vanessa915 Member

Since I'm totally new to the group and new to SL 5x5, I'm going to keep it simple. My goal for August is to stick with the program. Period. I'm starting today (although I did a light set of workout A on Saturday to test it out) and I'm really looking forward to it! I love that this is a simple program to keep track of. I'd…

So happy to have found this summary! I was planning to start NROL4W when I discovered Strong Lifts (thanks to MFP). SL is so much simpler! And this summary makes it even easier to get started (that PDF is a nightmare!). I did a test workout on Saturday, but definitely didn't use heavy enough weights, so I think I'll start…

This has been a really interesting thread for me since I've been gearing up to start NRoL4W. I even printed up the workout logs for the entire program. I got to discover my enjoyment of lifting heavier weights a few years ago with a particular trainer that really pushed us girls (I was in a small group class thing) to lift…

I think the others are right. You need to add in 100-200 more calories a day. You could add a glass of skim milk or juice with your breakfast. You could add a handful of almonds to your yogurt. Try having an apple w/ a piece of lowfat cheese as a snack, or keep some grapes pre-portioned in the freezer. (I love this as a…

Thanks for the info on Angel Food Ministries! I never heard of it before, and now I'm really intrigued. I checked out the menu for August and I think I'm going to give it a try. There are a couple things I won't likely eat (like the fish sticks), but I can either give those things to friends or donate them somewhere. But…

What you're eating and how much water you consume make a huge impact on your skin. If you're eating well, lots of fruits and vegetables, and if you're getting enough of the 'good' fats from things like salmon, then your skin is going to be much, much better looking and healthier than if you're living on junk food. I've…

I've been lactose intolerant since birth, which usually means it's more severe (ie. I can barely tolerate any dairy without digestive consequences). So I didn't really grow up eating dairy products. I didn't drink milk, or eat ice cream (and that sucked as a kid going to birthday parties, let me tell you!), no yogurt, and…

Ha! No, it's actually one of those giant frozen drinks you can get in Vegas. It was mostly empty by the time the picture was taken though, so it's harder to tell. I can see where you get the bong thing though, lol! :laugh: Vanessa

I have the time, and I'm pretty consistent with my exercise. My girlfriends and I go after work on Mon, Wed, and Fri and often on Sat too. (I only do the C25K on 3 of those days). I think the trouble is that we're also doing a small group personal training on Mon and Wed. So on Mon. this week, I did my C25K workout for 30…

I tried to do W1D2 today, but I just couldn't keep up with it for some reason. I've been recycling through the first week for a while now because I can't seem to stay consistent with it. I'll do fine for a week, then I miss a week, etc. Or like this week, I did Monday just fine, and it was almost easy, but today was…

Great thread! I am only shopping for myself now, but I can always use tips for better food budgeting. Having a well stocked pantry has really helped me out in a pinch. I try to keep canned beans and canned tomatoes on hand. Jars of spaghetti sauce. A variety of grains like rice, barley, whole wheat noodles, etc. Good…

Neither of them are bad actors in general, but I believe they were both kinda crappy in Twilight. A lot of that comes from the directing though. A good actor can be terrible if the directing is poor, and I didn't like the direction that Catherine Hardwicke took the film. I'm honestly glad she didn't come back for New Moon.…

I too grew up in a household where dinner consisted of a meat, a veggie (usually canned or frozen), and a starch (often potatoes of some sort). My mom was (and still is) a pretty good cook. Some things were healthier than others, but we did eat a lot of red meat. Ground beef, roasts, steaks on the grill in the summer. But…

Even if the stuff has some redeeming health qualities, it's still ridiculously expensive! A friend dragged me to a thing where the girl was selling it, and I did actually like the taste of it, so I considered giving it a shot. (Not as a 'magic pill', but just as an addition to my healthier efforts.) But then I saw the…

Adding chunks of watermelon to ice water also makes it very spa-like. (I got the idea from an actual spa, so it works :laugh: ) As for the vinegar, another thing you can do is add the vinegar to sparkling water rather than just plain water. It gives it a whole new spin and makes it very refreshing! Try a high quality white…

That's pretty much exactly what she said (about the pain being from the muscles being unbalanced between the calf and the shin). I'm not having pain yet, but I'm hoping to prevent it because I know as I get more into running I'm more likely to have the problem of leg pain. (Shin splints or otherwise.) I certainly don't see…

I just asked my trainer about this yesterday. She suggested doing calf raises. Stand on a step with your heels hanging off the back and just lift up with your toes. Your feet should be straight, like this | | Do that 15 times. Then turn your heels out so your feet are like this / \ and do the same thing 15 times, then turn…

I'm going to second what many of the people here have already said. Try not to worry about what you THINK everyone else there is thinking. Chances are, you're probably wrong. They're likely focused on their own workouts and their minds are wandering to whatever their own insecurities are. I agree with everyone that said to…

I think I'm going to have to start over. I was doing well with the first week, and really getting into it. But the last 2 weeks have been a mess with some personal things going on and I haven't been able to work out much. Then, I was going to go tonight and do one of the week one days over again, but my stupid toe is…

Well, I've been away from MPF for 4 or 5 days again. I'm so behind on my wogging. I haven't been to the gym since Wednesday, and even then I only managed to do 15 minutes. My husband was away for the weekend so that we could have some time apart to think about things. We talked yesterday, and we've decided to end our…

Ugh. I haven't wogged since Friday! I feel so lazy! I skipped working out on Saturday and Monday (my usual days). Things have just been so stressful at home, and I've been dealing with that. But I'm bound and determined to get back on track today! I'll be resuming my C25K program tonight at the gym and then doing some good…

I noticed on your profile that you're in grad school. Is there any kind of insurance available to you through your university? You should check with your grad school office to see if there are any resources available to you for that, or if they have any kind of student health clinic. There may even be some kind of free…

You may not have changed any products, but the company making them may have changed their formulation. I had a friend recently have that happen to her. She'd been using the same hair product for years, then all of a sudden she started getting a rash on her shoulders and upper back. Turns out the company had changed their…

Morning all! Just checking in to see how everyone is doing so far this weekend. I wogged 31 minutes yesterday, and I'll be headed to the gym in a bit to get some more activity in. I'm not sure I'll wog or not though. I think my shins might need a rest, so I may do the elliptical instead as well as some strength training.…

Just bumping this to keep it on my page... Vanessa

I did C25K W1D2 yesterday at the gym. It felt good and I got through it relatively easily. Did lots of stretching before and after too. I've been looking into shin and calf stretches to help prevent shin troubles too, so that should help. No wogging today. I'm taking the day off. The only thing I might do is take a little…

I didn't have much at home to pack for today, so I settled for a large chili from Wendy's. Haven't had that in a while, and it was very tasty (yet still pretty guilt-free)! Vanessa

If you're wearing good shoes and already have custom orthotics, it could just be that the muscles in your feet need to get used to exercising just like the rest of your muscles in your body. I had a similar problem when I started working out on a regular basis. I could barely walk on the treadmill without my feet aching…

I lived in Portland for about a year before I moved to Michigan (about 2 years ago). Loved it there! We only left because all of our family is back east and we didn't like being so far away from aging parents. My husband still whines weekly about how much he misses it. SO pretty there! Vanessa

Ann Arbor, MI here! Vanessa