jasonp_ritzert Member

mmm, you had me at dead rats.

[/quote] Well right now I've been using Body Fortress Chocolate. But my roommate uses a Vanilla in another brand I don't like. I've also tried my brothers Chocolate Brownie, which he seems to love, but I'm not a big fan. I don't know. It's not the taste that bothers me, so much as that aftertaste. I do have a Blender…

I just stick with the protein powder and water (sometimes milk). What brand/flavors are you using? Some brands taste better than others. My favorites are: 1. Dymatize Elite Gourmet (any of the chocolate flavors) 2. Optimumum Nutrition (I've only had chocolate) 3. Muscle Milk (All of the flavors have the consistency of a…

I'm not a big fan of using a shake as a meal replacement because personally I would much rather eat my calories than drink them since it's more satisfying. I use protein shakes as a way to supplement my protein throughout the day. I digress. Check out EAS brand meal replacement powders/drinks or Met-Rx has a new protein…

Based on the numbers you gave, 1 lb/week of weight loss is fine. You should be proud that you've stuck with it and use the positive motivation of your partner to help keep you going.

Honestly, from what I've seen, 27% body fat is acceptable on a woman. Women typically carry more body fat than men. I've used those same calculators you reference and compared their results to other online calculators I found through google, and they are all pretty close. However, to get an accurate body fat index, you…

^^ This, plus you asked about some basic etiquette. 1. Always re-rack your weights/put dumbells back in the proper place, 2. Be aware of other lifters because the motion of their lifts may leave you exposed to being hurt, 3. Use a spotter if needed, 4. Wipe down benches 5. Don't stand directly in front of the rack of…

If I have a choice, I always take lifting over cardio.

Have you taken progress photos to see if your body shape has changed despite the scale staying the same? Are your clothes fitting any differently? Also, how long has it been since you've reassessed your calorie needs and how long have you been doing the same program? Going from walking an hour/day to circuit training…

As long as it's one day, it's not the end of the world. Reassess and get back on track tomorrow. Whether you need to plan out a little more, have handier (healthier) snacks, whatever you need to get through. No one got overweight because of one day of overeating, so this won't be anything more than a bump in the road. Good…

I just take it as 'extra' calories burned that will contribute to my weight loss that I don't measure because the 'weight training' on MFP under cardio I think isn't very accurate because weight training can vary so much from person to person and day to day with lifting.

I agree with the others here. Start adopting the healthier lifestlye now and incorporate it into your marriage. BTW, studies have shown that alcohol consumption before bed may actually inhibit your body to rest as well as it possibly can, so you may want to try and stay away from it every night and see how your sleep may…

I go to the gym to workout 5 days a week. On my 'off' days I still do something like walk my dogs a little longer than normal or take on extra projects around the house so I'm not really taking it 'off'. I think that streteching and/or yoga for an 'off' day is good as long as you aren't taxing your muscles as you normally…

A lot of people, myself included, use them to up your protein intake for the day. It is a convenient way to get protein without having to eat a meal. A high protien shake can also make sure that there is protein in your body on a consistent basis for muscle repair from working out.

Avocados. I smash them up and use them as a spread rather than mayo or mustard on my sandwiches or wraps.

I also suggest a regular sleep pattern. I know that I sound a bit like a party-pooper, but pretty much every night (even weekends), I am in bed between 9:30 and 10 and constantly get up at 5 a.m. because that's what time I get up for work. I even get up at 5 a.m. on the weekends. I found that this had the most profound…

I believe Optimum Nutrition may make a flavorless protein powder. WTF is greenberry? I find that the simplier the flavor, the better tasting it is with protien powder. I think that if you find a good quality chocolate, vanilla, and/or strawberry, you can use those alone or as a base for a meal replacement shake. My…

The simpliest answer is no. Protein powders should contain almost nothing but protein (21-24 grams/serving), with maybe 1 gram of fat and 2-6 grams carbs, which doesn't make a good 'meal' to me. You can definately use a protien powder as a 'base' for a meal replacement shake if you want to. I've added various milks (cow,…

1. Dymatize Elite Gourmet (Chocolate Peanut Butter and Strawberries n' Creme) 2. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard (Only tried the chocolate) 3. Muscle Milk (Graham Cracker and any chocolate one is good)

I usually take that break between sets to lightly stretch the muscles I'm working, shake it out, or get a sip of water. Don't worry if you don't think you are 'strong enough'. Strength is a relative term. You can only measure your strength against yourself if that makes sense. My goal every time I lift is to get to one new…

Quinoa Beef Jerky (watch the sodium though) Protein Shakes Soy-based products (some have higher sugar though) Egg Whites Whole eggs

Personally, my favorite are free weights. You may want to try the New Rules of Weight Lifting (I think that 's what it's called) and do some research there. You can also try websites like bodybuilding.com that have workouts sorted by sex, age, goal, etc.

MFP is 'carb-heavy' in my opinion. I aim for 1 gram of protien/lb of body weight. Since I weight 217 lbs, I shoot for abut 200-250 grams of protien/day. You can manually change the amount of protein manually in the settings under the custom settings.

^^^^ This Also, why should it make a difference if a guy or girl does the lifting? I seem to recall from anatomy, barring a few differences, men and women are basically the same when it comes to muscles.

Sounds like the time I looked up fishing in the cardio category. Even though it said I burned calories, I had a hard time adding it in.

My top protein powders: 1. Dymatize Elite Gourmet 2. Optimum Nutrition 3. Muscle Milk If you go to websites like www.bodybuilding.com or www.dpsnutrition.com you can often purchase trial sizes (5-10 servings) to see if you like them. IMO, vanilla protien powders are horrible and are only good for mixing in with pancakes.…

I noticed a couple of things: 1. You may need to drink more water. Water does a body good and you can (almost) never overhydrate. 2. From what a I gleaned (I didn't look at every single day), you seem to only be eating about half of your daily calorie intake which is constantly under 1,000 calories. Maybe if you include…

It probably over estimates some, under estimates some. Just use them as an estimate or get a heart rate monitor.

Could it have something to do with your diet that day? Did it change from what it may normally be? I know that sometimes affects my gym days. Also, if I haven't been sleeping well, that affects me. I just had the same thing last night for chest and shoulders. Everything felt heavier than normal and I just felt 'off', but I…

You could also try the New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women. I know a few women that swear by it. Also, to build additional muscle, you may need to change your calories or macros to help with that process. I would suggest doing your own research online rather than relying upon people on MFP for this type of advice because…