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| Fitness | Trouble Sleeping with Evening Workouts | Apr 13 2009 15:20 (UTC) |
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I exercise at night frequently, also due to scheduling difficulties. It's not ideal, but it's a hell of a lot better than no exercise at all. It used to mess with my sleep sometimes, but I'm used to it now. Sometimes I sleep better. Like last night I worked out hard, ate a banana with milk, showered and exfoliated, then moisturized my whole body so it could really sink in while I slept (sleeping dehydrates your skin and skin elasticity can help prevent sagging as you lose weight)... and I slept like a baby. If early morning workouts are too difficult for you to do consistently, give yourself a week or two of trying nighttime workouts before you give up entirely. I'm just not a morning person, but everyone's different. It's just too easy to find excuses for not working out. Just work out whenever you can. |
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| Weight Loss | Does Napping slow down my metabolism? | Apr 09 2009 09:24 (UTC) |
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Why all the freakouts over napping? Napping is not a bad thing. I think some people hear that metabolism lowers a bit while sleeping, and then think that sleep's bad for dieting. If you DON'T get enough sleep, that's much worse for your body and your tendency to hold onto weight. It's like someone hearing that eating raises your metabolism, and deciding to eat something once an hour, 24 hours a day. (I actually heard someone say she would do this.) Silliness. If you're not getting enough sleep at night and have the time to power nap, nap when your body tells you to! It will NOT reverse the effects of exercise - it will recharge your body and keep you going. Enjoy the rest. |
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| Fitness | Doctor said to stop running | Apr 03 2009 04:14 (UTC) |
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Try Chi Running. Get the book, check out the website. It's a challenge to rethink your form, but it's spectacularly worth it. I got the book and did a workshop. Along with my scale, food scale, and dumbbells, best investment ever for my health. (Oh yeah, and good running sneakers.) Westerners are trained to power run, which can be hell on knees. I have old knee injuries, never thought running would be for me, but this is freaking revolutionary. |
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| Fitness | female issue: jogging & boobs | Jul 02 2008 03:44 (UTC) |
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Enell bras will protect your boobs like nothing else. Expensive, but worth it. They're practically bulletproof vests. |
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| Weight Loss | Biggest Loser Challenge -- Part 7 -- **Sign Ups Closed** -- Look in Challenge/Games forum on Monday for teams | Jun 30 2008 22:00 (UTC) |
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I'm in! jds17, female, 5'2.5". SW: 203 (on 2/3/08) CW: 179 GW: 130 |
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| Fitness | Running Injury Question | Jun 24 2008 06:14 (UTC) |
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I just posted about ChiRunning in another thread (post #6), might help you too: http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/post/103 875.html Shoes are very important. Did you get yours fitted from a running shoe store? It's worth the trip. And don't forget to RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. It solves many minor problems. By the way, you're doing yourself a HUGE favor by staying off the treadmill and running outside. Not only does running outside burn more calories and work your core harder, you're less susceptible to injury as long as you don't step in a pothole or something. No one has perfect form, and running on a treadmill forces you to step over and over and over in the same way, so any slight problems in form are magnified and aggravated over time. My sister got shin splints from the treadmill, and I aggravated a knee injury on the elliptical, and we've both learned the hard way that humans weren't meant to move on machines the bulk of the time. Similarly, doing free weights is much better than using weight machines. Not saying machines are evil, just that nature is usually better. |
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| Fitness | delete please | Jun 24 2008 05:58 (UTC) |
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I have to restrain myself from writing a mile-long rave about ChiRunning. http://www.chirunning.com This guy took certain body principles from tai chi and applied them to effortless injury-free running. It's pretty genius. I'm doing the Couch-to-5K program and I've always had the huge leg muscles of a sprinter, never could do moderate distances even when I was younger and fitter. I just did a ChiRunning workshop last Sunday and it's already completely changed my world! It's a lot of money to do a workshop, but it was an investment to me, since I have bad knees and lower back and tight hip flexors and basically hate to run. Now I'm definitely on my way to loving it, and even though it'll take a long time to get the form right, just the minor improvements already are really helping my knees. You should check out their website and see if it appeals to you and get his book. No, I'm not a shill, but I think every runner could benefit from his approach. You learn to run naturally and freely, like a child. Basically, if you look at the Kenyans who seem to win every marathon, they have the form and lean and mid-foot strike and ease that's at the heart of ChiRunning. I think a lot of Americans are trained to run more upright, power running, and the physics of that require more effort. Obviously I'm simplifying here, but this approach to form is AMAZING. I'm really glad I did this as I'm starting to run, try to get the good habits in early. But some of the people in my workshop were advanced runners and we all got a lot out of it. I hope this helps - good luck! |
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| Fitness | What's the difference between a weighted squat and a deadlift? | Jun 13 2008 19:38 (UTC) |
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Thanks for the responses. Extra thanks to floggingsully and smartjock, I've seen you guys post before with recommended exercises and I've used your stuff already to help me sort through the millions of lift moves online. Question for smartjock -- do you use one dumbbell or two for the skull crushers? Back to one of my original questions -- does it matter how I hold the dumbbells for deadlifts (angle/position) since I'm not gripping a single barbell? I don't know if it matters, but I don't want to do anything to mess up my form. |
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| Fitness | How much muscle can be built? | Jun 13 2008 19:25 (UTC) |
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Unless you've been taking really accurate body fat measurement tests along the way, there's no way to tell for sure. Even those are fallible. But, dude... why do you care? If you're just a few pounds from your goal and losing up to 0.5lb a week, you're doing great! And honestly, would you rather see the numbers go down and your pants stay snug, or your numbers stay the same and your pants fall off? I'd be happy with higher numbers and smaller pants. I think you're just rubbing it in our faces. (Just teasing!) At this point in your fitness journey, it would probably be wiser to take regular body measurements and pay less attention to your scale. And keep a log of your exercises and weights you're lifting and perception of ease/strength/mood/energy/appearance/enduranc e/whatever else you care about, so you can see your progress in less tangible, but more important, terms. I also like to track my blood pressure (my sis has a small monitor for home use) and resting heart rate. By the way, congrats on the incredible work! |
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| Fitness | Lower Spinal Disk is bulging out 7mm. out of place | Jun 13 2008 07:02 (UTC) |
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That sucks, man. I'm sorry. I never had it as bad as you, but I had a herniated disk, pinched nerve, and other back problems that took me two years of excellent chiropractic care, physical therapy, massage therapy, and sometimes wearing a support brace to repair, and I still have lower back problems occasionally. Do EXACTLY what your doctor tells you to do. When he says you're ready for more intensive physical therapy, ask him for a few names of top physical therapists his patients have worked with. Then do EXACTLY what your physical therapist tells you to do. Please do not get workout advice from this forum, not for this. If you're worried about gaining weight, keep your diet nice and clean until you're in shape again. This is your BACK. You can't get a new one. Best of luck to you in your recovery. |
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| Fitness | Chafing/Rash...*Caution vulgar details* | Jun 13 2008 04:26 (UTC) |
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Your answer: Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pi d=139254&catid=26832 Don't be turned off because it's made by a girly company. Works like a dream on inner thigh, underwear, and bra chafing, so I see no reason why it shouldn't work on your sensitive bits as well. Order it online if you don't want to pick it up in person. =) Also, make sure your workout clothes are moisture-wicking fabrics. Less soggy on the outside, less soggy on the inside! |
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| Fitness | Dear calf muscles : | Jun 09 2008 18:19 (UTC) |
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I also have disproportionately enormous calves, which I've always despised. Not much you can do about it, it's mostly genetic. So, wow... I really appreciate the perspective, ddeceive. Much-needed. I'll take health over vanity any day. |
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| Fitness | what to do? | Jun 09 2008 18:12 (UTC) |
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www.stumptuous.com -- it's a great website a lot of folks recommend here. Tons of great info for women who've either been lifting for a while or are just beginners. Take a look here and get yourself a set of dumbbells of varying weights (including some you may think are too heavy now but you'll quickly grow into), and you can save a lot on gym costs! Or if you do better with the structure of a gym and can take the expense, get a personal trainer who does NOT give you a program based on all the machines, but shows you how to lift free weights properly. Much, much more effective. Remember -- if you want to keep doing your cardio every day, do WEIGHTS BEFORE CARDIO. But honestly, you can cut back on your cardio if you add weights. And it's important to have a day of rest in there too. Congrats on your tremendous weight loss! And congrats on your decision to start lifting now. A lot of people don't start until after they've lost all their weight, and then they tend to be flabby with loose hanging skin. Weight-lifting (now!) is probably the best thing you can do to minimize the loose skin in the process of losing fat, and also building muscle will speed up your metabolism, help prevent osteoporosis, and a million other great things. You'll look and feel so much better. Good luck! |
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| Games & Challenges | diet 101 challenge......12 week challenge (FULL.....AGAIN!) | Jun 05 2008 16:09 (UTC) |
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Congrats everyone! And holy cow, Sarah!!! |
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| Games & Challenges | diet 101 challenge......12 week challenge (FULL.....AGAIN!) | May 31 2008 20:55 (UTC) |
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I can't believe this challenge is over now. I actually did okay in the fat challenge, stuck to my limit for 10 days. No trans fat, no problem. So this is a big day for me -- not only did I lose 14.7 pounds during this whole challenge, today I've officially lost exactly 20 pounds since I started calorie counting four months ago! (202.6 on Feb 3 to 182.6 on May 31.) I lost like a tenth of my body weight and I feel sooo much better. The only problem is, I've spent so much of my life celebrating with fatty food and alcohol... I just don't know what to do with myself now. Celebrate with bananas and soy milk? Thanks, britishvixen, for the fantastic challenge, and everyone for the support! Everything was useful, but my top three most valuable things I'm taking away from this challenge for life: lots of fiber, a lot less sodium, and one of the yoga shows my Tivo found during the exercise challenge (one of my absolute favorite things to do for exercise now). In particular, the fiber and sodium -- I never used to care about them before, and now I think they affect my weight loss enormously. It's funny because I tanked the sodium challenge, but I've learned since then. I care about those numbers as much as I care about my calories now. You all rock! vixen, if you do another challenge, I'm in! |
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| Weight Loss | New Comparison Photos!!! | May 31 2008 03:25 (UTC) |
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Wooooow!!! Thanks for sharing your fabulous pics! Congratulations!!! |
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| Foods | Uncooked oats breakfast treat | May 30 2008 19:51 (UTC) |
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Thanks! That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I know I can't eat steel cut oats raw, but I now really like "raw" old-fashioned oats. |
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| Games & Challenges | May FIBER CHALLENGE -- Stop the Fiber Express -- I want to get on! | May 28 2008 03:39 (UTC) |
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May 22 - 28, May 23 - 28, May 24 - 29, May 25 - 33, May 26 - 32, May 27 - 34 anyone else still playing? 923/1085 (35g/day avg) |
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| Weight Loss | ***50-70 lbs. to Lose Club!*** | May 26 2008 02:32 (UTC) |
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Starting Weight: 202.6 (at 5'2.5") Goal Weight: 130 Last Week: 185.2 Current Weight: 184.3 Weight Remaining Until Goal: 54.3 Total Weight Lost in This Challenge: 18.3 Well, it's been that time of the month, so I'm just encouraged I lost something! I've also been doing a lot of yoga this week. Ate like a pig today, though. |
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| Weight Loss | stupid question about bananas - skin or no skin? | May 24 2008 18:17 (UTC) |
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Actually, that's incorrect. It's the banana with the peel OFF. If you look at the different serving sizes, the ratio of calories:grams is about 8:9 for all of them, whether it's for 1 cup mashed or 1 extra small banana or anything else. Since I don't know anyone who eats a cup of mashed banana with mashed peel, I'd say it's all for flesh only. At least if you've been weighing the peel, you've been overestimating calories and undereating slightly. Better than the reverse! But start weighing without the peel now for a more accurate count. gi-jane, I think they distinguish between 'flesh' vs. 'with skin' only for things like potatoes and apples, where it's more likely some people would eat the peel. But for things like melons, pineapples, and bananas, it's assumed flesh only. Not a stupid question, zulupomm! |
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| Weight Loss | fruit juice detox? | May 22 2008 18:11 (UTC) |
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Original Post by spirochete: Well... (Seemingly Necessary Disclaimer: I'm not pointing fingers at anyone here, but these "cleanse" threads do come up a lot! I do think that for certain people, certain non-extreme cleanses may be helpful to them for specific health reasons, but they don't seem to be proven effective as a weight-loss tool, or necessary for the general health and well-being of the majority of people.) For some people, faced with the idea of an entire lifetime of healthful moderation and sensible discipline, the idea of just a few limited days of extreme restrictions and punishing discipline is much more alluring. I'm no doctor, but I think the first option is much more... sensible. |
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| Games & Challenges | May FIBER CHALLENGE -- Stop the Fiber Express -- I want to get on! | May 22 2008 05:34 (UTC) |
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May 20 - 37, May 21 - 37... back on track! 739/1085 (35g/day avg) |
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| Games & Challenges | May FIBER CHALLENGE -- Stop the Fiber Express -- I want to get on! | May 20 2008 04:59 (UTC) |
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May 16 - 22, May 17 - 33, May 18 - 25, May 19 - 28... not quite so good lately. 665/1085 (35g/day avg) |
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| Weight Loss | What kind of food, vitamin or natural supplement has helped you lose weight the most? | May 20 2008 01:55 (UTC) |
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Keep the processed foods and high sodium foods to a minimum. Have plenty of fiber, protein, and good fats, and that will keep you satisfied longer. I also drink kombucha and green tea all the time. Great stuff. And I take 1-2 tbsp Barlean's high lignan flax oil daily (keeps my skin and hair and digestion in good condition, and supposedly helps keep appetite under control). Pills like hoodia and (back in the day) ephedra never did a thing for me. I take a multi every day, and when I'm PMS-ing, taking Cal-Mag pills helps a little. For snacks/meals, I also like plain kefir with fruit. Kefir's better than yogurt and even has some fiber. A bowl of old-fashioned oats with 1/4 cup raw wheat germ plus an egg fried in a tsp extra virgin olive oil is one of those perfect meals that keeps me full and is great on nutrition. There is no single "miracle" out there. But having a good combination of things and a relatively clean diet keeps me from craving junk like I used to. Counting calories is the thing, yeah, but if I have 1600 calories of salty processed foods, I'll be bloated and still hungry. But if I have 1600 calories of balanced nourishing whole foods, I'm good for the day! Good luck, and let us know if you find anything else that works for you. |
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| Weight Loss | ***50-70 lbs. to Lose Club!*** | May 18 2008 16:41 (UTC) |
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Starting Weight: 202.6 (at 5'2.5") Goal Weight: 130 Last Week: 186.5 Current Weight: 185.2 Weight Remaining Until Goal: 55.2 Total Weight Lost in This Challenge: 17.4 I've hit my first goal weight of 185! (Well, 0.2 away, but let's just say.) I wanted to hit it by May 20, so I'm thrilled. I've set 6 more mini-goals for myself throughout the rest of 2008. momof2funykds, we're the same again -- way to go on the 3 lb loss! I've been keeping my fiber high and sodium lower lately. It's really helping. Knees are still tricky, but I'm able to do recumbent bike and walk for longer sessions than last week. I can't wait for the pain to go away so I can get back to weight-lifting and try to get back into jogging. Good luck this week, everyone! |
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| Games & Challenges | diet 101 challenge......12 week challenge (FULL.....AGAIN!) | May 16 2008 19:32 (UTC) |
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blueeyed, that sounds so yum. bvixen, 6 lb, way to go! suzi, that's freaking amazing weight loss on those meds. I'm considering going back on the pill, but I'm really worried about stalling my weight loss. It's hard enough as it is without meds getting in the way. Got my 5-9 every day but one! Mmm, fruit and veg... My recommended fat intake is 69 grams. I'm very pro-fat. I'm definitely not sticking to 69 or less every single day -- looking at my last 2 weeks I was under only 6 days (the other days were in the 70s and 80s... one day I went as high as 106 grams!!!). My average % fat intake in May so far is 33.6%. I usually cook in lots of extra virgin olive oil and also take 1-2 tbsp high lignan flax oil straight every day (11-22g fat) on top of everything else. I also love to drizzle on sesame oil when I cook Asian. I've found that if I don't eat plenty of good oil, my skin and hair really suffer. I haven't touched any trans fat for over 6 months though! |
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| Games & Challenges | May FIBER CHALLENGE -- Stop the Fiber Express -- I want to get on! | May 16 2008 04:19 (UTC) |
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May 12 - 34, May 13 - 43, May 14 - 44, May 15 - 41 557/1085 (35g/day avg) |
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| Games & Challenges | May FIBER CHALLENGE -- Stop the Fiber Express -- I want to get on! | May 12 2008 05:27 (UTC) |
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May 9 - 33, May 10 - 49(!), May 11 - 40... according to the Analysis, my monthly average so far is now up to 36! 395/1085 (35g/day avg) |
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| Weight Loss | ***50-70 lbs. to Lose Club!*** | May 11 2008 18:52 (UTC) |
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Starting Weight: 202.6 (at 5'2.5") Goal Weight: 130 Last Week: 187.9 Current Weight: 186.5 Weight Remaining Until Goal: 56.5 Total Weight Lost in This Challenge: 16.1 My knees have been hurting so I've eased up on the exercise, but I still lost weight since last week. =) Only one and a half pounds to my first goal weight of 185! |
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| Games & Challenges | diet 101 challenge......12 week challenge (FULL.....AGAIN!) | May 09 2008 05:34 (UTC) |
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Original Post by blueeyedchica: blueeyed, how do you make your African peanut soup? |
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