Top products from r/xxfitness

We found 212 product mentions on r/xxfitness. We ranked the 2,218 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

Next page

Top comments that mention products on r/xxfitness:

u/dontforgetpants · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

No problem! Free weights are definitely going to be better than machines for building muscle and improving balance/posture/etc., lots of studies show this. Actually, one of the reasons I started lifting was because osteoporosis runs in my family, and a new study recently came out showing that machines are basically 100% useless in building bone density. There are some machines that can be handy as accessories, but for the most part you'll have better luck with dumbbells and barbells.

HOWEVER, that's kind of beside the point! It sounds like you have two problems.

  1. You're intimidated by starting a program or trying new things with the free weights.

  2. Maybe (not sure, but humor me) you don't know what your goals are?

    For either of these reasons, you're currently experiencing what we usually call "fuckarounditis," the period of time that you look back on a year or more from now and wish you hadn't wasted, and just gotten started on accomplishing your goals. You'll often see posts saying, "I've been lifting for 8 months, but only seriously for the last 3." Those first 5 months were fuckarounditis, the latter three were productive.

    If (1): Check out some of these threads. Read, be inspired, and realize you're brave! You can always practice the moves at home in front of a mirror, and work with dumbbells at first. Nobody's expecting you to go nuts on day one. If you want to try stuff with free weights, find a program, and then start small. You can always start with dumbbells, nobody will think twice about it.

    If (2): think about your goals. Not sure? Brainstorm some ideas. Since you're already playing around with the bar a little, and the leg press, I'm assuming you have some strength goals. There are some great strength programs out there, some are listed in the FAQ (read the rest of the faq too if you haven't already, it is aweosme). StrongCurves has a beginner program for aesthetics and strength, Starting Strength is more just strength. StrongLifts is very straightforward, and there's a free phone app you can do that helps you track workouts that's pretty sweet. A lot of people on reddit are doing Ice Cream Fitness (ICF), that is also very straightforward, and people seem to really like it (actually, it honestly looks easier to follow than Starting Strength).

    So yeah, take a couple days to read over some of those, and see if there's one that sounds interesting. If you do Strong Curves, buy the Amazon book, or for Starting Strength there's a book, or you can find coughtorrentcough the pdf online. For ICF, StrongLifts, and other programs, if there's any move you don't know how to do, just check a tutorial on youtube or on the bodybuilding.com exercise database, which is a great resource).

    Still feeling like you're not ready to take that step? Remember this. ;)
u/DeltaIndiaCharlieKil · 9 pointsr/xxfitness

Skinny-fat is a term for people who are naturally thin so they don't really focus on working out. They aren't overweight, but they have no muscle tone and not much endurance. It's hard because skinny fat people have basically been giving a "pass" from having to watch what they eat or exercise all the time because they don't have physical looks as a motivator. While health and overall enjoyment of life can be a great motivator, they are more abstract and long term benefits rather than the tangible "I lost 5 pounds" goals, so it is difficult to get skinny fat people to start working out.

/u/bungsana, my only advice would be to start complimenting her when she works out, tell her how sexy she looks when she's all sweaty, when she puts on workout clothes tell her how hot she looks in them, etc. Just be positive and supportive and let her know how psyched you are that you guys get to share this together.

Maybe see if there is a female trainer she could go to for a bit. A lot of women can be intimidated by weightlifting, and in the intro to New Rules of Lifting for Women it talks about how women tend to be more focused on proper technique while men are willing to just jump into it. I know I am like that and don't feel comfortable trying a move until I feel like I know exactly how to. Getting her a trainer for a bit might get her comfortable. And sometimes its nice for that person to be a stranger and not your husband who is correcting you.

Find some physical activities that you both like, but also let her explore her own relationship to working out and getting physically fit. She may be more inclined towards classes and things that have a social nature. She may feel like weight lifting will get her "bulky". Start her off on other things and just work on her getting into the mindset that being active and exercising is a necessary part of her schedule. Once that habit is formed, then possibly focus on what type of exercise is best.


good luck! I am a skinny fat myself and it's hard. My increased health and energy definitely help me keep going, but sometimes it's hard when I know I could stop all exercise and still fit into all my clothes no problem.

u/1fastRN · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

There is a book https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642
It's $9.99 for the kindle version (the kindle app is free for smart phones). I've never read it but I've heard great things.


But there's also a whole subreddit ( https://m.reddit.com/r/StrongCurves )and lots of info online. Check this out here_are_the_correct_strong_curves_workouts_in


As far as diet, if you eat whatever you want you will still see results but it may hold you back a bit. Honestly, you're young and you can still get away with a relaxed diet...so I wouldn't sweat it too much until you're ready to. I played sports in college and ate whatever I wanted and looked great. I miss those days. But at 21 I really got into lifting, decided to clean up my diet, and I took my physique to a level I didn't know I was capable with. Maybe focus on eating meals with lean protein and fresh food for the most part if you want to fuel your body a little better but still live a little, especially while you've got the metabolism. Often times working out motivates you to want to eat better.

If you were ever interested in tracking your nutrition a little better you can download an app like My Fitness Pal (free) to see how much your eating as well as an estimation of how much you should be eating. You can plug in your stats and it'll give you an estimate.

So in short, you don't necessarily need to change your current diet but it will definitely help you with your goals. Proper nutrition will not only improve your physique, but also your performance, recovery, and overall health. As they often say "you can't outrun a bad diet".

u/Johnny_Lawless_Esq · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

First, I'd advise against big changes quickly. Changes should either be big or quick, otherwise they tend not to stick. Your mileage may vary, though; you know yourself best.

Second, most of the info you want is in the FAQ, but I agree that it isn't terrifically well-organised.

  • How many calories: Here is a calculator for your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Some of the info you provide to it is required, some is optional. The more info it has, the better. It'll also help you figure out how much you should be eating to reach your body recomposition goals.

  • As to your meals, this can be a very contentious topic. My PERSONAL advice is to hop over to /r/paleo and ask around there. I dislike starchy foods like grains and legumes (beans, peanuts, lentils) because they put your body in a fat-gain mode, and the "paleo diet" concept eliminates those types of foods. If you want to go even MORE extreme, go for /r/keto, but you seem like you don't need to go that far.

  • Workouts. Well, there are a bunch of good schemes out there, but if you're basically healthy and have access to a full gym with a squat rack and barbells, Starting Strength is a good one. It goes into GREAT detail about how to do the lifts, both without a spotter and without a trainer. If you don't have access to a full gym, I suggest you go ask around at /r/bodyweightfitness.

  • What are your goals, with respect to flexibility? I ask because too much flexibility can actually be a bad thing. If you want to do Yoga because Yoga, great, carry on. But if you want to do it solely for flexibility, then let's step back a moment and figure out what, specifically, you want in terms of flexibility.

    Yes, I am a dude. I post here because I get to talk about fitness without too much risk of a Wild Troll appearing and saying "U R T3H GH3Y F4GG0T!," and I learn a lot about women.
u/[deleted] · 10 pointsr/xxfitness

Hey lady! I would start over at /r/fitness - they've got a great FAQ here .

As for what you "should" be doing, it really depends on what your goals are. Assuming that you (like most women) would like to lower your body fat & lose some weight, I would recommend that you add some weight-lifting into the mix (if you have access to them). Lifting weights, if you do it in a planned, progressive manner, can really change the shape of your body. Just make sure you're lifting enough that it gets hard towards the end of your set - don't be afraid to lift heavy! I'm sorry I can't point you towards specific sources - I'm kind of a beginner myself - but some of the other ladies will be able to. Reading Starting Strength is a good idea if you want to learn about the A & P of lifting.

I personally do a lot of cardio, because it's what I enjoy. However, many
people seem to see great results by focusing most on resistance/weight training, with a moderate amount of high-intensity cardio (e.g., intervals - check out this infographic) thrown in. There's no harm in experimenting to see what you enjoy most and what works best for your body.

As far as nutrition goes, the general thinking seems to be that the more active you are, the more carbs you need, and vice versa. You may also find that you're less hungry if you cut back on carbs. However, if you're very active, you will need to eat carbs to fuel your exercise (*many people on Reddit will disagree with me ;). Again, I think it's best to experiment and see how your body responds to various foods. Timing is important, too. If you're trying to build muscle, it's important to eat a carb/protein combo after exercise; this will aid in muscle growth as well as slow muscle loss such as can occur after long periods of cardiovascular exercise. The www.runnersworld.com website has good nutrition info for athletes.

Finally, take everything I say with a grain of salt - I am NOT an expert, and everyone is different! Be patient and find ways to make getting healthy fun. Good luck!

u/garbageaccount97 · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

This is the best example I've seen of someone using bands to their max advantage: https://bretcontreras.com/band-glute-exercises-for-the-win-erin-mccombs-intriguing-training-methods/

However, she previously did regular lifting for a long while, I guess, so, not sure how well her results reflect the bands per se. But they didn't do nothing :)

I use bands because I'm working around injuries - that's why I had the other sets before, because of grip issues, and now I have a knee thing that doesn't feel good when it gets direct weight from above, and because I'd given my weights away (bc injuries), and there's no way I can get new ones up to my place. It takes no time at all to max out on a band set like this one, that's why I keep buying bands :) Although, hopefully, I now have enough to double/triple up.

If it's at all possible, I'd invest in free weights for home, honestly :/ The bands are pretty good, but I think they'll eventually wear out (and plates won't). I think I'm up to close to $200 CAD spent on bands, all told, so far. Not that much less than I spent on my old free weights.

That said, although I think there are subtle differences in how the weight kind of behaves, ultimately, resistance is resistance, and signs are pointing to failure being failure. (See e.g. some of the studies mentioned in this thread.)

The good things about bands are that they're light, portable, don't take up space, and you can use them in lots of ways (I am inspired by the creativity of the person I linked to above). Really versatile, great for people with injuries.

It's worth getting a big set with a lot of bands, with several handles and door anchors, so you don't have to keep switching them out, that's annoying with the small set I have. Like get something like this instead of the very cheapest version (which is what I got). At some point you'll probably want a few big looped bands like I just got - like these (for squats, deadlifts, and hip thrusts). Couple of smaller looped bands would be good. (For that I am just using old cheap Therabands from physio that ended up snapping, or the flat bands I have, tied together. I am so cheap)

also, I got my big bands from a fitness depot type place, for about half the price of what was available on Amazon. i'm pretty sure that's also where my gym gets their crap, I think these are actually the bands they use, so they must be ok :)

u/Eibhlin_Andronicus · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

Loads do, myself included!

Ok so admittedly I haven't kept up with the gym-lifting much in the past couple of months, but before that I was combining a 1x/week moderately heavy lifting session with ~50 miles/week of running, mostly 5k focus but this year is shaping out to begrudgingly become more of a 10k-marathon. ANYWAY, back in college, I was running about as much, all for 1500m/mile/k/5k/6k XC, and lifting twice a week, a bit heavier but still not "powerlifter" heavy (for a scope, at 115lbs I was occasionally doing 3x5 deadlifts at 145lbs, but sometimes I'd just do 3x8 at 105 or whatever). Went find, the key was to always do the heavy lifts on the hard running workout days.

Now that I'm in my mid-20s and "whatever" (though I still care about PRs and aim to get them and have within this year), I do more what you're doing. Single-legged movements are key, so I'm so glad to see that you're already doing them. When I'm at home, I use loads of bands of relatively strong resistance for clamshells, sissy squats, etc. I also use a 15lb kettlebell for bulgarian split squats and for single-legged deadlifts. When I'm at the gym, I go into those with a bit more weight, slightly lighter regular deadlifts than I used to do, because I don't have as much raw strength as I did when I lifted regularly, rows, OHP, full-on 60lb barbell hip thrusts, etc.

One general bodyweight routine I recommend is the Myrtl Routine, which is targeted towards common running weaknesses. I also recommend you order a pack of resistance bands on Amazon, like these (just picked a random set of exercise bands, shop as you please, but those are cheap and look fine). You'll really be able to be sure you're strengthening the right muscles when you use those bands, and you can elevate your exercises to the next level. Bands are GREAT tools, and it's awesome how simple and cheap they are!

u/AnatomicKillBox · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Keeping in mind affordability and portability, a powerlifting spin (and that I’m on mobile, so sorry about formatting):

  1. Dead Wedge. Fantastic for unloading/loading the bar when deadlifting heavy. I use mine every deadlift session (so, at least once a week) https://www.lift.net/product/dead-wedge-deadlift-jack-alternative/

  2. A bar pad. Makes it easier to do hip thrusts without the bruises and pain. https://www.thexbands.com/products/hip-thrust-and-squat-barbell-pad?variant=7422385356863&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI45qX_e713gIVi5-zCh34lQ0lEAQYBSABEgL7yfD_BwE

  3. Resistance bands, small or large. Small ones are great for accessory muscle activation activities. Large ones are great for their transportability - can do lots of stuff on the go - good mornings, overhead squats, bicep curls, scapula retractions... I’ve never used either of these brands, but as examples - Large: https://www.amazon.com/INTEY-Exercise-Resistance-Workout-Powerlifting/dp/B07226JDDD/ref=pd_aw_lpo_200_tr_img_2/133-4722036-0430309?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A7DYJRRWKMG0MEJ0CV5J, Small: https://www.amazon.com/Athleema-Resistance-Bands-Light-Medium/dp/B00LYY0YE8/ref=pd_aw_lpo_200_lp_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Z099J78N6FSZRMEVEEVC

  4. Liquid chalk. Great for rock climbing, lifting...anything when grip is essential. Also, may be allowed in gyms/areas when conventional chalk isn’t. Lots of different brands and types. Check out a comparison here: http://www.kingofthegym.com/best-liquid-chalk-for-lifting/

  5. Hand care items; manicure gift certificate. Or, if you’re gonna go “all out,” a massage gift certificate.

  6. A month of programming. My gym membership is expensive, since it’s a specialty gym. BUT my programming is through the Juggernaut site and is about $30/month - making it a more realistic possibility for friends/family.

  7. Plate coasters. I got these as a stocking stuffer for my lifting partner. https://www.getrxd.com/getrxd-comp-plate-coasters.html?_vsrefdom=adwords&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk-6EuvX13gIVgeDICh3MBwjbEAQYASABEgI5AfD_BwE

  8. Starting Strength, by Mark Rippetoe. I LOVE this book. I have a background in anatomy, so it’s right up my nerdy alley. If you have a lifting friend who is into the how and why, get them this. https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
u/hermionebutwithmath · 9 pointsr/xxfitness
  1. Use an app like Libra (android) or Happy Scale (iOS). They average out your weight (see more about this in the Hacker's Diet) and give you a trend line, which helps you to not worry about random fluctuations. Libra doesn't attach photos, but it also doesn't connect to anything. I still highly recommend MFP for calorie tracking, but I don't really log my weight on it.

  2. Amazon music on my phone. If you get bluetooth headphones, they'll usually have buttons you can use to control your music. I don't know how big your phone actually is, but you could always get a flipbelt and put it in there. I have a flipbelt and it will fit a phone with a 5" screen easily.

  3. Do you need GPS functionality? If so, I don't have any recommendations. However, I have owned a fitbit charge HR for about nine months (which you can get for <$100 if you look on ebay, etc.) and I highly recommend it, although it's still a good idea to keep track of your rate of weight loss to compare how your fitbit calorie burn compares to your actual TDEE.

  4. I don't like most apps for tracking lifting workouts. I think they're a pain. I use this notebook off Amazon. Very easy to use.

    I can give you more advice on a routine if you tell me your goals. For a weight training beginner who's looking to get stronger, you can't get much simpler than Stronglifts 5x5. If you're interested in a little more hypertrophy work, something like Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 (basically Stronglifts + accessories) or any of the Strong Curves programs are also good.

    If you want a single trustworthy place to look for information about weight training and nutrition, I can't recommend strengtheory and anything written by Greg Nuckols highly enough. Very informative, clear, science-backed, no bullshit, and the Art and Science of Lifting ebooks, if you're willing to put down a little cash, are the best all-in-one resource for someone looking to "keep track of it all" that I know of.
u/thisaccountmaybemine · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I recommend using this. It's basically the same routine as you posted but has warm ups included and videos, so it's a little better. :) It's what I've been using for the past two months.

Anyway, your questions:
/u/ideograph is right for 1 and 2 Except that rest periods should match your goals. < 90s rest is best for endurance, < 3 minutes is best for hypertrophy and 3-5 is best for strength.

For 3. The video is what you should be doing. You can start off by using doors - the /r/bodyweightfitness FAQ has a fair amount about that. A pull-up bar can also be used like the one you linked. Or, if you get one that doesn't need to be attached to the door frame like this then you'd need something tall to put your legs on.

u/thebucketbot · 4 pointsr/xxfitness

Most people start off with Starting Strength or Strong Lifts for gaining pure strength. Note that these programs are designed to gain strength, not work on aesthetics. They will definitely help you look better, but that's not their focus. New Rules of Lifting for Women and Strong Curves are more aesthetics-oriented, but they will get you stronger as well, just more slowly.

Personally, I started with Starting Strength, moved into 5/3/1 and am about to start Strong Curves since I would like to focus on aesthetics for a while. I did Erin Stern's program on bodybuilding.com for a couple months, and made some really good progress, both strength-wise and aesthetically, but I couldn't maintain that schedule once classes started up again.

As a beginner to strength training, you should look for a full-body routine since that will take advantage of your "noob gains."

u/belikethefox · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I started SL about a month ago -- also almost no upper body strength. No shame in the dumb bells. I'll see if I can find it, but there are some posts about it around here. It only took me a couple weeks to work up to the bar on almost all of the exercises (still using dumbbells for Overhead Press, though).

I started with the dumbbells that you can load weights onto: something like these. at a home gym to get comfortable building some weight.

It wasn't long at all until I moved to the bar (and it did get easier once I could use the bar.) Seriously, you'll be surprised at your progress in just a couple weeks. I still think that SL is a great beginning programming for learning form and incrementally building strength.

In just a couple weeks, I noticed a SIGNIFICANT difference in my upper body/core strength when I went to pick up my kayak...it was like "oh this used to be hard/impossible" now I felt like "what, did someone switch this thing out for a lighter one?" Have fun!

u/StijnvWilligen · 6 pointsr/xxfitness

Hello incognitoplant!


  • Training-wise, I recommend getting on a great, balanced program of progressive weight training. I advise doing a template of Bret Contreras' Strong Curves program, and training 2-3 times a week. For more info on the philosophy around the program, you could consider reading his book.
  • Additionally, it is KEY that you track your strength on all of the exercises, as strength is highly indicative of muscle gains. If you plateau, don't try to push through and get yourself into overtraining, but take a step back by lowering the weights and slowly building up to your old weights.



  • HIIT isn't very specific, and progress is hard to measure. Because of its intense nature, it could interfere with your recovery from strength training. I would advise not to do it anymore.



  • Low-intensity cardio is just fine! And good for the mind as well. However, limit this to about 2-3 times per week, 20-30 mins, to prevent it from sabotaging your strength/muscle gains.



  • Eating-wise, I advise eating +0% on your training days, making sure you center your calories and protein around your workout, while you eat -20% (in your case, -340 calories a day) on your rest days.
    This way, you're slowly losing fat, while giving the body enough resources to build muscle in the same time frame.



    Watch your weight once a week:
    If you're staying the same weight or losing weight consistently while you're getting stronger at all your exercises: you're doing it right. You're losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time!


    Best of luck!
u/sullimareddit · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

Really great for you for wanting to get into the gym! I'd suggest starting with mobility and stretching exercises for your shoulders--carefully. Especially since you say on is less flexible. Please do be careful and take it slowly. GMB Fitness has a shoulder "causes and solutions for shoulder pain deep dive here that you could maybe use to educate yourself about how your shoulder works (or in your case, doesn't).

While you're working on easing into shoulder work, there are lots of other exercises and ways you can do resistance training. A trainer might be able to help you, but be very careful, as not all know good form. One site that is super useful (but can be hard to find your way around in) is exrx.net. It shows how to do each exercise, as well as what exercise works what muscle. They have a great beginner's page.

Personally, I find it key to have a progressive program or plan, as otherwise I do too much of one thing, or get bored. I started with this book and it was awesome. I like it better than the new edition.

Good luck--we're all rooting for you!

u/redtonks · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Sure! I bought the book, and I honestly think the book is worth the purchase because there's a lot of good information in there in addition to pictures/descriptions of all the workouts. I knew how to do some of the exercises, but not all of them. There were two in fact that even my trainer had to look at and sort.

What I did was I took the book to him, said I wanted to do this program and could he read the book and then could we do it together. He and I have a really good relationship, He's trained with me through half of my major weightloss (24kg), and now through my beginning bodybuilding, so he knew I was quite firm on finding a new fitness challenge. But the reason I picked him in the first place was because he listened to me when I told him what I wanted to work towards, and he only pushes me in regards to finishing sets or putting in that bit extra when I'm failing, etc. There's all sorts of trainers out there, and I think their willingness to try something like this is a good test factor. He was a bit skeptical at first (in that he wanted to make sure it was a complete program), but when I explained why and he read the science in the book, it's actually sparked some really great conversations between sets.

You can do the exercises at home, as there's a way to do them at home and at the gym, but having him there to do them with me 1-2 times a week really makes a difference. We rack more weight and he can help me set up better (more equipment), and he's great for checking my form and spotting me if I'm tiring hard at the end, which finally happened the past couple of weeks.

Current results as I now went into the second 'round' of doing the sessions and also upped to twice a week PT: I went from lifting 130lbs to 270 lbs for my hip thrusts, 40ish lbs to now 70 lbs for the straight leg deadlifts, I use the 12kg weights now for individual arm stuff as opposed to the 8kg, and my marine presses/etc went way up as well, but I didn't log at the beginning, so I can't tell you other than I added at least 10kg on them.

You can buy the book here at Amazon.

I hope some of this helps.

u/littleallison89 · 1 pointr/xxfitness

I was re-introduced to intuitive eating several months ago. My real intro to this was a little too extreme and contributed to a rapid 5-10 lb weight gain and even more anxiety than I had at the time (which was significant—I had gained 20+ lbs back after a 50 lb weight loss/FINALLY getting myself in the healthy weight range for my height, which I’d held onto for almost two years). This second intro came from a nutritionist, and she recommended a book called Intuitive Eating that gave me a much healthier perspective than I’d bought into previously: https://www.amazon.com/Intuitive-Eating-Revolutionary-Program-Works/dp/1250004047

Before I decided to jump into this, I had been super bogged down with feelings of guilt and responsibility and failure related to tracking food, weight, workouts, etc. Often when I did track I’d get disappointed and when I didn’t track I’d be anxiety-ridden. I’m over it. I paid a ton of money for an online personal training program 6 months before my wedding date, and that was a mess. The nutritionist I’d seen knew I needed to repair my relationship with food but that wouldn’t guarantee any weight loss before the big day. I couldn’t do it. I was totally determined to lose back the 20+ lbs and be able to show my “real” self at my wedding. Well, I was hopeless at sticking to my diet plan. It drove me nuts. I felt like a total failure. Thankfully I had the support around me (my therapist in particular is a saint) to ditch the dieting and do what I knew in my heart was the right path—committing to being in touch with my true hunger, confronting emotional ties to food, and believing sincerely that I am enough.

I am one month away from my wedding today. I am as strong as I’ve ever been and I have never felt less anxiety over eating/food choices. I realized at my second dress fitting I can’t completely go off the rails cause that sucker needs to zip, but I am on the path to true peace with my body and how/what/why I eat for the first time in my life.

I hope this is helpful :) it was great to share!

u/Gehci · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

My adult fitness journey started with intuitive eating. I like this book pretty well (haven't finished it yet), but there are probably others as well.

Also, I got a personal trainer. I highly recommend this. Try to find someone/a gym that respects you as you are now and is understanding of your past, not someone who is going to be triggering for you. I was able to save a lot of money by having a student trainer at the local university gym.

Even if you don't have a trainer, maybe if you get a gym membership, some employees can point you in the right direction for where you are now. :-)

Edit: Should mention I haven't lost much weight doing intuitive eating, but it has changed the way I think about food and fitness, and has inspired me to want to be in better shape for me, not for some weird societal standard. Also, happiness.

u/sjthree · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

>In terms of exercise, I want to target slimming down my waist and thighs but grow my glutes and abs? How would I even start going about this?

You can't spot reduce fat. You can do some reshaping with overall fat loss (which comes from a calorie deficit) and strength training, but you can only change your natural body shape so much. Make sure that your expectations are realistic. Find a beginner weightlifting program (looks like someone else recommended Strong Curves), eat lots of protein, and stick to an appropriate calorie goal (not too low, not too high). I have a few books with weightlifting programs and I highly recommend getting a book. It will give you some background on the importance of weightlifting.

Strong Curves is $22 on Amazon I've never read it but it is highly recommended by many. I am doing the program from Strong and loving it! It utilizes a variety of equipment and supersets, so it isn't for everyone. The book is a quick read and I liked it.

u/saleelsol · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Yeah, getting into a mindset and routine that minimized the possibility of failure helped a lot.

Lifting is essentially about lifting heavier and heavier things to build strength. I started out reading all of Starting Strength before I even picked up a barbell. The book is very detailed and the program is pretty simple and popular, so altogether it helped keep me from second guessing whether or not my workouts were enough/safe/functional. It focuses on barbell work, but if all you have are light dumbbells at home, you could do very similar movements with them before you decide if you want to invest in heavier weights or a gym membership. Another popular program is Strong Curves, it sounds very good as well, but I'm not very familiar with it myself.

Oh, I love poutine. I've never been a big breakfast person, and I always find myself pretty unsatisfied with small, low calorie meals so I started doing intermittent fasting so I can have one big late lunch/early dinner and some lighter snacks at night if I need them. I don't count calories anymore but did at first to make sure I was not only not over eating, but also to make sure I was eating enough calories each day. I try to eat less junk food, but also don't cut anything out entirely, and having one main meal a day lets me include a more satisfying amount of calorie dense food when I'm really craving it, but also keeps me from sneaking snacks throughout the day. It takes some getting used to and isn't for everyone, but it's what I've found to be the most sustainable and effective.

u/UnderAmour · 6 pointsr/xxfitness

I'll venture a guess that the routine the trainer gave you is probably not that great and utilizes a lot of the circuit machines.

3-4 gym visits a week is perfect for getting into weight training, if you want to mix in cardio I suggest you do it on your rest days so you can really focus on your gym work. Typically most people separate their workouts by Push, Pull, and Leg days. Push for upper body workouts that utilize the chest, shoulders and triceps. Pull for upper body workotus that utilize the back and biceps. Leg day is all lower body work like your quads, hamstrings and calves.

Since you're just starting out, this is the best time to get on a program. There are quite a few different routines out there and they all have different benefits so you need to know what your goals are. Do you want raw strength, general muscle tone etc? I would suggest you look into Strong Curves first. Check out some of the reviews and do a little research to see if it is right for you. If that isn't your cup of tea than I'd also suggest reading up on Strong Lifts 5x5 and even the 5/3/1 routines as these seem to some of the most popular around here.

From my personal experience, and keep in mind I'm a guy, Strong Lifts was a great starting point for getting myself going in the gym since as you get stronger and more used to the program you can start adding in accessory lifts and finding out what works best for you.

u/Lupicia · 11 pointsr/xxfitness

Super, super sketch. If there's hope that it's actually going to work, there are easier ways of getting the info... The site lists these "factors" that result in having a smaller butt: 1. Hormonal imbalance during time of puberty, 2. Low fat genetics, 3. Low muscle genetics, 4. Natural body shape, 5. Physical activity, 6. Diet, 7. Lower body strength

Well, these actually boil down to the things we already know:

  • Genetics
  • Muscle
  • Diet

    First, genetics can't really be controlled... with time and effort, you can look like the very best version of you. (You can't make yourself look fundamentally different, but you can fulfill your genetic potential.) If you think you have a hormone imbalance keeping you from having a bigger butt, seeing a doctor might help.

    Second, muscle is awesome. Check out strength-building programs such as Starting Strength or NROL4W if you have access to a gym with free weights. The compound lifts work multiple sets of muscles at once, and the basic lifts are squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead (military) press. Or look into Convict Conditioning if you want to use your body weight. These programs are balanced. These are well-researched. These are non-gimicky. If you follow the program, you will get stronger.

    The complete list of movements to build glutes are listed here at EXRX. They boil down to two main lifts - squats and deadlifts.

    The way to build strength and muscle mass is to lift heavy enough that the 3-5th repetition is really hard, and keep lifting more each time. If you never increase the weight, your muscles won't adapt to lift more. Progressive overload builds muscle.

    As an aside, doing lots of abdominal work can build your abs, which may make your waist-hip ratio smaller. If you're shooting for a killer butt, overdoing it with extra ab work (on top of the stabilizing work your abs do on heavy lifts) can't help you much in this quest. Spot reduction is a myth. See the "Brittany Spears Effect".

    Finally, in terms of diet, you can build muscle if you get enough protein. If you need to lose fat, eating enough protein and cutting out "junk" calories might be enough. If you need to gain fat, eating plenty of calories while you're lifting may be enough. If you don't need to lose fat, just focus on getting enough protein and eat sensibly when you're hungry.

    As you build strength in the posterior chain, you'll fill out looking like a goddess with "dat ass".

    TL;DR: No need for gimmicks - squats and deadlifts.
u/sgtredred · 8 pointsr/xxfitness

A lot of people here love Starting Strength. Get the book and learn.

My first workout was the 20 Minute Circut Workout from military.com. It was a great start to simply START. A springboard.

Don't expect to learn everything at once. Pick one thing to focus on each month (or week).

Maybe you'll like Couch-2-5k to learn about running (a lot of people struggling with depression and anxiety love running). The first week, just focus on putting one foot in front of the other to move at a faster than walking pace. The next week, you might want to learn about running shoes and why certain shoes are better than others. The week after that, research something "awesome post run stretches".

Track your workouts. Some like myfitnesspal, some like fitocracy. These tracking apps can be further springboards to try out new things and are great progress bars to your goal. Make small goals ("be able to do 10 push-ups") under larger goals (sign-up for Tough Mudder next year). Experiment, play, and find what you like.

u/reclaimingmytime · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Thank you! I agree, it is addicting. I used to be a swimmer, which I think is probably similar to figure skating in that you're always monitoring yourself for like, the most efficiency in your movements. A hand placed slightly differently for better speed, or timing your breaths for a smoother flow. What I loved about swimming is how meditative it can all be--when you do laps, there's a lot of counting. How many breaths am I taking in each length? How many strokes? Can I improve on that in the next lap? Can I smooth out my motions to swim a little more effortlessly, requiring less breath, fewer strokes?

When I first started lifting, I bought an earlier edition of this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy-Frederic-Delavier/dp/0736092269/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524785731&sr=1-2&keywords=weight+lifting

I just loved seeing the illustrations of how everything you can't see works together to move your body. I think it still might be one of my favorite books--there's so much happening under the surface.

u/Atojiso · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Hey, first off, good on you for wanting to help!

I recently started lifting. One thing I found reassuring was having a program to follow. I'm doing Stronglifts 5x5 and here's a more female friendly summary without all the bro-grunting. And here is the /r/xxfitness FAQ on alternative lifts to ease into whatever she ends up doing. Goblet squats and dumbbell benching are less intimidating than that biiiiiiiiiig metal bar!

If she likes reading Starting Strength is an amazing book that explains precisely how to lift. Another good one is New Rules of Lifting for Women.

Knowledge can make people feel powerful. Even if it's just going to the gym and her watching while you explain what you're doing, or youtube videos on form, it may help.

Also as someone else suggested, she may feel uncomfortable doing new things in front of strangers. Practice lifts at home with a broom handle to get the hang of it first, I did. =)

Good luck to both of you!

u/tasteofglycerine · 7 pointsr/xxfitness

Congrats on moving towards recovery! The journey is hard but will be worth it in the end :) Do you have someone you're working with as you progress?

In light of your prior history, might I recommend not calorie counting and trying a more intuitive approach to eating for a while? Calorie counting can become obsessive, as I'm sure you may have encountered either in yourself or in others.

I love the book Intuitive Eating and the accompanying workbook. It was designed to facilitate recovery, though can be used by lots of people to help them have better relationships with food.

u/photogmel · 4 pointsr/xxfitness

this book has been a god-send for me. my friend and i jokingly refer to it as "the bible." it gives a great starting plan for lifting and also provides a suggested diet plan. i can't go by the diet plan because i'm vegetarian, but i've learned so much about how weightlifting and proper nutrition go hand in hand. i've been lifting since the beginning of the year. (started with really low weights and have been doing more strength training for the past few months). i've seen way better and way faster progress as soon as i started lifting heavier. now i just need to figure out how to get more protein in my diet. i have a hard time with that because i'm (1) too poor to afford protein rich veg foods and (2) i love carbs, so i'm working on balancing all that out.

u/adrun · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

Seconding the recommendation to check out the FAQs at /r/fitness! Especially check out the "Fixing your diet" section.

For calorie tracking, I'm a big fan of My Fitness Pal and there are a bunch of us xxfitness ladies who would love to be your friend there! (My user name is the same as this one!)

For a fitness plan, check out Starting Strength, The New Rules of Lifting for Women, or Strong Lifts. I use the last one because it's free online, but both of the other books are excellent.

Great job getting started and good luck with your goals!

u/Hotblack_Desiato_ · 1 pointr/xxfitness

First, stop worrying about your weight. It's a figure that encompasses a number of different things which may combine in different ways such that you can have two people who are the same weight, but one is OBVIOUSLY in much better shape than the other.

Second, keep it up with the food tracking. Go here to figure out your daily energy use. Figure out your body fat composition. There are a couple different ways to do this. You can do skinfold measurements, you can do the immersion tank thing, or get a dexa scan. This will give you a much better idea of your actual body composition than simply stepping on a scale, and you'll get a much better idea of what you will want your goals to be.

Third, start with strength training. Spend six months getting as strong as you can with this program. It's a great book because it tells you how to perform all the lifts without needing a spotter or trainer.

u/PseudonymousBlob · 41 pointsr/xxfitness

Yeah, that's kind of the irony of CICO/IE– when I was counting I was obsessed with food, but now that I can eat whatever I want food has actually lost some of its appeal. I still love it, but I don't get those desperate cravings anymore.

CICO's also kind of weird because nutrition is SO complex. I cut out cereal for a long time, but then I realized that fortified cereal is my primary source of iron! It seems like for every "bad" food I was cutting out I'd also cut out some essential nutrient.

I highly recommend checking out the Intuitive Eating book if you're new to this! It explains the concept very thoroughly. The same authors also put out a workbook which I haven't tried yet, but it seems very helpful.

Beverages are interesting. I probably still drink more sugar than I should, but like with all other foods my cravings for them slowly diminished after my first few "binges." When I first started IE, I would get a pizza and a root beer every Friday night. I also starting getting sodas when I went out to eat, or I'd pick them up at the grocery store. Now I hardly ever want them at all. It really feels like I fulfilled a craving (a result of dieting) and now it just doesn't feel necessary anymore. It's still an occasional treat I enjoy, but I have no desire to drink it every single day.

u/BabyBlackBear · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

Here's a list of all the home workout equipment I've purchased on Amazon :)


Stretch Bands for Dancers and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078H3KQ5W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Elite Sportz Exercise Sliders are... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OYRW4UE?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Fit Simplify Resistance Loop... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVDVHTI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Mini Exercise Ball - 9 Inch Small... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TJC4GY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Yes4All Agility Ladder – Speed... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B8LEB28?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

A stretch band, sliders, mini bands, a pilates ball, and an agility ladder. I also have cute workout clothes, a bluetooth speaker, a mat, pilates socks, handstand canes, yoga blocks, handstand blocks, a yoga wheel, a pullup bar, a headstand bench, a kettlebell (r/kettlebell for recommendations), 5 and 10lbs dumbbells, long/stretchy bands like therabands, a bosu ball, a jump rope, boxing gloves, focus mitts, a stopwatch, a swiss ball, and a pullup band.

Also not included are the kegel balls I bought on Amazon but I didn't know if you were counting pelvic floor workout equipment lol. Wow I think my house is actually a gym lmao. I'm actually a personal trainer lol.

u/lapropriu · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Lou Schuler has a youtube channel with some form videos, but not a lot of useful cues, so I didn't find those particularly illuminating. Starting Strength, the book, has a lot of awesome discussion of body mechanics and proper form for the main exercises, which I would be most worried about for getting proper form; if you're more of a visual learner, there's a dvd that goes with it. And here's a youtube playlist for some of the most common exercises. Most of these people are well respected fitness professionals, with blogs and youtube channels that are worth following.

For form, I also wouldn't worry too much about some of the smaller, isolation exercises. Do your best to follow the directions in the book. Make sure you do a good job on the compound movements though, especially as you up your weight.

u/ClitOrMiss · 6 pointsr/xxfitness

Is she pear shaped because that will seriously help? As far as I know (seriously working out for about 6 months so take all of this with a grain of salt), us chicas can do the same workouts as y'all fellas (we can both do StrongLifts 5x5, that's what I do). So you can show her your work out and then just work on lower body (squats and deadlifts and stuff, but I'm sure you already knew this. Squats are a bootyful girl's best friend!). She's not gonna get swole the way you do. She might want to do an abs circuit or something in addition to the DLs and Squats. Ask her what she wants to work on. Flat stomach? Abs/Squats/DLs, Bingo wings? Upper body. Posture, upper body and core, etc.

Get more details as to what she envisions herself like and target those areas, which you will totally know how to do, you athletic bf, you.

Wait also, here is a book you might enjoy: The New Rules of Lifting for Women I haven't read it but it was in the /r/bodyweightfitness sidebar. :)

u/dayman89 · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I am a few weeks into The New Rules of Lifting for Women and i LOVE IT. I've tried a few other programs, but as a (sort of) beginner, this has worked the best for me. I also read Starting Strength prior to starting/watched a ton of videos to understand how to do the movements. Good luck!!

u/Dirtgr · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

High fives for same height and weight! It looks like you are already sort of doing the [Strong Curves] (http://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642) program. It's pretty similar to what you are working on - lower weights/bodyweight movements and one compound lift each day. There's tons of information on this subreddit as well as the fitness one, if you search for it. The book is currently on sale on Amazon, sounds like a perfect Christmas gift to yourself.

As for increasing weight, I increase weight if I can finish my set without struggling. There is no optimal weight, it will just depend on what your strength goals are.

u/tiara733 · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

Definitely look into body weight exercises. There are a ton you can do at home without any equipment.

Some examples: pushups, planks (for core), dips (on a chair), inverted rows (on a table), body weight squats, lunges, etc.

One piece of equipment you may want to purchase is the Iron Gym pull up bar. It installs easily into most doorframes and won't damage anything. Pull ups are a great exercise for arms/back. Bear in mind that unassisted pull ups are quite hard if you don't have much upper body strength, but you can start out with hangs/negatives and work from there. You can also use the pull up bar for pushups, crunches, and dips too. I know I sound like one of those infomercials but this pull up bar is actually pretty useful. Hope this helps!

u/BarbellCappuccino · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Orgain! I love the chocolate flavor! Can be purchased here on Amazon

​

Also, I haven't yet tried True Nutrition, but they are my next one to try! They get super good reviews throughout a few subs I follow, and the pricing is similar or even better than Orgain. There's also lots of options to customize if you want to, and TONS more flavor options than Orgain.

u/natinaut · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

Absolutely. I'm naturally pretty easy-going, so I can't speak to stress. However, I have been working on sleeping better for the past 6 months, and I have finally got it locked down. Here's my sleep tips.

  • Maintain a regular sleep schedule and stick to it. Yes, even on the weekends. My sleep schedule is 11pm-6:30am and the most I divert from is by a half hour.
  • Turn all devices off at least 1 hour before bedtime. This is so important and has been the biggest help to me in getting better sleep. It also leaves more intentional time for reading/journaling/cleaning/whatever.
  • Stop eating at least 2 hours before bed. Some people would even say 3-4 hours. I work until 8pm some nights, so I give myself 2 hours.
  • Get rid of your awful alarm clock. There's nothing worse than being jolted out of sleeping by the blare of your iPhone. I switched over to this light-based alarm clock earlier this year and it has made a huge difference. Totally worth the investment. I always wake up naturally with the light.

    So there it is. These are all pretty common sleep tips. I dragged my feet on implementing some of them because they sounded so inconvenient--who wants to wake up at 6:30am on the weekend?--but I have felt 10x better since doing so. And now I have more energy and more time because I'm not sleeping 12 hours on my weekends.
u/ohmyolivia · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

There's a book called Intuitive Eating, and it's exactly like what it sounds like. I was initially sceptical but it honestly is very powerful in changing how I think about food. It helps with slip ups, starting out and maintaining healthy habits lifelong!

https://www.amazon.com/Intuitive-Eating-Evelyn-Tribole-M-S/dp/1250004047 is the link to the book!

u/optimizedMediocrity · 1 pointr/xxfitness

I follow the Starting Strength training program. From what I know about StrongLifts, they are very similar.

Rippetoe and co. have a lot of experience training many people, both men and women. From the Starting Strength website: For the first 3 weeks of lifting, most women will begin with a single 10 lb jump in the squat, two or three 10 lb jumps in the deadlift, and immediate 5 lb jumps in the other exercises – then proceed to 2.5 lb or smaller incremental increases in some movements sooner. After 3 weeks or so, your deadlift should be ahead of your squat. This is pretty general information and the page mentions that everyone is different. Rippetoe has also written about being a novice, and why you want to eek out as much strength as possible before moving to the next phase of training in his article: Who Wants to be a Novice, You Do. I found his book, Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, invaluable when training alone.

It is possible that you have been following a progression like this, since you are trying for a 190 lbs. squat after 1.5 months. It is hard to suggest next steps on the internet, but you have a few options. If you have not deloaded, that is a good first option. Setting yourself back 10% will hopefully allow you to surpass your current plateau, while continuing your linear progression. You can add in a 'light' squat day, only adding weight to your squat twice per week.

u/kalvermarkt · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

i recently purchased anker soundbuds slim. they ran me ~25$ (CAD). i LOVE them & am so glad i didn’t shell out a bunch of money for something maybe technically “better”. sound quality is good, secure in my ears, easy set-up/connect. i only use them for listening to podcasts, not really a music workout girl, so i can’t comment on how quality translates in that context. but for my needs they absolutely rule. good luck!!

~amazon link~

u/biogeekgrrrl · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

I'd suggest trying pole squats to start with. Try paying attention to the areas in your legs that start to burn throughout the various phases of a squat -- this will help you identify the areas that are underdeveloped.

http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/squat-therapy-4-drills-that-will-improve-your-squat

You can also try putting foam padding underneath your heels and see if that helps you with doing an unassisted squat. Your issue might be a combination of both underdeveloped hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, and tibialis anterior muscles, as well as poor hip flexibility and ankle flexibility. Alternatively, you can use some weight plates under your heels like this:

http://www.fitbie.com/sites/default/files/bbell-squat-heelsraiseb-female.jpg


It's quite common for Westerners to be unable to do a flat footed squat due to a neglect of the posterior muscle chain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squatting_position#Resting_position

Here's a good TED Talk about posterior chain underdevelopment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBlM5in2IQA

I would also suggest experimenting with different stance positions. For me, it is much easier to take a very wide stance than to take a narrow stance. Six months ago, I was completely unable to squat unassisted at all. Just keep up with it and you'll get there!

If you want to read up on the biomechanics and leverage variations that affect individual abilities, I'd suggest checking out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Even if you aren't yet ready to do anything using weights, his book provides a useful foundation to the basic mechanics of compound movements.

http://www.amazon.ca/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738

u/Perfester · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Okay, go early, I mean EARLY. If you can, be there when it opens as college gyms tend to get annoying and distracting as the day progresses

SL 5x5 is okay, but I found it narrow in scope and overpriced to expand. However, it tracks progress better than the other apps I've tried. Currently using Perfect Body, but you can't track well in it and you can't modify, just doing it to give a fair finish review.

Admittedly, I have not tried Strong Curves.

My sister swears by this book: https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398

She is standard fit/athletic, I'm more of a draft animal.

u/Ao_of_the_Opals · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Are you using a food scale? If not, you might find that your calorie count isn't what you think it is. I've found that weighing out my food has helped immensely. What one might think is 4oz of sweet potato and what a 4oz serving of sweet potato actually is often are pretty different.

For your height and weight, your sedentary TDEE should be around 1500-1600 kcal, or 1750-1850 for a moderate activity level. With your current workouts, eating ~1600 calories/day should get you losing around 0.5lbs per week.

I would recommend the following:

  • Pick up a food scale. I've been quite happy with this one for $12 on Amazon.
    • Weigh out all your portions, including protein powders (scoops often aren't very accurate in my experience)
    • Log EVERYTHING, even those little bites of snacks, oils used for cooking stuff, etc.
  • If you're feeling fatigued during your workouts, I would recommend some kind of small snack like a protein bar 30min to 1 hour prior to your workouts.
  • You might also have some success spreading your BCAAs out so that you've got some before, during, and after your workouts.
  • If you're using MFP, track macros instead of calories. There's something off with their rounding math or the reported calories in foods, as I've been exactly at my intended macros but still over or under on calories. I've had much more success with tracking macros than I did with tracking calories.
u/elempe · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

It's generally best to go in with a set plan, and there are a lot of programs out there geared specifically towards beginners. This will give you a sense of purpose in the gym and also a way to track your progress.

Here are links to three of the more popular beginner's programs on this sub: Starting Strength, Strong Lifts, and The New Rules of Lifting for Women.

If money is a factor, and you don't want to buy a book, Strong Lifts is a free program available online.

u/loubug · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

If you're interested in running a 5K, this is awesome: /r/c25k
If you're wanted to gain strength (which I gather from the 8lb barbell comment), Starting Strength is kinda the reddit go-to.

None of the links anyone gives you are gonna be any good though unless you are truly into what you're doing. Do you like running? Sports? Swimming? Is lifting something you think would be fun? If you hate every second of it, you will hate doing it and motivation gets way harder.

Do you have a gym you belong to? What is your current activity like?

I personally wouldn't worry about your BMI, as it is a shitty indicator of everything. It takes no account into your body fat or fitness level, just a ratio of height to weight. I personally threw my scale under my bed and have abandoned it there, replacing it with how my clothes fit and a measuring tape for things like my arms/thighs, etc.

u/rey_gun · 0 pointsr/xxfitness

Hey buddy: TLS is $8.00on kindle... is that too much for you?

His training program is broken up into 5,4 and 3 day splits. I prefer the 5 day split because 1) the total workout time is shorter 2) I can focus on individual muscle groups (doing multiple groups causes me to short change the latter groups) 3) His 5 day split has more volume for individual muscle groups

You can spend $0 and get a great 6, 5, 4, or 3 day routines. Check out bodybuilding.com or google 5 day splits. There's lots of free published info.

I like TLS' programming for novices, but he doesn't tell you anything in his book or bonus report (which contains his 1 year of progressive exercises) that you can't learn through internet research. It's helpful because his program does the thinking for you and grows as you do (feeling like shoulders are lagging- well in the very next phase he's thought about that and added more shoulder stuff).

u/MyShoulderHatesMe · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I have this at home

and this one at my BF's house.

I like the one I have at home better, and it also used to be cheaper (like $8). I recommend getting one with a raised platform, because it makes reading what the screen says easier. I don't use a food scale all of the time, but when trying to make weight for a meet, it's definitely a great thing to have.

u/disarmTheFrog · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

I've read a lot, and my theories on routines and splits have changed, but this has stayed my favorite book Strength Training Anatomy. I love the drawings and details of the anatomy as it relates to lifting. It really gives you a foundation to build on. :)

u/OhHelloGhost · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

I recommend having a look at Bret Contreras' and Kellie Davis' book Strong Curves. It's very nicely written and contains a ton of exercises designed to build a butt. Spoiler: weighted glute bridges and hip thrusts give fantastic results and everyone should do them.

Squats, deadlifts and lunges are great too of course! Apparently, though, most people don't engage their glutes properly when doing these exercises. Make sure to squeeze 'em! heheh.

u/prefinished · 8 pointsr/xxfitness

Panache has some cute colors and they're great bras. I have mine in Geo Print and my fellow pole girls kept complimenting me on it. Just mouse through the colors, there's more than generic solids in there. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Panache-Womens-Underwired-Sports-Black/dp/B005VNFFZ6

I know you said 30C, but in this brand, as a 28H I wear a 30FF. Amazon has a great return system anyways!

u/ferry_quickly · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

If I could GIVE you this book right now, I would! I wish I could hand it to you straight through the internet! Read the reviews for yourself. http://www.amazon.com/Thinner-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate-ebook/dp/B0098PYV7Q

There's also a great transformation post a 20-something lady did a couple months ago showing her progress from following this book ... I'll try and find it for you!

u/theoldthatisstrong · 8 pointsr/xxfitness

The technique you described has always worked great. There are now also cheap, gymbag-portable devices like the Dead Wedge that are super easy as well.

​

NOTE: Not affiliated in any way with this product. I just own one and use it in my home gym.

u/Annabel398 · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

If OP wants to low-bar squat, all the Starting Strength material is going to be helpful. Check out the book from the library! https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982522738/

Low-bar is definitely a weird position... for my first set of warmups, I'm always like "MY BODY DOESN'T BEND LIKE THAT" but by the time I'm halfway through warmups, it's like "O HAI I CAN DO IT!"

I too work a desk job, and I think that low-bar squat posture is helpful in counteracting the rounded-in shoulders that we get from typing all day.

u/Aggie05 · 48 pointsr/xxfitness

I don’t know if anyone can say what your body could look like since everyone distributes muscle and fat differently. All you can really do is diet and exercise in a way that is in line with your goals. For building a curvier, more muscular butt and legs I recommend r/StrongCurves. This is the program created by Bret Contreras and there is a Book by the same name. I am on week 5 and have noticed growth in my hamstrings and booty already. Good luck!

u/brooksms · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

I love these ones! http://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-BackBeat-Fit-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B00KJLMBQQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451484160&sr=8-2&keywords=plantronics

They were cheaper on amazon a few months ago so I'm not sure whats up with the pricing. Either way, the bluetooth range is outstanding and they fit well in my ears. Finally, headphones I don't have to mess with at all during my workouts.

u/pallo1234 · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Oh that sucks! My gym has a velcro ankle wrap attachment (also good for cable kickbacks)... I think ankle attachments like that are cheap; maybe you could ask the manager to get one? Or maybe pick one up yourself and take it with you (if you think you'd get use out of it)? Resistance bands are a great substitute, imo - I have some for use at home for this and many, many other exercises. (I use them for donkey kicks, hip thrusts - for this I attach them to the feet of my bed, with shoulders on the bed.) For hip thrusts, in a month, I went through (this)[http://www.amazon.com/Black-Mountain-Products-Resistance-Exercise/dp/7245456313/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1458082377&sr=1-1&keywords=black+mountain+resistance+bands) and this (looping bands around twice for some things, and tying them), need a pullup band setup now. But I use the bands for a million things, they're worth the small investment, imo.

u/Lionstonerprincess · 1 pointr/xxfitness

I am loving my Anker Soundbuds. Reasonable price and they stay in my ears even when I'm super sweaty. I also love that they have a magnet so you can clip the buds together to stay around your neck when you're not using them.

u/wildernessgold · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0736092269/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1524608979&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=strength+training+anatomy

Theres one for women too but it's all about the booty. Great books but I need more than 40 butt exercises.

Doesn't cover work out programs. It just breaks down exercises, the correct forms, correct forms for different body types, common injuries and common mistakes.

The illustrations are also awesome. There's one of some guy in jesus sandals doing some lifts. Strait out of the 90's gym wardrobes. Aside from the sarcasm the illustrations are actually very good and highly detailed.

u/joydeeann · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

Non-whey and non-plant, so are you basically specifically looking for egg protein recommendations?

I usually recommend Orgain, but it's plant based. However, it tastes great! And it's easy to get at Costco or Amazon.

u/Eriicakes · 1 pointr/xxfitness

I believe one of the more popular ones touted by r/fitness and BodyBuilding.com is Gold Standard 100% Whey by Optimum Nutrition. I personally enjoy it though I haven't had some in a while. Everyone has their own opinion on which flavor is the best. I like the standard choco and vanilla:)

u/Blixenk · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I received these plantronics Bluetooth headphones a year and a half ago as a gift, and I love them. I run/walk about 30 miles a week, and I sweat like crazy. They work perfectly and the battery lasts forever on a charge. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KJLMBQQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_3jgQwbB1GH4CF

u/ilikethenumber37 · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I use these ones. They are a little more expensive now than they were when I bought them, but they work really well. The part that goes in your ear tapers nicely so you can rotate them in as far as what's comfortable for you.

u/chibi_rosie · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

I don't know what your doorway looks like, but I use an Iron Gym. It does come with a tiny metal hook/clip thing that you have to insert between the top of the door frame and the wall so you don't crash, but it's a very thin piece of metal and you could easily caulk where the clip was if/when you move out (or don't since I doubt anyone under 7 feet tall would notice a thin 1.5 inch long hole in between the moulding and the wall). I like it because I don't have to have my pull-up bar in the doorway permanently, and as far as damage done to the door way is concerned, it's really pretty minimal.

u/skymelissaler · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Yes definitely they are. There are many resistance bands available in the market like:

  1. Black Mountain
  2. Rogue Fitness
  3. Booty Bands
  4. Walmart

    You should try one of these. They are the best in the market.
u/Freakin_A · 1 pointr/xxfitness

You don't necessarily have to do lower weight if you're going ATG on squats. I actually find that I have an easier time squatting ATG than just below parallel. As you get lower your hamstrings stretch like a spring and allow you to use them to power out of the bottom of the squat.

StrongCurves is Bret Contreras's book on building a butt. He is considered to be something of an expert on the topic. He is a huge proponent of barbell hip thrusts.
http://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642

I also agree that you're probably not activating your glutes enough on squats. Hip thrusts are a great exercise to add into your routine

u/SierBear · 7 pointsr/xxfitness

You've been focusing on losing weight and counting calories for a year, it's normal to feel exhausted about eating healthy!! It takes a lot of mental energy to constantly be focused on these things and it can lead to burnout pretty quickly. I would recommend thinking about doing a maintenance period where you experiment with intuitive eating. This book is a great resource and talks a lot about how the stress of constantly being in a diet mindset can not only lead to weight gain (because stress on the body encourages the body to store fat) but also how listening to your body and giving into your cravings reduces cravings in the long term. A large part of the reason we feel like we can't control ourselves around cookies or ice cream or chocolate cake is because we've told ourselves those foods are off limits and we've built them up to be more than they are through restriction.

u/tarakyoko · 4 pointsr/xxfitness

As I'm sure you've heard before, you can't target fat loss from a particular part of your body. Your best bet is to eat at a caloric deficit to reduce overall body fat - in time you'll start shedding fat from your arms and tummy. Look over the FAQ on fat loss if you're not sure where to start.

As a fellow apple-shape, I totally feel your pain. Stubborn belly fat can feel IMPOSSIBLE to get rid of. One thing that can definitely help achieve a more balanced look though is to focus on lower body weight training. A lot of ladies on the sub seem to have had great success with Bret Contrera's Strong Curves program

u/Mittico · 14 pointsr/xxfitness

Plantronics BackBeat Fit Bluetooth Headphones - Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KJLMBQQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PE..ybKS7JYC4

I love these so much! Best headphones I've ever had. They aren't really noise cancelling but they work great for running and crossfit and everything in between.

u/FuzzyKitties · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I've been using these at the recommendation of a friend who also spends a lot of time in the gym. Pretty happy with them so far!

u/effervet · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I've tried and can vouch for two brands of protein powder. Like most everyone, I've tried Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard Whey in Double Rich Chocolate (which is good) and Caramel Toffee Fudge (which is DELICIOUS). I've also tried Micellar Creme in Chocolate Milkshake, which is a very yummy casein protein.

I like ON for the flavor variety, and purchase their whey protein (and glutamine powder) for my post-lifting shakes. I use Micellar Creme to make a high-protein chocolate pudding, but I imagine it would also be delicious as a shake.

u/simplythere · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I can understand the desire to buy something for your SO, even if there's a likelihood that they may not like it. My husband isn't a fan of shopping so he won't even bother looking until his current clothes rip or become threadbare, so I've always just bought a bunch of options for him to try at home without the pressure and discomfort of a dressing room and returned things that he didn't like. I've returned entire orders of clothes to Nordstrom because he didn't like any of it. I think it's the sentiment of doing something considerate to make them feel comfortable vs. what you actually end up buying.

As for your question, I think the Panache underwired sports bra is pretty popular among very busty women. Compression-only bras may not provide enough support for women with a lot of volume. I'd also try one with molded cups and no underwire like the Moving Comfort one another girl suggested because depending on how her breasts are spaced, some underwires go up too high and can cause discomfort where the center gore will dig into the breast tissue.

u/gooberfaced · 22 pointsr/xxfitness

Food scale.
$11 on Amazon- I have two of these and highly recommend it.
If you already have a food scale learn how to use it- if you tare out between each ingredient they are fast and easy to use.
Everyone thinks they are going to be too much trouble until they start and see how easy and efficient it really is.

>How can I estimate how much food I am eating more accurately?

You can't.

Eyeballing doesn't work.

u/Kaywinnit_Lee · 1 pointr/xxfitness

You could try secondhand stores or gym equipment resalers for dumbbells. Something like this would take up a lot less space than individual dumbbells, and may be cheaper than Bowflex-style adjustables (depending on your needs, obv).

I own a flat bench like this that stands up in the corner when I'm not using it. I use a stability ball if I want to do something like an incline dumbbell press at home, but a foldable incline bench like this might also work well.

u/acyland · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I would also recommend Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250004047/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ZXYxCb4PMZG4M

I found it to be a really great book that forces you to really look at yourself and your habits and your goals. Like another poster mentioned, number one thing you have to give up when committing to intuitive eating is the diet mentality. One of the biggest mistakes people make when new to intuitive/mindful eating is looking at it as another diet and keeping the goal of losing weight in the back of their mind.

I myself am still struggling with this part but as with anything, it takes time, patience, forgiveness and learning to actually trust your own body.

u/labellevache · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I love these :

SoundPEATS Bluetooth Headphones Stereo Wireless Earphones for Running with Mic (6 Hours Play Time, Bluetooth 4.1, IPX4 Sweatproof, Secure Ear Hooks Design) - Black & Green

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LP6CFEC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5noCzb0P667K8

u/atreyuno · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Traditional bodybuilding workout with a cut will lean you out and keep you strong. When you lean out you won't be bulky and you probably already have gorgeous muscles.

Check out Thinner, Leaner, Stronger. I highly recommend it.

u/davidjohnson314 · 1 pointr/xxfitness

You should seriously buy the Starting Strength book. You can do whatever program you want (thought I'd suggest the program). It goes in great detail on how to perform the lifts, common faults, great illustrations, and is only $10 on kindle and $23 on paperbook.

u/grae313 · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I'd recommend adding 1 (or even 2) protein shakes on the days you work out. Make them with milk (not water) or chocolate milk, and if you're around a blender, adding a banana makes them actually almost delicious :)

u/_cool_beans_ · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Depending on your budget, I love the plantronics backbeat fit headphones. Wireless is super convenient, they don't fall out of my ears, and they don't have a loose wire. I had a pair similar to the Jaybirds (though not actually the Jaybirds) and I found I got a lot of noise interference from the stupid wire bouncing on my neck as I ran. The Plantronics are still on the pricey side, though a bit cheaper than the Jaybirds.

u/krissycole87 · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I got these two adjustable kettlebells to use at home and they are amazing. This one adjusts from 5lb to 8lb to 12lb, and this one starts off at 20lbs and you can add up to 3 plates to it (5 or 10lbs) to make varying sizes. I also got this adjustable dumbbell set. Those 3 things along with a few sizes of resistance bands and I can do pretty much any exercise I want at home!

u/saracuda · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

For lifting I like the New Rules of Lifting for Women, especially because the routine is very clearly laid out.

For "cardio" (Running) I like Couch to 5K or the Zombies, Run! 5K app.

u/thehomeeconomist · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I bought this set from Amazon, and I am very happy with them.

Fit Simplify Resistance Loop

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVDVHTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_kF9HHMn9jcMuy

u/ThotlineBling_ · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

I absolutely LOVE Orgain
If you have a Costco card, they sell a bigger tub (a little under 3 lbs) and it's cheaper. The thumbnails on that link allow you to see the ingredient list.

u/14qrafzv · 11 pointsr/xxfitness

You can search Amazon or wherever you shop for "foam roller" and it'll pull up something like: https://www.amazon.com/TriggerPoint-Roller-Instructional-Original-13-inch/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1475067270&sr=8-8&keywords=foam+roller.

So you want to roll your butt? Sit on and shift your weight to move the roll.

Here's another article with good visuals: http://greatist.com/fitness/how-foam-roll-pro.

u/jags70 · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Here’s two great programs you could check out. They are both books but you could probably buy used or get at library.


New Rules of Lifting for Women
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333398/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_HqX1Bb5M5JZVQ

Strong Curves
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1936608642/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_fpX1BbGS3YMP3

u/yaesnae · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Yay foam rolling! For those of us who are less crafty, this is my favorite roller to date. Roll on!

u/Piece0fpi · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

I got these : SoundPEATS Bluetooth Headphones Stereo Wireless Earphones for Running with Mic (6 Hours Play Time, Bluetooth 4.1, IPX4 Sweatproof, Secure Ear Hooks Design) - Black & Green https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LP6CFEC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_SqJkybDGDN6VF

They come with the ear fins and fit really well. Took a few tries to get it to fit perfect but I can run, jump, lift, etc with zero issues.

u/kbug21 · 1 pointr/xxfitness

32F here (UK sizing) and Lululemon didn't cut it. It was painful to run. Now I wear Panache and it's awesome!

Edit: This bra is THE SHIT for busty ladies https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005VNFFZ6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478242843&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=panache+sports+bra

u/counttess · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Yep, though you can get an e-book too (but I like the real book because it's easier to look through the exercises, I just take pictures of the ones I want to take with me to the gym)

https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642

u/djrey002 · 21 pointsr/xxfitness

Anker SoundBuds Slim Wireless Headphones Bluetooth 4.1 Lightweight Stereo IPX5 Earbuds with Magnetic Connection NANO Coating Sweatproof Sports Headset with Metallic Housing Built-in Mic (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6DC2ZE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sIy4AbT6B81HH

Best $25 I've ever spent. I've had them 6 months and use them daily. Absolutely no complaints. Funny enough, i had it narrowed down to Anker vs. Taotronics in the end. They look and function almost identically. I went with Anker due to brand name recognition and their customer service is amazing.

u/Libby_Fringe · 6 pointsr/xxfitness

I love this thing. It 1) fits like iron, 2) converts to a racer back, 3) Comes in all sorts of sizes for those of us with big boobs and a small band size.

u/barbellsandbacon · 1 pointr/xxfitness

A dead wedge fits in the gym bag, and is super helpful for load/deload.

u/wet_socks_ · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Squats for sure. There are tons of variations. I highly recommend picking up a set of resistance bands. They are super cheap:

https://www.amazon.com/Fit-Simplify-Resistance-Exercise-Instructional/dp/B01AVDVHTI/ref=sr_1_3?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1497297185&sr=1-3&keywords=resistance+bands

With these you can do a ton of different workouts at home.

Lunges will work as well but will incorporate more glute work. Not a bad thing but not exactly what you asked for.

u/Madasiaka · 23 pointsr/xxfitness

I found the New Rules of Lifting For Women to be really approachable. The writing's engaging with lots of references to studies and science and the exercises are all well explained (with pictures!).

It's been around long enough that you can find videos of each workout online, as well as excel spreadsheets to track your workouts/calories etc in.

(Caveat - I mostly ignored the nutrition chunk of the book so I can't say much about that part.)

u/Rayduuu · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I'd recommend getting a food scale if you're calorie counting. You can get one that's accurate to the gram for $10-15 on Amazon. I really like this one. I cook all of my meals at home and the food scale was a game changer.

As for your potstickers, you would weigh the separate ingredients raw before cooking and input those numbers into the recipe tab in MFP.

u/secondarylaughs · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Both my gym and my physical therapy place use these! I use the blue one for hip thrusts and glute activations. I have these at home but they don't seem to have as much resistance as the others - I pretty much only use the black one for everything

u/amaresnape · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Have her read the book listed in the sidebar: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398

It's a great read for anybody who is a little sensitive or clueless about diet. I honestly bought it more for the lifting stuff, and I hate the voice used in the narrative of this book, but I think it will give her the resources she needs to both understand it AND feel confident about it herself.

u/everydayjokes · 1 pointr/xxfitness

> Does foam rolling have to be done directly before/after your workout

Nope. Any time is fine. Some people like to foam roll before bed. I'm finding I like to foam roll after I lift, so I log this guy around.

u/icouldfinallybreathe · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

You can get a decent scale on amazon for less than $15. I have this one and have used it daily for 2 years. Its great.

u/SherpaLali · 1 pointr/xxfitness

You can't reduce the size of your upper body without losing fat, and if you can already see ribs it sounds like you don't have much fat to lose.

Strong Curves is a mostly butt/legs focused program. I haven't done it but have heard good reviews from other people here.

u/kimmerbajimmer · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I have 2 pairs of these - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6DC2ZE/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

They're cheap. They work great. And they come with a volume ton of different buds + ear hook thingys if you want them over your ear + the in your ear thing that you can swap around.

u/GoLightLady · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Dealing with knee issues myself from an old injury. I will say do not push a knee issue. It will back fire 100%. I'm having to go back to no weight/ low weight, just the bar to build support muscles to ease my situation. Hams, calves, back, hips all play a part. It's better to work with your limitations with knees and build them up well and stable rather than push weights and have to recoup for months.

From what I can see, your alignment seems off. The bar seems high on your neck, roll it down to on your traps more. The alignment could be unbalancing and straining rather than loading the skeleton and muscles for workout. If that helps.

A book you should check out:

https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483635089&sr=1-1&keywords=starting+strength

u/Jewelzy · 1 pointr/xxfitness

The Iron Gym is decent and you can find it anywhere.

But after owning several pull up bars, I have to say the Perfect Multi-Gym is the best I've owned. It's more adjustable (I have very small door frames in this apartment, it's the only one that fits) and it's cushioned on all contact points. It hasn't left a scratch on my door frame or the wall above it.

u/neptunesbrinypubes · 1 pointr/xxfitness

We have similar stats, so just chiming in with some anecdotal experience!

I hit puberty before many of the girls in my class and was known for having outrageously large boobs throughout middle and high school, so mine, too, have been the target of my frustrations for many years. After having children, they grew exponentially (nursing and weight gain), and haven't gone back to their previous size since. They're a nuisance and a pain, and I'd likely be really self-conscious of them if I were less comfortable with myself, because their mass means they hang low on my chest wall without a bra to lift them up. Personally, I've considered breast reduction, but not seriously, because, for better or worse, I experience a lot of anxiety with surgery and hospitals. In short, you're not alone in resenting something that other women get augmented to possess.

Here is a visual reference of the change in my own body since I lost 50 lbs. After my second kiddo, I was at my heaviest weight, 180 lbs (am 5'1"). I think I was a 36 J. After the weight loss, I was a 30 G. That's three band sizes and six cup sizes, and keep in mind that cup size also shrinks in proportion to band size.

I imagine your results will be largely influenced by genetics; but that being said, there's still hope. I think you absolutely need to get yourself a hardcore, proper sports bra after being properly fitted. I have a Panache, and I can do anything in it without pain. At my largest, I wore an Enell, and currently I wear a Panache and am size 32GG. I prefer the Panache over other styles and brands because it has a center spacer that separates the breasts. At my bust size, a traditional pull-on sports bra that creates the pressed-together-uniboob-look just means I'm in for lots of sweat and heat rash. Another well-regarded sports bra for busty ladies is the Freya, but I've found that the Freya brand, although superior quality, personally doesn't work for me because I'm a full-on-bottom breast shape and they're often too shallow for me. I've also had my Panache for three years and use it exclusively, and it looks and performs like new.

As an aside, I worry that your use of the word "disproportionate" to describe yourself indicates that you have some unhealthy feelings toward your body. Many of us have experienced body dysmorphia, but you need to understand that there's no such thing as a disproportionate body, unless you have Elephantiasis or a similar medical disease. I know you were probably just using it to describe how chesty you feel, but big busted or not, you're not unnaturally or wrongly shaped, and you need to know that. Keep eating well and moving your body, and hopefully your happiness in your own skin will follow!

u/WatermelonRhyne · 12 pointsr/xxfitness

If you want to get her a book, I suggest this:

https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398

New Rules of Lifting for Women

It's got a lot of good information in there about differences between men and women. It also goes pretty well into how women can train and not "bulk up" like a man unless we work really REALLY hard at it.

u/toomuchwork · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I'm currently working my way through the workout plan in The New Rules of Lifting for Women. So far it's been working great and I can see visible changes!

u/BridgetteBane · 112 pointsr/xxfitness

I really like the Panache sports bra. It's like a tactical boob holster.

u/CB81 · 1 pointr/xxfitness

What type of bra are you wearing? Most sports bras are compression type, which rely on stretchy fabrics to squish you into your ribcage, and generally don't provide much support for bounce.


Try an encapsulation bra like the Panache Sport or Freya Active. Encapsulation bras are fitted to your ribcage measurement where the band rests, usually have wires to surround your whole breast, and provide higher rise for protection against upward movement. You might also like Enell, Shock Absorber, or Moving Comfort.


Panache and Freya use UK sizing, so head here to figure out what size to get: http://www.brasizecalculator.tk

u/bernadine77 · 1 pointr/xxfitness

A couple that are fairly popular among the crowd at r/xxfitness are Thinner, Leaner, Stronger, or Strong Curves.

They have a list of beginner lifting programs here as well.

u/amstarcasanova · 7 pointsr/xxfitness

I would recommend getting some resistance bands (around $10 on amazon) and doing exercises such as glute bridges, frog pumps, kickbacks, clams, squats, etc with them. If you google resistance band glute exercises a lot of examples will come up that will show you how to do them.

Start with the lower weight ones and once you learn the movements and feel your glutes activating then increase the resistance weight!

Edit: I have these myself for about a year and they work fine.

u/Nikkian42 · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

Why did you choose Strong Curves over say, Starting Strength or Strong to name just two others?

u/mmabpa · 25 pointsr/xxfitness

Intuitive Eating (specifically,the book by Resch & Tribole) has been a life saving game changer for me and my history of eating disorders. I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who struggles with disordered eating and being fed up with "diet culture" to check out the book. I would not recommend it to anyone who wants to lose weight or meet specific body composition goals since that is kind of the opposite of the point of the book :)

u/vegetablesactivated · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

Just to be a bit more clear about what vondahl has said: Buy a Food Scale and weigh your food to get an accurate amount. Here is a video explaining the basic way to use one and here is a bit more in depth on how to get an accurate calorie count (just use MFP instead of USDA)

u/forsure24 · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I am the WORST at waking up early, but I need to work out in the morning or it will never happen. I just recently got this AMAZING alarm clock.

It uses light to wake you up as well as sound. My room is very dark and the sun doesn't come up until after 6 am (when I want to wake up). This baby is really helping me wake up and get my butt to the gym.

u/UdderlyFoolish · 8 pointsr/xxfitness

If you're moving a lot of plates around there's also this https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Wedge-Alternative-Powerlifting-Weightlifting/dp/B00TVVBD6O

I'm waiting to buy it as a nerdy gift to myself for when I can deadlift two plates...

I'm glad you found a good way to move them though! I've actually tweaked my back before yanking on plates like that so I'm really paranoid about how I load and unload for deadlifts. After a beautiful set I just pulled on a plate the wrong way, tired, and whew that was bad.

u/FromTheBetween · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

The "book" i was referencing was just a confusino I had in the link. http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398. It was right next to starting strength, (book title here). Thought it was one phrase.

u/advwench · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

I bought myself a sunrise alarm clock a couple of years ago (I have this one, but there are others.) It really does make it easier to get out of bed while it's still dark out.

u/honey-dews · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I got mine from Amazon. It's kinda like this. I use it for leg workouts too

u/HowDoYouDoThatAgain · 1 pointr/xxfitness

I use this one https://www.amazon.com/Orgain-Organic-Protein-Chocolate-Packaging/dp/B00J074W94/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=protein%2Bpowder&qid=1562519610&s=gateway&sr=8-5&th=1

It's on Amazon and at Costco. I put it in a smoothie, or on cereal, or mix with soymilk.

The protein is from peas, chia seeds, and brown rice, none of which I typically eat, so it seems like a good pick.

It think it doesn't mix very well, so sometimes I use my little smoothie maker to blend it if I'm just doing it + soymilk, or otherwise, try to stir it with just a little soymilk to start.

That said, all the protein powders I've used I think don't mix very well, so I'm not trying to say it mixes worse than other protein powders.

u/sknick_ · 5 pointsr/xxfitness

Any chance your squat grip is bad/wrong?

The following excerpt refers to low bar squats

>As we discussed earlier, the thumb should be placed on top of the bar so that the wrist can be held in a straight line with the forearm.

>The vast majority of people, however, will prefer to hold the bar with a thumbs-around grip. At lighter weights, this is fine because the load is easy to keep in place. But when heavier weights are being used, the grip that results from thumbs-around can create its own problems. Most people have a mental picture of the hands holding up the weight, and this usually ends up being what happens. The bar sits in the grip with the thumbs around the bar, the wrists are bent back, the elbows end up directly below the weight, and nothing really prevents the bar from sliding down the back from this position.

>People who do this will eventually have sore elbows, a horrible, headache-like soreness in the inside of the elbow that makes them think the injury occurred doing curls. If the elbows are underneath the weight, and the force of the weight is straight down (the nature of gravity is sometimes inconvenient), then the wrists and elbows will unavoidably intercept some of the weight (Figure 2-34). With heavy weights, the loading can be quite high, and these structures are not nearly as capable of supporting 500 pounds as the back is.

Rippetoe, Mark (2013-11-07). Starting Strength (Kindle Locations 1034-1043). The Aasgaard Company. Kindle Edition.

----

Video demonstrations here

u/kittens45 · 8 pointsr/xxfitness

This sunrise simulating alarm clock has helped me a ton: https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Wake-Up-Colored-Simulation-HF3520/dp/B0093162RM

I have it set to wake me up with NPR (can program it to be a more generic alarm sound) and the type of light it emits really does help. I get up, make myself a cup of coffee (coffee maker is set and ready to go) and grab my overnight oats (also set from the night before, or earlier night in the week when I had time). I bring those two back to bed, sit up, sip and eat while listening to the news.

I know a lot of people advise getting up and going right way to avoid falling back asleep, but it helps me to know I have ~30 min of sitting up in bed and sipping coffee to kind of get myself going. Takes the edge of how initially groggy I feel when I open my eyes and think "nooo this isn't even possible."

u/verlockend · 1 pointr/xxfitness

Sure! These are the ones:

Anker SoundBuds Slim Wireless Headphones Bluetooth 4.1 Lightweight Stereo IPX5 Earbuds with Magnetic Connection NANO Coating Sweatproof Sports Headset with Metallic Housing Built-in Mic (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6DC2ZE?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

u/backstab · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Like everyone else is saying, check out Starting Strength if you can get to a gym with barbells.

u/Buckaroo2 · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

I bought these to take with me to the gym for whenever I needed them and they get the job done:

Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands with Instruction Guide, Carry Bag, EBook and Online Workout Videos, Set of 5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVDVHTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CdKTCb8F633ZJ

u/failsafe0 · 12 pointsr/xxfitness

I second the food scale specifically, the one I have and has worked for 5 years is this one and get a foam roller with the remainder. This foam roller is $13.51 and is the same style that my gym has.

That said, this food scale is only 11 bucks with the same rating as mine, so I would recommend buying that one! The most important thing to me for a food scale is idle time -- if I leave it for 2 minutes, will it turn off? I don't want it to, sometimes I am mid-weight and still chopping and want it to remain "on".

u/fairlydecent · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Nothing! Check out the label here on the amazon page. (How absurd is it that ON doesn't have the ingredients posted on their site??)

u/minimalisteph · 10 pointsr/xxfitness

Dude, don't overthink it. I'm pretty satisfied with this single wireless bluetooth earbud that was $12, and before that I was using these $20 bluetooth headphones that were also nice. A note about the headphones, I still have and use them often but they REALLY block out all sound which has led me to the single bud option, I like being able to hear around me.

u/sm0gs · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Can you get one of these movable doorway pull up bars? My boyfriend has one and it’s surprisingly sturdy

u/dreamgal042 · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I got mine for $15 at Target, but this one is what I've seen recommended around here frequently.

u/someinvisiblehand · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

Hi all - Sorry if this is a really stupid question. Searching for a new lifting program (Starting Strength didn't have enough variety to keep me interested). I read about Thinner Leaner Stronger on the sidebar of beginner programs. Does the book actually include the lifting routine...?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0098PYV7Q/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

u/th3r31t1s · 4 pointsr/xxfitness

Thinner, Leaner, Stronger and
Girls Gone Strong

These are two I am curious about, both were recommended but I have found little reference to them in the community.

u/blue-no-yellow · 6 pointsr/xxfitness

I don't have super intense weighing needs but I use this one which goes up in 1 gram increments and has worked just fine for me!

u/bruteforcegrl · 40 pointsr/xxfitness

New Rules of Lifting for Women can give you a template plan for building strength unless you are already beyond that sophistication-wise. That emphasizes a lot of compound movements so the workouts aren't by upper and lower body days.

u/PrincessSleepyFace · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

Can also confirm. Bought these based on everyone here's recommendation and have not been disappointed. And if you don't care about color, the lime green ones are usually cheaper by $5-$10

Edit: I bought mine on Amazon and it appears they may be cheaper there than from the manufacturer directly. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KJLMBQQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_z-OFxbW8WKPTC

u/r4d4r_3n5 · 1 pointr/xxfitness

This book may be of some interest. I know many people that for years been on the elliptical machines without making progress. What's it said? Keep doing what you've always done and you'll keep getting what you've always got?

I read Gary Taubes' book where he claims that endless aerobic exercise is just about useless for fat loss since it actually stimulates hunger.

Check out this link. I think it's all the encouragement you'll need.

u/miz_nyc · 1 pointr/xxfitness

What worked for me:

A sunrise simulator alarm clock. I have this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-HF3520-Wake-Up-Colored-Simulation/dp/B0093162RM

This makes it a bit easier to get up at 5 am but there still are mornings where I have to pep talk myself out of bed.

u/TripleUltraMini · 2 pointsr/xxfitness

I have this shorter one and it is FIRM.
You get used to it though... mostly

u/intangiblemango · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

I would weigh the total finished product in grams on the food scale and set "one serving" as 100g. Then, you put your plate of food on the food scale, zero it out, add your cilantro lime cashew cream, and if you add, say, 20 grams of sauce, you would enter 0.2 servings into MFP.

If you don't have a food scale, Consumer Reports was aaaaaall about this sucker and it's less than twelve bucks - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004164SRA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

u/meimaj · 4 pointsr/xxfitness

I have these wireless earbuds:

http://www.amazon.com/SoundPEATS-QY7-Bluetooth-Lightweight-Headphone/dp/B00LP6CFEC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457501623&sr=8-3&keywords=wireless+bluetooth+headphones+soundpeats

I go running with them and they don't fall out. There is a small wire that goes behind your neck but that's it. You can control volume/skip tracks on it + it has a microphone.

Oh, and they're $20!

u/atheologist · 3 pointsr/xxfitness

I keep one of these in my gym bag. Makes loading so much easier.

u/under_analysis · 1 pointr/xxfitness

I bought these on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VCDXNS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It comes with the plates to take a single dumbbell up to 30lbs, or do two 15s. You can also purchase additional plates if you need to go higher.

I haven't experienced any clanking with this set so far. I make sure to set the rubber stoppers at either end of the plates and screw the cap on as tightly as I can, and I've had no issues at all.