Inlet

I am a pear shape... not hourglass by any means... I've had success doing a lot of upper body strength training to even out my appearance to a more hourglass shape... makes me look very athletic and awesome. ;) Strength training is key, It makes my lower half look a lot nicer, even if it has typically been pretty…

Cut out ALL of your steady-state cardio and replace it with short (20 minutes or so) sessions of high intensity interval training. (if you go to a gym, check out a circuit class if offered) Continue to lift has heavy as you can, low reps, three sets, full body, three times a week with a FULL rest day in between lifting…

Stick a fully prepped gym bag in your car every morning when you leave the house. Accept the fact that it is a chore, and is uncomfortable frequently, and then don't come home from work or school until you have gone! I find, when I am in a rut, sometimes going to one of the classes, even though they don't provide as much…

I am the opposite. I'm very intolerant of egg whites. I ate an egg white omlet and I had people asking when the baby was due. :-p just eating the yolks now. :-) no whites anymore! Apparently egg whites have anti-nutrients and a compound that inhibits digestion for some people.

Sodium is only bad if you have hypertension/kidney disorders.... Actual disorders. I will make you retain some water, but water rention isn't THAT big of a deal. I have superlow blood pressure. Low sodium diets push me to the verge of passing out.

I run after lifting and take a FULL rest day of "leg rest" after that... Day one: Lower body and abs, then run day two: arms and shoulders only. day three: Run. might lift depending on how sore my legs are at that point. (if very sore, I just lift, if they feel good - not stiff, and only slightly sore - I will lift and…

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I have found that in most areas of life, the big picture is the one to keep an eye on. ;) So I pay more attention to my weekly deficit. However, I do monitor my protein every day very carefully because I'm training hard.

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Sounds awesome!

Whoa.

Will try this... :-)

I was netting 1800, so I frequently ate more than that... Depending on that days workout...

1800 net calories... So, sometimes 1900, or 2000, but 1800 net cals, yes. However, that was up significantly from my recent 1200/1500 persistant (non-lifting, cardio only) deficit so my body was adjusting to higher cals... And adjusting to building muscle... I am noticeably bigger... I'd kinda like to actually SEE the…

Good point... 25 year old female, 5'6" 135 lbs, About 19-20 percent body fat (according to one of those handheld bio-electrical impedance devices) I would like to get to 15% to see some definition. Day 1: upper body/abs/back Day 2: lower body + 20 min running Day 3: rest day. And repeat.... And occasionally I throw in a…

bookmarked. oh yes.

Coffee with a bit of sugar and 2 tbsp cream. 65 calories. Grapefruit.

First: get professional help. There's no shame... I'm getting some myself. Second: a b vitamin deficiency can wipe out appetite and zap your energy. Take B vitamins and fish oil supplements to keep your brain safe and functioning and undamaged as possible by poor nutrition. Third: don't focus on meals yet so much. Carry…

It gets easier too, the longer you do it. You figure out all the calorie cutting tricks and wind up memorizing calorie contents of stuff. Best wishes!

Timeline, by Micheal Crichton Enchanted, by Orson Scott Card The Fault in our Stars... Forgot authors name!

Incorporate foam rolling after every single run. :-) It can help prevent injuries like ITBS that sometimes take out first time marathoners.

Kale chips, carrots... I don't really get the crunch craving anymore though...

Respectfully, and since you asked for an opinion... and having just read your update... I'm SO GLAD you aren't going to do that diet. As a general rule it's a better idea to eat plenty and lose for GOOD. =) Wise choice. One thing I noticed when I was doing a low calorie diet was that my injuries were not healing…

Caffeine gives me a big energy boost... So much so that the first time I used it before a run I accidentally ran FAR beyond what my body had adequate fuel to sustain. When the caffeine was gone I had a movie worthy crash/hit the wall and literally crawled home with my head as far between my knees =p My glycogen was GONE…

Post long workout or run I drink a protein shake consisting of... 1tbsp pure, unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 scoop Dymatize Whey and casein protein powder, and 8 oz of skim or 1% milk. It always brings me back to life after getting pounded. My current fav. pre-workout food is a serving (without milk) of "Golden Puffs" puffed…

I'm SO EXCITED. =)

Aerial arts classes! Lyra, silks and dance trapeze!

1.) LISTEN to your body: if something hurts, ice it immediately, stretch, think about possible strengthening exercises. 2.) Take FULL rest days consistently, complete with enough sleep, lots of protein and healthy fats and complex carbs 3.) Don't follow the schedules to the letter... they are guidelines and likely you will…

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Since I was about five. =\ I was inconsolable the night before my twelfth birthday. =P I wasted so much time thinking about the future.