Fitness, fitness, and more fitness!

You won't resist?

*bumping this thread because it is a good one*

It has been 8 months since I started out on a strength training program. When I started out, I was 134 lbs and my fitness score was 76. Three months into the program, I hit 152 lbs and my fitness score was 80. Today, I am not at that level, but I am still gaining in strength.

I do weights on 5 days, with the 6th day being reserved for HIIT and abs. I don't focus much on abs since - 1) I am not particular on cosmetic appearance, 2) I deadlift and squat every week, and they strengthen the core anyway. I consume a mix of Carb and BCAAs as an intra workout drink and consume a protein shake right after. My diet consists of healthy food for lunch and dinner, with breakfast being the only exception. I rarely consume soft drinks, burger, pizzas, popcorn, fries and chips.

I workout with a personal trainer, so I can tell you what he does. He is responsible for helping me achieve my fitness goals (weight, body fat %, lean muscle mass, etc.). He trains me on 3 core days every week (Mon, Wed & Fri). He specifies the workout routines, the sets, the reps and he monitors my form. I have personally benefitted from having a PT because he pushes me to give it my best every time I train with him. He's like a gym buddy, only well-trained and professional.

Edited to add:
For this year, I want to bring my body fat % to 15%. I also want to achieve the following -
1RPM benchpress - 1.5x bodyweight
deadlift - 2x bodyweight
squat - 2x bodyweight
leg press - 4x bodyweight (I am currently at 3x bodyweight for my max-out set)

I have the same goals as you for the squat and bench.

But 2.5x my body weight for deadlift.

I weigh about 50lbs more than you.

I'm also switching to bicycle for cardio instead of running. We'll see how that goes... Its a little less stressful on the old joints.

2.5x your body weight is pretty good for deadlifts. Do you use any intra-workout supplements? Yesterday I was deadlifting after having a poor pre-workout diet. Needless to say, I felt giddy and nauseous within half an hour into my workout.

I take creatine, fish oil and protein powder drink after workouts.

I've been thinking about taking them every day. Instead of only after workouts.

I only take half the recommended amount of creatine. Which is 3 pills (3g) . 6 seems like a lot...


I usually don't like to eat before working out. I just feel better and stronger when I workout in the morning before eating.

I drink one or two cups of coffee and then go for it.

I use knee wraps and belt for squats as soon as I get over 225 lbs.

I use wrist straps for deadlifts as soon as I get over 365lbs. I try using the belt too but haven't found a good tension and spot for it yet... Not sure if it even helps on deadlift... Too much tension and I can't breathe well... too low and I can't bend over without discomfort... Too high and not enough tension and I don't think its doing anything at all... Yesterday I put it on in about the middle with medium tension and I think its about all I will get out of it.

My goal this year is to eat lots of chocolate, drink lots of iced coffee, and nom nom on bacon jerky... soooo good.. *drools*

Not every day, no. But as a replacement once or twice a week, it's okay. I drink a Carnation instant breakfast drink every morning, basically for the iron and vitamins in it, since my iron tends to get low and I don't normally eat breakfast..

I recently started lifting weights and working on my core. Hopefully this will stop my ribs from dislocating during Jiu Jitsu from now on. Do you have any recommendations for exercises that would specifically target the muscles around my ribs???

Sorry for the double post but I'm unable to edit.

Just for a better understanding of what kind of exercises I need to find...

Every time someone does a "knee on belly" technique to me, my ribs instantly dislocate and I'm out for months at a time. This is a knee on belly technique,

[video=youtube;-mFt3mf3530]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mFt3mf3530[/video]

Now imagine someone with with an extra 50 lbs doing that at full speed and slamming their knee in.

I think squats and deadlifts could help every aspect of your jiu-jitsu.

But they will definitely strengthen your core.

Not sure about the muscles that hold your ribs together specifically.

Have you tried to wrap your ribs with some sort of knee wraps or something to provide extra support when doing your jiu-jitsu?

Woah! I still haven't come around to consuming creatine. Like you, I have never experienced the benefit of using the belt. Also, the mixed grip has been enough to help me get the bar of the floor. Not that I have lifted any massive weights yet, haha.

I agree with what Grandpa said. Deadlifts and squats are compound exercises that work out your core. If you want to fully reap the benefits of both these exercises, make sure you hold your breath during the eccentric and concentric movements. For example, during deadlifts, make sure you inhale deeply during your rest stage. Then, hold your breath and lift the weight off the floor - this will not only strengthen your core but will also help the weight to be distributed down your spine. You can either exhale and inhale again before beginning the eccentric movement (lowering the weight), or you can hold your breath until the weight has touched the floor. For beginners, I would never recommend the "touch and go" motion simply because they may tend to compromise the form as they work up the reps.

Other exercises that would target the muscles around your ribs are - dumbbell pullovers, decline presses (dumbbell or barbell), box jumps, pull ups, latt pulldowns, spiderman pushups and all abdominal exercises.

Please note that I am neither a health coach nor a personal trainer. Kindly cross-verify my advice with a certified coach before beginning them.

I would be careful on holding your breath while lifting weights...

You will probably be working your core enough with just the squats and deadlifts. Depending on the weight you are lifting.

I accidently held my breath when I moved up from 315 to 335 in squats and I built up this pressure in my chest that didn't go away for about a minute and a half. It was very uncomfortable. Its probably a good way to pass out too if you are really exerting yourself...

I hate, hate, hate, hate whole wheat. I hate the taste of it. If you guys have any ideas on how to make it taste better, please....I am all ears.

I did create a wrap with it today, which was delicious.



But, I can only deal with this for so long until I get sick of it.

Whole wheat tortillas and whole wheat pasta aren't so bad.


That weird junk you put into tacos I'm not too sure about. Where's the beef and the cheddar and the salsa? Beans and rice?

I actually was going to make a legitimate taco with it (healthy, of course ), but then realized I don't have any beef at my place. No, it was absolutely wonderful. It tasted lovely

I still don't like whole wheat of anything. But if you like that, be my guest. I just don't lol

Why not just ditch whole wheat entirely? You can turn those fillings into a salad. Or you could use seaweed or rice paper for wrapping

Can also stuff those fillings into a sweet potato

I really enjoy reading about others' healthy habits because it helps keep me motivated better than anything else.

Workouts are my biggest challenge. I don't like sports (too uncoordinated) and most things bore me to pieces. About 3 months ago I got into a pretty regular 20 minutes of weight machines, 20 minutes of treadmill, and 20 minutes of stationery bike 3-4 times a week. Depending on the weather, I love getting up while it's still dark and going walking so I can watch the sun rise.

Shine, I have the utmost respect for you for losing that much weight. I've been trying to lose 10-20 pounds all of my adult life but have never accomplished it. However, I've managed to maintain almost the same weight since I was 20 years old.

Sweets are my biggest weakness and like Hellooo, I try not to keep them in the house. However, I have a bad habit of buying high-sugar snacks (chocolate covered raisins, dried fruit) and eating them by the handful all day at work, because we often don't get breaks and everything is on the run. I'm always open to ideas for easy, on-the-go meals that won't go bad without refrigeration.

I almost always drink only (almond) milk or water (coffee and tea are splurges) and pop or anything else is very rare blue-moon treat. I rarely eat fried foods, though I love them all!!! Several years ago I also cut out almost all bread, then rice (except brown, occasionally), and pasta (this was the killer for me.)

I'm always grateful for others' ideas because healthy food often feels like a terrible chore to me. I also rarely eat meat (have just lost some of my taste for it; find it to be expensive and time-consuming to cook) so protein can be a challenge for me. I've recently added protein powders to my routine and I've always eaten a lot of egg whites.

New (and tastier) protein suggestions are always welcome!! Thank you for starting this thread!!

I was supposed to start back up on the treadmill today after like a 3 month hiatus. But my throat hurts, which is clearly a sign I should just rest lol.

I did weigh myself this morning. I felt like I gained weight, but apparently, I haven't. Hurray! Lol

Melita...slam a bunch of water and immune system friendly vitamins to try to get ahead of that cold. Don't let it get you!
(I am so happy I'm over being sick, cause it BLOWS)