h7463 Member

To the friendly MFP member who thought my previous post deserved a 'woo'..not that I really care...look at my profile pic, because that's how I got into kettlebells, and that's what I got out of my training...

The shelter in my area is 'no kill', and the longterm residents really benefit from those walks. There is an awesome crowd of dedicated volunteers up there, and they recently transformed the property next to the place to a public dog trail. A place like that is packed with motivation and reasons to get off the couch... B)

If there is an animal shelter in your area, sign up as volunteer and grab a furry friend for walking or jogging! They need to get out and will thank you! Wagging tails are motivating!

Out of personal experience...your trainer is an idiot. You can do all sorts of things with lighter kettlebells as a beginner. There is no point in starting with heavier weights, unless you have practised proper form. Some exercises will be easier with heavy kettlebells, but some will simply break your back, when you don't…

Look at my profile pic. That's 5'5", 120 lbs, 15% BF, 1600 cal, eating all heavy lifting back, short of ripping the fridge door off the hinges. Also, I hate 'classic' cardio, and I have never set foot on a treadmill in my life.. Yes. It takes me this much food to get this skinny. Chewing on carrots alone doesn't create the…

From my experience, it will go down some with weight loss. It will go down significantly with fat loss, but this comes with a serious change in body composition...aka very heavy lifting...I don't run, except maybe sprint drills on the track. I started training at about 25%BF, this profile pic is about at 15%BF. The yoga…

Hi! I'm 3 pages late into this conversation... I'm in your size range, height and weight, and I have trained down to your target weight before. In my experience, at this point, it is harder to lose numbers on the scale, than numbers on the measuring tape. Your bodyweight is generally perfect for your height, and it would…

[quote= Lifting weights doesn't make your shoulders broad...that's a bone structure thing, and that doesn't change with lifting weights. You either have broad shoulders or you do not...you can't make them more broad or less broad.[/quote] Add some muscle to the bones with lifting, and those shoulders will stand out just a…

On heavy sets with long rests, I don't log any calories, and I just enjoy the extra mental buffer while eating maintenance calories. I have done multiple rounds of Erin Stern's Elite Body Trainer, and it's a combo of HIIT, heavy super sets with relative short rest periods, and heart rate to the max. On those, I will wear…

If it's too hard to change the habit, change the food. Instead of candy bars, donuts, or whatever else is kept around the workplace, I line up apples, plain non-fat Greek yogurt, water, and protein shakes. At least, I won't feel guilty about junk food... o:)

Out of personal experience...there are no exercises that train a muscle..not just abs...and not make the developing muscle proudly trying to bulge out.. Abs are muscles just like any other. You work them, they'll grow. The belly bulge can only be attacked by reducing the bodyfat. Sadly, that's not possible 'on the spot',…

Hi! Sorry to hear that your fitness has been put on hold. My husband has the same condition as you (advanced state, recently underwent spinal fusion surgery), and I'm the weightlifter in this family. Out of this experience, I can tell you, that your lifting program is about to change significantly. I have coached my…

IMHO, brand names are not important, comfort and fit are. I found great pieces at Walmart, but got the best (for me) fitting sport bras from the Victoria Secret VSX series.. Just look around and try on different pieces. Chose your workout clothes (and shoes, btw..) according to your workouts. You don't want to pull down…

Hi! As long as you are happy with your workout schedule, and you feel that you can keep doing this for a long period of time, it's all good, IMO. Slow progress is still progress. However, I second the opinion of the previous poster. Get a better body fat scan. I've got a bathroom scale that's driving me nuts by measuring…

I've got the Polar FT7 and H7, both with chest strap. The underwire bra isn't an issue. The contacts for the sensor are in the strap, and it has to be wet and flat on the skin. I tuck mine under the bra, and it stays put, even during swimming. If it gets twisted in skin folds, then it will lose contact. Low batteries have…

Best video on the topic ever!

Hi! I've done 30DS and many other programs by Jillian. She always does some high impact moves during the cardio segments, and I have worked through several annoying injuries, always modifying. As long as you find an exercise that will keep your heartrate up, you should be just fine. Last time, I just hopped on my…

Like ninerbuff said.. If you are doing yoga, breathing is a bit different than strength training. Ask your instructor how to properly breathe through the poses and transitions. I couldn't think of a single pose where you would have to hold your breath. Mostly, it' keeping your core tight, but still keep breathing. Happy…

Hi! I've done 30 Day Shred with a variety of dumbbells, 5-12lbs, which I used for different exercises, depending on my progress. I just had them lined up, and grabbed a different set as needed. Just be careful, if you grab the big weights, your muscles will be a lot tighter after the strength circuit, and you will have to…

Hi! I've got the same HRM. It links with the (free) Polar Beat phone app to certain smart phones by using Bluetooth. Set up your body stats and link the HRM to the app. The Polar Beat app will run on its own, recording different workouts (there is a list to chose from). You can log in with a free account, and with a free…

Hi there! If your back problem started with a fall, an MRI would be a good idea. That's the most reliable way to find potential damage, and start rehab from there. If it turns out that you are seriously injured, do not start any exercise program without an experienced, competent, and qualified PT, though. I had back…

I grew up in Europe. Nutella has been around for a good 50 years. Nothing else comes even close to the stuff! Best to eat plain, with a spoon. They also make special Nutella scoops, that are shaped in a way so you can reach every corner of the jar.....I've got 2 of those.... =) BTW...about the Rocher gold balls...the…

Yep....I've done some funny stuff like that. I have 2 sets of ankle weights with velcro bands. Each is 2.5 lbs, giving me 10 lbs range to play with.They were on sale for less than $10. I can do baby steps with those, and the velcro makes sure they stay in place. I have one of those cable home gyms, and as long as you don't…

I understand your concerns. I found, that an alternate exercise every now and then is not going to make much of an impact on my personal fitness goals. If you look at my profile pic, my goals were pretty well met every time... However, getting stressed out and getting into confrontations of some sort in a gym will…

The edit option has expired on my previous post.... I would like to add another idea that has helped me avoid confrontation or delays in the gym.... Some exercises depend on some odd piece of equipment or accessory, that always gets lost in the gym. For this reason, and for reason of personal hygiene, I got my own: yoga…

Hi there! I have to admit, even though I have been active in different sports all my life, I have never set foot on a treadmill...lol. However, 3 years ago I purchased a startionary bike, and it's going strong... At this point, this is the best (and only frequent) cardio exercise that I'm doing. I'm not a runner, and some…

Hi there! First: Congrats on working up the courage to step into the weight room in the first place! All the others have already thrown in their ideas about how to behave around heavy weights. I'd like to add some practical advise (from my own experience)... Don't expect others to practice proper gym etiquette...as sad as…

Hi there! Sorry, age or hormonal changes are not an excuse for this. I'm 51 and it's always 'calories in, calories out'. You are most likely underestimating your food intake or overestimating your actual calorie burn. Healthy food or junk food makes no difference for weight loss, either has evil little calories in it.…

Tried N.O. Xplode, too, they make it caffeine free. Worked well FOR ME, however, it foams a lot, and this might cause bloat. Just a thought for sensitive stomachs....

It all depends what you want from a pre-workout. If you need a rude wakeup call, anything caffeine will do, no expensive powders needed. Personally, I need the N.O. boost, not really the caffeine. Sadly, the only pre-workout, that won't make me sick at this time is C4, and they don't have a caffeine-free version yet. Try…