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So annoyed - sick days
I have had a bad cold for eight days now. Not a little but really bad. I am a SAHM so taking time off is impossible. I have been feeling like crap for so long I am just endlessly annoyed. Now my lungs hurt, cough is starting. I have gone without exercise for 9 days. I miss it so much! I am signed up for a 5K in 2.5 weeks.…
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muscle growth/strength and rep range
Hi I've been lifting -mostly on a deficit - for 1.5 years. I am female but apparently with good genetics so my arms look fairly muscular now. (I am still trying to go down in body fat.) Especially my triceps really shows. I am proud of it and I like it to be visible that I work out. However, I don't need more. I would love…
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Lifting for an overweight teen?
Actually, she is only 12.5, not even a teen. Her body is more like 14 or 15, and she is taller than me and obese. She is friends with my daughter and her mother begged me to show her exercises in our appartment gym. I work out there, by myself, and I am hesitant about it. Would love to help but don't want the liability.…
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(How) do you set your fitness goals?
Do you have fitness/performance goals? What is it? How did you decide? Did you write it down? How did you come up with that specific goal? I ran a half marathon last year, and I would like to run it faster this year. All my other goals I cannot really pin down. I have never run a 5k (only with my kids) so I don't know my…
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Define binge!
I am not a binge eater in the strict sense. But I do this weird thing: say, I am making muffins and lick the batter off the spoon. Don't know how to log it. Now it doesn't matter of I eat a 1/4 muffin, right? And since I blew it anyway and logging is off, I start eating extra food. One day turns into 3, and after two weeks…
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Women - how much do you squat?
Please give me your bodyweight, your reps and your weight for back squats. I am 130lbs, and I do 5x5 130lbs. I am confused because after one year of lifting, mostly on a deficit, I seem to be doing pretty well given this: http://bretcontreras.com/impressive-strength-levels/ but as much as I trust Bret Contreras, I don't…
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Three of my girls ran a 5k today
I am very proud of them! I ran with my 7year old, and she ran the whole way, in 35min! It was her first real race. My 11 year old did great, and my 9yo ran it in 28 minutes. So fast for her short legs (she is short for her age, a gymnast body). Not sure I could kerp up with her! Now I want to get faster so I can train with…
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So close...
I am so close to reaching my ultimate goal this time. Have been on track for a while. Lost the 5 lbs I have lost and re-gained a million times. I am eating high fat low carb (high protein anyway) now and it really helps with cravings. So this time, I think, I won't fall off the wagon. The weather is fine, I got over a two…
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Strong curves - just start all over?
Hi I followed strong curves for quite a while (5 months) and really enjoyed it. I am done now (I went slow and did every 4 week section for longer) and was thinking I could just start over and increase weights compared to the first time. I am doing the advanced lifting program, it is 3 4-week plans, so I'd go back to week…
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Weight loss partner
Hi Maybe a weight loss partner is a good idea. I am not good with too many friends at once, would rather get to know 1-3 people a little better than habe 20+ friends. Ideally, you lift most of the time and run some of the time. You are working on vanity pounds. I don't care about your gender. I am 35, female, 5'4" and…
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Lifting made me faster
Hi I hadn't really been running since last fall or late summer and started again last week. I focused on lifting following "Strong Curves". I did hardly any cardio, maybe 30min HIIT rowing or a little elliptical here and there. Anyway, I am SO much faster now that I am thinking something must be off. Instead of a 5K at…
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Program recommendations
I am about to finish Strong Curves. Loved it and gave me awesome results. Now I am torn - should I move to 5x5 or the like with a bunch of accessory lifts that I liked in Strong Curves? Or try something new? I don't quite feel ready to build my own program. Nothing on bodybuilding.com really jumped at me so I am asking…
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no excuses NSV/bragging
I hurt my foot two weeks ago. Not sure how. Maybe my winter boots are just too old, so are my sneaker, oh and too much running on an old treadmill. Anyway, it hurts. Right in the middle of my foot. Walking hurts. Walking down stairs is almost impossible. So going to my apartment complex gym this morning, the stairs into…
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Scale is so unforgiving
Hi I am an experienced loser, had to start over after several pregnancies etc. I have been maintaining about 8 lbs away from my goal weight for a few months now, have been lifting for a year. To tackle those last 8 lbs, I introduced more cardio two weeks ago (running, swimming) and only lift 2-3x per week (instead of 4…
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More muscle mass - hungrier?
Muscles burn calories, so when I build more muscle, my TDEE will be higher, right? I (female) have been lifting for a year, so I might have built 4-5lbs of LBM. (Pessimistic estimate because most of the time I was on a deficit.) Still, I have no clue how I used to survive on 1400 calories a day. I cannot live on 1600 these…
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Set on maintenance and then stay under?
Hi I lost 35lbs and gained some muscle in the past year. I am very happy with my body but want to keep improving. In particular, those saddlebags look ridiculous next to athletic legs and a strong curves bootie :( I keep going back and forth between "I should eat more to lift better and my hody will change" and "saddlebags…
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Carb withdrawal?
Hi I am cutting after maintaining/recomping for a few months and I am noticing something new and unpleasant. I tried low carb days (low being under 110g, so not extrem at all) and I got a headache and felt nauseous that day. Wrote it off thinking it was conincidence. Today, I am having a carb heavy dinner (dinner…
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Wondering how to proceed from here...
I am pretty much at goal weight (below 130lbs at 5.4''). I know that's not low, but I lift 4x a week and need to eat so I don't feel crappy. Also, I do not get a lot of rest during my days and I need to have my acts together every day. But. I wonder how much I COULD push myself. And I cannot decide whether I should make…
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Squatting my kids and hip-thrusting...
Today I came home after my workout, and my five year old wanted a piggy back ride. I said "oh my are you light" and did a few squats with her on my back. Then my 7yo wanted to do the same. Easy peasy. Then my 9yo. Easy. She weighs like 62lbs, that's nothing :) Then my 11yo, she is heavy. Was still able to. Then I said I…
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Personal trainer NSV
So, I had my first session with a personal trainer today. This in itself is an NSV because I am still fairly new to lifting and it is my little secret. :) However, my deadlifts never really felt right so I figured I could get help. And I did it although it costs money that a family of 7 never has, and although I needed my…
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NSV - self-concept as a female lifter
I have been lifting for more than 6 months now and I love every second of it!!! However, I train early in the morning in my apartment complex gym, all by myself. The only person who knows I lift heavy is my husband (and my kids) because whenever I mentioned I would like to do it I got weird replies from people (oh, better…
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Can I tell you about my behind?
Because, I am beginning to be proud of it. Background, my bottom has always be fat, doughy, shapeless. I have been embarassed all my life and tried to ignore it. After losing weight, it was just meh. Lifting weights (5x5) for 4 months or so made it somewhat better. But then I started Strong Curves. I am 5 weeks in, and I…
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Lunch/dinner, digestion and social life
Hi I typically eat a big lunch and then only one fruit, some almonds in the afternoon and greek yogurt for dinner. However, I am invited to sit down dinners 2-3x a week, and it kills my progress. There is no way I can get to 6pm with only 800-900 (daily allotment is 1550, and I have to count in 600+ calories for a sit down…
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Period NSV
I have read a long time ago that reducing sugar reduces cramps. Had never tried it out. But needed ibuprofen every time, at least the first day. Sometimes ovulation was even worse. This time, and I have been reducing sugar to less than mfp told me, NO pain. If I had not seen it in time, I would have missed to be prepared!…
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Lingerie NSV
Some of my underwear got a little wide, plus it was my birthday and I splurged and got myself some rather fancy underwear from VS. Ordered them in size S since M was what I had been wearing. After hitting send, I started to doubt that they would fit me. They arrived yesterday. Put them on. Fit perfectly. This is HUGE. I…
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Another newbie
I am one of the many females who are playing with the idea of bulking but are afraid - sorry! Here is my situation - I have lost (baby) weight over the past 14 months and I am back to 128lbs at 5'4. That's not great but it was ok for me. I have been running and lifting for 7 months, and my weight loss stalled about two…
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I ran a half-marathon today!
My first race ever! Time was not too great, but it was a hot, humid day. Then it even started raining - the water evaporated within minutes, and the road race became a sauna. But, I made it to the finish line. After all, a half marathon is not that much. I want to do it again next year! Until early spring, however, my plan…
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IIFYM on rest days
It is weird. On rest days (have had only very few in the past weeks, race training) I tend to overeat. When I do not work out, and my body feels all sluggish, I am always close to throwing in the towel. Exercise is such a good reminder to myself that I feel better when I work out and eat well. Now my race is over, and I am…
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Some progress lower body but nothing upper body
Hi I have been lifting weights for 5 or 6 months now. I follow stronglifts 5x5, and I made great progress in my lower body. I remember squating 100lbs and being proud of me - now I warm up with 140lbs and lift 5x5 170lbs without failure plus do weighed lunges and plie squats after... My thighs got a lot thinner and show…
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NSV: Comment from someone
Background: I moved to a new place while pregnant and had put on quite some weight due to pregnancy. I am now back to my normal figure PLUS started weight training, so I do look toned.) "We got to know you when you were pregnant. We had no idea you are such a hottie." :blushing:
