Redheadllena Member

Great tip, thanks!

Yes!!! This this this, couldn't have said it better myself :)

Way to go!!! Fantastic job :)

Work it lady!! Amazing :D

I feel the same way about weight lifting vs. cardio!!

Wowwww amazing success!!! :D :D :D Congrats!

^^Agreed.^^ A Smith Machine will rob you of all the results and reasons to lift heavy in the first place. Training your body to balance and support the weight on its own is the key. Don't cheat yourself of the results you're working for!!

@smcknight Hehe you're sweet!! And you're welcome, here to help!

Wowww you look great to me!! WTG!

Fantastic!! And so true :) WTG

I'm 5'9", and thanks! To answer a few questions I've seen popping up again and again- to all the beginners, as far as where to start, a great resource for me was the book 'New Rules Of Lifting For Women' and more importantly, user ohilyssa's blog/google doc (link here…

^^^THIS^^^

I know it's hard to shift your mind, I'm still trying to let go of the number on the scale, but track your inches over your weight. Muscle weighs a lot, and if you're working out, hopefully you're building muscle (which is good! It burns more calories and your fat faster)

Hello! 5'9 3/4" tall. I'm around 145 right now. Aiming for 140 but we'll see now that I've taken up heavy lifting...it's all about the inches anyways! Here are some of my latest pics to give you an idea:

^This. I try to as much as possible but am not hardcore about it. I definitely wouldn't say I did during my weight loss, nor do I now. If it fits your macros (not even always, but something to strive for!)

I read NRLFW before I started lifting, mostly to educated myself. I haven't done the program that the book guides you on but I probably will when I get tired of my own routines or feel I'm not seeing results/pushing myself enough. So far so good though :smile: As far as the people with the questions re: dodgy back- read…

@Melissa11412 - Dang lady, you look great!!! Seriously impressive results. I hope mine are as noticeable as yours after 3 more months :)

Holy *kitten*, Pestopoli, you look AMAZING!!!!!!!!! WOW. Inspired!

New lifter here! 3 months in. I wanted to get back the booty I lost while on my year of weight loss and calorie restriction, thus SQUATS are my new fave. I lift 3 days a week (splits) and do cardio and yoga maaaaybe once a week, if that. I may gain or maintain or lose (as I was at my last weigh-in, both inches and lbs),…

You ALL look amazing!! Work it! :)

:drinker: Hear hear!

When I weighed more than I had in my life and was making excuses to myself as to why my last blood pressure was so high ("Oh, I rushed to get to the Dr.'s office, so that's why") <--- yeah right.

Nice work!! :)

Agree with Aerynth- what I was trying to say is that it is a compound exercise that involves many of your muscles including your back, which you engage to keep the spine from rounding. You should definitely check that your form is spot on though so that you know that you're doing it right and not hurting yourself.

I get the same achy lower back with deadlifts...I think it's just a weak lower back tbh. Muscles growing usually hurt and if the pain doesn't last past a few days and you know your form is good, you're probably just feeling your body get challenged in a new way :)

I'm 5'9" and am at 145ish right now. Working for 140. Recently started heavy lifting so we'll see how that factors in now that I'm adding back the muscle I'm sure I lost in my initial weight loss.

Pescatarian (meaning I eat seafood occasionally, but otherwise am vegetarian) since 2008. Wouldn't change a thing and don't worry, I get plenty of protein. It's naive to think meat is the only source to get your fair share of it :)

Luna Protein (Women's) or Clif Builers (Men), although I eat both. The women's are lower calorie. All natural ingredients!!

(Don't mind the wig in the last few pics, it was for an April Fools Day prank along w the spray tan :P )

It's from Macy's! Those were my 'deciding if I should keep it' pics. Guess what the decision was :tongue: