Posts by caloriecountingme

Original Post by jprt325:

Lauri - Lifter here.   Here's what I do at 5' tall, 27 yrs, 140 lbs:

barbell squat x 165 lbs x 3 x 3

double DB bench press x 55 lbs (each hand) x 3 x 3

barbell deadlift x 205 lbs x 1 x 5 (1RM is currently 225 lbs)

barbell overhead press x 75 lbs x 3 x 5

power cleans x 75 lbs x 3 x 5

weighted neutral-grip pull-ups x 10-15 lbs x 3 x 5

weighted dips x 20 lbs x 3 x 5

 

 lauri, like spirochete, i'm also thoroughly impressed.  55lb dumbbells for the bench press is mad heavy, as is your overhead press.  i've never attempted a deadlift over 200lb, that must have been so exciting.  i noticed on your page that you were considering being a fitness instructor.  i do hope that worked out, bec you'd be quite inspirational to your students!

i find this post hilarious, bec i truly find weight lifting heartwarming.  the other day i got to the gym freezing cold and not wanting to take off a single layer, not even my hat.  i cleaned the rack and set up the bar fully winter-clothed.  i shed layers and got right to lifting and w/in 20 seconds, i was warm.  in a couple minutes, i was literally sweating.  i kept thinking how awesome lifting is and how much love i have for it. 

i definitely understand seasonal affective disorder.  it's pouring outside and gray and miserable.  and yet, i had no doubts about heading to the gym this morning and enjoyed every last minute of it.  good luck to your muscle resisting the fat transformation.

jkswimming, sounds like you're looking for a sweet salad.  how about shredded carrot w/raisins and walnuts and tuna/tofu?  you could make your own "dressing" by mixing stuff together:  soy sauce/cream cheese (lite), pineapple cottage cheese, sesame oil/rice vinegar, hummus thinned out w/lime juice, orange juice/soy sauce, orange juice/balsamic vinegar.  for a sweeter green, try mache.  also, as a transition, you can mix cooked and raw ingredients.  you can steam bok choy and add cubes of baked tofu or warm chicken.  or you could carmelize onions before adding them, if you don't like raw onions (have you ever had raw scallions?  they're a nice alternative).

good luck!

linden, you're right that the db's range of motion will be less during that lift.  you might try setting something up for yourself w/a ironing board (stick some boxes under it?) or something.  but just fyi, your "floor presses" as they're called are suggested variations for chest presses bec they take the legs out of the lift and emphasize the chest.  check out this article, "the big bad bench."

trayceebee, congratulations.  as long as you're sitting tall (not slouching), then you're doing your body tremendous good on the erg/indoor rower.  i'm pasting a link to concept2's guide for using the indoor rower.  concept2 is the manufacturer for the models most athletes use (and the models most gyms have).  one of the tips its gives is to be sure not to grip the handle too tightly.  you're using leg muscle, back muscles, ab muscles--but certainly, you don't need to waste your energy exerting finger muscles.  hold on to the handle gently.

truthfully, i never got blisters from using the machine.  then again, i already have calluses from weight lifting.  but if you decrease your grip and STILL find that it hurts, then i'd say either tape or gloves is the best bet.  and if you're using proper technique 15 minutes is a long time to stay on the erg.  awesome.

when i first started rowing, a cc friend sent me this link to a video on erg (an erg is what you call the rowing maching) form.  it's going to seem complicated.  the most important things are to sit tall (no rounded back), drive back w/your legs until they're almost fully extended (arms straight) and only then bend at your elbows and pull w/your arms, and keep the handle as level as possible (you're not digging down or making a circular motion at all).

actually, you're right on to be questioning the form.  ppl who do it wrong end up w/pained backs.  the erg is awesome bec you won't hurt your knees at all, but it's a total body workout.  best of luck.

i wash my face mid-cardio w/the cheap soap in the bathroom at the gym.  this has helped keep my skin clear.  for a while, i washed w/proactiv at night.  now, i just use oil of olay for active ppl at night and then apply astringent afterward.

if you bike outdoors, i would suggest sunblock.  blemishes go away, but wrinkles don't.  :)

i did negatives every day for weeks, and on the 22nd day, i did a full pullup, wide grip, palms away.  now i can do sets of 5, sometimes 6.  it feels awesome.  it's an unbeatable upper body workout.  i mean, you're lifting over a hundred pounds w/each rep.  doing the negatives gave me incredible back definition.

congratulations, ankow, i know how happy you must be.

chugra, you are practically my twin.  i'm 5'7, 146lbs, 28yrs old.  the major difference between us is that i've never had balkan style yogurt :)

it IS annoying and difficult to figure out how many calories to eat, etc.  but the content of your food's not a factor in weight loss.  calories are the major factor in weight loss, assisted by the speed of your metabolism (based mostly on muscle mass), frequency of eating, stress level and hormonal fluctuations.  at your height, you're surely burning more than 1200/day.  i'd guess you burn about 2000 on a normally active day, without exercise.  on an exercise day i'd guess you burn about 2450.  those are my estimates, anyway.  i WOULD strongly suggest not wasting 30-40minutes on the strength training machines.  if you could spend that time weight lifting w/free weights, (see the top of the fitness forum for some great threads w/links to good workout plans) you'd see much much better results in terms of fat loss and muscle tone.  if you can't lift weights for 40 minutes, do it for TEN minutes three times a week and you'll STILL see much much better results than you would w/the machines.

those are cool.  thanks for the links.  i don't think it matters whether or not gay ppl are offended by it.  the point is, the phrase is offensive in that it equates w/bad.  and it doesn't matter if "people are never going to stop using that expression."  i definitely know what starcrossdlovex is saying, but it's just not important.  i'm glad that SOMEONE'S saying something about an injustice (esp since i'm sitting on my butt and not saying it).