h7463 Member

I'm certainly not a spring chicken anymore, but I can verify the concept of more food leading to better results. I have to eat at least at maintenance (for me) to get the energy for training hard enough to push my body into fat loss. Keeping in mind, that fat loss results in lower bodyfat percentage overall, but not…

Haha....finding a near empty gym in the first 2 months of the year is as rare as the proverbial snowflake in hell! Wait a few more weeks, it'll clear out a bit! I live in a college town, and sometimes, small groups of students show up, and they will hog certain stations forever. I like having a list of alternate exercises…

Hi! Any machine is useful. Which machine to use depends on the bodypart you wish to train. Map your way through the gym for each training day. If it's a good gym, the machines should have the 'how-to-use' signs attached to them, along with a display of the muscles worked. Otherwise, the staff should be able to explain them…

There is usually a conversion chart to go along with pulley systems that are hooked to the same weight stacks. The actual weight that you are pulling is different with each attachment point. Any little home gym comes with a sheet in the instructions for that. Otherwise, you'd have to do some serious math, and start…

Yes, I have heard that before in my family..(bold print above..)... But in the end, it was just that they couldn't face the fact that the total of the calories in the food log where their responsibility alone...nobody else to blame.... Some people (in my circle of friends and family) can't go without the frequent 'pity…

I recommend cable pulldowns as exercise to work up to pullups. I had never been able to do..or even try... any pullups or chinups until I managed a variety of cable pulldowns (lat, close grip, reverse grip...) with weights at about 80% of my bodyweight at the time. At this point, I decided one day to try a chinup, and…

I would bet that there are just as many people in the bodybuilding section waiting for 'that special magic pill' than there are in the fitness/weightloss crowd... My nephew, who (very much overweight, coming out of high school) got into both. He tried just about every shortcut in training and nutrition available to him,…

Science aside...I have to look at slow weightloss from a more practical point of view... I'm at 'normal' weight, whatever the range for my size. I can still dump 10 lbs in a month with an insane calorie deficit, but then what? The muscles will still be there, but I'll be miserably hungry. For me, slow weightloss eases the…

I'm right there with you! My silly perk: gorilla chinups... :D

I recommend watching her videos. As I stated before, you'll have to hit it hard enough. As a matter of fact...and experience...you can expect to NEED the rest inbetween. You should not expect to be able to do a second workout of any kind on the same day, either. Look at the program as support for all the other training…

Recommending Erin Stern's Elite Body Trainer. It's currently locked up behind a subscription at bodybuilding.com, but they offer a free trial period, during which you can print, copy, and paste all you need. 4-day split for lifting, one cardio day, one HIIT day, one rest day. Day 1 Shoulders,Arms Day 2 Plyo exercises, legs…

If you have something to compare it to... :D

Skinfold calipers are more accurate. The measurements are taken at several key locations on the body to get an idea of the overall bodyfat. I have one of the simpler bathroom scales at home, and the bodyfat readings are all over the place...time of the day, wet/dry feet, right after shower...this scale is just unreliable..…

For most of us, ratios are very individual, and often connected to our fitness goals or nutrition plans. No size fits all. A start would be, to enter your stats into the MFP food tracker, activity level included. The chart will give you a suggestion for the ratios. Compare it to your logged food, make notes about how you…

Your therapist would be the best person to give you advise on this question. Personally, I have walked...well, limped into the gym for a good 6 weeks with a wrecked calf muscle...boy, did my pullups improve... :D Best of luck!

In a word: yes. See a doctor to confirm if that's really your problem, and talk to a therapist for appropriate exercises. They might also be able to evaluate your lifting form. Not all elbows are alike, and a slight difference in the shape of a joint can result in your own personal perfect, correct form for the individual…

I try to keep as much as possible separated, when I prep food in advance for any reason. It always seems the dates on even the same foods depend on a variety of circumstances (delivery date to the store before purchase, cooking times, spices used....Summer/Winter...temp setting of the fridge...). There is a source, that…

This might just be a little too detailed, but looking at this at a microscopic level, there is actually a whole lot of surface on an individual cheese grain. If you imagine each one coated, then you'll probably be asking yourself, what is the ratio of each, and am I buying cheese or...? :D

I thought about the yoga mat scandal, too! The interesting thing is, that this specific additive is prohibited in Europe. I have to look it up again, but it wasn't about cellulose. Not sure how the rest of the world handles it, though. Fact is, that certain countries deem it unhealthy, just the US seems to get away with…

Haha...let's just say, I EXPECT cellulose in fruits and veggies... I only mentioned it in the first place, as a response to a previous post, stating that homemade bread turns out to be very calorie dense. I agreed with this, because I made the same observation, when only using simple ingredients. This lead me to some more…

They often call it 'cellulose powder'... I guess wood pulp/sawdust would probably be disturbing to read for customers....haha....You can also find it in grated cheese (the kind in containers, not the fresh in bags), among other things. The stuff is cheap, and it allows the manufacturer to brag about lower calories and…

That's part of the reason for the wood pulp. It makes it less calories on the volume. All cheating for the labels.. :D

Bread is awesome! I'm not too fond of the commercial versions that list 'wood pulp..cellulose' in the ingredients, though. I prefer to get my fibers elsewhere. My sourdough starters are hibernating in the fridge, and I bake my own breads, not fillers needed.

I found this a good replacement for deadlifts: https://ww.bodybuilding.com/exercises/rack-pulls Add other exercises to hit the remaining muscles that would otherwise be covered by deadlifts. But that's just for me, never anything without doctor's approval! Happy safe lifting!

I sew, so I can fit my clothes as needed. If that's not an option for you, and you're looking for something smart to wear to work, my suggestion would be, to have some custom made. Try a simple style, and if it works with your wardrobe, you can get more in every color. Probably a pricier option at first, but to make a…

I live in one of the 'biggest' states in the US. I hear that a lot. More often than not, the person making the remark is in the company of a cheeseburger, fries, and XL regular Dr Pepper. IMO, it's THEM, who have the problem! :D Just ignore it! Best of luck!

You can try swimming with a heart rate monitor. I have taken my Polar H7 into the pool a few times. I left the phone (needs good signal to support the bluetooth..) beside the pool, and the app tracked distance and calories just fine. I run mine on an iPhone, and the GPS was very accurate. Best of luck!

I'd check with a good seamstress, if the larger size can be altered later. Depending on cut, one or 2 sizes down-sizing is often possible. It would fit perfectly in the end, and you wouldn't waste the money on a tiny size. I own clothes from size US 4 to 10, because I never know where my training leads me. Weightlifting…

I definitely agree with this (^bold print), for calorie counting in any direction. I rarely dipped into the peanut butter with a tablespoon after dark before, but I really needed the calories at the end of the day.... :D I'm not overweight, nor do I have any medical conditions, but I gave this a go 2 weeks ago, just to…

I fell for this before myself... :D I train at home, and now I'm screening new video workouts while doing my warm-up on the stationary bike. Minimizing painful surprises.... Best of luck!