. So most of the weight has come off in the last 6 months. I'm excited to continue my strength training & see more results!!! Finally got back into a "real" gym for the…

I've been working on my 15-20 lbs gained when I got my masters degree online at night after working & being a mom all day. Only changes I've made is to consciously up my protein, especially at breakfast, strength train 1-2x per week, and dance class 1x per week. I've lost 2.5" from my waist & 2" from my love handles since…

Several years ago I was having shoulder pain after workouts. Turned out I had never properly dealt with a shoulder injury (that I thought was super minor) from a year prior. Had to do PT & still have to keep my posterior shoulder strong or the pain comes back. It's always a possibility that there's a muscle imbalance,…

Yikes. I'd be really wary of wearing N95 while working out. Studies have shown they restrict your oxygen a LOT.

Magnesium spray &/or Epsom salt bath will help with soreness as well. I've had huge success with magnesium spray.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm actually done with school now, which is why I have time/mental energy to care about my fitness again. Also, for many reasons getting a standing desk was not an option. Space & the fact that we were spending thousands of dollars each month on going to school being the biggest.

Any women our there getting bulky? I've come back to lifting after having a kid & getting my masters online. Crazy how much strength I've lost (and weight I've gained!) From sitting aaaaaall the time 😖

I do intermittent fasting, but only 12:12. Stretching it much longer has never worked for my body (extreme fatigue & mood swings) or schedule. Then I recently found out I have Gilbert's Syndrome, and long fasting is contraindicated for that condition. So definitely listen to your body. If it's not working, don't do it…

Different people carry weight differently. After I had my son, I never fit into some of my pre-pregnancy clothes, even when I was the same pre-pregnancy weight. My bones are permanently in different places, so my hips may never fit into those size 6 shorts, no matter how low my weight. Also, people with a lot of muscle…

Thank you for the encouraging words. You are right that there are big advantages to having that 4-5 year age gap between kids. I guess I don't have many real-life examples of people who are fit, slim, and healthy after kids. So I worry that will be me too.

Bump!

Bump! I've been looking through this thread for inspiration as I get back into working out & eating healthy again. I've gained 10 lbs (which doesn't sound like much, but looks like a lot) and lost a lot of muscle in the last 3 years since my son was born. I spent the last 2 years getting my masters in education online, so…

Sounds to me like you need a new job. My other suggestions would be a hardwired hands-free headset. They exist, because earlier this year I worked in a customer service call center & we all had them. There is a wire that goes from the headset thru a box that has a mute & hangup button & into the phone. Also, smoothies…

To be clear, Kettlebells are not cardio. Cardio is a motion that can be repeated over & over for a long duration of time. Ex: walking, biking, swimming, dancing. Kettlebells are a form of strength training or resistance training. Just because something raises your heart rate doesn't mean it's cardio.

I've always searched the way I cooked the chicken have either it in ounces. Ex: grilled chicken or pan fried chicken. Picked the one that made the most sense. I've never had a problem losing weight (if I'm being honest & weighing/logging every bite) Counting calories, no matter how accurate you try to be, will always have…

This.

Recomp. Build muscle, lose fat. If you don't have muscle, when you lose weight you will still look "squishy." I have been at my current weight multiple times before, but I know my measurements are different & my body looks different (aka: more "fit" or "tight") because I've been lifting. As a beginner lifter, I've enjoyed…

Love pole & aerial. Specifically aerial silks. Ant wait to get my shoulder rehabbed so I can get back at it!

This. Cardio are the things you can do for longer periods of time. Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, etc. Other things would be calisthenics (body weight) or resistance training (flipping tires, lifting weights, etc). Raised heart rate isn't an indicator of if an activity is cardio or not.

I have thick, curly hair. Wash it twice a week. Scrub my scalp with fingernails and condition daily. I used to have mild psoriasis & since not shampooing daily & using a "shampoo" without sulfate (the chemical that causes suds) I no longer have it. Give not shampooing daily a try. If you don't like it, go back.

Wish I could help you, but I'm still VERY much a beginner. Hope someone can give you good advice!

Just sent out friend requests to all of you :) anyone who comes along later, feel free to add me

I second Strong Curves. there are 4 different programs & if you get the book the whole back half is a glossary of exercises to you can sub out for anything you don't have the equipment/ability to do.

Hip thrusts for the win!

Sounds like stress to me. It's easy to stuff it down while busy or with others. When things quiet down & the mind has the chance to relax, those stressed out/sad/upset feelings come back up. Getting more sleep will probably help. 6 hrs is kind of on the cusp of not enough sleep. Especially if you find yourself fighting…

I love yoga! Yin is certainly my favorite style. But I love arm balancing & anything that pushes my flexibility. Right now I'm very limited in my physical pracrice, though. My right shoulder is injured, so I've been banned from putting my full body weight on it or backbending. My physical therapist said my shoulders are…

That is AMAZING!!! I love everything about this