dvisser1 Member

They are different exercises, working the legs differently. At one point I was doing 30-35 minutes at pretty high intensity on the elliptical and still could not run more than 1/4 mile at a very slow pace. Now I use the elliptical for a warm up on my lifting days and run long distance on the other days. From my personal…

Last year I did pretty much what you're talking about doing. I started working out in January but could not run. By mid to late March I had my legs strong enough that my knees would not buckle from the impact of running. I read up on the Hal Higdon and Couch to 5k training programs, but then did my own thing. I ran my…

^^^^This! Go to your Fleet Feet store and have them fit you. It's that or trial and error, trying different shoes until you find one you like.

If your profile pic is a current one of you, you look stunning! Who you are as a person is not determined by any one body part. How attractive you are is not determined by the size of your breasts. If someone is always wearing a frown and scowling, do you ever get past that unhappy look to see the rest of them? No. Being…

I end up running with a slightly different stride and body position on the treadmill. Between the framework of the treadmill around me (display & side arm bars) and the strange sensation of running full speed but not moving forward, I end up being more upright when on the treadmill. My natural running body position is…

I had to find rock bottom first, then everything has seemed easier since then. Still, it took two moments in my life to make this really happen. I had always been very active and athletic and stayed relatively fit despite eating poorly. A few years of increased inactivity, injuries, way to much time at work and a really…

I'm a year in on MFP and I completely agree. Victories big and small happen each and every day, being reminded of that really helps getting through the hard days. What feels even better is inspiring people in real life to pay attention to their health and see how what they eat is such a big thing. Simply having their eyes…

didn't read all the replies, just the opening post. Had something like that last year. I never got tested but suspected salmonella or E Coli. It was the most violent food poisoning / food born illness I've ever experienced. I made it through work, but then massive abdominal pain made me lay down....until I got up to puke.…

It does take time, but eventually your mind will catch up with your body. The body adapts much faster than most peoples minds do, both when gaining and losing weight. For me I had to focus on tangible results, not how I looked in the mirror. Weight loss numbers, body measurement numbers improving (shrinking waist),…

Unfortunately this is absolutely true. All you can do is talk to her about what you are doing to improve your health, show her how easy (relatively speaking) it has been for you and try your best to motivate her. The reality is that no matter what you say or do, this process of changing your life to be healthy won't work…

Didn't bother to log it. Well over....like probably in the 1500-2000 calorie over my target. Just thinking about all the breads and pies and cheesecakes..... *drool*

Pretty much yes. That ripped look comes from having low body fat, down near or into the single digits. Getting body fat that low but maintaining enough muscle mass to have something to show is going to require both cardio and strength training. Don't worry about getting bulky though, you have to try hard to add significant…

General rule of thumb for max heart rate is 220 minus your age. For example I am 37, so my approximate max = 220 - 37 = 183. True physical max does vary a good bit for each individual.

"Too thin" is generally a matter of opinion. Unless it's coming from a doctor who has just given you a clinical exam, including body fat percentage, I wouldn't put much stock in it. I got this same thing from my mother back in August when I was 10-12 lbs heavier than I am today, but still much thinner and lighter than when…

Both the beauty and ultimate frustration about weight loss and getting healthy is that there is no set formula, no special sauce, no magical unicorn dust. Different approaches work for different people for any of a variety of reasons. Personally I like that this website does a lot of the work for me, but leaves the meal…

I'm of the mind set that 5 calories here, 10 calories there can definitely add up during the day. I do my best to log everything. I do absolutely agree with your second comment. This does take some trial and error so try different ways of logging and given each attempt a couple weeks. You'll be able to zero in on what…

Unfortunately you can not target spots on your body to lose fat. You can target train muscles which can help tighten and flatten your abdomen. Body fat gets burned off all over your body.

Well....I've seen a lot of people start by giving themselves a guilt trip, getting angry with themselves, etc. ,etc. But don't bother with that. This is a lifestyle change with how you approach food as part of your life. From a dietary plan, one day does not make or break a life. This is all about the long haul, not a one…

Everything. If you eat it, your body sees the calories and so should your food diary.

Did you change shoes recently or are your current shoes needing replacement (figure every 3-4 months with regular running)? Did you just increase mileage a good bit? All the running training I've read recommends increasing no more than about 10% week to week. From my own experience, I was sore all over when I pushed up…

Congrats on finishing your race! Hope you feel better and didn't injure yourself. I ran my first Half two weeks ago and have my 2nd Half in two more weeks, your story is a little extra inspiration!

When I started running this past Spring I looked long and hard at the C25k program. It's a great program, but I decided to do something similar on my own. Run / walk intervals are great for getting used to running and building endurance. Don't worry about speed at first, you'll naturally build speed as you build endurance…

I eat processed foods too. Not an every meal, all processed all the time kind of thing. Some lunch meats, hot dogs, pizza and stuff like that once in a while. If I eat too much crap food like that my body doesn't like it (bloating, constipation, etc.). I do cook a lot more than I had for quite a while. For me it's less…

Thanks everyone! :-) My goals have definitely changed from just wanting to lose 40-50 lbs (when I first started) to losing the 70+ lbs I have and developing a level of overall fitness that I've never had before. I have to decide what is next for a goal. Another half marathon? Well, the Seattle marathon and half marathon is…

If someone is publicly asking for help, then they should have it open so people can try to help. Otherwise, do what you want with it. I personally have my diary open to my MFP friends list only, and I keep my friends list very short. I see no reason why anyone else should even want to see my food and exercise diary. I'm…

Since you're talking about a home cooked burger, make a half sized one and still have the salad. Calories, sodium and all that are kept reasonable. You get the taste of the burger but the nutrients and healthy, stomach filling bulk of the salad. It's a compromise, but lets you enjoy what you want.

the only "fad" exercise "programs" I can think of are the ones you see advertised on tv saying all you need is 10 minutes a day. Um....no. Insanity, P90X, 30DS, even Richard Simmons or the Jack Lalanne show long before in home video players, all teach you an exercise program and how to do exercises properly. There is…

General household cleaning (scrubbing the bathroom, vacuuming, dishes, etc), no. I typically do some of that every day so it's part of my normal activity level. Major cleaning (cleaning out the garage, cleaning the roof and gutters of all the tree debris that collects, etc.) and mowing the lawn / yardwork that is once…

Rock on Girl! If you've done 10 miles on a treadmill, you're more than ready for a 5k or 10k race run outside! I've also had a change of heart with distance running. This morning I completed my 2nd 10k race (this one a trail run with a lot of elevation gain/loss), giving me 2 5k and 2 10k races completed this year. I still…

Most hardcore runners will get new shoes every 3-4 months, some do it based off mileage and some off age. For me, my running shoes are used for just running (no gym, no strolling around town, just the running and associated cool down walk) and I get new every 3 months. The padding in the shoe breaks down pretty quickly and…