racerscottw227

Good socks and good running shoes make a world of difference.

Right now I'm on week 6 of the C25k program. 7 weeks ago I couldn't complete week 1 of the program. But I kept repeating the first week until I could finish. Just keep at it and you will be running a 5k in no time. Also, don't over-train. The first time I started running I ended up with a bad ankle injury because I didn't…

Yes. And it's why I firmly believe in the power of a routine. I have had some weekends where I did absolutely nothing and ate like crap, but when Monday hit and the alarm clock went off I fell right back into my routine without even thinking about it. Fitness and healthy eating isn't rocket science. It's simple (though not…

I use Pandora and set the station to either Breaking Benjamin or Disturbed. I also use Miles Davis for cooldowns after running and for stretching.

If you are going to weigh yourself daily, do so in the morning after you use the restroom and before you eat or drink anything. That way you can minimize any variables that might make your weight fluctuate unnaturally. Also, for the first couple of weeks my weight fluctuated wildly. After my body got used to drinking water…

I've also heard that gram for gram honey is sweeter than sugar. So you might get more bang for your buck with honey. Plus, honey tastes better and local honey tastes best.

I am striving for 50/30/20 (Protein/carbs/fat), but that is unhealthy if maintained for a long time. Once I get closer to my goal weight I'll switch to 40/40/20. And if I get really serious about exercise I'll go 30/50/20 or even 20/60/20. I'm basing this on the P90x fitness guide. Your own research may lead to different…

Chicken, chicken, and more chicken. Also find some good herbs and seasonings so you can mix things up. I always cover it with seasonings, place it in a pan, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake it at 450F for 45min. Simple and easy and the chicken stays moist. Also greek yogurt. Everybody says to get plain non-fat…

I used to eat two per day, one before and one after lunch. I couldn't go 5 min without passing gas. And I would spend about an hour each day on the toilet at work. I dropped back to one per day and those symptoms went away.

Ditto. A good kitchen scale has been the biggest help to my diet.

Are you giving yourself enough time to recover in between runs?

I'm 5'6" and on week 4 of C25k as well. I "run" about 6mph on average. I think that's slow, but it's mostly because I'm just getting into running. I figure that after I get a full 5k under my belt I'll be able to work on speed.

I would find an exercise that you don't absolutely hate. I go over all the time, but afterward I will hop on the bike, lift weights, or go for a jog. I always know that I can eat whatever I want so long as I work it off.

Same here. At least two guys from work have had surgery to lose weight and now they are bigger than ever. I'm a firm believer that you won't appreciate something that you didn't earn. And having surgery to lose weight is not earning it.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/362906-can-you-build-muscle-on-a-calorie-deficit/ Not much, but some. More than anything strength training will help prevent some muscle loss. I've been on a consistent caloric deficit for two months now, but I am able to lift more than when I started. I'm not increasing reps/sets/weights…

Here's what I had, yours may not be the same. A few weeks into C25k I had some pain in my knee. I put ice on it intermittently and kept it elevated. (Remember: RICE) I also went to the doctor and got an opinion. He felt around my knee and said that I had probably irritated a tendon in that area. He also said to use Rest,…

Warm up before / Stretch after Drink plenty of water And calf cramps could be a sign of doing "too much, too soon". So maybe take a day or two off from lower body exercises and cardio and see if that helps. Your legs need a chance to recover. You can also try getting a sports massage.

Yes diet is 80% of it. But studies have also shown that people who add strength training to their exercise routine burn more fat/calories than doing cardio alone. Part of this is because you are doing more(?) and the other part is that you are building muscle and muscle burns more calories than fat.

Either log them under cardiovascular as 'Strength Training' or 'Circuit Training' depending on which one fits.

It gets better. It took me a few weeks to finish the first week while running outside (I recommend running outside instead of a treadmill). But since then I have not had to repeat any days or weeks. Just listen to your body. Give yourself time to recover. Don't try to do too much too soon. And most importantly, don't give…

If you can't finish a day, repeat it the next time. It's better to repeat a day or week than to progress too quickly too soon and possibly injure yourself.

To preface: I'm only on week 3, but I have done some running in the past. When I have previously tried increasing my endurance I ran 5-7 days per week. Thanks to my effort I ended up with a pulled hammy that took a month to get over. Every other time since then I've had to scale it back because after a couple days of…

I never found an instance where drinking was unavoidable. But if you take into account the calories from the alcohol and still end up in an acceptable calorie range, then go for it. Personally if I'm going to drink, I'm going to drink beer, and none of those crappy light beers either. I want something full flavored:…

Yes you should eat back your calories. If you go under 1,200 net calories your body may go into starvation mode and your metabolism may slow to a crawl. From other things I've read, you may also be more likely to injure yourself (because it will take longer to recover from exercise) if you drop too low.

Start up Pandora and use the "Breaking Benjamin" station.

Walmart. I have one that is digital and can change from grams to ounces to pounds and so on. It comes in really handy since serving sizes aren't in a standardized unit.

"Thank you" is the quick and painless answer...even if you are thinking "I really haven't lost that much...I've still got a long way to go..." Because you do see yourself every day it may take a while for you to really see change. And depending on how much you are trying to lose, even a noticeable change may be a long way…

I still have my drivers license from where I was 21yo and 150lbs.... I keep it right behind my valid license and every time I see it I think, "I want to look like that again". I also have stopped focusing on my weight loss goals and started focusing on my fitness goals. Weight may fluctuate daily but being able to run 1…

Won't pay for: Gym membership fees. I take what I would spend and invest it into weights and other equipment. Computer building (Dell/Apple/HP/etc). I can build a much better computer for way cheaper without all of the bloat. Bottled water. I have my own tap and filter thank you very much. Will pay for: Good running shoes…

I used to smoke and I couldn't walk a mile without feeling a bit short of breath. I quit about a year ago though with the help of whatever that quit-smoking-drug is. Also, every time I used to try to get in shape through running, it would take me a month or so to be able to run a mile and then I would get injured due to…