I thought it would be good to collect whatever experiences everyone had that actually had RESULTS. Things you DID...

Stuff that does not qualify:

1. I heard from my... "aunt, mom, dad, cousin, grandpa, 4th cousin on the western side that immigrated from bosnia during their war... "

2. Korean Celebrity "X" does this..

3. American Celebrity...

4. I learned in P.E. .....

5. I think... <--- the minute you say I think. Stop at the door and turn around and read the sign. NO THINK. YES/NO - WORK OR NOT.

You have to have experienced it and gotten RESULTS!

Doing cardio 5 times a week for 30-45 minutes or more will give GREAT benefits. In all aspects of your life :

- be it stress relief,
- time to think
- a way to vent
- being able to dance longer and play more
- looking better in outfits ( be it any outfit )
- allowing you to eat more or indulge yourself
- seeing faster results from weight-training, dieting, yoga, pilates
- you can run away faster if a dog is chasing you
- cardio can be the great catalyst that truly helps change everything. it just depends on how effective and consistent you are if you have your eating and other training in check.

-------

Links - for questions etc please read below

Kinein & Makaveli's Fitness Thread, 2009 and beyond helping the dedicated everywhere!
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=281904

Being Realistic & Planning Ahead
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=242014

Why is Diet so important?
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=272559

130 Reasons To Workout, For those that want more reasons to stop being lazy, and to care..
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?sho...;#entry11071539

-enrolling in a sport
-HIIT (sprinting, on the bike, jumping rope, et cetera)
-jumping rope
-periodizatioin weight training (primarily compound exercises with free weights)
-airdynes (air-resistance bikes)
-judo
-wrestling
-plyometrics (box jumps, line hops, sprints, clap push-ups, pull-up jumps, dot drills, ladder drills)
-kettlebells
-dynamic warm-ups
-calisthenic circuits
-circuit training (barbell circuit)
-eating fruits/veggies, lean meats,
-replacing your electrolytes
-doing something different each workout

tbh, the question is quite open.. and i find that anything works as long as you push yourself, eat right, rest enough, and be smart about how you approach your workouts.

VAGUE MY BUTT! What a person knows works is not vague! it is very clear cut! Haha. I totally agree with all your notes though, I've experienced all of them tehehe.

ok not very vague. let me correct myself.. very OPEN

also, i edited the list & added more things i just remembered i've done

Great topic! I've been following the advice of our fellow health and fitness guru Makaveli (who in my opinion is very patient, honest, and knows his stuff when it comes to health and fitness) Love ya Ryan!! I've been following his advice to eat every 3 hours and trying to include some type of protein in each meal. With constantly eating every three hours, I noticed I'm not as hungry as I used to be. By adding a protein in each meal, I realized it gives me energy. He also suggested doing cardio on certain days while strength training on others. His goal for me was not to over work yourself. I also took his advice and took Sundays off from working out to rest and relax. Have I've seen results? Heck yeah! I've lost about 20 lbs and feel better and look better. I follow his workout schedule to the T and wouldn't do it any other way. I have more energy, look better in my clothes, and have been sleeping bettter. He is encouraging and instilled in my head you are what you eat. His advice that I found helpful was when he told me when you fall off the wagon, don't give up and start again. Most importantly, be patient.
This is what I did:
ate small meals more frequently
included protein in all my meals
strength training
cardio
when I didn't go to the gym, I went walking
drank half my body weight in water
always tried to keep hydrated
make sure the proteins were lean
rest on Sundays

1. Cutting carbs for fat loss -->> Abuse of carbs runs rampant around these parts
2. Protein is crucial for any type of diet
3. Cardio will never make you HYOOGE aka "OMFG MY CALVES LOOK LIKE THE HULK'S!! ALL I DID WAS RUN OMFG MY LIFE IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!"
4. A clean diet and consistency are CRUCIAL for any success
5. The lazy and undedicated will ALWAYS fail no matter how much advice or help they get

IMPRESSIVE!!! AHH So happy for you!!

-Controlled Diet
-Running for 30 minutes everyday (Lost 30lb this way). I first started out running for 6 minutes straight and could not go anymore. I increased it until I was able to run for 30 minutes without a rest.
-P90x - Workout videos which I recommend for people who lack structure (like me) in working out.
-HIIT (sprinting for 30 seconds and then resting for 30 and repeating until I cant go on anymore) - When I got tired of running for 30+ minutes a day, I started doing this and it worked wonders.

These are basically the things I did to lose all the weight I did.

Here's a question for people who may know. Makaveli mentioned it, but why do you have to cut carbs to lose weight? The reason why I'm asking is because I have managed to lose around 45-50 lb and I have never managed my carbs one bit. I followed the calories in vs calories out rule and made sure to just eat enough protein for P90X. I eat a crapload of carbs. If I had to guess, it would be in the 200-300g of carbs a day since I eat rice every meal and various other things that are jam packed with carbs.

I've read online at various places and never found anything that could quite explain it. I hear things about which kinds of carbs are bad for you and what are good, but then I hear people who say in the end, it doesn't matter as long as the calories are right.

Cutting carbs helps you lean out. If you were huge before just cutting calories is fine. Once your bf% gets lower and lower you don't want to cut protein because you'll lose muscle mass, you want to cut carbs. If you're just going for a "normal" look, you can cut whatever you want.

woot. great info. now i realized that i have been super lazy DANG.
Now I'm more motivated to go out there and work out yooooo !
I just need to change my workout everytime, because
i thought it was okay to do cardio 3-4x a week.
45-1 hour.
i cut calories & do light cardio.

I've been super lazy and only 3x a week with 45 minutes...
awww....
i feel like crying. Kidding ish. ;D
allright man, time to get dedicated !!!!!!
goal is to win my battle by christmas.
all i wish to do is slim down, and drop some pounds.
not impossible, right?

- drinking lots of water i admit i can only go as far as 2 weeks of doing this. but during those times that i did, it really worked on me. but idk, because before i'm not really one to chug down 1L of water in a day... so it really helps, i think, specially for people who don't drink that much water.
- exercising i did this for 2-3 weeks straight, averaging on 45 minutes a day and i lost weight, not really a lot, but of course, i didnt expect a lot for that 3 weeks time.
- oatmeal i just eat oatmeal when i get hungry and it helps since i'm not eating whatever unhealthy snacks i can munch on.

-being a vegan HAAHA. I did lose like 10 pounds from doing this but I also exercised by dancing/running etc.

:[ unfortunately thats all thats worked for me...

If you say it! Mean it!!

Hmm...this isn't related to losing weight, but from experience I know SLEEPING EARLY and getting at least 8 hours of sleep did great for my skin. Parents always say this lol and it sounds meaningless but it's definitely true, a lot of people just can't be bothered to force themselves to sleep before 12.

Also, running will help trim down your thighs from experience. They made mine smaller and firmer, and I ran everyday. They weren't as jiggly as before Cardio has yet to do something about my stomach though!

Great post!

- making good habits for life

- ditching bad habits forever

- getting a physical hobby (if you don't enjoy going to a gym, you're going to quit eventually, but if you like swimming, make it a hobby!)

- being mindful of your own body (people don't just wake up with 50-100 pounds extra gained overnight. Don't pretend those 5-10 pounds aren't there. People don't get chronic/lethal diseases overnight. Have a pain in your gut? CHECK IT OUT! Do you have sugar crashes? CHECK IT OUT. Do you feel winded from going out with your dog? DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW). The biggest mistakes people do is ignore the problems they have, and pretend they're not there.... until it's too late. Freak accidents, illnesses with a sudden debut - tragic. People who let stuff get worse and worse until they die YOUNGER then they should, or waste part of their lives with something they CAN control - makes my blood boil.

- Two habits for staying young - sunscreen and hydrating cream. The ONLY two things proven to slow aging. The rest is bullcrap. EXPENSIVE useless bullcrap.

- Two habits for strong bones - moderate sun exposure (10 min a day) and lots of calcium. And a vit D supplement. Apparently most people are deficient and new studies show we need more then the usual guidelines.

- portion control > binges of tasteless diet food

- exercise, togetherness with someone you love, good music, good books, and good food - who needs drugs really?

- avoid routine, keep busy, make a balance out of the superficial and of the spiritual. Overworked people have life pass them by. Bored people overeat. Sad people overeat. Superficial people crash and burn, too spiritual people forget to have fun. MODERATION

and last but not least:

- not reading beauty magazines. THEY LIE! Did you know they sometimes use body doubles, or make-up a look with photos of limbs from up to 4-5 people? Did you know reading magazines for 2 minutes lowers self esteem in 90% of people polled? Why pay someone to make you feel like crap? Why look at pictures that make your self worth plummet? Life is too short to waste on feeling dissatisfied that you're not a anatomically impossible Barbie doll

wow this threads getting better and better!

1. Following a Glycemic eating plan ( but I do this more for a nutritionist helping me with my slight diabetes)
2. Workouts of the Day (WOD) from Crossfit for the past four years. -
3. Kettlebell workouts
4. Protein shakes - morning and before bed.
5. Staying away from the TV
6. Shopping and Preparing my own food.
7. Drinking a lot of water (esp now with the heat and working out outside)
8. Having a source of protein and veggies in every meal/snack.

Thanks for having this post. =D

This thread is great. I don't know how much this post will help.. but does it count as an inspirational story?! Although most soompiers here are young, maybe this can be for future reference haha. Or encouragement that anything is possible? Whatever.

It's never too late to start being healthy. 4 years ago, my dad was obese. He was 195 lbs and 5'6, and his body frame is pretty small. He didn't exercise at all, and he had to catch his breath whenever he went up small flights of stairs. All his life he had acne all over his back and on his face, even till then.
Finally, he started reading up on health and such, and I guess he got scared from all the horrible diseases that risk factors go up when you're obese and unfit. So he completely changed his lifestyle and started going to the gym. His diet is basically no refined carbs, high lean-protein, very low fat, LOTS of fruits and vegetables (low G.I. carbs).
I think he went from 195 to 130 in a year?
And now he's at 145 at some low bodyfat, iirc it was 12%.
And he can run up those stairs without a sweat now. (I'm proud. haha.)
He still works out and working on gaining muscle. Oh, and he has no acne anymore. He's 48 years old.

Anyway.. his lifestyle change completely changed mine too. If we stayed eating the same things all these years, I would be overweight and obese. That's no question. I started to break out one day in 7th grade, and that's kinda when he started this new lifestyle. After I started following him, my skin reversed and no acne.
After I wrote this post, I realized how much I learned from my dad. -thankful moment- xD

Hm, I hope that post was okay. Basically what I learned..
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND KEEPING FIT WORKS!
Specifically, low glycemic index carbs (like fruit), vegetables, lean mean, low fat.
(But I do love my milk and cheese.)

Thanks for contributing! It only can be a good thread with real solid replies as you and the others have shared with everyone!


Wow, your dad is the MAN! You should be extremely proud of him! Congratulations to you as well and yes your post does count and I think it will help a lot of people. A nice take on the prompt from my initial post. Kudos!

-Don't make a sob story about your insecurities.. no one will cry with you. Complaining isn't going to do anything for you except maybe waste your time and ruin your self-esteem.
-You're at the weight you're at because of your own actions, or lack of actions. No excuses! And no more blame on anyone else/anything/any other circumstances.
-Make a consious, all out effort to change things. If you desire to lose weight that badly, then really, there isn't anything that can stop you. Don't say that you don't have the equipment, you don't have the time, etc. If you want it that bad, then you will FIND an alternative and MAKE the time.
-Don't expect anyone else to "help you" when you can't even help yourself. Those first few steps need to be taken on your own. You got yourself into this, you need to get yourself out.
-Stop waiting for an ideal situation to start changing your lifestyle, the time is now! The only time there ever is, is now. So many people wait until their at the brink of disater to spur their action. By then, they've dug theirself into a hole so deep it makes it 3948723498x harder to reach their goals.
-Why cheat your diet? You're only cheating yourself.
-Never give up! How many "30 day challenge" threads have you seen? How many of those people do you think actually followed through until the end? It's not so easy, if it were, there wouldn't be so many people with a weight problem.
-So you can't eat what your dad/brothers/friends do.. so what? Your circumstances are different, accept that because you can't change it. Accept it, and work with the situation the way it can only work FOR YOU.

These aren't really tecniques for training or anything.. just some points from the mindset that helped me lose some weight. I used to be the WORST about this kind of stuff haha.

This thread is great :) Good inspiration and motivation to stay or track, or get on track.

what works for me:0)

enrolled in a gym
Taking: step aerobics, 24 set, boxing, dance
going to the gym at least 3 times a week
completely changed my eating habit which includes fresh juices (vegetable and fruit)
having healthy snacks instead of junk and soda
eat just until I feel satisfied and not continue eating and eating b/c i need to finish something

I'm proud to say I lost 17 lbs in 1 year, from 125 to 108.

HARD WORK PAYS OFF AND STAYS OFF

I LOVE THIS THREAD! thanks everyone for sharing!

Preach it sistah! Preach it!

indeed

I'm sorry if this becomes a long post to read but I just want to share my uh life changing experience of where I am now.

I've always been a big eater, but still stay "skinny". However, I always kept hitting high levels of cholesterol every other year from my bad habit of eating even though. As for exercising, I've always made excuses (that were half true) as to why I can't workout properly.

The biggest change of my life has to be my jaw alignment surgery. I have many health problems and most of them centralize around my mouth. Jaw alignment surgery results in mouth being wired shut for the first 4-6 weeks post surgery. I was practically driven crazy when my friends and family were able to eat and chit chat while of course I was stuck out alone with my own condition. I even lost 5 lbs (from ~120+ lb to 115) within the first two days post surgery (that's definitely all fat LOL). Luckily for me I only had to wait 4 weeks before I can talk again and eat yogurt and congee. 2 weeks later I was able to start eating rice with side dishes being cut into mini bite size pieces.

But most importantly during my month of being driven crazy, my face cleared up (it's worse right now but I will find a solution to that soon enough hopefully LOL), but I realized my life before the surgery I wasn't really "taking care of myself" from my health problems for the long run. From my post surgery state I felt very weak and I told myself excuses will just make me weaker and unhealthier. So I checked up what I could do to workout at home that won't be so expensive when it comes to buying. (I can't really work out outside due to my skin condition).

From then on, I started off with Hip Hop Abs lol with strength training and everything. (I use level 2 now). Everytime I felt like quitting I pushed myself off my seat to start working out. Little by little it became a habit to work out 6x a week most of the time, picking up the intensity too while trying and adding new things to my workouts. I started eating smaller meals, but it became just the same amount of food I used to eat or more but smaller portions. I started eating way healthier than the healthy amount I ate before surgery. I even drank a lot more water per day than I ever did in my life.

As for hanging out, I would put on my sunscreen a lot more often now, and instead of taking the subway from one stop to another, my best friend and I would normally walk long distances to admire all of Manhattan and such LOL. But we must give props to ourselves since most people would not do what we do. I even got my other friends to walk with me like this whenever we can.

And now I'm proud to say that I'm proud of myself. I feel like I've been keeping myself fit to a good amount (even though this blubber has yet to be totally gone but is the only problem) but it's a long road and I will keep up what I started and adjust my diet further. From working out and staying in shape I feel healthier and more optimistic than I've ever been. I have more confidence in myself now to take as many opportunities as I can when presented. I even get so eager when I think of more types of work outs to try out and I giggle sometimes when I think of working out soon. I'm very queer LOL, but I'm quite happy I never went back over 120 ever since before my surgery. (I only reached 120lb once that I'm aware of when I had to play tour guide for visiting relatives which means going to good restaurants lol).

But anyways, hard work pays off! And if you keep thinking about how much you have worked to get to a certain point, it's the best motivation to strive even further and challenge yourself. I certainly love this kind of motivation. No one should get to you because it only matters when YOU'RE the one working yourself to the max. I certainly proved a lot of people wrong when they said I won't be able to change myself health wise.

I hope this post counts. o_o Since I wasn't really sure of the definite, specific intention of the question LOL.

One word: YOGA!
works for me. its awesome for relaxation, for warming up before cardio, to make you more flexible and feel better over all.
All pros, no cons!
plus my personal history with it : i had really bad asthma when i was younger. i couldn't even run 5minutes before getting all out of breath and wheezy, but i'm thinking of training for a marathon now and i haven't even used my inhaler for years now. See, your lungs are a muscle, so with yoga breathing exercises you can strengthen them.
If you want to be healthy, exercise is a MUST

Indeed it does Cheers to your health and well being.

1) Everything is connected. Your body is not just a random collection of stuff; everything is hardwired with everything else which means that if you want to have healthy skin or hair, you'll have to eat right and exercise. If you want to sleep better or want to be less depressed, you'll have to eat right and exercise. Anything that has to do with your body immediately means it has to do with your health: what you put into your body, what you do with your body, etc. You should not expect to eat chocolates everyday and then, come 50, still look good. You should not expect for your metabolism to carry through for the rest of your life. And you should not expect to get clear skin, stronger hair, better nails, brighter eyes, etc. without also thinking about your diet and exercise. I have found no bout of acne that has not been made better through careful eating and exercise.

2) Don't buy things you shouldn't eat. There is not a single piece of junk food in my house right now. As of yet, I don't even OWN a jar of sugar. The things in my refrigerator right now are: bananas, raspberries, eggs, chicken breast, avacados, tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach, hummus, carrots, salad dressing, yogurt, and wheat bread. I do not drink soda because that means I'd have to put on clothes and shoes and get in a car and waste gas and waste money to get a drink that will probably do me no good. I don't have midnight cravings for chocolate because that means I'd have to go to Harris Teeter at 12:00am in my pajamas. The best way to be on a diet is to make sure there isn't anything you shouldn't eat in your home.

3) The best way to know what's in your food is by making it yourself. This is satisfying and healthy and you get to see all the raw materials in which your food is made out of. When you make cookies or cinnamon rolls, you will be absolutely appalled by how many sticks of butter you're expected to put into the bowl in addition to the number of eggs and the amount of sugar required. You would never be able to guess just by looking at a cinnamon roll. But making a cinnamon roll kind of makes you just never want to touch a cinnamon roll again--especially when you consider that 3 sticks of butter only make about 10 cinnamon rolls. Making your own food also saves you a lot of money.

4) Drink water and tea.

5) Exercise like you mean it.

6) Try on old jeans that used to give you a muffin top. The best way I keep myself motivated is looking at a pair of jeans that fit poorly and thinking, "One day, I'll wear you again."

7) Be confident in what you do. Magazines will throw you all sorts of junk that will divert you from the most effective route. Just be confident that you're doing the best thing in the best way and don't waste your time chasing other methods.

Can I adopt you as my sister! Tehehe.

so good

Things that have worked for me:

- 30min run in the morning 6x a week

- DO SOMETHING with your spare time - and I don't just mean exercising. If you have nothing to do, don't just watch TV or go on the computer (like I'm doing now =S). Go out and volunteer/work or find a hobby to fill that time. I find that if I get out of the house, food isn't as much as a temptation as when I'm at home staring at the TV.

- Imagine your favorite junk food/unhealthy snack with something disgusting. I took this trick off a TV show but it works! Once I picture dirty strands of hair on top of chips or fries, it completely turns me off.

- I have a collection of pictures that are of kids born with a disability or a malformation. Every time I look at it, I just think that these kids are born with these disorders...and it reminds me that (as cheesy as it sounds) I can't take my body for granted. I'm not born with a disease, so why would I give myself one?

Hope it helps =D

^ wat ur doin in that last point is malicious far out some ppl sure go to extremes having to feel secure in their own body
its pretty gross

I figured out the best way is only to eat right and exercise.

I usually swim and do physical labor for work and drink a lot of water.
And I just don't eat much snacks and just let lunch/dinner settle in my stomach.

That helped me the most. Basically, your enemy is yourself.
If you don't fix your habits, it won't be possible.
It may not be easy but it is worth it in the long run.
I feel much better about my body right now.

I'm loving this thread more and more

I always figured out what else to do, i mainly just stick to the thread climber thing. It's you burn twice the amount of calories and it makes my lower stomach feel so much firmer

I'm not too sure what you mean, but I think you've misunderstood my point. It's not as though I'm telling myself I'm 10x prettier than these kids so I should be happy. It's quite the opposite of what you're suggesting.

Whenever I look at them, it makes me feel terrible because they use so much effort to try to do everyday things - running, playing, singing, etc. I admire them for their willpower (of which I have none) and their drive to be as healthy and active as possible. For example, some people train everyday for 2-3 hours just to walk again. So can't I just get off my butt for 30 minutes to run?

So all in all, the pictures inspire me to eat right and exercise because I shouldn't take what I could do for granted.

I'm sorry if it came out another way when I was explaining earlier =)

Well I'll admit that there are quite a few not-so-healthy methods that I used to lose weight but I'm going to be truthful and tell you guys the whole process.
I was at 135 in June 2008 by mid-October I was down to 125 to 120- my weight was always jumping up and down.
During that period I mainly changed my diet and not so much exercising. I'll list what I did.
[Changes to diet:]
- Cut back fried food.
- Green Tea
- Skipped meals X[
[Exercises]
- Walking a lottt
-Sweating -literally having my whole back soaked with it XP
-Competitive badminton

I reached 125-120 around September and my weight stayed somewhere in between there...
until towards the end of October. I got dead serious about losing weight and went to the extremes to achieve my goal.
End of October 2008 to December 2008, I went from around 123 to 112 by January 2009 I was at 110-109.
Before I list what I did, I want to let you guys know I'm not too proud of some of the things I did.
[Changes to Diet]
-No rice ;when I say 'no' I really do mean none at all
-No soda
-Hot tea; mainly green tea
-Boiled/steamed vegetables
-Very, very little oil in food or none at all
-Fruits :mainly: oranges, bananas, & apples.
-Skipping meals or not eating
-Counting calories and reading nutrion facts
-Diet pills
-I always tried to keep under 300 Calories and around 200 Calories.




[Exercises]
-8 minute abs in morning & right before going to bed **this worked- I swear**
-Walking in heels
~ I went shopping alot in heels and I found out it actually does help to burn calories faster when I was reading a Japanese fashion/beauty magazine. Also it distracts you and makes you forget to eat =P
-Dancing to fast music.
-Going to the gym 2 times a week for 1 month
~Treadmill - 30 minutes
~Step-machine- 30 minutes
~Sauna - 10 minutes
-yoga 2-3 times for 2 weeks, 45 minutes each time
-Taking the option to walk longer or more when I had the chance (like not taking elevator and not taking the short cut)

SURFING
I wasn't dieting back then but it really made me sleep well at night and wake up feeling refreshed. This is the only sport that has made me feel so refreshed in the morning.

i put it vry clearly
looking at PICTURES of individuals born with "malformations" is malicious and is pretty gross behaviour
i dont care whether ur intentions are good or not, doin taht is just not normal

I think you have both made your points and I would like to politely ask you to avoid a flamewar on this thread.


A thorough explanation! I must now politely ask you two not to have a argument on this thread though as I believe the person you are talking with will not understand your reasoning or feelings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use the soompi ignore feature if you need to ~ to avoid further escalation as nothing good will come of it. No one is being hurt or taken advantage of. E-arguments aren't useful and will not provide any readers of this thread anything beneficial. Thank you for understanding.


Ahh sounds fun!

this thread rocks.
i SWEAR im coming back to put up my own story.

the eight minute ab workout WORKS.
from my experience.

hmmmm
im gonna have to work on the cardio though

EDIT: lmaoo
ok

well i do it 4 times a week, and i stretch before and after each session so that makes it like 12-13minutes each day.
you can see a lot less flab in like 3 weeks.
i dont have abs yet, nor do i want them
which is why i do it just every other day, just to keep my tummy flat. :]
theres also a 8 minute leg workout by the same person/trainer
im gonna have to start that too.

oh, and of course, i watch what i eat. very closely

and i think you just have to have the right motivation.
i spent alot of time in the 'inspiration thread'
i used to be like, oh who cares if im 10 lbs overweight, but then
i realized I care. it doesnt have to be about impressing others
i just feel better and healthy.

oh and for all the girls,
i think you should buy jeans 1/2 a size too small. lol
the more expensive the better
i have to say, the main reason i'm careful not to
binge or skip on excercise is because i dont want to grow out of my clothes because im too fat.
i guess thats shady but who cares. thats one of my motivations

OH and also
i have a poster of megan fox on my wall.
that seems weird but it really helps for motivation. lmao

haha... in the future I would like posters to read the thread and try to be a little more descriptive. You could detail what it was like before and after and ~ "MAGIC PILL #1 WORKS" does not qualify as educational. hahaha ~ Edit your post and make it worth reading!

What works ~ not what do you have to do!

you guys make me so motivated! i HAVE to visit this thread every day to motivate myself! (: yays.

i've been working out in the gym but sometimes i cheat(myself) by not going no more!

oh & i stick a picture of the biggest loser before & after on my fridge! so before i eat anything i will see the picture! which makes me not wanna eat junk! (:

Keep it up! What a good idea ~ I keep a pic of myself near my door - I can't leave without looking at it. Before when I first started getting in shape I had a before and after pic of another asian guy that also reclaimed his life.

I write a small message to myself on my left hand (I'm left handed so I'll always see it.) so when I'm reaching for that bag of chips in the pantry I'll read, "Do you really want to eat that?" and quickly change my mind. Hahaha, it sounds lame but it works. Speaking of which... *goes to grab a pen*

I have "THINSpiration" pictures everywhere; in my bathroom on the mirror, on full body mirror in my room, on my closet doors...

Cool! I was just wondering, I want to lose wieght (and I've been doing cross country since school started), but I eat a big bowl of white rice everyday during dinner (and a lot of noodles/rice/poridge during weekends and summers and stuff like fried dumplings/pizza), will that affect my goal??

I know that brown rice is a lot better, but my mom doesn't like my grandparents will like it and isn't willing to change that.

I'd like an answer to this question too! I run cross country as well (had to quit the rest of this season due to shin splints...got so bad I limped when I walked) and our coach tells us we need to consume a lot of carbs and protein to refuel ourselves. Since I'm asian, I basically have white rice at every meal (even after I've stopped running)...

Also, if I cut my carbs (and overall calorie intake), will this make me lose muscle mass? I'm pretty toned now and I want to stay that way but still lose fat at the same time.

Edit: Btw, I find this thread very inspirational <3 You all rock xD!

Sounds like your eating whatever you want for dinner. Yes it will affect your goal of weight loss.
- as long as the dinner is within 30-45 minutes of after working out strenuously a controlled serving of
* protein, carbs, vegetables is fine.
- but it sounds like your dinner is everything from rice to dumplings to pizza etc.... - thats uncontrolled.
Yes x 1,000,000,000,000 x 34342 to the nth power multiplied by infinity folded in upon itself - with bluegrass music playing in the background.

* learn to cook for yourself or just reserve white rice and fast carbs appropriately.
In season you should eat more because you are working out harder - if you aren't doing off-season conditioning or even staying in shape you might as well toss out a majority of your carbohydrates - except breakfast... and after 30+ minutes of REAL exercising!

Or you can simplify and stop eating carbs by 12pm.




answered

ATTENTION

Please post questions in the new fitness thread! This thread has a separate purpose. TYTY!
- fitness thread : http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=281904



At the onset of shin splints your coach should have allowed you to rest for 2-3 days.. the longer you train with those micro fractures the longer it takes to heal. You could have switched to conditioning like elliptical, swimming, cycling while you let your shins heal.

Whenever I experienced bad shin-splints it was training too much even with them - then needing 1-2 weeks off doing other forms of cardio instead. Rest or find other ways to train and heal at the same time! Better to heal up fast in a few days then to be put out of action for a much longer time.

ATTENTION

Please post questions in the new fitness thread! This thread has a separate purpose. TYTY!
Fitness Thread - http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=281904



* you should exercise still even when you are not in your current sports season!
- it could be as simple as going to the mall every day for 2 hours to walk!
" wise grandpa once said - if you never get out of shape -> you never have to get back in shape "

There are more to carbs then just white rice! all races tend to ingest carbs at most meals.

You will lose muscle mass if you don't give a reason for them to stay. Based on the wording of your Also..if... question..... I recommend you read up on nutrition in links provided on page 1, post 1 - bottom to the newer fitness thread.. That thread has links on nutrition etc so you can learn more... but

FAST FWD >>>

If you want to lose fat at the same time and stay toned - start by moderating your carbs - increase lean & clean protein + vegetables.
This thread wasn't meant for questions so I'll be brief.

Fasted cardio - walking 30-45 minutes before breakfast - not quiet a power-walk - almost but you should be able to carry a conversation.
* then again you can utilize this form of walking as extra cardio besides running/sprinting.

Sprint - do rounds of sprints! drive way - sidewalk in front of home - if you live in an apartment complex on the asphalt right between the parking lots etc sprint for 5-10 seconds at a time - jog/walk back - sprint again. Do as many as you want initially - rest drink a little water - repeat for 10-15-20-30 minutes whatever you have time for. Even 10 minutes helps. Sprinting does things x-country type training does NOT. along with utilizing different twitching fibers etc.

Cardio for either 20, 30, 40 hell 10 minutes is okay - any type after resistance training * this could be employing some pink dumbbells, or water melons and using them as exercise aids - you can do bodyweight squats lunges etc even in your room ~ 3-4x a week - everyday if you like or can.



please review this thread - for more details etc
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=281904

ATTENTION

Please post questions in the new fitness thread! This thread has a separate purpose. TYTY!

Kinein & Makaveli's Fitness Thread, 2009 and beyond helping the dedicated everywhere!
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=281904

Being Realistic & Planning Ahead
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=242014

Why is Diet so important?
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=272559

130 Reasons To Workout, For those that want more reasons to stop being lazy, and to care..
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?sho...;#entry11071539

What have I learned that worked ...

Willpower is something that is grown and strengthened overtime. Many times people use it all up in school or work - whatever reason is in fashion this season So it is in many cases best for those that are running low by the end of their day....

to just start off with 5 minutes at home, backyard, room, driveway etc. Then 10 minutes. Then 15 minutes.. .. etc

Another way is to move workouts before breakfast or after breakfast or BOTH! - before and after!

Build that willpower up!

Can you please fix the link to the "130 Reasons To Workout" thread.