EKN1417 Member

Honestly- it took my years of consistent, dedicated heavy lifting before I was able to reshape my body. That's the bad news. But, the good news is that it did pay off in the end. I took my body from pear shaped with wide hips and thighs, a tiny upper body, and lots of cellulite to a much more hourglass shape with narrower…

I had terrible side stitches when I started running. I still get them occasionally, but they are much less frequent and much less painful. I read something years ago that said if you get side stitcheson you right side (as I always did) to make sure you inhale and exhale when your left foot hits the ground. I started doing…

Your pre-workout meal is going to depend mostly on what your energy needs are during your workout, including how you normally feel, how long you work out for, and how far in advance of your workout you plan to eat it. MOST people probably don't NEED to eat anything special pre-workout. If you are working out intensely for…

I often lift in the mornings- 5:45 AM. It took a lot of getting used to for me, but once you do it for a while it becomes a habit and is much easier. I train fasted, since it makes me feel even more sluggish to eat beforehand, but if you eat or not will depend on your body and a pesronal preference. I suggest trying it…

I had the same issue for a while, and I found a way around out by scheduling my workouts in a kind of unorthodox way. I would do weights in the AM and run in the PM. The DOMS from my lifting session wouldn't set in until the day after, so I wasn't too sore to run if i I did it that night. I made sure to keep at least an 8…

I go to the gym and lift weights or run outside (if it's nice enough) or inside (if its' not) 3 times a week during my work breaks. I am in a very similar situation: no shower. So far, none of my co-workers have said anything. As far as I know, they have no idea what I'm doing during my lunch breaks :) Some tips: -Is there…

I think there is a happy medium. Vacations should be VACATIONS- and sticking to a rigorous and inflexible workout schedule can lead to more stress at a time when you are supposed to be taking it easy. That said, if you think of fitness as a lifestyle, than working out shoudl be something you find rewarding and relaxing and…

I feel you on the strength vs vanity hang up ;) General understanding is that the longer you bulk for, the more productive. Cutting can be done in less time depending on strict you want to/are able to be about it. A lot of competitors, for example, will basically bulk year round and then cut 6-12 week prior to their show.…

These are my favorite 5 becuase they add some variety to my routine and have produced great results. 1. BB Hip thrusts 2. Push press 3. DB Romanian deadlifts 4. Dips 5. Squats (OK so they don't add variety . . .but it's the biggest routine staple I've got and they work great so they made the list.)

Weights + Cardio is what most successful people on this site will avise for long-term, lifestyle changing, results. That being said, most of the programs you list ARE a type of weights (or at least strength building) + Cardio- including P90x, Crossfit, Jillian Michaels, etc. Whichever one you decide should depend on…

The right answer will depend on your goals and your lifestyle. What is your primary goal- to gain muscle or lose fat? Or are you very close to your goals and trying to both at a slower pace (often called body re-comp.) I will say that whatever your goals on it is 100% totally fine to eat more on lifting days than…

I am a size 0. Whether or not that size is attainablefor you is almsot certainly due to your frame size and build. For example, if you were thin and fit in high school but still not a size 0, it's unlikley that size will ever be attainable. And there is nothing wrong with that. A certian size of clothing, just like a…

I tried to read over everything on the last 3 pages. I didn't see anyone mention this, but coudl have missed it. Anyway, if you are having problems balancing during BB squats the culprit could likely be poor core strenght. One of the BEST things about BB squats is that even though they are a lower body lift, they are…

Tough Mudder is a great goal! But not an easy one. I agree with other posters who say you may want to set other mini-goals to complete before you do the tough mudder. It's tough. People in greatshape still struggle with the tough mudder. First, you'll need to be able to run 12 miles. Second, you'll need to be mentally…

If you find yourself hungry, you likely have your calories set too low. You can lose weight without being hungry. If you are just reaching for snacks beacuse you are bored, or out of habit, there are some things you can do. Figure out what time of a day you regularaly find yourself reaching for snacks. PLAN a healthy snack…

Congrats on all your hard work and progress so far! A few thoughs for you! 1. It is tough to see changes in yourself. You look at yourself every day and may feel less successful than you actually are. Try taking photos or looking at old ones. 2. Having your pants fit looser is a great goal- but for us ladies it can be…

You likely don't notice the change in yourself because A. it happens gradually and you look at yourself all the time, and B. Becuaes losing weight does not typically re-shape your body. You thinner usually looks like a smaller version or you when you were bigger. The only way to change your body composition is weight…

I am not a golfer (at all) but my fiance is an avid one so I can weigh in! The answer sort of depends on how serious you are. There is a program called the TPI (Titleist Perfromance Institute) that is a number of locations all over the county. You go in, they test your strenghth, your swing, etc and then design a custom 3…

You will not lose weight just by eating healtyh stuff. IYou will lose weight be eating fewer calories. If you are loading each smoothie up with 500 calories and normally eating 300 calorie meals, that's your explanation. No matter what it is you're eating, you need to know how much of t you're having. Smoothies especially…

Basically agreed with what everyone here has said. If you are still trying to lose weight by eating at a deficit it's impossible to bulk up. Yes, there are bulky looking women at crossfit but their work their tails off for it. Taking in huge amounts of proteins, adding weight every week in their workout, and eating a large…

MFP is telling you to eat 1200 because you put your weight loss goal at 2 lbs per week. That is a steep weight loss goal, since to lose 1 lb you have to take in 3500 calories per week LESS than you consume. So you need to create a deicit of 5000 calories to do this, and its harder without excercise. Becaues that amount is…

Eating those things is NOT going to hinder your weight loss process unless they are outside your calroies or macros (even outside your macros is OK as long as your meeting your most important goals- which you determine.) For health reasons, you may not want to do this every day. It depends on what your primary goal is…

I really feel for you, OP. Breakups are terrible. I've been there in the can't eat, can't move, can't stop crying downward spiral before and it sounds like most posters who have replied have been there before too. You are not alone and it WILL get better. Do not get back together with this guy. Do not WISH to get back…

1. OP used to an athlete who ran the hurdles. While a lot of posters have stated, most athletes need to consume a whole lotta calories to perfrom at optimal levels- including swimmers, MMA fighters, etc. The one possible exception to this rule is runners where carrying less weight can be an actual advantage. Look at…

Some sleeping advice that has helped me in the past: 1. Like other posters have said, excercise helps your body get into a better sleep pattern 2. Limited carbs at dinner (I don't say this for diet reasons, but winding down your carbs later in the day can cause your natural energy levels to drop off a bit and has helped me…

I agree with most of what everyone has said here. I think your husband should support how you want to look, but I also applaud him for being honest. Keep in mind that your husand's "ideal" weight for you is still above what the doctor recommend as healthy, which leads me to beleive he likes you on the bigger side as…

When I started, I did a full body routine 3 days/week + 2 days/week of cardio for the first year. After that, I moved to an upper body/lower body split since I wanted more time to focus on areas that were lagging behind (for me those were my hamstrings and my shoulder.) For that routine I did lower body 2 days/week and…

The best strategy is to try and get a good amount of protein in ay every meal so you can still eat things you like and meet your macros. I am not a big cook, so I use a lot of no-prep protein sources during the day and then cook up an animal protein and veggies for dinner. Some of the things I use throughout the day to…

You can set up your cardio and weightlifting schedule for whatever works best for you- as long as you follow some guidelines. 1. Do NOT weight train every day. 3-4 times is ideal for most people. 2. Take at least one day off per week of all hardcore excercise (both cardio and weight lifting) a walk, slow jog, a yoga class,…

I find it best to frame the answer to questions like that from a health perspective rather than a weight loss perspective. I run into this question a lot, and I always answer that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely important to me. I want to lose 10 more pounds to reach my ideal healthy weight- and while I am…