daveainsworth

Two years ago I went from not being able to run more than two miles to marathon in six months. I was in reasonable shape beforehand, but lost about 10lbs. I think 1lb a week is very doable. More is tricky. Be careful, though - you'll only lose around 100 calories a mile, so couple it with a controlled diet. 1. When did it…

I drink around 3,500 calories a week - around 1/4 of my total weekly consumption. I am still on target. The answer is to eat less food and do more exercise, and keep the beer. On a more useful note: don't keep any in the house, and walk to the shops each time you want a beer in the evening. You'll still drink, but at least…

Murfinz, you are a woman and will find it extremely hard to bulk up, even if you're trying to. You certainly won't gain much muscle if you're on any sort of normal diet. I'm a bloke, and until a week or two ago, I was doing weights three times a week and running three times a week, and not bulking up, because I just wasn't…

You cannot spot reduce fat. A lot of people have said that already, but it's true. Women tend to store fat on the belly, bum and thighs so these will often be the last bits of your body to take on a toned look. To get them looking really good you'll just have to get down to the right body fat percentage. In the meantime,…

Like lots of other people, I agree with this. It's a good idea to consume a high-protein food straight after exercise. Can't say I love protein shakes, though. Try chicken breast or peanuts (I know, they're high in fat, but also an excellent source of protein).

You are in a routine, and you need something seriously difficult to shake yourself out of it. What can you do to change your night-time routine? Exercise later, maybe? What is there in your house that you can just throw out? What are the three foods in your fridge that are worst for you? Bin them - don't buy them again. If…

If you were to drop 10lbs you'd be in the ideal shape for your height. I'd set that as your first goal and then see what you look like. You can check your body fat percentage accurately using bioeletrical impedance scales (very affordable, available from Amazon). Less accurate but indicative, you can just Google body-fat…

Go back and check again. Your weight is governed by a simple formula: Calories in > calories out = weight gain Calories in < calories out = weight loss If you are not losing weight, you are missing something, or miscounting something. Without seeing your diary I don't know what. One possibility is that MFP is over-counting…

1. Targets Set yourself small targets that you can achieve immediately. Each time you succeed it will make the next success easier. Don't set yourself targets you won't achieve. Do only what you feel you can, and increase it gradually. Join up for a 5k and fundraise for charity. You'll get loads of support. It may not seem…