MattDustin Member

Those last few pounds are stubborn... what is your macronutrient breakdown? Things like carb-cycling and even calorie cycling can be helpful. For example, 3 low carb days, followed by a high carb day, or a few days a week eating extra calories, and eating in a deficit the other days (as long as your net intake for the week…

Hey there! First of all, congratulations on beginning lifting - hope you keep at it and never stop! Basically, when you do higher repetition training, the "burn" typically happens. This is due to lactic acid production. Lower rep (heavier) lifting is not always enough to create lactic acid, since lactic acid typically…

I agree, squats are terrible! But you know what made them more bearable, I'm not even joking, is doing dumbbell step-ups. Do 3 sets of 8-10 dumbbell step ups, and then squats won't seem so bad. I'm assuming you know exactly what those are but for any readers who might not know, you stand in front of a plyometrics platform,…

I am also lactose intolerant, but I found that many protein powders had such a small amount it didn't even bother me at all... the two most recent proteins I used were Cytosport Complete Whey (Cocoa Bean) and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey (Extreme Milk Chocolate). ON whey is considered by many to be the best in the…

I mean, I may be crazy, but if it's soreness/pain in your lower back, isn't that kind of normal? I do deadlifts as part of my back workout, and typically my back is a bit sore for a day or two, the same as any muscle group is if it's worked correctly. If it feels like sore muscles maybe you just had a good workout? I know…

Going over on protein is fine - the higher your protein percentage compared to carbs/fat, the better! Protein definitely takes longest for your body to break down, so it will keep you fuller for a lot longer. Carbs burn up quickly and leave you hungry, and it's easy to get too many, but as long as it's good clean protein…

Yup, just like what was already said, you can't look purely at the calories in alcohol. Your body sees alcohol as a poisonous toxin, we all know this from high school science. Your body wants to do everything it can to protect itself, so when it detects toxins, it will drop what it's doing and try to flush out the alcohol.…

Like everyone else said, it definitely doesn't cause fat. Right now I am a cutting diet/workout program to get lean for the summer, and I am taking more protein then ever... between shakes and lean meat I usually get about 160g per day, and the fat is melting right off! Protein takes your body longer to break down and…

Honestly they might hurt your hands, I don't know about that exact weigh, but I do step-ups holding only 35lb dumbells, and after 8 reps my hands and wrists are pretty sore from holding so tight. I like the idea of wrist-wraps better, like everyone else said.

Try oblique twists on the mat using the medicine ball, those really work your core. Sorry if I'm not supposed to post links, but there is a trainer who does a fitness channel on youtube for free, and he has a whole playlist of ab workouts that are pretty simple with basic equipment, plus info on tons and tons of other…

just curious but have you tried the oats itself instead of cooking them bc i make oatmeal with milk and that maybe a little to much dairy. just wondering?? [/quote] I have, I'm not sure why, but maybe because they aren't cooked/soft yet, they don't really get blended. They sort of sink to the bottom and you get a mouthful…

Yeah, thats how I got my stamina up. Consistency is important, just keep going and you'll get there! I like to do cardio 3-4 times a week, do the same amount each time, 15 minutes, then the next week do 17 minutes, each time, then just build up like that. It worked great for me! Keep a log too of what you do so you can see…

Okay good stuff, but here is something I haven't seen posted yet. I would assume if you are mixing it with other things its a meal replacement or snack, not a quick post-workout shake? Anyway, cook up some plain oatmeal, the quick oats, not the flavored packaged kind. If you can, let it cool first, then blend it up with…

Yep, like they said, cardio helps. Getting blood to flow through those areas will deliver fresh oxygen and flush out the toxins, it's a big help. You can also try icing it then heating it, the ice constricts the blood vessels, and the heat opens them, bringing in fresh blood. Don't push too hard if it hurts, but the blood…

You can't spot reduce, it's 100% diet and exercise. Do cardio, eat clean meals every few hours, low carbs, high protein... Working out helps too, because extra muscle will burn calories at rest, so do some resistance training. That's the hardest spot to burn fat, just stick with it and be consistent, and it will eventually…

To me it depends on how you will take it. I just put it in a shaker with water and chug it down, thats the quickest way to get it in my body. For that, I want one that mixes well and doesn't taste horrible. Like everyone has been saying. Optimum Nutrition from bodybuilding.com is great. Personally, I got the sampler and…

Honestly, you could pick up a rock or book and shake it vigorously the same way, for the same results. Shaking anything hard and fast in your hands like that will work the same muscles, this is just shaped a little easier to grip. But try it, then try shaking a heavy book or small weight, or a rock. It will do the same…

Yeah, that calculator is not right, it makes an educated guess, but every single person has a different metabolism. Think about it, if a 6'2" bodybuilder weighed 200lbs with 12% bodyfat, his weight loss and metabolism rate would be much different from someone with who weighed 200lbs at 5'4" and 25% bodyfat. That "if every…

Here is what the trainer I work with told me, and what I've pretty much found to be true. The elliptical burns way more calories, mainly because it uses your arms as well as your legs. It has resistance, so of course it is harder. On the treadmill, you simply move your feet through the air, like walking or running. However…

Yes, working out your arms will definitely firm up the muscles, and can make them look more toned. It won't burn fat directly, but they might look better. Also, muscle burns calories, even at rest, so adding muscle all over will help you burn more calories throughout the day!

Squats! Those are great for your butt. Or do one-leg step ups on a chair. If you have a gym, you can use weights for your squats, weights for your step-ups, and you can use leg curl machines. For home stuff though, do a lot of squats and step ups. You can also run the stairs or do jumps at the top of your squats, all of…