jfang86

Couldn't this entire thread be summed up as - "Everybody, and every BODY, is different. If your body is totally satisfied at 1200-1400 calories, than don't force feed yourself. If your body is starving at 1200 calories, up your calories. Either way, don't do things that make you miserable because there's always a way to do…

Dead on AND a bit of a jerk. Working out requires you to push yourself in order to gain benefit. There are a ton of people who think just being just baseline will get them fitter, and you can see them leisurely texting on the recumbent bike for 10 minutes or doing 2lb bicep curls, right before they treat themselves to a…

This

You're only competing against yourself so other people's times aren't really all that meaningful unless you're planning on racing semi-professionally and/or being a serious amateur runner. My best 5K time was I think about 27 minutes or 28 minutes, but I don't sweat how that ranks up against anyone else because it's hella…

Depends on what you're doing. I do combined running + strength 5x a week because I'm on both a running program and a lifting program. I am both losing (overall) weight (although very, very slightly) and building muscle (getting stronger and losing inches) on this program. Since I am not deliberately eating to promote…

(Re-)Started Oct 2012 after a year or two off: Bench press: 65lbs x 10 Squat: empty bar (45lbs) x 10 Romanian Deadlift: 95lbs x 10 One-arm dumbbell row: 30lbs x 10 Currently: Bench press: 115lbs x 10 (or 125lbs x 5) Squat: 135lbs x 10 (or 155lbs x 5) Romanian Deadlift: 155lbs x 10 (or 175lbs x 5) One-arm dumbbell row: 65…

Congrats on your weight loss. I agree with your sentiment that a combination of healthy eating of non-processed foods can make it challenging to eat more than 1200 calories, particularly if you are a small person to begin with. I eat between 1200-1400 calories a day without trying to control or limit my food intake; that's…

Leg soreness is a little vague but shin splints imply heelstrike problems. Both imply general running form issues. In general, most runners should be running with a mid- or forefoot strike. That means that rather than hitting the ground with your heel and rolling to your toes, hit the ground with the middle of your foot or…

There have been a lot of reasons folks have posted in this thread for why they don't use the weights at the gym. I'm a 5'2" woman. I lift heavy every day I'm at the gym. I am usually one of the only women in the free weight area. Most women stick to the machines, even if they venture outside of the cardio areas. My two…

I went from my max distance being about 4 miles to running a half last year. A few tips: 1) HalHigdon.com. Best online running programs out there. I followed his novice half program. 2) Add no more than 10% distance a week. 3) Make sure you are running outside as often as you can, and if you can only do it occasionally,…

Weight lifting is a much more efficient way of losing fat than cardio, but cardio has other benefits that mean you should keep it in your workout. In a nutshell, strength training builds lean muscle mass; muscle requires more energy just to exist than fat, so it boosts your basal metabolic rate, helping to create a caloric…

I've been lifting heavy since I was 25. I'm 30 now. Haven't had any cellulite and don't have any now.

Your calves will appear smaller as you lose body fat. Your calves will also become less muscular as a person loses weight because they are moving less bodyweight around. Exercises that target your calves will, in general, make them appear larger because you are building muscle (which isn't a bad thing unless you're already…

I predominantly train for running/triathlon (not saying I'm good, just what I focus on). This is my current routine, which is focused on building race pace and increasing weekly mileage; workouts B and C are doing a periodization thing where one exercise is 3x5 and the other is 5x10 so I can work on both endurance and…

Also, I think it just comes down to listening to your body. Not all women who are eating like 1200-1500 a day are doing it because they're trying to lose weight. For some of us, it's just all that our bodies require. I'm pretty active and I use MFP to log food to track what I'm eating nutritionally, not to diet, and even…

I'm maintaining/losing at 1200-1400 and I'm 5'2" and lift heavy. That being said, if I eat more than that, I feel kinda sick and bloated. I'm smaller so the food feels like enough for me, even though it's a lot less than what would fill you up.

I think this has a lot to do with the fact that you're on an online dating site. They're designed to be superficial and you can't make a personality-based connection with people until you mssg them and they mssg you back. I agree with the folks on the thread though that have said that it's a bit of a high school mindset. I…

Definitely long pants for sub-zero weather (I'm from Ontario, but living in CT right now). I like layering for the top half: a light tank and a quick dry long-sleeve running top or jacket. Gloves are a total must -- I ran a 5K last month in 0 degree weather without my gloves, and my hands cramped up from the cold. I…

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