kimothy38 Member

I was so ashamed of myself when I joined the gym but I just kept going and I feel like a completely different person 6 mths. Fitness, strength, body confidence have tripled. I hated mornings but now look forward to getting up at 5am to get to the gym. A good personal trainer will make a big difference too.

Start strength training and weight loss at the same. Don't rush weight loss - slow it down so you can gain muscle with a lower calorie deficit & you don't feel hungry Hard work does pay off eventually. Feeling slim is good but feeling strong is better. A good personal trainer is worth every cent you pay.

My quads burn so bad when I do leg extensions that I have to stop & it looks like I'm going into spasm the way I arch back to relieve the pain. Another trainer walking past even laughed cause it looked so dang awkward & painful.

Wish I could remember what the dream was about but sadly I can't. It was seriously good though if ya know what I mean - one of those rare and beautiful ocassions like a rainbow.

My husband wears a shirt because he's pale and burns easily but also because he has a huge keloid scar from heart surgery and it freaks people out. He tells people he got an axe in the chest!

He's a gem, awesome trainer too, but I'm married & he's half my age.

To stop having impure thoughts about my bodybuilding, sensitive, good looking, supportive, funny, personal trainer.

I've been doing 5:2 for a few months now and lost 11kg so far. Was hard for the first month then suddenly became quite doable. I still get hungry but not starving. I love the fact that I don't diet everyday. If there's something I want to eat but its fasting day I just save it till the next day. I did find that fasting…

I don't much like pasta (it's the texture I think), but I binge on bread (especially if it's fresh and crusty) and can take or leave cereal.

Stress can absolutely play havoc with weight loss. Relaxing exercise such as yoga, pilates etc would be more beneficial than cardio type exercise. Are you getting enough sleep?

I use straps for the final set just because my forearms are weak and sore by that time. I still get sore whilst using straps but not crippling discomfort. Am thinking about using gloves though because sweaty hands are a nuisance and sometimes straps are just too fiddly to use.

I empathise. Sugar is my down fall too. I find if I'm eating enough protein I don't feel hungry and haven't binged for ages. If I open a block of chocolate though it's gone soon after so I only do that once a week. At least now though I share it with the family rather than hide it all for myself. The cravings can take…

Hi.

I'd smile politely and carry on sweating my butt off.

Good on you! Awesome effort. I totally agree with this^^^. When people ask me what I've been doing I say it's been 6 months of early mornings with a personal trainer, watching what I eat, fasting 2 days a week, and lots of sweat (and some tears). Their eyes glaze over after 5 seconds because it's not the quick fix they…

I'm ashamed of what I did to my body and self esteem but I have to own it don't I? I'm 43 and got into the worst shape ever when I turned 40. I really started to feel like the best years had passed me by. Thankfully I found an awesome trainer and have turned things around. I've lost 15 kg and am half way to where I want to…

I focus on exercise not food. When I'm into the habit of going to the gym I find I naturally start to eat better. But if I focus on food and logging calories every day then I start to feel deprived. I don't diet as such though I am doing 5:2 fasting - this is more for the benefit of fasting and not wanting to end up type 2…

Unfortunately my knees can only cope with one zumba class a week. It's my Friday night wind down from the week. The instructor is so awesome - she's the only reason I joined the gym at all. Some classes have lots of salsa but the one I love is more dance music. Instructors bring their own flavor to a class you try a couple…

I tried to throw a 10kg medicine ball up at a beam but underestimated how much effort it would take. It missed the beam and sailed into the weights area with me running after it. I don't think anyone saw. I thought it was hilarious.

^^ This. I started weight loss and lifting at the same time - best strategy ever. Wish I'd done it previously.

I confess I'm so demotivated by my job that it will get me into trouble for missing deadlines. I worked so hard last year I burnt out. My workload and stress reflected poorly on my manager so I then got a poor performance review from her. This year I just can't bring myself to give a crap about my job. My main focus has…

I started doing both at 240 pounds - best decision ever. I bust my butt doing weights (cause I love doing weights) and have gained muscle but am toned not bulky. I do cardio for fitness and endurance (though I don't much like cardio) but a combination of both is perfect. 6 months on I'm down to 209 pounds (half way to my…

Do an unassisted pull up and squat 100kg

Hi. Fellow Kiwi in her 40s here. I don't track often, just the 2 days a week when I fast on 800 cal. 15kg down so far. Welcome.

The thing I learned about fasting is that it ebbs and flows - you don't tend to get hungrier and hungrier, the hunger pangs will pass. Sometimes I find fasting really easy and other times not so much.

My trainer has started me on machines to ensure correct form and good mind/muscle coordination. Makes sense. I was keen to be let loose in the free weights section but he's spot on with advice so I'll listen to him. Cardio after strength training. Apart from what my trainer makes me do (those horrible burpees) I do things…

I wouldn't worry about too much unless it becomes a trend over a month or so. I started strength training, personal training and losing weight at the same time. Works well for me. I love the fact that as I lose weight I can see the muscle that was hidden. Never again would I lose fat before starting strength training.

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Rediscovered self confidence. I get compliments most days - not just about weight loss - but because I smile and laugh more, I wear make up and nail polish, and have gone down 2 dress sizes. The happiness I put out there comes back ten fold.

40s are a great time to reinvent yourself. It's never too late. Small and consistent changes are a good start, they add up to big long term changes. You are worth it. It'll be hard work but you'll get there. You've had a wake up call and are obviously motivated now. Best of luck.