Diet and Exercise. Support and Advice welcome.

WantToBeSE

Thanks so much Purpleshoes, I really appreciate all of that advice. I always presumed that I needed carbs as I like doing cardio, but i'll rethink my diet.


I don't necessarily do cardio because I think it'll help me lose weight (although SOME fat loss is expected), its more to do with endorphins. Having had depression in the past, I really enjoy the natural endorphins I get from cardio.
That said, I want to maximize my time in the gym for fat loss and muscle building. I will definitely speak to the instructor about stretches too.


Had a lovely workout at the gym today, although it was largely cardio based. When I go tomorrow it'll be mainly weights based, as much as possible anyway.

purpleshoes_2

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Thanks so much Purpleshoes, I really appreciate all of that advice. I always presumed that I needed carbs as I like doing cardio, but i'll rethink my diet.


I don't necessarily do cardio because I think it'll help me lose weight (although SOME fat loss is expected), its more to do with endorphins. Having had depression in the past, I really enjoy the natural endorphins I get from cardio.
That said, I want to maximize my time in the gym for fat loss and muscle building. I will definitely speak to the instructor about stretches too.


Had a lovely workout at the gym today, although it was largely cardio based. When I go tomorrow it'll be mainly weights based, as much as possible anyway.

Ive only been lifting weights for about a year now, actually less than. My background is aerobics instructing, or it was, thats not what I teach now and back then I did high impact aerobics x 6 a week. And that was it.

My upper body strength is still poor compared to my lower body strength. When I started deadlifting, I started on 30kgs. Im now on around 72.5, but I'm going to drop that back to about 65 and get more reps in to build it back up because 72.5 at the moment is almost my 1 rep max, I can actually get about 2 reps out.

When I used to do classes such as body pump (not often because its not my favourite class), Id have something ridiculous like 5kgs on the bar and thats total, not each side. In classes like pump, people often dont have enough weight on the bar to get muscle strength and there arent enough reps for muscle endurance. Yet I see so many people who say, oh I did pump, its doing x y and z for me. Compared to lifting weights in the gym, its going to do very little.

Everyone has different goals and that's fine. But if you get an instructor who really knows their stuff, they'll put together a programme for you that's well put together, targets every major muscle group, builds in rest days and also takes into account other classes you are doing. I had been doing HIIT classes for 4 months before I started lifting weights. When I picked up that 30kg bar I thought it was going to be the end of me, but thats the point, it was challenging.

If I had stayed in pump with 5kg on that bar forever more, Id have made nil progress.

There are many myths around exercise and also food and they are all over the internet.

I was also talking to the bootcamp instructor about eggs. He told people to eat as many as they wanted. Govt recommendations are no more than I think it is 6 a week due to cholesterol. He said thats nonsense, its good cholesterol and he often has more than 6 eggs just for his breakfast.

heartbreak_star

I do love a good 6-egg omelette!

Bingeing on carbs is my problem. Really need to get to the GP to discuss my issues with food.

HBS x

BunnieJ

Having a sh*tty day! This has got to stop NOW!

...went into town after work yesterday afternoon and caught a glimpse of myself in a shop window. I LOOKED PREGNANT! :eek: (before you ask, I'm not lol)
It made me feel awful and want to just get home as fast as I could!

I think I'm in denial about how much weight I've put on the last few years. I've gone from a size 8 to a size 12 and from just over 8 stone to nearly 11 stone!

For lots of women size 12 would be great, but not for me. I have a really odd figure (which I've always hated, regardless of my size) and I know I can't change it, but at least when I was smaller it wasn't that terrible. My legs have no shape/cankles/big thighs but my top half is tiny with slopping shoulders and very flat-chested. Sometimes I think that I got all the worst genes from each side of the family! :rotfl:

I joined this thread a couple of weeks ago to help keep me motivated and inspire me (don't get me wrong, everyone on here is lovely! ) But, if anything, I think I may have acutally put on weight!

I'm starting a new job in 2 weeks and I need to buy some clothes for work (currently provided with a uniform) but nothing I try on fits properly or looks good. I just stand in front of the mirror disgusted with myself, which enevitably leads to "comfort food".

When I was growing up I never had a problem with food/comfort eating/weight so I don't understand why I've started doing it now

I dread being invited out with friends because I'll feel self-conscious whatever I'm wearing, especially as I live quite close to a beach and might have to put on a costume!

I need a complete lifestyle overhall! My diet is awful, my gym time is next to useless and I feel like poo!

End of rant! *sigh*

WantToBeSE

Hi Bunnie


I had a day exactly like that a few months ago, which is what sparked this new enthusiasm for health and fitness.
I came to the realisation that the ONLY person stopping me from achieving what I want, is me. Nobody can MAKE me go to the gym or eat healthily except myself.
There are days (like today) that I go to the gym and don't really feel like I have had a full on workout, but like they say; 'the only bad workout is the one that you didn't do'.


I find that Pinterest helps me too. When I don't feel like going to the gym I search for 'exercise motivation' on there, and loads of great quotes and pictures come up. If you are already on there, let me know and we could follow each others fitness boards.

purpleshoes_2

BunnieJ wrote: »

Having a sh*tty day! This has got to stop NOW!

...went into town after work yesterday afternoon and caught a glimpse of myself in a shop window. I LOOKED PREGNANT! :eek: (before you ask, I'm not lol)
It made me feel awful and want to just get home as fast as I could!

I think I'm in denial about how much weight I've put on the last few years. I've gone from a size 8 to a size 12 and from just over 8 stone to nearly 11 stone!

For lots of women size 12 would be great, but not for me. I have a really odd figure (which I've always hated, regardless of my size) and I know I can't change it, but at least when I was smaller it wasn't that terrible. My legs have no shape/cankles/big thighs but my top half is tiny with slopping shoulders and very flat-chested. Sometimes I think that I got all the worst genes from each side of the family! :rotfl:

I joined this thread a couple of weeks ago to help keep me motivated and inspire me (don't get me wrong, everyone on here is lovely! ) But, if anything, I think I may have acutally put on weight!

I'm starting a new job in 2 weeks and I need to buy some clothes for work (currently provided with a uniform) but nothing I try on fits properly or looks good. I just stand in front of the mirror disgusted with myself, which enevitably leads to "comfort food".

When I was growing up I never had a problem with food/comfort eating/weight so I don't understand why I've started doing it now

I dread being invited out with friends because I'll feel self-conscious whatever I'm wearing, especially as I live quite close to a beach and might have to put on a costume!

I need a complete lifestyle overhall! My diet is awful, my gym time is next to useless and I feel like poo!

End of rant! *sigh*

Id hazard a guess that if you are comfort eating, you aren't just comfort eating because you don't like the way you look in clothes.

I'll also say that a size 12 isnt bad, but its how you feel. Im currently a size 14-16 but I look much lighter than I weigh and Id hazard a guess that's because of the exercise I do. I still have weight to lose, but compared to this time last year I feel great about myself.

You have to start tackling both things together. Not just eating well, not just exercise, both together. You also can't let what other people eat get in your way. If you live with someone and if you have to prepare different meals for yourself, that's the way it is

I dont have a sweet tooth, but when I have PMS I want something sweet. But I cant have chocolate, its not allowed. Basically, my desire to change my life has to be more than my desire to shove a chocolate bar down my neck. Im also not drinking, because its not allowed in this bootcamp plan. There are days when Im sitting in the pub with a soda water and other people are on the lager, I think urgh, why am I sitting here with a pint of fizzy water, but you know what, its really no big deal.

We are all different. Some people lose weight by counting cals, some by going low carb, some by counting WW points, some by syns. You need to live as well. Its ok to have that treat once or twice a week if you eat well the other five or six.

Portion sizes are important. So is good nutrition. So is exercising until you burst, if you can. If you start doing HIIT classes like metafit or similar, you would find your fitness would increase massively. Your body shape will change. It took me 5 or 6 weeks last summer to notice a massive difference in my fitness after I started doing metafit. When I was in the class I hated it, I hated the instructor. Im the same when I do boxercise style classes, when Im mid burpee I think why the hell am I not sitting at home, but when its done I feel great.

You get into a routine, you stick with the routine, you tell yourself its an hour out of your day. And as the old saying goes, you cant out train a bad diet. Dont use exercise as an excuse to eat junk it wont work.

Also, be kind to yourself, accept yourself for who you are right now. When I was at my biggest around 12 months ago I thought right, I need to give this a go, but if it doesn't work, Im still me, I'll survive. It made it easier to start the process of losing weight and trying to change my lifestyle

I absolutely wish I was one of these people who could eat what they liked and didnt put on weight. Im not, I never have been and I never will be, Ive been battling excess weight for the best part of 25 years.

Im probably 20 years older than you, maybe a bit more and believe me I never thought Id pass that stage of having 5kg on my bar in body pump.

Today I increased my squat weight to 40kgs and I got 10 good reps out of it.

I got the putting on weight genes from my dads side of the family, Im stuck with that. But I can do something about it. We all can, you just need to believe in yourself and have people around you who believe in you. It doesnt matter if that person is your gym instructor, in fact they are probably the best person to have on your side. Because when I look at my gym programme update I always think, Im never going to do that. I somehow manage it, because I want to see progress.

You have to really want to change your life, if you do, you are halfway there.

WantToBeSE

Good Evening All


How are you feeling Bunnie? I have a long and complicated history of food 'issues' and can totally relate to all of the feelings you described as I have felt them many times.
Right now is the healthiest I have been in regards to how I feel and think about my body, but ironically its also the heaviest I have been. But I felt like I had to get to this point emotionally, before I could improve physically.


I have pretty bad period cramps this evening, but still have not had my period. I am a few days late and am wondering if it could be related to the exercise- like my body has gone into shock what do you all think, is this possible (before anyone asks, there is no chance I could be pregnant)?

WantToBeSE

Afternoon All


I didn't go to the gym today, we went swimming instead. Will be going to the gym tomorrow though, probably nice and early in the morning.


I weighed myself today, just out of curiosity and have to admit that I was a bit disappointed to see that I have GAINED a pound! Maybe I need to get even stricter with my diet.

BunnieJ

Thanks guys

Feeling much better today I think I was just having one of those !!!! days! Anyway, need to get back on track.

My Race for Life t-shirt came yesterday, reminding me I need to push myself to train. I missed my session on Friday, but I did spend all day walking around town today. I'll be back at the gym on Monday!

It's my last day at work on Tuesday, then starting my new job the week after. New job = new me! :j

WantToBeSE don't feel disheartened, I be you're looking and feeling much better for your healthy eating and exercise!

purpleshoes_2

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Afternoon All


I didn't go to the gym today, we went swimming instead. Will be going to the gym tomorrow though, probably nice and early in the morning.


I weighed myself today, just out of curiosity and have to admit that I was a bit disappointed to see that I have GAINED a pound! Maybe I need to get even stricter with my diet.

We can put on 2-3 pounds in a day with food and fluid intake

Its very likely to be water weight and not fat. Take your measurements, a better indicator of whether your workouts are working.

And when you are losing weight, it can go up, down, up down, thats how it was for me, its rare that people lose weight and never put a pound back on