helen8328 Member

I think men who are intimidated by strong women are just insecure and would probably be a nightmare in a relationship anyway. I lift weights and I'm happily married with 3 kids as are most other female bodybuilders I know. Also I find it quite amusing when men get intimidated. There was a guy showing off on the squat rack…

I have weak knees but I found that mine are much better since I've built up the rest of my leg muscles, which took the pressure off them. Even riding a bike originally hurt them. I started doing leg exercises with very light weights and slowly built them up, trying to use every muscle group in them. I had a personal…

It may be worth considering a personal trainer just to show you the basics first. Correct form is important to get the best muscle gains and prevent injury. It can also be a bit overwhelming walking into the weights room and not knowing what to do.

If you google kettle bell squats you should find lots of easy tutorials for squats without using bars. I made loads of progress doing these and you can also use Dumbbells for some exercises. Just remember to constantly squeeze your butt for the best results whatever you do.

I was squatting with 60kg on my back the other week when a bumble bee flew into my face. I instinctively ran backwards a couple of steps and nearly knocked someone out. They were defiantly NOT impressed lol

I still force myself to go but if I'm feeling a little fatigued I'll just take it easier than normal. Like you I can find it hard to get back into it if I don't go. Something has to be better than nothing right?

You may find it easier to start squatting with your own bodyweight first (without the ball) to practice your form before trying it with weights. There are loads of videos on youtube with tips on correct form. Then when you're comfortable with this try it with a light barbell and work your way up the weights until you can…

Are you using your weight to calculate the calories you've burned? The lighter you are the less calories you burn. My treadmill asks me to input my weight before I start to get an accurate calorie reading. The same thing happened to me though and I now only put half the amount of calories in and this seems fine.

I sometimes use apple juice instead of water which makes them tastes nice.

Caesin and whey are both milk proteins so should be avoided by people who have dairy intolerances, same for the soya ones as soya allergies are also quite common. The other one I know of is hemp protein, which seems to be the easiest digested. I think as long as you have no allergies it doesn't really matter which one you…

Maybe you could up your weight training a little? The more muscle you have the efficiently your body burns fat. Also, if you have gained muscle since you've started weight training you have to remember that muscle is heavier than fat, so it may seem like you haven't been loosing fat when you have. Is there any way you can…

You should up your protein on workout days as you've torn the muscle fibres by using them and they need protein to repair and get bigger and stronger. Try sipping on a protein shake during or after your workout as this is when your body needs it the the most. They're not just for men to get big and bulky at all, they're…

I workout in the morning about an hour after I've had a big bowl of oatbran. I find that I need a dose of good carbs before to give me energy to work hard (oatbran also has more protein in it than normal oats). I also sip a protein shake during my workout to help repair the muscles straight away, and sometimes some amino…

I think the doctors are right to say it will help you but you have to remember that 'help' doesn't really mean a magic cure all. It usually takes a number of things working together to get out of depression. If you're exercising you also need to make sure you're getting enough nutrients throughout the day or you will crash…

I think the best thing to do would be to always go for the healthiest choice on the menu. If you know in advance which hotel you're staying in then do a google search for restaurants nearby to find the best one. If you know exactly where you're going and even better which meal to have if they have an online menu, you're…

I too have had an unhealthy relationship with food in the past. I think started because I had a pot belly from bloating. I didn't realise that I was intolerant to some foods and so cut down on all foods to beat the bloat when all I really needed to do was cut out a certain few and not try to survive off a 100 calls a day…

Green vegetables usually have high amounts of protein as do nuts seeds and a lot of grains such as lentils, soy & pinto beans. Quorn products are made from protein too. I also have a hemp protein powder if I feel I haven't had enough or on days I go to the gym. Oatbran also has more protein in it than normal oats, and…

Madonna still denies ever having Botox, doesn't mean its true though...

You can't really argue with results. I have less fat on my body and more lean muscle now I do HIIT/fat burning and weight training, than I did when I was doing cardio and weight training. There was a study at a Canadian university (amount others) to back this up. Body builders don't do cardio yet they have lower body fat…

I've tried these and they're horrible. Most of them have aspirin in them as they cause such bad headaches. I had to stop taking them as they started giving me heart palpitations. They also make you loose muscle mass which isn't too good for weight loss as the more muscle you have, the more fat your body burns so when you…

I started taking magnesium oxide supplements a few weeks ago and they've made a massive difference to my periods which were quite bad. My hormones seem to be more stable and they're less painful. I found them accidentally in my local pharmacy and thought I'd give them a try and glad I did. Apparently a woman's magnesium…

The more muscle you have the more efficient your body is at burning fat so if weight loss is your goal then weight traing is pretty important. Long periods of cardio though have a nasty habit of burning muscle as an energy source (that's why you don't see body builders running for miles), you'd be much better off doing…

I love that your friend does a crazy chicken dance to motivate you to get back onto the bike, I'm gonna remember that one next time my friend thinks about giving up in the gym lol My favourite quote is 'abs are made in the kitchen', I tell myself this every time I think of reaching for a cookie or chocolate. I was in a lot…

I didn't know about the dye put into skimmed milk so we've both learned something today :-). I'll be honest though I don't eat any dairy as it upsets my stomach. I drink either hemp or almond milk which are both good sources of calcium too. A 250ml glass of hemp milk provides 38% of your daily calcium requirements (from…

I think chimps are mainly vegetarian and only eat meat when they have to, which is very similar to humans. We don't have to eat meat to survive, but it is beneficial in times of need. I've been following the detox program for a year now and feel fantastic. I think cutting out gluten and dairy helped me the most, along with…

I wouldn't recommend a raw food diet if you are trying to gain weight. I read a study somewhere (I'll post it if I can find it) where a scientist ate the same foods as the chimpanzees she was studying. Even though she ate the same amount of calories she normally would she ending up loosing weight as its harder for our…

I was talking from personal experience. I'd never give up weight training as I enjoy it so much but it doesn't stop me being slightly annoyed that my boobs have disappeared and my increased chest muscles make them look even flatter. I can totally understand why they would get implants to look more feminine, especially as…

Skimmed milk actually has more calcium in it than full fat milk and less bad fats. Also if you check the nutritional info on the cheese and butter labels, you'll see that they contain little to none calcium in them as the calcium stays in the milk and whey when the fat is separated from the milk to make the butter and…

It's probably because as a woman, its a bit depressing when your chest muscles are bigger than your boobs. I've always had small boobs but since I started weight training they've practically completely disappeared, and even though I'm nowhere near the size of the women in those pics, my chest bigger muscles seem to make…

I to the gym in school hours and most of the people there at that time are mothers trying to loose their baby weight and older people. Sometimes there are also carers bringing in the special needs people they look after. This would probably be the best time of day to go if you're feeling self conscious. You should also…