blackcoffeeandcherrypie Member

Hey, I'm from Manchester UK and would love to make some fitness friends for motivation and accountability! xxx

Am pretty happy with the set up - we raise the bars on the squat racks to do bench. I do want to swap it for a power cage though - when money allows.

Maybe I am just stupid, but I find it so hard (impossible) to understand the instructions in some of these guides. For example - Bill Starr's 5 x 5 says: https://oldschooltrainer.com/bill-starrs-5-x-5-training/ "Bench - 5 sets of 5 1x10 weight from 3rd set" What does this even mean?! Should there be commas? What does…

I do stronglifts 5 x 5. It's simple, it's consistent and there are lots of great videos online to show you exactly how to do the lifts. I'm not sure we can post links, but google 'stronglifts 5 x 5' and it'll come straight up. It's probably one of the most popular weights programmes, especially for beginners.

Never stretched before exercise. I don't think it makes any difference. Yoga is nice to improve flexibility overall, though.

What does 'his side of the story' have to do with your body? It's your body, it's all your side of the story. This is him trying to control your body with fear and blackmail. Whatever he says now is just him wriggling to get off the hook he put himself on, while he thought he was putting you on the hook. Whatever you do…

I'm a serial starter too. But it's better to keep falling down and getting up, than just staying down.

44 lengths. Legs are feeling stronger and I'm faster in the water.

"Over the course of the year, the researchers found the levels of GLP-1 and PYY, which inhibit appetite, increased while ghrelin, a hunger-related hormone, increased immediately after weight loss but returned to normal levels." "The increase in ghrelin was directly related to the body thinking it required more food to…

Breville Blend Active. We love it. Blends ice no problem, easy to clean.

I was two lengths from finishing so I just stretched and tried to go easy on that leg. I don't usually get cramp it's just cause I've been really lazy recently and I'm all weak again.

Yes I did - 30 minutes, enjoyed it :-)

Yes I did :-) trying to get back into it after a few months laziness. Did 40 lengths and got a little cramp but soldiered on.

More like every two weeks. It's usually considered that a pound of fat lost = 3500 calorie deficit. At 250 calories a day, that will take 14 days.

The guy in the gym put spare weight plates under my heels so I could press down as I squatted.

There is no such day as thanksgiving here so, sure, why not :-)

Yes I did - 1 mile in 50 minutes, which is great for me. Used my new fins and I felt soo fast :-D

Ha ha ha! Can you imagine if you just couldn't resist dunking carrot sticks in a sprout puree? :-P

Thanks for this. It's really reassuring for me to know that other people do this :-) Also - you're right, I do think of buffets as fun gatherings. But part of me wonders - how much of my sense of 'fun' is based around the possibility of food? Especially that kind of carby, snacky food you often get at buffets - crisps,…

I started at 20kg, as recommended by the Stronglifts 5x5 programme, and then I went up in 2.5kg increments.

Yeah, growing up fat, you constantly get remarks. As an older person, people leave you alone much more, which is such a relief to me.

Lol, I don't think I have a mental disorder - but I do think I have an unhealthy mental reaction to available food and that's something that can be worked on, whatever you want to call it. As regards snacks when going places - YES! My mother was very controlling over what I ate (because I was a fat kid) but if we were out…

Yeah, the feeling afterwards. I love running, *after* I've done it, lol.

Unsweetened, unsalted museli. It's been my go-to breakfast for years and I feel hollow without it now. It's low GI, has no sugar, is very filling and is quick to make and eat.

I used the Tesco own brand version to drop weight before I went on my summer holiday. I liked it because I was actually getting the recommended vitamins and nutrients every day, so it felt safe. We got a blender and mixed it up with ice, milk and other things and it was really tasty and filling. Of all the very low calorie…

I really appreciate everyone's comments so much. It's interesting to know that other people do this too. Thanks for the tips and tricks, I like the idea of delaying starting, if I can, and the links to the 4 steps OCD was useful for reattribute, relabel, refocus and revalue.

In fairness, not all cookies are the same. I like Nairn's oat biscuits, which are classed as low GI food, whereas a chocolate chip cookie would be a high GI food. I haven't read the study, but it may well be that not all cookies were created equal.

Yep, went swimming. Delighted because pool manager okayed my fins so I used them for the first time. They are hard work though! Then got ordered out of the pool early because nudists were coming in and they have to clear everyone out for them. It was too amusing to be annoyed by it.

Steam them a little, but not much. It's better when they have more bite and texture. Also, if your appliance has a setting to make thicker ones, use it. Finally, make more than you think you need, it looks like little when it's on the plate. Another option is, as you steam them, mix in a little salt, pepper, herbs, garlic,…