Kestrelwings Member

Oh I get it! We really need to get some suitable equipment at the gym. It is a great place, but because it is a chain they can't install anything unless it is approved by the company :grumble: Thanks for the info though. I shall have to figure out a way to replicate it with what we have got. :smile:

How do you do barbell hypers? Never heard of them, and a youtube search just brings up ones with a reverse hyper machine. Admit I love good mornings, had forgotten all about them. :smile:

I get callouses in the exact same place. I do wear gloves or else I get them on my palms at the base of my middle fingers too. I think deadlifts/rack pulls and lat pulldowns cause mine. Not sure though.

I suspect i am being thick, but how do you use cauliflower as rice???

Loving your booty and flat tum there Jo, suitably jealous.

I also find the back a lot harder to work than abs. OK so there are deadlifts, but apart from doing upper back & lats there is not much in the way of good exercises for the lower back. Hypers are dull, and I never feel they are 'doing' anything. Reckon I would find reverse hypers better, but no way of doing them at my gym…

Hi there :flowerforyou: Well done on your progress so far :smile:

Risk of eating the whole jar with a spoon = very high :tongue: Wonder if you can do it with dark chocolate as well... :love:

One of the regular guys at our gym is in a wheelchair, but in awesome shape and lifts weights really well. It is definitely harder working out when you have physical diabilities, but it can be done (paralympics are a case in point!) but you need to know how to maxmise your abilities. If possible, a personal trainer who can…

I am with you on making sure I have plenty 'left' to eat in the evening. I simply cannot go to bed hungry or I won't sleep. I also confess and hang my head in shame that I wake up roughly every 2-3 hours at nights and 'have' to eat or else I can't drop off to sleep again properly. It is 90% psychological, as I don't 'need'…

I am still waiting for the 'eat like a horse' phase. Despite weight gain, this I must be eating over what I need, I am still ravenous and having to watch what I eat very carefully and keep up the cardio or I may go over the 'golden' 0.5lb per week :grumble: but it is very early days, so no point worrying about it :laugh:

The boxing I did on Sun had ways of making them more fun: you lie ready for situps, and your partner stands by/on your feet holding target pads. You then sit up and jab/cross or hook twice depending on where your partner moves the two pads. I forgot I was doing abs as I was so focused on striking the target. Only the next…

I eat back, and feel better / safer that way. However I do know that it is not accurate as a 'workout' on a stepper for some people is a gentle cruise at level 5, for some it is short bursts of interval training, but for me it is a steady but pushing myself cruise on level 12. I like to 'bank' calories too, as it gives me…

I have two abs moves included in my set workouts from my PT - weighted crunches & weighted Russian Twists. I did not have any in my previous programme though. Right now my abs are screaming for mercy after trying kickboxing on Sunday - great fun but I now HURT in the strangest places! :laugh:

Week 4: 51.5kg/113.2lbs Up 200g/half a pound on last week. I know that is the 'textbook' amount, but I had secretly hoped I would be able to even eat more before I gained :ohwell: I know however that most people have to keep upping the calories as the bulk progresses. On a lighter note, wore a short-sleeved dress to work…

I make my own trifle type thing - home-made jelly flavoured with some of my protein shake flavouring powder (I buy unflavoured protein, and a selection of the flavourings seperately) topped with a huge serving of quark (nom nom nom) and fruit (or whatever you want to sprinkle on the top - nuts/granola etc).

Today had run out of inspiration & was running late, so am on emergency rations (instant oatmeal!) Usually hard boiled eggs, a box of chopped veg/salad/tuna or something, and melba toast.

As said above - you need to go to a doctor. ( I am a Dr, but you need to be properly seen and examined, it is IMPOSSIBLE to safely assess and treat someone over the internet).

I also HATE that. Makers try to pretend their food is not too bad by saying one pie/cake/pizza can feed the population of a small country, you just need to cut it into microscopic slices to do it. I mean, seriously, who the hell cuts a dish into 16 portions? Hardly even a mouthful each! :noway: He he, rant over! :laugh:

I admit I envy people who can trust their hunger signals. After years of restricted eating my body is totally confused, plus I have to take a medication which is unfortunately a potent appetite stimulant :frown: Fortunately it works at what it is intended to do, and that outweighs even feeling hungry all the time :laugh:

Thanks for clearing that up, sounds great. I now have wonderful mental images of fat 'whooshing' out of the body :laugh:

Lyles woosh effect? Not heard that one before! :happy:

I am working on BMR + daily activity, but have a TDEE of about 1800-2000 (5'5"/5'6" and 112lbs), and am getting in about 1900 to 2400 cal daily depending on the day & hunger levels. I need to increase again though, so going to aim for an extra 100-200 per day average and see how I get on.

Week 3: 51.3kg/112.8lbs That is only 100g up on last week, so time to up the intake. Popped into supermarket on way home from gym and got some yummies (apols to everyone who is cutting at the mo)! Was looking for a weight belt on the advice of my trainer for posture, but no chance of one small enough over here that was in…

Another vote here for 'everything in moderation'. Some parts of the Paleo diet make sense and I can see how paying attention to what you eat and avoiding processed foods is good for you. Cutting down on refined sugars and avoiding too much high GI food and its resultant insulin swings is a good idea. However, to cut out…

Dumb Q's here as I know nothing about good vs 'bad' carbs: With reference to cutting out grains, what about oats? I can't live without my porridge! Are oats are a better choice than veg like potato as a fuel source?

For what is is worth, I too have a 'pot belly'. At 5'5/5'6" and 112lbs it is there. When I got ill and lost down to 90lbs it was still there. No amount of calorie deficit would ever shift it. I get asked 'when is the baby due?' depressingly often. I have a strong core, can do crunches/situps/planks all day, and I regularly…

Depends a lot on the individual. Much of the strength loss will be the deconditioning of the supporting muscles around the joint too. You should find a lot of the strength is returning over the next 6-8 weeks, with most of it returned at about 12 weeks.

Dang - but you have a great butt Jo! Wish mine was half as booty-worthy :smile: My body shape comes out as pear, which is fab in my view :-) I always thought I was an apple = skinny arms & legs with a fat tummy. The same site also does body fat based on measurements, and if I measured myself right both of the calculators…

If you want to see how broad 'normal' can be, and the huge variation in body shape/apparent size for very similar measurements, I suggest taking a look at this site: http://www.mybodygallery.com/ You can put in your own weight & height, and even age and body type if you want, and it will show you loads of pictures of real…